Post by XYZ on Jul 12, 2021 16:39:01 GMT -5
Cast
Xander Young Zaber (the Talent)
Edwin Byrne (Creative Team)
Izabelle Lawerence (Executive Producer)
Xander Young Zaber sat uncomfortably in the VIP suite of his private club, the Honey Pot, the night young and the party just beginning. He sipped away at his Blue Hurricane drink, a festive alcoholic beverage which usually made him long for the days he spent surfing the many waves the Hawaiian Islands had to offer. Those were simpler times, for a simpler man; much had changed since then…
“Who’s ready to Party!?”
Then again, maybe things hadn’t changed all that much…
“I’m not really in the mood.”
“Since when aren’t you in the mood!?”
Edwin Byrne plopped down next to Xander on the couch, practically spilling his own alcoholic beverage in the process. Unlike his older brother, Edwin was more carefree, like Xander, that’s why the two got along so well.
“I feel like a wanted man…”
“You are in high demand, at the moment.”
Edwin laughed, winking at his friend.
“Not like that…”
“Come on man, turn that frown upside down. If you need a little pick-me-up, you know I got you.”
Edwin looked around nervously, totally not acting suspicious at all, before pulling forth a pair of some illegal pills from his coat pocket. He offered them to Xander, who looked at them suspiciously.
“You better not be selling those in my club…”
“You mean without cutting you in on the profits?”
Edwin laughed as Xander, again, shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He, was trying to maintain a low profile these days. Especially with all the heat on him lately…
“I’m serious Clay; I don’t need this kind of blow back on me… or the club.”
“Don’t worry bro; if there’s any illegal or shady shit going on in your club, it’s not by my hands.”
Edwin put the pills back in his pocket just as Izabella Lawrence walked into the room.
“Oh good, you’re here.”
“Where else would I be?”
Xander took another sip of his drink, barely tasting the alcohol. His mind was elsewhere, his thoughts bringing him back to his previous victory over Kai Morgan. He had been “ordered” to win via tap-out, to showcase his submission skills and to send a message that he was willing to play ball with this mysterious benefactor of his. He never really did like being told what to do. Still, he had let the heat of the moment get the better of him and he escaped with the victory, but by a cheap roll-up pin; assisted, of course, by his bodyguard CJ.
“We need to talk about…”
“I know, I know. I fucked up. What else is new?”
Edwin took his leave as Izabella paced around the room, nervously.
“What were you thinking!?”
“A victory is a victory…?”
“Not in this case it isn’t, Xander. You really fucked us, here.”
“Come on, how bad could it be?”
Xander finished his drink and went over to the bar to make himself another as Izabella’s face scrunched up, clearly worried.
“You have no idea the kind of influence this guy has…”
Xander grew infuriated, throwing his glass against the wall and shattering it.
“Then enlighten me Izzie! I’ve faced down drug lords, crime kingpins, athlete junkies… I think I’ve seen enough shit in my life to prepare me for this mystery man of yours.”
“You don’t want to face him, Xander; trust me on this.”
Xander sighed, wishing he had destroyed something other than his cup. Now, more than ever, he could use a drink. He knew Izabella was just looking out for him, but he hated being left in the dark on things. He wanted to be in the know, part of the action, in the spotlight. He thought he could reclaim some of that glory while in Revo1, but nothing really had come from all his time and effort. Even his first title reign as Futures Champion had ended rather abruptly and without any type of real significance.
“You want to talk about Sara Cross?”
“What’s there to say? I didn’t recognize the name or the face, didn’t even realize that she was a part of the Revo1 roster. Hell, I still can’t find anything on her. I thought she was just another girl there for the party. Don’t get me wrong, normally I don’t mind when the girl is on top…”
“Are you going to finally drop this Future’s Title thing, then?”
“Guessing I don’t have a choice.”
“He would prefer you focus on other things, yes.”
“He does know that I’m the one taking all the risk, right? Like, I’m the one that has to go out there and step into that ring and risk my very life and limb to try and prove a point.”
“He feels like you’ve lost sight of your main objective.”
Xander leaned against the bar counter, flexing his muscles as the anger flowed through him. He wished he had another glass he could break right now.
“I know what I’m doing; I’ve never lost focus on that. I wish people would give me just a little credit. Look at all that I’ve accomplished in the last year, Izzie! People with twice the experience and training have burned out faster than I have, yet I’m still here.”
“What about the ‘X-Factor’ show? That was supposed to be your main claim to fame in Revo1. The way to expose the truth…”
“People need to be entertained, Izzie… that’s the whole reason people tune in to watch my product. Fact of the matter is that Amelia Hearts and Sierra Silver were anything but that. In fact… Amelia Hearts doesn’t even exist anymore. She lost the International Title to Jessie Lee the very next show. What kind of creditability do I have if my guests are all worthless?”
“Sierra Silver is the new #1 Contender for the Sin World Championship…”
“And how did she get that? Oh, right… Jin Min-Jun up and disappeared and she was just handed the title shot. These are the things that I mean to expose within this industry; the behind-the-scenes corruption that the fans never see. The truth shall be revealed, but in my own way…”
“About that, you have another directive.”
Xander threw up his arms up in the air, annoyed.
“What is it this time?”
“Actually, pretty simple. You just need to win your match this week.”
“O…k, what’s the catch?”
“You’re facing Nanovirus.”
“You mean the man in the mask? The self-proclaimed Ruler of Hell? The guy that looks like he was molded from the Mountain of Olympus and destroys everything in his path?”
“That’d be the one.”
“And here I thought you were going to give me a challenge.”
Xander shook his head as he glanced down at his phone, noticing a familiar number coming through. He held up his finger to Izabella to indicate to “give him a minute” as he walked into the other room, flipping the phone open.
“Amaya? Is everything okay?”
Xander listened intently on the words his ex-girlfriend told him, the camera not able to pick up anything other than hushed tones and the occasional sounds of sobbing.
“Calm down, it’s going to be okay. I’m on my way.”
Xander closed the phone and stuffed it into his pocket. His heart was all a flutter by the fact that she had reached out, for he figured after their most recent break-up, it was finally over. But now, there seemed to be a small glimmer of hope for him to salvage what they had once had. Whether by fate or happenstance, Xander had been given a second chance; in more ways than one.