Post by Bobby Barratt on Feb 23, 2018 4:38:57 GMT -5
Thursday July 20th. 11:30pm.
We open in a Police holding cell. Location unknown. Sitting in there is a dishevelled looking Bobby Barratt. No Shooting Star Title to be seen as his possessions are currently in a locker somewhere in the department. Hell, he doesn't even have a phone. There are three or four burly looking guys sitting around. Some of them look like they just have to sleep off a hard night and others...maybe a little more violent. One of the guys, a mid fourties guy with a bald head and a bright ginger beard who is maybe 6'3" and around 350lbs at a guess is looking around the cell. He notices Bobby, looks away and all of a sudden his eyes dart back. He ponders whether he saw who he thinks he saw before making his way over to sit near Bobby on one of the cold, hard wooden benches that are all that line the walls of this open fronted cell apart from a stainless steel toilet. Bobby side-eyes him a little cautiously. Who is this guy and what's he after?
It's cool, man. No harm intended, buddy. I just noticed that you look an awful lot like a guy my kid was watching on TV the other night.
Yeah it's me. The Prodigal Icon, The Shooting Star Champion and at least for the immediate future. The fucking jailbird....no offence....Bobby Barratt. So your kid likes wrestling, huh?
Man, it's his life. He's always checking out wrestling. Whether it's the big place in Greenwich, the other place in Nashville or some Japanese stuff aswell as anything inbetween. They all have this alphabet soup style of naming themselves and some don't even speak English, you dig?
Yeah, I get ya. It's everywhere nowadays. With them having access to internet and what not. In my day if you wanted to study the arts, you have to tape trade. Doubt he even knows what a tape is, right?
They share a laugh. The man moves closer to Bobby so they're about two feet apart and relaxes. Bobby seems to relax a little when he realises this man indeed intends no harm.
By the way, the names Bud. Good to meet you, even in this kind of setting.
So...It seems to be the question they ask on TV. What're you in for?
Well some guy owed my boss money and guess who's the muscle.
Well you're definitely the muscle Bud, I'll give you that!
Damn right...So come on. What's a big time celebrity like you in here for then?
2 HOURS PRIOR
We switch to a suburban street at night. It appears to be pretty deserted, as these areas tend to be late on. No one around, the perfect little families are home from work, they've all eaten their TV meals and said "Goodnight John-Boy" as they retire to their nights. Another day of the rat race down and they are back up at ungodly hours to do it all over again tomorrow until they die. A dark van rolls up at the edge of the street as the shot switches from the setting to in the back of the van.
Shown in the van are Bobby Barratt and Jenny Stackhouse. They're dressed in black and Bobby seems to be pulling a hood over his head. It's unclear at this stage who is driving, or if Jenny is pulling double duty.
So that's the place, over there? You're sure, right?
When have I ever done you wrong? Plus, with Shawn's blessing on this operation, I had access to the ICW personnel files that he "just happened" to leave around. This is the address we have.
Well that's good enough for me. I said it last week, tonight Reiter will get what's coming to him and his fucking Fireborn Connection. Christ that name sucks. Did they get it off a trading card?
Bobby slides the door open to the van, hops out and slides the door closed. It seems Jenny was driving the van after all. As she goes to pull away, he taps on the window.
Half an hour. That's all I need. Meet me at the place we discussed there. Keep the engine running.
Ok baby. I love you.
With that, the window goes up and the van pulls away. Bobby is left standing at the side of the road with nothing but a black duffle bag. He quietly jogs over the street to the door of the property they singled out. We are to assume this is Lucas Reiter's home, yet it appears to be unoccupied with no lights on or signs of movement.
Well Lucas. You think getting involved in The Prodigal Icon's business is OK? Well see how you feel when I get involved in yours!
With that, Bobby digs into his bag and pulls out a small paper bag. Setting it down on the doorstep and lighting it with a lighter. Are the contents of that bag really what we think they are? The bag catches light quickly and the air is filled with the familiar stench of flaming dog crap.
HAHAHA! Lucas Reiter. Feel The Burn!!!
Bobby heads around to the side of the house, being careful not to trip any proximity lights the security system may have. On reaching a window, he pulls out a marker. Doesn't seem long since Bobby was pulling this shit on his partner, Shawn Rossdale. On the window, he scrawls in big, black letters.
"FUCK THE FIREBORN"
Then proceeding to write on the back door of the house
"IF YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM"
Let's see if that sends him a message, huh?
With that, Bobby heads around to the front of the house, before spotting the Dark Grey Chrysler Crossfire parked in front of the garage. In a moment of pure inspiration, Bobby sets to work on slicing the tyres of the car and breaking off the windshield wipers before picking up his duffle bag and making off down the street as a couple of houselights seem to come on across the street.
We cut to what is presumably the meeting spot. An abandoned car park around the back of the local 7-11 store. Bobby is waiting anxiously as rain is starting to fall. He has his hood off now. He hair showing the marks often left from wearing a hat for the day. He hastily throws his clothes as well as any other items into the dumpster of the store. As he finishes dumping everything, he decides as Jenny isn't here yet, now is the time to answer the call of nature. Mid stream, he hears the approaching sound of tyres on asphalt. Finishing up, and walking around the corner expecting to see Miss Stackhouse, he is confronted with two flashing blue lights on top of a car belonging to the local law enforcement.
NOW
Turns out the local 7-11 don't take too kindly to people using the back of their store as a urinal. To the point they had surveillance installed and caught me truly red handed.
You mean dick handed?
Bud gives a big, hearty laugh, slapping an unsuspecting Bobby on the back and almost knocking him off the bench. Though Bobby is taken back, he appreciates the humour in the situation and how lucky he was that Public Urination is all he was caught for tonight.
So you think you'll be out and good for your show-thing this week? Kid says you got a match with a big Russian and a Youtube guy.
Mate, I'm fucking born ready! You heard "Big Russian" speak?
Bobby goes into an impression of Duke Kosloff with an almost comically stereotypical Russian accent.
Back in old country, all man have time to do is make bed with wife and maybe goat. Then slaughter goat and drink Vodka. If night not yet complete, drink more Vodka and find another goat. Man get bored here in America. American dream not so fulfilling so I make Hollywood on fire and yell "FEEL THE BURN!"
Bud has seen Duke Kosloff in action with his burning antics, so he knows the reference. This seems hilarious to him. Full hunched over laughing, slapping his knee kind of funny.
That to your taste, mate? Been working on that for a while. Things you do when you're inside, eh?
What about the Youtube guy? Got anything for him?
Hmmm.
Bobby ponders for a moment before putting on his best James Bryant voice.
Hey guys, James Bryant here and tonight I'm gonna show you how us internet fans like to overreact, cry about it on Twitter and threaten not to watch companies products anymore if they don't book what we want. Tonight we review the nut shot I took on Spectacle last week, as well as the follow up to why my partner Bret Stetson ran like a bitch.
Bud doesn't look too impressed at this one.
Yeah, I don't know him.
Here's the secret. No one does.
With that the cell door opens and an officer calls out for Bobby. Jenny had cleared the whole thing up, posted the fine on behalf of Bobby as he wasn't carrying his wallet and is here to take him home. She hands him his bag.
Hey Bud. How about we get a snap for your kid? You seem a decent bloke.
For sure? Wow thanks!
Bud hops over to the edge of the cell. The door is still open and Bobby pulls his Shooting Star Championship out of his bag aswell as his phone. Snapping a quick selfie with Bud and his title belt, being careful not to include any bars from the cell. He gives Bud a pat on the back before he goes to sit back down. He take's Bud's number and sends the picture to him.
Before I go Bud, I might have a bit of work for you. You mind if I keep this number?
Go ahead! My kid will love the fact I'm working with the Prodigy-Con!
Bobby sighs to himself and Jenny chuckles as they walk away from the cell and get out of the precinct. As they hop into the car, Bobby throws his bag onto the back seat and hops in the front. This isn't the van that we saw earlier, rather another car that Jenny must have gone back to pick up.
All done?
Yeah, Reiter should receive the message pretty soon. What happened to the van?
I got a guy to "dispose" of it. Let's say Mr Kosloff should also be receiving a message pretty soon, too!
Perfect!
Hey, have you decided on a stipulation for the Diamond match yet?
I got a couple in mind, but maybe I'll leave the big reveal until Spectacle...
The shot shows Bobby and Jenny driving away in the familiar style before switching to...
...the Cajundome in Lafayette. The home of this week's Spectacle. The van we saw earlier is now parked outside the arena and has the Soviet flag draped over it. A few seconds pass as nothing happens until the flag starts to catch light. The fire spreads across the flag and eventually onto the van. The van starts to go up in flames as the shot pans out and we see the words FEEL THE BURN sprayed onto the floor around the wheels. Jenny isn't the kind of person to do this, so who did she pay off?!
This week, The Prodigal Icon defends his title against the Soviet Weapon Duke Kosloff and Youtube sensation and ICW's newcomer James Bryant. What will go down? Will Lucas Reiter and Duke Koslov receive the message just like James Bryant did? Will Bobby stop at nothing to hold the gold? Find out this week on Spectacle!!