Linn Kwann, finally taking a day off from shopping, is outside on the grounds walking Buddy, her Chihuahua. Asmodeus is seen in the distance exiting his private residence. He gives a quick wave to Kwann and she kindly waves back as he begins walking toward her. Not much pain today for Asmodeus so he's able to move much faster. Buddy finishes his business and Linn Kwann picks it up with a small bag to throw it in the trash later. Asmodeus catches up with her. They walk side by side slowly toward the main entrance of the Compound as they make small talk.

A: "Hello Ms. Kwann. Hello little dog."
LK: "Hey Asmo. How ya feelin' today?"
A: "Ahh. Just fine, thank you."
LK: "What brings you out?"
A: "Afternoon sermon."
LK: "Thats not for 2 hours."
A: "I am also hungry."
LK: "Ahhh. That'll do it."

They walk silently for a few seconds as they enter the main building. Again, they walk slowly together down the corridor. Linn Kwann removes the leash from her dog and sets him down. He scampers away, tail wagging. Most likely to find himself trouble to get into.

A: "You know, I was unsure about all of the technology improvements you have orchestrated around here."
LK: "I'm aware, Asmo. It's like culture shock or something. You folks were living in the stone age practically."
A: "Yes well, in the ancient times of the Brotherhood, that all we knew. I suppose though, times are changing."
LK: "Brotherhood? See, another Illuminati reference! I know I'm right. You guys ARE Illuminati!"

Asmodeus neither confirms nor denies Linn Kwann's revelation. Just a look of seriousness, now hangs on his face.

A: "You know Ms. Kwann, I must ask you not to run around spouting off words like 'Illuminati.' People may get the wrong idea. This Brotherhood I continue to reference is ancient. Sacred. Built on trust. Built on Secrecy. Perhaps one day, Ms. Kwann, when you are proved trustworthy, you may be filled in our secrets. Until then, though, I must demand of you to stop insinuating we are the Illuminati."
LK: "So I guess that is a yes to my statement."

For the first time since meeting Linn Kwann, Asmodeus is getting heated. Frustrated that she continues to drop hints and make accuations.

A: "As the Hight Priest of this.... unknown... Brotherhood I must inform you of something, young Ms. Kwann. In the ancient days a woman had no place in the Brotherhood. They were used as servants. The fact you are even here is a violation of some of our most sacred rules and pacts."
LK: "Servants? Is that right?"
A: "Indeed. Remember how I told you I came over here early because of hunger?"
LK: "Yeah."
A: "Then I suggest you fulfill that hunger. Would you kindly go to the kitchen and make me something to eat?"

Linn Kwann gets visibly upset.

LK: "Let me tell you something Asmo! This is 2013! Not 1713! Women serve NOBODY unless they CHOOSE to! I will NEVER bow down to you or any other man!"

She rears back and slaps Asmodeus across his face. Momentarily stunned, Asmodeus says nothing, just places his hand on his cheek.

LK: "YOU go to the kitchen! YOU make your OWN god damned food!"

She leaves Asmodeus standing there and she storms off into the library. She sits and pulls out her cell phone initiating a text message with Sebastian Duke.

"You will not believe what just happened!"
"Wat?"
"UR dad. He just ordered me 2 the kitchen 2 make him food!"
"LOL. What did U tell him?"
"Its not FUNNY! I bitch slapped him! Told him 2 make his own damn food!"
"Ur right ur right! Its not funny. Its freakin' hilarious! LMFAO!"
"Ur an ASS!"
"What do u want me 2 do?"
"Tell him never 2 talk 2 me that way!"
"K. Where is he?"
"I dunno. Kitchen prob."
"I will talk 2 him."
"TY! Where R U?"
"Bitching at the construction workers."
"Dear GOD! Leave those poor souls alone!"
"I do it 4 fun. C U in a bit!"

Linn cracks a smile and rolls her eyes as she puts away her phone. This scene fades out.
_________________________________________________________________


"Just two days away now. 2 days until yours truly, Sebastian Duke is crowned as the XWF's United States Champion. It will be glorious! As I stated numerous times on numerous XWF programs, I was never about the gold. I never worried about championships. Now everything has changed. Gone are the days of the tyrant holding the top championship in the promotion! Gone are the days of holding onto that championship by breaking every conceivable rule imaginable....

"Wednesday night is a very significant night! The dawning of a new era in the X-Treme Wrestling Federation! An era that will be forged through the blood... the sweat.... the tears.... of the young blood! An era forged in steel with unquestionable dedication to the art of our industry!

"It's probably the best thing to do to address each and every participant in this tournament. I'm not going to do that. See, there are many of them that have yet to open their mouths! They seal their own fate with their silence. If they do not wish to come forth and open their mouth then I will not waste any of my valuable oxygen on them!

"Who is the first victim tonight? How about Cyren? Actually, he's a waste of space as well. At least he opened his mouth though, which is more than I can say for most....

"I won't waste much breath on him. Why? Because he no longer deserves it. He is nothing more then a no longer talented has-been trying to live on his past glories and triumphs. It's a new day Cyren. Duck out while you still can! You haev nothing left in the tank! You know it. i know it. More importantly, EVERYONE else knows it too! You are now a Legend of nothing! End of story...

"I watched a video yesterday. This video was of Mr. Satellite. I seriously thought I was watching some live action version of the Jetsons. Talking robots... hanging out on a space rock in space itself... Nothing wrong with the Jetsons, but, this is not a cartoon. This is real life. I won't dismiss your obvious talents, Mr. Satellite, despite your handicap. The fact remains though, a one-armed mute with a bag over his most likely deformed face, will not be nearly enough to defeat me let alone even come close to winning this tournament....

"Tommy Carlos King.... A rookie... A big shot.... at least in his own mind! A man that walks in here acting as if he owns the place! Pushing around the crew of the XWF as if they were school kids on a playground! You carry yourself as a bully, King. Let me tell you something you loud-mouthed untalented piece of s**t! A bully is only a bully until they meet a bigger bully. King, I got news for you... I AM that bigger bully! I hope you cross my path on Wednesday night because I promise you... You will feel pain... Plenty of it... Pushers get pushed Tommy King! And you.... are looking at THE BIGGEST pusher of them all...

"Enough about that never-will-be... Let's see.... Who is next on the hit list? How bout Benjamin Crane? Benjamin Crane you seek vindication... Respectable? Yes. We're kind of in the same ball park there. Though, your vindication will not come on Wednesday night. Make no mistake Crane, if by chance you do stand in my way of what I want you will be put down again, just like last time. You deliver a state of the union adress? If you are the Union, then Wednesday night, it becomes a fractured union because, Benjamin Crane, if it ends up you and I at some point, I will break you. Just like last time, you will be sent packing and licking your wounds...

"AJ Powell! COME ON DOWWWWN! You're the next contestant on the Price is WRONG! Another loud-mouthed rookie I'm going to have to shut up! AJ, again, someone obsessed with statistics. You want to talk about records and how I lost to Ursula. Thats great. Thats real original. Yes, my record is not exactly stellar. I have no problem admitting that. You want statistics? I'll give you some damn statistics! What you fail to realize, is of my 6 losses, the last 5 have been from outside interference. What does that say? It says that 5 people have stepped up to the plate and couldn't get the job done by themselves!

"Let me tell you something else. You want to make jokes about losing to a 'girl' as you so put it? That 'girl,' Ursula Areano, is more of a man then you could ever be! You're calling me a man child? If you enter the ring with me, you'll find out EXACTLY what kind of man I really am! I almost wish that you are my first victim on Warfare! It'd be very satisfying to watch you eat every dreadful word that falls out of your mouth! You have been warned AJ Powell....

"That bring me tooooo.....

"Angelus....

"Angelus, you asked if anyone was listening? It's PAINFULLY obvious! Obviously everybody is listening! Not one person has ignored the presence of Sebastian Duke in this tournamentI You see, you only ignore the ones that are not a threat. Then, you try to slam the ones that are. EVERYBODY is talking about Sebastian Duke. So yeah, Angelus... Everyone is listening! Continue to fool yourself. I don't care. If you think that I'm not a threat then why waste time talking about me? Just continue to spew your useless garbage like anyone gives a DAMN what you have to say! You continually bring up your triumph over me. That's great. What you NEVER mention is WHY! You defeated me because Shane hit me with a car! 3,000 pounds of steel hit me and you STILL had trouble defeating me! In fact, now that I mention it, that's probably EXACTLY why you ALWAYS fail to mention that part! You continue to denounce.... and I use that term loosely... your association with Shane and the Black Circle! Why? Because you have no defense! Put it all in front of a jury of your peers and YOU, Angelus, would be found GUILTY! I hope you make it far into this tournament Angelus because just like the rest... I WILL.... put you down!

"Moving on to my last victim... Mark..... F'ing..... Flynn.... Mark Flynn.... you spend a lot of time talking about the past. Mr. Natural in the earlier days. Joseph Page, Tax and Tristan Slater, the Egomaniacs who were shown the door when they ruled high above everyone else in the XWF. Talking about and trying to relive the past, Mark Flynn, will be your ultimate downfall. This tournament isn't about the past, its about the future! Look at all of the men entered into it! 11 of us, if I'm not mistaken, have been here less then 2 months. What does that tell you, Flynn? Does it tell you management is looking to the past for their champion? No... I don't think its that... Or does it tell you they are looking toward the future? That.... seems a hell of a lot more likely... You're a great talker Mark Flynn, but you yourself must realize, talk is just that... talk... Talk is cheap... It's action that does the real talking and THAT is somewhere you have been lacking in recently! Talking gets you absolutely nowhere Flynn! It's performing in that ring that is better than any words you could spew into a microphone! While your in-ring performances are still top notch... lately you've just been coming up just a little short... Your time in the spotlight, Mark Flynn, is over... Sebastian Duke's is just beginning...

"You see guys, as the time draws near! The time for talk is winding down! The time for action is fast approaching! To all of you men that I've mentioned and to those I didn't...

"Let me make one thing perfectly clear! I dont care if you take me seriously! Though I suggest all of you will once you lay in defeat! I seek legitimacy for ME... not to prove anything to any of you!.

"When the dust settles...

"When the smoke clears...

"When all the fans have gone home...

"When all of you are nothing more then battered and bruised steaming piles of dog s**t...

"When I....

"Sebastian Duke...

"The Angel of freakin' Darkness...

"Rules over Warfare...

"And crowned the XWF United States Champion...

"You will figure it out....

"Ain't NO ONE in this tournament...

"Or on this roster...

"That is stronger...

"Tougher...

"More determined...

"Or better than ME!...

"For I am, Sebastian Duke... The single most destructive force that not only inhabits this roster... But also walks this planet...

"The day is fast approaching...

"The time is now, ladies and gentlemen...

"To accept the Angel of Darkness...

"......As your Leader!"
_________________________________________________________________


Asmodeus is in the kitchen in the rear of the Compound looking through cabinets and trying to figure out what he wants to eat. He's never cooked for himself in his entire history. The normal cook is out sick. In failure, he tried to demand that Linn Kwann take her 'rightful' place in the kitchen to cook him up something. Unexpectedly, though maybe he should have expected it, he received a slap for his troubles.

Linn's small dog, Buddy, scampers into the kitchen and Asmodeus notices.

A: "Shoe shoe! Go away! No doggy in the kitchen!"

Sebastian Duke walks in and leans against the door jam. Arms folded in front of him. Asmodeus notices an unhappy look and forgets about the dog for the time being. Asmodeus points to a small oblong contraption on the counter.

A: "What is that thing?"
SD: "A toaster."
A: "What does that do?"
SD: "It toasts."
A: "Oh. Indeed. Self-explanatory I guess. At first I thought it might be some sort of hand warmer thingy."
SD: "Mmmhmmm."
A: "The construction? How is it coming? Are they nearing completion?"
SD: "Few days. A week perhaps."
A: "Good. Good."
SD: "Yeah we need to talk about Linn."
A: "I was afraid of that."

Asmodeus slips two slices of bread into the toaster and look around the contraption. He cant figure out how to lower the bread. Unsure of what to do he slams the toaster on the counter a couple of times. Sebastian Duke, rolling his eyes, walks over and pushes down the lever.

A: "Ohh. So that's how it works."
SD: "Its a toaster. Not rocket science."
A: "Touche."
SD: "I need you to apologize to Linn."
A: "Not going to happen."
SD: "Excuse me?"
A: "I will do no such thing. She keeps dropping references and accusations that we are Illuminati. She can not have that knowledge! She must prove herself trustworthy first!"
SD: "Fine! I'll give you that! But, you need to, and you WILL, aplogize to her for disrespecting her and ordering her to make you food."
A: "I will agree to that."

Sebastian Duke turns to leave then stops at the doorway. He spins around to face Asmodeus again and again leans against the doorway with his arms folded in front of him.

SD: "Thank you."
A: "Of course, Sebastian."
SD: "You realize at some point she's going to find out?"
A: "I am not an invalid, Sebastian. I know this. Now though, is not the time or the place for her to know the secrets of the Brotherhood!"
SD: "I'm certainly with you on that one."
A: "Please. Get her to stop dropping the Illuminati name like it's nothing."
SD: "I will, father."
A: "Thank you, son."
SD: "At some point though, the truth will come out."
A: "About?"
SD: "Us. And our afiliation with the Illuminati."

Sebastian exits at that point. Asmodeus turns around to face the toaster still waiting for his toast to come out. He inches toward the toaster thinking it may be broken. He starts wiggling the lever to no avail. He takes his hand off the lever just in time for the toaster to pop up. The event scares the daylights out of Asmodeus as he jumps backward into the air. When he lands his feet come out from under him and he lands on his ass on the floor nearly crushing the small dog. The dog yelps and limps away out of the kitchen. Moments later, Sebastian Duke walks in holding the dog and rubbing his injured paw.

SD: "Toaster scared you, didn't it?"
A: "Shut up."
SD: "You need to be more careful. He's a small dog and can be hurt easily."
A: "I am aware of this. Damn pest!"
SD: "Pest or not, he belongs to Linn. And if you think Linns a destructive tornado now, just wait and see what happens if something happens to her damn dog!"

Sebastian Duke sets the dog down and he makes his exit again. The small dog right on his heels. Asmodeus stands and brushes himself off and begins to butter up his toast. Today is fast becoming a day he'd like to forget.

This scene fades out...