The scene picks up outside Belfast International Airport in Northern Ireland and there’s Mark Brooks in his red rental Mustang. He has the car stalled, but the engine still on. He’s looking through his phone as he’s changing the station. As the airport’s doors continue to slide open, he looks up to see if his wife has come out yet. He swipes his finger up through the list of songs in his apple music and stops in the Q’s. He plays his wife’s theme song, “Queen of Reich” and then turns the dial on the radio to increase the volume. Just as the lyrics start to start scream out from the speakers, Miss Michelle with her bag rolls out from the airport’s doors. He looks up and smiles at her through the passenger’s window. She dashes toward the car as she extends her hand to the handle of the passenger’s door. She opens the car’s door. She leans down and over as she kisses her husband.

MISS MICHELLE: Are you really playing my theme?

Mark with a big cheesy smile on his face.

MARK BROOKS: Fuck yeah!

He says with excitement in his tone. She throws her bag over the seat into the back as she steps into the car. She closes the door behind her and Mark looks in his rear view mirror before pulling out.

MISS MICHELLE: I’ve been hearing a lot of my theme lately, especially on Saturday night. Marky, baby, did you see my victory!?

She leans over and pets the far cheek and kisses the other side.

MARK BROOKS: I did. I did indeed. I saw you made those two little boys your personal little bitches! I also saw how you impressed them so much you got a number one contender’s match on next week’s Savage.

She bites down on her bottom lip and smirks.

MISS MICHELLE: And it’ll be just like that why you and I are this company’s POWER COUPLE! The XWF’s Universe are looking at their next Hart’s and Television’s Champions.

She kisses his lips softly.

MARK BROOKS: Standing by your side with each one of us wearing a prestigious XWF’s title is a picture I cannot wait is taking over the internet!

MISS MICHELLE: You just have to get pass Centurion, Scully, and Barney Green. We don’t even need to sweat Azrael. His legendary career was all in the past and that’s where he is going to stay, baby! You just worry about those other three.

MARK BROOKS: I have a surprise for Barney. A surprise he’s not going to forget! As a matter of fact babe, this surprise is going to leave skid marks in his underwear!

MISS MICHELLE: I still don’t know why he’s even in the match to be honest. Then again, I don’t know why I’m facing Steve Justice and Finn Kuhn. I wish I had opponents to help prepare me for the next Savage.

MARK BROOKS: Don’t worry about me. Just add one more win to your record and let’s focus on the future. Relentless is the next stop for us and becoming champions are right there at the top of the list!

She leans over and kisses his cheek. He looks over his shoulder and winks at his wife.

MISS MICHELLE: I just love you, baby!

As he continues driving on the highway, the scene fades to black.

*************************************

Forty-Five Minutes Later…

When the cameras start rolling, somewhere in the Odyssey Arena, a camera crew has caught up with the arriving Power Couple of XWF: Mark Brooks and his beautiful wife Miss Michelle. Obviously, not even wasting anytime and arriving dressed for action—they start their way to the ringside area for this house show event. The camera crew manages to get them to pause as Mark Brooks with his wife’s hand caressing his back, turn toward the camera men. She brushes her fingers through her hair and looks up at her husband who breaks the silence.
MARK BROOKS: The closer to Warfare we get, the more excited I am. The more eager I am to impressing everybody on Warfare. I don’t just need to do this for myself, but I need to do this for my wife. My wife has always been a winner in this company. Miss Michelle has always been a headliner in Xtreme Wrestling Federation. She has always been a cut above average and defying the odds. When this woman married me, a bit of her legendary status has rubbed off onto me. I am able to gloat in the glory of my own rather than living in my wife’s shadows. Right now, my wife has always been known as the breadwinner. She was the one that was referenced as the inaugural Bombshell’s Champion in the commentary of her match on last week’s Savage. She earned herself a contender’s match for the Television Champion on this week’s Savage. She’s working on earning her second title! Her second title to my zero titles! Now, I need to step up my game. I need to bring home the bacon and show everybody there’s not a weaklink in this partnership. We are equally dominating whether we are alone or together. We are the true Power Couple of XWF!

MISS MICHELLE: …soon to be thegolden' power couple! You are always my equal, baby!

She leans her head back and shakes it freely.

MARK BROOKS: I’ve been trying not to hit my head against the wall. I’ve been trying not to let the legendary careers of some of my opponents blind me. Most have history that is impressive, but you have to remember that was in the past. Some guys are not the same as they were when they were twenty something. Now, that one of the leading guys in this match is pushing fifty years old, it’s time to hang up the boots; throw in the towel, and call it quits. It’s time to know when to go out before your career is tarnished to a point of no recognition. You’re already in a much lesser division than you deserve. You’re facing a guy who is just starting out. You can make all the jokes about me that you want, but the fact is THIS XWF’s rookie is about to show up and OUTSHINE your ass! Talk shit and get knocked out is the motto of my game. At least I know I can back up my trash talk, can you Centurion? I wouldn’t want you to break a hip because you couldn’t keep your balance.

MISS MICHELLE: I heard Nurse Ratchet from the local retirement home is available for house calls!

Brooks chuckles as Michelle covers her mouth, as she giggles devilishly.

MARK BROOKS: Centurion, you want me to watch an Universal Championship match you loss? Why? So, I can use that as ammo on why you’re not good enough for this business anymore? Why you’re not the same Centurion you once were? Let’s face it Centurion, watching that title match you fought so hard for and fell short is just going to fuel me even more. It’s just going to be that much more motivating for me to keep you down at the bottom while I use you as my steppingstone. Centurion, I was trying to make the point that none of you have what it takes anymore. Well, Barney never had what it took! You made my point for me and for that… thank you! Thank you so much, buddy because you did the work for me. I know the current champ is one hell of a competitor and when I’m ready to challenge him, I’ll challenge him. I’m not up to his level just yet, but I will be up his speed before you ever get there… if you ever get there! I still have a bright future in XWF. I’m only 25 years old and I can all the things you’ve accomplished, and then some!

MISS MICHELLE: We know your long term memory still works; it’s just your physical self that is ran down.

She taps her finger beside her head as Brooks grins.

MARK BROOKS: What is going to happen? What are you going to do if you don’t win this match? The Hart title? Where do you go from there? There’s nowhere else to go further down the toilet or, the wise thing to do, retirement. Centurion, I’m just trying to show you that 2019 is the year of so much—it’s the evolution of professional wrestling! Every style you thought you knew is out the window. Any tactic or antic by opponents are unpredictable and different than when you were on top. Yet, you are trying to rally up some form of brotherhood with Barney. Why pick him up? Are you trying to form a new tag team? The freaking losers of XWF? I would not be caught dead letting Barney sniff my jock strap, let alone showing him any kind of respect. He should be thanking the graces of God he is even in this contender’s match. He didn’t deserve it. He didn’t earn it. I’m ready to close the curtain on him and throw it away! The trash can is the best place for him and so far, your XWF’s revived career too!

MISS MICHELLE: It sounds like you’re not having the same luck as me. I’m sorry, need a tissue to dry up your tears?

Michelle slides her hands up on his shoulders and start to massage him.

MARK BROOKS: I’m sorry Scully, did you want me to mention your tag team failures too? O.K., you got it ! One-half of team , yeah, real impressive doofus. Do you know why I’m not taking you seriously? I couldn’t even if I tried because you’re so full of crap. Scully, you want to get back on top of the mountain but look at you dude! You’re walking around asking for “one more shot.” You think you deserve one more shot? Really Scully!? You were a former Universal Champion! If you deserved one more shot, you would have gotten it already. You have to earn your future shots just like everybody else. You’ve already tarnished your reputation by your screwed-up tag team title reigns. I’m not even going to get into the nitty gritty of your team while you were part of the Union. All I’m going to say is “RIP-OFF” much?

MISS MICHELLE: Next time, you want to go after my husband, make sure you come a little bit harder because he’ll embarrass you!

She wrinkles up her face and snarls at the camera.

MARK BROOKS: Scully, I really don’t care how many titles you’ve held or which ones you’ve had. The point I was trying to make was how long ago it was that you were champion. Blame it on an extended absence. Blame it on the fact nobody likes you in the front office. Hell, blame it on the reputation you’ve had on being a freaking ! The fact of the matter is you can go another month without a damn title! Nobody is going to be cutting in front of me. Scully, I will bring up your failed tag team title reigns until I am blue in the face because you don’t want me to forget about them. They are just more facts that make my case about you stronger. Ah, that word… stronger. I absolutely love that word! I mean, really love that word! I am stronger than you, Scully! I’m stronger, smarter, and better than you! Scully, I’m going to show the world why the days of Scully are over! You should have had your chance back when the era of Scully was still going on. The era of Scully is over. It’s done and done! You and Centurion are so fixated on getting back what you guys had, and it’s just pathetic. No, I’m sorry—it’s not just pathetic; it is downright sad and depressing! Scully, your one more match claim is just going to be one more opportunity for you to be overshadowed and pushed further to the back. Scully, you’re no longer champion material—you’re just a steppingstone!

MISS MICHELLE: He’s going to win on Warfare and move on to facing the Hart’s Champion at Relentless.

She wraps her arms from behind her husband as she starts to circle her hands in front of his abdominal area.

MARK BROOKS: Barney, I think it’s admirable you have dreams. We all have dreams and some of us manage to achieve those dreams. The sad thing about you buddy is your dreams always end up shattered. They are like broken pieces of glass on the floor and people just take those broken pieces of glass and slice them across your palms. It hurts, doesn’t it? Kind of like the way you shattered some new rookie’s dreams back in 2017 huh. I know deep down; you remember your little tag team championship match back in 2017. When nobody in the world wanted to tag with you, a foolish, young, and inexperienced kid took the initiative and said he would be glad to tag with you. You let him down just like you have let everybody else down in XWF. You were a failure in 2017 and you’re a failure now, but worst of all Barney, you’re the laughingstock of this match. You think you have a right to dream about one day acclaiming the Hart’s Championship, but your days of dreaming are over. The only dream you have now is what you will be doing when you finally decide to hang up your damn boots!

MISS MICHELLE: I heard since Oprah took over Weight Watchers, they have increased their openings for new clients. Maybe you can join next time we are back in the states and you can take Jenny Myst along with you?

He leans over and kisses her on the side of her head.

MARK BROOKS: The bottom line is this gentlemen, it doesn’t matter who I pin or force into submission. There is only one thing that matters and the one thing that matters is that I walk away with victory. Let it be Azrael I beat. Let it be one of the washed-up nobodies: Scully and Centurion. Heck let it be the biggest punching bag in XWF’s history. It doesn’t matter at all! The only thing that matters at this point is the fire that burns for me doesn’t go out. You’ve all had chances after chances. I’m just the newbie coming in and trying to make a name for myself! I’m the one who has to defy the odds. I have the everything working against me in this match and that’s why I have more passion, determination, and motivation to walk out as the new number one contender! It is not going to be a matter of if I win the match. It’s going to be a matter of when I win the match at Warfare, I will be moving onto Relentless and challenge for the Hart’s Championship. When I become Hart’s Champion…

He looks over at the camera and slicks his hand through his hair. He glances at his wife who smirks. He looks back at the camera.

MARK BROOKS: …that’s going to be… ABOVE AVERAGE!

He walks off as the cameras fade to black.