"But I will tell you this. I don't take threats lightly. Threats of any kind. Including threats of the legal variety. As such, I've made a call to an old personal friend. One who is well versed in such matters. I told him what I said, and what you said, and he's very, very eager to say a few words to you himself."

These were the words that Shawn Steele left us with during his last appearance. John Austin, perhaps fearing for his well being, has threatened to file an official complaint against Mr. Steele due to recent threats the newcomer made, referencing Austin's future shot at the XWF European Championship. Did Shawn cross a line, or did he just do what wrestlers do? One man has his well respected opinion.

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Our scene opens out just outside of the Los Angeles International Airport. The place is even busier than usual due to the little incident that has taken place hours earlier in San Francisco. Planes are landing almost continuously. The terminals and crowded too and beyond capacity. People are milling about on their cell phones, yelling at whomever they may be talking to about needing to make new accommodations. But none of these poor souls are our focal points today, instead our attention is drawn to XWF Superstar Shawn Steele, followed by a camera crew sent by the X-treme Wrestling Federation and, much to Steele's very apparent disdain, Steve Sayors. Shawn clearly has no intentions of wasting time and is fighting his way through the crowded airport, finally reaching the outside where, much to the shock of Sayors, a limo is awaiting their arrival. Stopping dead in his tracks, Sayors slowly, almost comically turns his head to look at Shawn Steele, his jaw slacked.

Shawn Steele: What the hell is with you, Sayors?

Steve Sayors: With me? Who are you?! Your car, your apartment, and now a limo?

Steele just smirks as he continues moving towards the limo, turning his attention away from Sayors before finally answering his questions.

Shawn Steele: It pays to have friends in high places, Stevie.

Sayors just shakes his head, still in a bit of shock as the driver opens the door. Shawn gets in first, followed by Sayors and finally the camera crew manages to fight their way in with just a big of difficulty. Once they've finally all settled in and the driver has taken his place behind the wheel, the limo slowly beginning to work it's way out of the crowded facility, Sayors turns back to Shawn.

Steve Sayors: So what are we doing in Los Angeles? Don't you have a match in two days? In London? You know, England?

Shawn Steele: I don't know what WE are doing here, it wasn't my choice for you to tag along like the annoying little brother.

Steve Sayors: Well Mr. Heyman thought our last interview was a success so he wanted me to conduct....

Shawn Steele: Oh jesus. Are we doing to do this every time I have a match? Because I'm telling you right now Sayors, I have no issues leaving your ass on the side of the road.

Steve Sayors: ... Well never the less! I am a professional and I have a job to do. So, I have to know, what's in Los Angeles?

Shawn Steele: Everything is in Los Angeles, Sayors. Anything and everything. Hell, I'm sure we could even get you laid!

This sudden turn in topic has clearly made Steve Sayors uncomfortable, but ever the consummate professional, he powers through with his questions.

Steve Sayors: Oh. Well. Yes. I mean. No. Anyway! Moving right along. Two weeks ago you were victorious in your XWF debut when you won the Ten Man Battle Royal. Clearly you've made an impression on someone higher up if you've been booked to face an XWF Superstar the caliber of John Austin.

Shawn Steele: You think this was some sort of promotion? You think I impressed Paul Heyman and he wanted to give me a real test, instead of losers like Swift Ion and Jonathon Cross?

Steve Sayors: Well I don't think I'd use those exact words, but yes. That's the general idea.

Shawn Steele: Well one of us must be wrong, because this seems more like a punishment. Have you ever listened to John Austin talk? Holy Christ does he ramble on. I'm one more long winded promo away from hiring someone to watch everything and edit it down to just the three minutes he spends talking about me. I mean .. lets be honest here Steven, does anyone care about his cat? I sure as hell don't. And honestly, it's a little weird, isn't it? What kind of grown man dresses up his cat?

Steve Sayors: Well I think we all know that John Austin likes to have a little fun now and then.

Shawn Steele: Well maybe that's his problem. He should be more focused on his career than his fun. How many times have we heard him say that he had to ask management who I was? That he had never even heard of me. I'm not a hard man to find, Sayors. As you yourself can clearly attest to. And I'm damn sure not a hard man to find out things about. But I'm not worried. John Austin is going to know more about me than he'd ever hoped to know after Monday night. He's going to know that he's stepping into the ring with the likes of which he's never met. I may not be the biggest. I may not even be the baddest. That's up for debate. But what I am .. what John Austin is going to come to realize I am .. is a man that loves to step between those ropes and take my opponent to the limit. And I love to be taken to my own limit. Or I would love to, since it hasn't happened yet.

Steve Sayors: But he does have a point, doesn't he? You can't really say that he hasn't accomplished anything in the X-treme Wrestling Fed...

Shawn Steele: Are you buying into his psychotic delusions now Steve? When did I say that he hasn't accomplished anything? When did I say that he's not a great wrestler? When, exactly, did I say that John Austin isn't among the top names in the the XWF? Even in this industry? When, Sayors? When?

Steve Sayors: Well, I guess, I don't know.

Shawn Steele: Exactly! I've never said anything like it. I don't pretend like I'm the only one around the X-treme Wrestling Federation with talent. I don't pretend that no one is worthy of stepping into the ring with me. Because they are. They're the greatest wrestlers alive today, and they're here for a reason. Except for Swift Ion. I don't know what the fuck he's still doing here. But that, much like Swift Ion himself, is irrelevant. What is relevant, Sayors, is the fact that I don't .. I WON'T .. take it lightly when someone tries to put words in my mouth.

Steve Sayors: So are you saying, that you respect John Austin?

Shawn Steele: Why wouldn't I?

Steve Sayors: Well you seem to have taken a lot of joy in pointing out his losses.

Shawn Steele: Fun, ain't it? Look, everybody loses. I've lost before. And I'll lose again. But I can .. and will .. promise you this much. I'm damn sure going to win a hell of a lot more times than I'm going to lose. But John Austin? I have no idea. Because all he seems to do, is talk about all of the XWF Superstars that he's lost to. I could name them all again, but I'm pretty sure John is going to do that himself another three or four times before we step into the ring on Monday night. What I'm saying, is you'd think .. if John Austin is as amazing as he thinks he is, you'd think he'd have greater accomplishments to fall back on than losing. Time and time again.

Steve Sayors: Well I don't think that's really a fair...

Shawn Steele: No. It's fair. In fact, it's beyond fair. And I'll tell you why. Deep down, I'm a nice guy Sayors. And as such, come Monday night at Madness, I'm going to do John Austin a favor. I'm going to give him one more bragging right. I'm going to give John Austin the opportunity to tell his next opponent about the time that he put on a hell of a match with Shawn Steele. And lost. Just like he's lost to the biggest names in this company. Now, if my memory serves .. we've arrived.

They apparently have arrived at their destination as the limo begins to slow before pulling up along the front of a building and finally coming to a stop. Quickly the limo driver is out from behind the wheel and opening the door for Shawn to step out, followed by his unwanted companions. As the camera crew steps out, the camera slowly pans up, revealing the building they've coming to Los Angeles to enter.



Steve Sayors: What .. What kind of place is this? Doctor's office?

Shawn Steele: ..... You really are a moron, aren't you?

Sayors looks more confused than insulted but just shrugs before he turns to follow Shawn into the building, camera crew following closely behind. Inside the building looks professional and high class with a well dressed receptionist sitting behind a glass desk.

Receptionist: Can I help you gentlemen?

Shawn Steele: Shawn Steele, I have an appointment?

Receptionist: Oh yes! Mr. Steele. Mr. Geragos is expecting you. Please, go right in.

The receptionist points to a large wooden as Shawn nods his appreciation to her before moving towards the door, his pack of XWF employees following behind like a bunch of loyal dogs. As they move through the now opened door behind Steele, they walk into a large office, law degrees and various achievement certificates lining the walls, along with book shelves packed full of law books and case studies. And towards the back of the room, in front of huge double windows sits a large oak desk. And behind the desk sits the mustachioed celebrity attorney ..



Mark Geragos: Shawn! I was hoping you'd be able to make it today. I know you've got a plane to catch to London but I was able to watch that video you emailed over and I have to tell you, this is a slam dunk.

Shawn Steele: I thought you'd agree. The irony of it all.

Mark Geragos: It'll all be yours when I'm through with him. The condo in Virginia Beach, yours. That beat up old truck that he seems to love so much, yours. Though I'm sure you'll donate to some charity, makes for a fantastic tax write off! Hell, I'll even get you that fat little orange cat of his!

Geragos and Steele both laugh at what was an obvious joke, but Steve Sayors begins looking back and forth between the two men in a panic.

Steve Sayors: What are you guys... you can't be serious! You're suing John Austin?! For what?!?!!?!?

Shawn Steele: Calm down Sayors! I'm not suing anybody. Yet. But whatever happens, it's not on my head. John Austin wanted to bring the legal system into this, not me. It just so happens that I happen to have one of the best lawyers known to man.

Mark Geragos: Shawn, if you don't mind, I'd like to address Mr. Austin personally?

Shawn Steele: By all means, please do.

Shawn moves his chair aside, glaring at Sayors just long enough to cause him to do the same before motioning for the camera man to get a straight on shot of Mark Geragos.

Mark Geragos: Mr. Austin ... on behalf of my client, Shawn Steele, I'm happy to inform you that your claims amount to nothing. Certainly not a felony. Legally speaking, you have no feet to stand on. What my client said, implying that you'll be in a London hospital after your encounter, was purely hyperbole. And, thanks to my client, I've also compiled a very length video presentation of numerous performers of your X-treme Wrestling Federation organization making all manners of threats. However ....

Geragos pushes his chair back slightly before turning, reaching to a table behind him and grabbing a laptop before turning back around and placing the laptop on his desk, punching up a couple of keys quickly before spinning it around to face the camera, the laptop screen filled with the image of John Austin.

Mark Geragos: Mr. Austin, I'd like to direct your attention to exhibits A, and B.

Reaching around the laptop, Geragos press a button and the laptop comes to life, showing two clips of John Austin speaking about his opponent for Madness.

Quote:I got bigger and better things to worry about than some roided up freak, yelling at the camera and saying how he is going to whip my ass.

Quote:Take the syringe out ya ass and listen real good.

After the second clip comes to an end, Mark Geragos gently presses on the top of the laptop, closing it before turning in his chair again and setting it back on the table before turning to address the camera once more.

Mark Geragos: Unlike the trumped up charges that you've levied against my client, Mr. Austin, these charges are very serious. What you've done, is commit slander against my client. Steroids are a highly illegal substance, but in the eyes of the law and the eyes of the company that employs both you and my client, and here we have two examples of you implying that my client, Mr. Shawn Steele, is using an illegal substance. These are very serious charges, Mr. Austin and I have taken the liberties of drafting up everything we need to move forward with a libel case.

Suddenly, the smiling Shawn Steele leans into the camera shot.

Shawn Steele: But those papers haven't been filed yet, Johnny. But trust me, with just a simple text to Mark, they can be. I've told you before, I don't like it when people lie about me. And this is one lie I don't take lightly. So you need to think long and hard about the things that you want to say about me next, because one way or another, you're going to pay for it.

Shawn leans back into his chair again, turning his attention to Mark Geragos.

Shawn Steele: Thank you again for your time, Mark. Next time we're in town, lunch is on me.

The two men stand and shake hands before the crew of XWF employees turn and head out of the office, Steve Sayors finally finding the courage to speak up again.

Steve Sayors: Um, Shawn? What uh ... what was all that about?

Shawn Steele: What that was all about, was proving a simple point. The point that it doesn't matter how John Austin wants to go to war with me. Legal system or when we go toe-to-toe inside of that ring on Monday night in London. The outcome is always going to be the same. I'm going to be the one who comes out on the winning end. Because as much as John likes to talk about his “reality", facts are facts. And the fact is, I'm better than he is. And Monday night, at Madness, I'm going to prove it to him. And to the world. The New Age is going to keep rolling on and there isn't a god damn thing John Austin, or anybody else, can do about it.

Moving out of the office building now, the limo driver appears to be behind the wheel already, but the door is wide open as Shawn moves to it and gets inside, suddenly shutting the door before the camera crew or Steve Sayors can get in. Sayors looks confused for a moment as he tries to open the door only to find it locked before the realization of what's happening sets in as the limo begins to pull away, Sayors' screams for it to stop heard fading away slowly as the picture begins to fade to black.

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