The shot fades to view Steve Sayors standing in the centre of the ring, in the empty War Room. Steve looks a little uneasy standing there with mic in hand. Occasionally, Smoke Man runs past the shot, before rebounding off the rope and running back again. He does this as Steve introduces the interview.

Hello, XWF, Steve Sayors with another interview. This time around I am interviewing Smoke Man, one of the confirmed contenders who will duke it out in the second chance Lethal Lottery battle royal. After being eliminated by the team of NAZI and Kimmy-K, Smoke is eager to get back in the competition, and back in the Lethal Lottery as a whole.

As if on cue, Smoke stops running, and comes to a halt beside Steve. We can see him still adorning the Gilmour shirt, as well as a pair of worn jeans and trainers. He has his hands on his hips like he usually does during interviews.

So Smoke, last round in the Lethal Lottery, you were assaulted by fellow wrestler Dean Moxley McGovern. Now you believe that that act had cost you the match. Care to elaborate?

Okay, first of all, 'fellow' wrestler? No Steve, he's not one of my 'fellows'. He's a pervert, and a mentally unfit individual. He attacked me last week after I had pinned him in the Lethal Lottery a week before, and even then he talked about how he'd either had a nap and thought we were gonna lose anyway, or even going to think that he had been the one to pin me. But as you can clearly tell by watching those tapes back, none of those accusations are anywhere near true, and Dean needs to get his head checked if he thinks they are.

Did he cost me and Austin the match? Might have done. We obviously can't be sure. But I do know this; that attack was too far. After all you had said beforehand, and what you had done at Lethal Warfare, do you think I'm going to sit by and let you humiliate me, Dean? The answer to that question is no. One day, and trust me when I say one day soon, I will get you back. And hey, feel free to enter the battle royal. Maybe then we can see who is the better of the two of us.

Steve presses on with the next question.

So with that in mind, there has been some news in circulation regarding a possible partnership between you and the boss Shane , following both of your encounters with Dean last week on Warfare. Will that hold any significance in the upcoming second chance battle royal?

Smoke shrugs.

It may do. Not sure what the big cheese has planned exactly, but I know it won't be pretty for either Dean or Liz.

As you may already know by now, my apartment was recently burned down while I was away to visit family. I went to Shane to ask for permission to look for who did it, but I found him in a bloody mess at the bottom of a flight of stairs. I also expressed my concern over Dean, and we formed an alliance of sorts. He would let me investigate, but I would be there should he need help with the two who had, quite literally, pushed him over the edge.

And that brings me here.

Smoke turns his gaze and looks at Steve.

During my little investigation, I found that Steve here had sent a cryptic message to my phone shortly before the fire, of course leading me to believe that he had done it.

Steve looks uneasy and somewhat afraid. Realising he's trapped in the ring with an angry wrestler, he squirms and struggles to find words. Smoke snatches the microphone out of Steve's shaking hands.

How about we do a little role switching Steve because I got a few questions to ask... you. And if you don't want to answer; fine. Don't. Walk away. Lose your job and be sent to prison for the act of arson because remember; as long as I point Shane toward whoever I think burned my apartment down, they will go to jail. You don't want that do you?

Steve quickly shakes his head, clearly wanting to get this over and done with, because he knows this experience won't be very pleasant, if past encounters with Smoke is anything to go by. Smoke smiles.

Good.

Smoke turns to the camera, in a way that mimics Steve when he's about to start an interview. He has his arm around Steve, making sure he goes no where.

Hello there, XWF. Smoke Man here in yet another interview with this poor bastard; Steve Sayors.

He points at Steve with the hand that holds the microphone, making audible the slight murmuring by Steve. Smoke raises the mic back up to his lips.

Now I have a few questions for you, Steve. Now this should be interesting. Let's have a little warm-up to practice, aye? Get those interview juices flowing.

Ahem, now did you or did you not try to ask Alexandra Callaway to marry you when she found out she was pregnant?

Steve looks at Smoke in confusion.

Wha--

Smoke knees Steve in the stomach, winding him and causing him to fall over on the mat on his knees, grasping his stomach and wheezing in pain.

Didn't you hear me? I said did you, or did you not, try to get with Ally after she found out she was pregnant?

What!? N-n-no--

A kick in the stomach sends Steve flying over, lying flat and still holding his abdomen, struggling to breathe.

I'm going to ask one more time.

Smoke puts his boot on Steve's stomach, on top of his arms, trapping him.

Did you, or did you not--

I DID, I DID, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE I DID.

Smoke chuckles and takes his foot off.

You sick little weasel. Trying to take advantage of a mother. I mean, I totally just made that up, but the way you admitted it made it seem like it was actually true. If it was, I hope she gave you the beating of your lifetime.

Smoke turns to the camera.

And that was just our test question, ladies and gentlemen. And from that we can see that our dear interviewee has a hard time understanding questions, doesn't give a solid answer right away, easily gives into threats, gives false answers, and doesn't back-up his own points! Do we really want this guy to be interviewing the dangerous thugs that roam around the XWF?

Smoke points at the camera.

That question is for all of you at home.

Switching his focus back to Steve, he crouches down, where the interviewer is writhing in pain on the floor, rocking back and forth and groaning loudly.

Here we go, chief. Next question, and this one's for all the marbles, so you'd better answer it truthfully.

Smoke pretends to ready himself, shaking up his limbs and fingers to 'prepare'. Putting the mic to his lips once again, he speaks slowly and quietly.

Did you, or did you not, burn my apartment down?

Smoke puts the mic to Steve, who still rocks around, writhing in pain, not answering the question.

Perhaps you didn't hear me. Did you, or did you not, burn my apartment down?

Still, the weakling groans in pain. Smoke sighs and goes lower, almost on his hands and knees, so that the microphone is next to Steve's ear.

Let's make sure you can hear me loud and clearly. Now did you, or did you not, burn. My apartment. DOWN?!

Smoke absolutely yelled the last word, bringing Steve crashing back down to reality, screaming his answer as loud as his lungs will permit him.

NO! No-no-n-no... no I didn't... no...

Smoke flexes the fingers on his free hand, in full view of Steve.

Sorry, mate. That didn't sound convincing enough to me. Did you, or did you not?

I didn't! I--

Smoke slaps his free hand around the throat of Sayors, cutting off his answer and beginning to choke him.

Did you!? Or did. You. NOT?!

ack!

Steve tries to answer, but he can't, he just can't. He manages to shake his head slightly, but the rest of the life in his body seems to be fading. With a grunt, Smoke lifts Steve in the air with just the one hand, holding him up high above his head.

One last time Stevie. I just need to be sure.

Smoke pulls Steve down, letting his feet touch the mat, lightening his hold but not releasing. Smoke calmly asks:

Did you, or did you not?

Again, Steve slightly shakes his head. He wheezes out his repeated answer once more.

no...

Smoke smiles.

Great!

He tightens his hold once more, takes a step back, then runs flat-out to the ropes, crouching over a little, before shooting Steve in the air, flinging him over the top rope and crashing to the concrete outside, delivering a super-Chokeslam. Steve collapses in a heap, and he's unconscious, he has to be. Smoke leans over the top rope.

You may think that's bad, Steve. But think of it this way; at least you're not going to jail. Yet. And if I find that you're lying, then I'm going to do a lot more damage, mainly for flat-out lying to my face over and over again. And the sooner you do admit it, whether you've actually done it or not, the less painful it will be, trust me.

Smoke turns to the camera.

And there you have it. A man who was just doing his job, beaten and bruised, launched out of this ring using just one arm. This Wednesday I am reinstating myself back into the Lethal Lottery, by eliminated anybody who gets in my way, one person at a time. It doesn't matter who you are, whether you're new or old. Whether you were eliminated before or want a shortcut to bypass the toughest rounds in the tournament. Whether you're Gilmour, whether you're PAYBACK, or whether you're Jok3rr. Whoever you are, you will still fall under my boot.

And if you don't? You're either going to walk away with a broken arm. Or a broken neck. But don't take my word for it. You can just wait and see for yourself. Because after all, actions speak louder than words.

Smoke throws the mic down to the mat with a thump and exits the ring, as the shot fades out.