July 30th, 2019
1:26 A.M.

The picture fades in revealing the same game of poker, a little later into the night. As the camera does a slow turn around the table, only three people still have chips in front of them: Robert, James, and Ned. Main is dealing out a new hand of cards while the other two get their blinds ready, checking their cards as they're dealt. As the bartender announces last call, the three men look at each other.

"We're gonna have to wrap this up in a couple of hands."

Raven nods in agreement.

"The nurse is right. It's getting pretty late."

Ned rolls his eyes, Robert chuckling at the gesture.

"How bout we make it fun?"

"What do you have in mind?

"Big blind $20. Small blind $10. Finish it up real quick."

"Wait a second, I'm big blind. I only have $22."

"Come on, Ned, you're not seriously gonna make us cut this game short so you can save a little pride, right?"

Ned looks around the table for defense, but finds none.

"It's all you, man."

"Fine."

Ned shrugs, tossing a few chips into the center of the table. Raven follows suit. The three gentlemen glance at their cards.


Robert after calmly consulting his cards, keeping them out of Drew's sight, tosses some chips out.

"I'm in."

Raven, without hesitation pushes a small stack of chips away from him.

"Call."

Robert burns one off the top and reveals the next three.

Table: 6♡/10♤/10♡

Pot: $60

"Hm."

Robert takes a deep breath, staring intently at the table. He runs a hand over his beard before knocking the table to check.

James slides $20 worth of chips to the center in response, looking Ned directly in the eyes as he does.

"Of course you'd do that."

"Hey, I'm just doing what I can, kid. Your move."

Ned leans his head back, imitating deep thought before flicking his final two chips into the pile. Main picks up a stack of 20 before shrugging and shoving his entire pile in. Robert smirks, glancing at Raven.

"Now, that's more like it!"

Raven groans, sweeping his last chips into the center.

"Fine then. Winner take all."

Everyone flips their cards, Ned looking particularly smug as he does so.

"Dammit."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Let's see how it plays out."

He burns and flips.

Table: 6♡/10♤/10♡/K♡

Pot: $140

Everyone at the table leans in, watching closely as Robert burns and flips a final time. The tension is so thick, it seems the cards are cutting through the air itself.

Table: 6♡/10♤10♡/K♡/4♡

Pot: $140

Winner: James Raven(King high Flush with kicker)

"That's all she wrote!"

"Congrats James."

Raven grabs a stack of twenties off the table and pockets them. The group begin to all get up, heading towards the exit.

"Damn, y'all gotta convince me to do this stuff more often."

"Ned, you're welcome to tag along whenever. It's not a big deal."

"Besides, we could always use another babysitter for Drew."

"You know, Ned's a fine choice, but I'd prefer if Kayla-"

Almost instinctively, Main cuts him off.

"Shut up, Drew."

Ned extends a hand to Robert as everyone begins to say their goodbyes.

"So, see you guys in the states?"

Robert smiles, jostling Ned's body somewhat with the force of his handshake.

"Sure. Just make sure we don't have to call you."

Ned waves to them as they leave, looking on with a smile.


The Notorious One and company are seen on a flight headed towards New York. The rest of his family is resting their eyes, but Ned has his head slumped against the glass, watching as they finally land back into his element. Back home. A montage plays, showing Nate head onto his next flight to get back home and Ned dropping his father off until it's just him and Ethan walking down the street. Ned is messing with his phone a bit as they approach The Notorious Gym.

"Dude, you really gotta calm down. He's just gonna try to rile you up."

"I know, but I've been waiting to make him eat his words for a while now. I just wish it could happen sooner..."

"Uh... Ned..."

Ned looks up, a woman with a badge standing in front of them, several federal officers standing in formation behind her.

"Ned Kaye?"

"Yes..?"

"Marina Hutchinson, FBI. You're wanted for the unlawful escape of Drew Archyle from Richard Nixon Memorial Hospital and the theft of an emergency response vehicle."

Ned finishes up on his phone and looks up at her, placing his hands behind his head.

"W-wait a sec. Why is the FBI interested in this?"

"You fled the country before legal recourse could be dealt." She moves a hand and the men behind her begin to cuff Ned.

"Don't I get to see my lawyer?"

"Read him his rights."

Ned shakes his head as one of the officers lists out his rights pointlessly to him. As they begin to walk Ned toward their unmarked car.

"Ethan! Call Robert! Call Raven! Tell them what's going on! Do someth-!"

The door closes shut after Ned is shoved in leaving the camera to turn to Ethan, a horrified look on his face. He rapidly pushes some numbers on his phone.

"C-come on, guys, you gotta pick up..."

"Shit, shit, shit...."



"Listen to me, it's going to be alright."

James Raven speaks through a black phone, Ned Kaye sitting opposite him, behind glass, head slumped down.

"This is just my luck, ain't it?"

"Ned, you really shouldn't worry so damn much about it. We have the resources. We have the money. We can handle getting you out easily. If Steve Austin could get away with stealing a fire truck, we can get you out of here in time for Warfare, no problem."

Looking up, Kaye sighs, running a hand through his hair.

"You sure, Raven? The last thing I need to waste my prime away because I tried to help friends out."

"This kind of stuff happens all the time. You just let me handle it and it'll be over before you know it. That's why the XWF is still in business. They know when to just let the suits get their words in and I know which suits have the best things to say."

"What's the worst I'll get?"

James thinks for a second.

"Community service."

"Really? That ain't too bad."

All of a sudden a guard opens the door on Raven's end, prompting him to turn around.

"Mr. Kaye's attorney is here."

"...what? I haven't secured a defense attorney yet."

"Ned, did you sign anything?"

"Just a few papers from Robert. Why?"

"Robert didn't send any-"

Before James can finish speaking, Drew Archyle stumbles in, a pair of dark glasses on his face, swinging a walking stick around. He walks up to the booth Raven is sitting at, tapping the glass with the stick before grabbing the phone out of Raven's hands.

"Ned Kaye. I've taken your case."

Ned and James place a palm on their faces simultaneously.


"Please rise."

The scene opens, showing court footage as the baliff and judge explain the general procedure of the courtroom. Drew stands up, wearing a dark maroon suit, holding several papers in his hand.

"Your honor, I'd like to move for this missile."

"Excuse me?"

Ned nudges Drew, whispering something in his ear.

"Dismissal."

"Yes... and-and what parts of the claims made against your client do you feel are invalid?"

"All of them."

The jury give a confused expression to Archyle as the judge places his bands together.

"I understand that. Please explain why you feel they are invalid."

Drew thumbs through the pages reading what he can quickly.

"I disagree that he... "stole an on-duty emergency vehicle." Yeah, it couldn't have been on duty because if it was, how could he have stolen it?"

Drew smiles, clearly satisfied with himself as the camera pans to Raven and Robert in the background, both looking abysmally worried.

-------------

The scene cuts, showing Robert Main on the witness stand, the prosecutor standing in front of him.

"Is it not true that the defendant arrived to assist you on an episode Saturday Night Savage?"

"That did happen."

"Had you ever seen the defendant drive an ambulance prior to that Saturday?"

"No."

"Do you have any reason to believe that the defendant owned an ambulance and didn't procure one from Richard Nixon Memorial Hospital?"

"No, sir."

"No further questions."

Archyle stands up with a cocksure, "I got this" attitude as he waltzes toward the stand.

"Mr. Main, have you not, not seen the defendant commit a crime?"

"...Rephrase please."

"Do you think my client is innocent?"

"Objection, your honor."

"Sustained. Please ask less leading questions, Mr. Archyle."

Drew thinks for a second.

"Who would you say had the most involvement in my escaping the hospital?"

"I'd have to say you, Drew."

"No further questions."

-------------

"Please present your closing statements."

"Your honor, to say it's fairly obvious from all of the evidence that the defendant is guilty is quite frankly insulting to the intelligence of all of us here. We have the dates, the times, video evidence. There is no muddying the facts that Ned Kaye committed all of this actions. That will be all."

Drew stands, inhaling shallowly.

"Your honor, is valor something we should punish in this country? Honor something we should chastise? I don't believe so and it's clear this man believes the same. Doing the hard things to protect and benefit your friends and family shouldn't be heavily punished and despised, but acknowledged as a good deed. This man committed a selfless act for others and it is the jury's decision on whether upholding your vows to those most important to you is worthy of punishment. Maybe it is, but I don't think that's an America we all want to live yo see."

He sits, leaning back to reveal Ned's shocked face.

"Drew, that-that was pretty good. How'd you come up with that?"

"Let's just say it was my old friend Law & Order."

Ned's face turns to befuddlement.

-------------

The scene cuts to the judge, verdict in hand.

"This honorable jury finds the defendant, Mr. Ned Kaye, not guilty."

Ned, Drew, James, and Robert begin to silently cheer.

"However, for wasting both the hospital's money and this court's valuable time, Mr. Drew Archyle is fined a sum of $6,000."

Drew runs up to the stand, looking nervously.

"Do you take card, by any chance?"

In the background, Robert feels his pockets, visibly concerned.

-------------

The Notorious One sits on a bench in front of a deli, taking in the feeling of his city once more.

"There's something funny about how things work out."

"I dodge one cell only so I can walk into another tomorrow. But irony aside, this is an exciting time for me because I have an opportunity here that hasn't been placed in front of me for quite some time. If I can outlast my opponents, I can finally face Tony Santos. It's been a long time coming; no disrespect to Tony, but I have something the other prospects alongside me simply don't have."

"Perspective."

"But I'll elaborate when I get there, Tony. Not if. When. Because I know I have the talent and the will to get there; to deliver a match my fans have been clamoring for since my first bout for contendership in the XWF. It's time for me to give the Society of Notoriety what they want: Santos vs. Kaye. Next Warfare."

"Although, I will admit, it's a little soon to look ahead when there are men just as driven as myself ready to tear me apart for this chance. And I think everyone in this match deserves a helluva lot of credit. Two matches in one night is not an easy task and every competitor here should feel proud of themselves for stepping up to the challenge. God knows I had to do it back in the indies more than once and it shows a ton of heart. But there is a fierceness required in this match that I can give and none of my opponents can. Why? Because everyone in this match has earned a championship title except for me."

Ned begins to list off his opponents, counting on his fingers.

"Peter Gilmour, countless XWF championships and records including the Universal title. Michael McBride, very accomplished in his own right having held the Hart title prior and two separate occasions where he held the X-Treme title. Hanari Carnes, Television Champion for a short time at the beginning of this year. Mr. Kennedy, former WWE United States Champion. I have been doing this my entire adult life and it has alluded me. Even if you don't consider that time in the indies to be real experience, I still was costed opportunity or had to turn matches down for personal reasons on countless occasions. Has that stopped me from gaining support here? Has that stopped me from putting my best foot forward every chance I get? Has that stopped me from being given the prestigious honor of joining the greatest fraternity to ever grace the XWF?"

Ned turns to the side, letting his intensity calm.

"I didn't think so."

"If outlasting five men in this brutal match is what I have to do to finally get my chance to make history, then you'd better be prepared for me to do it. It doesn't matter if we were in a cage or otherwise, my path- my fate exists in the center of that ring and I wouldn't walk away from it for the world. If any one of them wants to stand a snowball's chanve in hell, they have to get through me and they all know it. These former champions know that I am the one to beat here. That's the presence I have and that's why that match is already mine. Because if they commanded their presence half as much as I do, they'd still be wearing their belts."

"And it's not like I presume weakness out of these opponents. Hanari is a damn good competitor any day of the week and he gave Santos the closest match he's had since he's been Hart Champion. Kennedy has been chosen by Paul Heyman and Paul generally knows what he's doing, even if he is most famous nowadays for being the spokesperson of a part timer. Gilmour beyond all of the juvenile humor and long winded diatribes is an XWF legend for good reason. Michael McBride deserves to be recognized by more fans than people give him credit for, regardless of his accomplishments. But these men can't rival my hunger for this chance. They can't approach my tenacity and they sure as hell can't give everything that I can. I know it's my time. You all out there in the XWF Galaxy know it's my time. I'm gonna see this through no matter what. Give me five stages or nine circles of hell to go through and I will still be here telling you the same thing."

"It's about time."

"You can't run from yourself."