The Devil is in the Details

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March 9th, 2020

Raleigh, NC

Off Camera

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Vivace is a traditional Italian restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina.  The British Bombshell Glory Braddock stands just inside the entrance of the restaurant, gazing at the dining area.  She is disappointed that this particular meeting has to happen, not only due to the fact that this is taking place in North Carolina, a place she absolutely abhors, but also due to the individual she is meeting with…

...an old arch rival of hers, Mason Van Stanton.

The Van Stanton family and the Braddock family have been at odds for as long as anyone can recall.  It is a bitter feud that, for professional wrestling, is almost as iconic as the Hatfield and McCoy blood feud.  It is a feud that has transcended the mere confines of a wrestling ring and has taken place backstage and in the corporate world as well.  Yet the very same backstage politics that seemed to drive a wedge between these two feuding families has also created a situation where Glory may need the Van Stantons, or at least Mason in particular.  She does not like it, but she will tolerate it for the good of wrestling and for the good of her company.

The restaurant was full of action; an old couple eating side by side, one glass of wine each, studiously bent over their meals. A group of young women in their thirties collapsing with helpless giggles as a stern woman dining alone nearby looked on and frowned, businessmen in their grey suits lighting up cigars, tourists, trying to decipher the menu, A family and their teenage children. The noise level was high and the lovely blonde beauty, who has come here for a purpose, is finding it quite difficult to focus on her objective.  She’s impatient.

“Where the bloody hell is he?” Glory growls under her breath.

Rarely does Braddock ever feel awkward these days.  Lately she has gotten used to feeling like the center of attention.  In fact, she tends to like it.  In this case she isn’t particularly fond of the spotlight being focused upon her.  She is standing here in the waiting area, along with a few other people, waiting on the arrival of Mason Van Stanton.  She doesn’t trust him anyway.  Mason Van Stanton has manipulated his way into her sister’s good graces and she is convinced he is using her to his own advantage.  Mason has tried to use and manipulate Glory Braddock.  Mason’s brother, Henry, was involved in Glory’s loss of the company many years ago.  Now he is managing Clyde Sutter, a man who Braddock is convinced raped her daughter Melinda, even if Melinda refuses to admit it.

Glory Braddock has already done many questionable things all in her quest to maintain power within her company.  This one act right now, working with a man has heinous and sleazy as Mason, perhaps is the most questionable one to date.  Still, she had her attorney Robert Odom set up this meeting.  And even if it was done somewhat as a knee jerk reaction, there is no turning back now.  What’s done is done and all she can do is wait.

Hopefully it won’t be much longer.

“Miss?” Braddock is startled when she hears a rough sounding voice.  She turns and spots a brown haired, tall lanky individual dressed nicely in a black server’s uniform standing a few feet away. He has a pleasant smile on his face. “Do you need to be seated?”

“Uh, yes, but I am waiting on someone else.”

“How many will be in your party and I can go ahead and prepare a table?” The polite young man asks.  Braddock holds up two fingers.

“Two.”

“Very good.” With a nod of his head, the man turns and walks away to prepare the table.  The British Bombshell sighs and shakes her head.  She definitely would rather be anywhere else but here but Raleigh is where Mason has his office.  Raleigh is his headquarters.  Raleigh is where he wanted to meet Glory Braddock.  He knows that she needs him, not the other way around, so he gets to determine the terms, the time, and the place.

“Waiting for someone?” Braddock turns around and spots Mason Van Stanton there a few feet away.  He is wearing a black suit and white button up shit.  His hair is slicked back and he has a sinister grin on his face. “Looking good, Glory.”

“You’re late.” Braddock remarks flatly.

“Nice to see you too.  But really, you shouldn’t complain.  You’re lucky I even came.  You realize, of course, that I do not like you.  You realize that I would love to see the fabulous little empire and reputation you’ve built up come crashing down in flames around you.” Van Stanton sneers nastily. “Best in the World?  Ha!  Wrestling fans at least are beginning to see the real you but the rest of the complacent idiots out there still love you and for what?  Why?”

“Charity work does wonders, Mason.  Then again, you wouldn’t know that considering everything you’ve ever done is selfish, all for your own gain.”

“And you’re any different Ms. Fourteen Time World Champion?” Mason asks with arched brows. Braddock nods her head.

“Yes, I am different. Everything I do and am currently doing is for the best, what’s best for wrestling.  It may not be popular with all of the fans right now but when all is said and done they will understand.”

“Said every tyrant that ever existed.” Mason says with a sneer upon his face.  Glory rolls her eyes.

“I don’t have time for this petty squabbling, mate.  Are you willing to do business or not?  If not I can gladly leave.  I hate being in North Carolina anyway.”

“I know how much you hate this state.” He smirks. “That’s why I chose to meet you here.  We are going to do business and we’re going to do business on my home turf, Braddock.  Not yours.”

The British Bombshell would strangle him right now if she could.  Unfortunately this is a public place and public strangulation of another human being is illegal.  So she holds back her anger.  Lucky for her, she doesn’t have to wait long for a reprieve.  The tall brown haired server from earlier approaches.

“Your table is ready, ma’am.”

“Excellent!” Mason exclaims loudly, taking Glory’s hand and kissing it. “Me and my lady friend cannot wait to sample your fine cuisine!”

Glory wants to explode but she manages to maintain her composure.  The server, with menus in hand, leads Glory and Mason into the main dining area of the restaurant.  Glory can almost feel the eyes upon her, even if it isn’t true, but she feels like it, especially with Mason Van Stanton clutching her arm as if they are a couple.  For Braddock this is embarrassing.  For Van Stanton, he is enjoying every minute of this.  It seems like an eternity for Glory but in truth it isn’t very long until Mason and Glory are seated at a table.

“So may I interest you in a beverage while you look over our menu?” The server asks. 

“Miller Lite for me.” Mason says with a snicker.

“Pinot Noir.” Glory answers.

“Very good.  I will return shortly.” The server nods, turns, and then walks off.

“This place is very good.” Mason says, breaking the ice quickly, almost immediately after the server left. “I used to take Destiny here.  She particularly enjoyed the wine.”

“Destiny…” Braddock’s anger grows and begins to boil over.  “Destiny”, as in Destiny Blair, is Mason Van Stanton’s ex wife, who Mason recently threw off the top of a hell in a cell and then the next week requested a divorce.  Destiny was also a student of Glenn Braddock, Glory’s father, and a good friend of Glory Braddock.  This mention of Destiny is just another reminder of the kind of man Mason is makes her question whether she truly is doing the right thing in associating herself with him.

“You do know her, right?” Mason asks mockingly.

“Damn right I do.  And I am not particularly happy about what you did to her.”

“I got bored with her and shoved her aside like yesterday’s news.”

“In favor of whom?  My sister?”

“Chastity was always my goal, Glory.  You knew that.  I always wanted her as a client and Destiny served a great purpose in helping me get your sister to become my client.  Once I got that, I no longer needed Destiny.  Me and Chastity are doing what was once thought to be impossible; a Braddock and a Van Stanton working together.  We are ending the bitter rivalry between our families, all the while you remain bitter and angry towards me.”

“Oh am I bitter?” Glory asks with arched brows. “The way I recall it, I was the one who requested this meeting between you and me.  I’m the one who wants to do business with you.”

“Point taken…” Mason says with his interest clearly peaked.  A few moments later the server returns, placing a glass of beer, the Miller Lite, in front of Mason.  He places a glass of red wine in front of Glory Braddock.  The server looks at Mason and then at Glory.

“Do you know what you wish to order?  An appetizer perhaps?”

“Not yet.” Braddock shakes her head. “Give us more time.”

“As you wish, ma’am.” The server nods and then turns to walk away.  Glory turns back to face Mason with a grin on her face.

“So, are you interested in why I want to do business with a con man like you?”

“A con artist?  Moi?  Honestly, I could say the same thing about you.  But I will admit that I am intrigued about why you want to do business with me, especially after our family history.”  He takes a sip of his beer.  Glory watches on with a confident grin upon her face.  Her anger is finally subsiding and the confidence she has had in recent weeks is returning.

“I wish to talk with you for two reasons, Mason.  Primarily, I wish to discuss my sister...Julia…” Glory is emphatic about using her sister’s original name, her birth name, as opposed to the name she wishes to use now.  Mason notices this and sneers.

“Chastity, yes...what about her?”

“You are aware that she and I went into business together.  We agreed to share ownership of the Braddock Wrestling School as part of a larger deal to merge the school and my own wrestling promotion under one umbrella.”

“Yes, I am aware.”

“You weren’t pleased with her decision, were you?” Glory asks with a sly grin upon her face.

“No, I wasn’t.  She agreed to that deal without my knowledge.  We did have words about it after the fact, but ultimately it was out of my hands.  It was a family matter and despite her name change, she is still your blood.”

“I had a feeling you wouldn’t approve.” Glory answers, taking a sip of her wine. “You are always the opportunist, Mason.  You would have wanted to use your influence as her agent to try and tear away at least some stake in my school...or my company...something, you would have done something to poison the empire I built.  An empire that you yourself said you wanted to burn to the ground.  But what you didn’t count on was my sister and I finally burying the hatchet.  You didn’t count on our bond as family, as sisters, overcoming whatever influence you hold over her.”

Van Stanton takes a big sip of his beer and then slams the glass down on the table out of frustration. “Are we here to actually talk business or is this going to just be you and I taunting one another for the next hour?”

“We are going to do business, Mason.  In fact, we’re going to do business right now.  This is my proposal...I want my sister back.  No longer under your control, no longer under your contract, and no longer using that bloody horrendous Noel name.  I want my sister back.  And you will help me.  Sometime soon, or maybe sometime in the distant future, I will call upon you to do me a favor to help me get my sister back and you will obey me.”

“Or what?” Mason sneers angrily.  “You have nothing to threaten me with, Braddock.”

“I have plenty to threaten you with, Mason.  In fact, that’s the other item I wish to discuss today.  Clyde Sutter…”

Mason laughs nastily.  He knows that Glory Braddock detests Sutter.  She kicked him out of her school and she has never had to kick anyone out of her school.  She had hoped she could blackball Sutter from ever appearing in a wrestling ring but Mason Van Stanton used his influence to get him signed to an SCW contract.  It was done out of spite to provoke Braddock.  It worked.

“Ah yes, my young pupil.  A young prospect fighter.  You wanted to keep him from achieving his dream but as usual I made dreams happen and I made his happen.”

“You make me sick, Mason.” Glory sneers angrily. “You have no idea who you have signed to a contract when you signed Clyde Sutter.”

“I know he is a monster who can take anyone in the ring.  He pushed reigning SCW World Champion James Evans to the limit.  With a little more work Sutter himself could be a world champion someday.  How would that look on your sparkling record, eh Glory?  You kicking out a future world champion.”

“Oh I think I’d still look rather sparkling, mate, especially when everyone finds out that said future world champion is also a rapist.”

There is an immediate silence from Mason Van Stanton as he stares long and hard into Glory’s eyes.  He is trying to take in what he just heard.  He isn’t sure he believes it.  He has to hear it again.

“What did you just say?”

“You heard what I said and you know damn well that Sutter once dated my daughter.  I have proof that he took advantage of her and raped her.  That evidence can easily disappear for good but you have to do what I say and help me get my sister back.”

“You’re bluffing.” Mason states confidently.  Glory snickers.

“Want to bet?  How lucky do you feel?”

In truth, Glory has no evidence to prove her claim.  The only witness would be her daughter Melinda, who is insistent that everything they did was consensual.  Glory, however, firmly believes that she is saying this out of fear, fear of reprisal from Clyde Sutter.  But Glory cannot prove any of it.  All she can rely on is this bluff.  Lucky for her, Mason cracks…

“Fine.  You win, Braddock.”

“I always win, Mason.” Glory says with a nasty laugh.

“Mind if I ask what you need me to do?  Helping you get your sister back is rather...vague…”

“There’s a reason for that, Van Stanton.” She takes a sip of her wine. “And I’m not telling you.  At least not yet, not until it is time.”

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March 9th, 2020

Raleigh, NC

Off Camera

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Kurt Logan and his step-daughter, Melinda Braddock, stand just outside the of a Hilton hotels and suites in Raleigh, North Carolina.  The bright Carolina blue sky with the sun shining down is enough to cheer anyone up and a good cheering up is what the father-daughter pair really need right now.  Melinda and Kurt are awaiting the arrival of Melinda’s mother, Kurt’s wife, The British Bombshell Glory Braddock.

“Where is she?” Melinda asks, sounding like the whiny teenager she is.  Kurt ignores his step-daughter for now.  To be honest, he is just as frustrated as Melinda but not for the waiting.  Glory Braddock is indeed late.  She was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago and it isn’t like the self-proclaimed Best in the World to be late.  Still, Kurt and Melinda find themselves standing here, waiting, and probably looking rather foolish for it.

“Just be patient, Mel.” Kurt remarks. “I’m sure she’ll be here shortly.”

“Can’t we go back inside?”

“I suppose we could, but didn’t you want to enjoy the fresh air?”

“No, that was your idea...dad…” Melinda says with a playful wink.  She knows how much Kurt enjoys being called dad.  He is not her biological father but he has spent most of his life raising her.  He truly does love and care for Melinda as if she were his daughter, just as much as he cares for and loves Melinda’s mother Glory and it is that love and care which is the true underlying reason why Kurt is growing more and more frustrated with this wait.

Melinda was told that they were stopping by Raleigh so that Glory could do some “business” involving her company, Global Wrestling Enterprise.  Kurt, however, knew that the “business” involved a meeting with Mason Van Stanton, whom Kurt did not trust at all.  He voiced his concern with Glory who would hear none of it.  He doesn’t understand why she insisted on meeting Mason here today.  He doesn’t understand why she insisted on meeting him at all, to be perfectly honest.  But Glory Braddock is stubborn, just as stubborn as her cousins Angelica and Kayla Jones.  When she sets her mind to something you cannot talk her out of it.  And Glory was hell bent on having this meeting with Van Stanton.

It’s been more than fifteen minutes now, Kurt realizes as he checks the watch on his wrist.  He sighs and nods his head. “Let’s go back inside then, Mel.”

Kurt turns and starts to walk towards the front doors of the Hilton.  Mel is about to follow when she spots a long black limousine approaching.  She grins from ear to ear at what she knows is the arrival of her mother. “Wait!  She’s here!”

Kurt Logan stops and turns around, looking in the direction where Melinda is pointing.  Sure enough, it is the limousine that Glory took off in earlier and it is now returning to the hotel to pick up Kurt and Melinda.  The luxury vehicle pulls right up close to Kurt and Melinda and slowly comes to a stop.  Kurt approaches the back passenger’s door and opens it.  Glory Braddock exits and embraces Kurt in a tight loving hug.

“Sorry I was late, love!  The business meeting ran long…”

“I was afraid it might.” Kurt remarks with a hint of sarcasm.  Glory shoots her husband a glare, letting him know to keep quiet about the fact that it was Mason she met with.  Kurt understands immediately and nods his head.

“What was so important that it kept you busy for so long?” Melinda asks curiously.  Glory smiles warmly down at her daughter.  She leans over and kisses her on the forehead.

“It isn’t important, Melinda.”

“Did you at least accomplish...uh...whatever it is you wanted to do?” Melinda asks.  Glory smirks knowingly and nods her head.

“I did.  A deal has been secured that should help the secure Global Wrestling Enterprise for the foreseeable future.”

“And what does that mean exactly?”

“Does it matter?” Glory counters as she hopes to divert this conversation away from the meeting she just attended.  The last thing she needs is for her oh so curious daughter to start sticking her nose into her business. “I have a busy week this week, wrestling all over the world, coming back to Tennessee next week in time for Retribution and teaching that clown Ace Marshall a lesson he’ll never forget, so you two won’t get to see much of me.”

“Sooooooo what are you suggesting?” Melinda asks.

“I’m suggesting that the three of us get our stuff, put it in that limo right there, and before we get the hell out of this rat infested city, we stop by a nice ice cream shop and get some sweets.”

“Awesomeness!” Melinda exclaims happily. “I think I saw a Dairy Queen down the road!”

Glory Braddock nods her head with a grin, a grin of victory.  The quickest and easiest way to a child’s heart is ice cream, even if that child is almost fully grown.  Glory has successfully distracted her from what happened today, as was intended.  

“Ok then, let’s go.” Kurt says, chiming in to agree with his wife.  “Our stuff is already loaded up on a cart just inside the lobby.  We can get the cart and go.”

Glory nods her head but just before any further action can be taken, loud screeching of tire wheels can be heard.  It is enough to distract Kurt, Glory, and Melinda.  The three turn around to see what is causing the commotion.  They see a car stopping just in front of the hotel.  The windows are down but they cannot see inside.  What Kurt does see causes him to open his eyes wide in fear.

“They’ve got guns!”

Kurt reaches out and snatches Melinda by her arm, and roughly throws her and Glory onto the ground right as shots are fired.  Kurt shouts in pain.  He is hit but it isn’t clear where.  He falls down upon his wife and Melinda.  Gunshots continue to ring out for several moments that seem like an eternity before the car drives off.  As soon as she is certain the gunners are gone, Glory takes an assessment of her family.

“Melinda, are you ok?”

“Yeah...I’m fine…” Melinda answers.  Glory looks over at her husband who is clearly in pain.  She can see bloody on the ground.

“Kurt!  Someone get help!” Glory shouts.

“They got me in the leg…” Kurt’s voice trails off.

“Melinda…” Glory looks at her daughter “...go inside and get help.  Call the police.”

“Ok, mom.” Melinda nods and gets up, runs off.  Glory looks down at her husband.

“Bloody hell, Kurt...are you going to be fine…”

“I think so.  It sure hurts like hell…” he winces in pain. “...but why?  That couldn’t have been random?”

“No...it couldn’t have been…” Glory says slowly, realizing that Kurt is right.  This was targeted.  Someone wanted her dead.

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On Camera

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The cityscape was a jumble of shapes, like a child had cast blocks down randomly and then swept them so close together they touched. There were rectangles, domes and mini-castles. There were spires, weather vanes and satellite dishes. Between the dwellings and businesses the roads were so narrow that they frequently became blocked by trucks brining in wares. These juggernauts were designed for highways and the metropolis.  Between the chaotic buildings ran a network of paths wide enough for two skinny people to pass.  This is Memphis, Tennessee, the second largest city in Tennessee.  Memphis is a living machine spread over once green land like a microchip grossly enlarged. The roads run in their predictable grid pattern and the lights of the stores, restaurants and places of vice shine neon into the night.

We then cut to the outside of a hotel room, specifically a balcony.  The balcony grew from the walls of the house as generous arms from a host, or perhaps those of a mother to cradle her infant child. The metal had a patina of ocean greens and blues, or perhaps it was more the hues of a mossy forest floor in softened early light, yet either way it was beautiful.  It isn’t long until a lovely femine figure steps out onto the balcony.  The camera zooms in and we see that this is The British Bombshell Glory Braddock.  The self-proclaimed Best in the World is wearing a little purple dress that hugs her every curve and matching purple high heeled patent leather pumps.  A confident grin is etched across her lovely face as she stares into the camera.

“Look out at this magnificent sight!” Braddock chuckles lightly. “And no, I don’t mean me, although I am quite a lovely sight!  I mean this beautiful city of Memphis, Tennessee.  It is a lovely, magnificent sight and it is the site of SCW Retribution.”

“Tennesseeans have suffered a great deal recently with the Tornadoes that struck an equally grand and beautiful city, the city of Nashville.  This state has suffered more in recent weeks than any state should suffer in a millennia.  Yet there are forces of nature that cannot be stopped.  There are forces beyond are control that will do what it wants when it wants and there is anyone can do about it.  In one swift and devastating assault, the forces of nature beyond man’s control can wipe out man’s greatest and most marvelous creations.  In one second the great forces of nature can reduce beauty to nothing but rubble.  Forces of nature can cause great devastation across the land.  It is sad, it is unfortunate, but it is a reality.  One such force of nature is none other than Ace Marshall.” The British Bombshell shrugs her shoulders.

“Now how is Ace a force of nature?  He comes and goes as he pleases, causing mayhem and destruction of MY beloved sport wherever he goes, and there is hardly anyone who can do anything about it.  Well, Sasha D could do something about it if she wanted to.  I mean, anyone who actually gives a damn about this great and noble sport would make certain that a clown like Ace Marshall would be permanently banned from this sport, not encouraged to return whenever he damn well pleases.”

“There is an entire list of crimes and offenses perpetrated by Ace Marshall against the sport of wrestling itself, just pull up any video archive of SCW events and find anything from Ace Marshall’s previous SCW runs, and you will see some of the hedenotistic acts perpetrated by this man.  Ranging from the childish to the downright vile and perverse and everything in between.  And let’s not forget that he is the one who degraded and desecrated the Adrenaline Championship by putting it on the line in the End of the Year Battle Royal.  Kellen Jeffries did not get the idea himself, he stole it from Ace Marshall.”

“These crimes are unforgivable and should not go unpunished.  And yet what does Sasha do?  She encourages his bad behavior by doing nothing.  Hell, she enjoys it not because she’s a sadist, but because she, like Ace and so many others, are in this sport for the wrong reason.  Sasha only gives a damn about money and ratings and Ace’s insane, childish antics equal ratings.  So why not let him run wild?  Why not let him do anything he wants?  Hell, she probably hates it when he takes his annual usual six month leave of absence.  She hates it because it means less money in her pockets.  But when he returns to play these outlandish, childish games, she just grins ear to ear, because that means ratings will go up and money comes back to her pocket.”

“Sasha D is an enabler for Ace Marshall, that little whore he runs around with is an enabler for Ace Marshall, and the parasitic fans are enablers for Ace Marshall.  They all enjoy the pathetic, clownish games that he plays, all for different reasons, and thus rarely is Ace Marshall stopped.  Just like hurricane season he comes in for a few months, wreaks his havoc upon MY beloved sport, and then he leaves.  He leaves and allows the sport to try and rebuild itself, try and regain some semblance of normality, and just when it seems as if a sense of order has been restored Hurricane Ace comes right back from his leave of absence.  Just like any other force of nature, he is almost unstoppable…” a confident smirk forms upon Braddock’s lovely face.

“...almost.  You see, a force of nature can be stopped but it can only be stopped by another force of nature.  And that’s where I come in.” Glory Braddock confidently poses for the camera a few moments.  Then she relaxes and continues. “You see, I am also a force of nature in this sport.  You can mock me if you want, but you cannot deny the impact I have had upon this business.  Fourteen times I have held a recognized world championship.  Today I am training the next generation of professional wrestler, molding them in my image.  I even run a promotion of my own, running it as a promotion should be run, giving the people the kind of wrestling that they NEED...not this clownish entertainment bullshit Ace Marshall provides.”

The British Bombshell points a finger at the camera, as if pointing directly at Ace Marshall himself. “You are NOT a wrestler, Ace.  I refuse to call you a wrestler because that would be an insult to wrestlers everywhere.  You are an entertainer.  You make people laugh.  You make people smile.  You are a good comedian or a good actor or any other sort of good entertainer but you are not a good wrestler, because wrestling isn’t about entertaining the mass of unwashed filth that sits in the seats.  Wrestling is about beating the hell out of your enemy to the point that they cannot pick their shoulders up off of the mat for a three count.  Wrestling is about inflicting so much pain upon your enemy that they quit, that they give up, that they are forced to tap out.” Braddock smirks knowingly.

“And wrestling is what I do best!  So go ahead and make your jokes, Ace.  Mock me and ridicule me, because that’s the only thing you are better at than I am.  And hell, if I’m being honest, there was a time not terribly long ago that I was even better at making fun of people than you.  So if I really wanted to I could even beat you at your own childish game.” The British Bombshell shakes her head.

“But I’m not.  I’m going to pin you or make you tap out.  Or maybe I’ll just choke you out and leave you for dead?  People like you are a cancer upon this sport, Ace.  People are looking at you and are mimicking your childish games and antics.  The young stars of tomorrow are looking at you and contemplating potentially following in your perverse footsteps.  You already have Sasha D enabling your bullshit.  So I will do what must be done.  I will make an example out of you.  I will embarrass you, humiliate you, and beat you up so badly that everyone thinking that the Ace Marshall model of professional wrestling is the way to go will rethink their future.  Sasha D will be forced to rethink letting you continue in my beloved sport.  And you…” she chuckles lightly.

“...you might even reconsider your future in this sport.  Who knows?  What I do know is that there will be no “you’re welcome” from me because you won’t thank me.  You will not thank me for the beating that I am about to give you.  I will be relentless, I will show no mercy, and I will put you and your pathetic garbage wrestling out of its misery.  Sic Semper Tyrannis, bitch.”

The scene fades to black.