MWL Redline - November 21, 2007
"Lino, Catastrophe, you didn't think we'd come out on top, and we almost didn't. But the fact remains, Lino was left in the cage as we were handed the titles." Seiryu stated, with a smirk. "As a team, me and Kouryuu are undefeated, and I'd like to see you two try to pull it off!" With that, The X's symbol flashed on the titantron as SYN appeared on the stage.
"Well, boys, we played your game at Uprising, what say you to OUR game for Dead Heat, hmm?" Lino taunted.
"Let's hear it." Seiryu replied.
"A tornado tag team ladder match for the titles!" Lino announced, as Catastrophe grinned and nodded.
Seiryu nodded in reply, pointing to SYN. "Then a ladder match it is! Dead Heat, SYN and the Ssu-Ling for the MWL World Tag Team Championship!" With that, SYN set down their microphones and made their way toward the backstage area.
* * *
"Ow, ow, ow..." Shane Warner gasped, laying on the couch in Michael Jamborgh's office, his torso taped up, an ice pack beneath the bandages.
"You couldn't beat him then, you can't beat him now." Michael sighed, as Shane shot him a glare.
"I'd like to see you get in the ring with that monster! Ow..." Shane gasped.
"I won't be stepping through those ropes anytime soon, Shane. Nor do I think I can wrestle. Nor do I bite off more than I can chew." Michael responded, flipping through his papers.
"Shut up." Shane snapped. "Who's in the quarter-final tonight?"
"Anthony Jacobs and David Hitz." Michael answered.
"What?!" Shane shouted. "Are you serious?! Aw, poor kid..."
"Don't count David Hitz out. You'd be amazed what he can be capable of." Michael grinned.
"We are talking about the same AJ, right?" Shane asked, cocking an eyebrow and peeking over his glasses.
"A-yup." Michael answered, reaching over and turning on his monitor.
Match 1: North American Championship Tournament Quarter-final - Anthony Jacobs v. David Hitz
As Anthony Jacobs hurried to his feet, David Hitz rushed out of the ring, and charged up the ramp, a look of sheer amazement on AJ's face as David raised his hand in victory. AJ snatched a microphone from ringside and paced around the inside of the ring, as David Hitz stood, panting heavily on the stage, as the referee began to look worried.
"What the hell just happened here?!" AJ demanded, as David's music faded. "Well?! What happened?!" The referee then proceeded to signal that David had won by a three-count. "Oh, no, no, no. I'll tell you what happened..." AJ began, moving toward the referee, who fell to the mat while backing away from the furious wrestler before him.
"What happened is the two of you conspired to take me out of the tournament! That was a fast count!" AJ accused, grabbing the referee by the hair and lifting him to his feet, as David looked on in shock. AJ dragged the referee to the corner, and slammed his head into the turnbuckle. He pointed to David as he propped the dazed referee on the top rope and wrapped his arm around the ref's head, as David rushed to the ring.
David shoved AJ forward, knocking his grip on the ref loose. David then proceeded to lock the Blackout on AJ, as the ref dropped down from the turnbuckle, rolling out of the ring. As David applied pressure, AJ furiously slapped the mat. After a few moments, AJ fought free and rolled out of the ring, backing up the ramp. "David!" AJ yelled, lifting a microphone he had taken on his way to the ramp. "I demand a quarter-final rematch!" With that, Michael Jamborgh and Shane Warner appeared on the stage.
"Now wait a damn minute!" Michael shouted. "AJ, you're not getting another chance to advance in the tournament. David beat you, fair and square. But here is what is going to happen. AJ, since you want a rematch so bad, you'll get one, next week, here on Redline. But we have to get some management involved, so...the special guest referee will be none other than Shane Warner!" Michael announced, as the two made their way backstage, as AJ and David merely stared at each other, as AJ turned and made his way backstage, David cautiously stepped out of the ring and made his way back, as well.
Match 2: The Asian Persuasion v. The Norton Brothers
"Michael, do you really think it's a good idea to let AJ and David go at it a second time?" Shane asked, as the two men watched the second match's aftermath on Michael's office monitor, Shane Warner laying on Michael's couch again.
"That's why you're going to be there, Shane." Michael sighed.
"I still don't see why you're assigning ME to be the ref..." Shane whined.
"Because you have seniority over AJ not only here, but in Cross-Atlantic, too. I'd like to think that has SOME bearing on him." Michael answered. "Now, where'd I put the contract for that title match, next week...?" Michael asked, looking around his desk, as Shane flipped through a packet. Michael looked over, spotted the packet, and yanked it out of Shane's hands. "This is it."
* * *
"Hello, Stevan Corber, here, with the new, and four-time, MWL World Lightweight Champion, Jim Norris!" Stevan announced, as Free Radical stepped into view, Nick and Amy behind Stevan, while Jim stood beside the interviewer. "Jim Norris, Sunday, at Uprising, Nicholas Hunter interfered in your TLC match against defending champion, Scott Froelich, and helped you to claim the title for a fourth time. Was it pre-planned, or a spur of the moment incident?"
"Well, Stevan, you see, Free Radical is here, and we will make our presence known. We will catch the eye of the management, and get a shot at the MWL World Tag Team Championship. We'll take those titles, then Nick will win the MWL World Heavyweight Championship, and one of us'll get that title away from Genbu, I suppose, I don't know. But either way, Free Radical will not be denied. And what better way to do that then win all of the championships MWL has to offer, eh?" Jim asked.
"You never answered my question..." Stevan muttered.
"He wanted to come out with me." Jim replied.
* * *
The symbol of The X flashed on the screen, as Yugo Ryan, Melissa Rez, SYN, and the Norton Brothers all appeared on the screen as the symbol faded. "Red, they never saw it coming, hahah!" Yugo cackled. "You hear that, MWL? There're two tag teams in The X, now. Not only do we have SYN, but on top of that, we have THE Norton Brothers!"
"As if they could stop us, anyway!" Catastrophe laughed.
"Wonder if they know 'xactly how powerful this group is?" Spike asked.
"No way." Yugo answered. "We are off the charts, baby!"
"There's been a lot of little boys in the locker room asking us, 'who's the next recruit?' Well, you'll find out in due time." Lino smirked.
"And by 'due time', we mean Dead Heat." Catastrophe added.
"And we promise you, this guy's as sly as a fox!" Yugo laughed, while Melissa hugged his arm and grinned almost as maniacally as him.
Main Event: Nicholas Hunter v. Lino
As Lino stood victorious, Yugo's theme blared as he, Melissa Rez, Catastrophe, and the Norton Brothers made their way down the ramp and stepped into the ring as Nick rolled out. "Alright, the time has come tonight, for me to reveal who thinks they can stop my title reign at Dead Heat!" Yugo announced, pointing to the countdown, still active in the bottom corner of the titantron. "MAGNUM! I know it's you! Get your scrawny ass out here!" Yugo demanded, as Magnum walked out onto the stage. "Magnum, why do you still bother? You haven't beaten me since before Redline started! You've got no hope of beating me now!"
"I hate to break it to you, Mr. Ego, but it's not my doing." Magnum answered. "But, truth be told, as screwed up as this guy's got you from the mind games, I wish I could take the credit for this."
"My ass!" Yugo shouted, as the lights faded, and two spotlights clicked on. One was aimed at Magnum, the other at the titantron, as the green, blinking, cursor, appeared. "He does not lie." appeared on the screen, accompanied by the sound of a keyboard clacking. There was a pause, before more text appeared, this part saying "Though, he will be in our match at Dead Heat."
"Who the hell are you?!" Yugo demanded. The cursor paused before continuing. "c:\3-25-2-5-18-16-21-14-9.exe".
"What does that mean?!" Yugo demanded, as the text faded, save for the countdown, and the lights kicked back on.