Appreciation

==========

February 10th, 2020

Los Angeles, California

Off Camera

==========

Day of Infamy proved to be exactly that as Glory Braddock stunned the world by doing anything and everything to win, even stooping to the lows of cheating in order to pick up a win over Alistaire Allocco.  Then again, no one should be surprised, least of all Alistaire.  Glory had warned him from the lead up to Rise To Greatness until now that the wrestling business was cutthroat, that to get ahead you had to fight fire with fire, and that sometimes you had to play dirty in order to survive and accomplish your goals.  Alistaire had to be taught a lesson and Day of Infamy was the night he learned that lesson.  Now The British Bombshell has set her eyes on a much bigger goal, bigger than proving herself against Alistaire Allocco, maybe even bigger than winning her fifteenth world championship…

...although that certainly is still on her agenda!

Glory’s newest goal is to restore nobility and pride back to professional wrestling.  And as she has showed Alistaire and the rest of the wrestling world, you cannot accomplish that task by following the rules.  Wrestling is too far gone and far too corrupt to save it by following the rules.  The British Bombshell knows that she will have to drag wrestling kicking and screaming back to its proper place and restore its nobility whether it wants her to or not.  But first there is a more immediate concern, a powerful tool in her new war to save wrestling from itself.

The sunlight streaming in through the window doesn’t immediately wake up “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock, who sleeps rather soundly in a king size bed next to her husband, her beloved Kurt Logan.  Glory’s eighteen year old daughter sleeps in the room next door, which is all a part of the luxurious Hilton suite that she reserved for them stay in during their time in Los Angeles, California.  Braddock needs to be awake, for today is a big day for The Best in the World.  She is to be recognized for her many good works and donations to charity.  Finally she is being recognized for the hard work she has put in to make this world a better place.

Finally.

Glory’s eyes flutter open as she sits up in bed and stretches her arms out wide open.  A yawn escapes her mouth as she looks out the window at the brightness of the LA skyline.  A grin forms upon her face.  She deserves this.  All of this.

Just two days ago the self-proclaimed Best in the World was competing overseas in Japan and now she is back in her new home of Miami where she intends to prepare for a challenge she knows all too well…

...The Trios Tournament.

Braddock won it last year with Regan Street and Kellen Jeffries.  This year Braddock hopes to win it again, this time with Ace Marshall and David Helms.  She may not be particularly fond of Ace Marshall, his childish antics, or his tactics, but he is a former world champion, as is David Helms.  The Best in the World knows that she was lucky enough to get placed on what could be the makings of a winning Trios Team, just so long as they remain on the same page.  “The same page” as far as Braddock is concerned is them following her lead, because she isn’t going to trust her Trios future with the likes of Ace Marshall.  He may be a captain but in name only.  Braddock knows who the true brains of this operation shall be; Glory Braddock.

Glory throws the covers off of her and then swings her legs over the side of the bed and places her feet upon the floor.  She is careful not to wake up her loving husband as she stands up and walks towards a door that has a pink nightgown hanging on the doorknob.  Braddock throws the nightgown on and then opens the door, stepping inside what is a bathroom.

The bathroom had an earthy feel. The walls were large format tiles of white honed travertine and the floor was made of dull brown tiles. The vanities were of a dark wood and the gleaming granite counter tops with walnut framed mirrors were a brilliant white. There was no bath but instead a huge walk in shower with two shower heads.  This bathroom is a luxurious dream, one that you only have if you are wealthy: a jacuzzi tub, walk in shower room with over-sized shower head, fluffy towels neatly arranged, tile floor with under-floor heating, fluffy bath mat, and a wicker laundry basket.  But Braddock’s focus is the vanity as she gazes at her reflection in its mirror.  A smirk forms upon her face because she likes what she sees.

“Glory?” The voice doesn’t startle The British Bombshell because she recognizes it immediately.  It is her husband, Kurt Logan.  Braddock turns and finds him standing in the bathroom doorway wearing only a pair of boxers.  He looks visibly tired and exhausted.  Glory frowns, she does not like seeing her hubby like this.

“You look tired.  Did you get any sleep?”

“Not really.” Kurt answers shaking his head. “I think your constant traveling is beginning to take a lot out of me.”

The British Bombshell nods her head.  Her life is a challenging one, for she not only is an active wrestler but she also runs her own company that requires her to travel all over the world for various business meetings.  She uses her clout not only as a businesswoman but as a wrestler to improve professional wrestling.  There have been sleepless nights for Glory Braddock while on this quest but it is a sacrifice she happily accepts.  She counts her blessings that her family, her husband Kurt and their daughter Melinda, are both also willing to make such a sacrifice.

“I’m sorry, Kurt.” Braddock approaches Kurt, kisses him on the cheek and then embraces him in a tight hug. “I hope I didn’t wake you up.”

“No, you didn’t wake me up.” Kurt says, shaking his head.  Glory suspects that he is lying to protect her feelings; he looked like he was down for the count to her.  Lying her not she doesn’t care.  She’ll let it slide.  After breaking the hug, Glory walks past Kurt and back into the main bedroom area.  The British Bombshell sits on the edge of the king size bed.  Kurt follows his wife and sits down next to her.

“Something wrong?”

“I just wonder if any of this is worth it.  That’s all.  How quickly do people forget that it was Alistaire Allocco who ran out on my match, took the coward’s way out; how quickly do people forget that in a rematch Alistaire cheated to beat me.  That was before Rise To Greatness.  Fast forward to Day of Infamy and I use the same tactics against him that he at one time used against me but I was wrong, yet apparently it’s ok if Alistaire does it.”

“It isn’t right.” Kurt remarks, shaking his head.

“Tell that to those who now say I am a fraud, tell that to the people who boo me.  Either it is right for everyone or it is wrong for everyone.  But see that’s just one of many things wrong with wrestling today.  There are rules that apply to some but not others.  The rules should be enforced but never are.  And to make things right people like me have to take drastic action and if that means becoming a villain in the eyes of a few small people...very small people...then so be it.  It is yet another sacrifice that I am willing to make for the best of wrestling.”

KNOCK! KNOCK!

The knocking sound can only be one person; Melinda Braddock, Glory’s teenage daughter.  The knocking immediately interrupts Glory’s rant, causing both her and Kurt to turn their attention the door leading to the next room where Melinda is staying. “Mel?  What is it?” Glory asks, raising her voice loud enough hoping her daughter can hear.

“You’re not doing anything dirty in there are you?”

The question is innocent enough and brings a chuckle out of Kurt but Glory rolls her eyes. “No, Mel.  You’re safe.”

The door opens and Melinda emerges, walking into the room.  Melinda is dressed in denim jeans and a plain black “SCW” logo t-shirt. “Good morning!”

“Morning, Mel.” Kurt says with a warm smile.

“What do you want, Mel?” Braddock’s voice is full of frustration.  Mother and daughter are similar in personality in that both are strong willed women.  That has led to many clashes between the two.  Last year Melinda wanted to train to become a professional wrestler like Glory but The British Bombshell was vehemently opposed.  It took several months of battle before Glory conceded and let her daughter train.  Now Melinda again opposes Glory, this time she opposes her mother’s newfound attitude that was on full display at Day of Infamy.  The younger Braddock has even taken to social media with her disagreement and that has not set well with Glory.

“Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today or what?” Melinda asks with playful grin.  Her mother, however, is not grinning.

“Give your mom a break, Mel.  She was just competing in Japan and only got back in the states yesterday.”

“So did I but I’m not all pissy.” Melinda answers Kurt.

“Just get to the point.” Glory answers quickly and shortly.

“Bobby is here.”

Braddock’s eyes grow wide.  “Bobby” is Melinda’s nickname for Robert Odom, the head of Glory Braddock’s legal team.  He is one of the few people Glory trusts in the corporate world and has helped guide her in her business dealings.  It was Odom who helped Glory regain control of GCW, it was Odom who helped Glory bring about the merger of her promotion GCW and her Braddock Wrestling School all under the umbrella of her company, and it is Odom who to this day helps to ensure that the Board of Directors of her company do not give her any trouble.  It is this for this reason that Glory values Odom the most, for it was Odom who brought it to Glory’s attention that the recent arrest of Matthew Alan, the founder and former owner of her company, might stir up trouble amongst the Board of Directors.

“Tell him to bring the car around.”

“He’s way ahead of you, mom.” Melinda says with a sigh as she rolls her eyes. “He has a limousine.”

Braddock smirks knowingly. “Excellent.  Well you tell him that I’ll be dressed and ready in a few moments.”

“Sure, whatever…” Melinda says as she takes her exit, shutting the door behind her.  Braddock immediately stands up and approaches the closet.  She opens it and starts going through her clothes.  She starts pulling out dresses and skirts as she tries to decide what to wear as this no doubt is about the award she is about to receive.  As she throws her clothes on the bed she catches the look from her husband, who now stands up and stares at her, almost judgmentally.

“Glory…”

“What is it?” She asks curiously.

“Are you sure about this?”

“Am I sure that I want to go and receive this award?  Kurt, I deserve this.  I deserve this and so much more for everything that I have done.”

“Do you even know who is giving you this award?”

“ASPCA I think...or World Wildlife Foundation...it is an animal rights charity that is eternally grateful for all of the money I donated.  At least someone is thankful for my help.”

Kurt sighs and shakes his head.  Clearly he is not as convinced about this as his lovely wife is. “I just…I don’t know…”

“What’s wrong, Kurt?  I’m getting an award.  This is bloody great!”

“Oh the award is fine.” Kurt says with a nod of his head. “It’s Odom I’m not sure about.”

The British Bombshell furrows her brow. “What’s wrong with Robert?”

“Every time you speak with him, every time you do business with him, things become dirtier and dirtier.  Sure, he helped you regain control of GCW and I was happy that he did that.  But what happened from there?”

“He helped consolidate the merger of my promotion and my school.”

“Right,” Kurt nods his head “but need I remind you of all of the loopholes he wrote into those contracts.  Most of them applying to your own sister, whose permission and signature you had to get in order for that merger to go through.”

“Kurt, calm down…”

“You deceived and manipulated your own sister, Gloria!” Kurt exclaims. “What happens when and if she finds out?”

“I have that covered.  Besides, no one should feel bad for her.  Look at what she’s been doing lately.  She is a rampaging lunatic.  If I have to stop her as well then I will.”

“Like how you plan to stop the Alan family?” The question causes Glory to pause.  Kurt is fully aware of what she has done.  Under Robert Odom’s advice she had a slimey private investigator named Seth dig up dirt on the family of Matthew Alan and their business associate Meagan Collins.  Odom’s concern is that if the founding family of Glory’s promotion wanted to stage a hostile takeover of the company they could, and with the information she hopes to obtain from the private investigator she plans to blackmail them all into submission.

“Matthew Alan and his family have been a thorn in the side of wrestling for a long time.  Same for Collins.  Who cares what happens to them?”

“There are better ways of going about this, Glory.  You know this.  You’re better than this.”

“Sometimes you have to do what is necessary, Kurt.  Do you support me or not?”

Kurt sighs and nods his head. “Yes, I support you.”

“Good.  Now help me pick out some clothes.  I want to look fabulous as I receive this award.”

==========

Later

Los Angeles, California

Off Camera

==========

Kurt never again raised his voice.  He felt it was no point, instead he did what Glory had asked; helped her pick out an outfit for the proceedings.  As for attorney Robert Odom, he did as he was told; he brought the car around.  The car turned out to be a stretched limousine. The British Bombshell sat there next to attorney Robert Odom in the long, narrow compartment with two leather seats facing each other, a fully stocked bar, and a TV screen. It was nothing like a car at all - she was glad that the windows, like the driver's glasses, were darkened. Nobody was able to see in.  Nobody could see them as they did their business.  Braddock had opted for a sparkling black sequined dress and black open toed high heel pumps.  Her long blonde hair hung unrestrained to shoulder length.  Her attorney wore a gray business suit complete with a navy blue tie.

The limousine speeds down the road, and Glory cannot wait to arrive at its destination.  Many have judged and criticized her since Day of Infamy, since she defeated Alistaire Allocco.  But she did it for them.  She did it all of their own good, for Alistaire’s own good.  None of them were grateful.  But now someone is grateful and they are going to show their appreciation of Glory Braddock with an award; a richly deserved and rightfully earned award.  In fact, it would seem that the celebration has already begun, for both Odom and Braddock have glasses of champagne in their hands.

“This is going to be an absolutely wonderful time, Mr. Odom!” Glory beams excitedly.

“I’m sure it will be, Ms. Braddock.”

“I only wish it were a wrestling promotion recognizing me, for it is wrestling that I put most of my hard work into, it is wrestling that I wish to save and improve.  But right now the wrestling world doesn’t appreciate what I am trying to do for them.  They want to maintain the status quo, not realizing that the status quo is a cancer and they vilify me for trying to cure that cancer.  Oh well, they will learn to appreciate me.  Until then, I will accept this award as a substitute.”

“Yes, the ASPCA is very grateful for your donations, Ms. Braddock.”

“ASPCA?” Glory looks on at her gray haired attorney with confusion etched upon her lovely face. “I thought it was the World Wildlife Foundation?”

“Maybe it is them?”

“Hold on a second, Robert,” Glory begins, her voice beginning to crack with some nervousness “do you even know who is giving me this award?”

“I did not set this up, if that is what you are asking.” Odom points out. “One of my associates, Carl Conroy, he set this up.  And I believe it was with the ASPCA.  At least that’s what I thought he told me.”

Glory Braddock recalls speaking with Conroy as well.  But she seems to remember him telling her it was the World Wildlife Foundation.  This has her somewhat nervous but she immediately shakes away the nerves.  Her attorneys and agents probably just got their wires crossed.  The British Bombshell shakes her head.

“It doesn’t matter, the point is that I will be honored for my hard work today and I have earned it.”

“Yes you have, Ms. Braddock.”

“Now then, since we have some time to kill before we arrive, do you have any updates from Seth?”

“Unfortunately Mr. Rogers has not contacted me yet, Ms. Braddock.”

“Why not?” Glory asks as she takes a sip of her champagne.

“Please understand that what Mr. Rogers does can take weeks, months even depending upon who or what is being investigated.”

“That’s right, and I asked him to investigate two of the most public figures in wrestling.” Glory states, sounding rather annoyed.  Odom nods his head in agreement.

“This is true, but both are also rather good at covering their tracks…” Odom sips on his champagne “...or so I’ve heard.”

As much as she hates to admit it, her attorney raises a good point.  Both Matthew Alan and Meagan Collins, the targets of her private investigator’s work, were both very sleazy con artists and very good at covering up their criminal activities; but Glory is confident that criminal activities exist.  She just needs evidence to prove it, evidence she can use against them.

It is at this time that Glory Braddock feels the limousine slowing down on its speed.  This indicates to The British Bombshell that they must be nearing the destination.  The voice of the limo driver confirms her suspicion.

“We have arrived, Ms. Braddock.”

“Great!” The limousine comes to a complete halt.  The self-proclaimed Best in the World waits for a few moments as the driver exits the car.  It isn’t long until Glory’s backseat passenger side opens.

“Do you wish for me to go with you?” Odom asks.  Glory shakes her head.

“No thanks, Robert.  I will handle things here, you try and get in contact with Seth and find out if he has any further updates.”

“As you wish, Ms. Braddock.”

The British Bombshell exits the limousine.  Immediately she looks up at the sight before her.  Nothing spectacular except what appears to be a restaurant, something French as the name is in French.  She was expecting more from an awards ceremony and looks to her limo driver.

“Are you sure we’re in the right place?”

“This is the address Mr. Odom provided.”

Braddock sighs and nods her head. “Fair enough.  I will call when I am ready for you to pick me back up.”

The limo driver nods his head before walking back to the driver’s side of the limousine.  The limousine drives away as Glory Braddock approaches the entrance to the restaurant.  Wherever it is, this is a nice place as there is a man in all black ready to open the door for her.  Glory nods her head in appreciation before entering and gazing at what even further solidifies her suspicions; this is a very nice restaurant.  Glory notices a young woman with brown hair, also dressed in all black.  Braddock approaches her and she smiles sweetly at The British Bombshell.

“May I have a name please?”

“Braddock.  Glory Braddock.”

The woman checks her records and shortly thereafter nods her head. “Ah, yes, there you are.  Your party has already arrived.”

“Party?” Glory furrows her brow out of curiosity but shrugs her shoulders as she follows the woman further into the dimly lit restaurant.  They pass tables of people, all dressed to the “T” in their fanciest of clothes.  This is definitely a high class place but still it is a strange place for an awards presentation.  Braddock’s nerves and concerns from earlier start to return.  Neither Glory nor her attorney knew for certain who was giving her this award.  Yet she came here anyway to receive it at the suggestion of one of her associate attorneys...and where the hell did he hear this from?  Who?

Glory receives her answer when the woman stops at a table and she finds Ace Marshall and David Helms sitting there.  The British Bombshell feels like an utter fool.  It was all a joke, an Ace Marshall joke more than likely, and she fell for it.

“Bloody hell…” she says, shaking her head.

“Congratulations!” Ace leaps out of his chair.  In his right hand he has a pair of Mickey Mouse ears which he places on Glory’s head.  Then he hands her an umbrella.  “Happy Umbrella Day!”

“Umbrella Day?!” Glory asks incredulously.

“Yeah, it’s National Umbrella Day, didn’t ya know?  This is to thank you for everything you have done for umbrellas.”

==========

On Camera

==========

The camera feed begins to roll in what appears to be a drab, run down a gym that is in disrepair and whose better days have long since gone.  The concrete floor is gray and the walls are painted an off-white color, at least the walls that still have paint on them, as most of the paint on the walls have begun to peel.  There is a standard wrestling set up in the center, weights scattered all over the floor.  At one of the far ends of the room is a red heavy bag.  In the background we see a standard wrestling ring.  The ring has black ropes and a black apron but the mat is a Carolina sky blue.  A few moments later footsteps echo throughout the empty, concrete floor of this workout center.  It isn’t long until we see our visitor; The British Bombshell, the woman who some believe to be The Best in the World, Glory Braddock approaches with a confident stride in her step.  She is dressed in her royal purple colored two piece wrestling gear.  Her long blonde hair hangs unrestrained to shoulder length.  A confident smirk is etched across her lovely features.

“This is a workout center, a gym if you will...it could be mine, it could be my cousin’s because she has one too, hell it could be anyone’s...it doesn’t matter who owns this place, the point is that places like this is where wrestling was born and wrestlers are conceived.  Places like this are where real wrestlers go to hone their craft and try to improve themselves.  A place like this is where The Best in the World was born.  Despite what some of you may think of me, I truly am The Best in the World and I did not just wake up one day and decide to call myself that because it sounds cool.  I had to earn that through hard work, through blood, sweat, and tears, and through dedication to my craft.  I became the Best in the World in places like this…” Braddock lets her voice trail off as she waves her arm around, motioning to her surroundings, this dilapidated gym.

“I enjoy being here, I am at my most comfortable in these surroundings, because here is where you find true wrestling purity.  It is here where I will train and prepare for the upcoming Trios Tournament, but when I leave for Dallas, Texas...when I enter the American Airlines Center...I will no longer be surrounded by the purity of wrestling.  Instead I will be surrounded by a bastardized version of what I love.  Wrestling has been corrupted by a plague of gimmicks and cancers that are only here for fame, fortune, and to elevate their own name and status.  People using this sport that I love to make themselves into a celebrity, to make money, people who come into my beloved sport as a gimmick so that they can entertain the masses.” The British Bombshell shakes her head.

“Entertainment isn’t what wrestling is about.  Winning is what this sport is about, proving yourself as the best of the best is what this sport is about.  There are many who agree with me but will disagree on my tactics, they do not agree with how I have now chosen to conduct myself.  Some will even dare to call me a hypocrite.” Braddock frowns. “Lies.  Baseless lies.  The truth is that I am one of the few honest people left in this rotten, corrupt sport.  But as rotten and corrupt as it is, wrestling it not beyond salvation.  Wrestling and yes, Supreme Championship Wrestling itself, can be brought back to the nobility and wrestling purity that it once had, and I am prepared to do whatever is necessary to restore normalcy, to restore nobility.  And you will have to expect that drastic measures will have to be taken.  You had to know that I would have to take some extreme measures.  Do you really think some of these clowns and fools with their gimmicks will willingly give up their vise like grip over my sport?”

Braddock holds out her fist, balled up tightly. “No, they won’t.  Therefore I will have to take wrestling, I will have to take SCW, and drag it kicking and screaming back to where it should be.  That is my goal.  That is my mission.  It is no longer my mission simply to overthrow one mere little tyrant, as I see now that the one individual I sought to topple last year was just a symptom of the overall problem.  I need to change the culture of wrestling itself.  I need to topple this entire culture of wrestling and restructure it, restore it, into its proper image.  Mine!” Braddock winks at the camera.

“Last year I began my mission to topple Syren at the Trios Tournament, and alongside Regan Street and Kellen Jeffries we won the Trios Tournament and I utilized my contract to insert myself into the Rise To Greatness main event and thanks to me, Syren’s world title reign came to an end.  You are all welcome for that, by the way.” Braddock chuckles.

“Seriously? Did you actually believe Alistaire Allocco would have gotten the job done at Rise To Greatness on his own?  Syren had an army backing her up AND she was willing to use every dirty trick in the book.  I beat Alistaire Allocco without an army.  Sure, I may have utilized some trickery, but so did Syren.  And if I beat Alistaire one on one with some damn good wrestling and trickery, what do you think Syren would have done to Allocco one on one WITH an army backing her up?  So once again, to those who doubted me, to those who question just how useful and influential my Trios cash in was, I prove to you that I did cost Syren the World Championship.  You are welcome.”

The blonde headed beauty approaches the wrestling ring.  Braddock hops up on the ring apron and then sits down on the edge, crossing her legs. “That’s why I love the Trios Tournament, not only can it prove to be a game changer in Supreme Championship Wrestling but it is one of the few things remaining in this corrupt company that is still pure; a tournament, a tag team WRESTLING tournament to prove whether you can get along with your teammates, whether you have the endurance to go compete in three matches in one night, and finally to see just which team is the Best Trios Team in the World.” Braddock chuckles and then pats herself on the chest.

“Spoiler alert, it’s Ace, Dave, and myself.  Hell, we may as well just call ourselves The Best Trios Team in the World because not only does it have ME on the team but we are truly the best.  How many championships and accolades do we have in all amongst us?  It is truly hard to count.  They may disagree with my attitude and I may disagree with them...especially that clown Ace...but I believe I can safely say that the three of us do respect each other for what all we have accomplished.  And as impressive as my fourteen world championship reigns have been, for a tournament like this there is a far more impressive number…”

Braddock holds up ten fingers. “Ten!  I have been a tag team champion on ten separate occasions with multiple partners.  Pair me with anyone at all and I can carry them to tag team gold and, as I proved at last year’s Trios, through a tournament.  Yes, I am a previous Trios Tournament winner.  Who else do you think could pull it off this year?  Do you really think Katie Steward and Team Booty Call have a snowball’s chance in hell against us?” The Best in the World laughs.

“It truly is laughable.  Katie Steward, as good as she may have been once upon a time, is now passe.  She is finished.  Steward has been struggling to survive in the television title division and has not made any inroads beyond that little division.  She struggles to maintain relevant through stunts and stupid little feuds only to be humiliated by The Handsome Devils Club.” Braddock shakes her head, making tisk tisk sounds. “Shame. Once you meant something. Once you were good, great even. Now you are relegated to a mere gimmick. Similar to your pals Team Booty Call.  Speaking of…”

Braddock waves playfully at the camera. “Hi there, Tommy! Are you prepared to tap out to me once again?  Because that just might happen in Dallas. Last time we shared a ring together was one on one and I dared you to be relevant again. I dared you to give me a good challenge. I dared you to be something more than Kandis’s bitch. Instead you proved that not only was I right about you, but that without Kandis and the same horny bastards gimmick so many others in this bloody company used before you, you would be irrelevant. Now with Trios approaching you have a chance to yet again prove me right. If you remember. Do you?”

Glory shrugs her shoulders. “Do you remember? Do you remember how I said you would be your typical pathetic self and not put forth any effort against me because nothing was on the line. But Trios, ah one of the biggest prizes this company offers, is on the line in this tournament. So this probably is worth your effort, right?  Too bad that it won’t make a difference. You’ll get beaten either way. And poor Kandis…”

Braddock shakes her head “...I almost pity you, because yet again your hard work will be for naught because your partners will let you down. Again.”

“As far as the rest of you blokes go, just know this; after we make it past Tommy and Friends, we will continue to go through this tournament and go through any team that gets in our way. That Trios Tournament belongs to us, it belongs to Ace Marshall, David Helms, and The Best in the World...Glory Braddock!”