Prologue Part III

The soft angelic voice calls to him. He begins ascending from a deep sleep and the voice begins to dissolve as he awakens. There's a moment of resolve in between the dream and his reality; a rude awakening when he simultaneously recognizes the voice as his love, Jenn, and the clarity that it couldn't be her calling him because she was lost.

Danny enjoys, yet dreads, that moment. That moment when hearing her voice seems possible and the next where he remembers it's not. A deep emptiness returns to his stomach. It certainly could be the pills but it's grief. That sense of dread that has become part of his existence. He knows it well, but nonetheless, it's a new day.

As he rolls and twists from his back to lower his feet to the hardwood floor, the spring of his bed reminds him that it's no longer slept in by he and another; and even as he rubs the sleep from his eyes, he knows today will be exactly like all of the yesterdays that came before it.

He sits up straight. He feels the pain in his lower back from inactivity; lack of exercise. He reaches for the night-stand and habitually grabs his un-powered cellular phone but puts it back down. It's still not time. It seems like he'll never be ready and he's pledged to remain patient. He must allow himself time, uninterrupted, to grieve.

The morning ritual remains the same in all universes. Danny carefully walks his steaming hot coffee mug from the kitchen to his living room and sits down in his reclining chair that has been an intimate friend since his paid suspension from the HWA.

It would surprise his colleagues to see him un-kept His facial hair growing freely to cover the bottom half of his face. His hair longer than it had ever been and greasy; uncombed. His robe, unwashed. One would believe this is the Danny Starr from another universe; one where standards weren't a priority and where an ego wasn't ingrained in his every fiber of being. And even though this Danny Starr isn't from another dimension, this is a different Danny Starr than this world had known; this man is a broken man.

The isolation was a personal choice. Some might argue that a person grieving should have people around to confide in and even though he had Michael, he chooses to face these hardships alone like a wounded wolf afraid to look weak to his pack.

Whatever the case, Danny had purposely shut all ways of communication down to avoid any or all contact from the outside world. It would be, just He and his grief, indefinitely.

Sitting still, enjoying the coffee, his thoughts run wild as they tend to do lately. So much so that sitting still becomes a bit too much to handle. A new anxiety joins in with his empty stomach and suddenly, the coffee mug is on the table, and Danny is standing up to move from stagnation.

He has no true destination, but the sun shining through the window seems like a good enough direction, and he looks out to see the green grass growing higher than his neighbors would have ever seen it if they weren't acres away from each side. The grass might have bothered him before but he tends to live in a constant fog of indifference to the world around him.

He wanders around, aimlessly, before returning back to his chair again. He lets out a sigh of exhaustion already and sits down. He reaches for the mug that says "Now, That's Sensational" and sips it before placing it down on the table's surface with a light clink. He doesn't lean back, but instead curls forward as if he has a stomach ache. He's clearly anxious, rubbing his face aggressively with both hands.

He stands up again; his mind and body seemingly two different entities unable to collaborate on a single productive task. He already looked out the window and he's out of ideas. He stands still, like a Haitian zombie in place, for longer than he should. He stares ahead but at nothing in particular until his hand raises up to his face, and wipes away a tear that tried to make a run for it.

His other hand rises to assist the other as tears stream from both of his eyes and down his face. He sits down again, his hands over his face like he's going to be embarrassed by someone who will never see it. Alone, he sobs.

It doesn't last long; it never does. He quickly wipes the tears away from his mouth and nose, as if he's hiding the evidence of a heinous crime, and stands up. He clears his throat, his eyes red and teary, but resists the urge to release anything more. He grabs the coffee from the table and finishes it a few big gulps. This has become Danny's typical morning ritual.

For the next hour or so, like every morning, Danny finds it wise to write about his grief in a journal of sorts. He is found in the study recording his emotions, thoughts, or really anything that comes to his mind in the moment.

Today, he writes about the monotonous nature of his usual day and how each day seems to blend together with the last. He writes about humans being social creatures and wonders if it was the correct course choosing isolation over experiencing other people during this process. He wonders if it's taking it's toll on him but, he made the decision to deal with Jenn's death on his own. But, unlike the other days before, today, Danny is more tired than he has been. His eyes fall even heavier than writing usually makes them and his head slowly reaches the desk top. He falls asleep only mere hours after waking up.

She's falling from him. Seemingly in slow motion. Black all around her. Her hand reaches up; her fingers seem to elongate as Danny see his own fingers just missing her grip. She falls into an abyss but Eric puts his hand on Danny's shoulder, and with a sympathetic smile, speaks in Jenn's voice: "there's only predators and prey."

That very moment ends as Danny awakens abruptly, startled to his feet, causing his cold mug of coffee to knock over and spill on his desk.

"Shit!" after a moment of pause. He instinctually takes off his T-shirt and begins to slop up the brown liquid now absorbing into his journal's pages. As a stale brown crawls into the white of his shirt, he looks up at the ceiling in disbelief at his clumsiness. Another sigh of exhaustion before looking at the time, frustrated that he's slept the day away and has landed himself awake at 3:20 in the morning.

Despite already getting a good eight hours, he tries finishing the rest of the night in his bed. He lies awake in the dark, alone with only with his thoughts. His mind travels to another time. His sister is there with him in the field behind their childhood home. Images of them laughing as they chase butterflies in the soft green grass. He remembers it fondly. He wonders where she went. He wonders at what point things went wrong. Where did Cassie go? Why?

The younger version of the siblings brings the first smile to Danny's face as he lays there remembering. It would be a fine memory to drift away to sleep with but it's a nightmare in disguise. The sunny day doesn't fade to dark clouds, though. The sky remained blue and the butterflies still fluttered. The world still continued even after their father's gruff voice called for Cass.

Their fun was contained in the eye of a storm that swirled around them. Their laughter stopped when their motions did. They looked at each other and there was only fear they shared as the butterfly fluttered away from them. "Cass!" His voice growled and Cass winced. Not a word spoken between them, but their understanding was clear.

Cass runs with haste to answer her father's call, and disappears from Danny's sight. He reluctantly moves in her direction, following her exact trail to the living room window. He peeks in where he knew their drunken father spent his afternoons and gazed through his open palms to shield the sunlight from the darker room inside.

Cass stands still before him. She is locked into him, hoping this time isn't like the last, but both the siblings know it will be. Danny shudders when their father grabs her delicate wrist and when he sees her face contort with anguish, Danny bangs on the window. An act he didn't think much about before doing it.

Danny pulls away from the window. He no longer knows what is happening beyond the dark glass. He only hears the front door open and his heart begins to pound. It's Cass.

"Daddy wants to see you." Cass says as if delivering bad news. She tries not to make eye contact. Danny nods his head and begins to walk towards the door. Cass runs passed him covering his face to hide the tears. Danny walks in to see their father already standing to greet Danny with a grin. Danny looks at the window he had previously gazed through, but nobody will see what happens next.

All Danny remembered was laying sideways on their Persian rug. In and out of consciousness. Staring at a clock that read 4:59 PM. the same time Danny sees now when the memory ends. He hasn't slept since waking up in the study. He sits up, restless, and looks over at his phone. He reaches for it, despite making a personal pledge, and pushes the on button. The screen lights up his face as the phone begins to power up but a dead batter symbol appears and it goes black again.

"Stop being fucking weak." He whispers to himself before throwing down the dead phone back on his night stand. He twists around and plants his feet to the floor and reaches back for the night stand. Instead of the phone, he instead, grabs the bottle of pain killers that have become a crutch during this process. He twists the child-safety lid off from the cylinder and pours at least three into his waiting palm. He places the bottle without a lid back down to the night stand and reaches for a glass to chase the pills with. He feels the glass is empty and decides to take them dry.

One pill successfully swallows with saliva. The second pill, he gets down but tastes the residue of the pill's coating, and the third one gets caught in his gag reflex causing Danny to begin coughing horrifically until he begins to throw everything back up.

The vomit burns his throat and depletes what's left of his energy level. He falls back down to the bed, his facial hair and chest covered in his own stomach fluids.

"Danny...." That angelic voice again. It fades as Danny comes to. This time, the potent smell of fermenting vomit makes the wake up process much quicker. The light penetrates through the window like laser beams to burn his already closed eyelids, he tries to squint anyway, but only sitting up in his own mess and turning from the light can ease the discomfort. He barely opens his eyes before his bare feet slop down to the side of his bed into what Danny can only assume is more vomit.

The light for the laundry room turns on for the first time in months. Danny, in nothing but underwear, carries in a bundle of fabric including his soiled bathrobe, his bed-sheets, and the towels he used to clean up the vomit. He opens the lid to the washing machine and hoists the garments into the box. He closes the lid and as it shuts, a small plume of dust pounces off of the surface. Danny nearly chokes as the light catches what looks like a cloud hovering for a moment before dissipating into the air. He takes his finger and rubs it along the top of the lid, leaving a clear clean trail within a coating of dust.

Once changed, Danny moves into the study to record in his journal. His eyes red from the morning routine, and his second cup of coffee freshly poured. He washed his face to rid his beard of last night's vomit but hasn't had a true shower in days.

A shaky sleep last night makes the thoughts difficult to collect and as he opens the cover of his journal he sees the now dried brown page from yesterday's entry. He tries to turn to the next page but they stick together.

He finally flips the glued 20 or so pages to the first clean one and pokes the pen's tip into the top of the paper.

He can't seem to write. There's nothing to say. He writes that. He then writes how even though he's cried, there is no true release. He knows he misses her. He knows she's gone. He just feels numb to everything. There's just no feeling at all. He writes that he feels guilty that he hasn't felt anything and that even being all alone in this huge house he still feels her presence. He feels like she's just there, somewhere in the house, watching him just moping around. He feels useless. He feels like any motivation has evaporated into thin air and what used to be a foreseeable future has turned into a frozen time-scape there is no tomorrow. There is no today. Nothing matters.

He stops writing, only half conscious of the things he's jotted down, and peers passed his coffee mug to see her face. He studies her beauty.

"Why can't I feel you?" Danny asks the picture of Jenn, "Why can't I feel your absence?"

He closes the journal. Stands up and leaves his coffee behind as he exits the study. He'll do what he's been avoiding. He'll push himself to face what he's been afraid to face. Maybe if he goes to her, maybe then, he will feel her.

When the back door opens, the humidity weighs down on him like a thousand pounds, and it's only the late morning. Out here, the world was on fire while Danny had froze in his castle, void of the warmth of a love extinguished.

A long walk through the tall, wild grass makes the memory of his childhood playtime hard to re-imagine and even harder to see the family grave site. He's pushed it away long enough, nothing was improving, only deteriorating further. He brushes away the grass blocking his view from where he knows Jenn's site to be. He sees his father's name on the tombstone before him.

An image of his father's face appears in his mind. Suddenly, his thoughts are at the moment he received the news of his father's demise. He remembers how a weight lifted from his shoulders. His mother began to cry tears of happiness; Except, they weren't. She was upset. How could this be? she was in pain? After the years of abuse? After what he did to both of her children?

He looks next to her father's tombstone and another one reads his mother's name. An image of her comes into his brain. A memory of finding her bruised and bleeding from her nose on Christmas Day. Cass, in a fetal position, eyes covered, hiding in a corner of the same room. Their father storming around the house drunk. His mother looked up at Danny with tears in her eyes and said "He didn't start drinking until you! This is because of you..." the word turns into a moan of anguish as she drops her face back down to the floor. Danny remembered he was five at the time.

He misses his mother. If only that little boy knew what he would grow up to do. He weeps for her before even arriving at Jenn's grave. He's never dealt with the regrets or the emotions that come with consequence. Born privileged. Rich. White. Entitled. But now Danny knew how to suffer. He forces himself to face the demons once and for all.

He can barely see the edge of the shiny black granite tombstone that peaks above the high grass. When he finally moves the thick fog of overgrown vegetation to reveal her name carved in it. He felt the guilt of requesting her body buried among his family because her family couldn't afford even a casket for her. They obliged, but they felt obligated, and Danny could have just paid for it and let her family bury her where they would one day share a plot with their own daughter.

Danny hadn't thought that way. In his mind, Jenn was his wife to be and she belonged with him. The parents, brokenhearted, sold their house and moved away. Jenn buried on Danny's property with no one except Danny to visit her and he let the grass grow tall enough to hide her existence. Selfish. Letting her become hidden in this wilderness, stands as a testament for how he's dealt with her death all-together.

He feels like someone punched him in the stomach with brass knuckles. It floors him. He falls to his knees on the dirt and begins double fisting the blades of grass in bunches at a time as he rips them out to expose her tombstone. He tears at every cluster of weed he can grab and goes back for more until beads of sweat begin falling from his face like rain drops. He's out of breath by the time he stops. He glares at the tombstone, now completely open to the sun's light.

"I'm so sorry..." Danny mutters with staggered breath. He's not sure if talking to her graveside makes sense to him. He doesn't truly believe if she could hear him. He believes that if she's dead, then she's dead.

He twists himself around and sits down against the tombstone. His head back and his eyes closed.

"I don't know what to say." Danny says distressingly. "I don't know what to do."

Danny places his hand on the dirt six feet above her casket as if trying to reach for her.

Danny tries to cry but can't. He feels everything inside him climb up into his throat, but he can't release it. Instead, the pain shoots to either side of his skull, and out of frustration lets out a wail of agony. Still, nothing follows. He clenches his fist and slams it down to the earth. He does it again. "WHY!"

It's then he hears the screeching of a vehicle's brakes from the front side of his home's closed gates. He stands up. He knows it's probably the mail around this time of day but thinks maybe it's Michael. He'd be happy to see Michael.

When he arrives to the gate. The vehicle is gone. His mail had arrived. No Michael. He reaches in and pulls the three envelopes out as one. As he walks back to the house he shuffles each envelope to the back one by one. First, junk. Second, debt collector for Mark Crow, and the third is addressed to Danny Starr from the H.W.A.inc.

Once inside, he throws the other two in the trash, and opens the third letter. He reads that his payment from the HWA during suspension has successfully been deposited into his bank account. Once he glances over it, he tosses the letter onto the marble island in the middle of the kitchen. The confirmation letter glides and lands on a pile of papers stating the exact same information. He has lost count of how many weeks he has been suspended.

Danny had made the mistake of hoping it was Michael but he had told Michael, like everyone else, not to interfere with this time of mourning. Plus, Michael was still working the HWA circuit and holding onto the belt. And, although Danny had earned that belt as a token of his redemption, he would turn it over to Michael as a token of his appreciation.

Michael had always been there for Danny and, of course, for Cassandra. And although, Danny and Cassandra hadn't talked for some time, he had hoped that one day, the three of them couple once again be together.

The thought of Michael and disappointment of getting his hopes up, sparked a sense of nostalgia for Danny. Perhaps, it was the failure of releasing his grief by Jenn's graveside, but sentiment is a rare, and welcome visitor in Danny's mind at this point in his life.

He had a made a pledge not to take in any new information from the outside world, but thought maybe the nostalgia could help conjure up some deep seeded emotions within him.

In his living room, by the 65" television, a shelf with a stack of recorded matches labeled by their event name, and organized by their dates sits in a coating of dust. Danny picks them up with both hands and blows the dust off the top. He begins thumbing through them, not looking for anything specifically, but searching for something that might interest him.

He pulls out an old HWA Survival and removes the DVD from it's case. Turns on the television manually and it's already set on the discovery channel. The image on the screen pops up automatically on it and depicts a lioness pouncing on an antelope before Danny switches the input to the DVD player. He inserts the DVD and it begins to play.

He sits down as the sense of nostalgia brings a little light to his mood. He wasn't sure which time period to expect, or which Survival would begin to play, and the anticipation was a bit exciting for a man who has had minimal entertainment for what felt like an eternity.

He watched the event, in full. It was nice to get a mental break from the process. A small vacation before returning back to his reality. It was interesting to see some of the wrestlers he had forgotten. What was bittersweet was seeing the Foundation of Sensation together in the ring. There was Michael and Cass and Danny all together. The vacation suddenly became a stark reminder of how far they've all come from that point to today.

Sounds of the event's rabid audience becomes background noise as his thoughts run back to the first time he met Michael. It was years after Danny had first stood up against his father to protect Cassie but it wasn't the last time, nor the last person he would fight for her honor.

He doesn't quite remember the color scheme in the halls of their grade school, nor the age they all were on that fateful day, but what Danny can see as a perfect photograph is the group of fellow students that stood by the bathroom to flirt with all the girls passing by.

One day, It was Cassandra that had their attention. A modest, quiet girl dressed in the uniform of all the other girls, seemed to stand out to them that day. Danny just happened to be close by to see them gawk at her; taking turns to attempt swooning her. Innocent, but disrespectful. It wasn't until one of the boys, Derek Sullingbury, grabbed her wrist when she ignored him.

Danny remembers dropping his books, walking over, and throwing his fist hard into his upper lip hitting his nose so hard that those around heard the devastating crack echo through the hall. He fell with his back against the wall. He looks up with blood pouring out of both nostrils; tears in his eyes.

Cass wasn't shocked to see this and Danny wasn't afraid to go further if need be. Derek remained cupping the blood in his palm as he pinched his nose. As Danny turned to check on Cass, the other two boys whipped Danny around by the shoulder and began attacking him with equal tenacity as Cassandra watched in horror. Danny was forced to his knees as they pummeled his body but still tried to tackle one of them against the wall near their Derek.

Michael, in the distance, saw what was going on but didn't know anybody in this altercation. He minded his business; he had his own problems than to add new ones.

Danny, unable to get leverage on the two ganging up on him, became at their mercy now being held by one while the other hits Danny's face over and over. Cass pleads with them to stop, trying to grab one of them, but he shoves her down. She gets up to try again and the boy turns his fist to Cassandra but before he can swing it, Michael was there to grab it, twist him around and punch him so hard that he fell asleep before he hit the floor.

Danny, feeling the balance of the fight shift, twists himself from the boy holding him and tackles him to the hard school floor. He climbs on top of him and begins hitting his face once, twice, a third time and now blood is rushing out from every hole in his face. Michael sees teachers pushing their way through the crowd of students as Danny continues pummeling the boy's now purple face. Cass has to turn away in horror. Michael pulls Danny up and lets him know it's over and tells him to get Cass out of there, and that he would take care of the teachers.

Danny turned to Michael, blood coming from his split lip, and thanked him. He took Cass' hand and pulled her through the crowd of students and left the school out of a set of exit doors.

Cassandra had tears streaming from her eyes; eyes she couldn't seem to look at Danny's with. Danny sensed her vulnerability and didn't want to remind her of that man in any way.

Danny began walking; Cass began as well. She reached to her side and slipped her hand into his. He held it tight and they walked home together.

The memory was warm but felt stained by how things eventually would become. Danny didn't have his sister to mourn with and he didn't have Michael to save him. Danny, for the first time, would have to save and protect himself.

The next morning, at Jenn's grave, he sat again. Quiet. Waiting for the right words to come but at least being here gave him a sense of effort.

"I think about you every day." Danny tries again, "I often wonder what we would do on mornings like this. Maybe take a walk. Maybe we would sit in the garden."

"We'd have to watch out for the snakes in our high gra-" Danny hears a vehicle's brakes and it's around that time of day.

"At the very least, out here, I'll know when to grab the mail." Danny's poor attempt at making a tombstone laugh falls on deaf ears. Danny stands up and brushes the dirt from his pants as he walks around the side of the house and towards the front of the gate.

As he gets closer, he sees a white BMW parked at the front of his gate. He doesn't recognize the vehicle and approaches to get a better look. The driver's door opens and from the seat emerges a woman's frame with brown flowing hair. The door shuts as she turns to Danny and he recognizes the woman with sunglasses and a white blouse walking towards him.

She walks right up to the black steel bars of the gate. Danny keeps his distance.

"Danny, Eric doesn't know I'm here." Monica pledges before scoffing with a smile of disbelief, "He wouldn't even let me come to Jenn's funeral."

"Can I come through the gate?" Monica asks politely, "I just want to offer my condolences, Danny."

Monica smiles. "Danny, I'm not here to cause you any trouble. I would hope that you'd know that."

"I'll leave you be, Danny." Monica says, "I tried calling first but your number didn't work."

"I like the beard, by the way." Monica smiles as she opens her car door, and she pauses as she looks to Danny, using her finger to slide her sunglasses down on her nose so he can see her bright green eyes, "Please take care of yourself, Danny. Some of us still give a shit." Monica offers a modest smile.

She climbs back into her seat and shuts the door. She turns the key and starts the ignition. She reverses and makes a K-turn away from his gate, waving to him as she drives away. Danny feels that maybe he was too harsh with her. He had always felt she was too good for Eric, and too sweet for that life style, but she stayed with him despite that.

Danny watches her car until it disappears from sight. Wondering if he should've let her in to talk. Danny thought it might have been nice to actually talk to a real person but she was too close to Eric. How could he fully trust anyone in her position? then again, he thinks, what else could he have to lose at this point. After all, it wasn't Eric that killed Jenn. Eric was a manipulative son of a bitch, but it was business after all.

Danny remembers all too well how manipulative Eric could be. A memory of being given the grand tour by Monica at the High Society building when he was still young and first accepted as a member. How naive he feels now, looking back.

He remembers how attracted he was to her. At the time, her hair blonde, her face so pure looking. He remembers how green her eyes were. He barely remembers the tour itself but he remembers being walked into the Member's chamber.

An enormous room that overwhelmed Danny at first sight. A tremendously gargantuan wooden table with golden plated chairs pushed in all around it. There was a chair for every member of the High Society. Each of their initials carved in the front of the backing. Danny tried to hide his excitement as he took it all in.

"This is our chamber." Monica waves her arm as those green eyes look back at Danny with a flirtatious smile. "This is where we convene business, politics, sex orgies..." she smiles again, gauging Danny's sense of humor.

"She will!" A deep British male voice interjects, startling Danny, "Unfortunately, for you... so will I!"

the man is Eric Rayne. Monica's 'counterpart' and a young Danny feels like both feet are so deep in his mouth that they are back down at the floor.

"I'm sorry, I was just..." Danny begins to explain himself as a smiling Eric Rayne approaches him quickly, "It was only a..."

Eric extends his hand. "A joke. Good." Eric shakes Danny's hand, "We enjoy jokes around here. Monica, thank you. I'll take it from here."

Monica's smile fades as she looks from Eric and to Danny who is gazing towards her.

"Welcome to the High Society." She says in a polite manner, a quick smile, and she treads off shutting the heavy wooden door behind her as she exits.

"So, I trust Monica showed you how to maneuver yourself through these halls, but something tells me, it won't take "the Sensation" Danny Starr much time to adapt to our ways." Eric says, "Let me show you something. Come."

"Now, Danny," Eric begins, "First and foremost, you refer to me as Eric. We, at the High Society are equals but only to each other."

"That is true." Eric agrees, "but in any event, as a leader, I treat each of my fellow members as I would want to be treated if I were in their position."

"As the leader," Eric says, "I sit at the end of our table. The only real difference between us is our seating, Danny."

Danny looks at the corner of Eric's end of the table and sees the initials "M.D." And smiles.

"That's Monica's chair." Eric's face is suspicious at Danny's smile as he looks at Monica's chair.

"I'm Sorry," Danny says, "the MD reminded me of my friend's initials. Michael. Michael Diamond. I've always dreamed of being here and having my own chair and one day having Michael sitting next to me here as well."

Eric smiles, nods, and says, "Oh, in this case, the D stands for De Lioncourt. Monica De Lioncourt; French. That's not the chair I wanted you to see. It's the one across from it."

Eric turns Danny's attention to the chair on the other corner next to Eric's. He looks and sees"D.S." Carved fresh into the backing. Danny is surprised at it's position.

"As for your friend, Michael," Eric continues, "One day, it's very possible another "MD" will be seated here as well."

Danny smiles at the idea. He also dreamed of a C.S. On another, but didn't want to annoy the man he's looked up to most of his adult life.

"You see, Danny..." Eric places his hand over Danny's shoulder, guiding him away from the table in the opposite direction, "I see great potential in you. One day, I hope to see you at the head of this table with a chair for Michael, a chair for Cassandra, and a chair for those you deem worthy to continue our great legacy."

Danny is completely at a loss of words. Eric guides Danny to the High Society shield on the wall. A giant golden shield with two actual decorative swords crossing behind it.

"This, is the oldest relic of our great order that exists today. It was once used to defend our founder, "the High Prince" against all of his enemies who had combined against him. He was abandoned by his army and was left with only 2 knights of his order. They fought well, the three of them, and survived each enemy that came for the Prince's head."

"They made it through the night together. Two swords and the shield. Together, the three of them weren't separated by title. They realized that they didn't fight to protect the High Prince. Together, with the High Prince, they protected their survival."

"From then on, their order would remain secret, influencing the world from behind the scenes. And only the loyal would be inducted to fight, not for a leader, but for each other."

"It's an honor to be welcomed into such a historically valuable order. Thank you again." Danny says.

"Please, there's no time for pleasantries." Eric says sternly, "This isn't a club. It's an order. You were selected because of your potential. The idea is, by the end, our order will feel compelled to thank you. Not the other way around."

"When the High Prince was old and dying." Eric goes on, "there would have to be a new High Prince, so. He ordered the two knights to each take these swords and duel to the death. It was an honorable death for whomever fell to the other because it meant a new champion would lead these men and women into the next era for our great order."

"Of course not!" Eric laughs, "I was next in line! and although, theoretically, that doctrine remains a traditional way of becoming the leader, it hasn't been practiced in centuries. Well, I should say decades."

"Well, there was one who's politics became aggressive, I should say." Eric says, "A disagreement about the direction of where our order should go became such a serious matter, that it led to, what we call, a Rapine. It's French, of course. The usurper challenged the leader to a duel and dealt a death blow in these very chambers. As the doctrine of our order states, the others must do the work of making the deceased disappear while protecting the usurper. It's a shadow on our order, but, traditionally, it is a practice, albeit, a savage one."

"But, in essence," Eric says, "it serves as a testament to the High Society's entire philosophy."

"The world is made up of predators and prey." Eric says, "You're either the predator or the prey. You have to decide which one you are."

Danny nods. Eric smiles. And the memory ends as the actual mail trucks arrives. Danny waves at the mail man as he jumps out of the right side of the vehicle.

"Good morning Mr. Starr!" the postman says approaching the gate with a couple of envelopes.

"Good morning, Donald." Danny smiles politely, accepting his mail from between the gate's bars.
"Lovin' the beard." Donald says with his own smile before climbing back into his mail truck.

"Thanks..." Danny brushes his chin, waving with the mail in his other hand, "Take it easy."

As the mail truck drives ahead to the next estate, Danny breathes in the usually hot Spring air. He looks down at the envelopes in his hand and begins to read them as he walks towards the house. The first one he reads is to Daniel Starr from the credit union. The second, another one for Mark Crow. He sees out of his peripheral vision how long the grass is. Normally, he would be embarrassed. He wonders if he's losing his mind.

He walks inside with the mail but makes a quick stop on his way to the kitchen to grab his morning coffee mug from the living room. He throws the mail into the trash and drops the mug into the sink. It drops flat against the metal and the quarter of coffee left in it bounces up and splashes onto Danny's shirt.

"Shit!" Danny feels the now cold liquid splash his white tee. He steps back looking down at the brown coffee crawling in the fabric. "Great." But then pauses.

"SHIT!" Danny remembers he never moved the vomit-soaked blankets into the dryer. They surely would smell like mildew now. Danny takes off his coffee-stained tee and carries it to the laundry room to add to the already washed blankets for a recycling.

The light illuminates the laundry room as Danny enters. He can already smell the musty odor wafting through the air. Danny groans as he moves to the washing machine and as he balances the shirt in one hand to open the lid, he stops short when he sees a black spider crawling in the clean streak he made with his finger.

He lifts his hand, ready to crush it, but pauses. He looks down at it and lowers his hand. He places the shirt down on the dryer's surface and reaches up for the box of fabric softener. He tears a side off of it and puts the box back on the shelf.

Using the piece of cardboard, he scoops the spider onto it and lets it down onto the floor, sparing it's life. Then, opens the lid and throws his shirt in, pours a small amount of detergent in, and closes the lid. He hits the start button and the internal drum begins to rotate.

Danny heads to the living room with a bottle of water and turns on the television. The input is still set to DVD so he ejects the Survival he watched and puts it back in it's case. He slides the case back into it's place and randomly selects another from further along the line up.

He opens the case and removes the disc, inserting it into the black DVD player's drive, before sitting down to watch. It starts with Keith and Trent welcoming the viewers to yet another HWA Survival but Danny doesn't recognize which one.

Danny found the videos from the HWA archive to be helpful in giving his mind a break. He found it especially hilarious seeing his friend Tommy Romeo lose the TV Championship match against Kittie after being attacked by Nate Hartman.

"Oh, Nate." Danny takes a sip of his water, shaking his head as he gulps it down. He feels a burning sensation as he swallows. Still raw from throwing up the other night.

This being the second full length event Danny is watching, the daylight has gradually faded and left Danny in the near dark. He realizes it out of the corner of his eye and stands up to turn on a light. As his back is turned to the television, he hears "Fixxxer" By Metallica; his own theme music.

It catches hit attention, but, it's not a surprise to him. He sits back down on the same chair he had been in for the last few hours, and as he watched himself from a past time, realized he hadn't eaten all day. He considered grabbing something to eat from the kitchen, but before he gets up, he thought he would see what his past self had to say. He sees Tommy Romeo and Jason Mysterio, even Kevin Conner, Michael and his sister following behind himself.

As he hears his younger voice begin to speak. The words begin to resonate rather quickly. He remembers that the FOS is about to betray the three newer members at the time. Then, he watches Michael's speech about always choosing the FOS and it makes Danny reminisce of when the FOS was actually born; long before professional wrestling.

Cassandra burst into the study where Danny was studying for an exam. It was senior year and Danny had his face in the books for what felt like the entire month preparing for it. At first, he was frustrated that she didn't knock, but when she began to speak he could hear the urgency in her voice.

"It's Michael!.. Daddy's..." Cassandra began, but Danny already passed her down the hallway.

"Where?" Danny asks, charging towards his best guess on the forth coming answer.

Danny pulls the front door open and runs out to where he sees his father on top of Michael, straddling his body as he rains drunken fists down into his barely protected face. Danny runs full speed and tackles his father, rolling him off of Michael and struggling to out-wrestle him on their front lawn.

Danny doesn't get to see Michael's bloody nose, swollen eye, or split lip. He only sees his father above him through his own hands as he tries to protect his own face. He feels his father's fist come down hard into his hand and his forehead feels it's impact through it. Danny clenches his teeth from it's sting, but before his father could fire off another, Cass was there with Michael's fallen keys sticking out from between her fingers to dig into her father's neck.

Their father growls in anger as he looks at Cass and trying to grab her. Danny sees the opening and swings his own fist up into his father's mouth, feeling his top row of teeth collide with his knuckles.

His mouth begins to bleed, but he is only getting angrier, looking back now to Danny with rage in his eyes. Danny tries to roll his father off and nearly knocks him off balance, but it's Cassandra's kick that does the trick. Danny rolls his father off of him and climbs to his feet before his father can climb to his.

Danny's father finally stands and charges at them, but Danny throws a hard right hook into his jaw, causing him to bypass Danny completely and fall to the grass. Michael is getting composure now, and Danny tries to help him up, but John Starr is rallying, throwing his fist into Danny's unprotected back.

Cass screams at her father. Swinging at him with both hands. She's had enough. Years and years of abuse. He covers his face, unable to process her movements, and he backs away long enough for Danny and Michael to both get to their feet.

As their father grabs both of Cass's wrists to stop her, Michael swings and hooks him from the right. His head turns only to find another one from the left. He turns back and Michael lands another blow. He releases Cass now, turning as he does, and Danny hits the final blow that drops him to his ass.

"This the last time you lay your fucking hand on ANYONE!" Danny threatens, "Next time I'll fucking kill you."

The final threat frightens Cass, but she knows it's just an empty threat to intimidate him. Danny asks Michael if he's okay. Michael nods. Danny looks at Cass. You okay? and Danny hugs them both, leaving their father to suffer on the lawn.

Danny smiles. Remembering from that moment on, they were a team. In life. In wrestling. In the FOS.

A warm memory had helped to distract Danny from the event he had chosen to watch. It would be a warm moment of reflection but a storm was coming. When his attention came back to the television screen, and the emotion that was built in to the FOS moment before had perished, even Danny couldn't prepare himself for what followed.

As the images begin to play out in front of him. The lit room became dim as the shadows of the past crept in from all sides of Danny's peripheral vision. The sounds coming from the speakers become sharp and there's a moment of calm before his mind can fathom what event his is.

He freezes in place. He begins to feel the appetite in his stomach quiet down as his former self appears on the screen. His heart begins to pound so hard in his chest that he can feel the blood coursing through his veins with each beat.

He quickly reaches for the remote, knocking over the bottle of water to the floor, and pauses the video right on an image of himself holding Heather by the neck.

Danny can only stare at the still image. Until he can't bare to look anymore. He stands up and rushes to the bathroom before the kitchen opens up. Before the light can fully illuminate, Danny is already at the sink letting water flow freely as he cups it and throws it up into his face.

He feels the cold chill coat his skin and drip from his untrimmed facial hair back down into the marble sink. He takes more water and splashes it up again, this time rubbing it through his long hair. He looks at his own face in the mirror. His eyes begin to water. He relives his guilt again. And the amends that Sett had made with him wasn't enough to undo what he did.

Danny screams at himself. He throws his hand up and smacks himself so hard the clap echoes in the hall outside of the bathroom. He cries frustrated tears of anguish.

"How could you be such a monster!" Danny growls through his teeth, "You killed her. Over NOTHING!"

"You're going to face it now!" Danny commands himself, "Be a man and fucking face it!"

Danny slams the faucet shut and hits the light on his way out. He turns to the kitchen and grabs a full bottle of whiskey, leaving the glass on the counter behind.

He walks back, the image of Heather's helpless living body still in Danny Starr's grip, he procrastinates hitting play. Instead, he opens the bottle and begins drinking like there's no future after this. He swallows the fire in his already burning throat, breathes in the air, and then raises the bottle again.

He builds up the courage and hits play. He watches Heather's neck snap again. Rewind. Again. Rewind. Again. He drinks from the bottle again. And again. He moans in the agony that he only imagines her mother and father felt. Letting out a painful roar with all of the rage he could only imagine Sett had felt. It's not enough. He stands to his feet and screams up at God,
"WHY!" with a rabid release of frustration. "WHY WON'T YOU PUNISH ME!" But he remembers, God has. He finishes the bottle. He presses play one last time and lets the video play out.

He watches Sett press his two fingers against her soft neck, void of a pulse. He hears Sett distressingly whisper... No... Heather.... No.... No....

and in a complete surrender to his primal regret, Danny Starr erupts in a passionate wail. Agonizing guilt pouring out of him like a flood of sin being purged from his soul. The wail ends after tapering into a deep inhale, but when his lungs are filled back with the thick, tense air, Danny returns with a more thunderous roar of anger. He throws the bottle against the wall like he's trying to put it outside, causing the glass to shatter like an asteroid colliding into the moon. The bottle fractures into a million shards, exploding off the wall so hard, that the glass comes back like shrapnel into Danny's still shouting face.

He storms out, into the darkness, a drunken, rage filled creature of passion. He roams through the grass, not caring what night crawlers have made it their home. Not caring about anything. He follows the way he knows to Jenn's grave, completely lost to the bottle, and even more lost to his own devices.

He's an animal out of his cage, searching for a redemption that slips through his fingers constantly it seems. Guilt ridden, grief stricken, and unforgiving by the world he's abused for too long. It's come back to bite him.

He searches in the darkness. The only light from the almost full moon above him in the sky. He looks up and gazes in wonder as it illuminates the sun's rays indirectly to provide enough visibility for him to navigate. He sees what looks like an owl circling above, but quickly it's invisible when it leaves the center of the moon's shape.

He searches the grounds and even at his most intoxicated, he knows where she is. He finds her where he left her only hours ago. The light shines off of her tombstone, but not the others.

When he sees it, he picks up speed, but trips over his father's first. He falls face first to the ground, his face planted right into the dirt above Jenn's resting place. He doesn't feel the pain that he will tomorrow. He begins to laugh.

"What an asshole!" Danny laughs as he props himself up to sit against his father's tombstone.

"I don't think I should've killed you, I guess." Danny says, "but don't feel bad. You weren't the only ones, right, Jenn??"

"Oh, right..." Danny says, "You don't feel like talkin' You NEVER feel like talkin', do ya?"

"What would you say?" Danny asks, "I mean really. You'd say... what the fuck is wrong with you?"

Danny laughs again. A cool wind blows through the humid night air. He looks up and the clouds have begun to cover the moon and stars.

"You'd say 'why'd you kill me, Danny?" Danny says, "Why'd you let me drive your car, Danny? Why didn't you just pick me up, Danny?"

"It should be me..." Danny mutters, before looking up to the heavens, "IT SHOULD BE!" He sees the moon, stars, and owl are gone. An abyss of clouds cover the sky until lightning reveals their shape. He feels the angels spitting down at his face. He hears the rumble of an angry God, and another strike of lightning and it begins to downpour. Rain, falling from the sky above, so heavy that Danny can't even hear himself think. He believes it's the answer to her would-be questions.

"It's my fault." Danny slides down the tombstone, lowering his head down against it as he sobs, "I'm sorry..."

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Danny sinks into himself. The lightning striking. He sees light from flash in his peripherals before the thunder, and the rain keeps pelting against his already wet back. The lightning strikes again, but the light at his peripheral remains. After a moment of sustaining, he peeks and sees a beam of lighting shining at him.

Danny tries to see passed the light but it falls from it's aim. The woman comes to him, lowering herself, and lifting his arm up over her shoulder to help him stand. He knows it's Monica.

They walk together, she struggles to hold his weight, and he's struggling to balance it.

"I was outside the gate. Contemplating even knocking. That's when I saw you run out and to the back. I waited but it started raining. Was that Jenn's-" Monica asks, helping Danny up the front steps. The flashlight on her cell phone still lighting the way wildly as they ascend.

They both get in and Monica cautiously lets Danny stand for himself so she can shut the heavy front door. He steps forward but stumbles and almost falls but catches his balance. Monica reactively puts her hand on his back to brace him and holds it close until she knows he's okay.

He turns to her. Her dirty blonde hair dripping rain drops onto her phone as she tries to turn off the flash light setting. She huffs because the dampness won't let her glide her finger. She finally gets it off and her green eyes lift to Danny's

"What happened here?" she asks, looking at the glass scattered all over the living room.

He doesn't have an answer. He doesn't have words. He feels her eyes staring through any mask he tries to wear and he doesn't have the strength to put one on.

"What do you want, Monica?" Danny changes the subject, "What does Eric need now?"

He walks forward and almost falls, reaching for the stairway's railing for support.

"Because Danny," Monica is defensive, "the way you were acting earlier. Your grass is long. Your untrimmed. I came because I'm concerned about you."

"I mean, look at this place." Monica waves her hand at the mess, and looks back at Danny with a distressed expression. "You're a mess, Danny."

"Okay." Danny says, "Tell Eric I said hello." And turns around to head up the stairs.

"Damnit, Danny!" Monica approaches Danny to grab his shoulder, "I've never done anything to hurt you." Her hand on his arm causes him to lose his balance and he falls from the second step down to the ground.

"Okay, I'm sorry." Monica can't help but hold in her laughter as she tries to help him back up.

"Spoke too soon." Danny says as she helps him sit on the first step. She sits down next to him.

"Can I help you clean up some of this glass?" Monica asks, getting ready to stand up, but Danny stops her.

Monica reluctantly hesitates, trying to read between the lines. She sits back down, understanding that it would make Danny feel worse.

"Not that," Monica smiles before returning to her reserved self, "About Jenn. And About Eric."

"You don't have to be witty." Monica says, "I'm here if you want to talk about it."

"She's dead." Danny says, "I don't really know what else to say about it. It's my fault in more ways than it's not."

"Danny... you have to stop doing this to yourself. Is this what you've been doing? No wonder you look like the unabomber. You're killing yourself." Monica says.

"Jesus Christ, Monica." Danny scolds, "you tell me to talk and then you berate me?"

"I'm not berating you." Monica corrects him, "You're just too hard on yourself."

"What process?" Monica asks, not sitting against the wall side of the steps, lifting both feet onto the first step next to Danny.

"Oh, yes. Of course. Masochism." Monica begins, "Right between depression and acceptance. That's bullshit."

"Well, snap out of it." Monica commands, "This isn't going to make the 'process' any easier. It's going to tear you apart if it hasn't already.

"Sounds like you need one." Monica fires back, "Danny, it sucks, I know. But you have an entire life to keep living. This isn't living. This is unhealthy."

"You could stop drinking yourself stupid, for one thing." Monica says with a smile. "You could stop breaking bottles. You could stop trying to get struck by lightning."

"Okay, this is bothering me." Monica abruptly begins removing her soaked over shirt. As her arms lift to the ceiling to peel the sticky fabric up off of her, Danny notices her body. He forces himself to look away but before he can, he notices something else on her underarm.

"Much better." Monica says, throwing her wet shirt over the railing behind Danny. Her arms now fully exposed. She lifts her arms again to pull her hair back behind her shoulders.

"You got a mark or.. Something." Danny tries to see it better, but she smiles, turning her body away.

"We just got into a thing and he grabbed me and it left a mark. That's all." Monica dismisses it, "I'm not really trying to talk about it..."

She lifts her head and smiles. He can see her cheeks rise from behind her. "Yes?" as she tries to sound like she isn't crying.

She turns to Danny, looking in his eyes before lifting her arm up for him to see.

"I'm supposed to be making you feel better." Monica says, "How did we get switched?"

"It wasn't fair for him to use you either." Monica says before looking away in shame, "and to think, it was me who pushed him into giving you a chair."

She doesn't laugh with him. She doesn't even smile. She continues to look away, tearing up yet again. Danny realizes it and his smile disappears.

"I've seen a lot through the years," she says, "and I don't know if it's because I'm older now or because I'm changing, but I don't think I can keep going on like this.

There's a moment of pause as Danny tries to interpret what she means. He takes a wild stab.

"Well, if you expect me to sit here and help you work out your relationship with Eric-"

"I don't know." She says, "Ever since, what happened, happened... I would walk into the chamber and I kept expecting to see your chair. And, I swear, every time I was reminded that it was gone... I felt this, sense of loss."

"The humor around the office just hasn't been the same without you." Monica says, "Maybe that's what's missing."

Their eyes lock. They both feel blood rush through their body and begin kissing there on the step. Her legs separate and Danny presses his body against hers. She begins at his shirt collar and begins undoing the buttons. They roll from the step and down to the floor where they engage in a passionate reunion to escape their dismal and sorrowful hardships.

For Danny, this was an attraction he had denied, not only to himself, but to Jenn as well. It was an instinctual attraction that was left dead on arrival but he was reminded that nothing was truly sacred once he revisited the look in her green eyes.

He had resisted her for years before Jenn existed in his mindscape, and once Jenn entered it, Monica failed to exist at all other than Eric's long time girlfriend. It was a simple flirtatious, but alluring connection but Danny never dared entertain it. Not only out of respect for Eric, but because Jenn truly was the one for him.

But, in the end, Danny Starr is a flawed human just like everyone else. Despite his loyalty, the attraction was real, and lied to the one he loved to protect her, as well as himself from the consequences of too much knowledge; knowledge with no destination.

Jenn was a journalist, after all, and even the subtle tension that existed between Monica and Danny wasn't hidden enough for the 'she-hawk' as referred to by the Hartford Press.

"Craig Tyson, CNN Production Manager." A man shakes Danny's hand at the 2003 East Coast Correspondence dinner.

"Salutations," Danny smiles, Jenn smiles as the man continues to make his rounds.

"Salutations?" Jenn leans in to Danny, a gorgeous smile accompanies her mockery, "Now, That's Corny." She laughs as Danny hangs his head in shame.

"A/W. It's okay." Jenn pokes her tongue in her cheek, "You're my kind of corny."

They sit back down but they might as well continue standing as more journalists, media staff, and executives in formal attire file in for the yearly event, they will certainly be shaking hands with Jenn's colleagues until the dinner.

Danny Starr didn't want to come, for fear of staining Jenn's reputation, but Jenn insisted. This was her career and Danny was her boyfriend. She always joked that if someone tried using that fact to hurt her career, she would connect them to a pedophile ring. Danny knew she was a by-the-book kind of girl, but her reputation as a hawk made her joke seem plausible.

"You can't possibly know all of these people." Danny grabs his class of Chardanay, taking a sip of it.

"I don't want to know all of these people." Jenn smiles with a sigh as she sees another making eye contact with her and approaching, "But they all seem to know me." Her smile grows as she begins to stand. Danny realizes she did and stands up a bit late as a tall woman looks down at the both of them.

"Jennifer Copelin." The woman says, pretending to be surprised that Jenn is in attendance.

"Mindy Callihan." Jenn mirrors her greeting, "This is my significant other, Danny Starr."

"Nice to meet you." Danny says, trying to appear impressed. Hoping she releases his hand soon.

"I would love to do a story on Hartford's own, Danny Starr." Her eyes widen at the prospect.

"Yes." Jenn says, "He would love to." She smiles at Danny, knowing he is internally cursing her out.

"Try to enjoy the dinner." Mindy looks at Jenn, "I'm pretty sure last year's was human remains." She lets out a curdling laugh before walking away.

"Uh. Yeah." Jenn leans to Danny, "You'd have to be after doing this for decades and decade and decades." Her voice deepens with each repetition as her eyes roll back into her head.

"They are." Jenn says, sitting back up straight, "and that woman is not my friend!" she slaps his arm.

"Looks like, finally, someone you know has stumbled in." Jenn points ahead with a smile as Danny looks up from his glass of wine. In the distance looking directly at him is an approaching Eric Rayne. At his side, a stunning blonde woman in a black dress. Danny spits the wine into the glass after almost choking.

"Relax." Jenn says, "It's only the most elite and prosperous media monger in western society." She goats at him with a wide grin. "I hate you..." Danny whispers as his smile grows. He stands up to greet Eric Rayne, his hand extended.

"Danny Starr." Eric smiles, extending his hand for a firm handshake, "You've made it to the top!"

"Not yet, Sir." Danny smiles, shaking Eric's hand tight. Letting go at the right moment.

Danny and the woman across from him make eye contact. He feels like he knows her. He just can't place it. She looks back as if she knows him and for a moment, while Eric and Jenn greeted one another, it seemed they both were wondering where they knew each other from.

Eric looks to his guest. His hand extended to include her into the conversation.

"This is Monica." Eric introduces the blonde woman to his side. She smiles and Danny isn't sure if he's had too much to drink because he feels a current jolt through his body.

"Oh, don't be modest, Monica..." Eric interjects, "this is my girlfriend and she is representing the Circle Television Network tonight."

"Well, that makes you one of us, then" Jenn winks. Monica smiles, her eyes look up to Danny's there's a moment of lingering connection that Jenn notices.

"Well, anyway, Danny." Eric turns his attention to him, "Your application is on my desk and our members will be convening this coming week."

"I will say say, you have quite the reputation." Eric's eyebrows lift, "Very interesting. I will be in touch with you."

"I look forward to it." Danny extends his hand again. They shake them and they begin to walk away.

"It was nice meeting you, Monica." Danny says, causing them to both turn back with a glance.

"You too." Monica smiles to Danny, and then to Jenn as they continue to migrate to their next greeting.

"That Monica chick." Jenn says it like it was a known fact, "she just outright lied right to my face."

"Well, that's rude." Jenn decides. They sit quietly before Jenn speaks again. "I think I need to eat. I'm getting snappy."

Danny looks around for any servers bringing trays of food yet. He narrows his eyes to see through the sea of people.

"I think it's still just drinks." Danny says as someone moves from his field of vision where he sees Eric pushing Monica's chair in. she is smiling, listening to him say Something. To her as he comes around her. She looks up at him but notices Danny peering over.

Danny quickly turns back around to Jenn, "Maybe they are letting people get in their seats."

"Well, at least there's plenty of this shit." Jenn drinks the rest of her Chardanay, her hand in the air to signal for more."

Danny laughs and does the same. Jenn laughs with him but her gaze on Danny slips passed and sees Monica staring at Danny. She looks away when she sees Jenn. Jenn keeps staring. Feeling the alcohol heating up her body.

"Another Chardanay?" A server disrupts her escalating fury. She looks at the male server and smiles. "Yes, please!"

It would be a week later, Monica would give Danny a tour of the High Society's building, but by that time, Danny and Jenn would have entered a new and exciting phase of their relationship.

Jenn Copelin and Danny Starr arrive at Danny's the dinner is over. The taxi is paid. Danny and Jenn help each other walk as the taxi drives away. They are both laughing, trying to handle their long night of alcohol consumption as they work together to migrate through the gate and up the steps.

"He says 'Hart-FORD' and you..." Jenn can't breathe as she laughs so hard no sound omits from her open mouth.

"What did he even mean by that!" Danny laughs just as hard and they both fall to sit on the steps, incapacitated by their laughter.

"Your face goes..." Jenn tries to mimic the face of confusion Danny made at the taxi driver on the way home from their dinner.

"Why, so you can write a exploit on HartFORD's Danny Starr?" Danny laughs, matching eyes.

Danny's mouth drops, but then reforms his face to that of the one in the taxi. Jenn laughs.

"Well, let's go in." Jenn says, "All I need is to be caught with the notorious Danny Starr."

Their laughter continued from the porch to the bedroom where both were taking their shoes off while sitting at the end of Danny's queen sized bed. The laughter would dim down while doing it and the exhaustion begins to hit both of them as the late night catches up.

"For the most part." Jenn says, "You know how it is. Had to show up. Might as well make the best of it."

"So, do you know that Monica chick?" Jenn blurts out as she finishes taking off her final heel.

Danny is caught off guard at the random question. He pauses as he tries to think of what she means.

"Do you know her?" Jenn asks, turning to Danny as she crawls next to him, "Like, do you have some kind of history with her?"

Jenn shrugs and lays next to Danny. "Just seemed like you knew each other. You kinda looked at each other funny."

"And..." Jenn continues, "I caught her staring at you. Like... the whole night."

"Oooh," Danny jokes, "Do you think she wikes me?" doing his best impression of a school boy before laughing.

"Babe, what are you doing?" Danny gets angry, turning to her, "Are you serious right now?"

"Jenn... I do not have a history with that woman." Danny says, "I just met her tonight."

Danny falls to his back, staring up at the ceiling in awe, before turning back to Jenn, touching her shoulder but she pulls it away.

"Babe." Danny reaches again, this time, she gives in and turns to meet her eyes with his.

"I thought I recognized her..." Danny admits, "But like her? No. I don't even know her."

"I feel that way too, babe." Danny says, "That's why I don't know why you'd question it."

"Oh, I don't know..." Jenn mockingly says, "maybe because you're Danny Starr, and you like, flirt with everyone."

"I don't flirt with everyone..." Danny says, "and even if I did, it's just flirting. It's not like what we have."

"I'm so in love with you." Jenn closes her eyes as they kiss deeper. Kissing until they are removing each other's clothes.

Danny had never felt this way about anyone he's dated in the past. This had been his longest relationship to date, and at that moment, they were passed the puppy love and the honey moon period, they had graduated to a new, deeper level of commitment. Danny Starr, for the first time in his life, had truly been in love.

When their love making had come to it's mutual end for the second time that night, Jenn had nuzzled in and found her comfort in Danny's arms. Her head on his shoulder, and her hand hugging around him and on his chest, where her hand could feel his heart beating only for her.

When Danny woke up, a hand was on his chest, but his heart wasn't beating for hers.

And as happy as Monica had made Danny that night on that hardwood floor beside the stairway, and in the bed he and Jenn had shared, and again throughout the night, it could never have equaled the intense emotion that came with his intimacy with his lost love.

What had he done? Jesus. His head was throbbing on both sides. His hand presses against his skull. He can barely remember. He remembers it's Monica. He doesn't remember how it lead to this. He looks down at his bare chest, her naked body wrapped around his under the sheet. The smell of her perfume. He feels himself becoming aroused but he's mortified. He slides away from her and off of the bed, leaving her to continue sleeping. He stands above her, looking down at her, trying to remember what happened in full.

Her name slips off of his tongue. He feels guilt consume him. He feels his stomach churning. He reaches down and grabs his boxers, sticking a foot in and then the other to pull them over his exposed bottom. He searches for pants, a shirt, and grabs the pills off of his night stand.

"Fuck." He mutters as he exits the room. He walks down the stairs and finds his and her clothes thrown about on the wooden floor. He stands there. Analyzing everything from her black heels on the steps to the glass all over the living room from where he stands. He's trying to piece it together. He can't fully see last night as a memory, but more, a flash of moments.

He betrayed his love for a cheap thrill. But, he was drunk. He wasn't thinking clearly. He was vulnerable. He was making excuses. He had lied to her. He knew he was attracted to Monica and he lied right to Jenn's face. He flirted with her when he saw her. He wasn't stupid, he knew what that woman wanted, and even though Eric was a factor, Danny couldn't deny his sexual attraction to her, even while denying it to Jenn. He felt dirty. He felt the worst thing about it was Jenn was right. She felt it in her own gut and chose to ignore it based on trusting Danny. For that, Danny has Something. New to loathe himself for.

Danny felt dehydrated but too guilty to go to the kitchen and grab himself a water. He wanted to suffer. He wanted to be punished for abandoning his morals and betraying Jenn's trust. He felt like the monster he had always been and last night just reminded him that the monster is still very much alive inside of him- waiting, patiently waiting for a crack to slip out from.

He wouldn't let it. He moved to the kitchen, but not for the water, for a dust pan and hand brush. He thought, he would let her sleep while he figures out how to handle the consequence of his poor actions the night before.

Danny heads to the living room, leaning down on his knee to begin sweeping the shattered glass next to the side of the couch, and works his way in until the tray is full. He carefully stands up with it, balancing it in his hands so it doesn't tip and spill out, and makes his way to the trash can in the kitchen.

When he empties it, now realizing he would be making several trips, he pulls the trash in with him as he returns to the living room. He tries to minimize the scraping sound from being too loud as he pulls it carefully to the front of the couch.

"So weak." Danny mutters out loud as he brushes more glass into the tray. He begins to think about Monica and how good it felt to release, and then forces it out of his mind. Danny was so conflicted on how to feel, all while his head is still pounding like a thousand hammers.

He had already slept later than he had in years. It was almost lunch time and he figured that out when he heard the screech of the mail truck sound muffled through his front living room window.

He abandons the brush and pan on the floor in the last spot he had just cleared. He stands up, feeling an age-related ache as he puts weight down on his once broken leg. He moves carefully in his bare feet, watching before he steps to avoid any glass he missed, to peer out the window.

He uses his fingers to hold down the blinds so he can look out. When he sees Donald and the mail truck begin to drive forward and away from his property, he releases the blind and heads for the door.

He walks out, barefooted, to retrieve his mail. Danny uses his hand like a visor to block the piercing sun light from his sight but can't avoid the heating making his head feel like a pressure cooker as he hastily moves for the gate. He opens it, reaches around and grabs the mail from it's box, and closes the gate again.

Only a single letter today. He had already received his payment notification from the HWA, but still, he is holding another one from the same sender. He doesn't give it much thought, especially in the moment, because all that matters is getting out of this heat and back into the air conditioned house.

When he does, he moves to the kitchen to throw the unopened envelope onto the pile of the others, but before he does, he realizes it can't be another notification. He decides to open this one. In it, he reads the follows:

It is with great disappointment and sincere regret that the HWAe will be suspending any further payment in regards to your suspension, employment, and/or profit share assets. Your percentage of stock has been sold at the final value at 3:00 PM April 14th, 2006 and deposited into your specified bank account.

Please note, no further letters will be sent as the HWAe has been dissolved and absorbed by the CTN Group as of April 10th, 2006.

Any further questions regarding previous HWAe matters may be addressed to Ms. Monica De Lioncourt, CTN.

Danny lowers the letter, a scowl forms on his face, and his throbbing head only worsens as he realizes Something. Sinister is afoot. The guilt he was feeling disintegrates and from it's ashes grows a furious contempt.

"What?" Danny asks the universe. Trying to understand how this could be or whether or not it's even real to begin with. Monica's here right now. Monica's name is on this letter. This isn't a coincidence. Is it a nightmare? Is he still asleep, he wonders.

But he's not. Is this a prank? He wonders. He turns the paper around looking for the Gotcha, but finds only more proof that this letter is not only legit, but from the same format as the others. It has to be a joke, he thinks.

"Who would do this as a joke?" Danny asks out loud, hoping hearing the question would trigger an answer, but it doesn't. Nothing about this makes sense. He'll call. He'll just call Michael. He'll know.

"Shit." Danny realizes his phone is dead and it's upstairs on his night stand. The answer is sleeping next to it.

Danny storms up the stairs and walks in the already open door to find Monica already awake. She smiles at him, still trying to adjust her eyes to the daylight.

"Good morning..." Monica feels alive after a night of lovemaking, but Danny has entered with a furious conviction.

"What is this?" Danny asks, holding up the letter so she can see it from a few feet away.

"I..." she begins to struggle for words, "I was going to tell you..." Monica suddenly wakes herself up.

"What is this?" Danny asks again, this time, baring his teeth. He drops it with a glide on the bed in front of her. She covers her naked, exposed body with the sheets as she looks down at it with guilt.

"Danny." Monica begins, "I came here because I wanted to be here when you got this news."

"Eric suspended the HWA and it's operation, effective immediately." Monica tries to calmly explain.

"Because YOUR name is on it!" Danny stabs the letter with his finger, "Undo it."

"Stop with that pity party bullshit." Danny crumples up the paper and throws it at her, "UNDO IT!"

Danny laughs. Turning to his own door and punching it so hard the a chasm forms in the split wood.

"You fucked me, just to weaken the blow of telling me that you fucked me??" Danny laughs at the insanity.

"Danny, no..." Monica pleads for compassion, "I couldn't tell you last night... not how you were!"

"I'm came because it wasn't right!" Monica cries, "I didn't have anything to do with it! PLEASE!"

"Danny, I can help you get it back!" Monica gets up, naked, trying to reason with Danny.

"Danny, you have to trust me. If we position ourselves correctly, I can help you get-" Monica is interrupted.

"No." Danny dismisses her, "You're just like him. Go back to your world. I don't want to be a part of it anymore."

Monica stops crying. She wipes her tears. She holds back any more emotion and walks away from Danny, but before she leaves, she turns to say one last thing.

"I understand," she says, "But when you realize that I'm being true, I'll be waiting."

Danny doesn't respond. He's opting out of the game. He hears her footsteps become softer and softer as they descend down his staircase. He remains in the bedroom, waiting until he hears her ruffle around, and finally open the front door and shut it behind her as she exits.

There's a part of him that wanted to believe her. There's a part of him that regrets reacting with such unrelenting brutality. But there's also a part of him that is tired of playing a role in this vicious cycle of manipulation that has cost him everything in his life- he no longer wants to be a player in this game.

There must be more to this story. Danny reaches for his phone and then for the night stand's drawer for the charger. He plugs the charger into the phone and the other side down into the outlet after removing the lamps'.

He waits for the charging indicator to light up his screen and when it reaches 2% he'll turn it on. As he waits, he wonders how Eric was able to do this. Eric didn't even have a single share. He had always planned on using mine to take control of the HWA when it was me doing his bidding, but once Danny cut his rope loose, the High Society would have had no connection to the fed at all.

How could this be? Michael would never have aided Eric. Danny thinks, he'll call him. He'll know. Danny looks and it's 1%. He decides, this will be enough, and hits the power on. He lets it load, ready and willing to call Michael as soon as it does.

When it does, he hits the top left for contacts and scrolls to M. He reaches it and presses Call. He sits on the floor so the cord is long enough to continue charging as he holds it to his ear. He listens as it rings. It rings. It rings until finally coming to Michael's voice mail.

"Come on." Danny mutters, and when it beeps, Danny leaves a message. "Michael, I know it's been a while. It's Danny, please call me back. I need to know what's going on here. Bye."

He hits end. Thinks. Who should he call next. Sett. He searches for S, hoping Michael would call to before he has to call Ryan, but he reaches the contact. He presses the call button again. It rings.

Sett glances at his cell and dips out of the building for a moment to take it. "This is Evans."

"Ryan. Danny Starr. Got an interesting letter today. What is going on?" Danny cuts right to the chase.

"Dan- Uh, holy shit." Sett blinks behind his shades and clears his throat. "A real screwjob, by my estimation," he continues, getting down to business himself. "Neil fucked up and fucked us all in the process."

"What do you mean?" Danny asks.

"He gave up controlling interest in HWA to that Rayne asshole. Thought what shares he had left would grant him some measure of input, but apparently..."

Sett trails off for a moment.

"It's gone, Danny. All of it. Rayne owns it all, and he shut the whole thing down."

A sigh escapes his lips, and Sett shakes his head, knowing Danny wouldn't be able to see it either way.

"I did what I could. I fought like hell, but you know me. My kind of fight's in the ring or the street, not in a goddamn boardroom."

"You're serious..." Danny realizes it's not a bad joke, "Royalty and Eric? Why? When?"

"It's been brewing for a month or so, but Rayne only shut the show down last week. As for why..."

There's another pregnant pause.

"Why's anybody ever do anything? Neil must have thought the money was worth the legacy."

Danny can hear the sneer in Sett's voice as he speaks.

"I guess suspending me was ill-timed." Danny scowls, "I'm sorry, this... this is just another one of Eric's pins. What's going to happen to everyone now?"

"Wish I knew," Sett responds. "They let me sit in on a few meetings. I think they thought I was gonna just play ball. Heh... dumb fuckers."

Sett chuckles on the other end, offering a moment of levity that ends up being all too brief. His voice becomes morose once more.

"They talked about... restructuring. Dissolution. Said my services were no longer-"

Sett sucks in a sharp breath, and Danny can hear the sound of a fist striking wood and splintering it.

"It's gone, Danny. The HWA is gone."

"I don't know, man. I... just don't know. I only had about ten percent, I think mine were the only 'no' votes in the whole room. Legally, I don't think there's anything I can do."

A thought elicits a low growl from his throat. "Outside of that? I've a few ideas, but I know that none of them are gonna get our fed back. And damn sure ain't none of 'em gonna get our boys paid again."

There's a defeated sounding sigh, and Danny can almost hear Sett deflating on the other end.

"I've got some personal matters I was always gonna have to reckon with sooner or later. Guess my timetable is getting pushed up on that after all."

There's another almost-too-long moment of silence. "Are you gonna be all right, man? It's been... nobody's heard from you for a while now."

Now, Danny is the one who falls silent. His attention is drawn from the conversation to Ron Royalty. To Eric Rayne.
"I'm I'm sorry, I-" Danny stutters, "I'll be just fine. You take care, Ryan. Be safe."

Danny all but hangs up on Sett. Not even thinking about the courtesy of waiting for his reply back. It would be considered rude in normal circumstances but both Danny and Sett were at the same point in this situation. They've both realized that they've been had. They've both been dismissed with no chance to prevent it or undo it. It was done; and there was nothing left to do.

"Where is he?" Danny shakes his head. Why didn't he come to me as soon as this happened? Why didn't they try to call-" Danny realizes his phone had been off. He also remembers Monica had tried calling too, before any of this. How deep did this go? He remembers Sett had revealed that Ron Royalty was instrumental in Eric's plan, but for how long? How long did Eric manipulate the HWA before Danny ended that relationship? How long was Royalty secretly with Eric Rayne? Danny decides to get down to the bottom of it.

His phone, now 5%, he searches for R in his contact lists. He finds Royalty and calls for him. It rings once and then goes to voice mail. He hangs up, and tries again. Same thing. His phone is off. Figures, Danny thinks.

Danny decides to cut out the middle men and go straight for the true source. He had a feeling Eric would answer. After all, he knew Danny would receive the letter. He knew Danny had been home in isolation, most likely. He probably even knew Monica was here to manipulate him.

This time. Danny searches his contact list for E. When he finds Eric, there's a moment that he hesitates. Is this worth doing at all? Is this a mistake? Does he know about Monica? What if he doesn't? she will most likely tell him. All of these thoughts go through his head, and at the forefront of all of those thoughts, he hopes Michael's name pops up before he can hit send.

"What have I done?" Eric is coy, "What you set out to do, only now you don't have to."

"Yes, and where you failed, I succeeded." Eric finishes the thought, "I would think you'd show some appreciation for fulfilling your destiny while you mourned."

"Listen, Danny." Eric says, "It's over. You won. You're welcome. Now, please. I have important work to do. I wish you well. Good-bye, old friend."

Eric hangs up on Danny. A cold chill runs up his spine as he holds the phone in his palm. The duration time of the phone call blinks: 00:54 seconds before the screen goes black. He thinks to himself, 'how could things have spun so far out of control?' and shakes his head in disbelief. He looks down at his phone and decides to try Michael one last time; but again, it goes to voicemail. This time, Danny doesn't leave a message.

The day is long. He's all but abandoned the glass on the living room floor. He sits, on the carpet of his bedroom, his phone plugged into the wall, but fully charged. It has been for hours. The light from the morning sun that was in his window is now beaming from the opposite side of the house. His room, getting darker and darker as the sun sets behind the trees. Soon, it'll be night but Danny hasn't left that spot. Hasn't drank. Hasn't eaten. His head throbbing, but he no longer cares. He doesn't have anywhere to go. He has nothing else to do. So, he sits. He waits. But he doesn't know what he's waiting for anymore. Michael still hasn't returned his calls. Neither has Royalty.

Before long, the night has come. The sun's light had gone. His front door left unlocked from Monica making her forced exit. Danny, dozing off at his bedside. He is dehydrated. He doesn't have the motivation to get water. He does get up to go bathroom so he takes his pills with him. He pops the few that are left and fills the pill container with water before using it to swallow them. He drops the pill bottle right there in the upstairs bathroom and goes back to his bedroom and sits on the floor. He looks at his phone to see if there was a missed call, but there wasn't. Soon, he drifts away, there on the floor and doesn't wake up until the follow morning.

That night, he had no dreams or nightmares. He had slept soundly, but his back ached now. His head still ached as well. His mouth was dry. The light from the next morning's sun pierced his eyes which only makes the headache worse.

He covers his face with his hand and rolls over to his phone. He checks it. No missed calls. He thought about it, and realized he hadn't even received any voicemails either. The entire time he had been isolating himself, no one even tried to call him. At his lowest. At his most desperate. No one was there, no one except Monica.

Danny sits up and puts his back against the bed. He gives himself a chance to wake up and climbs to his feet, phone in hand. He pulls the cord out of it and walks out of his bedroom and downstairs. He was hungry, but made himself coffee instead.

He sits on the living room couch, the dust pan and brush at his feet. He just sits, with the handle of the coffee in his hand, resting on his leg. He goes to lift it up and take a sip, but the shakiness of his hand makes it too difficult without spilling. He places it back down to his leg and continues to sit, in the quiet.

He contemplates suicide. He wonders how long it would take for someone to find him. He leaves the coffee on the table in front of the couch and stands up. Walking in bare feet over the glass and back into the kitchen.

He grabs another bottle of whiskey that's brand new and twists off the lid. He doesn't bother getting himself a glass.

He takes a swig right there. Wiping off the alcohol from his beard as he swallows and makes his way out into the backyard to visit his beloved. He stands at the foot of her graveside, bottle in hand, and takes another drink- this one longer than the first.

Danny feels a warm tear roll down his cheek and takes another big gulp of the whiskey. Then, turns away and makes his way back to the front of the house to go back inside. He sits down in the living room on the same couch and turns on the television with the remote. It's still on the DVD input. The button on his remote doesn't click over so he has to do it manually again. As he steps down to walk towards the drive, he feels glass shards enter the bottom of his feet. He shouts as he writhes in pain, losing his footing and falling down to the table.

He rolls off of the table and lands hands down on the floor, his knees land in the glass, but it's protected by his pants. He lets out a few exhausted breaths before pulling himself up. He's losing his composure. Empty. Without food in his system, he's become drunk already.

He climbs up, using the table as leverage, and walks over the glass again to turn over the input setting. He hits it on the box and it switches to television. He walks back, trying to avoid the glass this time, and plops down on the couch. He reaches for the remote and begins pushing the channel up from the discovery channel. He turns it to the next one, and the next one, and after going on a while, lands on a familiar face.

"Eric." Danny can't help but laugh as the universe jabs another pin in him. He grabs the bottle as he watches the images of Eric Rayne in different photo ops rotate as the narrator gives a summary of Eric's great achievements, capping the montage with the wonderful news that Eric Rayne is named Forbes 2006 Man of the Year.

"Fuck you!" He slurs, spitting onto his beard, lifting his remote to his dripping mouth.

"HWA 2006" into the voice microphone. It beeps and the television switches to a list of the most recent HWA events. Prior to it's closure, of course. He clicks the March 12th, 2006 Survival, the date of the first event after Jenn passed. Then clicks play.

He watches. Very closely. Looking for any indicators that Royalty was bought before he had left. He watches the show, all of the mentions of Jenn Copelin's death and Danny's bravery for showing up anyway.

He watches the return of the Void come back to disrupt his road to redemption at the worst possible time. Then, he is reminded of Michael.

The camera continues to follow Michael as he makes his way to a door, stopping at the base of it as he takes in a deep breath. After knocking on the wood a few times, Diamond enters, not waiting to be invited in. the cameraman shuffles in behind him, following Michael's every move as we see an image of the new HWA World Heavyweight Champion, Danny Starr, seated on a wooden bench, the World Title lying in his lap and his gaze down at it. Even with the abrupt intrusion, Danny kept his eyes solely on the glimmering gold. More cheers escape from the lips of the audience, but most are quiet in respect for Danny's recent loss.
Michael Diamond: Danny, I...
Michael stops for a moment, taking time to look over his shoulder to see that the cameraman had followed him into the locker room. Realizing that there would no privacy in this matter, Michael heaved another sigh as he stepped forward, taking a seat next to Starr.
Michael Diamond: ... look, I know I haven't really been there for you these past couple of weeks. What, with you going after the HWA World Heavyweight Championship and me having my little spout with Kevin Hurts and the NGW. And I don't just mean in the professional sense either, I know I haven't been there for you personally either. We each just sort of... you know... had our own things going on.
Danny Starr: Michael...
the name rolled off of Starr's tongue in an aggravated manner as he tilted his head to the side, glancing over at his best friend.
Danny Starr: ... what do you want?
Michael Diamond: I don't want any...
Michael paused, trying not to sound so defensive.
Michael Diamond: ... I just wanted to tell you, again, that I'm sorry about Jenn.
Danny Starr: Why?
Danny rose up from the bench, grabbing the World Title and fitting it over his shoulder. He looked away from Michael as he took a few steps into the center of the locker room area, his gaze fixating on the bare wall before him.
Danny Starr: It's not like... you killed her.
Michael lowered his head, knowing this to be true. Still, there was a part of him that felt guilty - guilty for not having taken the chance to get to know Jenn the way Danny had. Guilty for not getting a chance to see their love blossom the way it had. Guilty for not having been able to save her.
Michael Diamond: Danny, this is madness!
Michael rose up out of his seat, closing the gap between him and his friend as he stood behind him.
Michael Diamond: You just lost the love of your life, you shouldn't be doing this.
Danny Starr: Doing what...?
Danny turned back towards Diamond, the two men locking eyes once more.
Danny Starr: ... moving on with my life?
Michael Diamond: That's not what I meant. You haven't had time to grieve...
Danny scoffed at Michael's remark as he began to turn away from him but Michael reached his hand out, his fingers wrapping around the World Champions' arm and halting Starr's progress.
Michael Diamond: Listen! I know what you're trying to do and on some level, I understand why. But this isn't healthy, Danny.
Danny Starr: ... are you done?
Danny pulled his arm away from Michael's grasp as the two men continued to stare each other down.
Michael Diamond: Danny, as your friend, I'm begging you to reconsider. This match between you and Hurts tonight, it can wait. Hell, I'll gladly take your place. The fans will have Hurts/Diamond 2 and you get a chance to recover from this tragedy... everyone wins.
Danny Starr: This isn't about everyone, this is about me and what I have to do.
Danny turns away from Michael, tears welling up in his eyes.
Danny Starr: I know you're only trying to look out for me, Michael... you're a good friend. But I need to do this.
Michael lowers his head, realizing that his attempt to sway Danny's decision to reschedule his match tonight had failed.
Michael Diamond: Okay Danny, if this is what you need to do then I won't stand in your way.
Michael turned and walked over to the locker room door, opening it and standing in the doorway.
Michael Diamond: Just... be careful out there, okay? and if you need me...
Michael left the words unsaid as he shook his head and walked out of the locker room, leaving the HWA World Heavyweight Champion alone with his thoughts, and his misery.
TB: OH my god… Michael Diamond trying to convince Danny Starr to pull out of this match tonight, but it’s not happening…

Danny scoffs again, now remember this interaction, and thinking of how he hasn't called him back or even tried calling him during this entire hiatus.

He watched Ron Royalty's match with TCO. It didn't seem out of place. He can't see anything that would indicate Something. Nefarious brewing during this match. It was during Danny's non-title match with Kevin Hurts where he would recognize Royalty's comments prepping the stage for his inevitable suspension.

Danny drinks more whiskey as if it's a drinking game. A swig of liquor every time Something. Infuriates him. He watches during his match Ron Royalty commentating with comments like "Michael did try to convince him." And"Wow, Danny really shouldn't be doing this tonight." Little comments that would plant the seeds. "I'm very surprised he's here to begin with... well everyone knows about the tragic loss of his girlfriend this past week."

"Don't even mention her you son of a bitch!" Danny spits in his own living room, growling through his teeth. Danny is fuming as he watches the match end and Michael helping to escort him out.

Danny lifts his remote like a gun and pushes OK on the "Next" button for the March 19th, 2006 Survival. He's already angry. He watches the second event. He watches Ron Royalty show up late and say "He had business to take care of." Danny now sees when this started being orchestrated.

Later in the event, Danny watches the interaction he had with Royalty that night.

When we return we are in Danny Starr's locker room. Ron Royalty is standing, holding a bottle of an energy drink. Danny is sitting down, head in hands.

RR: Danny, you don't have to do this. You just say the word and I'll go straight to Sett.
DS: No man, you don't understand. I've got to do this.

DS: My fans Ron, I owe it to them. I've only just won their respect and support back.

RR: Honestly man, they're on your side with this. I mean dude, your fiancee just... er..

DS: Look, you don't need to look out for me, I'll be fine, just let me get out there.

RR: Drink some of this energy drink man, it'll keep you going. I mean, last week you looked a fraction of yourself against Hurts.

DS: Thanks. I'll be fine. Just get your English ass out to that announce table and call my damned match! I'll be fine!

Danny give Ron a faint smile and a nod as Ron leaves to return to the announce position. Ron still looks unconvinced.

"You fucking LIAR." Danny snarls at the sight of Ron Royalty, gazing with fury in his eyes.

Ron Royalty rips off his head phones and jumps into the ring, ripping the chair out of Matthew Hydrox’s hand just as security from the back rushes the ring to stop this assault on a defenseless World Champion.

Sett walks out from the back as well with a microphone in hand as Hydrox is cornered by the HWA security members.

Royalty leans down to check on Danny Starr who is beginning to move around a Little bit as Sett begins talking.

Sett: Okay, listen… Danny… this is the second week now, you are in no mind-state to be doing this. You are going to end up getting hurt if you keep trying to compete for our sake… we will be fine for now. You’re a friend Danny, a friend who should be mourning the loss of Jenn… Ron Royalty, a friend of yours, has made it very clear to me as well as your matches the last week that you are in no shape, or form to be wrestling right now… so I have no choice, Danny… to suspend you WITH pay indefinitely. You need time to get your mind straight again… as for Hydrox, you should be ashamed of yourself.

KK: I don’t think the title matters, there is no contender this month anyway… Danny Starr will most likely be back in time to face either Kevin Conner or Zack Tyler at the next pay per view…

In the backstage area, Danny Starr is walking with Ron Royalty back to his locker-room to gather his belongings for his ‘vacation’. His belt is hanging over his shoulder.

Ron Royalty: Listen, if you need anything… like I said before, give me a call…

Just then Michael Diamond walks up behind both DS and RR, getting their attention.

Danny Starr: Yeah, just for a Little while… but listen, Michael… I want you to hold on to my title… take my place as World Champion for now… HWA needs someone to lead them against the Void and NGW.

Michael Diamond: Look, I don’t think I can handle the responsibility of obtaining it, Danny…

Danny Starr: You will… you were HWA’s greatest World Champion… with honor and pride. Do it for the Foundation of Sensation… do it for the HWA…

Danny Starr walks into his locker-room, out of sight, as Royalty and Diamond both look at each other, both concerned for their friend.

Danny feels anger inside him intensify with each passing event. Each moment bringing him closer to the edge of his limits. Michael being manipulated into trusting Royalty and at this point, Danny knows more than Michael as he watches. All he can feel is hatred as Royalty positions all those around him for the set up.

He takes too much whiskey in his mouth, swallowing most it in one gulp, while the excess falls off of his lips. He never abandons his gaze as his breath exhales the heat like a dragon's fire.

He feels a calm, steady anger flowing through each of his limbs and back to an increasing heart rate. He watches like a hawk as he looks for the signs of Royalty's coming betrayal. He starts seeing what he wants to see. He stills analyzing every word and how it's said. He watches those around Royalty and how he reacts. He watches those in Royalty's circle and how they might have been part of this plot to betray his own creation.

Danny hits Next on the remote to bring us to the following week. A week after that Survival. A week after Danny's suspension, Eric Rayne shows up.

The crowd is unsure, only recognizing the song ‘Princes of the Universe’ by Queen. Despite the uncertainty of the audience, Sett’s face is locked in an aggressive, hostile formation…

As the song continues, just as Sett expected, Eric Rayne walks out with a gigantic smile on his face with a microphone in his hand. The Audience boos heavily upon his presence as he fearlessly walks down the ramp into the Ring.

Eric Rayne puts the microphone to his face as he stands in front of the HWA’s President.

Eric Rayne: You see, Mr. Evans… I no longer need Danny Starr to rebuild the High Society…

TB: If you’re just tuning in, Eric Rayne from the High Society just came out to confront HWA’s President!

Eric Rayne: He’s weak… and was only a tool to get where I wanted to go… but I no longer have use for ‘the Sensation’ anymore… I have found a new protégé… someone who can overpower anyone in this company, even you…

KK: Eric Rayne is claiming to have found a new successor for the revival of the High Society! That was grounded 5 years ago!

Eric Rayne: You think security is going to listen to you? A paper champion? I have deeper roots than you do.

Just then Ron Royalty returns with a hand-full of HWA Security officials trailing behind him. Eric Rayne backs away towards the edge of the ring as if preparing to make a run for it.. But doesn’t yet.

Royalty jumps in the ring and stands next to Sett, defending him against the ex-GWA professional wrestler…

Just then, Royalty kicks Sett and sets him up for the Crowning, impacting him hard to the mat.

the crowd boos in disbelief… as Royalty climbs to his feet looking around with a look of malice designed on his face.

The boos rain down with incredible volume and intensity. After all, Ron Royalty has always been the ultimate good guy in the HWA.

RR: Where were you? Where were ANY of you when I needed you? Where were you when my own half brother - David Jackson - STOLE this business from me? This business which I built from scratch. You couldn't give a shit about any of that could you. As long as there's a HWA, who cares who runs it, right? WRONG. DEAD wrong in fact. This was my life's work! MY LIFE'S WORK Damnit, and right now I have nothing to show for it. Not a damn penny. You all saw to that. I had a choice to make, one in which I had to exchange this company for my daughter's freedom. She was held hostage! Yes! My own half brother forced that decision from me, he took what was mine. After I lost the HWA, did anyone call or come to see me? No. Did anyone even try to find out WHY THE FUCK I EVEN RELINQUISHED CONTROL OF THE HWA!? NO! Not ONE of you miserable pricks even bothered to email me! Well FUCK YOU!

Ron then hangs his head, looking upset reliving the past few months. After a few moments he starts to lift his head back up and begins speaking, much quieter now.

RR: My work for this place cost me everything. Everything I hold dear to me is gone. So for that, HWA, I have you to thank.

RR: So now, you can all, every single last one of you - you can kiss my ass. HWA? You can KISS... MY... ASS!

the crowd start booing hysterically again, those nearer the front start throwing things in to the ring.

RR: Yeah, whatever. Boo me, throw shit at me. You guys already SHIT on me and my company. This is nothing. Go ahead!

RR: Shit! I forgot to tell you all! Your favourite HWA superstar - Danny Starr! He's suspended because of me! Yeah that's right, I went to that piece of shit president we have - Sett, and begged him to suspend Danny Starr because he needed the time off to recover after Jenn died....

As if on cue, a plastic container of beer hits the ring, some splashing on Eric Rayne.

RR: Woah woah WOAH! You throw beer at THIS man? This man right here?! No no no, that's another thing to do altogether. THIS man right here, Mr. Eric Rayne, is a modern day hero. He represents all things that are still GOOD in the world.

RR: Together, Eric and I are rebuilding this company, we're going to turn it back into Something. Worth fighting for. Something. Worth... LIVING for. See, getting Danny Starr suspended was the lynch pin in a very finely designed machine. With the HWA's biggest Hero out indefinitely., It meant his former mentor could return! What a genius!

Eric Rayne extends his hand and Ron shakes it, before hugging Eric Rayne right in the center of the ring. Ron and Eric then both start putting the boots in to Sett. Giving the big man a kicking of a life time.

The High Society’s theme hits once more… Just then a furious Michael Diamond runs out from the back to help the HWA President… but the security Royalty brought out with him intercepts… blocking Diamond from rescuing Sett. The Chosen One is also seen trying to break through the High Society security team.

TB: God Damnit! Diamond! Anderson! TCO! SOMEBODY! We need help for Sett out here....

TB: I cannot believe this! Royalty has sold himself out! He sold out on every single fan in this arena.

KK: Somehow, that Eric Rayne has gotten to him. Twisted his logic and made him see things from his own angle.

TB: What agenda do Rayne and the High Society have here in the HWA? What the hell are they planning?!

"I guess you got what you deserved then!" Danny laughs, "Lost his company twice! Fucking snake!"

Danny looks down from the Television for the first time, but with a look of confusion. He wonders how long Royalty had been secretly connected to Eric. Thoughts begin to glow as they connect to other thoughts. Events begin to seem less coincidental and make sense when they are interlocked.

Danny's face contorts. The laughter stops when he acknowledges Royalty mocking the death of Jenn. A vein on his forehead appears as he struggles to accept this possible truth. He drinks more of his whiskey; spilling it when it overflows from his mouth. Danny is drunk as the night he made that dreadful mistake and even though he had one up on Eric, he couldn't enjoy it, because it betrayed Jenn.

He feels guilty leaving Michael to fend off Eric and Ron. Luckily, Sett was there to counterbalance their mischief, but he knows how the story ended. Eric Rayne walking away the victor and the others, left blind-sided by the High Society.

Danny looks disgusted, wondering if Michael hadn't answered his phone calls for another reason. What reason makes the most sense? Why didn't Michael even try to leave a voice mail? Why didn't he stop by this week? Maybe he resented Danny for leaving him but that doesn't sound like Michael's typical train of thought.

"No..." Danny tries to deny it out loud but the thoughts are too strong. He pours the whiskey down his throat. He breathes smoke.

How could Royalty be so selfish? How could he be stupid enough to trust Rayne? In his frenzy of negative thought, Danny remembers an interaction between he and Royalty in 2002. When Danny was welcomed back by him after attempting to destroy the HWA.

Danny Starr with his tail between his legs stands before his HWA president in the temporary makeshift office backstage before Survival begins. Danny and his EWF plot had failed and had been subdued by the HWA and while Ron could have fired Danny Starr and the FOS, he shows mercy. Not without a proper scolding, and a warning for the next time Danny even thinks of stepping out of line.

Rob is looking at some monitor footage of a match that night when the door opens. It’s Danny Starr. Ron turns towards him.

"Just like that?" Danny seems confused, "You aren't going to try to hit me? Or fire me, even?"

“Listen sunshine, I don’t even want to look at your face quite frankly. Security? SECURITY!”

Ron turns back to the monitor, but not really looking at it. He looks to one side, thoughtfully. Then, he turns again angrily and red faced.

“You’re a coward. That’s what you are. A craven. Your actions are an affront to me personally."

He takes a step towards DS, a fist raised. He takes another step forward staring Danny in the eye. Complete disdain on his face.

“This isn’t just about you and your EWF nonsense. No. That would be one thing. But you KNOW me. You know what the HWA means to me. This is my LIFE’S WORK Damnit”.

He turns away from DS once more. Unable to look the man in the face for a moment longer.

"I understand that." Danny says genuinely, "I was out of line to interfere with a man's work, let alone attempt to destroy it. I will leave you in peace."

The memory ends and with it in mind, Danny's eyes widen as blood courses through his veins. He feels the rage building up inside as he imagines them planning all of this with his tragedy in mind. Pretending to be his friend. He sees Eric's grin. He sees Royalty's face, he hears Sett's voice from the phone call about the HWA's shut down, but when he thinks of Michael. The fury becomes him.

Danny stands up with bare feet on the sharp glass with a roar of agonizing anger, launching the quarter filled whiskey bottle into the TV. He loses it, grabbing the table in front of him and hoisting it over his head with both hands, and throwing it against a grandfather clock older than his actual grandfather. He tears threw the living room throwing tall cabinets on their side, flipping chairs, and further damaging the television with a violent kick.

He stands like a werewolf, his hands like claws as he pants from the anxiety and raw anger he's surrendered to. He has finally snapped. He feels his chest, wondering if he's having a heart attack, and he pulls it hand away to see blood all over it. He's somehow slashed his chest during the rampage and is bleeding out into his shirt. He roams towards the bathroom, pulling his shirt off to see his chest with a gash. It bleeds but it's not gushing. He takes the shirt and throws it in the sink, washing the blood out of it as he calms down.

He stares into the mirror to see a monster looking back. He can't believe he was the victim. He felt like a fool. He throws both of his fists into his mirror and it shatters into shards falling before him into the sink. He turns off the faucet and grabs the shirt, letting the water and blood fall all over the floor from his drenched shirt.

He's still panting. Now heading for the laundry room with the shirt when he remembers the clothes he had to re-wash were, yet again, left in the washing machine to collect mildew. He laughs. Not because it's funny but because it's too much. Everything has caught up to Danny and his mind is breaking under the pressure. He can't handle the complete loss of control and it's too late to calm down. If someone else were here, God only knows what Danny would have done to them as bystanders. He has been defeated.

He hits the light of the laundry room and enters aggressively smashing the door open against the wall inside. It bounces back and hits him, so he elbows it in again, breaking a louver in it's center. He opens the washer and smells the mildew, laughing maniacally as he throws the bloody shirt into the washer to run the same load a third time. He slams the door down and just leaves it.

With both hands over the washer to hold himself up, he hangs his head, laughing as insanity grips his psyche. He loses his grip and falls down to the floor, never relenting from the hysterical laughter as he sits back against the wall. As his laughter continues, it begins to fade as he looks up at the ceiling.

The laughter stops as he notices the movement of a black dot above his head across the room. The gash on his chest continues to leak blood down his bare stomach and as he begins to stand up, the blood trickles to the white tiles below.

There it was; the very same spider from the other day had graduated from the floor and made his way to a higher position than just a lowly washing machine lid. Danny felt a sense of calm in the middle of his raging storm.

A smile almost forms on his face at the thought of such a small act of kindness has proven a man can find redemption, even as a chaotic universe surrounds them. In that moment, Danny and the spider have Something. To be thankful for.

The smile, before it can crawl up to lift his cheek, falls flat as his eyes shift beyond the spider to see a beautifully intricate web in the corner of the ceiling. In it, various insects caught and wrapped up, ready to be fed on by the predacious spider Danny had spared.

His thumb presses OK to select recent calls. Michael follows another Michael from top to bottom of the list, all with an outgoing symbol next to each of them. Alas, Danny presses OK to try calling Michael again. He presses SPEAKER and puts the phone down on the his bed. He listens to it ring as he ties his left shoe. It rings and rings until it comes to voice mail. He is no longer surprised.
Danny reaches for his phone and hits END to disconnect from Michael’s voicemail. He stands up, sliding the phone into his pant’s pocket, and heads to the upstairs’s bathroom. In the mirror, he sees untrimmed facial hair covering most of his face, he barely recognizes himself. He opens the cold water and cups both hands to collect it before splashing it to his face. With a deep, defeated sigh, he looks at the man he’s become and with a heavy heart swallows his pride before shutting the light off.

After exiting through the front, he turns back and locks the door, before heading down his front steps and out of his perimeter gate. He shuts it behind him and walks to his black 2006 Mayback 62. He had bought it after his 300M was totaled in Jenn’s demise.

He presses the disarm button on his key and the lights illuminate. As Danny opens the door and sits down in the driver’s seat, it feels like it’s been years since he’s driven. He adjusts the mirror to see behind him, and pushes the ON as he steps on the brake. The engine revs and starts up.

Danny reaches in front of him and turns the GPS on, typing in High Society, which brings up the saved directions to the Hartford State Capital building. When it loads, the destined is estimated at 23 Minutes; he steps on the accelerator and begins his commute.

On the Connecticut State website, you’d read the Hartford State Capital is house to many departments of local government, but if you traveled to tour the building you would find it’s always closed to the public. The reasons for that change every so often, whether it be for renovations, or extended recess, and the bottom line is always the same: All government business is to be directed the the Hartford Office of Governmental Affairs, a new building across the street that is much less awesome. There are stories of guided tours and reviews of visits of the inside but have since been removed, deleted, and erased from existence.

The Hartford State Capital is now just a name for the historical outer appearance of a once
publicly occupied space within, but now, the inside belongs to the American Chapter for the High Society; and has been for over five decades.

When Danny arrives at the building, he questions whether or not he should go through with this, sitting in his parked car for what seems like minutes. He lifts half of himself up off the seat and reaches for his back-pocket, retrieving his leather wallet.

He opens it and searches behind the other credit cards for Something. Specific: his security pass to access the main entrance. He finds it and studies the picture of a younger Danny Starr with a bar-code under it. He thinks if he could have warned this Danny, maybe none of this would have happened.

He stops the car and gets out, with an ever increasing heaviness trying to slow his pace as he approaches the card reader of the main entrance. He holds it out and the laser scans it. But unlike his previous visits, nothing happens. The door doesn’t unlatch, the laser disappears, and there’s a still in the air as Danny realizes it was a shot in the dark to even try. He turns away from the door, his mission futile, and begins to walk back down to the car but before he can take the second step, a man’s voice speaks to Danny directly.

“What are you doing here, Danny?” the voice sounds familiar, but it’s not Eric.

“He just wants to talk, you owe him that, at least.” He recognizes Monica’s voice.

Another pause and then a buzzer sounds. He hears the lock unlatch and he reaches for the handle of the door. It opens as the buzzing stops. Danny walks in and the immediate smell he remembers so well enters his nostrils. A smell of sweet upholstery and a hint of antique metal all at once. He walks through the metal detectors and an ear-piercing alarm attacks from either side. It startles Danny as the large lobby only enhances the obnoxious sound’s echo.

Danny pauses, phone and keys up in the air as lasers from 3 separate locations move towards his chest. He shakes the keys until the lasers move off of him, and the alarm is disarmed. His heart still pounds behind his ribs but he tries not to show it.

He puts the keys and phone back into each of his pockets and walks towards the elevator. He knows where they are; the great chamber.

As he enters the elevator and pushes the button to take him to the 6th floor, he contemplates the ways this could possibly go. He knows Eric expects some kind of attempt, but he also doesn’t know how much Eric actually knows, regarding his relations with Monica. Danny wonders if Monica is worried for her own reasons.

When the elevator stops at the 6th floor, Danny’s stomach drops before the doors spread apart. He walks through the elevator doors and turns left to head towards the end of the hall. He walks cautiously, passing framed portraits of former members, current members, all hanging on both sides of the hall. He comes to the large wooden doors that Monica had first brought him to after first being accepted to this nefarious den of snakes.

He takes a breath, reaching for the door knob, but before his hand touches it’s golden surface it opens before him. Standing before him, Monica and her bright green fear-filled eyes silently plead for his discretion.

Monica pulls the door open so Danny can walk through and when he does, the room is silent, filled with an eerie thick tension. A table with the whole lot of them in their personalized chairs, all with stone faces with cold gazes locked into their former colleague. All of them from Mary Jane Fury to Jared Sengir; faces of suspicion and rejection, all except Eric, who has a shit eating grin across his face at the end of the table. Next to him was Monica’s empty chair, and where Danny’s chair was, now Jared Sengir Next to Jared, Scarlet, and then Brandon Kayros, and Corwin Havens. The opposite side, starting at Monica, Steven Fury, Mary Jane Fury, Tony Gold, and Jonathan Keeper.

The door shuts behind Danny with a loud slam and Monica walks around him to go back to her chair next to Eric. As Danny stands at the opposite end of the table from Eric, with each of the eight other members evenly on each side, he notices the ninth chair that was once his, and then Ron’s was gone completely, now seating Jared- the second in command.

“We barely recognized you, Starr.” Eric laughs, but no one else’s expression hints at changing. “I imagine razors are still a staple in most men’s households.”

“What are you doing here?” Jared blurts out, never taking his eyes off of Danny.

“Now, Now, Jared.” Eric interrupts, “there is no reason for malice. Danny has been through enough, what, with the loss of his loved one, and of course, unemployment.”

Now, the group begins to laugh at Danny’s expense, all but Monica, who is awkwardly smiling as she looks at Danny. He knows she has to.

“I’m not here to cause any trouble.” Danny raises his voice over their laughter until it stops.

“I’ll admit it. I’ve earned whatever misfortune has been bestowed upon me, whether it be by natural occurrence or by malevolent deliberation .” Danny says, “But those people don’t deserve this.”

“What people?” Eric’s face gestures confusion, “the HWA? Those are the very people you have spent countless years plotting against. A bit hypocritical for you to deal out judgment, why? Because it wasn’t you who did it? I told you over our phone conversation that the pleasure was all mine, and if you came here to thank me, well then that’s a different story- but you come here to point a finger at the same individuals that helped make Danny Starr possible?”

“You’re not going to flip this on me.” Danny says, “You know damned well I walked away from this.”

“And yet, here you are.” MJ says, “Can we get this guy out of our building, please?”

“I want to know where my sister is.” Danny demands, “I want to know where Michael is.”

MJ hides her face, trying to make her grin less obvious as she turns it away from Danny.

“I’m sorry, Danny.” Eric says, “I don’t have the answers to your questions.”

“I know you know!” Danny slams his fists on the table surface, prompting the HS members to stand up from their chairs ready for anything.

Eric remains seated, using his hands to simmer each side of members to calm themselves and lower back into their chairs.

“Danny.” Eric says, “I have nothing to gain by hiding that information. I assure you, I would tell you if I knew. The last I heard, your sister was in Europe with your nephew, and quite frankly, I haven’t seen Michael Diamond since we stripped him of his title belt when we possessed all HWA properties. It was nothing personal. Only business. Okay? Now, if you’re quite satisfied, I don’t want to end our relationship on a bad note, unless you compel me to. Please, leave in peace. What’s done is done.”

Danny thinks for a moment, trying to think of something to say or do, but he knows he’s powerless. He turns from his former fake friends and walks towards the door, but before he grabs the knob, he turns to Eric again.

“Michael Diamond was defending my belt temporarily while I mourned my DEAD fiancé.” Danny reminds Eric, “That’s my belt.”

Eric understands what Danny is saying and moves away from his chair, passing Jared, and walking towards Danny waiting at the door.

“You want the belt?” Eric asks, “Just so I understand. You are asking to have that now invaluable leather and gold-painted belt of an organization that no longer exists?”

“It means something to me.” Danny says, “It’s all I have to show for the redemption I worked so hard to achieve.”

Eric passes the High Society Shield and Duel Swords as he begins to speak. “You come here. Uninvited. Unannounced. You demand justice for the very thing you spent the majority of your career pursuing; pointing your finger at US as some kind of villains.”

Eric arrives before Danny.

“You accuse us of withholding vital information about your sister and friend with no evidence of our misdoing...”

“Then, you make a scene, assaulting our sacred chamber table with the very hand I shook to allow you the opportunity to join us.”

“Then, you ask us to give you something that no longer belongs to you, as a personal favor?” Eric’s eyebrow lifts in disbelief, “I would have, for sure. If you had come in here and been respectful in our great chamber, but you didn’t. therefore, Danny, I’m sorry, but the answer is NO.”

“Go back to your father’s mansion, Danny.” Eric says, “and while you’re there, instead of locating a worthless belt- try to locate a razor instead.”

The group laughs at Danny again, but this time, Danny reacts. His clenched fist, without warning, flies into Eric’s mouth. The room gasps in sudden outrage. Eric falls back and on the floor, holding his fingers to his bottom lip as a bit of blood leaks from where it was split.

“You son of a bitch!” Corwin Havens shouts as he rushes to get Danny, but Eric throws his hands up and stops them.

“No.” Eric says, beginning to laugh, “I, at least, deserved part of that. Do not retaliate.”

Danny opens the heavy door and makes his exit as Corwin and Steven help Eric up. Danny looks back as the door shuts to see Monica’s teary eyes staring back at him. Danny makes his way down the elevator where he came and back out of the lobby between the sounding metal detectors. He makes his hastily exit from the building and quickly jumps in his car, starting it, and peeling off from the “Hartford State Capital” building.

As the adrenaline begins to fade, Danny’s fist begins to ache from punching Eric, although, it felt really good to do so. Still, a single hit wasn’t enough. Eric deserved a worse return for what he had done and for what damage he had caused.

Danny wouldn’t be able to go on without doing something. For one, he knows that they have information about Cass’ whereabouts; possibly Metals’ as well. It’s not like them to just stop monitoring their interests. Two, Eric had to pay for what he had done, period.

But where to start? Danny wonders. How does the High Society benefit from destroying the HWA? He usurped the ownership from Royalty... Why close the fed? It had a prime-time spot, it’s ratings were climbing... so, why? That is the starting point.

Danny ventures into the living room, able to safely step over the glass in his sneakers. He reaches for the remote and turns on the power. It the damaged LCD screen lights up but the image is almost too distorted to see clearly. He switches the input mode to TV and holds the remote up to his face.

“HWA” but all he can see is No Results Found. He tries again to the same result. He instead says “Professional Wrestling” and a results page finally comes up, however, instead of HWA the only result says “GWA.” This must be a mistake, Danny thinks. He repeats the voice search but still the same again. Danny figures the television is too damaged to function so, he turns off the television’s power, and drops the remote.

When he arrives at his computer, he searches for the HWA website but it is gone. He goes to Google and types HWA into the search bar; No Result.

He clicks from the search results page to News, and HWA finally has a list of results. The first link is from a wrestling variety news site which headlines: “HWA’s abrupt cancellation replaced with GWA Revival.”

“Replaced.” Danny is simultaneously caught off guard and unsurprised at once. The next headline reads: “Circle Television Network announces return of Gladiator Wrestling Association in 2006.”

Danny pauses to organize his thoughts. He moves the mouse to the top of the page, clicking the search bar, and begins typing his next search: “the Circle”

When the page loads, the first image is a punch in the face. A reminder of the stable Steven Fury and Mary Jane were a part of. The stable from GWA. The Stable that decimated the Foundation of Sensation only a few years ago before GWA closed it’s doors.

Somewhere in that time in between, a plan to replace HWA with a new GWA became more than an idea- it became a design, implemented by Eric Rayne at some point. How long had Eric planned this? How long was he set out to betray Danny?

Danny clenches his fist in anger as he sees a website already preparing to launch GWA’s new and improved webpage. A date for a show already booked and a time slot in the very place that Survival had occupied for years. The anger flowed through Danny as he realizes this is all Ron’s fault. As he reads the page’s news section, updated this morning, the corner of his eye catches Jenn’s face to the side of the screen. A framed portrait of his beloved, staring at him as if wondering why he is no longer paying attention to her. Danny’s guilt overpowers his anger and he quickly closes the laptop, folding the screen down to the keyboard side.

He calms down. Grabbing her framed picture and holding it in front of him. He smiles fondly at her image and places it back down where it was. He lets out a sigh and stands up, getting away from the computer to find something better to do, after, what’s done was already done.

The following day, after his morning coffee, Danny is drawn back to his computer to finish a thought. He opens it and logs on so he can start researching where he had left off the day before.

MJ Francis. Steven Fury. They are the Circle. The Circle being the flag post Stable of the CTN: Circle Television Network. They had many stables in many other wrestling organizations, but the Circle was their top talent. Not to mention, if you were in the stable you were also in the company. Michael and Danny had clashed with them first hand in the GWA, and Steven Fury, Danny had collided with in particular after kidnapping MJ. She’s had hated Danny ever since.

If the High Society helped destroy HWA for the GWA, there’s a strong bet that MJ Francis Fury and her husband had something to do with it. This was never something that Danny had discussed with Eric, in fact, the entire Circle and it’s interests never came up in conversation; just like the High Society, the Circle was even more secretive.

Seemingly for hours Danny searched and went deep into a rabbit hole of various web pages for nothing. There was nothing that could help him tackle this organization and it seemed like anything about the High Society was completely missing from the Internet. It felt hopeless.

“Predator or prey.” Danny realizes that maybe he’s the prey. Maybe there’s no other place for him anymore.

Here, Danny was wasting his time, abandoning Jenn yet again. He hadn’t visited her in days and the guilt started to way on his conscience. He closes his computer, feeling that justice is just a futile pipe dream, and stands up from the desk. He heads outside with a pair of sheers to clean up the growing grass in front of Jenn’s tombstone when he hears the screech of brakes.

He wipes the dirt from his pants as he stands up, taking one last look down at the trimmed graveside.

“We’ll talk later.” Danny promises before turning from the Starr family cemetery. He walks out to the front gate where a package is leaning against it on the opposite side. He figured it was either something Mark Crow ordered, a bomb from Nate Hartman, or a dead fish from Eric and company. When he lifts it up it has a bit of weight to it. Addressed to Danny Starr from a M.D.

When he gets inside, he brings it to his desk in the study. With a penknife he slices the tape and opens the box. Could Michael have sent him something? When he opens it, for a split second, he believes the package was from Michael; the HWA World Championship Belt. Although, Michael didn’t have the belt, Eric did- the initials: M.D. Monica De Lioncourt.

Danny pulls out the belt and it’s one in the same. Under it, a gray Nokia flip phone, and a note reading: Call this number 555-403-3022. It’s not safe to call my regular phone, M.D.”

Danny decides to open the phone and power it up. Under the phone was a charger. When he turns on he dials the number Monica provided and it begins to ring. After two rings, Monica’s voice says Hello...

“What was the endgame for Eric? Why did he shut down the HWA? Why go to all of that trouble?” Danny gets right to the point, testing her.

“It wasn’t just Eric, Danny.” Monica says, “It’s the Circle Television Network. It’s MJ. It’s Steven. It’s Cat. They wanted the Survival time slot so they can revive the GWA.

“I tried suggesting to just move the time slot but Eric refused. They all refused. They want the GWA to be the only wrestling organization, the rest are just competition. They have no regard for the people involved, Danny.”

“Are you serious? Do you know how much I risked sending you that belt?” Monica says.

“I’ll come to you.” Monica offers, “and I’ll tell you everything I know.”

“I’m many things, but liar is not one of them.” Monica sounds offended and hangs up.

Danny actually feels Monica is being sincere, not because of her reaction on the phone, but because she sent him his belt against Eric’s decision. Danny knew that Monica had been unhappy with Eric for some time and maybe for her this was a way to feel in control. Danny had no weapons that could penetrate Eric and the High Society’s armor, but with Monica, he might have teeth in this battle.

When Monica arrives, Danny is waiting for her on his front steps. She opens the gate and closes it behind her before turning towards the Starr Mansion. At first, she is taken aback by Danny’s presence, pausing before moving forward. She too, isn’t sure which Danny she would be getting when she walked up to him.

He stands to greet her. She begins to walk towards him, a growing smile can no longer be hidden away from her face. He can’t help but smile back as she walks up the steps to him. They stop a foot or two from each other.

“He’s lucky that’s all I did to him.” Danny says as Monica tries to walk passed him. Danny places his hand on her shoulder to stop her in her track.

“I can’t show you inside?” Monica asks, annoyed at his reluctance to trust her.

Danny doesn’t answer, and he isn’t going to. He already set the line and he wasn’t bending even for Monica.

She rolls her eyes in disbelief. “Fine.” She reaches into her black Dulce & Gobanna pocket book
and pulls out a piece of paper. “MJ was lying, but Eric wasnt. If you can believe that.” Monica states.

Danny takes the paper and sees Cassandra’s trail of checkpoints reaching France.

“She was.” Monica says, “At some point she left Starr Enterprises to be ran temporarily by her assistant, Laura Hamilton.

“MJ was monitoring Cassandra up until she left with Shawn. She had tried learning and even threatened Laura but Cassandra purposely left her in the dark. I’m sorry, Danny.” Monica’s green eyes fall from Danny’s in regret. “I had more, I would give it to you in a heart beat. Quite frankly, I truly believe Eric would have as well.”

“Once upon a time, I would agree with that statement.” Monica admits, “there were things that changed over time- he's not the Eric I had fallen in love with; not for some time now.”

“Jesus, Danny.” Monica distresses, “You still didn’t clean this mess up?”

“Let me help you...” Monica attempts heading for the kitchen to find a broom again, but Danny holds her shoulder again.

“No...” Danny says, “just...” his eyes close to calm his frustration down, “Tell me what I need to know to get back the HWA.”

“What do you mean?” Danny is confused, “You said you were going to help.”

“Danny, what you need to do first is understand that your anger and impulses are too volatile to defeat Eric.” Monica releases, “You have to handle this situation a very particular way or it could blow up in your face and mine the same.”

Danny takes a deep, stubborn breath as he glares into Monica’s patient eyes. They are stern, at first, but begin to glow as if she’s smiling without the smile. Her pupils dilate and then the smile appears.

Danny sits down on his third step leading to the upstairs, and Monica sits beside him, just as the other night.

“I know, Danny.” Monica’s tone changes from disappointed to compassionate. “And I know you are paranoid, well, you’ve always been skeptical since I’ve known you. I also know how it seems when I show up while you are at odds with Eric, but I assure you, if anyone is on your side now; it’s me.”

Monica puts her gentle palm on Danny’s leg. Their eyes lock. He wants to believe her.

“Before any of this, in my younger days, I had studied at the same law school, coincidentally, as Scarlet. That’s actually how we became friends, although, while she went for criminal and constitutional law, I gravitated towards corporate law.

“Corporate law has been my...” Monica searches for the best word to describe it, “skill set. Which has helped me graduate to an executive position in the Circle Television Network as well as other subsidiaries.”

“Eric had manipulated Ron into signing away his rights to the HWA, and then, had me draft a very specific document that would make it impossible to reopen it. I mean, to put it in layman's terms- the red tape you’d have to swim through is absolutely staggering to fathom... but, there was a reason he didn’t want anyone auditing the company and it had nothing to do with competing with the GWA.”

“Well, that idiot was no idiot.” Monica says, “When his reign of ownership was coming to an end, he intentionally sabotaged HWA’s books that were so well hidden that upon the circumstance that Ron would sell HWA, a review of it’s books would connect Royalty to a terrorist organization called “the Idolatrous.” This was a double-shot attempt at getting revenge at Royalty and the group that had extorted him for various years prior.

“The reason I’m telling you this is because Eric had a private auditor review the company and when he realized that the burden would now be placed on him and bring negative press to the CTN, he wanted it buried forever.

“Well, Yes and No.” Monica says, “With my knowledge of some insider trading involving the CTN, there might be a way to force the company away from Eric to become rogue, at which point, you could scoop up the HWA in an auction for the rights to it. The only issue with this is the legal ramifications of releasing the HWA to become public. I designed it to be impenetrable.”

“Then how do you expect me to do this? I don’t know anything about corporate law!” Danny becomes frustrated.

Danny thinks, and when he remembers, his head drops in dismay. “Yes.” Danny admits, displeased.

Danny pulls the phone Monica gave him from one pocket, and his regular phone from another. On the old phone, he searches his contacts until he finds the one he’s looking for- then, types the number from it into the new phone. He hits call and it begins to ring. A man answers on the other side.

“Conner. This is Danny Starr...” Danny begrudgingly tries to sound pleasant.

"I heard the news." Danny says "Who would have figured Royalty would burn his own company, eh?"

"Yeah, who would've thought..." Conner answered, taking another long drink of his third beer of the day. "Guess you finally got what you always wanted, eh?"

Danny lowers the phone, looking at Monica as if to ask, Do I have to do this? Monica smiles and lifts Danny's phone hand gently back up to his ear.

"Actually, No Conner." Danny remains calm, "I actually want to get it back from Rayne, and I..." Danny's eyes close for what he is about to say, "I need your help."

"I'm sorry," Conner sputtered. "Did you just ask for MY help? Are you sure you got the right number Danny?"

"Yeah, I got your number right here..." Danny begins to threaten Conner on instinct, but Monica shushes him with a smile behind her finger. "Yes, your number, yes, okay, so listen... I know before professional wrestling you dabbled in the tech world. I have, on good authority, that with the right tech guy we can get HWA out of the hands of Eric and into ours again but, it's not exactly... legal."

"You know that I bleed HWA colors Danny," Conner began. "But we've been down this road before, me... trusting you. It never ends well for me. So why should I trust you now, especially if you're proposing what I think you're proposing."

"Truthfully, Kevin." Danny begins, "I have no idea why you should trust me. I wouldn't trust me. I just know that there is only one chance to undo this thing and if you want to bring the real villain to justice, then this is the only way."

Maybe Kevin was already three sheets to the wind, but he swore he heard actual sincerity in Danny's voice. Conner shook his head, finished the rest of his beer, and sighed again.

Danny lowers the phone, whispering to Monica. "He's in... what does he need to do?"

"Monica's hand is in her pocket book and quickly out with a new piece of paper. She hands it to Danny quickly and he begins reading it to Conner.

"Http://RightHandPath/mainframe/scrty="encrytionSRC" Danny struggles to read it, "This is a mouth full."

The shuffling of feet can be heard as Conner stumbles from off his recliner, knocking over his collection of empty bottles he had collected over the past few days. After muttering a few choice swear words after he stepped on the broken glass, Kevin found his way to the living room table where he scrawled down the information he needed.

"It's heavily encrypted and there's time-based re-encryption that will lock your I.P. Address from the mainframe if you are in too long. You have to quickly locate HWA's financial information that will be under, and only under /directory/3k06/ My source has made it clear that that is the only directory to access, anything else is prohibited. There are data-tracks on all of them and if enough directories are accessed at one time, your I.P. Address will be accessible even with the best encryption."

"And here I thought this was going to be difficult," Conner sarcastically responded. "Give me a few days, I'll see what I can come up with."

"This is our last shot." Danny reminds his old enemy, "Oh, before I let you go. Have you been in touch with Michael?"

"Diamond...?" Conner guffawed. "Not sure if you ever noticed from your throne up high Danny, but he and I weren't exactly the best of friends. Last time I saw "Your Hero" was the night HWA ended. You should really keep better track of your "things".

“Oh!” Monica remembers, “I have some great easy reads on this subject that might help you. I’ll dig them up for you. Is your email still the same?”

Monica follows Danny to the laundry room, giving him more corporate legal advice that he listens to, but doesn’t retain. She stands at the doorway as he moves the wet clothes from his washer and puts them in the dryer. He begins the cycle and heads for the door again. Before the light turns out, Monica happens to glance up at the corner of the room as Danny passes her. She sees a spider squashed against the wall, and the aftermath of a decimated web that belonged to the spider.

“Okay, well. I probably should get going so I can find that reading material for you.” Monica says, zipping up her pocket book. She walks towards the door but stops short. She turns around and Danny is there in front of her.

“If we do everything correctly, Eric will have no control over the fate of HWA.” Monica claims, “I’ll email you the material.”

“I’ll look forward to it.” Danny says. There’s a moment of pause where it seems Monica expects a kiss but when she realizes Danny isn’t going in for one, she awkwardly turns to the door. “Good-bye Danny.” And leaves. Danny watches her exit his premises and drive off. The fate of HWA now rests in Conner’s hands.

Danny had a lot of work to do. He descended into his basement. It had been designated prior to his ownership as his father’s gambling arena. A slap in the face to his own father’s floor of family heirlooms dating back to when the name Starr was Starrleim. The room filled with treasures that John Starr had dwindled down in lost bets until finally, with his imprisonment, some of the heirlooms were salvaged. Danny had since converted the entire basement into his personal gym, but kept some of the heirlooms for decoration such as a standing knight with complete 16th century armor, chain mail, shield, and sword. Danny admired the item, but he knew nothing of it’s actual history.

He turned the light on and began doing what he hadn’t done in months, exercised. He removes his button up and throws it down on the floor. Stretching his arms before laying down to begin lifting the weights that were there since the last time he had lifted. There’s a bit of a struggle at first, but after a few reps, he can still muster the strength to continue.

After six, he places the bar back down on the support and sits up, feeling the good kind of burn in his arm muscles. He nods to himself in approval and lays back down to redo it again.

After hours down there, he moves into the study, exhausted from the workout. He opens his laptop and sees an email notification from Monica. He knows what it is. He sits down and opens the email to find thirty-two attachments; each a different material on corporate law. He lets out an exhaustive breath and takes a big gulp from his water bottle.

Over the next few days, Danny would bounce between working out hard as he could in the gym, and trying to make sense out of the legal world’s language, typically resulting in more anger to use down in the basement.

“What the hell is fiduciaries?” Danny mutters while googling the word. ‘Okay, why didn’t they just call it trustee?”

Danny groans, seeing Jenn’s picture again, but this time he places her face down on the surface so he can concentrate. “Stare Decisis”? Danny shuts his laptop out of anger and aggressively jumps up to head for the basement.

Today, he has a sword and is fencing with the standing knight. He was told fencing was great cardio and since he has no partner, he figured this would at least be a nice break in the routine he has been doing. He playfully twists himself like Mark Hamil and thrusts the sword into the knight’s chest, poking directly through the wide linked chainmail. Danny stops...

That would be enough fencing for Danny. He returned to his computer to check for Conner’s fourth-coming email but still nothing. Instead of reading more articles on business law, he ventures elswhere on the Internet. He moves the mouse on the webpage to Add to Cart, and Buy. His stored information makes it easy for Danny to confirm and the transaction is complete. He closes the laptop again for the night. He realizes he hasn’t or wanted a drink; he hadn’t taken a single pain pill either. He had been sleeping better but the guilt of being preoccupied and not spending time to consider Jenn weighed down on his mind.

The days went fast now. Still waiting on Conner. Still trying to familiarize himself with the corporate law material Monica had sent him, and any other time was spent pushing his limits in the basement. He hadn’t visited Jenn’s grave; he hadn’t thought about Jenn’s absence. He kept himself distracted from it, tirelessly preparing himself for what comes next, but the guilt sat on his shoulder like a parrot that refused to fly off. Although he tried to ignore it, pictures of her would remind him when he least wanted them to, and still, he would run from her image.

After a strenuous bout of plyometrics below the estate, Danny, out of breath, came to the study to open the computer. As he did, email after email from Conner popped up in his inbox. The title read: Sorry, dude. Danny clicks it and begins to read.

“Danny, I was able to get into the mainframe but when I went to the directory you told me, it was cleaned out. There wasn’t a single bit of data left inside of it. I figured, I would attempt to find whatever I could in that 10 minute window so I ventured into other areas. I can’t make sense of it. I was able to retrieve some documents from a file called ‘Lefthand’ and another from ‘legacy’ but before I could fully download either of them, I was booted and locked out from my I.P. What I sent you was partial data from both. Sorry, I wasn’t able to help.

“God Damnit!” Danny growls. He glares at the bright screen, thinking this is the end of the road, but decides to open the attachments Kevin had provided.

When the PDF loaded, a strange watermark filled the background of a documentary that had been heavily redacted. The symbol on the watermark was an open palm of a left hand, all black. The file was about a woman that was a member of the Circle named Rachel Winston being found dead. Names were redacted regarding who was involved in her death and by the means of death, but mentions of a Dermot Winterdawn go on to remain visible in the document. The file goes on to mention Rachel’s death was fabricated to usher in a Dermot Winterdawn’s leadership role in the Left Hand. Redacted, redacted, Redacted Rayne Sengir.

The next document was also a PDF file, and although not redacted, the copy of the printed page was barely visible. Danny clicks Edit and selects Contrast to adjust the visibility. When doing so, the text becomes clear enough to make out. The document seems to be page 11 of a 204 page word document. The heading reads “Blueprint For Achievable Ends” and highlights, in detail, what seems to be an essay on religion. It reads: We believe God's plan is perfect and has an allotted amount of time only known to God. It isn't within man's capability of completely understanding that plan and shouldn't be tampered with by humanity. “ The rest become ineligible to make out. At the very bottom, another watermark, albeit different is half-cut from the page. It’s a square outline with an old English L inside of it.

“Damnit, Conner.” Danny is frustrated, slamming his computer shut so hard that the table top shakes, causing Jenn’s still face-down picture to rattle. He looks at it, picking it back up and finally confronting what he’s been avoiding. He feels all of the stress that he’s been facing, and all of the guilt that he’s been avoiding all hit at the same time. His eyes fill with warm tears as he remembers how Jenn was still gone. He realizes that he needs to talk to her. He needs to finally really talk to her. No more hiding. No more running. He has to close this chapter so he can move on. He opens up the picture frame and her engagement ring falls from in between the picture and the backing. He puts it in his pocket and heads out back. He plops down on the freshly trimmed grass and sits against her tombstone. He sniffs and wipes the tears from his eyes as he reaches for her engagement ring that he had placed in his pocket.

"I knew you would have said yes. I knew by the way we looked at each other that you had already said yes. It was a question I didn't need an answer to because I knew I had found everything and there it was, the answer in the way you loved me.

And then you were gone. I didn't know how to process it. I didn't have the time to process it. I had to be strong so I kept working. I tried to control my anger and my hatred for the truck driver that hit you. I tried burying it deep inside where it wouldn't tear me apart and I just thought if I just hide it, it'll just work itself out on it's own but now it's locked deep inside and no matter how hard I try I can't release it. It's just there, eating and growing.”

"I'm afraid to think about you. I'm afraid to face the pain of realizing I'll never get to hear your laugh again. Or see your smile. And I'm torn between pretending everything is okay so I can make you proud that I'm being strong but the longer I wait, the more I fail to keep your memory alive. The more I push you out of my mind the more my memory of you fades away. Now, I'm afraid I've done it so long that I can't fix it. I can't hear your voice anymore. I can't feel your absence."

Danny takes his hand, turning to her grave and begins raking the dirt from it’s surface.

“I thought I could redeem myself. I thought I could make up for my sins and turn a new leaf. I thought I could become a better man and the minute I did... I became the prey.”

“So, what do you do when redemption fails? Do you keep letting the predators eat away at you until you are nothing but bones left for hungry dogs to finish? When with every attempt at taking the righteous path to find justice, it failing again and again. What do you do when redemption fails you? I’d like to know... because for me, it’s just been failure after failure after failure.”

“I have to decide now.” Danny says, “and If choosing redemption means letting the predators go on surviving, then consider this the death of redemption.”

Danny’s thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the mail truck’s usual squealing brakes. He pats the new layer of dirt that covered the ring and stands up. He backs away from Jenn’s grave, staring down at it. “I’ll always love you.” Danny tries not to cry another tear, “I’m sorry I failed you.”

Danny turns from Jenn and walks away. He doesn’t look back. He, instead, takes a last snort to clear his nose, and blinks any moisture in his eyes away. He walks passed the Starr Estate, passed the window he peaked in to see Cassandra’s abuse, passed the steps Jenn and he laughed on after their fun time at the correspondence dinner. He walks to the gate he ran through to protect Michael from his father all those years ago, and finds a package waiting on the opposite side.

He picks up the package. The label says first class. Addressed to Danny Starr. Sent directly from the Knights of Modern Camelot. The box is heavier than the package which had his title belt as he carries it up the steps and in the front door. He takes it right to the study and places it gently on the desk top next to his computer. Using the same penknife as the other day, he slides the blade across the seam in the center of the clear tape. With both hands, he opens each cardboard liid and dives his hands into the box.

He never removes it from the box, instead, a smile appears on his face. He reaches for the Nokia phone that’s charging on the table and removes it from the plug. He dials Monica and waits for her to answer.

“Good.” Danny says, “I’ll bring the information Conner was able to retrieve. Just make sure I can get into the building. I want to wear the title belt when I deliver his final blow.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Danny says, “Oh, and Monica. Thank you. For everything.”

Danny hangs up. He puts the phone down. Danny would suspend his plans for the rest of the day. He ordered a juicy steak and shrimp for dinner. Danny would sleep easily that night and tomorrow, on a new day, redemption would be a ghost to him. Before he would sleep, he would have a bourbon on the rocks. This drink wasn’t to cope, it was a toast. A toast... to the death of redemption.

The drive was the same distance as the other day’s drive, but this one felt longer. Danny felt a finality in this commute that was more a march into battle than a visit to an old enemy. The heat of the coming confrontation was feverish; Danny’s skin was melting underneath of his black dress shirt. He passes the intersection where Jenn met her fate. He passes the mechanic that worked on his car but now had been out of business.

He arrived at the Hartford State Capital. Tourists surrounding the High Society’s hidden headquarters, strolling the park, unaware that a modern day illuminati lurked less than 50 feet away inside of the exclusive building a normal person was denied access to; Danny, himself, was now denied access to.

Danny stood before the same locked doors knowing a camera was fixated on him. The title belt draped over his shoulder. A file folder with papers in his hand tightly. He waited for their vocal denial thought the speakers but to his surprise, the buzzer sounds and the lock is released. Danny moves in, opening the door, and entering through the metal detectors that would surely set off the alarms. When they did, those same three lasers fixated on Danny’s body until he held up the title belt for them to see from whichever camera they preferred.

The lasers move from Danny and deactivate back to idle as the metal detector alarm descends in volume. A ringing still exists in Danny’s ears as he makes his way to the elevator. He ascends to where they are, knowing the storm he is bringing will result in some kind of dramatic conclusion, uncertain of it’s actual effects.

He walks carefully, ready for any resistance to draw itself out from the shadows, but it never comes. An eerie silence occupies the hallway but as he gets closer to the Chamber doors, he can hear the muffled arguments ensuing on the other side.

He opens the door and his first sight is MJ Francis Fury breathing heavy as she is already standing behind her chair. She looks over at Danny with a smile; but not a happy smile, a hate-filled smile of disbelief. The others glare at Danny, unsure of his presence

Danny glares at Eric as he walks in, standing at the opposite end of the large table, just as before.
“Our website was hacked into very recently, Danny.” Eric raises his voice above the commotion, “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

“Why are we entertaining this piece of shit!?” MJ erupts, “Don’t you remember he kidnapped me and put me in a coma?”

“It’s fine.” Monica comforts Scarlett, “I just want to see what Danny has in the folder. May I see?”

Danny hesitates. He looks around at each of them as they watch him right back. Her hand extends and he hands the folder to her. As she opens it, her heart stops as she realizes these are blank pieces of paper, not a single word printed on them. She looks up to understand but by then, Danny has dropped his belt and rushes around the table.

The HS members on Eric’s left side fall back to protect Eric as Danny moves fast in his direction.

“Don’t let him get to Eric!” Jared commands the others, as he too, stands in front of Eric Rayne- but Danny doesn’t want Eric. He reaches for the sword’s handle that protrudes from behind the High Society’s traditional shield and pulls it out with a swooshing sound as the metal slides against the sheathe.

“I challenge you, Eric.“ Danny holds it up, pointing it at Eric.”I challenge you to a rapine for the leadership of the High Society.”

A deafening silence overcomes the room and beginning with Corwin, erupts into laughter.

“You’re serious...” Eric tries to slow down his laughter, his lip still split open at the bottom.

Danny doesn’t move. His expression doesn’t change. Monica is shocked as she moves closer to Danny.

“Over professional wrestling?” Eric moves around Jared and Corwin who were protecting him. “You would take a life over wrestling? It’s just wrestling! You have no idea of the matters that exist in our world that make your entitled point of view a mere spec of dust in the grand scale of things. Your heart is admirable; it’s why I saw such great potential in you- but your heart has always been your biggest flaw.”

“I told you a long time ago, Danny.” Eric speaks softly to his face, “there are two kinds of people in this world. Predator and prey.”

“Jesus Christ, Eric.” Danny says, “For once in your life, have some god damned honor!”

Danny falls away from Eric, grabbing Monica and holding the sharp blade to her throat.

“Okay, let’s calm down...” Eric says, “I’m not one to turn down a challenge. I must warn you, Starr, I have been known to be quite merciless by my enemies.”

“It’s fine.” Eric holds his hand up to the members, “Danny is exercising one of our great traditions and I’d be happy to oblige the usurper’s uninformed attempt at hostile takeover.”

Danny releases Monica and she runs far from Danny, around the table, and to Scarlett’s arms in tears.

“That’s what you get for letting a tiger in the village, Monica.” MJ sneakily sneers at Monica.

“Eric, this is ridiculous!” Corwin Havens tries again to stop this from happening.

Eric points the sword at Danny to measure his starting distance. “Five feet.” Eric’s eyes widen... “Everyone allow us room.” Those surrounding Danny and Eric move away and around the table to watch from the other side.

Before Danny can respond, Eric’s knees bend and he lowers before extending the sword fully out nearly poking Danny in his heart, but Danny falls back.

“Short serpent guard.” Eric teaches Danny, standing back to his normal stance. Danny moves carefully around Eric, ready for anything.

Danny lifts his sword and brings it down fast but Eric blocks it, moves to Danny’s side, and slides his blade off of Danny’s and swings for Danny’s head, scratching below his eye.

“You didn’t practice, did you?” Eric taunts, “Your heart. You’re impulses will be the death of you.”

Eric moves as he finishes the sentence into a long guard pointing the tip of the sword up and near Danny’s face again, but Danny bats Eric’s blade away, moving close to attempt his own version of a short serpent guard, but without form. Eric evades Danny’s movement and brings his own sword around to slide through Danny’s sleeve and cut the skin of his arm. Blood begins to spread where his shirt was sliced.

Danny turns, sword up to protect himself, and Eric is standing in a middle iron gate stance, his sword pointing down the ground as he bends away from it.

“You had such great potential when you were a predator.” Eric slowly approaches Danny as he backs away cautiously. “But in the end, you chose to be PREY!”

Eric lunges to one knee, abandoning his sword and drives a dagger he had hidden into Danny’s stomach with the sound of a chink. Danny gasps from the tip of the blade poking into his stomach but Eric knows the blade didn’t penetrate through.

He looks up at Danny in a brief moment of confusion as Danny lifts his own sword.

Eric’s eyes widen, “NO!” and Danny thrusts the sword downward into, and through Eric’s chest to the sound of horrible gasps.

Danny steps away, holding his stomach where Eric tried to stab. Eric falls back to the Persian upholstery, looking up at Monica who tries to contain the subtle microexpression of a smile. He tries to speak, but can’t. He can only whimper the word “You...” to her before his final breath is the air leaving his lungs.

Scarlett begins to cry with Monica. Outrage fills the chamber as Eric dies in a pool of his own blood. They curse at Danny, spit at Danny, and threaten Danny but nobody attacks Danny. They know it’s the law, and as much as they hate him for it, as far as tradition is concerned, Danny Starr is now their leader.

“USURPER!” Jared screams, filled with rage as Danny rips his shirt open to reveal tiny linked chain mail, shiny and glistening from the lights above them. He moves uninterrupted through the members to make his way to Eric’s chair and sits down to rest.

“You have no idea what the consequences of your actions here will amount to.” Scarlett warns from Eric’s side.

“You’re so in over your head, Starr.” Scarlett says, “How do you plan on sustaining Eric’s global influence? Or managing his tens of thousands of employees world wide? How do you plan on continuing Eric’s various interests? You’re going to be swallowed up, eaten whole, and shit out in seconds."

“Well, I would leave.” Danny says, “But, I know what happens if I leave after winning a rapine.”

“the rules are in stone, young Corwin.” Steven says, “You don’t have to like it, but you have to respect it.”

“Bullshit.” MJ says, “there are other ways to usurp leadership without resorting to primeval savagery. But I expect no less from Danny Starr. He doesn;'t have a pioneer’s mind like Eric... only the mind of a barbarian. You’re just a primitive man. Uncivilized ID.”

Jared holds his hand up at Danny, but Scarlett quickly grabs it, yanking it around her in an embrace.

“Danny, man.” Tony speaks to Danny calmly, “Please reconsider, here. This is bigger than you and Eric. This is bigger than you realize.”

“Tony. You helped get my foot in the door but in the end, you’re no different than anyone else here. You’ve sat by in your engraved chair and watched the harm that Eric and this order have done.” Danny dismisses his plea.

“Mind your tongue, Starr.” Steven erupts, “We’ve done countless good. What good have you done?”

“It’s easy to justify your actions in a den of snakes.” Danny says, “Have you people ever considered using your absolute power and influence for the greater good?”

“You couldn’t imagine the brand of darkness you are meddling with, Starr.” Scarlett growls.

“Fair enough.” Danny says before standing up and changing the subject altogether, “As your new leader, I will gladly grant you my audience as you do away with the former leader’s remains to seal our bond of loyalty to one another, as the traditional law states.”

“Corwin, do you mean to tell me that since you have been a member you haven’t glanced once at the grand doctrine?” Scarlett asks.

“The Grand Doctrine.” Danny interjects, “Order of the High Prince. It’s the High Society Rules to Live By. If you had read it, you would know you are, at this time, obligated by duty, to respect the victor of a rapine, or Duel, as your High Prince by helping conceal and disappear the body of the loser, Eric. It’s meant to form a bond of camaraderie as our first act in this new relationship. “

“Do what needs to be done.” Danny orders, “and then, my first order as your leader is this: No one is permitted to leave this headquarters until further notice. Cancel any reservations, wine tasting, or private island sexcapades.”

Jonathan Keeper seems alarmed at its mention. The rest are outraged for the second time.

The members drag themselves to clean up their former leader, a traumatic experience, but a necessary hallmark in the transition of power.

“Monica.” Danny calls for her. She looks up at Danny, her green eyes with fear as Danny stands from Eric’s chair, “Let’s walk.”

“It’s fine.” Monica whispers back. She stands up and trails behind Danny as he heads for the door. The walk out of the chamber is somber and awkward. Danny closes the doors behind them before walking away from the possibility of being heard. Danny can tell she is visibly upset.

“Conner failed at getting what we needed.” Danny confesses, “there was no other way.”

Monica tries not to cry. “I’m sorry, It was just a very unexpected and horrific sight to see.” She covers her face. “It’s fine. I understand that Eric wasn’t the same person I once loved.” She uncovers her face and there’s no tears. “He flew too close to the sun.”

“I’m sorry to have included you in the plot,” Danny shares genuinely, “I wanted any suspicion of your involvement ruled out by the other members.”

“Yes.” Danny confirms. “I came for the belt so I could use it to sneak in the chainmail. When I was denied, I had to come up with a new plan yes, but, thanks to you, we were right back on track.”

“I just don’t know how we can go from here.” Monica says, “Defeating Eric through the law would have been an uncomplicated path to achieve this result, with no blood shed. Now, it’s complicated. You didn’t even have a plan to follow. This could bring everyone down, including me. Eric is right about your impulses, Danny. Sometimes, we have to play a longer game because now you’re captain of the team in a game you aren’t prepared to play.”

“Bringing them down sounds like the exact game I want to play.” Danny says, “Surely, you can avoid the fallout. You’re intelligent.”

“You don’t understand.” Monica shakes her head, “You just, you cant understand.”

“Who is Dermot Winterdawn?” Danny asks. Monica’s mouth falls as she freezes in time.

“Tell me about the Left Hand.” Danny demands, just as sternly as her dismissal was.

“No more secrets.” Danny says, “I need to stay ahead of them in there if you want this to be uncomplicated.”

Monica is taken aback, her eyes studying Danny, in disbelief at how little he knows.

"The High Society has, for centuries, been the world's only line of defense against a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding it’s fear of influence, on infiltration instead of invasion, on subversion instead of elections, on intimidation instead of free choice, on guerrillas by night instead of armies by day. It is a system which has conscripted vast human and material resources into the building of a tightly knit, highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific, and political operations." Monica recites.

"I've already heard this..." Danny reveals, unremarkably, "That's literally JFK's speech, verbatim."

"Good, I'm glad..." Monica says, "Because The Left Hand is who John was talking about.

"Before the High Society came to be, Eric's bloodline was carried through the ages as the mortal enemy to this dark sect of a once unified belief in God's plan. Somewhere, The Left Hand and the Legacy split from each other, the Legacy believing God's plan would be revealed when it was meant to and the Left Hand who believes the end times must be initiated by man."

"Eric's bloodline carried a, well, you won't believe this, but Special abilities." Monica reveals.

"I know it sounds... bizaar, but it's true." Monica says, "In fact, while Eric could see things before they happened, Jared could move things with his mind. One reason that the Left Hand once kidnapped Scarlett, and later, her and Jared's son, Tyler."

"Well, they couldn't have Eric's DNA... so they wanted the next best thing, his half-sisters. You see, they wanted the DNA so they could... create life with it, they failed, thankfully, but when Tyler was born they believed they didn't need to anymore. They just needed Tyler, to groom, and manipulate..."

"Because Dermot, the leader of the Left Hand, had already released the other horsemen, he just needed the one thing to trigger the Apocalypse... The Antichrist." Monica reveals.

There's a pause as Danny takes in the information, but the silence ends quickly as Danny begins laughing out loud.

"No." Monica says, "But it doesn't matter. As long as The Left Hand believes it, with their global influence, the truth is whatever they deem it to be- and they will release plagues, create wars, build terror networks, and the list goes on and on and on."

"Well, Dermot is dead... We killed him when we found the location of Tyler after a Black Skulls compound was attacked by, well, an unknown assailant."

"Well, she was next in line but our resources at Stormcorp can't find her at all. It's believed across the board she was killed during the battle around 2002." Monica confirms.

"We believe they are planning something huge but we just don't know. We are constantly learning of their movements but, we're always a few steps behind." Monica admits, regretfully.

"The only members left are Scarlett, Jared, myself, and well, Eric." Monica says.

"Yes." Monica says, "We've followed them to professional wrestling organizations for decades, hence, the purpose of shutting them down- they just weren't there to be found anymore. Eric started losing his abilities... started finding purpose in other, unrelated ventures that caused some strains between the members."

"Well, Eric turned his attention to the CTN to appease Alicia Sinn, and when his ability of sight began to fade away, he was unable to do much against the Left Hand if it didn't require his influence and power- I think he just didn't know how to translate it." Monica says.

Danny and Monica return to the chamber where they have pulled the sword from Eric and feed off of each other’s emotions as a collective. Danny walks passed them and sits down in Eric’s chair as before, watching them strip his clothes off. A door opposite of the entrance is open and out from it walks Brandon Kayros with a roll of bags, peeling one off and opening it for Tony to stuffed Eric’s clothes, shoes, and undergarments in as a bundle. Blood saturates the already red carpet, and towels have been placed to soak up what they can, as Eric’s naked body is hoisted over a bucket where the wound is treated as a spout to collect his life force.

Monica can’t bare watching the process as she sits in her own chair beside Danny.

“They will incinerate him in the subbasement. It’s typically used for destruction of files and other scandalous evidence, but It has been known to be used for exactly this.” Monica whispers back.

“You know,” Jared blurts out, “You can give us a hand, Monica... he was your fiancé.”

“Fucking bullshit.” Jared returns to his job of slopping up Eric’s blood, “Get the fucking food area rug from Eric’s office, Brandon.”

“I want a real tour of this place. I want to know all of its in and outs. I want to know every corner, every nook, every inch of this building.” Danny demands.

“the entire 4th floor is designated as “the suite” converted in a hotel of sorts for... parties.” Monica confirms.

“The kind where rich and powerful people are provided ‘massages’ for political favors.” Monica can barely admit it.

Brandon comes out with the area rug from Eric’s office, position it down adjacent to where Eric is being held over the bucket by Jonathan Keeper and Steven Fury.

“Flip him.” Jared commands, and they roll Eric’s upperbody over to lay his back on the purple area rug. As blood starts to find its way out of his chest, Jared and Fury begin rolling the edge of the rug up and over Eric as he twists inside of it. When he is completely wrapped up, Fury and Jared grab each end and hoist him up.

“Are you going to give us your audience, Starr? Or should we wait for you to and Monica to finish face fucking.” Jared snarls.

Danny stands up and Monica does the same, following the company as they follow Jared and Fury. As they pass the table, Danny bends down and grabs the title belt.

“I’ll get the doors.” Corwin Havens says, jogging to the front of the caravan.

Corwin opens the doors and the group make their way to the elevator, all standing close together as they descend to the subbasement. When they get off they take it to the left and straight to the incinerator. Jonathan opens the big square door while Fury and Jared slide the entire wrapped body of their former leader into the box. Jonathan closes the lid but Danny says “Wait.” Jonathan opens the door again and Danny walks up, taking the belt off of his shoulder, and throws it on top of the rug.

Jonathan closes the door and the High Society heads back to the elevator without Danny. Monica stands by waiting for him, but he stays.

“Yeah, I’ll be up.” Monica responds, still watching Danny. Scarlett hesitates to measure the reasoning but turns to follow the other members.

“I know some of them will try to kill me.” Danny says, staring at the flames engulfing everything behind the glass.

“You only have to worry about Jared.” Monica says, “He was supposed to be next in line.”

“If Jared doesn’t challenge you to a rapine,” Monica says, “You can expect MJ to bring your impeachment to a vote. If you are voted out and refuse to leave, they are free to-”

“Assassinate as a collective.” Danny finishes her sentence, “Yes. But what if Jared decides to use his mind and fold me into origami tonight?”

“Why would she stop him? That was her brother, she would want me dead more than Jared."

“Not exactly.” Monica says, “she has resented Eric for some time. I have too.”

“Something tells me, they already do.” Monica says, turning and walking to the Elevators with Danny. They both go up to the High Society Chamber to meet with the others.

“Tonight, I understand the fourth floor has suites to sleep in. That is where I suggest you sleep to overcome your emotions regarding today’s happenings.” Danny orders.

“Damnit, Corwin.” Jonathan Keeper scolds him, “Read the fucking rule book. The night after a duel, we must commit ourselves to sleep under the same roof with the usurper.

“Decades.” Steven says, although, the victor abandoned us after he had become leader. He hadn’t read the rules and because he left, being the next in line, Eric became the high prince.”

“Don’t worry about the blood.” Danny says, “We can take care of that tomorrow.”

“As the usurper wants.” Jared bows before making his exit, followed by everyone except Monica.

Monica walks over to Scarlett. They hold each other’s hands. “Everything is going to be fine.” Monica whispers to her. “We will talk tomorrow.”

Scarlett looks behind Monica at Danny, who is still sitting in Eric’s chair, then back to Monica.

“Okay...” Scarlett reluctantly agrees, embracing Monica with a hug before making her exit with the others.

Monica shuts the doors. She turns to Danny, still raw from the events of today, but he’s not there. She hears rummaging coming from Eric’s office and wanders towards it. When she steps in, Danny is exploring it in depth. The desk has multiple screens, and a small area on the wall is dedicated to camera surveillance of the buildings many floors and rooms, including the entrance.

He pulls down a vertical door that opens an area of controls and dials. He points at it, looking to Monica, “Which of these control the lobby?”

It isn’t long before MJ Fury resists Danny’s orders, instead of hitting 4 in the elevator, she presses 1 after the others had gotten off. She heads for the doors through the metal detectors, throwing her keys and phone around the end, and catching them as she passes. Even though the metal detector doesn’t sound, the lasers activate from behind her and aim at the floor by her feet. The sound of energy increasing startles MJ but before it registers, the floor next to her explodes to send her jumping into the air in panic. She turns as the debris falls, seeing the lasers aiming at her now, and a voice begins to speak over the lobby speakers.

“Good.” Danny says, deactivating the lasers. MJ’s heart is pounding and as she is frozen in place, her raised arms begin to slowly drop- but before they fully do, Danny triggers the metal detector to alarm, sending her into flight towards the elevators.

The following day, the members of the High Society meet in their fourth floor hallway, discussing yesterday’s events after a night to sleep on it.

“Danny has requested all of us in the chamber.” Monica informs them, putting an overshirt on over her blouse.

“Give me a break, Scar.” Jared argues back, “Monica had it easy with Eric. Now, he’s gone, she has to leech on to Starr or guess what, she’ll just be another lowly peon.

“No, Tony.” Corwin admits, “I was too busy getting Eric’s blood out of my sleeves.

“Too bad you won’t be able to wash the blood off your hands, Mon.” Mj says.

Monica bites her tongue as they all enter the elevator. When they arrive in the chamber, the entire rug is gone.

“Danny wants to know if you accept his leadership?” Monica speaks to them all at once.

“So? He’s not even a member.” Mj responds, “theoretically, he’s not even eligible for a rapine.”

“He’s right.” Scarlett says, “Starr was a member. Therefore, he’s granted that eligibility.”

“So, let’s vote.” Mj says, “Better yet... Let’s skip right to voting him out.”

“Shouldn’t we at least talk about the cons and pros of his leadership?” suggests Tony.

“Why are we even talking about this? We should vote him out, simple as that!” MJ growls, “He’s psychotic and a direct threat to our interests and our order.”

“Mary Jane, you don’t think Eric had seen his own death? He had talked about it, albeit vaguely.” Steven says, “Remember? A black sky with red stars.”

“We know he had that ability but you also know it wasn’t what it used to be.” MJ rebuttals.

“Why the hell would he allow someone like Starr to kill him?” Mj says, “You’re not making any sense.”

“I don’t know, MJ.” Tony says, “there was a time Eric loved Danny Starr. He gloated that he finally found his successor.”

“Are we really going to pretend Danny Starr is a fit leader?” interjects Jared, ‘He’s a loose cannon.”

“Because there is the question of, whether or not Eric wanted this.” Tony says.

“I agree that he’s not fit to lead.” Steven says, “I don’t necessarily agree that he shouldn’t be leading.”

“What is there to take in?” Jared challenges, “You either are for or against. You haven’t even stated your stance on this matter.”

“Let’s just... vote.” Monica says, “Tony Gold, Aye or Nay? and your reason.”

“Aye.” Tony says to Mj’s scoff, “He’s the legal victor. Simple as that.”

“Nay?” Corwin chooses, “I don’t know enough about the rules, but to me, he wasn’t an active member, and therefore, isn’t one of us. He shouldn’t lead us.”

“I believe Eric must’ve seen his demise.” Steven says, “I believe that he knew Danny’s leadership would replace his and as I believe he is unfit- I will vote NAY. If he is meant to be, then he will be.”

“What about you, Jared?” Monica skips Jonathan to acknowledge Jared’s comments.

“NAY.” Jared responds quickly. “I don’t trust him, and neither should you.”

“AYE.” Keeper says, “Eric had lost his way. I believe we should give Starr the chance.”

“How could you vote for Starr?” Jared expresses his disappointment to her, “You’ll never have the leadership role now. Not if I don’t take over.”

“And Brandon,” Jared turns back his attention to Kayros, “I know you voted for Starr as a slight to me. “

“Admit it!” Jared points his finger at his face, “You still believe you deserve Scarlett and you resent me for it! Get over it, you were children!”

“And you...” Jared turns his focus back to Scarlett, “How could you vote your own brother’s killer into a position of leadership over us?”

“My brother has kept our child hidden away from us for three years!” Scarlett attacks, “He has wronged us for his own gains and maybe his chain has finally ended.”

“Well, congratulations Scar.” Jared laughs, “That dream of being the Rayne in charge of the Legacy doesn’t work if you replace Eric with an outsider instead of your husband!”

With the insubordinate members unable to thwart Danny Starr’s leadership, they had no choice but to fall in line with the others, despite their feelings of discontent.

Monica gave Danny the good news and he allowed them to leave, but return tomorrow to convene once again. With their absence., Monica was able to give Danny the full tour of the building, and despite the size of it, there wasn’t much to learn until Monica came to a door that was locked from the inside.

“No.” Monica says, “I don’t know if there is one.” And begins to walk passed it to head for the next area to show Danny. “Ahead is the 5th floor’s-” but a loud crash startles Monica to turn around where Danny has kicked the door off of it’s hinges.

“That works too...” Monica says as she watches Danny walk in. He searches the wall for a light switch and when he does, before him is a large closet, the space occupied completely by a collection of chairs similar to the kind each of the members have; the kind Danny once had.

“Extra chairs?” Danny asks, twisting one around to see R.R. engraved on the front of the backing.

Danny rolls Ron’s old High Society chair from the closet and out into the hallway so he can get to the next one. He twists the next around, D.S. and looks at Monica. But she doesn’t say a word. Danny roll his old chair out with Royalty's and twists them around one by one. “D.I.”

“What?” Danny is aghast, looking at Monica but she bites her lip, dreading this revelation unfolding for Danny.

“The president of the EWF. He was...” Danny tries to make sense of it. “When?”

“When Eric needed the EWF out of the picture. He gave Irving a chair until...” Monica admits.

“Of the other EWF when I was with Tony Gold. They shut down after I won LMS... he was...” Danny puts it together.

“These are the owners of feds I was involved in... since, the beginning of my career.” Danny realizes.

Danny whips that chair away and twists the next two at once. “J.D.” of the SFWX, “H.T.” Of the SWO. Danny kicks the chairs with all of his might, sending them crashing against the wall of the storage room.

“Since the beginning. Since before you applied to be a member of the High Society. Since you became old enough to begin your career.” Monica admits genuinely sorrowful of having to be the one to tell Danny.

Danny is filled with rage but it’s countered by the emotional toll of reflecting on his entire life, wondering which things were orchestrated, which things that weren’t as they seemed. Danny wondered how much of his life, how much of his environment was a lie, and what was real- what wasn’t. It’s too overwhelming to bare and he feels the gravity of a puppet learning of his strings, now free of them, falling to the floor as his legs grow weak.

Monica lowers herself, placing her hand on his back in comfort, she can feel him trembling.

“I’m sorry, Danny.” She begins to cry, empathizing with how he must feel learning this shocking truth. He forces himself up, wipes away his tears, and says with a growl, “Help me.”

Together, they each grab two chairs at a time and drag them down the hall to put in the elevator until they all are in and ready to go up. Danny and Monica file in, hit the 6th floor button, and head up to the Chamber floor. They drag the chairs into the Chamber and replaces the existing chairs with the chairs of defeated foes. Taking the actual member’s chairs out of the chamber and down to the sub basement to be left there. Since there aren’t enough old chairs... Danny puts Jared’s in Brandon Kayros’ spot, Tony Gold’s chair in Jonathan Keeper’s, and leaves no chair at all for MJ.

When the High Society members return to convene in the Chamber, Danny is already sitting in Eric’s chair; Monica in his old one. At first, the members do not notice the differences, they simply head to their designated spots and sit down. It’s Steven Fury that notices his own chair now has “J.D” on it.

He knows no one present shares these initials, and ganders the room to see behind the members, that, they too, are sitting in chairs with initials different than their own. He realizes almost immediately what Danny has done and sits down.

“Yeah!” Corwin exclaims, “Why are we here, Starr?” Not realizing Steven’s true reasoning.

“No, Corwin.” Steven says, “Did you notice your chairs are not your chairs?” Speaking to everyone. Scarlett peeks back to see “D.I.” In hers, Jared sits In“R.R.”, Tony In“D.C.”, Brandon In Jared’s, Corwin In“H.T.” Jonathan Keeper is sitting In Tony Gold’s. MJ wasn’t given a chair.

“What’s the deal here Starr?” Tony asks, looking back at his chair, “Oh.” he smiles, “I think I see what this is about.” Tony peeks to see Jared’s chair says Ron Royalty and laughs, “Yeah, I get it.”

“Real funny, Starr.” Brandon says. Tony looks and begins to laugh even harder.

“Jared... Scarlett’s face isn’t the only thing of yours he wants to sit on.” Tony laughs.

“Sit down!” Danny erupts with volcanic energy, something they haven’t seen or expected. Jared stands still but then sits when he looks into Danny’s furious gaze.

“I don’t think it’s funny at all!” Danny condemns them, the room is silent.

“You will sit In these chairs to be reminded of your misdeeds.” Danny begins..

“Get off your high horse, Starr.” MJ interrupts, “You’ve had your fair share of misdeeds-”

“AND I’VE ATONED FOR THEM.” Danny explodes with thunderous rage towards MJ. She sits on Fury’s lap.

“These chairs are symbols of my own sins, as well as those who sit upon them.” Danny explains, “Now, you will atone for yours.”

“If you aren’t for us, you are against us.” Jared says, “Which should introduce new grounds for a new vote to thwart you from leadership.”

“Don’t misunderstand me, Sengir.” Danny directs his attention to Jared, “I am proposing a new leaf for this order. One that allows us to use this great power bestowed upon each of us to redeem all of our sins.”

“We are here.” Tony says, “We showed this order loyalty. You’re the one who quit...”

“That is true.” Steven agrees, “Our loyalty shouldn’t be In question, yours should.”

“GWA is about to premiere on it’s new time-slot.” Danny says, “HWA is, at this point, unable to reopen so, perhaps I could start off on the right foot by focusing my energies on supporting GWA. Afterall, my quarrel was with Eric- not with the Circle. So, against my better judgment, I will take a plane trip to New Jersey, and dissolve a passion project called the UBW to further eliminate the competition In professional wrestling.”

“It’s my company. I will shut it down just as Eric would have done eventually.” Danny says.

“I will be leaving today.” Danny says, “and after I return, we will focus on the GWA’s future, together. You are all dismissed.”

The High Society exits while Danny returns to his office, opening up his phone and dialing Michael’s number for the first time In a few days. It no longer ringing, nor to voicemail. The number is no longer is service.

“Your taxi is arriving any moment.” Monica informs Danny. “While you’re gone I will schedule a meeting with Cat.”

“Perfect.” Danny kisses Monica after an embrace. He walks passed her and heads for the doors to exit the chamber. “Keep me updated on the happenings here.”

Tommy sits at his desk a complete mess of an office two filing cabinets on either side of the room a small shelf of personal trinkets and a workstation shoved under a window a safe sits In the corner.

Moments later, a quick knock on the door, and it opens. Danny peeks In, a whiff of curdled milk attacks his senses and his face scrunches up.

"Tommy." Danny smiles as he walks in. He extends his hand out over Tommy's desk as Tommy stands to greet him, unaware of his visit.

Danny's smile falls, "Actually..." Danny searches for a seat In front of Tommy's desk and begins to sit, "well, let me start by asking how the UBW has been making out?"

“Well we’ve had some ups and downs lately but our fan base is steadily growing. The sociopath is currently under control.”

“We sure do love our stables here Danny we’ve got three going that take up the entire roster right now.”

"Randolph still keeping everyone on their toes, I see." Danny says, "I've seen the numbers are doing very well, and I think you are doing an excellent job running this. It's a lot for one man."

“Hey now this is your baby man, I’m just the live In baby-sitter. And it helps that they just let us use the venue whenever we want with no rent or anything. We’re all profit.”

Danny is interrupted by the door opening abruptly. Danny turns his heads and sees Evan Blane for the first time since before HWA's doors had been permanently closed.

“Damnit Karen I told you to call me and let me know if people were here to see me!”

Blane enters the room slightly dumbfounded at the sight of Starr and silently slinks to the corner of the room.

Blane finally speaks "Danny, nice to see you again. I heard a rumor you were here but I didn't know if I believed it. Tommy how is going?"

"Actually, I'm glad you're here, Evan." Danny says, "I think this is something you should be a part of too."

Blane pulls up a chair to the desk next to Danny and sits with his arms crossed. "Well now you have my attention. What could have pulled the mighty Daniel Starr from his throne. "

“What is this? Both of you In my office at the same time, Isn’t this a trip. Danny you were saying before Karen just let Evan walk right In? No offenses Evan.” Tommy says with a smile looking at both of them.

"Tommy, I think you are ready for more responsibility." Danny says, "Well, that's putting it lightly. I think you are ready for full responsibility."

“I’m not quite sure I follow. You always like to dance around before getting to the point. We don’t have time for that down here man.” Tommy chuckles. Reaching over and punching Danny In the shoulder. What are you trying to say man?”

"I want to sell you the UBW." Danny blurts out, "I want the UBW to be yours but for a great cost."

Tommy’s demeanor changes quickly his brows now raised with doubt “I uhm Wow all right. I suppose I could get a loan that shouldn’t be too hard. Okay yeah all right. Lay it on me Starr. How much?”

Blane looks at Starr shocked. "Woah.... wait Danny. Why are you giving up your current money source? What's going on?"

Danny returns his attention to Romeo, still with a lowered brow at the question he just asked.

"The cost isn't a matter of currency, but instead, a specific sequence of events that must occur In a very specific order." Danny tries to explain, "I know this sounds a bit confusing..."

“Events? I got events planned but we can scratch that and rewrite whatever you need man.”

Blane speaks up "Hold on Danny, I'm wrestling on a lot of these events! I need these matches for my run at the title!"

Blane gets up out of his seat visibly pissed, and tries not to punch Danny In the side of the head

"Not exactly, Tommy." Danny regretfully informs him, "All titles would be stripped. Unfortunately, it's necessary for this to work"

"When is your next big event? What's it called?" Danny asks Evan and then looks at Tommy.

“Blackout!” Tommy motions with his hands while saying it. “I have it set for November.”

"Oh, right! the night show. That should be interesting. You have a professional lighting guy or you going to hire some bum off the street to do it?"

“I wouldn’t call him a bum and he has experience with lighting thank you very much.”

"A night show. That should be very exciting." Danny smiles approvingly, "That will be UBW's last show."

Blane gets a very inquisitive look on his face, and asks "Wait. Your closing down UBW? you just said you were going to sell to Tommy?"

“Last show? You just said you wanted to sell me the company, then Your talking about a series of events and now last show!?” Romeo begins getting worked up but takes a deep breath. “Danny please continue .”

Danny's hands go up and his eyes close. "I know it's confusing." Danny says, "To make it simple, Danny Starr's UBW must close before Tommy Romeo's UBW can open... legally. Unfortunately, a smooth transition of ownership is not a card we have In our hand."

"You shut down UBW after Blackout. You strip the titles from the champions that hold them. You fire half of the employees and put the other half on retainer under the UBW Unemployment program." Danny has a thought, "This is Your chance to eliminate Your Sociopath problem."

Tommy looks at Evan, knowing exactly what that would mean. “You raise a fair point my friend. I really don’t know how I feel about that Jojo either.”

Blane looks at Danny and says "So, you got a soft spot for JoJo? Why don't we invite him In to the organization?"

"After you do those things I mentioned, you'll have to sell Sano Stadium." Danny says, "and after six months, find a new venue where you will reopen the UBW with a new look, new vibe, under Tommy's ownership."

“You seem to have thought this through. But why now? You worked so hard to build it.” Tommy says slightly puzzled.

"After HWA was shut down, I decided that it was time to move onto other things." Danny says, placing his hand on Evan's shoulder. "What Eric did to the HWA was too much to bear, and because of the enemy's I've made, I just want to distance myself from those who could be hurt."

"We've had a long history, Tommy." Danny says, "You're going to have to trust me on this one."

Blane looks at his friend and shakes his head and blurts out "I don't know what you got into with Eric, but this whole thing is a shit storm waiting to happen and I feel we all are going to be In the path. Whatever this means for us, Danny I want you to know I'm with you till the end."

"You've always been loyal, Evan." Danny smiles to him, before turning to Tommy, "If you can push it to a full year, it'd be better. Do you think you can maintain Your wrestler's loyalty for longer?"

Blane face turns from inquisitive to a more, confused look and turns to Danny and says "So if this was a business meeting between you and Tommy, why would you wanted me to stay for this? I'm just a worker here. I have no impact on any of this."

"Well, you could always hire new talent." Danny says, "But at that point, it would be Your call. Anyway! I digress, six months... 2 years... you'll be the owner then. You might as well get used to making those hard decisions."

"Tommy is going to need a right hand man. Danny says, "I am sure his cousin won't take kindly to cutting his 'brother' loose, and then going ahead and taking the title from him. Don't be surprised at a possible mutiny when you bring things back to square. If that happens, call me."

"If this happens, what's the endgame? I know you better than that. You wouldn't be cutting assets free if there was a goal." Blane responses.

"If that happens, it means my enemies got to you despite my efforts to prevent it." Danny says, "I hope I never receive that call."

“I’ll do it Danny. I’ll close it down I’ll make it mine and I’ll bring it back better than ever!” Tommy says with enthusiasm. A glint In his eye his mind already traveling to storylines and so on.

Blane looks at Tommy and says "As Danny said, Your gonna need a wingman. We are In this together, and I feel its going to be a tough road ahead. Hope you got a helmet."

"Great!" Danny stands up, extending his hand to shake Tommy's. "I will transfer the necessary ownership paperwork to... err... Karen? and I'll sign it so you can take it but remember... you must do those things In that exact order or the transition won't be properly enacted."

“Whatever you say boss man. Haha last time you’ll hear me call you that right?” Tommy stands and shakes Danny's hand.

"Very well." Danny smiles, releasing Tommy's hand and turning to Evan to shake his. He places his other hand over Evans. "It's great to see you again." He looks to Tommy, "the both of you."

"No." Danny says, "I had tried contacting Michael but..." Danny shakes his head. "And as for Cass, well, she's been gone for so long now, I don't even know if she is aware of HWA's closure, let alone where she could be."

A somber look comes over Blane's face and says "Well, I guess the"family" is falling apart.... Sad days."

"Well, All good things come to an end, my friend." Danny returns the somber tone, but returns to Romeo with a new smile. "But, old ways lead to new doors!"

"But its always a pleasure to see you my friend, and if there is anything you need, you have my contact information." Blane responds

"We will be In touch. Please," Danny says, "Let me know when you have things up and running and maybe I'll stop by and buy a ticket."

“Your god damn right they do! You’ll never have to buy a ticket Danny you know that.” Tommy’s face glowing with excitement.

"Good luck, gentlemen." Danny says, walking towards Tommy's office door. "To the FOS!"

Danny nods and watches the view of his former team mates narrow as the door closes with his exit. A part of him felt guilty misleading them, but it was for the greater good. After all, In the end, UBW would rise again and by the time it did, the GWA would be destroyed.

After Danny had Romeo shut down the organization he had created himself, it was a hard reality to accept, albeit, a necessary action to further the bigger goal. He knew it wouldn’t be enough to gain the loyalty of High Society, but he only had to keep them loyal enough until his full plan could come to fruition; a plan even Monica wouldn’t see coming. He had to convince them that he was part of the team.

The High Society members sat In the new seats Danny had provided them as both an insult and a point to make them see their past must be atoned In order to go forward. As they sit, some more patient than others, they listened to Danny speak as he sat at the head of the table, In Eric’s chair; Monica by his side.

“In the interest of bridging the gap between Your distrust and my pledge of loyalty to you and the High Society, my recent trip to New Jersey was a bittersweet one, but the paperwork has been filed and the UBW will promptly officially close it’s doors within the month.” Danny confesses, with a knot In his throat. “This was no easy decision, but as we all go forward, I must be willing to change as well.”

“Now, I don’t expect you to bend Your knee to me over the closing of a small wrestling organization that posed zero threat to the GWA, but.” Danny says, “Moving forward, since Eric made it impossible to reopen the HWA, I will focus my energies on helping the GWA flourish as it never had before. Monica has informed CTN President .”

“Monica has informed CTN President CAT that we will be not only continuing our business with the Circle Television Network, but also being an integral part In it’s marketing operations leading up to, but not limited to, the GWA’s first pay per view event which will be In a 30 days.” Danny says, “Our new responsibilities will increase both the value of our interests as well as theirs while posturing us for new and fruitful endeavors In the future.”

“Monica has caught me up to speed with our investment portfolio, and we’ve spent a substantial amount of time reviewing the superabundance of Eric’s dominion, which, bring us to the decision that it’s only logical that we keep Eric’s death between us and let the global interests believe he is still at the helm.”

“How do you expect to make Eric disappear from existence,” Steven begins, “and expect his absence. To go unnoticed? His schedule was saturated with face to face meetings of all caliber.”

“Monica will stand In place as the surrogate representative for Eric Rayne as he deals with personal matters.” Danny suggests, “Indefinitely.”

“Long enough for the gradual transition to take a foot hold.” Monica interjects, “Long as needed.”

“Monica, if the‘wrong’ people find out about Eric’s demise, our order...” Scarlett warns.

“Look, we are part of a secret order.” Danny says, “and as a secret order, we should have no problem maintaining this secrecy for the time being; After all, exposing Danny Starr as the leader isn’t dangerous for me, as much as it’s a danger for you.”

Nobody argues. Scarlett looks at Monica suspiciously and Monica looks away from her.

“To further prove my loyalty to this great order and it’s members, I will work In the dark. You will barely even see me, so...” Danny says, “It’s business as usual. As long as Eric’s chair remains In it’s spot, convince Your minds that Eric himself is merely In his office.”

When Danny dismisses them, he makes himself scarce, moving into his office alone. He picks up the encrypted phone that Monica provided, and dials a number from the contact list of his old one. It rings.

“Mark.” Danny hears Mark Crow’s voice for the first time In what feels like ages. “I need Your assistance.”

“It’s fine.” Danny says, “No, it’s fine. Yes, Mark... you can continue using the estate as Your mailing Address, that’s not the purpose of this call... I need you to do everything I say.”

“Okay.” Danny begins, “I am going to wire you a large sum of money electronically. I want you to contact a third party ticket seller for GWA’s first, second, and third television event. Buy as many front row tickets that are available each of the weeks and erase all receipts from Your end. Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT buy any for the GWA’s coming pay per view event. Do you need me to repeat anything? ...All of it? Seriously?”

Danny repeats it one last time as if explaining the plan to a ten year old and when Mark repeats it back, he restates NOT the pay per view.

“This is my number now.” Danny says, “Write it down, save it, and contact me if you have any questions. As a matter of fact, call me regardless when you complete the task. Whatever is left over after you’ve purchased what you can, keep it as a token of my appreciation. Thank you.”

They hang up from each other. Danny knows Mark has always been loyal, and despite his lack of prosperity, he knows Mark is very capable. Danny picks up the phone again, this time, calling Conner.

“Conner.” Danny says, “the information you provided worked very well. We have a chance to really damage Eric and what he’s accomplished. We need to meet for the next phase and I need you to bring Erin.”

“I can’t go into detail here, but it’s very necessary that we remain discreet.” Danny says, “Is there a place near you that we can meet?”

“Excellent.” Danny writes down the Address“We will need Erin for this to work.”

Danny looks at his computer screen where Erin’s biography still sits In his browser. He knows after HWA she was out of work and according to Conner, she was just as mad at the rest of us about it. A knock on Danny’s door prompts the phone call to come to an abrupt end.

The door opens and Scarlett’s face appears In the open space. Danny waves her to come In and she walks In, shutting the door behind her.

“It’s easier to pretend Eric is around if you don’t see me.” Danny smiles.

“I know, I’m sorry...” Scarlett says, “This matter actually concerns Danny Starr more than my brother.”

Danny’s eyes fall down to his computer screen, exiting out of Erin’s biography page before Scarlett sees it, and returns his attention to Scarlett. “What’s up?”

“I don’t know what Your goals are, Starr,” Scarlett says, “but Monica trusts you; and I trust Monica. With that said, since you are handing out loyalty tokens, there’s something you could do for me.”

“My son, Tyler.” Scarlett begins, “He was taken from us some time ago but three years ago when he was returned to Eric, He refused to tell us where he had kept him and now, I’m afraid with Eric’s departure, we might never find out.”

“How could I possibly help you if I don’t understand...” Danny asks before stopping short. “Right... trust is earned. I’ll see what I can find out.”

Scarlett thanks him and makes her exit. What she might not have realized was Danny already knew about Tyler, why he was taken, and where Eric has kept him for three years as of this conversation.

After Scarlett leaves, he calls Monica. He tells her that he is going to take a plane trip to discuss a matter. She offers to handle his itinerary but he insists that he’ll take care of it. Instead, he asks her to continue working with Cat, and suggests getting started marketing the GWA’s first pay per view: Full Circle. Danny thinks... what a perfect name for the first and last GWA event.

Kevin Conner lounged lazily on the recliner, nonchalantly flipping through the channels on his TV. His girlfriend, Erin Wallace, cleaned up the remnants of his day drinking as she looked at Conner, worried. It had been almost two months since the HWA had closed and Kevin had still not been able to get over the loss. The wrestling lifestyle – the HWA – it had all meant the world to him. He had grieved and mourned its destruction, but now remained In a constant state of depression and alcoholism. Erin had recovered by now, almost because she had no choice. She missed it too, the HWA having taken up a big part of her professional career… one that now propelled her onto bigger and better things. The opposite was for Conner, not sure of where his place was anymore if not inside the squared circle.

A knock at the door startles Erin. Erin cast a sidelong glance to see if Conner had noticed the audible knock; seeing that he hadn’t, she heaved a sigh and made her way to the door. Opening it, she was shocked to see Danny Starr standing before her.

"Oh, didn't Conner..." Danny is confused, peeking passed her to see Conner In the background not looking like the Conner he remembered. "I had asked Conner to meet with you..."

Erin, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment, held the door open for Danny to enter. Once he was through the walkway, she hurriedly rushed to the kitchen counter, clearing off all the leftover pizza boxes and bottles In one motion into the garbage can, praying Danny hadn’t noticed such a noticeable gesture.

Kevin looked over his shoulder, seeing Danny standing In his humble abode. A smile came across his face as Conner stumbled out of the recliner. He staggered over to Danny, rubbing his hands against his bare chest, suddenly realizing he forgot to put on a shirt today. Still, he offered his hand to Danny.

"Salutations" Danny cringes after he says it, walking to Conner, and shaking his hand. "Thank you again for Your information. Oh, but actually, I'm here today to speak with you, Erin."

Kevin released his grip on Danny’s hand, doing his best to put himself In a fighting stance, though wobbling uncontrollably.

"Strictly business." Danny smiles, "Did Conner mention anything about what I am trying to do In regards to the HWA situation?"

Erin watched Conner stand In his drunken fighting style, stifling a laugh at how ridiculous he looked.

Kevin heard the word “sit” and obediently obliged, plopping to the floor and sitting cross-legged. Almost as immediately as it had happened, he looked around like he couldn’t remember how he came to the floor. Erin ushered Danny to the side of the counter, creating a barrier between him and the drunken excuse of a man that had once been the HWA’s very own “Hard-core Soul”.

“I’m afraid Kevin hasn’t been the best at sharing details as of late… what is this about the HWA?” asks Erin Wallace.

Danny would normally find humor In Kevin's behavior but he finds himself not even able to crack a smile.

"What are you doing since HWA closed down?" Danny asks, completely moving passed Kevin's behavior. Unfettered from casual niceties. Danny was critically serious and Erin sensed it.

Erin bite her lip, looking back over to Conner… who had tried and failed many times at getting jobs or keeping them over the past few months.

"I’ve been doing this and that, to make odds and ends meet. It’s been tough, but I think I might have my foot In the door of something.” Says Erin Wallace

she scatters some papers around on the counter, finally finding an expose that she had written freelance and submitted to the local paper. Still proud of her first published piece, she handed it over to Danny with a gleam In her eye.

“It’s not much, now… but I’m hoping it can be something In the future.” Says Erin Wallace

Danny reads the title: the Death of Professional Wrestling; the Rise and Fall of America's Tough Guy.

"Do you believe it's over for people like us?" Danny looks up at her, with hope In his eyes.

His words hit home, her eyes moving to Conner of their own free will. In many ways, it was all he knew how to do, all that he was. When the HWA had finally closed, this time for good… it was as if a piece of him had died. The HWA had given them both their big break and, also, brought these two individuals together. She couldn’t imagine her life without Kevin… but this man before her, he wasn’t the same. She fought back the tears as she looked back to Danny.

Erin cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean by that?” Erin asked, her eyes perking up. “Are you bringing the HWA back!?”

"I wish that were the case, but you know who owns it." Danny reminds her. "But there may be a way to get it back. It's not an easy road but I believe it's a great starting point."

Again, Erin couldn’t help but look to Conner. If they saved the HWA, it’d be like she was saving him… bringing him back – all of him back – to her.

“Danny, if there is a way to save it,” Erin started. “I want to help, if I can. Anything you need.”

Erin paused but for a moment. Was she really just going to agree to this, not knowing what “this” was? she thought of her time In the HWA, going from ring announcer to lead interviewer. How, under the David Jackson regime, she had to fight like she’d never fought before against the Thomas twins and Samantha Morgan to retain her top spot. She had never stooped to such depths as to undermine her opposition, believing she could win out In the end with her work ethic and high morals. As if she needed the reminder of what, exactly, had been taken from her… she looked to Kevin once more, who had found his way back into “his spot” on the recliner.

"Brilliant." Danny exclaims, then going on to whisper as he leans closer to Erin, "When Eric Rayne stole the HWA and shut it down, he did so to give it's prime-time spot to the GWA, a wrestling organization owned by the Circle Television Network..."

“Wait… they shut the HWA down for what purpose… for ratings?” Erin questioned. “HWA was like a small fish In the pond compared to the GWA, why would they be worried about us?”

"GWA had closed down In 2003 after our time there." Danny Says, "Michael and I. Eric and the CTN worked hard to eliminate many of the other fish In that pond to make way for their ultimate endgame, the GWA's revival with no one to compete for In ratings."

“Wait…” Erin started. “They can’t do that, can they? That’s a monopoly on the industry, how would they be able to accomplish this?”

"Erin, these people..." Danny begins, "the rules do not apply. That's why we need to stop them. That's where you come in. I have inside information that is completely off the record but there is blood In the water. Their shares just aren't selling. If, say, an article about it's impending doom were to reach would-be investors, the uncertain facts will become a undeniable truths."

Erin looked at Danny suspiciously, she knew all too well the type of person he was… how manipulative he could be. She hesitated, if only for a second, wondering if she was just another pawn In this game of chess he seemed to be constantly playing.

"I'm not a journalist by any means, but I was thinking something like." Danny's hand goes up as he looks at it slide like a scroll An Untimely Revival of GWA and It’s Impending Doom. By Erin Wallace."

“You know… what you’re asking me to put myself In harm’s way,” Erin glanced over to Conner. “To put us BOTH In harm’s way. If these people are as powerful as you say they are, that’s a big “ask” Danny.”

"I believe I will be able to protect you." Danny promises, "I have someone very, very influential on the inside."

"Whatever you need," Erin stated again, as if trying to convince herself. "When do we start?"

"I'll take care of it," Erin promised. "But you need to take care of us, Danny... promise me."

"I promise." Danny Says, placing his hand on hers. "We are all that's left. We have to stick together."

When Danny arrives back to the High Society headquarters, there’s a yellow post-it on a CD-case sitting on the keyboard. It reads, “GWA: Full Circle Trailer is on Disc for Your approval. -Mon.”

Danny tosses it to the side and picks up his phone. He replies back to her, “Looks good. Go forward with it.” And sends the text. He hears a phone start to ring but it’s not the encrypted flip phone, it’s the black land-line phone sitting In the office at the right side of his desk. He ignores it until his stomach drops hearing Eric’s voice for the first time since ending him: “Leave a message.” Follow By another voice once it beeps.

“Eric, Cat.” He assumes it’s the CTN President, “Monica said you are handling personal matters so I don’t expect a call back. I just wanted to tell you directly that we loved the trailer idea. I hoped to thank you In person for the gift but I hope all is well. Oh, and also, as I’m sure you are already aware, our first televised event is sold out! It was a good call reviving the GWA after-all. We’ll be In touch soon. Bye.”

When the first GWA event came on live television, the High Society members celebrated to watch it together, but Danny, instead, trimmed his beard In the mirror of his office bathroom. It was no surprise to him that during that process, Monica would knock on his door, and then it came.

“What is it?” Danny Asks, still giving 80% of his attention to shaving under his chin as he peers down into the mirror.

“Cat is fuming.” Monica Says, “the show’s ratings plummeted halfway through the event.”

“Cat thinks it had to do with the fact that the first 10 rows around the ring were completely empty.” Monica informs Danny, “but the seats were paid for.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” Danny Says, returning to shave, “Sabotage?”

“It certainly seems so.” Monica Says, “the others believe you had something to do with it.”

“Of course not.” Danny Says, continuing to shave. “I think maybe the world of professional wrestling is just becoming tired and people are losing interest. However, I think if we hammer down on the pay per view, we can get things back on track.”

“Tell her next week will be better.” Danny Says, “We aren’t going to let the first night back dictate our future, are we?”

“No. You’re right.” Monica Says, “I’ll give her some time and call her back tomorrow.”

“Sounds great.” Danny Says“We will run more ads and I think we should utilize the Circle Television Network’s national nightly news to tell the story of GWA’s fall and revival. Make the public really get behind rooting for the GWA again.”

“I like it.” Monica Says, “I will get her excited. Finally trimming it up?”

The two laugh together as Monica closes his door again. His smile falls off of his face almost immediately as he takes cups his hands to collect water and throws it to his face. It drips off of his chin as he looks at himself In the mirror with dark thoughts running through his mind.

The High Society joined Danny a few days later In the grand chamber. There was a tension In the air as they assembled at the table.

“As you know, GWA’s first week was a little lackluster but this is to be expected on a first week!” Danny comforts them.

“Our returns came back horrible after that first show. We lost 3 points over night.” Jared Says, “That is unacceptable!”

“That is how the market works.” Danny Says, “It dips, it grows. You know this.”

“You take control...” Mj Says, “and all of a sudden, the projections for GWA’s growth fall apart unexpectedly. Seems weird is all.”

“Are you suggesting my involvement In the poor return when ratings started high but fell on their own?” Danny Asks

“I don’t know.” Mj Says, “Someone bought those seats and somehow, all of those people just... didn’t show up?”

“Cat seems to have knowledge that those seats were sold By a third party ticket provider.” Monica corrects Danny.

“Well, there you go.” Danny Says, “Glitches happen all the time. This was a new event on their computers, it’s very possible this was an anomaly. How are ticket sales for next week’s event?”

“See?” Danny Says, “the first week had no effect on people’s willingness to buy more tickets.”

“What about this?” Steven interjects, standing up to throw down a newspaper In front of Danny. The newspaper is already turned to the Market Watch where an article is circled on the left side column. The title reads: An Untimely Revival of GWA and It’s Impending Doom. By Erin Wallace.”

Danny glances over the article as if this information is new to him. He looks up at Monica. Then looks up to Steven.

“Erin Wallace.” Danny’s eyes look to his side, but his expression dismisses it.

Danny smiles. His palms open to each of his sides. “Well, there’s Your saboteur!”

“We can send someone to quiet her down.” Jared suggests, “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“We don’t need any more heat.” Danny Says, “It’s not a problem. Nobody takes her seriously. Plus, we’ll just prove her wrong next week.”

“You better hope so, Starr.” Jared Says, “It seems very suspicious that you step In and all of a sudden the organization that replaced HWA is being attacked.”

“I assure you.” Danny Says, “Your paranoia will fade with each given week.”

When the second week came, Danny decided to sit with them In the great chamber to watch together. A television screen hung on the opposite wall from the traditional shield and dueling swords to Danny’s right. Monica, Mary Jane, Steven, Scarlett, and Brandon are turned around, watching the television behind their side of the table.

The event starts and after the fireworks display, a flying drone carries a camera over the immense crowd.

“It seems a lot better.” Tony Says, “Maybe the first week was just a rough start.”

But when the show begins, the cameras that are positioned on the ring, are forced to also see the 10 rows behind empty yet again.

the phone rings from inside of Danny’s office. Monica looks at Danny and gets up to rush In, answering it.

“Cat, calm down.” Monica can be heard from the office, “We are just as confused as you.”

the conversation seems to end before Monica can properly say good-bye. She walks out to Danny.

“Eric Rayne needs to call Cat Jones or Alicia Sinn is going to be coming In person.” Monica warns, “So, Eric needs to call Cat.”

Danny’s face shrinks into a distressed scowl. His tongue pokes his cheek as he ponders his next move and then looks to Tony. “Can we see where we are at ratings wise?”

“Not until tomorrow, Danny.” Tony informs him, “my guess is.. Not going to be very good.”

“Fuck!” Jared jumps up form his chair and slams the table as he turns away, he turns back to Starr, “If I find out you are behind this shit-”

Danny’s hands lift up, “It’s fine.” Danny Says, then turns to Monica, “What if we ask Cat to adjust the ring cameras at a downward 45 degree angle so the viewer can see the ring action but doesn’t see the lack of front row seating?”

“I can suggest it, Danny.” Monica Says, “but she absolutely wants to speak with Eric, tomorrow. If Alicia comes out here, Danny...”

The next day comes but Danny is still set on avoiding the phone call. Monica begs him to please call and fake a voice or do whatever it takes. Danny doesn’t want to risk being realized as an impostor, so he Asks Monica to call Cat and offer the ring camera idea one last time.

Danny’s office door swings open without even a courteous knock. It’s Jared with a newspaper In hand. He holds the paper In a talon tight grip In front of Monica and Danny.

“CTN Down 23 points!” Jared screams, “Now, you are destroying our wealth! I know you are behind this, you mother faker!”

“Shut up!” Jared yells, “You know what’s happening here, Danny. I am going to stop you from destroying everything we have built. I’m going to call Alicia myself.”

“This usurper killed Eric and took our order hostage, she’ll understand!” Jared insists, picking up the phone.

“You make that call and Tyler will be In the Left Hand’s possession By the time you hang up.” Danny threatens. Jared stands awestruck. He drops the phone down and Monica hangs it up quickly. Jared looks to Monica, his eyes with fury.

“He knows...” Jared mutters and Monica’s eyes close as she nods, taking a deep breath.

“You’re going to fall In line.” Danny threatens, “You’re going to be patient. You’re going to shut up about Your descending points. You’re Not going to tell anyone about what I know... Not even Your wife. You’re definitely Not going to call Alicia Sinn, or Cat, or anyone from the CTN. You’re going to shut that mouth of yours and let me straighten all of this out on my own or you’ll never see Tyler again.”

“You are Not one of us.” Jared growls, “You’re Not loyal. If you were, you wouldn’t-”

“No..” Danny interrupts, “You’re Not loyal. If YOU were, you wouldn’t risk everyone, including Your leader. I’m telling you one last time, the GWA’s poor returns are Not my orchestration. I am working hard to turn things around but I can’t do it without Your support.”

“Do I have Your word?” Danny Asks, staring intensely into Jared’s furious eyes.

Jared’s eyes, still furious, nod In approval. He looks at Monica with daggers and makes his exit. Danny looks back at Monica.

“Tell Cat one more week and if things don’t improve I’ll meet with her In person.” Danny Says

“Fine.” Monica reluctantly agrees. “They are going to know it’s me who told you about the Left Hand, Danny.”

“Monica, it’s fine.” Danny Says, “You have to trust me.”

“I do.” Monica Says, “Oh, and our friend Erin Wallace has wrote another review, this time picked up By the New York Post.”

“I saw.” Danny Says, “Don’t worry. I’m going to take care of Ms. Wallace.”

“It’s already In motion.” Danny Says, “I am going to be out handling something personal In the next few days.”

“Danny, you can’t keep leaving.” Monica Says, “Especially when you won’t tell me where you are going. I need to know.”

“Monica, the less you know, the less you have to lie for me.” Danny Says, “I’ll be back In a few days.”

Danny stands up and moves around his desk to kiss her. She kisses him back and lets out an exhausted sigh as he exits his office, leaving her behind to, once again, take a taxi to the airport.

Small bars of sunlight slanted across the floor, courtesy of the tiny barred window high on the wall of her cell. Flames usually took advantage of this time of day, following the shards of light across the floor until she couldn't anymore. It was the only taste of outdoors she had gotten in... many years. She had lost track of time really. Days melded into one another, time having no meaning when one was confined to a tiny area with no relief except the routine dropping off of meals. She had learned to hate rainy days, the clouds depriving her of one of the single things she could look forward to during the day. The warm sun on her skin, if she closed her eyes, gave her the illusion of being near a flickering fire. The orange flames reaching up towards the sky, almost like they were dancing. She shook her head sharply, opening her eyes to stark reality.

A sea of padding lay before her, covering every inch of the 12x12 room. Underneath all that, was fire proofed insulation so she was told. The only light came from the tiny barred window mentioned before, Not only too high up to touch with her fingertips, she couldn't have even fit her head through it if she had been able to try. She directed her gaze towards the ceiling, staring at the single light source for the night. Specialized bulb, with specialized covering, set recessed just to make extra sure she couldn't get to them. A smile trips across her lips as she recalls why they had taken such measures this time. She didn't know why they had been so upset, it was just a tiny little fire. Only embers really, nothing had even caught before she had been noticed and swept from her former room and moved into these fine facilities.

She ruefully tries to move her arms. This wasnt quite a straight jacket, but it was close enough. For her own protection they said. They thought she was mad. She wasnt. She was just entranced with how fire moved, twining over itself while consuming everything In its path. Being stuck here, unable to do more than sit for hours upon hours was enough to drive someone crazy though. She was only allowed to be free In the room for two meal times a day, once finished she was quickly locked back In, so she was leisurely about it when she could get away with it. Certain guards were nicer about it than others. She knew the ones she could manipulate with a sweet smile and a kind word. She could do that, be what someone wanted to see to make them like her. It had served her well In life... at least, up until the point she had been thrown In here.

She had trained to be a professional wrestler, always loving watching it growing up. She longed to be under that spotlight. She had tried a few feds on for size before she found herself In the HWA. She had had a rather uneventful run there, doing well but nothing spectacular, glorying In the adoration of the fans. The focus all on her. That's what she had wanted. Once she had noticed their attention wavering, Not quite so interested In her, she had latched onto the Phenomenal One, Nate Hartman... hoping he would draw the attention back to her once more. He soon turned heel, and she followed... eager even for the boos and jeers. They didn't hurt her feelings... to the contrary, she thrived on them just as much as she had thrived on the cheers. She knew deep down they loved to hate her, and that fed the fire that kept her ever changing nature going. Like a chameleon, she shifted herself to be the star of any situation greedy for the approval of someone. That last appearance... where the bitch Syren had usurped both her and Hartman. She still carried some rage about that. She had been looking forward to hanging onto Nates arm as he held the World Title over his head, lapping up all the attention that came with it.

Instead, they had returned home empty handed. That night had ended In an argument, and many following thereafter, resulting In her storming from their home and hitting the streets on her own. Usually, she tamed her temper By setting small fires, In dumpsters or little out of the way areas. She would stand and stare deep into the light letting it clear her mind and boost her soul until the sirens sent her on her way. One particular night though, it didn't work. She needed more. She found what seemed to be an abandoned building and got to work. She was standing there, eyes alight with pleasure when the screams had sounded. Startled out of her reverie, she realized it hadn't been abandoned after all. She had taken off, slinking through the shadows like a feral animal. Unfortunately, with all the technology she had been caught on camera and the authorities were soon knocking on the door. Nate, knowing her penchant for fire was disgusted and disclosed all he knew about her. She was immediately arrested. At least he had been kind enough to get her a lawyer who fought to get her committed, instead of tried for arson. Thus, here she was years later. But she wasnt crazy. She wasnt.

Key clanked In her door, startling her. She narrowed her eyes, looking at the bars of sunlight still on her floor. It wasnt time for her meal, that always came after the the rays were long gone and the room was starting its descent into gloom. She never had a visitor In all the years she had been locked In here, Hartman essentially abandoning her In his embarrassment By association. She cocked her head to the side as one of the guards she didn't particularly care for entered. He never wanted to play with her, or entertain her playful attempts to engage his attention.

He sounded bored and miserable with his job. Really. Couldn't he muster up and sort of emotions at all? and where was she going? she never left the cell. Were they moving her again? the thought cheered her. Maybe they would put her somewhere a little less restrictive... if she could just get her hands on some materials, she could squelch the urge that was constantly gnawing at her insides. The guard was glaring at her now, and instead of answering, merely came over and hauled her to her feet In a rather ungracious manner. She was all set to do battle with him, maybe draw a pack of them In to restrain her when she felt her jacket being undone, loosening before falling away. She turned, rubbing life into her arms, confused at this new turn of events. The guard jerked his thumb towards the door, before putting his hand at the base of her back propelling her forward and through it. Shocked, she docilely allowed herself to be pushed down the hall, to an office type area and up to a desk. The head of the institution glowered at her, Not liking her for all of her antics throughout her time there.

Director: I don't know why, but someone paid very handsomely for Your release. Your ride is out front.

Was that an undercurrent of excitement she heard? If she didn't know better, she would almost think he was happy to be rid of her. Ask she opened her mouth to question him, her old clothing was shoved into her arms and she was directed into a small, cramped bathroom to change. Released? she was getting out? Elation surged through her at the thought of being able to do what she wanted once more. But who would pay a bribe large enough to get someone like her out of the insane asylum? she racked her brain as she removed the loose flowing garments she had been assigned, and put her street clothes on. She admired herself In the mirror, a mirror! she raked a hand through her hair trying to tame it into some kind of order. Oh well, she would soon be able to put herself to rights. She turned her face this way and that, admiring how her looks had Not faded In all this time. If she only had some makeup though. She pouts her lips, In her signature expression. Still had it.

The door rattled as a fist was smashed on it, the guard bellowing at her to hurry it up. Really, he was quite rude. She opened it and sailed through, casting a baleful eye towards him. She was free, what was he going to do? He herded her towards the door, and with little encouragement she stepped through, breathing fresh air into her lungs. She closed her eyes, lost In the bliss of feeling the sun beating on her. When her eyes opened again, they focused on what was waiting In front of the long walkway leading to the door. A black limo. Her eyebrows raised. A fine welcome indeed. Curious, she sashayed towards the vehicle, putting some swing In her step, putting on a show for whoever might be behind that darkly tinted glass. She hesitated slightly, her fingers on the handle. She could be walking into something dangerous, maybe someone from her past that she had hurt. A quick glance back at the building sealed it for her. She opened the door and slid onto the smooth leather seat, shutting it behind her and turning to face the darkened interior. When Flames enters the back of the limo, there isn't much light penetrating the tinted windows. It's hard to make out anything beyond her own lap as the front of her remains dark.

Flames squints, her eyes adjusting slowly to see a vague outline across from her. Her blood leaps In her veins at the mention of smoking. Of course she did, she would grasp at any chance to see those erotic orange flames. It had been so long... Gaining control over herself, she calmly let her lips curve upwards In a Cheshire cat smile.

The mysterious male figure leans forward enough to hand her a cigarette, but Not enough to leave the shadows.

She reaches out and slowly takes the cigarette, letting her fingers savor the smooth feel of the thin tube. She chuckles softly. "How did you know?" she raises the cigarette to her lips, staring at the outline before her.

Flames' eyes light up at the sight of them, and has to resist the urge to snatch the matches. She quietly takes them, pulling a single one off with a trembling hand. She stares at it for a long second before striking it, sucking an audible breath as the small fire blazed to life. She watches it for a transfixed moment, knowing her time was short. With a soft sigh of disappointment, she raises it to the cigarette and lights it, taking a deep drag before watching the last of the life die out on upon her fingers. She slowly streams the smoke through her nose, focusing once more on the man In the shadows. "You must have paid quite a sum to get me out." She remarks casually, flipping the matchbook over and over In her hand, wanting nothing more than to light another.

The mysterious figure begins to laugh to himself. "Do you know what I find interesting about fire, Flames?" the man begins, "It's potential. You see, even as a wind might appear to blow it out of existence, a flame can rekindle, and given the proper kindling, could grow, and grow to become an inferno. Something a breeze could snuff... into an uncontrollable, unstoppable force of nature."

Flames' head tilts slowly to the side as he speaks, her eyes glazing over as his words draw a picture inside her head. A fire, small but growing into a full out blaze. Her body tingles, trembling with the force of the emotions the mental image drew out of her. "Yes..." the single word was hoarse. Her breathing turns slightly raspy as she immerses herself into her little fantasy. She allows herself to wallow In it for a few precious minutes, then regretfully returns to the present, almost annoyed at being forced to return to her reality. She stubs out what's left of the cigarette. She pulls off another match, coaxing it to life. Her feature lit By the flickers she's speaks In a hushed voice. "Its quite beautiful you know. The way it dances over things. Taking what it needs to give it life, caring nothing of what it leaves behind." The match sizzles out on her fingertips once more.

"Now, I know you've had some trouble, Flames." The man whispers, "but, I see a potential In you as well. I believe that with the right kindling, you could become so much more than just a flame... I want you to work for me. I want to protect you from those who don't share our 'Adamo Ignis'. I want you to become the inferno you are supposed to be..."

she is entranced By his words. Her desire to be needed, to be what was wanted quickly climbed to the surface, overriding her impulse to light another match. What he said pleased her. Others just hadn't seen what she was, what she could be. She sensed a kindred spirit, completely sold once hearing the word 'our'. She leans forward, enthralled By this mysterious man. "I will do anything you want me to do..."

"Anything?" the man leans forward just enough for her to see a grin. "Without even knowing who I am? That was easier than I thought it would be but just so we are on the same page, my name is Eric Rayne... I need you to do something very specific. Do you think you can manage that?"

"Anything." She affirms her words with a nod. His name rings a bell In her mind. She could vaguely recollect the havoc he wrought on the HWA during her time there. This was the sort of person who would admire her talents. She leans back against the seat, running her tongue over her teeth as she smiles at him. "All I needed to know, is that you also... appreciate... my 'passion'." She slowly crosses one leg over the other, resting an arm on her knee as she eyes Eric Rayne. "You name it. I'll do it."

"We'll be In touch. There's a taxi waiting behind the limo ready to take you anywhere you want to go. Take this."

"It's encrypted." He Says, "When it rings, It will be me with Your first task.”

She doesn’t hesitate to nod and move towards the door handle to exit, but stops short, painfully turning to surrender the match book he had handed her. His hand raises. “Keep it, as a gift.” She smiles and climbs out, shutting the door behind her.

“All right, all right, all right.” Mark Says before beginning to drive away from the hospital. Danny’s own encrypted phone begins to ring In his pocket. He reaches In and pulls it up. “Don’t even tell me Cat is sending Alicia.” Danny assumes.

“See?” Danny Says, “Make you sure tell Jared I said ‘told you so and to enjoy his higher-than-ever returns!’

“Well, then. Crisis averted.” Danny smiles, “and MJ said it was a bad idea. Very good! Now, we just need to keep the momentum going until Full Circle; it’s coming this Sunday after all.”

“Very good.” Danny Says, “I’ll be back at headquarters tonight. See you then.”

Danny hangs up the phone but doesn’t put it back yet. He, instead, begins to search for F In his phone and when he finds the contact, he presses call. It rings twice before she answers.

“Yes.” Danny Says, delighted, “This was a test! I just wanted to make sure you remembered how to work a flip phone.”

“I hope you are making those matches last.” Danny Says, “Now, are you ready for that task?”

The night of GWA: Full Circle, Danny invited the High Society members to join him In the grand chamber to celebrate their positive returns after a very rocky start. Now, the Circle Television Network’s flagship wrestling organization was the highest rated sports entertainment globally. An easy feat when you’ve eliminated all other sports entertainment, but nonetheless, the High Society members were happy to see the value of their shares has dramatically increased with the manipulated camera angles preventing viewers from seeing the lack of attendance. Monica, this week, had also, as a fail safe suggested bringing visitors In higher seats down to fill those that were empty.

The event was sold out, and highly anticipated. The Circle running a storyline between Nikki Silver and Doomsday for the World Championship was the talk of the Internet sites. Jared had been laughing and drinking since arriving at the headquarters, and each member had champagne undrunk, waiting for a toast.

Danny stands just as the event is set to begin, raising his glass to the other members; they Follow suit.

“A month has passed since I’ve joined you In this chamber, and although our relationship should prove to be a long, and fruitful one, I understand it will take time. Let this toast be a pledge to continue working for the day I have earned Your respect and loyalty, and a toast to our success tonight as we celebrate the long awaited return of the GWA!”

“CHEERS!” the group yells, throwing their glasses back to drink along with Danny.

Danny sits down, and the right side’s members turn around to watch the beginning of the GWA: Full Circle pay per view.

The recap plays, building up the rivalry between Nikki Silver and Doomsday, and we come to the fireworks display as the commentators begin welcoming everyone to the live, sold out pay per view In New York City.

The crowd is absolutely erupting with noise as they excitedly await the card to begin unloading upon them. Danny waits patiently, watching intently, keeping an eye on the members from his peripherals. It would be any moment.

The first theme music hits and it’s Thunder Thighs making an impromptu visit from the back to a massive pop. This is an unexpected return of a GWA great!

It would be any second. Danny has butterflies In his stomach waiting for it. He knows with her security guard outfit, Flames would have no trouble slipping into the backstage area from the lower level of the arena. It wouldn’t take long before she was able to access the electrical control room with a canisters of gas she snagged from the loading dock.

When he received the text, he knew she had accomplished this minutes before the event, prompting Danny’s toast to the others. With the single match left from the packet Danny handed to her, disguised as Eric Rayne, Flames would strike it after dousing the room and simply walk out as chaos ensued.

At first, the event had begun like clockwork, the staff more worried about making the event run perfectly than to ask questions about the identity of a security guard. If she had been stopped and asked about the gas tank, she would have made up a lie about needing it for a generator In another area, but no one even noticed.

Danny wonders if something went wrong. Looking at his phone to see if she had texted him, but nothing. The event was still going and Danny was getting nervous until...

“Who’s this now?” Corwin Asks, referring to the lights In the arena going out.

“The lights will turn on and Doomsday will be there to take out thunder thighs, right?” Brandon predicts.

But the lights don’t come back on. It’s close to a minute now. The camera’s have stopped switching, the commentator’s have stopped talking, and the lights remain off until a back-up generator brings on dimmer lights.

Suddenly, an audible fire alarm can be heard as the red-emergency lights swirl around, people wonder if it’s part of the show at first until smoke begins to bellow out from behind the GWA-Tron. A man runs out with a battery operated microphone and tries talking but it doesn’t work, the speakers are disabled.

He cups his hands and tries to yell as loud as he can, “THIS IS NOT PART OF THE SHOW! PLEASE EVACUATE IN AN ORD-” but the audience members who hear him begin to panic, knocking each other over as they try to escape from the now growing fire reaching out from behind the screen.

“It’s Not” Monica Says before jumping up, running to the office phone to call Cat.

Like a chain reaction, the audience members clamor over each other, stampeding over one another to escape as the fire bites at the curtains on either side of the screen, catching the first one and quickly climbing up to engulf the entire one side, and then the next. Smoke is filling the arena which triggers the water suppression system. Water begins spraying from all over the arena as people rush to force themselves out and to safety, but the fire is spreading despite the water works.

“If this is a real situation,” Danny Says, “the shareholders are going to be In an uproar; possibly even rapidly liquidating...”

“the value will plummet...” Jared realizes, staring at Scarlett, “We will lose millions...”

“there may be a way to protect our interests, but the CTN may look at it as a betrayal.” Steven warns.

“You can say it’s Not personal,” Steven Says, “but to them, business is very personal. We are their top shareholders, if we start selling now, surely it will only make things worse.”

“After that?” Jared points at the television, “there’s no way the GWA can bounce back after this...”

“I don’t see any choice In the matter.” Tony Says, “We’re going to be loyal to a sinking ship?”

“If we sell our stake In CTN to protect ourselves over one thing...” Jonathan Keeper begins.

“He’s right.” Monica Says, “GWA was supposed to be the bread of butter and was until it closed. We all know the CTN was In steady decline since it’s closure hence Eric’s reasoning for all of this. Take GWA out again and this time, CTN might really take a bad blow.”

“What do you think, Monica?” Scarlett Asks, “Do we risk more selling our shares?”

“We know that the market fluctuates but this was a black swan.” She Says, “After the rocky start and now this, I just can’t see a scenario where GWA earns back the trust of Not only the consumers but the shareholders. Do any of you trust them right now?”

“I sure as hell don’t.” Jared Says, “I say we sell. If it bounces back, we buy it on the incline.”

“Those privileges are based on the assumption that we are loyal to the CTN.” Steven returns, “Do you believe Alicia is going to be so forgiving?”

“I might have a temporary solution.” Danny Says, “I buy Your shares for their current rate and protect them until they regain their value.”

“That way...” Danny continues, “Your shares are still yours without the risk, you don’t forsake Your relationship with the CTN, and I take on all the risk to help continue building our trust.”

“What happens when the value goes back up and you decide Not to give it back?” Asks Jared, “You expect us to trust you with our money?”

“I will pay you for them at what they were projected after Full Circle.” Danny offers, “they will descend rapidly the longer you wait to decide. You could have Your cake and eat it too.”

“You’re Not seriously suggesting we hand you over our stake In a company we’ve supported for decades?” Scarlett Asks

“Now wait...” Tony Says, “This might work. What happens if we lose everything and it never gets back up to where it was? We’d be wishing we had taken his offer. I know I would.”

“Yeah, this is true.” Says Jared, surprisingly, “but what if Starr doesn’t return it?”

“That’s just a risk you’ll have to take if you want to save Your investments.” Danny Says, “You don’t have to take me up on this offer, but if you don’t you could lose it all. Even if you choose to sell tomorrow morning, someone else might come along and buy Your shares, meaning, you lost it all anyway.”

“Danny could have made many decisions against our interest already, but didn’t.” Monica Says, “We don’t know Danny for playing some long game and knowing him as long as I have, his impulses have always prevented him from doing so. No offense.”

“The offers on the table.” Danny Says, “I would decide before the market opens.”

Danny gets up, walking towards the office, but before he enters he hears Steven. “Fine!” Danny stops and turns to the still sitting members.

“If everyone agrees unanimously, I don’t see how we have a choice.” Steven Says

Danny goes into his office, opens a drawer of his desk, and retrieves a check book. He walks out, pen In hand, looking at the group. “Who’s first?”

the following day, the CTN crashed to it’s lowest point In history, causing an absolutely frenzy as investors scramble to sell their shares leaving a void In shares. As the single share of the CTN went from 403.00 to a mere 10.20, Danny was on Etrade.com picking up the pieces for mere pocket change. By lunch time, Danny Starr had become the majority shareholder of the Circle Television Network. He called the High Society members to convene for an emergency meeting.

Monica divulges that if they had sat on their shares, they would have lost everything that had invested, so they owe Danny Starr a debt of gratitude. It had only been a month since Danny became their leader, and In that time, he had managed to survive a trial of impeachment, the exposure of Cat’s unhappy visit, and Jared’s threat to expose his presence and to acquire more leverage than anyone else, making him the decision maker for affairs dealing with the Circle Television Network. Monica, however, only knew about Danny’s protecting of their shares, she hadn’t known the rest of the story; That was for Danny to reveal to the members sitting around him, including Monica.

“This morning, as Monica said,” Danny begins, “the value of CTN shares plummeted In an unprecedented descent that would have destroyed Your investments.”

“No, Jonathan” Danny Says still smirking, “I’ve already patted myself on the back.”

“You see,” Danny Says, “the minority shareholders decided after last night’s mishap that, they too, would jump out of the sinking ship and try to swim elsewhere leaving their shares at the low cost of $10.00 each. This allowed me to buy them up, so, In addition to theirs and yours, that makes me the majority shareholder of the Circle Television Network.”

“This afternoon, I, Danny Starr took control of the CTN’s board of directors and thanks to Monica, I was able to do it under Eric’s identity.”

“That’s right, Steven.” Danny Says, “I control the Circle Television Network. I control the High Society. I control the Circle, the GWA, and Eric Rayne’s interests, as well as Your stake In the company.”

“No...” Monica’s eyebrows are low to her eyes, “I had no idea...” looking to Danny In confusion. “You planned this?”

“It’s okay.” Danny eases her with a laugh, “I know this is a shock to everyone but, after all, I told you that my loyalties are with the High Society and it’s members.”

“Well, ‘Eric Rayne’ made a decision shortly after taking control of the board and, well, Catherine Jones’s handling of the GWA was simply unacceptable, and as of 1:30 PM, she has ended her tenure with the CTN.”

“Well, I wanted her to collect severance pay, so, she was urged to resign mutually.” Says Danny. “At that point, I appointed Lexus O’Bannon as her successor and together we decided to shut down the GWA effective immediately; and permanently.”

“Hold the fuck on!” Mj jumps up from her seat. “Is this some kind of a sick joke??”

“You planned this.” Jared Says, “You fucking usurper! This is Your fucking payback!” Jared stands up, lifting his hand up at Danny and Danny and chair fly back, flipping down onto the floor. Danny hits his lip against the arm of the chair as Jared moves him with his mind, it’s unlike anything Danny has seen or experienced.

Jared’s hand remains out, pinning Danny to the floor as his lip bleeds out over his chin.

Jared drops his arm which releases his mental grip on Danny’s body, allowing Danny to climb back up to his feet and stand among the others.

“Well, isn’t that something special.” Danny Says, wiping the blood from his bottom lip. “I understand tempers are high, but please, I assure you this isn’t what you believe it to be.”

“Then what the fuck is it, Danny?” Scarlett screams at him, also angry and upset.

“The world of professional wrestling is dying...” Danny admits, “It’s time we move towards new opportunities! We are living In a brave new world where technology is at our finger tips, why Not advance beyond what we are used to and invest In the future?? That is what I asked Lexus O’Bannon to look into.”

“You dismantled everything we have spent decades to build!” Steven shouts, “You did it against our wishes!”

“I protected Your interests and made decisions that Eric was too blind to see!” Danny defends himself, “With the technology we are investing In, we will bring a new age to the Circle Television Network that will double and even triple Your original investments!”

“What are you talking about, Starr?” Mj Says, “You stole our investments!”

“No, I am holding them temporarily until I prove that my plan is effective.” Danny promises, “You will learn that I have the means to bring our great order into modern society and become a global superpower of multimedia.

“What do you mean, Brandon?” Corwin Asks, “In a month he’s all but destroyed our order!”

“Why? Because he shut down the GWA? A failure to begin with?” Brandon Asks, “It closed for a reason, didn’t it?”

“It’s true, isn’t it?” Brandon Says, “Eric begged Cat to bring it back, she didn’t even want to.”

“It wasn’t something that she had wanted but Cat always did her best, regardless!” Monica Says, “It was supposed to bring us back.”

“But it didn’t.” Brandon Says, “It was one failure after another and now everyone wants to blame Starr for it? What does Starr have to do with people Not showing up? What does Starr have to do with the building catching on fire? If anything, Starr was the only one trying from what I could see.”

“Wow, he’s got you fooled.” Steven Says, “It’s quite obvious Starr had everything to do with this.”

Jared loses his temper and slams his fist against the table. “There is something wrong with all of this! I don’t know if it’s Starr or what!”

“I don’t know, man.” Tony Says, “It’s kind of a reach to think Danny had anything to do with this shit.”

“I don’t really understand how Danny is at fault for GWA’s failures, really.” Scarlett agrees.

“Maybe we should vote.” Corwin suggests, “Maybe we should decide right now if we want to continue letting Starr dismantle us further.”

“Before...” Danny interrupts, “Before you begin... allow me to just say this. If you vote me away from leadership, that is fine. However, I leave here still the majority shareholder of the CTN which means... essentially, I still control everything. So, Corwin... Aye or Nay?”

Danny waits but no one Says a word. He walks over to Jared and gazes into his eyes, and with a private whisper, “That’s a free one.” Before turning from them. Monica trails behind Danny and storms into his office, slamming the door behind her.

“Why didn’t you tell me about any of this?” Monica is outraged, “I thought we were being honest with each other? How can I trust you if you don’t tell me the truth?”

“I thought you would be pleased.” Danny reveals, looking into her eyes, “You said I couldn’t play the long game, so I wanted you impress you.”

“I don’t think you understand what you are doing here.” Monica Says, “Things are changing too quickly. Alicia is going to lose her shit when she finds out you fired Cat. She probably already knows!”

“Danny...” Monica’s tone changes into one of sorrow, “You don’t know Alicia...”

“Look.” Danny becomes stern, “the GWA has failed since it’s return, 3 out of the 4 weeks since it has come back. I am protecting the High Society’s interests and looking towards the future.”

“Advanced technology doesn’t specify exactly what you are talking about, Danny!” Monica starts.

the room falls silent. Danny’s eyes close. “I’m sorry...” Danny genuinely apologizes to her.

“We are moving into advanced videography so we can expand our reach globally.” Danny explains, “Allocating our resources into surveillance for better news coverage, motion capture for better A.I. capabilities, and working to decrease our dependence of human reporting/acting and into surrogate avatar technology.”

“What?” Monica is completely taken aback, “Why? That’s so random, Danny.”

“Yeah...” Danny’s eyes fall back to his desk, but Monica realizes something.

“Michael.” Monica Says it as if she’s answering a question. “This is revenge...”

“No, it’s Not revenge.” Danny denies, “It’s killing 2 birds with one stone.”

“You want to invest In surveillance for the sole purpose of finding Michael...” Monica Says

“Yes.” Danny admits, “I told her I would and I know what it’s like to seek someone special and Not be able to find them. And, while we are using the technology to do those things, we will also be able to get on location around the world much quicker Before competing networks can gather the information.”

“We already have a corporation that specializes In what you are trying to do...” Monica Says, “I was going to offer you the idea once things became a little smoother; apparently that isn’t going to happen with you here!”

“Storm Corp.” Monica reveals, “Johnny Storm’s corporation. He’s associated with Stephanie Conner of the Circle but they’ve been inactive for some time. If you wanted, I could reach out, see if maybe they can help you locate Michael... but they are going to want something In return, most likely.”

“they are using their special forces to track down terrorist organizations related to the Left Hand.” Monica Says, “Maybe when CTN’s R&D gets going with Your initiatives, we might be able to expand the landscape for them In return.

“Sounds good.” Danny Says, sitting down and pressing the enter key on his keyboard. The computer monitor comes on and Asks for his password. “Until then, let’s try to keep the High Society from starting another mutiny.”

“They aren’t very patient, are they?” Danny Asks, typing his password In to login.

“Well, can you blame them?” Monica Asks, “You’ve changed the physics of their universe. Things have changed around here so much, almost too fast to keep up with. They aren’t very good with chaos.”

“Well, tell them they better learn how to adapt.” Danny warns, “Any luck with the HWA?”

“there’s nothing we can do at the current moment.” Monica sadly informs him, “I do have a group of litigates that are trying to draft a document to combat it, but so far, it’s airtight. There is a window that opens up but it will be years from now. When Eric deleted that information, it really threw a wrench In our chances. I’m sorry.”

“Please, keep trying.” Danny Says, “If Not, all of this was for nothing.”

“I know, Danny...” Monica Says, “Can you please keep me In the loop? I can’t help you unless I know what you are planning.”

“There’s certain things I have to keep to my chest right now.” Danny Says, “It’s nothing personal but it’s very important that I...”

The phone rings, interrupting Danny’s train of thought. Danny and Monica both wait for the voicemail to come on and when it does, they both listen closely after the beep.

“Please, call me back.” Alicia Says, “I would like to discuss a certain number of things with you.”
And hangs up.

“While researching which technologies I wanted to discuss with O’Bannon, there was something telemarketing companies were beginning to implement where they take the actual voice of an individual and use it to mask another’s voice In real time.” Suggests Danny, “I think if we can find enough of Eric’s vocals whether it be recordings or video, we might have enough content to form a vocal sample.”

“That’s really interesting.” Monica Says, “I have pretty much every lecture he’s given for his annual Cambridge University events. I’d bet there’s a good 40 hours of spoken word we can use.”

“I’ll buy the program, then.” Danny Says, “If we can just get through a conversation over the phone, Alicia will get off of my back.”

“Sure thing.” Monica Says, “and In the meantime, do you want me to contact Steph Conner?”

“Storm Corp. has an incredible private operation with very advanced and militarized resources.” Monica Says, “I’ll see what they can offer.”

“Fair enough.” Danny Says, “Are they Legacy? I mean, do they know everything?”

“Scarlett had a thing with Johnny Storm a long time ago, but didn’t end on great terms.” Monica Says, “and Jakob Grimes is the top commander of Johnny’s-”

“Yeah, I do.” Danny Says, “But never met.” Danny lies seeing a glimpse of his father’s face.

After Monica leaves, Danny can only wait for the CTN’s research and development department to work towards their goals, but continues searching for Michael and Cass anyway. He wonders how they could have just disappeared after the HWA closure. He dreadfully searches for obituaries, news articles, and background checks but nothing.

Frustration grows as Danny calls Michael’s phone to no avail, once again. He has done the unthinkable In pulling this rug from under one of the most powerful groups of people In the world and yet, even their resources aren’t enough to exploit. How could they just disappear, Danny wonders.

Alicia had called a couple times since the first call but Danny let it go unreturned, biding his time until the voice program came. On his computer, with Monica’s help, Danny input over 40 hours of Eric’s vocals into the algorithm and was able to create a makeshift, somewhat weak version of his voice to use against his own during phone conversations. Monica calls Danny’s office phone from the other room and Danny presses SYNC Before answering.

“Hello?” Danny Says, surprised to hear a voice closer to Eric’s over the phone and Monica Says nothing.

Monica walks back In, a tear falling from her eye as she stands In shock, phone still up to her ear.
“Holy shit...” Monica Cries out.

“Convincing, then?” Danny smiles. “Put the phone back up, let me try a full sentence.”

“Welcome to the High Society where all of it’s members secretly hate each other.” Danny jokes, but as Eric.

“I guess we’ll find out.” Monica confirms. “I was able to get a hold of Stephanie but she has to talk to Johnny Storm. He’s apparently very secretive these days and staying far away from the Circle and their endeavors.”

“Lexus said R&D plans on providing you with a packet of their findings By Monday.” Monica confirms.

The following week, Danny finally made the leap and called Alicia Sinn; although Alicia believed it was Eric on the other end of the line.

“I understand you had some personal matters,” Alicia Says, “I hope everything is In order.”

“So, I noticed you made some changes to our staff at the Circle Television Network.” Alicia cuts right to the chase, “I’m just having a hard time wrapping my head around sequence of events leading up to Cat’s termination. Could you help me with that?”

“I just want to make sure we are on the same page.” Alicia continues, “Just so I understand... you proposed reviving the GWA despite it’s closure due to low ratings and Cat initially refused. Do you remember why she refused?”

“She refused because she had enough insight to know that GWA, as well as the world of professional wrestling has been on a steep decline for the previous five years.” Alicia Says, “Which is why it had closed down In the first place.”

“You invested Your own money to lobby for it’s revival despite Cat’s intuition, insisting on it’s return even against the plethora of studies that all suggested that after a quarter, no matter how successful that quarter had been, the GWA would, once again, descend In value and ultimately become a liability to our shareholders. But you said you would take responsibility.”

“So, Cat goes forward, against her own instincts to appease Your wishes and is unable to fill the seats with fans- and when GWA inevitably fails, you were there to pick up the rest of the available shares, but if a hostile takeover isn’t enough, you then FIRE MY CHOSEN PRESIDENT!”

“Even though she had nothing to do with GWA’s return, since you had taken the responsibility, correct?” Alicia Asks, “Wasn’t that what you had agreed on?”

“and now, you are delegating to the CTN to forget about the GWA, forget about professional wrestling, and gravitate towards media technology. What In the fuck are you thinking lately?” Alicia condemns him. “Give me some idea of what’s going on In Your mind, Eric.”

“I worked directly with Cat to help guide GWA to success but she didn’t listen to any of my advice, Alicia.” Danny Says, “I told her to investigate why the seats were sold but Not filled, I suggested it was sabotage. Instead, she threatened us, as if we could make those direct decisions. I am the one who suggested changing the camera angle, which, By the way, worked that third week. We saw a return higher than ever Before when she actually listened. Then, she didn’t have back-up generators to properly aid In the safety of GWA’s staff and audience during the pay per view. It was completely mishandled By her poor decision making and I didn’t believe she was the same hungry Cat you first hired.”

“Who do you think you are, Rayne?” Alicia Asks, “You need to speak with me Before making any rash decisions yourself. Lexus O’Bannon is barely vetted to run the company...”

“she was groomed for years By Cat Jones.” Danny Says, “You don’t think she’s ready?”

“and what do you plan to do now with this new idea of yours?” Alicia Asks, “How does that increase our value?”

“With the technology we are developing, we’ll be able to expand our global reach In multimedia By adding new and exciting advancements to news coverage and decrease the dependence of human resources with the motion capture technology called “Surrogate Avatar” which specializes In using facial recognition-” Danny explains.

“I know what it is, Eric.” Alicia interjects, “Studies show that once you remove the human element, our audience will Not feel the content is relatable.”

“I do. ” Danny reaffirms, “the studies you are referring to only sample the previous motion capture technology. The technology we are developing is 3rd generation and designed to be so advanced that the audience will Not be able to recognize the difference between a real human face and Surrogate Avatar.”

“That’s what we are learning now.” Danny Says, “In fact, By Monday, I will be able to give you a better, more absolute answer. I believe it’s the future of media and with the absence. Of professional wrestling, the CTN will need to fill the void with something; it might as well be something that will bring us into the future.”

“I will give you this, Eric.” Alicia Says, “but you know better than anyone that being majority shareholder doesn’t make you a god. In the end, Sinn Enterprises is still supreme, and you understand what that means.”

“Yes. Of course.” Danny Says, “My loyalty is with you and our continued growth.”

“I will forward you what Lexus presents to me.” Danny Says, “I have high hopes that you will be very pleased.”

Danny hangs up the phone, still staring at it, and lets out a deep breath. He remembers the sync is on and clicks it off.

Monday comes and Lexus O’Bannon calls who she believes is Eric Rayne right on time.

Danny hits SYNC Before he answers, which is becoming a habit, and Says: “Hello?”

“Hello again, Eric!” Lexus Says, “What we have is absolutely incredible. The people at Lynk sent out a representative, so they will be joining us over this phone call. Eric, this is Chris Desine, Lynk Networking specialist.”

“Likewise.” Danny Says, “I understand you’re technology is, as of right now, being used By government?”

“Very limited.” Chris confirms, “Without congressional approval, public officials, at this point, are only permitted to use this technology when tracking down known terror cells within the U.S. borders. Since we are a private organization, our clients are typically private organizations, but CTN will be the first media corporation with our newest updated software.”

“Well, it’s duel encrypted.” Chris Says, “You are protected from anyone seeing the origin of Your surveillance, and the satellites being used By CTN are unable to be hijacked By third parties. This software allows you to locate the exact location within a minute of cellphone pings”

“Meaning if you were trying to locate me, using my cell phone signal, as long as I remain In the target area of that ping within a minute’s time, there’s a high probability that you will see me right where I’m sitting.” Chris Says

“So, if I don’t have Your cell phone data, I wouldn’t be able to locate you?” Danny Asks

“No, but also Yes.” Chris Says, “Because of social media and location being harbored By the same device In most cases, we have a 70% success rate of locating people simply By their Internet activity. That means you will be able to find someone if they simply logged into the Internet on their phone and where they did it.”

“In a sense, it’s very 1984...” Chris Says, “But, In another sense, this technology can be used for many, many goods more than the potential for nefarious purposes. You just have to know who you’re looking for and as long as they’ve been linked In to their cell phone, you have a very good chance to locate them. Our technology is designed with missing persons In mind, but In the CTN’s case, you will be able to locate individuals for interviews, reporting, and even keep track of reporters out In the field when they are In dangerous situations.”

“Well, there’s protections In place for media corporations under the American Anti-propaganda act passed just this passed year thanks to Congress woman Diane Heller of Michigan. To prevent propaganda, the congresswoman introduced this bill for the purpose of transparency to pull the veil off of certain persons protected By powerful friends. It was designed with the idea of exposing sex traffickers, but of course, it can be applied to media now as well.”

“Is there a way to put this technology In my office?” Danny Asks prompting both Chris and Lexus to laugh until an awkward pauses makes it obvious Danny wasn’t laughing.

“Oh, you’re serious?” Chris Asks, “I mean, of course... if we go forward with our relationship, you would absolutely have access to it however you’d prefer.”

“I’ll tell you what, Lexus.” Danny Says, “Before we go forward company-wide, I want to give this technology a go; see how it works out.”

“That’s fine, but you should know that the technology requires a lot of space for the hardware. I mean, you can’t just link In, you have to have-” Chris begins.

“We have the room.” Danny Says, “When can we install this equipment? Today?”

As Danny waits for his answer, instead of talking to Lexus, he ganders her biography on his computer for the 100th time. He had began researching her once he had access to Eric’s computer; using the information Conner had managed to get when he hacked into Eric’s main frame. He knew she had aimed for Cat’s job for years and Cat knew it as well... but what Cat didn’t know.. What Monica didn’t even know... was her secret affiliation with the Left Hand. Information that only Eric knew and now only Danny.

After Chris gave “Eric” the Okay, he asked Chris for his contact information and dismissed Lexus OBannon. This business deal would, By design, become Eric Rayne’s personal relationship- and he would use the Circle Television Network’s resources to find Michael and Cassandra.

In a discreet install job, Lynk was told to come In unmarked vehicles and clothing to the Hartford State Capital where Danny alone would allow them access into his office. He provided one of the many unused spaces for the control room and only allowed them to work over the course of two weeks to install In the dead of night.

Danny kept the entire installation to himself, leaving Monica In the dark once again. Once the surveillance was set up on his computer, he became a secretive hermit, refusing to leave his office, his facial hair growing wild once again. He searches and searches and searches for Michael and Cassandra but nothing still. He grows increasingly frustrated as even the most sophisticated technology In the world isn’t enough to track them down. A knock on the door bothers Danny midst his spell of frustration. “What!?” Danny shouts, “What is it!”

Monica cautiously opens the door, finding Danny with sunken eyes, looking irritable and exhausted.

“Sure.” Danny continues searching different kinds of identification keys as Monica slowly sits.

“Well, why don’t you take a break?” Monica suggests, “I have a few things for you.”

Danny continues staring at the screen, his eyes barely blinking as he scours through security footage In French CCTV cameras that his Lynk network is mirroring. “Like What?”

“Well, I wanted to let you know that Javier trimmed Jenn’s graveside. As you asked,” Monica Says, “Your mail was mostly addressed to a Mark Crow, and Stephanie Conner returned my call. “

“Johnny took the picture of Michael I gave him and” Monica holds out an envelope.

Danny sees it out of the corner of his eye and finally turns from the screen. “What’s this?” Danny Asks, his eyebrows low. Monica’s eyes are bright and excited as Danny reaches for the envelope.

Danny opens it up and retrieves a folded piece of paper. He unfolds it and sees the image from a security camera dated 2003, location Georgia.

“Johnny Storm searched the image of Michael we provided against his database’s records and In 2003, while monitoring a Black Skulls facility, none other than Sett and Michael Diamond attacked the base.”

“What?” Danny Says, almost angry at how little sense any of that made to him. “No, Michael... Sett... What do you mean?”

“they were together, here, releasing prisoners of the Black Skulls.” Monica Says

Danny smiles, now realizing In his mind that Monica is joking, and blows it off. “Come on, Monica. Do I look that gullible...” and returns his attention to the computer.

“It’s true, Dann-” Monica begins, but from out of the blue, Danny slams his hands on his desk top and stands up In an explosion. “Why are you bringing this bullshit In here when I’m trying to find them!”

Monica backs up, In fear. “Danny...” Monica cautiously attempts to calm him, “it’s Not bullshit!”

“You are telling me that my brother, Michael, who I’ve known since high school, has secretly teamed up with Sett In 2003 and never mentioned it to me?” Danny Dismisses

“Danny, they were the ones who blew up the facility and believe it or Not, made it possible for Tyler, Scarlett and Jared’s son to escape!” Monica erupts back.

“Yes!” Monica grabs his shoulder to turn him around but he won’t look at her, still laughing to himself In denial until she grabs both of his arms and gazes deeply into his eyes. “Yes.”

“What do you mean?” Monica seems confused, “Sett is still going after the Black Skulls... that was his entire purpose for voting for the closure of HWA”

Danny pauses. “No...” Danny denies, “Sett didn’t vote for the closure, he said he voted against it’s closure.”

Monica looks away, her tongue poking her cheek, “That’s Not true. I was there.”

“He did.” Monica confirms, “Eric offered him Intel for the Black Skull’s locations In return for his vote. I can show you the shareholder ballot when he was on the HWA Board. It was unanimous.”

“Search: 2006 HWA VOTE” and when it asks for a password type In: Redemption.” Monica sounds confident.

Danny does just that and after he hits enter on the password, a folder pops up with a single file In it. He clicks it and the ballot for the board’s vote on HWA’s closure opens. Royalty, Aye. Eric, Aye, Sett, Aye.

“He thought his vote was useless against the others.” Monica said, “So he thought at least he could do something good with the information.”

“He was bribed to vote against the HWA” Danny realizes, “he told me he was the only one who voted against it.”

Danny falls victim to his own thoughts and Monica sees that her surprise only hurt Danny.

“No, but now that he is In their system, once he pings we expand our chances of finding him with our combined efforts.” Monica Says

“Johnny provides you intel on Michael, Cass, and anyone else you need...” Monica Says, “For Intel regarding the Left Hand.”

“Why don’t you go knock on his door, Mj.” Tony laughs. “Tell him you want Your shares back.”

“Monica Says he hasn’t shaved since Full Circle.” Scarlett Says, “his nails long and dangling.”

“Right. Monica just happens to be his personal assistant.” Corwin Says, “Must be a Monica thing.”

“Just waiting for her to come In wearing a blue dress with a cigar In her mouth.” Jared jokes.

“Come on, Scar.” Jared laughs, “Monica would get on her knees right now to keep her position of pow-” the doors of the chamber fly open as Monica storms through, rage In her eyes. She charges passed the other members sitting at the table and towards Danny’s closed office door.

“No, I’m Not fucking okay!” Monica answers sourly. “He just laid off half of the CTN staff!”

she bangs a tight fist against the wooden door five times. “Danny! Open the door!”

“What do you mean, Mon?” Scarlett jumps up to comfort her friend. Monica turns to her.

“Danny laid half of the CTN staff off, is talking about restructuring, and they all think it’s Eric Rayne who did it!” Monica vents, “Alicia is fuming! I am pissed off too because once again, he didn’t say a god damned thing about it. I woke up to a shitstorm.”

Monica turns, banging on the door again, “I know you’re In there!” Suddenly, the door opens. Monica steps back as Danny, his facial hair clean and trimmed, steps out without a single word spoken.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were firing the entire staff?” Monica Asks Danny.

“Is this What you are banging on my door about?” Danny Asks“It’s a trimming of fat. Do you want to see the value of the company increase? Yes? then, we have to make some adjustments to make way for our new era of multimedia.”

“Danny, I understand...” Monica Says, “”But I’m an executive on the board of the CTN, that is a need to know position. It doesn’t help anyone if I’m Not In the know.”

“You’re busy as it is, Monica." Danny Says, “I didn’t consider this something you needed to know.”

“Well, next time I lay off half of the staff, I’ll be sure to inform you.” Danny Says Before going back into his office. As Monica walks to Follow, the door shuts In her face. She stops short of it hitting her nose and stands In embarrassment as the other members watch her.

“Oh, no Monica!” Jared quips, “I wouldn’t piss him off, you might be next on the chopping block!”

“Jesus, you know What time it must be.” Jared Says, “I guess they’re synching up.”

“In just a short duration of time, we have allowed an outsider into a position of leadership, handed him our property, and stood By as he has dismantled the most awesome media empire In today’s world, and we let him.” Steven preaches.

“He has soaked up our financial and technological resources and like Eric, has usurped the power from a body of influence that was built to be impenetrable. And yet, here we are.” Steven continues.

“Nothing to show for our expression of trust and loyalty.” Steven goes on, “Continuously left In the dark, forced to convene here almost every day without his interaction like we are here only to prove we aren’t elsewhere. While he wears the identity of our former leader and fools the rest of the world into believing that Eric Rayne is still controlling the strings. So, I ask again.. Are we fools?”

“You guys had Your chance to vote him out and chose Not to.” Jared Says, “So, if Steven’s right, it’s Your faults.”

“Anyone who can’t see it is blind.” Steven Says, “Anyone who believes we Are Not being played as pawns is so far lost they cannot be helped. Are you blind?”

“I say we vote him out tonight.” Mj Says, “Before we get any further into this mess.”

“I agree.” Steven Says, “Perhaps Starr’s purpose was to bring us together. Maybe that’s What Eric saw.”

“If we all vote against his leadership tonight, it won’t matter if Monica and Scarlett vote In favor of it. We can remove him tonight!” Corwin Says

“Agreed.” Says Jared, “But What about our shares?” What about the CTN?”

“We cannot let him hold us hostage.” Steven Says, “We all know Alicia will handle him if we reveal the truth.”

“Jared, tell Scarlett tonight we convene.” Steven orders, “We musn’t reveal the truth until he is voted out. I want to make sure we Are all on the same page Before a civil war breaks out between us.”

Meanwhile, In the office, Danny watches a live feed from a newly installed hidden camera within the grand chamber right on his computer screen. He watches his ‘loyal’ members form a mutiny yet again, he watches them plan on voting him out yet again, and he isn’t surprised In the slightest. He reaches for his phone, clicking off of the camera, and revealing the SYNC button that disguises his voice as Eric Rayne’s. the phone begins to ring.

After he hangs up the phone, he keeps SYNC on, clicking to the Lynk program that has a world map with countless red dots marked all over. He picks up the phone and dials someone else.

“I’m sending the data. Wait for the green light at 7:00 PM. Tonight.” Danny Says

Danny hangs up the phone and clicks SYNC off. He clicks back over the grand chamber to see the High Society members have all left. He looks at the time: 2:45 PM. Only a few more hours until the mutiny returns to vote him out.

The members arrive at 6:30 PM, ready to vote Danny out of the leadership role of the High Society. As they sit In wait, Danny remains In the office until 6:50 PM, making it impossible for the voting process to commence.

When Danny finally comes out from the office, he is dressed as if going to a special occasion. He is carrying a bottle of champagne and a box filled with enough glasses for all the members.

“Tonight is a special occasion.” Danny insists, playing the box on the table.

“I’m sorry, Starr...” Steven Says, “But we Are beyond grand gestures.”

“You see, Starr...” Steven Says, “It doesn’t really matter if you agree or Not anymore.”

“And why is that, Fury?” Danny Asks, still walking around the table with a glass for each person.

“I’m afraid you have reached the optimal potential of Your role as our high prince.” Steven Says as Danny places a glass In front of him. Danny pauses to take In What he Says, and continues passed Steven with a final glass for Monica.

“Do I know... What?” Danny Asks, returning to his table to now poor the cork out from the champagne with a screw. He begins pouring the almost clear liquid In Jared’s glass, and then the next person’s.

“Quite the contrary, Jonathan” Danny Says, moving on to Corwin after Tony Gold, pouring his glass almost to the top.

Danny laughs, pouring more into Brandon’s now. “We may have our differences, Mary Jane, but I wouldn’t waste the good champagne on that.”

“You didn’t learn the first time you fucked with the Circle, did you, Danny?” Steven reminds him.

“It is, MJ.” Danny agrees, “and that is cause to celebrate!” he offers her champagne but she refuses it still, prompting Danny to continue anyway.

“Suite yourself.” Danny Says, pouring it In Steven’s glass, and then Monica’s.

“Now,” Danny pours his own glass, “I want you all to wait Before drinking.”

“All those who vote for Danny Starr to remain our leader, say Aye.” Steven Says

“Wait!” Danny stands up, shouting to interrupt.“Just wait for one moment.”

Danny takes the remote and aims it at the television behind him. It’s 6:59 PM.

“there’s something you need to see.” Danny Says, turning on the television which is already tuned In to the CTN’s nightly news broadcast.

“Jesus Christ, What now?” Monica Says as her row turns around to face the television.

The television is set to the normal news report until a strange symbol appears over the broadcast. A white left hand within a red circle appears over a black screen.

"In fine mundi venturus est” Lexus begins, “the end of the world is coming and now, it is officially here. As the Circle Television Network’s C.E.O., I have risen to this position under the alias many have come to know me as Lexus O’Bannon, but the revelation has come, and with that comes new revelations. I can no longer wear the false face of an imaginary creature, for mein own bloodline must be honored. I, Rachel Winston, sister of Dermot Winterdawn, Leader of the Left Hand, order the acolytes of our dark order to reign down upon this fragile realm with furious contempt.”

“What have you done, Starr?!?” Scarlett stands up, her heart pounding as the Legacy’s sworn enemies take control of the CTN, the most awesome force of propaganda.

“The Armageddon is upon us.” Rachel continues, “For months, we have infiltrated Your global entertainment, Your nightly news, and Your Internet media. The four horsemen Are riding amongst you, paving the road for the antichrist to rise and slaughter the lamb on the alter of Satan himself!”

“I warned you!” Scarlett Says, “You were playing with dark forces you didn’t understand!”

“You unleashed hell upon us, Starr!” Jared erupts, “You will pay for this!”

“As we speak, the Left Hand is mobilizing.” Rachel Says, “Who hath understanding repent their sins, because no man can make war with the great beast!”

“Starr knew all about the Left Hand!” Jared reveals, “He threatened our son, Scarlett! He told me he knew about it Before! He’s an agent of Dermot!”

“Fuck a vote!” Jared screams, Danny reaches for the other sword but Jared uses his free hand to mentally launch it away.

“I could crush you with my mind, Starr!” Jared threatens, “but you will die a mortal death, like Eric!” Jared goes after Starr with the sharp sword, but he is stopped against his will. His face contorts In confusion as he struggles to move the sword further, but it’s wobbling against his strength.

From behind Danny, emerging from the office is a young adult, his hand raised up as Jared has many times Before He walks towards Jared, standing behind Danny with his hand still raised to control Jared’s sword from his own control.

Tyler’s own powers combating his father’s will, forcing Jared’s sword backwards slowly until the blade presses against his throat.

“What Are you doing....?” Jared struggles to mutter the words as his own son forces the blade into his own throat.

“Tyler, this is Your father!” Scarlett Says, the other members Are In complete shock watching this unfold. Tyler doesn’t respond. He continues holding his father at bay as Danny reaches into his pocket.

“Tell me it’s Not true, Danny!” Tony begs, “You can’t be with them!”

Danny opens up the encrypted phone Monica gave to him and dials a number without saying a single word. He hits call and looks to Scarlett. “You can do the honors...”

“If you want Your husband to survive, the next words out of Your mouth better be ‘Do it.” Danny orders.

Scarlett begins to cry. She looks at Monica, then to Jared, then to Danny. He hands her the phone and she puts it up to her ear. “Grimes... is it a go?”

“NO!” Jared shouts, Tyler pushes the sword against the skin of his adam’s apple so he shuts up.

Danny pulls the phone away from her and folds it up, sitting back down and turning to the television.

Danny shushes her and points up at the television where Lexus Obannon is mid-sentence, stopping her rhetoric In the middle of a word, distracted By something Before her. “No!” A bullet enters her forehead and sends her head back as she drops dead. The symbol behind her remains but the sound of machine guns can be heard over the speakers. Left Hand terrorists run passed the screen but fall as bullets enter them from behind. A mercenary wearing a Stormcorp. Patch shuffles passed the camera and suddenly, the connection is lost.

the station goes into dead air, with a CTN watermark replacing the content, music looping now.

Danny lifts the remote and presses input, switching the television to his computer screen with the Lynk program on. The world map appears for the High Society members to see first hand, watching red dots randomly disappearing.

“Those red dots... Are members of the Left Hand.” Danny Says, “and What you Are watching is... Stormcorp’s Special Forces eradicate them on Scarlett’s orders.”

“Lynk technology.” Danny Says, “I learned Lexus was Rachel when comparing their facial features with the advanced Surrogate Avatar program. I used Lynk to find each of the Left Hand members, pinged their locations simultaneously and provided that Intel to Jakob Grimes. Once Rachel was given the power she felt was enough leverage, convincing her Eric Rayne was Dermot’s secret operative In the High Society, she felt safe enough to unveil the Left Hand for the world to see.”

“You mean... they Are gone?” Scarlett Asks, watching the red dots become less and less.

“Essentially.” Danny admits, waving Tyler to release his father’s sword. The sword falls down to the floor point first, still In Jared’s hand. Jared looks at the red dots nearly gone and looks at Scarlett, then Tyler, and finally Danny.

“You destroyed the Left Hand...” Jared is In shock. “My son...” Danny nods and Jared drops down to his knee. “My high prince...” Jared’s head falls, holding himself up By the sword poking the ground. Tyler drops to his knee and Scarlett does it as well, “My high prince...” one By one, Corwin, Jonathan, and Tony Gold drop down to their knee, their heads bowed, together saying “the high prince...” Monica and Danny watch as everyone else, Steven Fury, Brandon Kayros, and a suddenly loyal Mj Francis drop to their knees with the others. “The High prince!” Monica smiles at Danny, nodding her head to him, “My high prince.”

“I found Tyler months ago, but knowing Jared’s powers could easily thwart my plans, I kept him as an ace In my sleeve.” Danny admits, “Tyler wanted to see the Left Hand destroyed as much as you but I couldn’t make my plans known because there is still a secret operative within the High Society.”

Jared and Scarlett look at Danny, then look at the others as they all look at each other. Suddenly, Brandon Kayros turns with haste and rushes toward the doors.
“Tyler...” Danny Says, and Tyler’s hand lifts, stopping Kayros In his tracks, forcing him up In the air and pinning him against the door face first. “Turn him around.” Danny Says and Tyler does, flipping his wrist to make Brandon flip from front to back In midair.
The others approach him as Tyler holds him against the door.

“I know you’re secrets, Brandon.” Danny Says, walking up to him slowly. Brandon was an informant for six years, working for Dermot and then Rachel to capture Tyler and return him to them. He was almost successful, but had failed.”

“You sat amongst us as a friend!” Tony Says, “Nah, man... you’re gone.”

“None of you Are innocent!” Danny interrupts, “Not a single one of you.”

“My technology allowed me to learn of Brandon’s betrayal,” Danny begins, “Did you think I wouldn’t see Your skeletons, as well?”

Danny walks around the members, first to Jared. “Jared, you joined the High Society for one reason... Scarlett.” Danny reveals, “When you were sent By the Left Hand to acquire Eric’s DNA.”

“But I fell In love with you...” Jared Says, “That’s why I stayed... I betrayed the Left Hand for you!”

“You’re Not so innocent, either.” Danny comes to Scarlett. “There’s a reason Brandon couldn’t let go of you. That one special night, In spite of Jared.”

“Corwin Havens,” Danny Says, “1994. Las Vegas. Drunk driving, hit and run, baby killed In the accident.”

“Steven Fury, bribery of government officials to further his own corporation’s leverage In the energy industry.”

“Tony Gold,” Danny laughs, “A playboy with the ladies, but you sure have a reputation with the gentlemen as well. Not that there’s anything wrong with that....”

“Ah, Jonathan Keeper.” Danny shakes his head, “Exploiting under-aged girls for ‘massages’ on some private island on various occasions.”

“However...” Danny looks up at Brandon, “Disloyalty... that is something unforgivable.”

“Disloyalty must be punished.” Danny Says“Tyler, I want you to hold him here for a little while- so the rest of us can celebrate!”

Danny moves from the group and to Brandon’s filled champagne, grabbing it and walking back to Mj. “You still don’t want a drink?” Danny smiles, MJ smiles back and grabs it, holding it up.

“To Danny Starr...” Mj Says, as the other members return to their own glasses; Danny returning to his as well. They grab them and lift them up.

“To Our High Prince!!” Jared roars. “To OUR HIGH PRINCE!” the others roar In unison.

“To the High Society!” Danny Says, “and to the DEATH of the LEFT HAND!” an enormous and wild roar of unity shakes the room as they down the first glass. Danny grabs the bottle and begins filling each of their glasses up again. They explode with each toast, becoming more and more united with each new glass.

The phone rings from the office all night but it goes ignored as they celebrate, becoming drunken together as they laugh and sing as a family; as one. Tyler holds Brandon with ease, enjoying the atmosphere, celebrating In his own way By restraining the man who tried to return him to the Left Hand and betrayed his parents for years.

The night went on, the High Society, for the first time aligned with Danny Starr as they bond over alcohol and bloodshed until finally, Danny decides it’s time for Brandon’s punishment.

“Let him down... slowly.” Danny tells Tyler, “We don’t want him to get a bruise.”

Tyler drops him down to the floor and Danny stands over him with another filled glass of champagne Danny holds it up, staring down at Brandon. “Don’t worry, Brandon. I’m Not going to lay a finger on you.”

“They Are” Danny Says, turning to the group, “Here we arrrrrrre... BORN to be KINGS!” Danny begins to drunkenly sing, end the words kings as Jonathan Keeper delivers a swift kick into Brandon’s stomach.

“We’re the princes of the UNNNNIVERSE!” sings Jared while grabbing his face with a full palm and throwing the back of his head against the wooden door, then holding him up to it.

“Here we BELONG!” Sings Tony as Jared throws him across the room and into the large table. He lands on it’s edge, now bleeding from his nose and mouth as he falls to the floor.

“FIGHTING TO SURVIIIIIVE...” Corwin sends a vicious kick against his head, sending it back against the table again. He keels over to his side, barely moving.

“In a world with the DAAARKEST POWERS!” Jared uses his telekinetic powers from a distance to send Brandon back into the door, surrounded By the drunken, singing members of the High Society.

“I AM IMMORTAL... I HAVE INSIDE ME BLOOD OF KINGS!” Scarlett taunts Brandon, leaning over him grabbing the bottom of his face with her left hand.

“WE HAVE NO RIVALS!!” the company joyously shouts together as some toasts their spilling glasses at the Left Hand’s defeat. “NO MAN CAN BE OUR EQUAL!” Scarlett sloppily drinks her champagne as it spills out of her mouth singing, and smashes Brandon’s forehead with it.

“SEND ME TO THE FUTURE OF YOU ALLLLL” the members unite In unison. Together. As One. With Brandon Kayros below them bleeding from his face.

Together, Tony Gold and Corwin Haven’s pull him up By each arm, holding him erect as his body can barely hold itself up. Danny walks up to him. “I don’t believe you Are a traitor.” Danny Says, “I believe you would have betrayed Jared long ago if that were the case- although you did try turning Tyler over to the Left Hand...”

“I... was... forced....” Brandon breathes out from his enervated self. “I... would... never... actually...”

“Trust is earned.” Danny Says, looking at Scarlett. “And I will give you the opportunity to earn it.”

“I told you that we would bring the High Society to a modern world...” Danny begins, walking from Brandon around the table and grabbing Jared’s sword. Brandon’s eyes try to widen but they Are too swollen. “Please... No...”

“Tradition is one thing...” Danny Says, holding the sword to observe it, “but sometimes, tradition is Not enough.” Danny slides the sword back into the sheathe behind the High Society shield and walks towards the second one that Jared threw from Danny’s hand when Jared first challenged him.

“Sometimes, we must move passed the old ways...” Danny holds up the second sword and lays it on the table as the other members watch. He looks at Tyler, using his hand to gesture his assistance. Tyler comes to Danny’s side as they look down at the sword.

“And evolve Tyler?” Tyler lifts his hand, and using only his mind bends the sword into a pretzel until the metal becomes so weak at the creases that it breaks into two. Then continues to wrap itself around itself until it’s less a sword, and more a piece of scrap.

The others look at What’s left of the second sword and up at the golden sword behind the traditional emblem on the wall.

“Now. You Are free to leave.” Danny Says“I will ask you to return here In two weeks times. If you return, I will know you Are truly loyal and if you do Not, I will accept Your resignation from the High Society.”

Although, the ultimatum is tongue In cheek, and even Danny knows that it’s more of a joke than a serious choice. Danny had accomplished more In the few months of his leadership than they, as a collective, could accomplish over decades. He may have destroyed the GWA as payback to Eric, but now, he had also destroyed the Left Hand as a member of their order.

The members would never forget What Danny had done for them and if anything earned his trust, it was this climatic event he had worked on this entire time, despite their mutiny; despite their distrust.

The members commended Danny again, shaking his hand, raising their glasses to toast him again as their High Prince Before leaving. Corwin and Jonathan Keeper helped Kayros out of the building, Jared and Scarlett left with Tyler, Tony Gold made sure Danny wouldn’t say anything about his reputation and Danny made sure everyone knew that their secrets were safe with him. Steven Fury and Mj Fury respectfully nod to Danny, and everyone but Monica made their exit.

Danny unbuttoned his shirt collar and worked his way down, checking his watch to see it was almost 5 In the morning.

“You really Are full of surprises...” Monica smiles, and Danny sits down In his chair.

“Come on.” Danny Says, looking up at Monica with his own smiles, “You knew the whole time.”

“I was ready to vote you out.” Monica laughs, “How did you know Lexus was Rachel Winston?”

“Well, doesn’t matter now.” Danny Says, leaning back In his chair. “They Are finished.”

“No.” Danny admits, “and I’m sure because of last night, she will be wanting answers.”

“Reinstate Cat.” Danny Says, “Rebuild CTN with our new technology. But first...”

“I have Lynk scheduled to install a much bigger system starting later this morning.” Danny reveals.

“I’m sorry, Monica...” Danny Says, genuinely, “I couldn’t risk the plan getting back to Kayros.”

“You exposed Jared, Brandon, Scarlett, hell, everyone for their skeletons...” Monica Says, “But you didn’t expose mine... why?”

Danny smirks, standing up from his chair to approach her. “Telling them about us wouldn’t benefit me.” He leans to her and they beginning kissing. Her hands roam around his body as he lays her back on the table top. He begins unzipping her pants and peels them from her bottom as she unbuckles his belt. As his pants fall, her legs wrap around his waist as they Are free to use the High Society’s chamber for their unrelenting passion.

Monica walks into the chamber a few days later with Alicia Sinn to meet “Eric”, the other members enjoying two weeks to prepare for the next era of a world without the Left Hand. As they walk into the grand chamber, it has been completely gutted of everything from the art on the walls, to the rugs. Wires hanging from new holes In the entire wall that once held the traditional shield and sword.

“Oh yes, a lot of changes have been made.” Monica Says“He is driven for the future.”

The table is apart, disassembled, and laying on its side. The chairs Are lined up By the" opposite end of the wall, and workers Are swarming the chamber; some on ladders installing brackets, some unpacking 20 inch LCD screens from a stack of boxes. There had to be 100 of them, thinks Monica as she passes through. The sounds of drills and men conversing as they work, she can barely hear her own knock on Danny’s office door.

Monica opens it and allows Alicia to walk In Before her. When she does, she can see Eric Rayne standing In front of a black curtain draped from one wall to the other behind his desk. To Alicia’s surprise, the former president of the Circle Television Network, Catherine Jones, was sitting as Eric’s guest on the front side of the desk.

“Alicia.” Eric greets her with a smile. “I am so glad you were able to make it.”

"All right. Eric, I think it's about time you answered for - Cat? What the hell?"

Alicia stops In her tracks, planting her feet and narrowing her eyes at the woman.

"I need someone to start talking, now. And that talking damn well better include some answers, or else I'm going to lose my cool. I don't think anybody wants that, now, do we?"

"Well, Alicia." Eric begins, "It's quite simple. I reinstated Cat back into her rightful position as the CTN President. I thought you'd be pleasantly surprised."

"Last I checked, I owned CTN, Rayne. I was willing to let it slide that you fired her without my approval, but you'd think that you would learn Your lesson and Not just go ahead and rehire her, ALSO without my approval, wouldn't you?"

"You're acting erratic, Eric. Unlike yourself. This sure doesn't look 'simple' from where I'm standing. What exactly is Your angle here?"

"Alicia..." Cat cautiously interjects, "Come sit next to me. And pats the chair In a playful manner. "You're going to want to sit down for this."

Alicia looks back at Monica to attempt reading another person's energy, but only finds a friendly smile. "I agree with Cat."

Alicia purses her lips and stares all of them down for a solid twenty seconds Before finally moving to take a chair.

"The future is here, Alicia." Eric Says, "A future without Apocalyptic extremists, a world moving away from professional wrestling, and into a future where we can be anything we dream to be..."

Eric stands In place, Not moving from his position once since Alicia had entered the office. From behind a curtain, another surprise emerges.

A man who is Not Eric Rayne stands beside him, a face covered In black dots, and as he speaks In his own unique voice, Eric mimics it In his own almost In sync.

she looks over to Cat and Monica for confirmation that she was, In fact, Not crazy for being aghast at the events happening In front of her, but receives nothing In response but expectant looks.

"Enough of this shit, I'm calling my lawyer. I'm calling the cops. I'm shutting this whole thing down."

Cat's hand gently reaches for her old friend's wrist. "Alicia..." Cat begins, "This is the man who destroyed the Left Hand..."

Alicia looks to Monica, and Monica only supports Cat, "It's true." She Says, "It's Danny Starr.."

Alicia's head begins to shake In disbelief, at a loss of words as her hand remains In her purse, with Cat's hand still around her wrist.

"This... Is Surrogate Avatar." Danny Says, waving his hand through Eric's form with no restriction, and behind you..." Danny points to the small dot on the wall, "Is the latest In photographic technology using the points on my face to move Eric's In real-time."

"With this technology, imagine the possibilities." Danny gloats passionately, "and this technology exclusively belongs to Sinn Enterprises."

"The Left Hand..." Alicia repeats absently, trying to take In everything that's going on around her. "Surrogate Avatar..."

she slowly sits back down, taking In a deep breath. Her mind is already working overtime, considering the uses this technology could have In her efforts.

"This is... really next level tech. How did you manage to procure an exclusive contract like that?"

"Alicia..." Danny sits down, "With this technology... you can rule over global news, put Your staff In otherwise dangerous situations close to the ground and know exactly how to get them out safely; the possibilities Are endless."

"Alicia," Monica interjects, "If you want Lucile Ball to host the CTN Movie and Television Awards, Danny has made it possible..."

"I was frightened By all of this at first too, Lic." Cat adds, "First getting fired, then seeing Lexus wasn't Lexus..."

"This technology made it possible to learn that she was Rachel Winston." Danny Says

"It's still just... so hard to believe they're gone," Alicia Says, "much less that I have... all this at my disposal now," she concludes, waving her hand In the direction of HoloRayne.

"I can already imagine the possibilities," she agrees, nodding along as she considers them. "Subterfuge, under the table dealings, entertainment..."

Those gathered can almost see the sparkle In Alicia's eyes as she thinks things over.

"Mr. Starr, I'm still Not sure I know exactly who you Are, but as far as first impressions go, this has been one hell of a unique one." She smiles In his direction, a predatory glimmer crossing her features as she does.

"But I'm sure you didn't do all of this for nothing. Luckily, I'm suddenly finding myself In a generous mood."

Her eyebrows raise, almost seductively, if Not for the feeling that she could just as easily pounce across the table and tear Danny's throat out as soon as anything else.

there's a long silence after her question. Danny's first thought is help locating Michael and Cassandra, but if Lynk and Stormcorp. Couldn't do it already, there's a strong doubt Alicia would have the means- plus, it would automatically raise a flag about the usefulness of the technology he was selling her. Beyond that, Danny had nothing else to ask for.

"Danny might be too modest to bring it up," begins Monica, "But, there was interest In reviving the HWA?" Monica looks at Danny wondering why he wouldn't have suggested it himself.

"HW-" Alicia starts, shaking her head In consternation. "I thought the world was moving away from professional wrestling? Didn't we just tank a whole wrestling org to begin with??"

she pauses, letting out a slight breath to calm herself down Before holding up a hand In a placating gesture as she speaks. "Of course, if that's What you wanted, Mr. Starr, I am sure it would be relatively trivial for me to arrange it."

Danny smiles looking to Monica. Remembering why Monica would suggest it, but Danny also remembered why he decide Not to pursue it; Royalty... Sett... they were so willing to sign it's death warrant, why should Danny Starr bother? In the end, Danny believed Royalty should live the rest of his life regretting his fateful mistake.

"I appreciate it, Monica." He Says, "but Alicia, that's quite all right. There was a time In the recent past that I had discussed this with Monica but you're right, the world is moving away from professional wrestling."

"Fine By me, Starr. How about, once you figure it out, you give me a call and I can chew it over?"

she looks at everyone and gets to her feet again. "Since I'm assuming this very dramatic entrance was the entire purpose of this meeting, I'll be leaving now."

She smiles sweetly to Monica and Cat, Before fixing her gaze on Danny once more as her grin goes predatory once more.

Monica escorts Alicia and Cat out to the elevators and then returns to Danny’s office where He is turning off the Surrogate Avatar software.

“She seems to be very pleased, Danny.” Monica Says, sitting down where Alicia had been sitting, “No easy feat.”

“Now that Alicia knows, we can start to slowly and carefully make the transition from Eric Rayne to Danny Starr.” Danny feels a weight lift off of his shoulder. “Do we have a time-frame on that?”

“I think we can probably begin shifting things very slowly starting with his lesser interested investments.” Monica Says, “All In all, if we play our cards right, Danny Starr should be able to go fully public within the next couple years.”

“It takes time, Danny...” Monica Says, “there’s so many moving parts.”

“To be free of Eric’s mask.” Danny dreams “To use my own voice instead of his.”

A year later and He still hasn’t an inkling of a clue where Michael or Cassandra could be. As the time goes on, his searching becomes sparse, relying on ping alarms to alert him whenever their phones become active. When He goes a while without being alerted, He checks manually again, hoping they come on social media, or use their cellular phone, but after there Years..., they still Are missing In action.

Although, the result is always the same, and some days Are just a miss, other days, Danny is frustrated that He still can’t find them. He wonders if they intentionally went dark to avoid him, after all, Cass did leave on her own accord for that very reason.

But to have no ping or Internet presence? How could that be? and with the surveillance that Danny had, how could it be that there was nothing to work with. Not a single trace.

Hundreds of screens fill the wall of the former High Society chamber, Danny’s desk replacing the convening table, only his chair now. The tradition HS shield moved behind him on the opposite wall from the television screens, a single sword In the sheathe. Each of the screens stream their own content, linked to different networks, different surveillance systems, and with the touch of a button, He could pick and choose anywhere that a satellite can reach. The office now used for storage; the chamber is his office now.

As Danny sits behind his desk, monitoring the plethora of screens beyond his desk, Monica sits In one of the two guest chairs watching him search for Michael. An alert sounds and Danny presses a button turning the entire wall of screens into a single video image of the front lobby- Alicia walking In for their meeting. Monica heads to the chamber doors and opens them ajar for Alicia to walk right in. When she does, she doesn’t seem thrilled.

"Are you drunk?" she accosts him In response to his greeting, strutting forward and seating herself across from him.

"The UBW I told you to get rid of it. It's still around. Reporting record profits, actually. Care to explain?"

"Alicia, I closed the company down Before any of this started." Danny tries to appear confused. "I haven't run UBW since Before GWA fell apart."

Danny's tongue pokes into his cheek as his eyes look up at her, feeling her words stick him like a dagger. He smirks and pulls his tongue back to center to respond.

"I thought we decided that professional wrestling was on a steady decline and we would integrate horizontally into new and exciting avenues?" Danny reminds her.

"YOU decided that," she reminds him, her tone warm but her eyes icy, "when you revealed you had been duping me for who knows how long with holograms of my old protégé."

She offers him a sweet smile. "So perhaps I've a reason to consider other vectors of subterfuge."

Her smile fades into a stare. "So were you going to answer my question or just try and spin me around In circles?"

Danny sits back, remembering that despite how powerful we feels, He is still at the mercy of Alicia.

"I don't understand, Alicia..." Danny Says, "I don't see how UBW is a threat to us. Romeo is an old friend..."

"We aren't In the business of professional wrestling anymore." Danny Says, "Haven't our numbers been better than ever without it?"

"Seats like that don't just go empty. And that fire? At a major pay per view? In a major arena with no history of such a thing?"

"Sometimes..." Danny Says, "Things just happen. A long time ago, you told me if I think of something you could do In return... this is it. I just want for us to leave Romeo alone."

She considers this with a scowl. "....Fine," she Says after a none too brief pause. "You're loyal to Your friends, I'll grant you that."

She stands up and brushes off her skirt, giving Monica a cordial nod as she turns to leave.

"If only Your friends were as willing to reciprocate that loyalty, hm?" she Asks, just barely over her shoulder, the barest grin touching her features, just out of Danny's sight.

"A few Years... back, 2005 or so... do you remember how UBW bounced back from financial ruin, seemingly from nowhere?"

"You mean after the ring went?" Danny Asks, shaking his head at the minor setback, "More evidence that Tommy deserves What He had earned through strong leadership..."

"Tommy was, In fact, quite destitute at the time of the ring's demise. Barely had a penny to his name, and certainly Not enough to pay for the reinforced frame and top grade materials its successor was built from."

She finally turns her head to face Danny. "No, Danny, Your good friend Romeo actually took out something of a personal loan."

"He never said anything about that." Danny denies it, until looking at Monica to see her face, to realize it was true.

"Your dear friend-slash-alter-ego Eric Rayne, of course." There is a hungry glint to her eyes.

"Eric always kept his projects close to the chest," she responds, "and Tommy, well, if he's as old a friend as you say, maybe He just Couldn't bear to break the news."

"That doesn't make sense." Danny Says, "I would have gladly paid for the ring. Why would He go straight to Eric? Monica?"

"He came to Eric because He didn't want to look weak." Monica admits, "Eric offered him no interest, but instead, a favor In return."

Monica shrugs. Danny looks at Alicia for confirmation. "What favor?"

"You lost the right to that secret when you buried that sword In its keeper's chest," Alicia Says with a shrug.

She quirks an eyebrow thoughtfully. "Maybe it's something yet to even come to pass? Eric was a very long-sighted individual, after all..."

she gives him a teasing shrug, with a passing amused glance to Monica. "TA-TA, Mr. Starr. I'm glad we could keep this disagreement so... friendly... between us."

She tips her head to nod good-bye. And leaves his office without further comment.

“She IS a woman, is she Not?” Danny questions jokingly, only seeing Monica’s raised eyebrows. A moment passes and it dawns on Danny.

“Just like I won’t assume you purposely held that information from me after getting pissed that I had.” Danny warns.

“Oh...” Monica realizes. “I actually knew, but quite frankly, It didn’t cross my mind as something that was important.”

“I went and sold the UBW to him...” Danny reminds her, “When He could have been betraying me.”

“You see, you give me shit when I keep something close to my chest...” Danny Says, “and then you turn around and do it right back.”

“I said I’m sorry...” Monica Says, “I really don’t know anything other than about the loan.”

“Why wouldn’t Romeo tell me...” Danny wonders, “He never would have thought I would think anything of it. A ring is wear and tear...”

“I told you.” Monica Says, “It was probably about impressing you more than anything.”

“Let’s see...” Danny Says, using his mouse to turn the screens from the image of Alicia finally exiting the building, to a search for the date of the ring collapse.

“I need you to head to access the financial archives and find the date Eric provided the loan.” Danny tells Monica. “September 2005.”

Monica reaches to her side where her computer bag is and retrieves her lap top. She unfolds it and types In her password, immediately pulling up Quicken to begin searching for the date In question. After a moment or two, she clicks and twists the computer around so Danny can see the screen.

“Signed...” Danny’s eyes narrow as He reads the contract’s date, “September 24th, 2005“ and types it into Lynk’s search bar. He brings up Eric’s old office camera and begins begins speeding through the entire day until He recognizes a man that looks like Tommy Romeo.

"I understand you Are having some difficulties and Are In need of assistance?" Eric Says“Well our ring is falling apart, the arena just needed so much maintenance and I still haven’t finished paying those bills off. Eric I don’t think the ring will last another event.”

"So you need another ring." Eric's eyebrows quirk up, "Why didn't you just go to Danny Starr? It's his company, isn't it?"

“Danny has already replaced the ring once. He told me to make this one last, but that’s difficult to do between the big men and the hard-core division.” Tommy let’s out a deep sigh. “I’d rather Not bother him this time and just deal with it myself.”

Eric reaches into his drawer and pulls out a check book. He opens it and begins writing.

“Well that was easy.” Tommy’s expression goes from sullen to insulted to excited In one movement. He was very confused about What was just said but Eric was going to write the check. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can Eric, were up and coming man we’re building a following. The account is under UBW Wrestling....”

Eric stops short and looks up at Tommy with narrowed eyes. "You know What, Mr. Romeo?" Eric Says with a predatory grin, "Here's What I'll do. I'm going to make this out to Tommy Romeo that way you can keep it off the books. Also, this could be between me and you. Would that be satisfactory?"

Eric begins writing Tommy Romeo on the name-line, "Good." And looks back up to Tommy.

"You might Not believe this, Tommy." Eric Says, "But I'm Not very interested In money as much as I am In friendship. So, I won't ask you for a single dime In return..."

“Wow, okay it’s always nice to have friends with influence. Especially more than one.” Tommy cracks a large smile back at Eric “ I can get behind that.” Tommy approaches Eric and extends his hand to shake.

"I'm sorry, I'm old fashioned." Eric Says, "Maybe it's my old age but I usually don't shake a man's hand until the transaction is complete."

Eric reaches for the phone on his desk and presses the intercom, "Monica... please print out the reimbursement contract for Mr. Romeo. Thank you." He releases the button and smiles to Tommy again.

"Just need you to sign something." Eric Says, "but don't worry, it's record will only be on our end."

Monica walks In after a moment and hands Eric the contract, leaving immediately after.

"All right., Tommy." Eric provides a pen for him, "I just need you to sign and date on this line. It's Not saying anything other than you accepted a financial favor and pledge to return a favor equal to or less than when the time comes... and, quite frankly, if we're being honest... the favor will be called In around 2006."

“Oh just a favor? Shit man..” Tommy takes the offered seat and picks up the pen. Quickly scanning the paper and mumbling the words under his breath as He reads them. Tommy then scribbles his signature on the line and looks up at Rayne. “2006 huh? UBW should be fully capable of taking care of itself at that point I’m in.” Tommy turns the sheet of paper around and shoved it towards Eric on the desk.

"Now, we can shake hands." Eric stands up and offers it. Tommy stands up and shakes it but finds it stuck In Eric's grip.

“Tommy Romeo an Eric Rayne making moves.” Romeo chuckles, “NOW THAT'S SENSATIONAL! Who needs em right?”

Danny clicks pause on Tommy’s laughing face and looks at Monica. She can see his seething eyes.

“And Alicia even knew.” Danny glares at her, “and you let me sell him the UBW.”

“I’m sorry... I didn’t...” Monica begins, giving up, and sighing at how it looks. “I didn’t know Tommy made fun of you. I just knew about the contract.”

“That disloyal snake.” Danny’s anger grows inside of him, “and He never said a word.”

“It might have just been something to say,” Monica suggests, “You know, like a quip.”

“And now you’re defending him.” Danny growls, “Cassandra, Eric, Royalty, Sett, now Romeo? they all put on masks the minute I took mine off.”

The thought of it plagued Danny’s mind. The idea of Alicia and Monica knowing it while Danny was In the dark this entire time was humiliating. After everything Danny had done for Romeo, a mockery and backdoor loans with his own interests. Danny allowed Tommy Romeo into the Foundation of Sensation and this is What He thought of him? He felt betrayed.

A seed like this always found a way to grow inside Danny’s mind. Another betrayal from someone He trusted. Maybe He should have shut down the UBW. Maybe He should do it to appease Alicia. Maybe.

Maybe, He could hire Erin to do What she had done against the GWA, He thought. After all, if Romeo too was In cahoots with Eric to shut down UBW In 2006, it was part of the plan Erin Wallace would want to be a part of.

Erin pulls the phone from her pocket, looking down to see the caller ID. she narrows her eyes, pressing the button to accept the call.

"Erin. Hello." Danny greets her, hoping He can escape her comment, "How is everything going on Your end?"

"How Are things going...!?" Erin nearly screamed. "I stuck my neck out for you, did What you asked, now no one will hire me. Words thrown at me like plagiarism... insider trading... sabotage... I thought this was going to be a partnership Danny. I thought you were going to take care of us!"

"Erin, I am very sorry to hear about Your troubles. It wasn't my intention." Danny tries to be as genuine as He can knowing Erin Couldn't possibly know how deep the rabbit hole ran, "Just know, that Your sacrifice isn't In vein... we won, Erin. We stopped Eric's plans."

"We... won?" Erin responded, calm returning to her voice. "I knew about GWA... but assumed when I didn't hear back... I don't get it, Danny... where were you? I thought once we took care of GWA, HWA was next...?"

"It's unfortunately, well, it's complicated." Danny Says, "Eric still own the HWA and despite my best efforts, there was nothing I could do... I'm sorry..."

and just like that... all hope was squashed once more. Erin can't hide her disappointment, a debilitating sigh escaping her lips.

"Only you, Starr," Erin began, rubbing her eyes In frustration. "Can say we 'won' and, In the same breath - with the same words - say we 'lost'."

"Just one of my endearing qualities, I suppose." Danny attempts humor, "Maybe I can make it up to you. You said you Are being blacklisted?"

"Who would want to hire me after What I did?" Erin rhetorically asked. "I tried freelance... self publishing... nothing worked. HWA was my last shot... OUR last shot."

"I might have some work for you." Danny offers through his teeth, now fearing that his offer will only serve to offend her. "There's another wrestling organization that Eric had ties with... it would require the same treatment if you're up for it. I will pay you In advance. $10,000?"

there was a pause on the other end, as if Erin was considering it. She needed the money, but at What cost.

"Danny... I went down this road once Before," Erin sadly claimed. "I had my reasons for doing so... but if the HWA is truly out of reach... I'm sorry, my answer is 'no'."

"This ruined me, In more ways than one Danny," Erin lashed out, unfairly... more upset with herself. "I don't know What you're involved In, but you need to ask yourself... is it worth the price?"

"Depends if the price is right, Ms. Wallace." Danny teases the possibility of increasing the offered amount, hoping she takes the bait.

"Danny," Erin started. "I don't know much more than What you gave me on Eric Rayne, but I know that he's a dangerous man with dangerous allies. You keep this vendetta up... you have to know it won't end well, right?"

"You don't have to worry about Eric Rayne." Danny insists, "I can protect you from him."

"Where have I heard that Before?" Erin retorted. "You have my answer, Danny... I think it's time to move on... for all of us."

"Fair enough." Danny concedes, "Take care Erin. And if you change Your mind, please don't hesitate to call."

"Danny," Erin pleaded. "Just... be careful. You know What they say about staring into the abyss too long..."

"Sure thing. Erin." Danny satisfies her heartfelt warning, aware that she Couldn't begin to understand that He was the abyss.
It was obvious after the phone call ended, that Danny would have to do this himself, but how could He keep Romeo away from the UBW long enough to destroy it?

“I’m Not sure.” Danny Says, “He would have to be completely In the dark for a certain amount of time. Long enough for me to tank UBW’s ratings.”

“I do want Tommy to feel humiliated as I felt hearing his words.” Danny Says out loud, “and there is someone who’s deplorable enough to keep Tommy... ‘occupied’ until I can do What needs to be done, but, He wouldn’t answer to Eric Rayne.”

“Who Are you thinking?” Monica Asks, “Grimes is long passed criminal undertakings.”

“I would hardly consider a mercenary within the confines of the law, but that’s Not who I am thinking.” Danny Says, “It has to be someone that would jump at the opportunity to bring Romeo down. Someone I have hired Before and someone who is as familiar with UBW as Romeo himself.”

“Desperate times.” Danny admits, “A few empty promises, He ends up In prison, I know He isn’t a snitch.”

“It has to be me.” Danny Says, clicking his computer screen to the larger collection, “It has to be Danny Starr.” An image of “the Sociopath” Dan Randolph’s mug shot pops up across the wall. Monica has an uneasy feeling overtake her as Danny has a second thought about the entire thing but then He remembers Romeo’s lies.

“Must be Your birthday.” The disgusted Warden Olstein snarls as He and a set of guards approach Prisoner 10300 In his cell. “Somehow, the courts approved Your parole early.”

“Bully for me. A black cloud for the rest of you.” Prisoner 10300, or more notoriously known as, “the Sociopath” Dan Randolph, laughed at his oppressor.

“Open the cell.” Warden Olstein orders his guards. “We’ll keep it warm for ya, Randolph. I know you’ll be back By the end of the day.”

“I’ll never understand how justice could fail so many people By keeping you off of death row.” The warden growls.

“What can I say? Life isn’t fair.” Randolph smirks, his yellow teeth glowing through his chapped lips.

After his belongings were returned to him, He was escorted out of the prison to a black limo with tinted windows. He opens the back door and peeks In, seeing nobody. He climbs In and shuts the door.

“I figured this freedom would have strings attached.” Randolph looks out the tinted glass.

“Unless you have money, right Starr?” Randolph laughs, “You only know how to murder through proxy, but you know What, I guess that’s Not true anymore, is it?”

“Starr, if it’s one thing I’ve learned working for you...” Randolph Says, “It’s always about you. You. You.”

“Randolph, I need this taken care of.” Danny cuts to the chase, “I’m Not going to play games with you. Either take it or you can go right back In there.”

“I take care of Romeo for you. That’a pleasure...” Randolph Says, “But I ain’t goin back In that cage.”

“No psycho bullshit.” Danny Says, “You have Your way with Romeo but you do exactly how I want it. No death. No going too far. This isn’t like Diamond’s parent’s killers... this is just straight forward. We both get What we want and I will protect you, yes.”

“Now, do I look like somebody who breaks the rules?” Randolph grins, his yellow teeth glow through the darkness.

“Take this.” Danny hands him another encrypted flip phone. “It rings, you answer it. And Randolph... I wouldn’t try anything funny... I have eyes and ears everywhere.”

“You don’t gotta go there, Starr.” Randolph Says, “After all, I’m a free man because of you; conditions applied.”

“There’s a taxi behind the Limo. They’ll take you where you need to be.” Danny Says

“I thought I could hang out with you a bit, Starr.” Randolph uncomfortably jokes, “Catch up a bit.” He laughs as Danny waits for him to exit. He finally opens the door to leave, “....Fine, thanks, Starr... it’s gonna be real nice breathin’ that free man’s air.” And slams the door harder than He needs to.

A shiver runs down Danny’s spine. He feels dirty and automatically sinful that He went this route despite Monica advising him against it. He wonders if He should have listened, but He knew Randolph would make this all possible. Danny’s anger at Romeo’s betrayal stoked the flames of his impulsive nature, and without thinking, made a very brash decision that maybe He can’t undo.

As Mark drives Danny away from the New York state pen, He decides to prepare the next phase of his plan. He reaches into his pocket for his “Danny Starr” phone, and searches the contact list for T until He lands on Tommy Romeo’s number. He hits call and waits for it to begin ringing.

"Tommy! I'm glad you kept my number!" Danny Says, "It's been a couple Years... How is the UBW holding up?"

“You know how these things go it takes a little while to get off the ground but we’re finally back In full gear. No more dark shows.”

“You couldn’t have done a better job yourself.” Tommy Says patting himself on the back a bit.

"Well, I am Not just calling to boost Your ego, Tommy." Danny Says, "I do have some great news for you!"

"I'm sorry to even request this of you, but I was hoping you would be able to be my honorary FOS representative for an upcoming professional wrestling expo. It would be In September, which is, a couple weeks away, and would only be a week or so from Your UBW duties."

“It would be an honor.” Tommy replies quickly. “To be honest I could use a bit of a reprieve. The show can run itself for a week.

"Actually, I would be lying if I told you I didn't miss the UBW." Danny interjects, "Maybe I could come help run things along?"

“Ohh no way. That would be awesome I’ll let the writers know Your coming. It shouldn’t be a problem a familiar face may boost ratings too.”

"Haha, well, just a little visit." Danny laughs, "I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome. And I'm sure Your ratings Are just ....Fine!"

“....Fine isn’t good enough for me Danny I wanna be one of the bigs. I want to compete for ratings with Eric Rayne Not the local high schools spring musical.”

"Ah, yes..." Danny bares his teeth behind the phone, "Dream big like Eric Rayne. Have you ever met Eric Rayne?"

“No, I don’t think I have. But He’s on a whole different level.” Tommy’s voice waivers slightly

"You Are absolutely right. Eric has always been a different kind of animal," Danny Says, "but you know the expression, when you live By the sword... Anyway. I will email you the information, and the location of the expo. Thank you again, Tommy."

It was done. The conversation ended. Danny’s anger given reinforcement as Romeo lies again about Not only meeting with Rayne, but being acquainted with Rayne as well. Randolph was a killer and deserved to be on death row, but if He could distract Romeo long enough to obliterate the UBW, it would be worth it to watch Romeo suffer and then lose everything Danny had give him.

He asked Monica to notify him if there was any pings on the Lynk system regarding Cassandra or Michael, and to let him know if anything urgent came about while He was gone. Once Monica was In charge of the High Society’s affairs, Danny didn’t hesitate to have Mark drive him from NYC to New Jersey to ‘watch over’ the UBW. It would be a stroll down memory lane, but with a nefarious twist towards it’s final destination.

The wrestling expo set for the LA convention center the following day, Tommy Arrives at LAX and gets a cab to his hotel. Having decided to treat himself He made a reservation at the Beverly Hilton. After checking into his room He decides to lay down.

It’s Not certain whether it was during the flight or some point In between the plane and his arrival at the hotel, but He had been trailed the entire time By a dangerous man with a personal vendetta from Romeo’s past.

This man knew where Romeo would be from the time He left New Jersey and every move after when He arrived at the hotel. That is why it didn’t make sense to Romeo why, when He awakened, He was no longer In the hotel room but a dark and damp location He didn't recognize.

His head was sore with a lump He doesn’t remember He had developed, and was woozy enough to feel the sensation of wanting to vomit. It must’ve been a bad dream, nothing made sense, and then, clarity. He wasn’t asleep. He wasn’t dreaming. At some point, He had been displaced, but By who?

He was inside of some kind of cage. The bars surrounded him on all sides. “Where the fuck am I?” He wondered, his head throbbing. All He could do was wait, retrace his steps, and try to think how He could have ended up here and Not the wrestling expo.

Romeo lived In the complete darkness, alone- and had been for hours as his captor had sent a special video for that night’s UBW event. It began playing halfway through the show when the lights went out midway through Jojo versus Fatman In a snake pit match, unplanned, unexpected.

"They thought they could bury me and move on, but ideas do Not die..." the Sociopath's voice speaks through the darkness, "It won't be long Before the UBW atones for it's many, many sins... no, it won't be long now..."

A sociopath breaks out In laughter In a promo; a warning that UBW is In his crosshairs.

Ian smacks his shoulder and Jojo returns to him, confused, and unsure if He was asked a question or Not

"Forget it!" Ian is fed up. "Let's talk about last week's Rage! Evan Blane and Storm, revenge, the Beast In handcuffs, Danny Starr through a flaming tables! UBW is really heating up!"

As the fans enjoyed another UBW Rage event, Tommy Romeo was starving, cold, and captive inside of a makeshift prison In an undisclosed location.

He hears footsteps pattering In the distance, eat step down slops with a wet echo until finally, Randolph stands a few feet from the metal chain links of the kennel.

"It's almost time, Tommy." Sociopath smiles, all Tommy can make out is a yellow stained grin.

“You get uglier every time I see you. You piece of shit.” Tommy jumps at the cage towards Randolph. “ Your so lucky I can’t get to you.”

"You hid Your UBW away from me so I Couldn't get to you..." Sociopath grabs the chains with his finger, breathing into Tommy's face. "You and I will always find a way to get one another.. And now, I got you."

Randolph shakes the cage aggressively with both hands Before bouncing back from them, laughing maniacally as He does it.

"I have something special planned for you, Tommy." Randolph Says, "Close Your eyeeeesss"

Randolph disappears into the darkness all around. Romeo hears a ruffling and then a single spark of electricity as the Sociopath plugs something in. To Tommy's peripheral lights up a television screen.

"The television is set to UBW's Internet feed." Randolph Says, "When it goes live, you'll be able to see me as I dismantle everything you've built... and when I return to you... I'll simply unlock the cage and let you continue on with Your meaningless, sin-ridden existence without Your precious baby."

Tommy claws at the cage, rage-filled, trying to rip the links wide enough to climb through and strangle his enemy but can't. Instead, Romeo spits whatever saliva He can collect at the Sociopath.

A week would pass, and Danny Starr would continue filling In for Romeo, playing the heel role as Romeo was supposed to be doing Before his disappearance.

Evan Blane stands In the ring with a microphone, calling out Danny Starr with his chosen Ultimate Champion the Beast Mikey Randolph.

"Danny. This is it. The culmination of everything we have been through. For those who don't know, I have known and worked with Danny Starr for almost 7 Years... outside of UBW. We were colleagues In a wrestling company called HWA Where We belonged to faction called the Foundation Of Sensation. Danny said We were equals and such In this organization but I know why He hired me. I was his fixer, the guy He called when there was a "problem" to be solved, because I had no qualms doing the dirty deeds. A while ago We brought a subdivision of the Foundation here to UBW and added Tommy Romeo to the group. Yes our missing In action owner is a member of the FOS, but back to the matters at hand. Daniel, I am sick and tired of having to clean up Your problems and Not getting the respect I deserve. I worked hard In this company, I brought it from bingo halls to arenas. I fought and clawed my way from the bottom and every time I feel I get close to the top, there is always a person who puts a foot on my head and holds me down and honestly, 9 out of 10 times its Your foot. Not anymore. GET OUT HERE AND FACE ME! Oh any you can bring Your bitch of a champion out with you."

Fixxxer By Metallica hits and"the Sensation" Danny Starr walks out, followed By the UBW Ultimate Champion, "the Beast" Mikey Randolph.

"Interesting take," Danny Says into his own microphone, "Although, misleading. To be a hired gun for Danny Starr is a privilege and an honor."

"It's okay, Mike." Danny Says, "You throwing me through a flaming table truly sealed the deal when it comes to Your membership with the FOS, another privilege an honor you've squandered."

"You believe you deserve more? You believe you deserve a shot at the Beast? I'll tell you What, tonight... you will face the Beast In a non-title flaming table's match! and if you win, you get Your title shot at the next pay per view Bloodlust. If Not, you can stay In the hard-core division for an entire year!"

"Now, THAT'S Sensational!" Danny finishes as his music hits again. They both walk back leaving Evan Blane In the ring.

After the segment was over In the public's view, Evan Blane walks through the curtains where Danny is waiting for him.

"Hey, have you heard from Tommy at all?" Asks Danny, shifting from his character to his normal self now that they weren't In front of the cameras.

"Nah man. Its Not like him to be gone for this long without a phone call or some form of contact. Oh and sorry about the shit I said out there. I was really feeling it so I just let it go and the crowd was eating it up."

Danny laughs, putting his hand on Evan's shoulder. "Come on, man. This is the game. Come on, let's go try to call Tommy. I can't stay here too many weeks to fill in."

Danny and Evan head to the locker rooms where their cell phones Are stored, but unfortunately, Tommy's phone is still off as it was Before

Meanwhile, Tommy has watched the same show the audience had watched, and nobody except him was seemingly present In the basement He was contained in.

Tommy incredibly frustrated By his situation. Kicks the gate to his cage. Noticing the chain pull through a little “Oh shit.” He exclaims, and begins kicking the gate again, little By little the chain begins to give more and more. He rushes the gate and puts his shoulder into it and instead of the chain moving again the gate stops and Tommy bursts through the poorly constructed fencing of the cage. His head hitting the ground hard, the world fade around him.

"I don't care if it's night or day, Monica..." Danny speaks over the cell phone, "If you find him- don't hesitate to call me.... Okay... Thank you... bye." Danny hangs up as the UBW theme music begins.

"What? Oh, no..." Danny Says, "Still nothing. I suppose we'll just go out there and we'll try our best to hype up the coming title shot. Okay, so, let's calibrate, Blane... You beat Mikey last week to get Your shot but now Storm feels He should get his shot, so when He goes out there and challenges you for the number one contender spot, I'll come out and make the pay per view a triple threat. Sound good?"

the scene cuts back to Storm In the ring with a mic In his hand and fire In his eyes.
"Blane! Get out here! You owe me a match and honestly, you don't deserve to be number one contender!"

Evan's music hits and He comes through the curtain and does his usual entrance actions, high-fiving the crowd and grandstanding as much as He could. Blane forcefully grabs the mic from Storm's hand and Says snidely

"Storm, you aren't number one contender to hold my jock strap." The crowd goes nuts. "I was In the back and as I heard those words slip out of Your mealy mouth, I knew I needed to come out here and shut you up. You have no idea What it takes to go up against a champion, but something has come to mind. Oh Daniel, I know you Are back there listening could you come out here and do Your damned job Before I kick the teeth out of this pretender." Blane hands the mic gently back to Storm

Fixxxer By Metallica hits and the crowd begins to boo Before Danny can even walk out. Being a heel used to feel good, but now, it brings back horrible memories of a time that Danny has evolved from.

As He walks out and raises the microphone to his mouth to speak his prepared lines, He notices a commotion behind both Storm and Blane outside of the ring.

Before either of the men could realize the impending threat, the Sociopath wearing a hat jumps into the ring with a baseball bat, mouthing the words "Different Daniel" and completely decimates Blane across the back of his skull.

Storm has only heard stories from the first UBW, but Couldn't be prepared for Randolph. He believes this is a work and throws a right at the former UBW wrestler.

Randolph only eats the punch and grins with bright yellow teeth. Storm doesn't know What is supposed to happen, but neither does Danny Starr.

Storm sees Blane's head sprouting unplanned blood like a fountain In the ring and as He looks up at Randolph again, the gravity of the situation clicks, but it's too late.

The crowd, Danny, and the viewing audience winces as the wooden bat splits into shards from the impact against Storm's forehead.

He drops motionless as Randolph grabs the fallen microphone from In between where both men lay.

"This company thought it could hide it's past!" Sociopath snarls, "But now it's here to bite with the ferocious teeth of judgment!"

Danny waves for security to actually get In there and shut this down but Randolph jumps out of the ring Before they can get to him.

Danny rushes to the back and orders medical attention out to help Storm and Blane, searching to and fro for Mikey Randolph.

Mikey finds Danny In the hall seemingly for the same reason. "You didn't tell me my brother was coming back!" Happy that Starr would surprise him.

Danny looks at Mikey as He realizes this isn't a true surprise to him, and that He was being coy about Sociopath's impromptu return.

"I have to make sure Blane and Storm Are Not dead." Danny turns from Mikey to check out their medical status.

In the warehouse, Tommy has woken up, his body begging for nutrients as He comes to. Evan Blane's theme music wakes him and He begins to watch as He gathers his senses.

He begins to function. He realizes Evan Blane is answering Storm's challenge and knows this is when He was supposed to come out, but assumes now, that Starr would be instead.

“Shit!” Tommy screams and scrambles to his feet. Grabbing his cell phone and keys off the table where Randolph had been keeping them. In view of Romeo but out of reach. Running out the door marked exit and covering his eyes expecting the sun to be blazing, but it was dark. Having been In the cage so long He had lost track of all time. He tries to turn on his phone but it is dead and has been for some time. He sees his pickup parked In the back corner of the lot and bolts toward it. Opening the door jumping In the drivers seat and taking off for home. He plugs his phone In and as soon as it come back to life He frantically dials Danny, Only for the phone to ring once and then go straight to voicemail. “I’ve got to get there I can’t let anyone else get hurt.” Tommy sets his phone In the holder mounted to the dashboard and opens the UBW stream. Then takes off down the road.

Danny Starr sees Romeo's phone call but He didn't leave a message. He, instead, sits beside Evan In the hospital as He is starting to wake up.

"I guess there's worse sights to wake up to In the morning. How long have I be out?" Blane Says weakly.

Danny's eyes close thinking about it, "Storm. You're doing much better than He is."

Blane as He pushes himself from a laying position Says"Danny I swear on my mother's life, I WILL GET MY VENGEANCE.....ow ow ow ow......." Blane starts to lay back down realizing his head isn't exactly 100 percent and now is dealing with the repercussions.

"I'm sorry, Evan." Danny Says regretfully, "I can't let you risk Your health just to exact revenge. You're going to have to let me handle our Sociopath problem."

Danny stands up, "With you and Storm out, the others Are suggesting I cancel the next show until We can have Randolph taken care of.. I just wonder if that's What He wants."

Blane lays there staring at the ceiling when a thought pops In to his head. "Do you think Tommy going missing has anything to do with the return of Randolph? I mean it could just be the pain killers talking or the potential second degree concussion..... But there's really no such thing as coincidence."

Danny ponders Evan's words for a moment Before deciding that He should get his rest.

"Anything is possible." Danny Says, but with Romeo gone... and now Evan Blane out, the UBW is Randolph's personal playground, especially with Mikey there to corrupt. I'll handle it."

Danny puts his fist over his heart and pounds his chest twice, as a silent expression of compradre between the old FOS friends. Danny takes his leave as Evan's eyes roll back to rest.

The UBW's next Rage would go on as planned but without the scheduled main event, Danny thought He could entertain the fans with a hard-core battle royale where the winner would be crowned the new UBW HBR Champion.

Everyone was allowed to participate from Jojo to Fatman, from the Beast to Helga, and with the return of Demon set for Rage, Danny called him to cancel indefinitely"until Sociopath was re-arrested for his attack on the talent."

It would be an exciting, mind-easing battle royale even with the mid-carders filling the time, but when the Sociopath showed up again, this time with a tazer, it was Johnny Syko that felt the wrath.

"This is getting out of hand!" Ian Clair commentates, and Danny Starr has security ready to file out and surround the ring so there would be no escape for Randolph.

As one security guard enters, Randolph hits him with the taser. Another, and the same result. Finally, the lights go out completely and Revolution Man hits over the loud speaker.

When the lights come back on, Tommy Romeo has appeared behind the Sociopath waiting for him to turn around.

Randolph takes an intuitive swing backwards with the taser but Romeo ducks it, passing the Sociopath and reaching back to grab each of his arms for the Fame and Glory.

Randolph's head slams against the ring and the taser falls out of his hand. As Romeo grabs a microphone, Randolph tries to climb up using the ropes.

“Now listen up my Randolph. Now Your In my ring..... Drop the cage!!!” Tommy begins pacing around the ring circling Randolph over and over while the cage lowers on top of them.

Randolph's eyes widen as He stands up, glancing all around at the cage surrounding the two enemies, and a sudden smile appears.

Romeo rushes towards him, cracking the mic on the Sociopath's head, cutting it open immediately. Randolph drops to one knee but the smile never fades. Romeo watches as red flows down the psycho's face and into his teeth Before deciding to hit him with it again but this time, the Sociopath grabs his wrist, throwing his right fist into Tommy's stomach.

As Tommy lets out a gasp, He rips his own hand from Sociopath's claw and the two begin trading blows until a swift kick into Romeo's lower abdomen removes him from the tradeoff, falling back against the ropes behind him.

Randolph capitalizes, rushing towards him with two hands to grab his face, forcing it backwards with a twist to dig into the metal bars of the steel cage.

Romeo's face begins to bleed out from the pressure of the sociopath heaving and shoving his head against the metal.

Tommy manages to push him away, realizing his own face is covered In blood now, the two stand face to face, bitter enemies reunited. They rush to collide but Tommy's clothesline is ducked, Sociopath launches his leg back quickly with a super-kick but Tommy grabs it, whipping Randolph around for a second fame and glory.

Romeo falls, losing blood, He waves for the cage to be lifted as Randolph lay flattened In a puddle of both of their life force, security rushing into the ring to apprehend the Sociopath.

They don't care about his injuries and handcuff him Before anything else, dragging him out of the ring, and all but dragging him up the ramp. He begins to wake up just as Danny Starr is coming out to check on Romeo and the two make eye contact.

Randolph mutters something to Starr that causes him to pause, but continues at a quickened pace to meet Romeo In the ring. As He checks on Romeo's wounds, the two converse about the Randolph kidnapping briefly until a commotion causes both men to turn their attention to the top of the ramp.

Mikey Randolph, with red snow shovel is laying waste to the members of UBW security. He swings a shovel at each one until one By one they Are unconscious, laying In a pile of bodies. Mike aims his shovel at the ring, and uses it to swipe across his neck with an intense expression as He supports the weight of his bloodied brother.

Mikey helps Sociopath back quickly to escape the rushing Tommy Romeo, but disappear Before He can reach them. Tommy begins to feel weak from the loss of blood and collapses halfway up the ramp. Danny jumps down and for the second week In a row, has to call medical attention to help a victim of Randolph.

Evan Blane watches from his hospital bed, still too sore to get up, let alone control the anger inside of him.

"GOD DAMN IT TOMMY!" GET UP!" Blane screams at the top of his lungs while laying there. Even yelling caused Evan to wince In great pain. Frantically looking around the room, Blane looks for his cell phone so He can contact either the police or Danny, but with no such luck.

Danny helps Romeo up and medical staff make their way out with a gurney to offer Tommy. They begin cleaning his head wound but Romeo turns down the gurney, with a permascowl to refuse it.

"Jesus Christ, Tommy..." Danny Says, "I'm going to have to get the police here. This is insanity."

“Just fucking clean it tape it and get out out of my face!” Tommy shouts at the medic tending to his injury. “Danny I’ve been locked In a cage By that fucking shithead for weeks. Do whatever you need to. Have it taken care of.”

Danny is taken aback that Romeo gave him an order, as if Danny was now, In Romeo's mind, working for him.

"But you know, getting the police involved wouldn't be very good for business." Danny suggests, "Maybe you could handle the sociopath problem here... In Your own playground."

“You’ve been running the show while I’ve been gone. You know best right now. I need some fucking water. Anybody got a bottle of god damn water?”

"Come with me." Danny Says, walking Tommy to the back area where security approaches.

"God Damnit!" Danny Says, "Look, Tommy, let's get you some water and talk about the next move."

They head to the locker room where Tommy guzzles water down and Danny sees a missed call from Monica but can't call her back now.

"Tommy, Evan and Storm have been taken out." Danny catches him up, "By Randolph. UBW has no main eventers until Blane is out of the hospital and as for Storm, well, I'm Not expecting his return."

“So What were you going to do Before I showed back up?” Asks Tommy, “I am starving man. I want a burger. Do you want a burger? Mmmmm”

"I hoped Randolph wouldn't show up so I created the UBW Hard-core Battle Royale." Danny Says, "Hope you don't mind. It was pretty entertaining until that psycho showed up again."

"And now, you have a concussion too..." Danny believes, "Wait, didn't you eat at some point on the way back here?"

“No. I Just came here and it was out of pure instinct that I even ended up In the ring with him.” Tommy pulls at the bottom corner of the tape holding his bandage on the medic had taped over his eyebrow and every time He blinked He could feel the hairs ripping out. “God Damnit I’m so tired.” Tommy now completely lethargic the adrenaline now wearing off.”

"Randolph will come back for you." Danny places his hand on Tommy's shoulder, "We make it easy to come... We allow the path to be free of resistance.. And when He does, we'll trap him like the animal He is."

“What time is it? Is it too late for Shake Shack!? Hey Danny, We will do it Your way man. You always know how the best course of action when it comes to this kinda stuff.”

A plan was In place, and the next week on Rage, Romeo would head out to the ring with a microphone to tell the story of Randolph keeping him captive In a makeshift cage for weeks.

“It’s funny you know.” Tommy takes off his backwards baseball cap and looks down into it.” Being locked In Your little cage brought back a lot of memories. Several weeks no food you start to see things, memories floor Your brain when you think well this is the end. But it wasn’t the end cuz you fucked up. You decided to leave and come to where I’m the man In charge. I know Your here. Both of you fucking Randolphs Are a disgrace to this organization. How’s this sound. You come out here and accept Your fates and nothing further has to come of this. Big brother goes to jail and little brother gets suspended without pay. “ Tommy begins to pace back and forth In the ring anxiously. Or evens better Big brother comes out and gets his ass beat and still goes to jail. And little brother just goes back to work.”

“The longer it takes for you to show Your faces. The worse things get for you.” Tommy climbs to the corner top rope and looks down at the ramp raising his right hand and his pointer finger. “In one minute I will strip Mike of the title. In two minutes I will award it to Evan Blane In three minute I will ban Mike from wrestling outside of the hard-core division for a year. How’s that sound?” the fans begin to cheer and boo showing a mixed reaction towards Tommy's conditions completely unaware that it’s Not just part of the show.

A full minute passes, and then a second, but Before the third "the Beast" Mikey Randolph's theme music begins to play as He, with shovel In hand, staggers out with rage In his eyes. He points at his cousin mouthing NO! regarding the stripping of his title belt.

Mikey climbs into the ring, belt over his shoulder, and takes the microphone from Romeo.

"It's already done." Tommy Says, "the Belt is Blane's, you should have came out when I said so."

"Nah," Mikey shakes his head, still grinning, "I'll be DAMNED if you think you Are giving MY belt to Blane!"

"You know What? the conditions were... you AND Your big brother and since he's Not here, I guess that third minute is about to pass anyway."

As Mikey shakes his head In denial, from the audience emerges Randolph from behind Romeo's view, carrying something long In his hand. He slides into the ring as Romeo lifts the microphone to his mouth.

"Sorry, Mike!" Romeo begins. "You.. Are Fire-" but Before He can finish firing the Beast, Randolph lifts up What seems to be a rifle and fires a rubber bullet into Romeo's upper back at close range.

Romeo lets out an excruciating yelp as the rubber hits his body, dropping him right to the ground.

"I don't care if He sees me!" Ian defiantly responds, "I don't care if the whole world sees me! Randolph brought a gun In here and has just shot Tommy Romeo In the back like a coward with, What seems to be a rubber bullet!"

"Well, I mean... it could have been a real bullet." Jojo tries to find the silver-lining.

"Who cares!" Ian Says, "Rubber bullets can be just as dangerous! Someone get out here and stop this!"

Mikey gets down with his belt, holding the front of it to taunt Tommy. Screaming In his face as Randolph pokes the muzzle into the back of Romeo's head.

Mikey grabs the microphone and Before speaking kicks Romeo on his back where the rubber bullet impacted making Romeo cry out from the pain.

"Or maybe... it hasn't gone far enough?" Jojo jokes, "No, this is probably too far. You think he's going to shoot him?"

Randolph removes the aim and turns the gun around bashing Romeo on the back with the brunt of the gun's handle.

"Now, that my brother is back..." Mikey begins, "We Are the acolytes of Lucifer's army!"

Randolph shoves the gun down again against his back, then flips the gun back around.

Before the Beast can finish his quatrain, Fixxxer By Metallica hits and Danny Starr walks out from the back with his own microphone.

"I gotta tell you," Danny begins sternly, "I have had just about enough of you devil worshipers."

"Nah, shoot this mother fu-" Mikey tells the sociopath but Before his order can be finished, Evan Blane, his head still bandaged slides into the ring from the audience and throws a big boot into the Sociopath's face thwarting the gun from his grip and out of the ring.

Mikey drops the microphone and grabs his shovel to hit Blane but Blane grabs the shovel with both hands, ripping it from the beast's possession.

Blane looks Mikey directly In his eyes and goes to smash the shovel against his head. Mikey flinches and Blane stops mid swing and turns and smashes it against the Sociopath's skull with sickening ping, sending him crashing back to the mat with a thud. Blane takes the back end of the shovel and use it as a spear and slams it to the ribs of Mikey, which causes him to double over In pain. Blane takes the shovel and snaps it In half over his knee and sends the pieces In to the crowd.

Blane starts to wave Danny down to the ring to He could collect the gun that was outside the ring

Danny heads down the ramp and sees Tommy beginning to get up, favoring his back, so He falls back, letting the actual UBW handle their own problems. He, instead, heads to the backstage area where He can gather up help to send out.

Tommy, now back to his feet, nods at Evan who has returned to save the UBW from the Sociopath and Mike Randolph. They stalk them In the ring as Mike and Sociopath cower backwards until their backs collide In the center, surrounding By Evan and Tommy.

Blane starts lighting the Sociopath up with rights hands, causing him to put his hands up to protect his head, which left his midsection open for a well placed left hand to the floating rib area driving the air right out of him and sending him to the ground. As Blane hammered away on the Sociopath, Tommy was following suit on Mikey, drilling him In the face and the body with solid rights and lefts. Blane grabs Randolph By the back of the neck and tosses him to one of the corners to keep him standing as the rights and left continue to rain down on him, and Tommy just takes Mikey down to the mat with a double leg takedown, and then gains a full mount to rain rights down on his cousin.

Tommy pulls Mike to his feet and looks at Blane and Randolph In the corner “Leave him and move!” Tommy shouts and Blane steps aside. Tommy then throws Mike into the Sociopath In the corner, Mikes full weight slamming into him. Tommy following closely behind jumping into the air and Drop-kicking Mike In the chest and causing the two to collide again Mike and Dan's heads smashing into each other Dan's tooth catching Mike In the top of the head cutting him open but also breaking the front tooth right out of his mouth. Tommy sees this as He gets back to his feet and begins laughing. “Not like you could get any uglier anyway.” Then headsets him square In the forehead.

Tommy grabs the Ultimate Championship off the ground and hands it to Evan. Revolution Man blasts from the sound system and Tommy sits on the middle rope motioning to Evan “After you champ.”

Blane takes the belt and bows his head to Tommy In respect, and puts a finger up. Evan walks over to Dan and pulls him to his feet groggily, Blane steps back and spins around and connects with a solid right roundhouse kick to the side of the head of the Sociopath, knocking him out cold. Blane turns back around and raised the belt over his head leaves the ring with the help of Romeo they both head to the ring where Security is waiting for them. Tommy looks at the head of security and the rush the ring and subdue the two men who Are left In a heap In the ring.

When Tommy and Evan get to the back, knowing Sociopath was finally apprehended, they Are surrounded By the other talent, In a moment of unity between all of the UBW.

Tommy looks over the heads of their fellow colleagues but there's no sight of him. Tommy shrugs and Johnny Syko informs them that He seen Mr. Starr heading for the locker rooms.

Evan and Tommy head for the locker room area where they find Danny packing up his duffle bag, zipping it open, and hoisting it over his shoulder.

Look, fellas..." Danny Says, "I left this world behind Years... ago. I did you a favor, Tommy, but you're back now and I simply cannot continue being In this environment. It's just Not my cup of tea anymore. I hope you understand..."

“Your just gonna up and bail mid storyline? Hahahaha Honestly I don’t blame you, being locked In a cage was much less stressful than this shit.” Tommy walks towards Danny arms spread wide to hug him.

Blane steps In front of Tommy, knowing that Danny doesn't do hugs. He takes the belt off of his shoulder and puts it In the duffle bag of Danny. Blane looks at his friend, places his hand on his shoulder and Says"I understand. I don't know What We Are going to do without you, but I know asking you to stay is pointless because Your mind is made up. I don't know What Your going to do next but I hope I will still hear from you time to time."

Danny looks into Evan's eyes, one of his most loyal friends, and a sense of sadness falls upon him.

"You've been a good friend." Danny Says, placing his own hand on Evan's shoulder and looks at Romeo." But stops short of including the same sentiment.

"This isn't goodb-" Suddenly, mid-sentence, Criminal bursts into the locker-room, startling all three men as they share a warm good-bye.

Evan and Romeo look at each other, kicking themselves for Not seeing Randolph taken In the back of a cop car Before celebrating, and take off out of the locker room and out to the top of the ramp where Randolph stands behind a security guard with a knife He must've had buried In his pocket. Blood is rushing from his head.

"One step closer and I'll put a bloody grin on this fucker's throat!" Sociopath promises, "You think I'm kidding!" and begins slicing part of his skin until both men stop In place.

"I want STARR!" Randolph demands, "Tell that crooked mother faker to get out here now!"

"Tell them the truth, Starr!!!! You owe me!!!" Sociopath Says, Tommy inches closer and the knife goes back, deep into the man's throat, ready to slice.

"You'd think I would just be Your sheep! You think I'd let you get away with getting out of our deal!?"

As Mikey can barely stand up, his head completely devastated By the impact of his brother's tooth, blood forces his energy to deplete. A sneaky Fatman manages to sneak up from behind Randolph and slides into the ring to protect the security guard, grabbing Randolph from behind and holding his wrist as the security guard slides down and makes an escape for his life.

As the man is saved, Sociopath throws his elbow back, catching Fatman's eye. Randolph turns with the blade and slashes Fatman's forehead so badly that buckets of blood start gushing out into a quick and expanding blood puddle.

Tommy and Blane inch towards the ring, separating to divide Randolph's attention as He stand In the ring, Not allowing medics to get to Fatman as He bleeds out.

Evan and Tommy both rush into the ring But Randolph rushes out the commentator's side and grabs Ian Clair, putting the knife to his neck like the security guard.

JoJo begs Randolph Not to hurt Ian But Sociopath ignores him. Blane begs him from the side to stop it Before it goes any further.

"This is the blood on Starr's filthy, corrupt hands!" Sociopath shouts as He carves Ian's throat with the blade.

"No!" Blane rushes for Randolph But Sociopath's head jerks back violently Before falling backward through the commentary table, unconscious, with a bloody dot on his forehead.

At first Blane is confused, But peers back to see Romeo aiming the rifle from the opposite side of the ring, now lowering it after taking the shot.

Blane now turns his attention to Ian Clair who's throat has been cut. The audience is panicking as medics attempt to save Fatman, and now just getting to Ian to do the same thing.

Romeo is absolutely shocked, almost frozen at the bloodshed around him, He fears the worst for both men.

Blane has abandoned his public persona all-together, brought to tears as He tries to wake Ian up, But it's too late.

Jojo removes his mask for the first time In his career, abandoning it as He watches his longtime friend take his final breaths.

And with all the mayhem In and surrounding the ring, Danny Starr had never left a building quicker, already on the road as the carnage began to unfold.

Mike Randolph sees his brother laying there, seemingly with a bullet mark In his head, Not realizing it was only the rubber bullet from his own rifle and tries to lash out at anyone around But both Blane and Tommy restrain him By each arm. He roars In anguish, Not realizing his brother is still alive, and police Are finally arriving to maintain order.

The entire event was witnessed By thousands, and millions on the UBW live Internet stream.

Danny took a taxi from New Jersey to Hartford over night. He had turned off his Danny Starr phone and fled the scene of the horrorshow He had a hand In creating. He had heard that sociopath calling for him and Monica had called the encrypted phone to make sure He was safe.

When Danny heard that Ian Clair and Fatman had been pronounced dead at the hands of Randolph, his stomach dropped out. He knew that questions would be asked and his involvement would be under the scrutiny of investigators far and wide. All the influence and power In the world couldn’t hide the fact that He had been somehow implicated and it wouldn’t be long Before everyone knew it.

The taxi dropped Danny off at the front of the Hartford State Capital where He hastily charged toward the front entrance to get inside of his safe place. He wanted to curl up In a ball like a coward and hide from the reality that He, once again, was responsible for the death of innocent life- it was He that made it possible for that psychopath to go on killing and He made a deal to protect him, this would certainly be a deal that Randolph would expect honored.

The most powerful man In the known world with the media at his finger tips feels like a coward hiding In the shadows behind his status. But, truthfully, his own impulses Are leading him to a dark path once again.

Monica finds him frantically pacing Before the elevator on the first floor, trying to get his composure Before meeting with the others, But the others were on the 5th floor, waiting In the newer conference room where they now convened since renovating the old chamber into his much larger, personal wall of Lynk-Data.

When the doors open and Monica finds him, she is worried sick, wondering just What the hell Danny had gotten himself into.

“They’re going to want to speak with me.” Danny is panicking, the urgency In his voice is telling.

“The FBI, the police,” Danny answers, “they’re going to know I was there...”

“Yes.” Monica Says, “But you’re here now. They don’t know Danny Starr is here.”

“There is plenty of evidence that puts me at that UBW event as well as other events Before” Danny Says, “If Randolph talks, He just might say my name and tell them everything.”

“And then What?” Monica guides him through., “You’re Not Danny Starr... right?”

“Monica, I was supposed to be out of this mess!” Danny Says, “No more Eric, just me!”

“Well, I mean...” Monica Says, “this is where We’re at now. Sure, We were working towards weaning Eric out, But at least We can still hide behind Eric. Just be thankful this didn’t happen after We transitioned, Right?”

Danny turns to the elevator and viciously punches a dent into it’s metal surface.

“I’ll never be able to be me...” Danny whimpers, “I have to live as another man.”

“What’s the alternative, Danny?” Monica Asks, “maybe it’s Not forever. You don’t even know if He’ll talk. How can you be blamed for his actions?”

“Is there recording of that?” Monica Asks, “Is there any way to prove it?”

Monica shrugs. “Just play it safe until things die down and We’ll see What happens.” Monica calmly suggests, “there’s no reason to lose control. Just calm down and don’t let Your impulses run wild. That’s when bad things happen, Danny. You know this.”

She was right. Danny heard her and understood that she was right Before when she said it and she’s right again right now. He nods In acceptance, she hugs his arm.

“Danny, I know you wanted to convene with them, and I’m sorry- they aren’t up there.” Monica admits, half hiding her face as she awaits his lashing.

Intrigued, and a bit suspicious, Danny follows Monica into the elevator. She hits the button to the 6th floor which means they Are heading for Danny’s office. When they arrive, she leads him into his own chamber and heads for his computer.

“What is going on?” Danny Asks, standing to the side as she types In the password.

“Something that might cheer you up.” Monica smiles as she clicks, “Watch the televisions.” Danny looks up at them, focusing In on the center television that is hosting a nightly news broadcast from somewhere In the world. He can barely make out the audio But reads the closed captioning as the anchor talks.

“In our final story of the evening, William Sharper, CEO and founder of the Pearl Fusion Corporation, was declared dead at the scene of a massive explosion that destroyed their headquarters In Darien, Connecticut. William was a one of the world leaders In genetic epidemiologist, as well as a budding philanthropist, responsible for building numerous hospitals and care clinics around the world. First responders Are still combing through the wreckage as the death toll climbs into the hundreds. Investigators say it is too early to declare What, exactly, caused the explosion.”

Danny doesn’t think much of it, other than wondering where He’s heard Pearl Fusion Corporation Before, But soon, it goes black along with all of the other screens as Monica switches over to his Lynk Surveillance.

When the screens sync up, the black turns into a shared image across the wall of a map, with a red dot on it.

“What’s this?” Danny Asks, squinting his eyes as He tries to identify the location, “Where Are We looking at?”

“It’s Michael.” Monica Says, Danny’s head whips to face her, wondering how certain she is.

“I took the liberty of lynking up with the ping and saved the footage. I didn’t watch... I wanted you to be the first to see whatever it is.” Monica Says

Danny hesitates. He is afraid of his hopes being too high and being let down. After all, they had been invisible for so long, why now? Why all of a sudden would they exist again?

Monica smiles, excited for Danny to finally find who He has missed this whole time. She clicks play and the footage, albeit choppy, begins to play on the wall. It’s Cass’s voice. He hasn’t his sweet sister’s voice In so long...

“This isn`t the same Michael! (inaudible) Not the same man I knew growing up. He had become full of rage and vengeance. (Garbled) died at his hands..... I don`t even feel like if He came back, I would recognize him. Who knows What He has been up to all these Years... (inaudible)

Michael stood upright, staring into Cassandra’s emerald gaze. He could tell that she was getting upset, and this was the last thing He wanted for them on their wedding night.

Michael Diamond: Look, I know when you left… you had Your reasons. We all weren’t our best selves back then, least of all Danny. He was really changing though Cass, He was… better with Jenn. After she died…

Michael Diamond: If anything had ever happened to you, I would be lost without you. That’s all Danny is right now… lost. I promise you though Cass, on the life of our unborn child, I won’t stop looking for him. I’ll find Danny, and I’ll bring him home.

Michael placed his arm around his new wife, watching as the sunsets on the end of an unforgettable night and the footage ends.

There’s a dreadful silence once the footage stops. Monica awaits Danny’s reaction, anticipating joy, But it never comes.

“They got married...” Danny Says again, “I called them constantly... where...”

“they’re happy, Danny!” Monica Says, “For whatever reason, they weren’t on the radar But now they Are! I have their Address, they phone numbers, you can call them right now!”

“Danny..” Monica’s tone changes, “What is it going to take to make you happy?”

“It’s just...” Danny grieves, “I don’t understand how they could just disappear and then reappear married, happy, and still Not even try to call me... you heard What she said, she sounded like she didn't even want me In her life anymore.”

“We don’t even know if she was talking about you.” Monica tries to defend the possibility of a miscommunication. “Danny, why aren’t you happy?”

“I don’t know, it just doesn’t feel right.” Danny Says, “It feels like they Are happy without me... like, they knew I was looking for them and purposely hid.”

“You’re being paranoid.” Monica Says, “I think you just had a bad few weeks and now you’re seeing things that aren’t really there.”

“Why don’t you just call Michael?” Monica suggests, “Here, I wrote down his cellphone number...”

“Just sleep on it, Danny.” Monica begs, “Please don’t be stubborn. This is everything you wanted.”

“Yup.” Monica gets up, noticeably angry at Danny, “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

She walks away and He doesn’t stop her. He sits down at his desk, puts the paper down on the surface, and covers his face with both of his hands to rub his eyes. He’s stressed out. He wants to feel that happiness Monica expected him to have, But something inside of him felt unable. He felt the same way He felt towards Royalty, and Sett for lying, and for Romeo for lying, and now Michael and Cass for Not being there. He felt betrayed- But He felt exhausted more than anything else. He would think on it, and hopefully be able to sleep on it.

He fell asleep late. On his desk. When He woke up, the reality of UBW came rushing back and his stomach ached from the idea of it. His Danny Starr phone was off still and would now remain off indefinitely His other phone needed to be charged.

He remembered What Monica had done for him and felt guilty for being indifferent despite her efforts. He owed it to her to at least call and see What Michael has to say. Maybe He had a reason for Not calling. Maybe it was something serious. Maybe He could convince Cassandra He was changed if Michael hadn’t already. He missed them both so much, they Are his family, regardless. He misses Shawn, the nephew He missed out on most of his childhood now. He would put his pride to the side and call them.

He decides to call from the Danny Starr line But as soon as He put it on, it rings. Tommy Romeo. 12 Voicemails. 25 Texts. He turns it back off and picks up his office phone, dialing the number for Michael But Before He can hit the last digit, his encrypted phone begins to ring. Tommy couldn’t have this number. He look at the number calling But it’s Not Tommy, It’s Johnny Storm himself.

“Danny,” Johnny cuts right to the chase, “We have a problem... a conflict of interest that We need to Address”

“What you did for us, with the Left Hand, that was truly remarkable.” Johnny Says, “and taking them out was something We were pleased to do for you But We Are going to have to call that the deal.”

“Last night We learned that Your friend Michael Diamond was involved In an attack on another facility similar to the Black Skulls base In 03.” Johnny explains, “You remember...”

“Yes...” Danny Says, “You said if you found him again, you’d provide me with the detail. That was the deal We agreed upon.”

“Well, We were alerted to his presence, But We aren’t currently able to ping him successful. We will though, But the reason for the call is... the lab He attacked is a client of our special force security team.” Johnny explains, “He took out about 13 of our men, Danny, and because of that We will no longer be able to provide you with Intel on him or him at all, as He is now a sensitive target of Stormcorp.”

“Whoa...” Danny Says, “A deal’s a deal, Johnny, What kind of shit Are you trying to pull here?”

“Danny, I’m sorry, But this voids our deal.” Johnny Says, “In fact, at this point, if you Are able to gather Intel on his whereabouts; pings, locations; numbers, We expect you to provide us with that Intel”

“This gives me no pleasure, Starr.” Johnny Says, “It’s actually pretty awkward But these men were our team. They were our men. We can’t just let that slide. Look, I know He’s Your friend and I don’t expect you to turn him over to us, But I’m calling to tell you that when We find him, He’s ours. Plain and simple.”

“Goodluck.” Starr Says, slamming the phone closed and throwing it against the floor, “Dickhead!”

He looks at the phone number on the paper and grabs the office phone, But, puts it back down. He closes his eyes and lets out an exhausted breath as He knows He can’t put Michael or Cassandra In danger. If He contacts them now, who knows if the ping will show up on Stormcorp’s own data.

With a heavy heart, Danny crumples up the paper with Michael and Cass’ numbers on it and tosses it into the trash. He then watches the footage of his brother and sister one last time Before deleting it, along with the data associated with their ping.

"Hi, Danny? It's Alicia, Your boss. Remember when I said I wanted to see UBW to go under? I did NOT mean I wanted to see the whole fucking fed drowning In blood! Do you know What this looks like? You could have gone In there with Your holodeck bullcrap and worked some real magic, and instead there's, hell, I don't even know how many bodies. BODIES, Danny! You know What bodies leave, Danny? A trail. A trail of god damn blood that leads right back to CTN! Did Monica sign off on this? Did she allow this to happen or did you just sneak it around her like you're so fond of doing? she would have known better, that's for damn sure, Danny.

You know who else would have known better, Danny? Eric. FUCKING. Rayne. He had the length of sight to Not ever get embroiled In bullshit like this. He could keep his hands clean. Eric Rayne is the kind of guy who gets things done without incident. And as far as I'm concerned, Danny, you may as well keep that Eric Rayne holoface on from here on out, because, frankly, I don't think I could stand looking at yours anymore. Are We clear? I sure fucking hope so, Danny."

“Come.” Danny Says, fixated on the many screens on his wall 2 Years... after the UBW’s tragic closure. He had become isolated, hiding In the Hartford State Capital, watching the world around him go on.

Monica approaches and finds Danny holding an old picture of Jenn, his face weathered, and his facial hair growing wild.

“Are you talking about this?” Danny clicks over to a popular video hosting website where a channel had been created called “UBW”.

“It’s footage that used to belong to me, now, belongs to Tommy Romeo.” Danny explains.

“That is Not the problem.” Danny Says, clicking a video of Demon vs. Angel, “the bottom...”

“I mean, I don’t really think it matters.” Monica Says, “It’s Not like they can find you. Let them talk shit, nobody is going to find you, and nobody is going to really give a shit. Look how little exposure the channel has.”

“I understand, Danny.” Monica Says, “But right now, you have no choice But to hide In plain sight. As long as nobody can find Danny Starr, you Are safe.”

“That’s Not, however, What I wanted you to see.” Monica Says, holding up a newspaper.

“The New York Post.” Monica Says, “You have a bigger problem than Tommy Romeo.”

Danny looks down at the paper after He drops it down on his desk, an article on the front page called “the Curious Exploits of Eric Rayne.” By Erin Wallace.

“I thought she was staying away from the Eric Rayne issues?” Danny Asks, still reading.

“So, What does it say In here?” Danny Asks, “Anything worth noting or just journalism?”

“After using his unweilded power to systematically destroy the competitive world of professional wrestling from organizations like the HWA and just recently, the UBW, there Are seemingly no stops In the depravity of Eric Rayne’s morals, as well as, the High Society.”

“I think she deserves the personal touch.” Monica suggests taking the liberty of reaching for his mouse and clicking over to the voice program to click SYNC for him as she picks up the office phone that’s connected to the program.

Erin Wallace sits In her home office, her desk covered with post-it notes and various files, a white board behind her with almost indiscernible words, as if she had hastily written them on.

"This is Erin," she answered, too lost In thought to even glance to see who was calling.

"Erin Wallace. Eric Rayne." Danny Says, In Eric's voice from his synced computer. Danny awaits her response so He can scare her away from the expose she has decided to write against Eric Rayne, which, would bring attention to the High Society and CTN, and ultimately, Alicia.

There is a pause, followed By a scramble on her end as she tries to find someway to record the conversation.

"Eric Rayne," Erin started, saying the words through gritted teeth. "To What do I owe the pleasure?"

"This call is a request to cease and desist." Danny Says, "I wouldn't want to trouble you with the specifics, But the ramifications of continuing this work could cost you a price you won't consider worth it." He realizes He accidentally warned her with the warning she had given him some time Before; hoping she wouldn't realize it.

"I'm Not afraid of you, Eric!" Erin stated, defiant. "I beat you once Before, I can do it again."

"You beat me?" Danny laughs, "I knew a man who believed He had beaten me as well. Just ask Danny Starr how that works out, if you can find him."

Danny hopes it's enough to scare her away. It also should hopefully set the precedent that He is dead or gone In case the feds come for him because of Randolph.

"I should've helped Starr destroy you when I had the chance," Erin exclaimed, rising to her feet. "I won't make that mistake again. Threaten me all you want, Eric... I know the truth, and the world's going to know it too!"

Danny hangs up the phone. An attempt to thwart her passion only stoked the flame. Danny felt the walls closing In again.

"We have an advanced international media conglomerate at our disposal." Monica reminds Danny, "Erin Wallace is... Fake news."

"Yes." Monica confirms, "then we'll sue her for defamation of character, libel, and destroy what's left of her credibility. Then, we'll sue any website that publishes her expose until there's Not a trace of her work accessible to the public."

Danny nods, realizing that without Monica, things would be handled much more recklessly.

Erin Wallace sat at her desk In her New York apartment, feverishly typing up her most recent expose on Eric Rayne and the High Society. Though she had refused to Follow Danny Starr down his path, it seemed that fate would have other plans for her. Her article on the GWA had put her on the map In the journalism field as the New York Post offered her a job, even spite the bag stigma those pieces had brought her. She had stayed as true to herself as possible, But still felt the pang of regret at What it had cost her. It had been two Years... since Danny Starr had been seen, his last appearance at a UBW event… the same organization that He had asked her to help him shut down. Turning him down had seemed like the“right thing” at the time, But now… she wasn’t sure. Had she forced Starr’s hand, put him down a path of no return? Whatever was going on, she knew Eric Rayne was behind it. Her gaze, for a moment, goes to a picture of her ex-boyfriend Kevin Conner, someone who still was near and dear to her heart… But someone who she was Not able to take along on this ride. Her cellphone rings, breaking her from her daze. Erin answers the call, putting the person on speaker, as she returns her focus to her story.

“I’m almost done Billy,” Erin began, her fingers still typing across the keyboard. “You’re going to be blown away…”

“Erin,” Billy Bradshaw, her editor, interjected. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all day, where have you been?”

“You’re the one who always tells me to Not lose focus on a story,” Erin retorted, snickering to herself.

“This is serious Erin,” Billy responded, his voice grim. “We’ve had some very major complications over here.”

“What kind of complications?” Erin asked, ceasing her typing for the time being, an uneasy feeling growing In her stomach.

“There’s been a lot of inquiries Erin,” Billy answered. “Into you; into Your piece about the GWA.”

“The GWA?” Erin blurted the words out, confused. “That was Years... ago, What does…”

Erin stopped, suddenly realizing where this conversation was going.

“Billy, this is just the High Society trying to block me out again,” Erin accused, standing up and taking her editor off speaker so she could yell at him directly. “This is What they do, EVERY TIME! I’m so close Billy, please… don’t do this!”

“My hands Are tied,” Billy solemnly stated. “I’m sorry Erin, sometimes this happens…”

“and What Are they accusing me of this time!?” Erin demanded.

“The cliff notes?” Billy responded, looking over the official press release Before him. “That you falsified and sensationalized the story about the rise and fall of the GWA… the term ‘fake news’ may’ve been thrown around a few times.”

Erin rolled her eyes at that word, hearing enough of it to last her a life time. She struggled to keep her emotions In check, sniffing back the tears and fighting the urge to scream.

“Look, Erin,” Billy began, truly hurt By What He was doing to someone with whom He had grown close to during her tenure. “We comply with their request; We cease and desist and We regroup. I’m Not telling you to bury this, just… put a hold on it. The company can’t take the heat right now, Not with this other fire burning.”

“I’m Not giving up on this,” Erin declared, defiant as always. “I can’t do that Billy!”

“I get it,” Billy sympathized. “But without a source to collaborate Your story…”

“they fucking killed my source!” Erin screamed, unable to hold back anymore. “This is What the High Society is, Billy; this is What THEY do! they bend the truth until it benefits them and anyone that gets In their way…”

Erin broke down crying as an awkward silence fell over the conversation.

“Erin,” Billy began, minutes having passed since either one had spoken. “I want to keep you on, We just need to redirect Your energy elsewhere. Maybe after a few Years..., We can bring you back into the journalism side of things…”

“No,” Erin declared. “I’m finishing this Billy, I have to.”

“Don’t do this,” Billy practically begged. “Please… just take some time to think on it?”

“I’ll see you around, Billy,” Erin responded, clicking the phone off.

She dropped her phone to the carpeted floor and collapsed into her lounging chair, burying her head into her hands. Erin wasn’t sure how much time had passed, nor how many tears she had shed, But she found herself breaking out of the daze when her phone rang once more. She instinctively reached for it, But paused for a moment… contemplating What other bad news she was about to be hit with. After the fourth or fifth ring, it stops.

Erin’s phone vibrates notifying her of a voicemail she picks it up and doesn’t recognize the number But recognizing the New Jersey area code. Pressing “play” on the voicemail, Tommy’s voice rings out of the speaker. “Erin this is Tommy Romeo, I read Your article and I have some information I think you may want to hear. I’ll be In downtown Manhattan later today at Dominique Ansel Bakery. Have you ever had a Cronut? I heard about it In a YouTube video and I had to know What all the hype was about. Anyway I should be getting there sometime around 11:30 this morning if you’re interested. That’s where you’ll find me.”

Erin Wallace found her way into the Dominique Ansel Bakery, glancing down at her watch to see that she had arrived a few minutes early. She wore a generic black baseball cap, kept her hair loose around her shoulders, and hid behind a pair of dark sunglasses. Paranoia had become part of the routine since Danny’s mysterious disappearance. She made her way to a booth In the back, with angles to watch the front door, as well as make a quick escape out the back, through the kitchen, if things came to that. Sitting down, she waved off the waitress that began to approach, eyeing her surroundings. Her leg bounced nervously under the table as she bit her lip, watching the wall clock countdown to 11:30.

Tommy walks through the front door and straight up to the counter. “I need a dozen Cronuts.” The woman behind the counter, clearly having dealt with people like Tommy Before replies, “Sir that will be One hundred fifteen dollars and 63 cents.” Tommy pulls out his wallet unfazed and hands the cashier his card. “I knew it would be expensive, But I told the guys I’d bring them back.” He looks around spotting Erin hiding In the corner and waves her over.

Erin rolled her eyes at how indiscreet Tommy had been. She had been In hiding for the better part of two Years..., hoping that the same fate that befell Danny Starr wouldn’t happen to her as well. She nervously shuffled over to Tommy, standing beside him But facing the door, In case the needed to make a quick getaway.

“You taking those to go?” Erin asked, looking over at the large order He had just placed. “Or Are you just that hungry?”

“I couldn’t just be like hey guys I’m going to New York to get these donut things and Not bring some back for them. Who stays and eats at a bakery anyway?”

“Guys?” Erin asked, her eyebrows arching up suspiciously. “What guys? You told me I was just meeting with you…”

“You misunderstand I’m taking these home to Jersey, you and I Are going to take a walk and I’m going to tell you everything I know about Danny Starr and Dan Randolph.” The woman behind the counter returns with Tommy’s Cronuts and He walks to the door holding it open for Erin and motioning for her to lead the way.

Erin paused for But a moment, all her fears and anxieties telling her to run… to abandon this foolish endeavor, But the mention of “Danny Starr” was enough to coax her into staying. She needed to get justice for him, make his sacrifice worth something. Taking one last worrisome look around, she followed Tommy out of the bakery.

“You’re too paranoid. Here try one.” He opens the box taking one out for himself and turning it towards her. “If you don’t take one I’ll be insulted.” He smirks

Erin, herself, felt a tad insulted By the“paranoid” comment, she considered herself just “overly cautious”… But He wasn’t wrong. She constantly felt like she was In over her head, fighting an uphill battle that never seemed to end. Erin hesitated for a moment on Romeo’s offer, Before realizing just how hungry she actually was. She took him up on his offer, grabbing one from the box and smiling slightly at him In thanks. She sheepishly took a bite, her eyes opening wide at the irresistible flavor.

“These Are amazing!” Erin exclaimed, gobbling the rest In just a few seconds.

Tommy takes one of the pastries for himself and closes the box. Chomping down his eyes open wide as though it was life changing. “I don’t know if they will make it back to south jersey.” Tommy chuckled. But listen the reason I’m here is about your article. Starr and Randolph worked together to bring down the UBW. I pieced it all together after the fact but at that point Danny was long gone and nowhere to be found.” I have video evidence against him if your interested in taking a look.”

“Wait,” Erin stopped walking, grabbing Tommy’s arm and turning him towards her. “Danny Starr working with Randolph? Why would he do that? And what does this have to do with Eric Rayne!?”

“It happened I know it. He hired him to lock me in a cage so he could destroy the UBW from the inside”

“This is all circumstantial Tommy,” Erin sighed, feeling like she had wasted her time. “You need proof. Even still, none of this makes sense. I know Danny wants to destroy Eric Rayne anyway he can, but releasing a known sociopath like Randolph… how does that benefit him at all?”

“I have proof! I have all of the recordings of the UBW events.” Tommy says.

Erin let out a long sigh, debating her options.

“I guess it’d be a waste to come all this way and not see what you have to offer,” Erin stated, shrugging her shoulders. “But it’s definitely going to cost you a few more of those Cronuts.”

“Oh by all means.” Tommy replies let’s walk and talk though. Burn the calories as we put them In you know.”

“I worked for Danny and ran the UBW as president, I watched Randolph turn Into the monster he is. It started off as a simple gimmick he wanted to run with and I approved, it proved to make some of the best matches the UBW ever had, but it consumed him, he took it home with him and lived it. Tommy explains as they wonder New York. “ In 2002 he murdered a UBW star named Fabuloso in cold blood. Shortly after his career in the UBW ended. However we retained his brother under contract. In 2005 Starr came to me and practically gave me the Company. The only thing I had to do was shut the fed down for a while and then I could bring it back at a later date.” Tommy stuffs the rest of his Cronut in his mouth and seemingly swallows it whole. “Excuse me, I couldn’t help myself. So I did I shut the fed down and brought back under my ownership about a year later.”

Tommy smiles awkwardly and pulls out his phone, showing her the video of Fabuloso being murdered. “ I know it’s a little gruesome but your in the press. But listen I’ll cut to the chase. After I broke out of that cage Randolph had me locked in, the following week at Rage Randolph had me on the brink. And he ended up killing two more people in the ring that night. But what has always stuck with me is that while they were arresting Randolph he kept call out for Danny. He kept yelling tell them the truth Starr. By the time we got back to the locker room again Danny was nowhere to be found and that is the last time that I know of that anyone heard from Danny Starr.”

Erin listened intently, sneaking another Cronut from the box and taking smaller bites, to savor the flavor this time around.

“None of this makes any sense,” Erin stated. “It sounds like Starr was a benefactor of the UBW. Yet, he wanted me to write an article about the UBW, slandering it. This would’ve hurt his own bottom line; I don’t understand why anyone would do that. When we went after GWA, I understood that… it was associated with the High Society but this… this sounds like something else completely.”

Erin stopped walking, an idea coming into her head.

“If I could talk to Randolph,” Erin exclaimed. “Maybe he could fill in the blanks. If Starr is connected, like you assume he is, then we have our witness!”

“You can try.” Tommy says but he’s been in solitary since he was sentenced. I highly doubt that will change for you."

“Damn it!” Erin shouted.

She forgot about her plan to savor the flavor and scarfed down the Cronut, drawing a few strange looks from bystanders.

“What?” Erin asked Tommy, her mouth still full. “I’m a nervous eater.”

She swallowed down the pastry as best as she could, racking her brain.

“Okay,” Erin declares. “So we can’t get to Randolph, then I need to dig more into the UBW. I thought he was trying to target it because it was associated with the High Society, but I’m beginning to think Eric Rayne had nothing to do with the UBW. In which case, why would Starr sabotage his own company?

“I have a YouTube channel going up of all the footage I have left of UBW. I’m pushing for viewers but I’d like if you could help with that maybe by writing another article.”

“Let me study the footage,” Erin responds. “See what I can figure out. Also, I’ll need to look at all the financials and anything else pertinent to the company, see how Danny ties in with it. Only problem is… I don’t exactly have the best platform to get our word across these days since I got blacklisted… again…”

“The Internet is a wonderful place Erin there are plenty of other ways to get your voice heard. Nobody reads the newspaper anymore anyway.” Tommy laughed nervously realizing he may have just insulted the woman he was asking for help.

“No offense. I know one thing If we work at this Danny will get everything he deserves. "

“He’s out there somewhere him and Eric Rayne and the High Society. Watching, Waiting to tie up any loose ends.

“From acclaimed New York Post reporter to internet blogger… how the mighty have fallen,” Erin sighed. “Guess we’ll see how far my freedom of speech gets us, when do we begin?”

“Now is good let’s get somewhere secure and I’ll show you everything I have."

"Who is Danny Starr, really?" By Erin Wallace.

Danny reads Erin's new Internet blog that accuses him of hiring a known murderer to kidnap Tommy Romeo In order to ultimately sabotage the UBW.

She accuses Danny Starr of waging a shadow war against Eric Rayne and the High Society with innocent organizations as the pawns In a sick game that has now caused the loss of life.

It goes on to suggest that, with Danny's track record of relentlessness, It's Not outside the realm of possibility that Danny Starr has once again, let his own battles spill out and scald the lives of those around him.

Erin wonders if Danny Starr was dead, as Not even the FBI could find him for questioning during the UBW investigation, But his name remains off of any obituary.

The question now remains, "Who is Danny Starr, really?"

When Danny finishes reading Erin's blog In it's entirety, He looks up at Monica who has already read it.

"How would you like this handled?" Monica Asks

"This woman was someone I recruited to stop Eric Rayne... after What He did to the HWA she was more than willing to join me In the fight against him But now, she is actively coming for me!"

Monica lets Danny vent as He deals with the constant roller coaster of emotions lately.

"These people... these 'friends' that were supposed to be loyal have one By one failed me." Danny grinds his teeth, "she believes Eric is still alive and yet... here she is, too afraid to attack him, so she attacks me! Eric is DEAD! they should FEAR ME!"

Monica is silent, afraid to breath loud enough to be heard. Danny realizes He is losing control and takes a deep breath Before lowering his voice.

"You can handle it the way you like to handle it." Danny Says

"Defamation of character suit..." Monica suggests, "Libel?"

"Sure." Danny Says, "Do that. However, she knows more than she should. How?"

"Tommy?" Monica Asks

"Seems so." Danny Says, "But how?"

"Again, as long as Danny Starr is hidden..." Monica begins.

"Yes." Danny Says, "she believes I'm dead... But if Romeo has gotten to her, then she knows more than she is saying."

"I'll send the lawyers." Monica Says

"Good." Danny confirm as she takes off for her own office down the hall.

"And I'll send my own style of persuasion." Danny mutters as He reaches for the office phone.

The night sky had started to fall over the Sklyer Rehabilitation center for women. As the camera pans inside the building it stops at a small room in the darkened corner of the hallway. The sign on the door reading “Lopez”. Behind the door you get your first look at Abrianna, Ex HWA superstar.

The HWA was everything to her, it gave her purpose, drive, and outlet for the anger she felt for the misery her life was before. Growing up in an abusive household in Guadalajara, Mexico Abrianna was the oldest of 5. Always forced to protect her brothers and sisters from their notorious drug trafficking father, and the evil he brought around their household.

As she grew older, without many options, she found herself playing with fire, by dating Jose, a dangerous man that worked alongside her father as a drug trafficker. She began to work for him, hiding drugs in her car to bring to various contacts in the US. She thought Jose was the love of her life, but when the money wasn`t coming in like he wanted, he made her began stripping in the local nightclub down the street. The pain didn`t end there, Jose began to beat her mercilessly night after night. She knew she had to get away from this life if she every wanted to be someone. Ever wanted to achieve more than what this world had to offer.

That is when she found the HWA. The HWA offered her a safe place to be herself. She enjoyed the matches, the rivalries. To her it became her second home. When the HWA closed, she had no where to go and ended up back home in Mexico. From there she joined her father in becoming a drug mule for the southern coast of the US. During this stint she was busted and given the choice of jail time or rehab. She chose the latter as she was not going to rot in some jail.

The camera pans back to the room at the rehab. You see a brown haired, brown eyed Abrianna sitting on her bed, flipping the latest issue of “People” magazine. Although she looks docile in this moment, the staff at the rehab center argue over who must deal with her. She was mean, constantly yelling and throwing things at staff. A timid blonde-haired nurse came knocking on her door. Abrianna looking up from her magazine.

Abrianna: What do you want?

Nurse: Umm…. (nervously) there`s someone here for you to see.

Abrianna getting off her bed, walking towards the nurse. The nurse getting noticeably nervous…..

Abrianna: There is no one here to see me, no one gives a shit about me.

Nurse points to the front door. Through the front glass you see a black limo. Abrianna looks confused. Who would pick her up at all, never mind in a limo? Her curiosity got the best of her as she headed down the hallway towards the limo. She was looking for any excuse to leave this place anyways. She got to the limo, opened the door.

"Abrianna." The man says, Eric Rayne. I see since the HWA, you've found yourself back into old habits... I'm here to offer you a third chance in this life."

“Who are you, and why would I trust you” As she tried to identify this mystery man.

“You’re not the first guy to try and offer me the world..” She said sarcastically

The man's voice laughs through the darkness, "and you aren't the first woman I've offered the world, and if you begin to take my offer a bit more seriously, you won't be the first to have accepted my offer. "

The man shuffles for a moment, a pregnant pause as she tries to read him.

"Are you happy living inside a cage like a rat?" Danny asks.

Taking a breath knowing that anything this man had to offer would be better than what she had now.

Crossing her arms, “If I’m not living here, then I go back to Mexico, what is it exactly that you are offering?”

"Good news." Danny says, "You can stay right here in the states, free of your Mexican ties, an apartment paid for, and steady employment. "Now, doesn't that sound nice?"

Her eyes widened, that sounds amazing. She knew better than anyone.. nothing in this life comes with strings attached.

“What is the catch, because I refuse to go back to stripping” “what kind of employment is this exactly”

Abrianna demanded

"No stripping." Danny promises, "There's this old colleague you might remember. An Erin Wallace. An HWA reporter that has fallen from grace... I just need you to... put a little fear in her. You do that, and I will be forever indebted to you. You think about it... and when you decide, you call me from this..."

From the darkness extends Danny's hand with a closed flip phone.

"It's encrypted." Danny says, "Untraceable."

Remembering Erin Wallace and her biased reporting. Putting fear into someone isn’t anything that Abrianna isn’t familiar with. Usually though, it’s met with police activity and hiding... not usually a place to live and employment. This all sounds too goo to be true, but at this point in Abriannas life, what option does she have. Not wanting to look to desperate she takes the phone. Smiles at the shadowed man.
“ we will be in touch”

"There's a taxi behind this limo." Eric says, "It will take you wherever you want to go. On me."

Abrianna opens the door and begins to climb out.

"Oh, and Abrianna..." Danny says, "Don't wait too long."

It would take only a day before she called him back, graciously accepting his offer. He gave her what she needed to know and provided the means of transporation f or her. When she arrived, she looked around for any witnesses, and waited until the sun had fallen behind the earth.

The night was dark, clouds moving lazily through the sky, obscuring the light from the moon. An owl hoots deep in the wooded area behind the apartment complex, but other than that all is still. Long moments pass before a shadow separates itself from the others, moving slowly from tree trunk to tree trunk, stepping carefully as to make as little sound as possible. She stops, hovering by the edge of the woods, but still out of sight from anyone who might be looking in that direction. She reaches a palm out and rests it on the rough bark of the closest pine, waiting and watching.

A low buzz is silenced quickly as she flips open the phone she had held in her hand. Her voice is nearly indiscernible “I’m here.”. She listens for a second, getting confirmation that it was time for her to move. Without responding, she closes the phone and slides it into the little pouch she wears around her waist. She removes mask, and slides it over her head, tucking her long brown hair up inside of it, leaving only her eyes and mouth exposed. She tugs on a pair of black gloves, and flexes her fingers. The rest of her in encased in a snug black bodysuit, helping to shroud her identity.

She glances up at the sky, making sure that the cloud cover was thick, and made her move. She slunk from the woods, moving swiftly to the building closest to her. She presses up against the wall, slipping towards the sliding glass doors. Cautiously, she peers into the darkened interior. She had been told they weren't home, and the lack of movement seemed to confirm this. She reaches into her ever trusty pouch and comes up with a tool, which she slips into the space between the door and the frame, giving a few experimental wiggles, she soon hears a quiet click. She slowly slides the door open, giving a quick peek around her, she is sure nobody has seen her. She steps inside the ground floor apartment and closes the door behind her.

Abrianna wrinkles her nose in disgust. Even in the gloom she could see the tchotchkes and cutesy things all over. How adorable. It made her want to vomit. Having been told how the apartment was laid out previously, she slowly felt her way through, heading for the second bedroom that Erin Wallace used as her office. She enters and goes immediately to the filing cabinet. Locked. No matter. She pulls the draw of the desk out, and runs her fingers around inside of it until a hidden compartment pops out, a key within it. She grins, how stupid could they be? Everyone knew about shit like this. She unlocks the cabinet and pulls them open, revealing all the files within. She idly paws through them, then gets to work, turning each piece of paper into confetti.

She surveys her work once done, shifting her attention to the laptop computer sitting atop the desk. She picks it up, smashing it onto the floor repeatedly until it is shattered. Not satisfied, she pulls out an ice pick and gets to work, exposing all the interior parts she can, methodically destroying them. Abrianna's gaze falls onto a framed picture of Erin and Kevin Conner. With a soft laugh she jabs the ice pick through the glass, putting a hole in Conners head. She leaves it there with the tool, on the desk. That should send a nice message. And Eric Rayne had told her to make a statement.

She leaves the office and starts checking out the other rooms, emptying out dressers, making sure she didn’t miss anything. Any items that might have to do with the HWA, she took no chances on and ripped them to shreds. She flung pillows from the bed, going as far as shifting the mattress off the boxspring, seeing if anything was hidden underneath. It appeared that Miss Wallace was just as stupidly trusting of door locks as most others were. Pendejos. She glides down the hall, getting ready to leave, stopping here or there to take apart the pictures hanging on the walls, grinding the pieces beneath her heel. A swift sweep of the kitchen, emptying canisters and pouring things from boxes and she feels that her mission is complete. She crunches her way towards the sliding glass door once, more, but as her fingers touch the handle she pauses, looking over her shoulder.

When Eric Rayne had plucked her from that horrendous rehab center, she had sworn to do her best to please him. And Abrianna was told to leave a message... She saunters back into the living area, eyeing her work. The couch cushions were slit open, stuffing falling out. Side tables turned over. Was it enough? Her eyes fall on all the cute little statues. She grins. She was nothing if not thorough. She found perverse pleasure in knocking everything off the shelves, plucking the little angels off the mantle of the fireplace and smashing them on the floor one by one. She picks up a vase full of roses. Awww... Kevin probably had purchased them to show Erin how much he loved her. She launches the entire thing across the room, watching it explode against the front door. She cackles as she surveys the devastation. What a nice treat for the couple to come home to from the charity event or whatever they were attending tonight. Abrianna quickly moves to the back doors and slips out, gone into the darkness of the woods in an instant.

Her fingers stroked the railing of the balcony as she gazed out at the scene Before her. New York City, laid out at her feet. It was bustling as always, honks faintly filling the air as cars nosed along through traffic. People hurried along sidewalks, scurrying around like little bugs from her vantage point. She felt like a queen, looking down at her subjects. Her lips curve upwards at the notion. She tossed her hair back, slowly moving along the balcony that curved around the entire outside of her corner apartment. On the other side, she had a view of the bay, along with the coast of Long Island, where she had grown up, across the water.

Flames stepped back inside her home, still marveling at the luxury she found herself in. All gleaming white and shining silver, with touches of black. A stark contrast to the cell she had been used to. She strolled through the living area, letting her palm slide across the smooth leather of her sofa. The kitchen was state of the art, as modern as can be, done up with sleek white marble countertops and travertine backsplash. She glides across the room and into the bedroom, her feet sinking In to the plush white carpet. A wall of windows greets her, looking out over the harbor, boats chugging along. A million-dollar view, with the price tag to match. But then, she wasn’t the one footing the bill for it.

She settles down In an armchair, bringing forth a packet of matches, idly striking one to life, just to feel the familiar rush. She longed to do more, But had to lay low for the moment, and thus satisfied herself In smaller measures while ensconced within these walls. She had always been entranced with fires, But her true obsession had come later on In life. Her wrestling partner, and boyfriend Inferno had perished In a fiery car crash. Flames had managed to crawl from the wreckage Before it exploded, But hadn't had the strength to help him. She had watched his demise, oddly disconnected, nearly aroused By the sight. The fire feeding its own life while taking his... leaving nothing But a charred hull of What used to be a human being. Fire took What it needed, and left devastation In its wake. She was bewitched with the idea she could create that living thing, nurture it, and let it loose to wreak havoc.

She is startled from her memories By the cadence of a ringtone. She scampers towards her desk, where the encrypted cell phone from Eric Rayne was. She flips it open and eagerly jabs a button, pressing the phone to her ear. “Hello?” her voice was breathless. She listens quietly for long moments, her eyes glossing over, her lips quirking upwards as she is given her first instructions. Her fingers automatically go to her ever-present matchbook, stroking it lovingly. She nods, as if they could see her. “I understand.” She snaps the phone shut and stands there, a feral smile creeping across her face. Her blood pulses In her veins, her appetite to ply her craft surging upwards. She licks her lips as she shifts into motion, anticipation coloring her movements. She began to gather items, rapturously examining each one Before placing them In a nondescript backpack. She had her orders, and she was ready to show the world her passion.

She was given the Address of Tommy Romeo's home In New Jersey, presumably where the lot of UBW archival footage was being kept. Some incriminating videos had already been uploaded and Danny would deal with those later, But Flames would make it impossible for the unreleased to ever be salvageable. Danny watched through Lynk Surveillance from a satellite In the sky aiming down to Romeo's household where the fire began under the back porch where it would go undetected until the fire was already an inferno.

In the winter wind, the flames spread quickly, and ferociously consumed the entire back porch Before anyone including Tommy knew it were happening. He quickly tried to get to a hose and begin spraying But to no avail. The fire department was on it's way But the fire moved quickly, the house inside of it's mouth, when Tommy realized "the Tapes!" He ran through the flames covering his mouth with a wet washcloth to find the box that He had put In the family room right Before the back porch.

The fire's heat was so great that the VHS tapes had begun to melt By the time He grabbed them. Only a few of the tapes were In tact while the others were lost forever. Romeo would later learn that the fire wasn't electrical or from a fallen cigarette, But arson. Arson committed By somebody that probably knew those tapes were In the house. Of course, there would be no way to prove it- He could only take it as a conspiracy theory that seemed more and more realistic as his life went on.

Erin wasn't home, fortunately, when a masked stranger broke into her and Conner's apartment. When she returned home she found her windows shattered, her entire apartment ramsacked, and her filing cabinet broken into and the files thrown all about. She was terrified and when she received the letter written to threaten her from continuing her fake news, she felt a sense of dread. She knew at this point that her life could be in danger. She would soon receive legal documents in the mail suing her for defamation of character, libel, and a summons to district court of Hartford.

2013

Danny Starr sat at his desk when Monica walked in.

"Things Are finally quiet!" Monica lets out an exhausted groan, exhausted from keeping up with the legal tangle her team had kept her involved In as they picked apart Erin Wallace In the courts.

"I'll tell you a secret." Danny Says, sitting back and smiling as she walks around the desk and sits on his lap.

"What's that?" Monica smiles, looking down into Danny's eyes.

"Remember when you sent me all of those legal documents through my email to prepare for my own battle with the High Society?" Danny begins, "I never read them."

"Well, considering you had downloaded 2 of them and Not the rest, I kind of figured." Monica rolls her eyes.

"Oh, you could see that from Your end?" Danny Asks, curious as to how it works.

"Danny Starr has the most powerful technology In his own office But doesn't understand the basics of Gmail." Monica laughs, "You're like a professional idiot."

"Professional idiot." Danny repeats, looking down from her.

"I'm joking!" Monica laughs, But Danny is more offended that she had to say that.

"I know..." Danny Says

Monica, all of a sudden feels awkward. "Anyway, it's so nice to finally be done with the paperwork."

"I bet." Danny Says, "and I feel things will finally go back to normal now."

"Me too." Monica scrunches her nose as she leans into Danny, forcing herself to kiss him. Danny, himself, also felt forced to kiss back.

After the fire had destroyed most of What was left of the unreleased UBW tapes, Tommy had only What was already on YouTube to expose Danny Starr. His plan was to release them over time to force Danny out into the light But his plan had been thwarted By an arsonist. The YouTube channel had been flagged to the point where YouTube felt the content must be offending more people than Are actually sharing and/or liking it and eventually shut it down themselves. The #ExposeDannyStarr, #SaveUBW movement had been completely leveraged Before it could do What it set out to do. Romeo, and the supporters of UBW felt defeated and for many, it was the end of their road to justice for Fabuloso, Fatman, and Ian Clair. For others, including Romeo, the fight would never be over.

Erin, herself, found that the freedom of speech only applied to those with influence and power. Her own content found on her blog had been forced off the world wide web By a team of CTN lawyers that, after pressing Erin for the better part of a year, had ruined What was left of her reputation and legally made it impossible for her to continue a career In journalism. Blacklisted, mocked, and financially destroyed By trying to fight the CTN legal team, she was now leveraged as well, unable to even pay her phone bill Before finally getting that CEASE AND DESIST letter. It was a dark day after such turmoil from the legal battle that she would now have to delete her content from the Internet completely. She was told that if any of her content, now, or In the future so much as mentioned Danny Starr, she would be sued again and this time, with no money left, a lean would be placed on her belongings including her home, her parents home, car, etc. she had no choice But to abandon the fight.

For both, this all But confirmed the shadiness of Eric Rayne and all He touched. And just like Romeo, Erin would never stop fighting.

2014

With both Erin Wallace and Tommy Romeo's contact information, I.P. Addresses, and coordinates, it was easy to triangulate their movements and conversations without their knowledge. When Danny hears the notification go off, he begins to eavesdrop.

Erins phone rings and she looks down to see the Caller ID saying Tommy Romeo. She accepts the call and before she even brings it up to her ear, Tommy can be heard on the speaker screaming and cursing.

Erin pulls the phone away from her ear, grimacing at the sound of Romeo's colorful words still ringing in her ears. She had no idea so many cursewords could be strung together in such a cohesive sentence like that.

"Romeo!?" Erin had to practically shout. "What is it!? What's wrong!?"

“My fucking house burned down! I fucking lost just about everything including a few UBW recordings. I leave town for a god damn night!”

"Oh no!" Erin exclaimed, pacing nervously around her hotel. "Are you okay? Did anyone get hurt?"

“Nobody is hurt. There was no one at home at the time. I just went to Atlantic City for the night and around 4:00 am my phone starts ringing, my neighbors freaking out saying my house is on fire and if I don’t do something about it he’s gonna sue me cuz the heat is melting his siding. Why the fuck are you calling me an not the fire department you piece of trash. It’s cool just let my house burn and threaten me with a lawsuit instead.”

Erin breathed a sigh of relief at the mention that no one was hurt. She let herself sink onto the bed, her hand rubbing her forehead.

"I'm glad that no one was hurt," Erin began. "Replacing a home and the contents within are not easy, believe me... I get it."

Erin glanced around her hotel bedroom, seeing the few things she had been allowed to take with her.

"Rather strange," Erin started, paranoia sinking in again. "That your house burns down within the same twenty-four hours that my apartment is ransacked..."

“Is it really that strange? Within a couple weeks of me making my YouTube page public, I get censored by the CTN my house burns and within weeks of your article comes out your home is torn apart? I’m sorry Erin maybe I shouldn’t have gotten you involved, but you and I both know this was Danny and Or Eric Rayne. The UBW stars have kinda lost their motivation I just wish there was another way we could go about this that would draw them out.” Tommy smashes his fist down on the dashboard of his truck.

"These are just scare tactics Tommy," Erin sighed. "I'm not going to let them stop me; you shouldn't let them stop you. If anything, it means we're - obviously - getting closer to the truth."

Erin's gaze goes to a photo frame on the end table next to her bed. It was an old photo of her interviewing Kevin Conner backstage at an HWA event.

"I just had a crazy idea," Erin exclaimed. "I think the UBW has been fighting this fight alone long enough, I think it's time we start bringing in some HWA reinforcements. Might take me a little time to organize, but I think it could be worthwhile."

“Erin! Your a genius I could kiss you!” Tommy shouts “You just turned my day around! I’m going to go see Evan he would be so pissed if I didn’t. I mean especially since I didn’t have any donuts left for him when I came to see you.”

"I will start organizing an H.W.A. Renunion or something." Erin says, "We'll get as many as we can, together."

"It's a date." Tommy says, "Just let me know where to be and when!"

Tommy hangs up the phone without even saying goodbye to Erin and immediately calls Evan but his phone goes straight to voicemail. “Evan it’s me I know it’s been rough but hear me out we have an idea can you meet me to talk soon?” Tommy again hangs up, now standing in the driveway of his home staring into the charred abyss he says to himself. “I’m gonna get you, you mother fucker.”

Danny smiles at Tommy's audacity before picking up his phone and dials Abrianna. He lets it ring as he finds the SYNC program, clicking it over to Eric's voice.

"Abrianna..." Danny says, "I have another task for you."

Birds chirped cheerfully in the early morning hour she watched the man move from room to room in the nearly finished home. The construction crews had moved pretty quickly the last few days, putting on the finishing touches after rebuilding it after the fire. She should know, she had been keeping tabs on the neighbors and their habits. The man inside probably felt a sense of security, exploring when there was bound to be people getting ready for work. Unfortunately for him, the one had recently switched to a red eye start time. And the other? Well, this was her day off and she liked to sleep in with a sound machine blasting. The others were negligible. She wasn’t concerned.

Abrianna tapped her fingers on her thigh, impatient to get a move on. Waiting and observing were not her forte, she preferred leaving those sorts of things to Maxem. She was more a woman of action, but she had had to bide her time with this one. She idly swung the hose to and fro, for all appearances just another homeowner out watering their garden. In her short blond wig and shapeless muumuu, she resembled a frumpy housewife, especially from a distance. It was enough to fool the imbécil she was tasked with watching, that was for sure. She saw him peek suspiciously out of the windows, looking around before disappearing from view. He was getting ready to leave, it was time.

She swiftly dashed across the street, and into a group of trees, she pulled the muumuu off, revealing a skin tight bodysuit underneath. The wig soon followed, replaced by a cap that she pulled down over her face, adjusting the holes so they fit her facial features. She tucks the falling strands of her hair up into it, and picks up the lead pipe she had stashed there on a previous trip. She makes her way to the corner of the house and bides her time as she hears Tommy Romeo open the door and exit the house. Her whole body tenses in readiness. The moment she hears his keys rattling in the lock, she springs into action.

Romeo had no chance to react. The pipe crashes across the back of his skull, sending him hurtling face first into the door. He bounces off, stumbling backwards, turning to face his attacker only to be met with a foot to the midsection. He doubled over, and Abrianna swung again, a vicious uppercut to the face with the pipe that took Tommy off his feet. He crashed onto the ground, his breath whooshing out of him. She steps over him, raising the pipe up once more, to deliver the coup de gras but Romeo has the presence of mind to roll, sweeping Abrianna off her feet. She thuds onto the earth, losing hold of the pipe, which clatters away. She snarls, seeing him trying to crawl away. She grabs him by the back of the shirt and hauls him over, straddling his body as she delivers furious blows to his head. He struggles under her, blood spattering from both his nose and a split lip.

“Pedazo de mierda!” she hisses at him as she rises to her feet. She slams her heel into Romeos jewels, drawing a sound like a strangled animal from him. He curls up as she quickly retrieves her weapon once more. Swinging it in a circle, she saunters back over to her prone victim. She sets to work, doing her damndest to break one of Romeos ribs. He tries to fight back, kicking out at her, but is soon reduced to feebly trying to deflect some of the blows, no match for the cold metal. After administering a solid bash to his cranium with the pipe, she tosses it aside, breathing heavily. She drops to her knees, making sure she lands solidly on his injured chest. She leans forward, smacking his face to make him open his eyes and look at her masked face.

“This, concha, is nothing compared to what will happen to your loved ones if you go to the reunion. I will kill everyone you hold dear... mommy, papi, even your poor sweet tía. Don’t you have a dog Romeo? I like dogs. I like to slit them from throat to groin and watch their instestines slide out. I’d take my time, and enjoy every hour of their misery.” Abrianna pats Romeos pockets, finding his cell phone and pulling it out. She finds it unlocked, and sneers down at him. What a fool. She leisurely scrolls through until she finds what she is looking for. She presses the call button and grabs Romeo by the hair, yanking his head up and pressing the front of the phone close to his face so he could see who she was calling. The person on the other end answers, with a comment that sends Abrianna into peels of laughter.

“No no, sorry. Tommy isnt in any position to talk to you right now Erin. In fact, he wont be coming to the little reunion either. It would be wise, puta, if you didnt either.” Romeo lifts his head, spitting blood as he tries to tell Erin to not listen, and to go. Abrianna, still gripping his hair, slams his head down onto the concrete until he shuts up. “Now where was I? Oh yes... do reconsider your trip darling, or you could be next one my list. Nos vemos!” She hangs up and stands up. She tosses the cell phone on the ground as she stares at Romeos battered body. She nudges him with her boot “Remember what I said.” She spits on him, before turning and walking away.

2016

The HWA Reunion was still happening. Tommy, too afraid of the masked woman's threats decides it's not worth putting the lives of his friends and family at risk. Despite his absense, Erin Wallace wouldn't cower to intimidation. So, Danny would follow every single movement she made via LYNK Technology. She hosted the event and to Danny's surprise, guess who showed up as well.

“Michael!?” -Erin exclaimed, running up to him and wrapping her arms around his body. “It’s so good to see you! I didn’t think you were going to make it!”

Diamond gently pushed -Erin away from him, smiling at her as his eyes went to the side to see Kevin Conner staring at a hole through him.

“-Erin,” Michael began. “Good to see you, too. I see something's never change.”

Diamond nodded In Conner’s general area, directing -Erin over to her former lover, who awkwardly looked around and tried to act busy.

“Conner’s been through a lot,” -Erin began. “We all have.”

“You have no idea how true that statement is,” Michael declared, looking around the room at the rest of the HWA wrestlers present.

His eyes scanned for one person But none amongst the crowd fit the description. Brooklyn stood off to the side, sampling a cheese platter; Morgoth and Judge stood toe to toe, both trying to figure out who the taller man was; Kevin Hurts appeared to be retelling stories of his HWA exploits to any and all that would listen; Grimjack appeared to be passed out on one of the couches. Michael’s eyes narrowed at Grimjack, still holding onto a grudge with the man that had damn near destroyed his mansion and drugged him.

“Looking for someone In particular?” -Erin asked, clued In on Michael’s focus being elsewhere.

“No,” Michael responded, downtrodden. “It was a long shot anyway.”

“He’s gone, Michael,” -Erin placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. “Danny’s gone. I’m sorry, But you have to accept that.”

“No,” Michael pulled away from -Erin’s touch. “I don’t believe that. People like Danny just don’t disappear.”

“You did,” -Erin corrected, referencing Michael’s unexplained four year absence after HWA closed.

“And I came back!” Michael nearly shouted, the pain of the memory of his imprisonment and the disappearance of his friend almost overwhelming him. “I’m Not turning my back on him -Erin, Not again.”

Michael stormed off, abrasively brushing past Conner as Kevin had heard Diamond raise his voice and come to check on -Erin.

"she went anyway." Danny Says to himself as He watches the HWA reunion from different angles, intercepting audio from any cellphone In that room, making sure his name didn't pop up while -Erin goes to campaign against him. She doesn't say his name But thanks to -Erin collecting all of their contact information, Danny can now use their pings to monitor each and every one of them unbeknownst to anyone.

He knows why -Erin called for this meeting But her Not telling any stories about Eric Rayne or Danny Starr or even the High Society seems out of character. Perhaps when Romeo didn't show up, and his phone call warning her of going was enough to keep her mouth shut, But, she collected their information. She's Not the type to stop fighting, Not after all of these Years..., Not after everything she had lost.

"What Are you up to, -Erin?" Danny wonders. When she walked up to Michael, his name finally did pop up, But -Erin told Michael that Danny was dead and gone. "Why?"

"Does she believe it to be true?" Danny wonders, "I'll have to watch her until I know for sure." Danny thinks.

With the information He had intercepted from -Erin Wallace, He was now able to monitor each member of the HWA that had showed up at that reunion. It would be as simple as locating them based on their Internet connection and use that to see them on a GPS map, listen to their phone calls, and read their texts and emails. This was become Danny's obsession, constantly jumping from one of them to another, triangulating the use of his name or any mention of the High Society from then on.

A hermit, living with his face In front of a wall of television screens, and a computer to observe the entire world at his finger tips. Minutes would turn into days, and days into Years...

"Hey, Adrian..." Monica jokes, "I could smell the Nostalgia from the hallway."

Danny ignores the Watchmen reference, and her all together.

"Are you going to ever meet with the other members again?" Monica Asks, carefully walking on eggshells.

"When I need to." Danny answers, never looking away from his computer.

"Well, I mean, We have other things going on besides monitoring Your old friends, Danny-" Monica is annoyed.

Danny just ignores her.

"Danny, when's the last time you've eaten?" Monica Asks

"I don't know." Danny Asks, still fixated on a different screen every couple seconds.

"....Fine" Monica Says, "I'll leave you to it."

Danny doesn't respond, Not even realizing she had already left Before even thinking to acknowledge her existence. He looks for her But she's gone. He returns his attention to the screens again, watching -Erin from a subway security camera as He follows her from one camera to another. This is now his every day, every minute, every second.

2019

Danny Starr has become completely consumed By his capability to monitor and follow anyone and everyone. He has learned much more than He had ever dreamed of learning of his former colleagues, But when He took his eyes and ears away from those people, He would learn as much as He could about the other High Society members, including Eric.

He began studying their micro-conversations, the dynamics between them, the choices of words they would use, and way they used certain information and word play to manipulate one another and communicate vicariously. It was an interesting lesson for Danny as He observed this microcosm as an invisible watcher, a voyeur of secrets and information. He was taking it all In, evolving his database, and figuring everyone out from the cameras they didn't know existed even Before Eric's demise.

It seemed Eric was paranoid as Danny was becoming. After all, In the position of power and influence Eric was In, and now Danny has found himself In, friends become enemies, and enemies become pawns.

Still, Danny was becoming as much a part of that office as the Lynk Surveillance had become. He was installed as it's operator, it's host, and it's handler- nothing outside of that room truly mattered, and all that mattered was What He could see on the system.

Monica crept In, finally having enough of Danny's secluding himself from Not only the daily affairs of the High Society and it's interests, But from Monica herself.

"Danny, come away from the computer for a little while." Monica Says firmly.

"Maybe In a little while." Danny never looks at her anymore.

"Danny, this is more than a hobby..." Monica Says, "This is becoming an obsession if it hasn't already. I'm worried for you."

"Stop being dramatic." Danny Says, emotion missing from his tone.

"What happened to us?" Monica Says, "We don't even joke around like We used to."

Monica approaches him behind his desk. He doesn't respond, still going through his loop of targets.

"Danny, they can't touch you." Monica reaffirms, "they can't stop you now."

Monica waits for him to admit it But He still ignores her, almost as if He needs this. She decides to take a leap of faith and grabs the mouse out of his hand.

"What Are you doing!" Danny shouts, But Before He can grab it back from her, she clicks to a different screen.

"Just look!" Monica shouts louder, pointing up.

The market watch shows Sinn Enterprises International at 500% higher than it was In 2005. CTN is 250% Higher than In 2006.

"You and Your leadership have made SEI and CTN more productive and more valuable than Eric ever could. You destroyed the Left Hand. You control the biggest and most powerful media conglomerate In the entire world, ENTIRE UNIVERSE!" Monica radiates with a proud passion, "the world is yours! Can't you just... enjoy it?"

Danny hears her for the first time. He considers it.

"You defeated Eric." She reminds him, "What else do you want?"

there's a pregnant pause as Danny looks up as if to think of a proper answer.

"The truth" Danny Says

"About What?" Monica Asks

"the truth from you." Danny Says

"Danny, I always tell you the truth." Monica Says, "That's why I'm here telling you that you Are becoming a different person. You're too narrow-minded and using all of this time and energy at controlling all of this!" Monica's hand waves aggressively toward the wall of screens.

"Tell me the truth about why you helped me." Danny Says, "You wanted Eric gone."

"I did... I told you that." Monica Says, "He was losing his mind, lost In his ways, and you saw What He had been doing to me."

"So you used me." Danny suggests.

"No!" Monica Says, "I love you..." Monica begins to cry.

Danny shakes his head and she wipes away a tear. "Why Are you such an asshole?" Monica Asks, "Don't you love me? After all this time?"

"Love you?" Danny Says, "I do. But you want me to love you like I loved Jenn and I never will."

Monica can't believe He would even say that to her. After all she has done to protect him. After all she has risked to help him this entire time. She slaps him across the face.

"You son of a bitch!" Monica's tears flow profusely from her eyes, she tries to turn.

"The truth can hurt!" Danny Says, grabbing her shoulder, "and I'm sorry! But it's the truth!"

He turns her around, she tries to struggle away from him, But He holds her.

"I'm sorry." Danny Says, genuinely, "you don't deserve that. You've done everything for me."

"You're breaking my fucking heart!" Monica Cries, "Why would you say that to me?"

"Please, don't go..." Danny begs. "Please stay."

He lets Monica loose, dropping his hands to his side as He waits for her decision. She wipes her tears away; she wants to leave, But she truly does love him.

"Then, stop trying to hurt me." Monica sniffles, "That isn't fair."

"I know." Danny Says, "It's Not fair. You don't deserve that. Do you?"

"No, Danny..." Monica Says, "I don't."

"I do love you." Danny Says, his eyes welcoming her and she feels his warmth for the first time In a while. "I felt like I was losing you." Monica confesses, surrendering herself to him In an embrace.

He holds her tightly as she brings herself back to composure and when He releases, He doesn't hesitate to lean towards her for a passionate kiss. She doesn't force it this time, she yearns for it, letting her body become his as He guides her back to the top of the desk. He leans over her body, her legs wrapped around his as they kiss. His hands begin to caress her, her body arching rhythmically as He kisses her bare neck. She lets out a sigh of relief, a release of tension, and He cups her breast with his hand- using his other hand to reach for the computer mouse. He stops kissing her, pulling himself up as He clicks the mouse.

Her eyes open to see him looking up and passed her, his eyes back on the screens. She is confused. Could He really have stopped midway through foreplay to go back to his obsession? she wonders... But then, she hears Eric's voice... then, she hears her own. "What's wrong? What is this?" Monica Asks, "Watch." Danny allows her to stand up. She turns to face the screen and notices the date at the bottom reading "February 15th, 2006." She recognizes the date, she recognizes the moment. She tries to slide away from Danny But He grabs the back of her head with both hands, But Not like a lover- like an enemy and throws her unprotected face down into the wooden desk top. He lifts it up, she's In a daze as blood leaks from her nostrils.

"I said watch!" Danny growls. He holds her head so she can watch the wall of screens play surveillance from the hidden camera In Eric's office.

"It's done." Eric Says, "she's gone."

"That's too far, Eric..." 2006 Monica Says, "We have a team of lawyers that could have stopped her."

"It's easier to just erase the problem." Eric Says, "It looked like an accident. Nobody can point a finger. Ms. Copelin can't get her story out. Everyone, including yourself, is safe from the talons of journalism."

"What about Danny?" Monica Asks Eric.

"Casualty of war." Eric justifies, "One person against all of us? It's an easy problem to solve, it brought me no pleasure, But even you know it was necessary."

"She was a liability." Monica agrees, "But a car accident? That's... it's extreme, Eric."

"The mechanics were already aware of Mr. Starr's exploits." Eric Says, "It was just business. Nothing personal."

"What now?" Monica Asks

"Wait for him to leave and then we'll bring Ron in." Eric Says, "Finish the job."

"All right." Monica agrees.

Danny clicks pause on the video, fixed on Monica's smile.

"Danny, let me explain!" Monica Cries, pleading.

"You knew it wasn't an accident." Danny Says, "You knew it was a hit the entire time!"

"Please!" Monica begs, "Danny! Listen!"

"No!" Danny Says, twisting her around so He can look into her terrified eyes.

"Danny!" Monica begs, "Why do you think I came to you! I Couldn't stand What Eric had done!"

"Shut up!" Danny erupts, "You lied for a decade!"

"Danny, I Couldn't hurt you like that!" Monica Cries, "I Couldn't bring you any more pain!!"

"Who else knows?" Danny Asks

"Just me!" Monica Says

"For once In Your fucking life, tell me the god damned TRUTH!" Danny demands.

"I swear!" Monica Says, "there's no tape that I know of! No secrets I'm keeping! Nobody else knows! I'm the only one Eric told things to!"

"I'll find out one way or another." Danny promises.

"Danny, please... I'm sorry! I should have..." Monica Says, But Danny is already at the breaking point, his hands around Monica's throat.

"I don't want to hear anything else!" Danny threatens,

"Danny..." Monica begs, "I love you! Please!"

"Shut... up!" Danny's hands get tighter around her throat so she will stop talking, But she still tries.

"You're hur-" Monica begins to choke, "I...didn'-"

Danny sees red, blacking out, his hands like a python too tight around her throat for too long, her chokes Are silent- her eyes bulging as she sees Danny's filled with a demon's gaze, unable to separate his logic from his rage, and Before He can even begin to, it's over. Her life ends. Her heart stops. His hands still holding her soft, fragile neck even after her light was snuffed from her.

He releases and her head drops back to the desk, her eyes still open. She is motionless and limp, Danny looking down to realize What He had done, But doesn't regret it. He trusted Monica, even loved her, and this revelation was too intense for him to control. She was gone. His anxiety is through the roof, out of breath from the adrenaline coursing through him, realizing she was truly just a bag of flesh and bones now. The gravity begins to hit him But is interrupted By an ear piercing alert over his Lynk Surveillance

He looks up, tears In his eyes, to see that a text message had been sent from -Erin Wallace to Tommy Romeo He sniffles, moving Monica's lifeless arm away so He can grab the mouse, clicking OK on the notification so He can witness the conversation In real time.

Danny moves his mouse to a browser and types In the old HWA website URL.

When He hits Enter He sees that it's devoid of it's former layout and replaced with an open source chat box where Kevin Conner, Morgoth, C-4, Pocket Change have all pledged their commitment to a type of resistance. It's Not specific What they Are resisting, But considering the conversation between -Erin Wallace and Tommy Romeo, Danny had a pretty good idea.

When they switch to an encrypted server, Danny knew surveillance would be harder to achieve, and if their resistance is against Danny Starr- He would need a way to be one step ahead of them. He reaches into Monica's pocket where she kept her black book, and begins flipping pages to the letter He desires. When He finds the contact he's searching for, He sits down, lifting his office phone and clicks Sync Before calling.

"Hello..." Danny Says In Eric's voice. "I have Your first assignment."

After the phone call, Danny sends a mass text to Tony Gold, Steven and MJ Fury, Jared and Scarlett Sengir, Brandon Kayros, Corwin Havens, and Jonathan Keeper with an urgent message to be in their chairs to convene by 12:00 PM; no later.

When the High Society members arrived to the 5th floor, they stepped off of the elevator and were immedietely greeted by an unmarked, masked mercenary that used a metal detecting wand around their bodies as another emptied out pockets, wallets, purses, etc.

“Get your hands off of me!” Steven orders.

“What is going on!” Corwin shouts as he is violated.

“Protocol, Mr. Havens.” A third mercenary says, finishing up their search on Corwin, “Mr. Starr is awaiting you in the conference room.” Waving his hand behind him as he prepares to frisk Jonathan Keeper.

“What is the meaning of this.” Tony asks, his hands up in the air as a merc checks inside of his coats.

“Protocol, Mr. Gold.”

Corwin, being the first through this new security, makes it to the conference room door first, opening it and seeing Danny Starr at the end of the table, with two mercenaries at either side of him.

“What is going on here?” Corwin asks.

“New protocols.” Danny says, “I’ll explain when everyone has seated.”

Danny waits for the rest of them to come in and sit, and there is a sense of fear amongst them.

“I do apologize for this sudden and aggressive new measure,” Danny says, “But we have been given confirmation that the HWA Resistance, this terrorist organization, is serious about their threats and despite our efforts to thwart them through legal action, continue to expand their web of influence over encrypted websites on the internet.”

There’s a silent tension in the room.

“The wrestling organization?” Tony asks, befuddled at that possibility.

“You have lost your mind.” Steven says.

“Where’s Monica?” Scarlett asks.

“Due to the clear and present danger, I have moved Monica to a safe location until this HWA problem is dealt with.” Danny says.

“What threat?” Mj asks, “A couple of articles and a youtube channel? What could they possibly do?”

“How so I get in contact with her?” Scarlett asks, referring to Monica.

“I’m sorry.” Danny says, “That is out of the question. It isn’t worth risking her safety by possibly exposing her ping through internet connectivity.”

“What threat is there?” Mj repeats.

“We were given credible intel that the HWA’s resistance is organizing as we speak to stage attacks on who they believe is Eric Rayne and those responsible for the company being shut down.” Danny informs them, “We are learning through multiple intelligence interceptions that these are radical idealists that are passed the point of negotiating and are now out for revenge.”

“These are your people, Starr.” Jared says, “Just give them the HWA.”

“Maybe it’s you...” Danny says.

“What?” Jared is confused.

“It could be any of you.” Danny looks to each of the members.

“What are you... talking about?” Brandon asks, confused.

“I received a phone call from a trusted Jakob Grimes that, during their own search for HWA resistance members, discovered that The High Society had already been infiltrated by a mole for the HWA.” Danny says, “Someone sitting here.”

The entire table looks to Kayros.

“Whoa...” Brandon says, “It’s not me...”

“I mean....” Jared begins, “If anyone has history as a mole...”

“Really?” Brandon says, “You really want to go there?”

“Well, who is it, Starr?” Steven asks directly.

Danny shrugs, “They couldn’t confirm who it was exactly, just, that the HS had an HWA informant in our ranks.”

“It’s you... right?” Corwin asks.

“Does that make any sense to you, Corwin?” asks Danny.

“I mean... you were pissed about the HWA getting shut down... you took over the High Society... now you’re telling us there’s this resistance and a mole inside our organization... and you are the newest member..” Corwin says, “Come on, Starr... that sounds like a logical explaination right?”

“Wow...” Tony says, “You have that all planned out, Corwin?”

“What?” Corwin asks, surprised at Tony.

“For a guy who never bothered to learn the High Society handbook, you sure know a lot about Danny Starr.”

“Guys, this guy took out the Left Hand...” Jared says, “Obviously, It’s not Starr.”

“Thank you, Jared.” Danny says, “Corwin, let me remind you that I am constantly being targeted by these who Jared considers my people. For years now.”

“What are they going to do though?” MJ asks, “Bomb the building?”

“That’s why I’ve employed some of Stormcorp’s finest young men to be here on guard 24/7“ Danny says, “This is our fortress and as long as we are vigilant, we can snuff out this resistance before it goes too far.”

“You took out The Left Hand but you can’t take out a few washed up pro wrestlers?” Steven asks.

“I’ve had enough heat for the rest of my life.” Danny says, “If it’s one thing I learned from Monica it’s... play the long game.”

Scarlett nods in approval, “So, what’s the game plan?"

“We play their game.” Danny says.

“What do you mean?” Jared asks.

“Since, I don’t know which one of you is the betrayer,” Danny suspiciously scans the room, “I will be playing things a bit close to my chest. For now, try your best to do your part... right now, they believe they are coming for Eric Rayne.”

“Right... and?” Steven asks.

“We use that to our advantage.” Danny suggests, “and when the time comes, you will follow my lead.”

PROLOGUE IV: The Road To One Night Stand