Blackmail

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February 28th, 2020

London, England

Off Camera

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The Braddock Wrestling School, located just off the outskirts of London, England, has been the training ground for almost all of Glory Braddock’s biggest, most noteworthy matches of her professional wrestling career.  The preparation for all fourteen of her previous world championship victories came at this facility. It doesn’t look as big and luxurious as one might think, considering its founder, the grizzled and oftentimes angry Glenn Braddock, is a legend in England and all throughout Europe, but Glenn was never one to care about the glitz and the glamor nor for the spotlight.  He never gave a damn if people loved and adored him and gave him all the attention that so many other wrestlers nowadays seem to crave.

His only love was wrestling.  There was no need for things to look glamorous and sparkly, nice and pretty, Glenn always kept it simple.  Not only was it practical but it sent a message to his students, a message telling that wrestling itself was simple; as simple as winning.  You go to the ring, you do what you must in order to defeat your opponent, and then you leave.

It could be argued that Glenn Braddock’s oldest daughter and the heir to his school, Glory Bradock, perhaps has a little more fondness for the glitz and spotlight of professional wrestling than her father ever did when he was alive, but despite her fondness for the fanciful the self-proclaimed “Best in the World” still did not upgrade the wrestling school.  In honor of her father, she maintained its simplicity.  It is what he would have wanted.  Besides, this run down, simplistic wrestling school is home for Glory Braddock.  It is here where she honed her skills and learned how to compete, how to wrestle, and gained the knowledge and ability that helped her become The Best in the World.

And this dirty, sweaty, smelly excuse of a gym is her professional wrestling home.  This is the place where she learned the craft and honed her skills.  The familiar sights, sounds, and odors pervade the air the moment The British Bombshell opens the door to enter the main training area.  A smile creeps across her face as she takes it all in.  This is home.

The British Bombshell is barely noticed as she stands just inside the doorway that marks the entrance to this school, her domain, her empire if you will.  The many students here who are continuing their studies and training are either too busy working out or sparring to notice her or they are too fearful to say anything.  Glory Braddock’s top three trainers are in attendance: Randall Williams, her head trainer, as well as Mark O’Brian and his sister, part time trainer Sophie O’Brian.  The British Bombshell has given strict instruction to her trainers to not let the students get out of line, to maintain a strong focus on the task at hand and to ignore any and all outside distractions.  This serves a dual purpose, not only because this military boot camp style regiment was how her father ran the school but also it teaches the students another valuable lesson about wrestling…

...never take your eye off of the ball, never lose focus, do not get distracted.

Punishments can be severe for those who allow themselves to be distracted even by the most minor of things.  Thus the students know better than to even acknowledge Glory Braddock’s presence.  None are immune, not even Glory’s daughter Melinda, who is present and training today.

Braddock watches on from a distance, wearing a royal purple velvet skirt that stops just above the knee and a sleeveless white blouse.  Her long gorgeous blonde hair hangs unrestrained to shoulder length and she is standing perched atop matching leather high heeled pumps.  A confident grin is etched across her lovely face.  A few are lifting are weights, some of striking out at the heavy bags, still others are working on cardio and endurance, and a few others are in the ring sparring.

The Best in the World likes what she sees.  This has been her vision for the school since she inherited it.  Braddock wants to mold the future generation, she wants to instill in them the proper values and wrestling philosophy.  Some may say she’s trying to create an entire generation of future wrestlers that will think exactly like her, some may say she’s trying to “mold” an entire generation of wrestlers in her own image.  In Glory’s opinion, no one knows professional wrestling quite like her.

Braddock catches sight of her daughter, Melinda Braddock, in the ring sparring with Olivia, a student who has been learning fast and catching on quickly with her lessons.  Glory’s best friend Mark O’Brian is supervising the sparring session in his typical “Mark style”: “An arm drag?!  Ya let her take ya down with a bloody arm drag?!  Ya seriously gonna take that shit, Liv?!”

The British Bombshell smirks.  Mark’s drill sergeant like personality is the closest to her father’s.  Glenn Braddock would often shout and argue like this during sparring sessions.  Though Glenn’s shouting would be a little more intelligent.  Glory shoots her gaze over towards Mark’s sister, Sophie O’Brian.  Glory gives her a signal, a nod of her head, and Sophie nods in response.  Sophie then marches towards the ring.

“Attention, everyone!” Sophie exclaims in as loud a voice as she can.  “Stop what you are doing and gather around the ring apron!”

Sophie slides into the ring underneath the bottom rope.  Mark motions for Olivia and Melinda to exit.  Randall Williams joins the O’Brian siblings in the ring as the students begin to surround the ring.  “Silence everyone.  You are about to be joined by professional wrestling royalty!”

Sophie’s proclamation gives Glory the signal to begin her approach.  The Best in the World begins to march across the room.  Everyone is silent and thus the clicking of her heels across the hard concrete floor are the only sounds that can be heard.  It is like a parting of the Red Sea as Braddock approaches, for students step away, allowing Glory room to step up on the steps and then to the ring apron.  Braddock steps into the ring and joins her friends and fellow trainers inside the ring.  Due to Glory’s other obligations, which include running a business and competing as an active wrestler herself, it is rare that Glory Braddock ever comes to visit her students and speak to them personally.  This is a rare privilege for them.

At least Glory believes that it is a privilege for them…

“I have been observing you for quite a long time.  First of all I would like to say that I am impressed with how you refused to allow yourselves to get distracted by my presence.” A smug grin forms upon her face. “I understand that my presence can easily make one sit up and take notice, but you should not allow me or anyone else to distract you.  It is a hard lesson that many in MY sport still have not learned.  You have no idea how many times I have witnessed competitors take their eyes off of the ball and thus seal their own fate.  They lose because of a simple distraction.”

Braddock shakes her head vehemently. “Do NOT focus on anything else or anyone else but the one goal and that is to win.  I won my thirteenth world championship by making Andreas Lasiewicz, another wrestling legend, tap out.  But do you know why he tapped out?  He tapped out because he saw his girlfriend at the time, my cousin Kayla Jones, getting beaten up at the top of the ramp.  I had a triangle choke locked in and he couldn’t get there to save her.  He knew he could only get there to rescue her by tapping out.  So that’s what he did.  He allowed his love and affection to distract him and force him to tap out and I became World Champion.  In my defense I did not know that my cousin was getting destroyed.  I had the hold positioned where I could not see.  But had I known it was my cousin getting decimated would I have broken the hold to let him to rescue her?”

Glory pauses to let her question sink in.  The British Bombshell shakes her head. “No, I would not have broken the hold.  I refuse to allow myself to be distracted by anyone or anything, even my own family, and you must be the same way.  The more focus you have, the more likely you are to win.”

The British Bombshell motions to Sophie, Mark, and Randall. “Second, I would like to thank my trainers...Randall Williams and my two best friends Sophie and Mark O’Brian...I do hope you are heeding all of their advice.  I hope you are listening to their words and learning from them.  They may be harsh teachers but it is what you need.  It is yet another lesson of wrestling.  This sport as it is currently is cutthroat and ruthless.  If you think Sophie, Mark, and Randall are difficult then you will not survive in MY sport.  So understand that what they are doing is for your own good.  The pressure you feel now is for the best.  You will need this pressure in order to mold you into a diamond.”

Braddock points to Oliva and Melinda.  “I watched your sparring session particularly close.  Well done to both of you and to you, Olivia, you took it to Melinda and did not let up.  Well done.  It is no secret that she is my daughter and yet you did not let that impact your judgment.  No one in this sport is special.  Anyone can be beaten at anytime on any given day.  You cannot let anyone intimidate you.”

The self proclaimed Best in the World notices that her attorney, Robert Odom, has entered the building.  She watches as he walks past the ring and approaches the door that leads to her office.  Glory is primarily here to meet with him and so knows that now is the time to wrap up this speech. “I am proud of everything that all of you have accomplished.  You are the future, you will help bring this sport back to nobility and restore a sense of sanity and respectability back to MY beloved sport.  Continue the hard work, because once you graduate here everything just gets more difficult.”

Braddock nods in the direction of Randall, Sophie, and Mark, indicating that they are to resume the training.  Glory steps through the ropes and then exits the ring.  Immediately she begins to approach her office door.  She hears the sound of her good friends’ voices as they resume the instruction.  Glory meanwhile pushes open her office door and then shuts it behind her.

Her office is a vast contrast from the rest of the wrestling school.  The desk is a luxurious looking oak desk, the concrete floor is still there but the office is decorated with photographs from her days as a wrestler.  Two fancy, tall bookcases are against a wall and two large green plants are near the window.  Attorney Robert Odom is standing up near the window and plants.  Glory Braddock sits down in the comfortable leather rolling chair at her desk and then motions to the chairs near her desk.

“Please, Robert, sit down.  I’m surprised you haven’t already.”

I did not want to be presumptuous, Ms. Braddock.”

“You are always welcome in my office, Robert.  Now Sit.” Glory remarks, somewhat more forcefully.  Odom takes the cue and sits down in one of the gray cushioned chairs.

“May I ask why you insisted upon meeting here, Ms. Braddock?”

“Well I could say that this is a nice stop on my way to Australia.  I am scheduled to compete tomorrow.  Or I could say that England is my home and why wouldn’t I want to be here?”

Odom’s features remain stoic.  “But more than likely it is due to your disdain towards North Carolina?”

“You know me so well.” Glory remarks with a nod of her head. “And that is part of why I asked you here today, Robert.”

“Oh?”

“I am sick and tired of having to make time to do business in North Carolina.  Why should I have to do business there just because the Board of Directors say so?  They know nothing about this sport.  They know nothing of how to run this business.”

“In fairness they are more experienced businessmen and businesswomen than you, and your company...the one you bought...was founded in North Carolina.  They do not wish to move.”

“Right, their one and only reason for staying is because of nostalgia.  The old regime, the one led by Matthew Alan, is long gone.  It is my company now and what I say goes.  I want you to begin the initial preparation for a move of the company headquarters.”

“Your Board of Directors will not be pleased.” Odom points out.  The British Bombshell sneers.  She does not seem to care.

“That’s why you are going to make these initial preparations quietly without their notice.”

“You will have to let them know eventually.  You cannot just move the company without their knowledge.”

“I know, and I will get their official stamp of approval as soon as my one potential threat is eliminated.”

“Matthew Alan.” Odom answers.  Glory nods her head, confirming his response.

“Matthew Alan and his family will soon no longer be a factor.”

“I assume this means Mr. Seth Rogers found the information you requested?” The British Bombshell smirks knowingly.

“He didn’t find anything on the Alan family specifically, but he did find some information that I can use as a weapon indirectly against them.”

The gray haired attorney raises his brow out of curiosity.  “As your attorney I would like to know, just in case this borders on the illegal.”

“I will tell you what you need to know, Robert.  You just take care of phase one of the move from North Carolina...preferably moving to London, but if we must remain among the loony Americans then Miami can be a suitable second option.”

“Ms. Braddock, I really must…” Robert Odom is about to warn her, he is about to ask her again for the information she is withholding, but a knocking at the door interrupts him.

“Come in!” Glory says loudly. A few moments later Sophie O’Brian sticks her head in the door.

“Meagan Collins is here, Glory.”

“Send her in, Sophie.” Sophie nods her head and then exits.  Odom’s eyes grow wide.

“Meagan Collins?  As in Collins Incorporated?” Odom asks, his face etched with shock.  Glory nods her head.

“Yes, Robert.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Trust me, Robert.  Just trust me.”

He sighs as he stands up. “Yes, Ms. Braddock.”

Glory watches as Odom turns towards the door.  Just as he does, the door swings open and Meagan Collins comes walking in.  The filthy rich and somewhat eccentric billionaire strolls into the office with an air of arrogance if not cockiness in her stride and on her face.  She is wearing black denim jeans, black boots, and a hot pink top.  Meagan approaches Robert Odom and pinches his cheek.

“You’re a cute little minion!  Yes you are!”  Yes, Meagan is eccentric.  Odom knows this going on and how Glory is able to deal with her is anyone’s guess.  He sighs as he walks past Meagan and exits the office.  Meagan smirks over at Glory Braddock who remains at her desk, looking back at her with an equally arrogant smirk.

“Thanks for the free trip to Jolly Ole’!” Meagan exclaims. “I love a free vacation!  I mean, I can buy any vacation I want thanks to my hubby Mikey’s successful business but taking a free vacation on someone else’s dime is even better, especially when it’s YOUR dime, babe!”

“Never change, Meagan.  Never ever change.”

“You know I won’t!” Meagan playfully blows a kiss at The British Bombshell.

“Sit down, please.” Glory says, motioning to the chairs.  Meagan shrugs and does as she is told.

“Now what is it that you wanted to see me about?  It must be important in order to pay for my round trip plane ticket to Jolly Ole!”

“Oh it is very important, Meagan.  And as for the round trip plane ticket, well, it is the least I could do for my next employee.”

“Employee?” Meagan cannot help but laugh.  The mere idea of a rich woman like herself working for someone else is ludicrous.  “Are you smoking something, babe?  If so why aren’t you sharing?”

“To be fair the term ‘employee’ is probably not a good word for what you will be.  Employee implies you’ll be paid.  You won’t be paid.  So servant or slave may be a better word.  But we don’t have to let anyone else know.  That’ll be our little secret.” Glory winks.

“You really are high?  Or just plain crazy!” Meagan laughs hysterically. “I mean, which is it?  High or crazy?  Because you don’t do that to me.  No one does that to me, babe!  Silly, Glory!”

“You’re right, no one does that to you, because you’re the one who does that to other people.  Hell, in fact, you’ve done a lot worse than that based on what I’ve heard...and seen…” Glory’s voice takes on a more menacing tone.  Meagan notices this but doesn’t immediately get concerned, though she is no longer as jovial as she once was.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Why don’t you ask Angelica what I’m talking about?  Or maybe Kayla would be a better person to ask?” Glory has a downright evil smirk on her face. “You do know that they are my first cousins.  Which makes Marie Jones, Angelica’s daughter, also my family.” Braddock shakes her head, making tsk tsk noises. “That poor girl has been through hell.  I knew her son was the result of being raped…” Glory points a long accusatory finger at Meagan.

“...but I had no idea you were the kind of monster to arrange for Marie to be raped, and just to make matters worse you had her raped by the same monster who was supposed to be a foster father for Kayla Jones, but turned out to be a sexual predator.  You had him do the dirty deed just to rub salt in the wound.”

The smirk that Meagan had been sporting this entire time has completely disappeared.  She is stoic, emotionless as she stares across the desk at Glory Braddock.  Finally, after a long and tense pause, Meagan responds.

“You have no proof.”

“Don’t I?” Glory asks, reaching into the desk and producing a folder which she passes across the desk to Meagan.  Quickly Meagan takes it and begins to rifle through the folder which is full of photographs and documents, the evidence of Meagan’s past crimes that Seth had uncovered.  Meagan’s face quickly turns pale.

“This…”

“That is evidence, Meagan.  And before you say anything, those are just copies.  I have more copies and the originals hidden away.  This is all the evidence of all of your crimes.  It’s enough to get you the death penalty...or maybe life imprisonment may be worse, a lifetime away from your lap of luxury may be more torture for you…”

Meagan continues to look at the evidence before her face.  Eventually she drops it back on the desk and looks up at Glory. “What do you want?”

“That’s the million dollar question isn’t it?  Or billion dollar question, depending upon your net worth.”

“Look, I can write a check with a lot of zeroes behind it, Glory.  Or maybe you want my husband’s company?  I can gift wrap it for you.”

“Some loving wife you are!” Glory says with a nasty snicker. “You’re willing to sell your own husband’s company to me in order to buy my silence?  Well too bad, it’ll take more than that to keep my silence.”

“Then what do you want?!” Meagan demands angrily. “I cannot…”

“You can’t face justice?!” Glory shouts angrily. “I should choke you out right here and now for what you did to my family.  But instead I’m going to use you, much how you used people all of your life for your own criminal activities.  Your husband’s company will eventually become mine but not right away.  An immediate takeover would draw too much suspicion.”

Glory stands up and steps away from her desk.  She approaches Meagan and stands over her, staring down menacingly.  “We’re going to work very closely together, you and I.  In public it will appear like an equal partnership but behind closed doors you will be little more than my servant, doing everything I say because if you don’t then that evidence will become public.  Do we have an understanding?”

There is a long tense pause as Glory stares down at Meagan.  The once vicious and cruel Meagan Collins finds herself in an unusual position, the one in danger, the weak, the victim.  Meagan sighs and nods her head. “Yes…”

“Yes what?”

“Yes...Ms. Braddock.”

“Very good.”

“Now what?” Meagan asks quietly.

“First of all, I need your help with a corporate deal I’m trying to get done.  You have a proven talent of using your unique...talents...to convince your corporate enemies to either agree with you or to step aside.  I have enemies on my Board of Directors.  I want them to either start voting with me at all times or I want them to step aside so I can place my loyal people on the Board.  And I do not want to know how you get it done.” She holds up two fingers. “And second, I want you to tell me everything you know about Matthew Alan and his family.  Everything.  Including his daughter Geneva and his sister Aurora.”

“I can do that…” her voice trails off “...I can do all that for you.  Just don’t let that…”

“It’s ok, Meagan.  Like I said, as long as you know your role and your proper place in this relationship then everything will be fine.”

Glory Braddock walks back over to her desk and sits down. “You may leave.  I’ll contact you when I need you.”

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On Camera

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In the gentle valley on the other side was a colossal tent attached to that silky dome and gaily painted wooden carts.  Quickly it becomes apparent that this is a circus.  The circus had been erected on top of the tallest the hill in the district. The tents could be seen from miles around, their vivid yellows, magentas and royal blues advertising a good time to be had by any and all who come by for a visit.  In the center of the "big top," which sheltered the mammoth three-ring circus, brass horns blared to the rhythmic beat of a huge bass drum.  But as happy and joyous as this atmosphere may be, it wouldn’t take much to ruin it…

“Ok, enough is enough!”

This is the harsh, angry voice of none other than “The British Bombshell” and self-proclaimed Best in the World Glory Braddock.  The blonde haired beauty steps into view from stage left.  Braddock is wearing denim jeans, black patent leather high heel pumps, a black top, and a black leather jacket.  Her long blonde hair hangs unrestrained to shoulder length.  Sunglasses are covering her eyes.

“Everything has its time and place and yes, there is a time and a place for fun and games.  There is a time and place for joy and entertainment.  But anyone who suggests that MY world, MY sport of professional wrestling is the place for joy and entertainment, fun and games, well I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you are wrong.”

A smirk forms across her face. “You are dead wrong.”

The British Bombshell snaps her fingers and in a way almost like that of the infamous snap of Thanos from Infinity War the Circus background fades away into darkness.  There is only a plain white screen with Glory standing in front of it.

“There are far too many clowns and entertainers in my sport, far too many for me to deal with by myself.  I wish I could just snap my fingers and get rid of ridiculous blokes who turn my beloved sport into nothing but a joke or a game.”

Glory Braddock snaps her fingers again.  Just like last time the scene changes, only this time we have an image of an empty arena with a wrestling ring in the background.  Glory Braddock still stands in the forefront, center of the scene.

“I have been busting my ass all of my life in my father’s wrestling school, being tortured almost like that of a new recruit entering boot camp.  No less tough or strict than a military basic training.  And my father took it the hardest on me because I was his daughter and he wanted the best out of me.  He expected great things out of me.  So I took the abuse, I took the punishment and torture, and I learned from it.  I became a tougher, stronger woman because of it.  And thanks to my father’s lessons I became a professional wrestler.  I made my debut in 2008 and ever since then I have been busting my ass week in and week out not just for my selfish fame and glory but to give back to this sport that I love, to leave it in a better way than I found it.”  Braddock shakes her head.

“Now don’t get me wrong, I have no regrets.  I would not change a damn thing about how I came to be where I am today.  Sometimes it takes tough, hard lessons in order to become a better wrestler.  I am in the process of teaching the superstars of Supreme Championship Wrestling those same lessons I learned.  Just ask Alistaire Allocco and now Aaron Blackbourne…” a nasty sneer forms upon The British Bombhsell’s lovely face.

“Blackbourne, you were good but not good enough.  You were good but I was great.  You were willing to do almost anything to win and therein lies why you lost; because I was willing to do anything to win.  And ultimately that’s what this sport, MY sport, is all about.  The name of the game is WINNING; it isn’t entertainment, it isn’t getting a laugh, it isn’t about crude and pointless sex jokes.”  An angry and vapid sneer forms upon her face as she takes off her sunglasses and places them in her coat pocket.

“Yet there are far too many individuals in this company right now who want to make a joke out of my sport.  Kellen Jeffries used his Trios contract to put the world championship on the line in the end of the year battle royal, an open invitation for anyone no matter how undeserving or unworthy they are, to wrestle for the title?  That was a crime and it turned the world championship into a joke.  But he didn’t get the idea all on his own.  He just ripped off Ace Marshall.  How can we forget Ace using his Trios contract to force that maniac Giovanni Aries to defend the Adrenaline Championship in the end of the year battle royal?” The British Bombshell shakes her head in utter disgust.

“Trios contracts are hard to come by; many fight for all of their SCW careers and never even win one and yet you, Ace Marshall, have already wasted one Trios by using it to demean the Adrenaline Title?  Now you’re threatening to do it again?  Some of the ridiculous things you’ve done in this company, the infamous acts that give you some perverse pleasure, and all it does is make me sick to my stomach.  It also makes me shudder to think of what you may do with your newly won Trios contract.” Glory pats herself on the chest.

“Take a cue from me, mate.  I used my Trios wisely.  Much like how few manage to achieve a Trios, few in this company can say that they have been in the main event of a Rise To Greatness.  I used mine from last year to place myself in the Rise To Greatness main event and I didn’t even have to win Taking Hold of the Flame to get there.  And if you or anyone else out there have a problem then kiss my sexy gorgeous ass!  I have barely been here two years and already have achieved more than what most SCW superstars could ever hope to achieve; a two time Trios Tournament winner and a Rise To Greatness main eventer.  Is there any question that I am truly The Best in the World?”

Braddock points a finger at the camera, implying that she is pointing at Ace Marshall. “Yet you turn Trios into a joke.  And your partner for Breakdown isn’t much better.  If what Ace Marshall had done to the Adrenaline title wasn’t enough then Asher had demeaned it even more by being an absolutely sex-crazed child.  His antics in public and over social media have been an embarrassment not only to the Adrenaline Championship but to all of Supreme Championship Wrestling.  Hell, you blokes are two peas in a very perverted pod.  What I really want to know is between Ace Marshall and Asher’s perverse games and jokes alone...not to mention other superstars...how the hell hasn’t SCW been censored in some way?  How the hall haven’t we been slapped with fines from whatever country’s government we happen to be touring in at the time?  Or how the hell are these countries allowing SCW to continue to produce events?” Braddock stares long and hard at the camera for several moments before continuing.

“It’s because the culture of wrestling is corrupt.  It has been corrupted by people like Ace Marshall and Asher.  As I have said time and time again, to correct the problems with my beloved sport, to return it to its natural state, the culture of wrestling itself must be changed.  A war against this corrupt and vile culture of wrestling must be fought and won and that means taking you two fools and choking you the hell out.” A smirk forms upon Glory’s face.

“It’s never good to fight a war alone, even a cultural war.  Look into the past history of the great wars and you will find that the winners typically had allies.  To win this war for the heart and soul I will surround myself with like minded individuals.  Sienna Swann is a like minded individual.  Sienna understands that wrestling is about winning.  Sienna understands that this sport is not be made into a mere comedy act and those individuals who are here just to clown around should be thrown out on their asses.  Sienna and I have come to an understanding that this company cannot tolerate the presence of you two clowns any longer.  So Ace, Asher, go back to the circus where you belong and leave the WRESTLING to real professionals, leave the WRESTLING to greats like Sienna Swann your next SCW World Champion and the absolute Best in the World Glory Braddock.”