NEARING WELLINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND


We were on board my private jet, heading back to New Zealand.
We were approaching Wellington, New Zealand.

Not that I had planned to return home at this point in time, as we were supposed to stay State side for an extra couple of weeks.

WE, being myself and my brother in law Markus. Markus had accompanied me for the past three or four weeks. Maria, my wife had asked me to let him come with me, as he had needed a break as he had been struggling with depression which he had been dealing with most of his life.

He was prone to bouts of depression and before this bout, he had been very good for the last few years.

Maria told me that when he was in his late teens, he was caught using heavy drugs that eventually sent him into rehab. He had been cleaned for over fifteen years, and the bouts of depression were because of his time in rehab.

What didn't help and I should have realized before I sent him, that I had been busy appearing on Warfare, Anarchy and was preparing for my Round 1 Lethal Lottery match, that I didn't have time to track down my tag team partner, Tony Santos, so I had sent Markus on ahead to find him.

What I also wasn't aware of was the state that Tony was in since losing his Hart title at Relentless. No one had seen him since.

When Markus had found him, Tony was at the lowest point of his life. By the time I had arrived, the damage had been done. Tony was using, and Markus had joined him
After 15 years of being drug free, that had now literally gone up in smoke.

Who was to blame I hear you all asking.

It's unfair to blame Tony Santos, because well he didn't know Markus's history. He was at the lowest of lows himself.

Was it fair to blame Markus himself? After all he knew his triggers. But I thought he had been happy as we had been going from destination to destination, and he wad enjoying watching the shows for free.
But for some reason he didn't fight his triggers when he was around the drugs, so that bit is on him!

So who else is to blame? Me? Did I blame myself for sending him into that situation knowing full well why we hadn't seen Tony at all since Relentless? That bit I didn't blame myself because I had thought maybe just maybe Tony had gotten help. Well more fool me.

I was blaming myself because I had been responsible for Markus. He had been with me for a month. Not that he was a kid. He was mid 30's, but I knew about his depression.

"I am so sorry 'M', please forgive me,"

Markus had been apologizing all the way back to New Zealand

"Like I have said a countless times over the last few hours, I do forgive you."

Markus sat in his chaor across from me, looking really withdrawn, and withered. I don't know how much more of this I could take.

"You shouldn't forgive me. I have put you in a difficult situation. You should be focusing on Round 2 of that Lethal Lottery Tournament not flying back to New Zealand."

"I have also put you in a tough spot with my sister, I know she's not answering your calls,"

I sighed. Since I informed Maria the first time about her brother, I hadn't heard from her since. She was giving me the silent treatment. Only because she was worried
And also pissed off with me for allowing this happen on my watch.

"Look Markus it's fine. I just need to get you back to Welly, deal with things there and then get back to the States. Just sit back and relax. We are almost home."

"I can't relax,"

"Well I need you to at least try,"

Markus was all fidgety, and the colour had left his face, the closer we got to home.

---

Finally we landed on the private strip for private planes at the Wellington Airport.

Markus and I both sat inside the cabin of the plane as it came to a halt. Outside we saw two cars. My wife Maria was standing by hers, she was wearing sunglasses, and didn't look all that happy.

The other belonged to the Wellington Drug And Alcoholic Rehabilitation Programme. Two guys in suits were waiting.

Markus saw them and started shaking.

"It's time to face the music,"

"I can't,"

"Oh you can, and you will,"

The plane pulled to a halt, and the stairs were lowered onto the runway. I saw Maria walk staunchly and speedily towards the plane. That meant this wasn't a good sign.

I've only seen her that mad once before, and it wasn't my doing either, but the result was downright painful.

I quickly got up, as did Markus. He was preparing for a storm.

Maria walked into the cabin, her glasses were still on. She stopped and took one quick look at me, sort of smiled a teensy tiny bit but then looked at her brother.

"Sis,"

Maria put up her hand to stop her brother from saying anything more. She stood there, fuming.

At first she spoke quietly.

"How could you?.... how could you put my husband's job in jeopardy when he allowed you to tag along? How could you?"

"But sis, you need to listen,"

Maria's voice got a little louder.

"No Markus, I do not need to listen. You do."

"But sis I didn't mean to do it. It just happened."

And that made my wife lose it. Tears poured down her face and she started yelling.

"YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO DO IT? OH THAT MAKES IT OKAY THEN DOES IT, MARKUS?"

"YOU KNEW YOUR TRIGGERS INSTANTLY YOU PUT MY HUSBAND IN YOUR WORLD. HE HAS TO WORK. HE HAS TO DO HIS THING. HE HAD TO COME HOME, BRING YOU BACK HOME, HE NEEDS TO FOCUS ON HIS 2ND ROUND. HE HAS SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS RELYING ON HIM TO DO HIS JOB."

"BUT YOU CAN'T SEE THAT CAN YOU MARKUS? IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU ISN'T IT... BUT I'LL TELL YOU THIS. YOU HAVE NO SAY WHATSOEVER. THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE."

Maria stopped yelling but just stood there. In front of us.

"I truly am sorry sis,"

Maria looked at her brother, and stormed up to him, and started hitting him in the chest and started crying.

"SORRY DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT, MARKUS. YOU PUT YOUR OWN LIFE IN DANGER. YOU KNEW THE DANGERS. HOW COULD YOU? HOW COULD YOU? HOW THE FUCK COULD YOU?"

I stepped in and pulled her away from Markus. She screamed but I held her tight. The two suits were now in the cabin.

I looked at Markus.

"It's time to go,"

Markus nodded, and with tears running down his cheek, he walked towards the suit.

Maria pulled away from me, turned, gave me a kiss, and spoke quietly.

"You need to go. Round 2 is important to you. Your partner is reliant on you. Besides you need to destroy Tony Santos. He's to blame for all of this,"

And with that Maria turned around and speedily walked off after her brother and the two suits.

I watched her goz but I didn't agree with what she said.....

---

---

The camera fades in live to the cabin of Mastermind's Private Jet as it is heading from New Zealand back to the States, and Mastermind is standing in the aisle between two seats.

"I don't blame you for any of this mess, Tony, truly I don't. It's just a sad accident of misfortune.

"I am not like everyone else who is going to harp on about your drug problems because clearly it's been done so many times before it's just boring now. And whatever everyone has said, you clearly have done the opposite, so I'm not going to waste my breath....

"Let's focus on something positive shall we. How much I respect you. Look at what you accomplished. The third highest reign ever with the Hart Title. 157 days as Hart Champion. You missed out on 2nd place by 2 days. 2 days Tony. I'm sure that eats away at you.

"I managed to get to outright 2nd with the Television title. Lux was stupid enough to throw that away for a shot at the Universal Title which has taken forever to come about.

"Lux hasn't been the same again. Nor have you. You just are prepared to take yourself down aren't you? You want people to pity you? You should be ashamed of yourself.

"One of the greatest ever Hart champions wants a pity party to not celebrate his achievements. I'll tell you what Tony. I'll celebrate your demise by moving into the Semi Finals of the Lethal Lottery tournament. That's right you heard right.

"You want to kill yourself. Go on do it. I don't care. I'm focused on moving on while you focus on killing yourself.

"On to your tag partner. Box Office Brian O'Haire. It's nice to finally come up against you Brian. All I know about you is that you are a scatter brains. That'll work well for your pity party of a partner.

"I pity you also Brian. You don't have much to work with. The former Hart Champion is a shell of himself. Don't expect too much. Try not to have too many parties. Too much sex, drugs and rock and roll won't help whilst you are in the middle of that other party. The pity one.

"Now onto my tag partner Ruby. I have heard some great things about Ruby, and seen a match or two of yours. I was happy when I found out that I was teaming with you!

"We got this Ruby. 100 percent we have this match won because Tony is too busy thinking of only himself and immitating a flushed toilet. Flushing his life away.

"While Brian is too busy being ditzy. And trying to figure out whether he is either busy or not. So he's confused.

"So what do you say me and you crash the pity party, Ruby, and make sure we get into the Semi Finals of Lethal Lottery. Only then Tony may just wake up. Or not.

"I have your back Ruby. I know you have mine. So lets do this.:


Mastermind smirks as the camera fades out.