Ever since getting kicked out of New Horizon’s Rehab Center in Phoenix, Theo has been drug free and relatively alcohol free. Sure he has had whiskey here and a whiskey there but not multiple in one sitting. Theo took to hear the notion of getting clean and sober. With things in the XWF popping off and the Pryce Industries Board attempting a coup, Theo read the writing on the wall. Things had to change or he was going to lose everything he had worked hard to obtain. And now, with Theo’s match against Gilmour right around the corner Theo decided to hit up one of the downtown Phoenix bars after a hard day’s work. He encouraged his new P.A, Isabel Jacobs to join him but she had prior obligations. So Theo decided to head there himself and see where the night takes him.


The positives to the bars located near his office are that on most nights they are filled with co-eds from Arizona State University. Of course that could also be seen as a negative as female co-eds are fantastic but the males that usually follow them to the bar are generally self tanning, roided up douche bags, with a drinking problem, basically Caliban but with muscles.


So here we are, Aces and Eights on the corner of 7th and McDowell. Known for it’s $5.00 Bud Light pitches and world famous Bladder Buster, a 3 – half pound burger topped with 4 different types of cheese, 6 slices of thick cut applewood smoked bacon, and onion rings on Texas toast. While Theo would never consider eating that sort of food or drinking Bud Light, the music is pretty choice and the co-eds, even more so.


As Theo enters the bar he takes a few seconds to survey the room. As expected, the bar is crawling with but not exclusively filled by college students. Some of the regulars like Jimmy who owns the pawn shop down the street, or Roberta, the drunken Denny’s waitress are parked at the bar shooting the sCENSORED with Cassandra the barkeep. Cassandra, like many of the current patrons has ties to Arizona State. Cassandra, or Cass as the regulars affectionately refer to her graduated from ASU 5 years ago with a degree in Art History. During the entirety of her 5 years at ASU, Cassandra’s parents told her repeatedly, they practically begged her to switch majors. They knew, as just about anyone with a clue knows that an Art History degree is about as fruitful on the job market as a degree in Political Science, or English. But Cassandra being the liberated for the first time college student did what 90% of her peers in similar circumstances would do, and that’s ignore her parent’s wishes. And so here we are, 5 years post-graduation and bar tending at a local college bar. How’s that degree working out?


Theo walks up to the bar, makes eye contact with Cass who recognizes Theo instantly and walks over to the part of the bar where Theo is standing. While no one would consider Theo a regular, he is famous enough in Phoenix that it’s hard for him to go anywhere without being recognized by someone, and after all, a bartender is essentially in the customer service business so knowing her audience, or knowing how to fake her audience out is in her best interest.


“Hey there sweetie. What can I get for you?”

"Double Jamesons on the rocks.”

“You got it.”


Theo smiles casually, pulls out his money clip, removes a $20.00 bill and throws it on the bar for Cass and picks up his drink as well as the small cocktail napkin that was placed underneath it.


Glancing about the room again Theo sees the college crowd mostly conversing amongst themselves, a few are off to the corner playing some pool, another smaller group is playing darts, which seems like an accident waiting to happen. Beer plus sharp pointy objects there is really no way that can end well. Roughly 15 feet in front of Theo is a gorgeous woman with straight blonde hair and what looks to be greenish-blue eyes. Theo notices the eyes because the girl looks visibly uncomfortable. And who could blame her surrounded by 4 muscle bound dickheads in letterman’s jackets. By Theo’s estimation they are probably all football players, by the looks of 2 of them, linemen, the other two, maybe a quarterback, maybe secondary. Either way, Theo’s made up his mind. It’s time to play the role of superhero. But before he does that, like every good Superhero Theo has a super power or two. Well, not really a super power, but power. Just around the block at a local café is Theo’s personal security detail. You see, they follow Theo when he goes around town, making sure that nothing happens to the man that pays their bills. 99% of the time you never even know they are there, and because 99% of the time they aren’t needed. This would be that 1% of the time.


Before walking over to the table Theo reaches into his left coat pocket and grabs what looks like a small beeper. He presses a small red button on it and then puts the beeper back into his pocket.


Ignoring the men standing around her Theo approaches the table, as he does so the woman looks up and their eyes meet for the first time.


"Can I buy you a drink?”

“Excuse me buddy, but she’s with us.” Responds Muscle Bound Dickhead #1.

“Be that as it may, she doesn’t appear to be having any fun so I’m offering to change that for her.”

MBDH # 1 continuing to be the guy with the big dick in the group responds “Fun? What do you know about fun old man?”

"Enough.”

His answer while short is enough to get a half cocked smile out of the young woman. Which of course enrages the group of men but before MBDH #1 can say something his buddy, we’ll call him Muscle Bound Dickhead #2 decides to step up to the challenge by repositioning himself from MBDH #1’s flank to directly in front of Theo, thus blocking Theo’s view of the women.

“My friend over there, he told you once, the girl is with us. He’s not going to tell you again.”

“Did he give you permission to speak or are you doing that all on your own? How about we ask the young lady what she would like to do?”

“How about we don’t?”

"Look fella’s, I’m not here to cause a scene but I can if you guys are really hard up for that sort of thing.”


Looks like they are indeed that hard up for a scene as all 4 men close in on Theo, just as one of them gets to within a few inches of Theo’s face the door to the bar swings opens up and 6 men in black suits with dark black sunglasses burst onto the scene and make a beeline for Theo’s location.


The fearsome foursome see what is going on and immediately back away from Theo, raising their hands as if to say “I didn’t do anything.”. Theo looks around one of the men, allowing his security detail to handle the wannabe toughguys and makes eye contact with the young blonde again.


“So how about that drink?”


The young woman smiles, grabs he purse and her cell phone off the table and follows Theo out of the bar.


"Sorry about that back there. You looked like you wanted to be anywhere but where you were, so I felt it was my obligation as a caring and concerned citizen to do something about it.”

“Well I have to say, that’s the first time I’ve ever had that line used on me.”

"Well that’s good because I was really proud of myself for coming up with it just now. It would have been heart breaking to hear that someone else beat me to the punch.”

Another smile, this time accompanied by a laugh.

"So I was serious about that drink, can I buy you one?”

“Sure. Where would you like to do that?”

"Anywhere you want.”

“Well I have to be honest with you, the place we just left is pretty much the only bar I go to around here. Poor college kid and all.”

"I see. Well I live just down the block we could go there if you want. I can’t say I have a huge variety of drinks, mostly the stuff I like but I am sure we can find you something.”

“Inviting me back to your place already, you sure do move fast stranger?”

"Yeah I have to be honest with you, I didn’t really think that one through. In retrospect it does seem a bit forward.”

“I’d say so. But you seem innocent enough. Down the block you say? Sure why not.”

"You sure?”

“Yes I am.”


Theo and the young woman walk down the black and approach the entrance to Pryce Towers when suddenly the woman stops in her tracks.


“Is something the matter?”

“I thought you said we were going to your place? This is an office building.”

“Yes it is. But I own the building.”

“You own…” The woman looks around trying to find something that identifies exactly what building she is standing at the entrance. Off to the right, through the bank of windows she can see the words “Pryce Industries” hanging above what looks to be a security desk. “You own Pryce Industries?”

“Yes I do. Truthfully I live out in Paradise Valley but I have an apartment on the top floor of the building for the nights when I work late and have no desire to drive home. I figured taking you there was easier and for you, probably less overwhelming than driving you out to the Valley. At least here you can still walk home.”

“You aren’t wrong.”

“So, would you like to go upstairs?”


The young woman extends her hand which Theo gladly accepts as the two of walk through the lobby of the building and proceed to get into the first available elevator.


To be continued…