Oliver’s voice opens our scene as they’re walking up on….
” Is this Facebook?”
” Aren’t you just a perceptive one.”
Chris and Oliver cross the street from the sitting area to the large LED sign towards a single African-American Male, all-black suit, earpiece in his right ear. He’s waiting on both Chris and Oliver as he starts to walk towards the curbside.
” Friends in high places bro.”
The unknown male walks over and greets the two as he extends his hand out towards Chris.
“ Mr. Page?”
Chris and Oliver stop as Chris looks down at the hand and then back up at the unknown male with a look of sheer disgust firmly displayed upon his face.
” You don’t shake hands amid a pandemic!”
He draws his hand back offering his apologies drawing a purely sarcastic response from Page.
” Stuff your Sorries in a sock bro, do better. Who the fuck are you anyway?”
The gentleman responds politely.
“I’m Jarvis and I’m here to take you to see Mr. Zuckerberg. He’s expecting you.”
Jarvis leads the way towards the exterior doors.
“Please, right this way.”
” Dude you know Zuckerberg?”
Chris turns his head towards Oliver as he softly states as they walk through two large automatic sliding glass doors and into the lobby of Facebook’s California office.
” Uh, yeah.”
Jarvis leads Oliver and Chris through a security checkpoint where they bypass metal detectors with the escort. There are several employees in the lobby waiting at the elevators, some of which recognize Chris as they point in his direction while whispering amongst them which garners a middle finger from Chris as he and Oliver walk past.
They’re brought down a hallway to a private conference room.
Jarvis opens the door allowing both Chris and Oliver to step into the room where standing on the other side of a large conference room table is none other than the founder of Facebook in the flesh, Mark Zuckerberg.
” Well I’ll be damned.”
Mark walks around the table towards the entry as he extends his fist out towards Oliver while spouting out,
” Nice to meet you Mr. Damned, I’m Mark.”
Oliver is in sheer disbelief before shaking it off as he bumps his fist with Mark Zuckerberg while introducing himself.
” I’m Oliver Main…”
They drawback their respective fist as Mark responds.
” I was hoping your name was damned.”
Mark shifts his attention towards Chris as he immediately starts to snicker while he shakes his head from side to side.
” Then there’s this mother fucker right here.”
Chris chuckles under his breath before reaching out and fist-bumping his friend.
” Longtime kid.”
” What it do, gramps?”
Mark’s attention is drawn back towards Oliver while the sarcasm continues to exude from the Founder of Facebook.
” What the hell you doing with this guy? He’s nothing but trouble.”
Chris immediately responds which garners Mark's attention once again.
” Easy there buckwheat… just because I’m older doesn’t mean that I won’t kick your ass on your turf.”
Mark rolls his eyes as he turns and walks back around the conference room table towards a single chair that’s facing two chairs across from the single chair.
” Oliver is the brother of my friend I was telling you about…”
” Yeah, yeah, yeah… the guy from the security footage.”
Mark takes his seat while motioning for Chris and Oliver to take theirs as well which they do.
” I’m sorry to hear about your brother. Anyone that’s a friend of Page’s is a friend of mine. This had to be of the utmost importance for him to burn a favor from me.”
Chris nudges Oliver getting his attention.
” Shit doesn’t come cheap.”
Chris reaches into the inner pocket of his black sport coat pulling a square silver tin out. Chris opens the tin where some of his finest pre-rolled joints are housed. He removes one before tossing it across the table at Zuckerberg.
” Like I was saying to you on the phone about this Stadium in Italy that are being dicks. They refused to release it to me which is why I needed you to do what you do.”
Mark reaches out taking the joint off the glass top table as he responds to Chris.
” That’s not in the equation anymore, we have the footage.”
Oliver seems surprised by all of this as he turns towards Chris and asks.
” But you knew I’d get my hands on it which is why you even stepped on your jet.”
” How the fuck is this possible?”
Mark fires up the doobie before answering Oliver.
” Don’t concern yourself with the details, my good man, just know it helps to have friends in high places.”
Oliver redirects his attention towards Mark who exhales some smoke.
” That’s the second time I’ve heard that today.”
Chris chimes in an attempt to get everything back on track before this completely goes off the rails.
” So you have the footage?”
” Of course I do…”
Mark pushes his chair back from the table before standing up as he takes a few tokes off the joint before turning and looking out the ceiling to wall windows at Menlo Park’s infrastructure soaking it all in.
” Everything you see outside was designed by me… every nook, every cranny of this entire complex.”
Chris sees where this is going and opens up his silver tin pulling out another joint before lighting up himself as he shakes his head while Mark turns back around looking across the room at Chris and Oliver as he continues.
” Look at Facebook, for example, a concept thought up by others but the bigger picture was never even looked at. I took that small concept and turned it into the biggest global phenomenon that it’s become today.”
Chris leans back in his chair taking a huge toke off his joint before passing it Oliver’s way who politely refuses with a wave of the hand causing Chris to shrug.
” I did this because I’m a great businessman.”
” Here we go…”
Chris softly mutters just loud enough to catch Oliver’s attention.
” Now, let’s just cut to the chase now shall we.”
Mark ashes his joint in an ashtray out of site, he leaves the joint in the ashtray to burn out before shifting attention back towards Oliver and Page.
” I have something that you want and I’m smart enough to know that whatever is on this footage is of great importance to both of you; this gives me the position of power in this deal…”
Mark shifts his head towards Chris and looks him directly in the eyes as he walks towards the back of his chair, leaning forward as he states.
” I haven’t forgotten about Vegas in 2011.”
” Ouch.”
Oliver whispers in a tone loud enough to be heard by Chris. Chris ashes his joint on the floor of the conference room which causes Mark to roll his eyes.
” You remember Vegas, right Chris?”
Chris leans forward and over the conference table as he responds.
” Thirty grand sound about right?”
Oliver interjects into the conversation.
” Whoa everyone holds the fuck up… there’s a story you’re both not sharing, and you know the saying that secrets don’t make friends!”
Oliver turns and slaps Page on the left shoulder while repeating.
” Thirty large? You took Zuckerberg for thirty stacks?”
Chris turns his head towards the leftover at Oliver.
” Not a whole lot to tell if I’m being honest… he bet on trip Kings and I had trip Aces, it’s just how the cards fell.”
Zuckerberg interjects.
” That’s not entirely true, you goaded me into and you know it.”
” Hey it’s not my fault you were a sucker and walked into it.”
Without hesitation Mark responds.
” Well who's the sucker now, Chris?”
The entire energy in the room seemingly shifts upon those words as Mark and Chris lock eyes one more time from across the table. Chris pushes his seat back from the table and stands up, being taller than Mark now forces Mark to look up at him.
” The price is fifty thousand.”
Chris grinds his teeth while exhaling deeply causing Oliver to pop up out of his seat and chime back in.
” Mr, Zuckerberg, fifty grand? We can work this out without involving a grudge from ten years ago.”
Mark’s attention directs towards Oliver as he barks out at him.
” Was I talking to you?”
Oliver’s blood starts to boil and Chris can sense it as he glances down towards Oliver’s fists which are clinching.
” I didn’t think so.”
Oliver wants to pound on the table but Chris catches it before it gets that far as he grabs Oliver by the right shoulder as he states.
” Why don’t you give Mark and me a few minutes to hash this out. We’re not leaving without what we’ve come for.”
Oliver hasn’t broken eye contact with Mark while Chris lightly squeezes his shoulder. It’s as if at any moment Oliver could snap and blow this whole deal and Chris has come too far and come so close to unearthing who is responsible for nearly ending the life and career of Robert Main.
” Relax… I got this.”
Chris attempts to reassure Oliver that everything is alright.
” Just go…”
Chris leans in whispering in Oliver’s ear.
” Don’t blow this... It’s our only shot.”
Oliver takes several steps backward, not a word muttered as the intensity in his eyes speaks more than any words ever could. Oliver turns his back to Mark and Page before walking towards the doors. He opens it and steps out into the hallway leaving Mark and Page to handle what’s left of this business.
Mark pulls a remote out of his back pocket and clicks a button that locks the conference room door as he and Chris once again lock eyes. The silence between both men mixed with the intensity in the room makes for a very combustible situation amongst two men who allegedly were friends.
” You’re unbelievable.”
Chris starts to slowly walk towards the end of the table closest to the locked doors of the conference room as we see Mark not showing any fear or intimidation as he starts to walk at a similar pace.
” You let me bring the brother of the man that’s on that footage to your front porch and used it as a power play to get revenge over a fucking card game? Do you realize how close that fucker is to snapping? Show me the footage.”
Chris reaches the head of the conference room table just as we see Mark reach into the pocket of his jeans where he pulls out a USB thumb drive.
” Do you think he bought it?”
Chris starts to laugh under his breath which garners the same response from Zuckerberg as he hands Chris the USB thumb drive.
” Fuckin’ right he did, he’s out there seething right now! You pulled it off perfectly.”
” I was hoping he wasn’t going to jump over the table.”
Chris starts to mimic Oliver getting all pissy which brings laugher from Mark Zuckerberg. Chris stops his mimicking as he responds.
” Forget about him. He’s just along for the ride. He’s clueless in the grand scheme.”
Chris holds up the USB drive as he states.
” Did you do as I asked?”
Mark smiles at Chris.
” Of course I did. It’s flawless.”
Chris slips the USB Drive into his pants pocket before reaching into his back pocket and retrieving his iPhone. Chris unlocks the phone with facial recognition before scrolling through his contacts. He selects a number and calls as he places the phone to his ear. He waits before clearly, someone on the other end picks up as Chris starts.
” We’re good, I expect once I show the footage to Oliver we’re going to be coming your way. Be prepared, be ready.”
There’s another pause from Chris as he listens to the voice on the other end for a second or two before following up with.
” It’s all going exactly as planned. I’ll keep you in the loop.”
Chris ends the call before placing the phone in his back pocket of his pants.
” Are you going to tell tonto outside?”
” And spoil the rest of the fun? Never.”
” You’re a prick for sure.”
” I resemble that remark.”
Mark starts to walk Chris towards the door of the conference room where he retrieves the remote for the door.
” I hope you know what you’re doing.”
” I’ve always got a plan.”
” I know… that’s what scares me.”
Chris snickers as he responds.
” It’s only going to get deeper when he sees what’s on this drive.”
Mark clicks the button to unlock the door. He opens it for Chris who walks out into the hallways to see that Jarvis has already walked Oliver out of the building. This causes Chris to chuckle under his breath as he starts to walk down the hallway and passes the elevator in the lobby, back through the security exit, and out the front doors where he comes across Jarvis and a pissed off Oliver who’s now shirtless pacing back and forth.
Chris rolls his eyes as he reaches into the front pocket of his pants and pulls out the USB Drive. He holds it up for Oliver to see which causes him to immediately stop pacing and huffing and puffing.
” Problem solved.”
Oliver directs his full attention towards Jarvis.
” You better thank your lucky stars that he got what we came for.”
Chris slides the USB Drive back into the pocket of his pants as Oliver reaches down picking up his biker jacket and t-shirt.
… to be continued.
WORDS FROM THE STONED ONE:
Thaddeus Duke- Double Champion, or has that changed? You know we’ve used the words walking contradiction to describe my opponent. You might even call it a theme at this point because the only thing that saves Thad at this point is a full heel turn which then makes everything I’ve said even more relevant than it is at its present time. I’ve pointed out the obvious that without his buddies in tow that he wouldn’t have left with either title he claims to hold. I use the word claim because I’ve never seen a guy hold one-half of the tag titles and have someone else defend it for him; especially when that man profess with the loudest voice that he IS the best wrestler on the planet. Thad, explain to us how we’re supposed to look at you with a straight fucking face knowing that your actions bypassing this title off to Corey has done absolutely nothing but expose you for exactly what I’ve professed you to be… a fucking pussy that can run his mouth from a distance but when it comes to backing his play he looks for the easy way out… or perhaps it’s because if you pass it off to him now knowing that I’m coming to Snow Job to take that strap that you alleged to care so much about but refuse to acknowledge the only reason it’s around your waist has NOTHING to do with your talent or skill.
A fallback because Corey and Doc are favorited to retain.
You can say whatever you want about me young man, chances are I’ve heard better by worse but the one thing I did when I held two titles was defended them both when scheduled; why are you passing the buck homie? Don’t get me wrong, Corey’s not a slouch and I’m sure it’s a matter of time before our paths are destined to cross… perhaps you hand-selected him is so that you’ve got something to fall back on when you’re exposed as the fucking hack I already know you to be when compared to me. The fact that some people believe you are the best of the best is a goddamn joke and further proof that you can’t fix stupid. You don’t have me fooled and I’m more than hip to this game you’re trying feverishly to play. I’ve nailed you dead to rights brother based on your actions and the actions of people you call your friends. So let’s say after I humiliate you and you’re sent crawling back to Corey on all fours reaching up for that very title you passed on that he snatches it out of your grasps and makes you earn the right to carry it. Probably won’t happen, but it fucking should. The fact that Theo and Vinnie haven’t stripped you of the Tag Titles over this Freebird Rule that was allegedly eliminated in the past is blatantly disrespecting the present…. Not unless your name is Thaddeus Duke.
It’s like when you’re related to one of the shot callers rules don’t seem to apply.
So let’s take a moment and talk about WHY this soon to be regrettable decision by our Universal Champion was made. It’s not because he’s not used to working multiple times on an event because there’s evidence to the contrary so let’s remove that from the equation. It’s not because you’re not capable of working twice in one night either because you are. You passed that title off because you KNOW that walking into Snow Job it’s a distraction that YOU can’t afford to have when you’re dealing with me. That in itself completely negates ANY bullshit you’ve spat in my direction about being a nobody or not being capable or whatever song and dance you’re rehashing next for the proof is right here in the pudding because there’s no other rational explanation for you being a fucking gutless coward by not owning your responsibilities as a double champion.
Goddamn you make this shit easier than it should be.
Just stop with the whole better than you routine because had that legitimately been the case you would have manned the fuck up and carried both those titles as proudly as Robert carried his and I carried mine. You’re not better than anyone when you’re acting like a coward. Throughout most of 2020, Rob and I were frequently double-booked on Pay-Per-Views and we carried our weight without batting an eyelash or breaking a fucking sweet while you climb the ladder and pull down a pair of titles that he and I carried for over eight months only to pass it off like it meant nothing. Are those the actions of that superhuman baby face that you cram down everyone’s throat you claim to be? Does that fall in line with having a heel mouth piece doing most of your talking for you? Do you even know who you are? It’s a valid question when everything falls back in line with you being nothing more than a walking contradiction. You continue to play checkers while I’m dominating you in chess with each move of the pieces that are left in play. With each move, I’ve made I’m exposed to a different flaw that completely shreds this notion that you give a shit about what you’re doing for the sport so much you’re doing it for a paycheck. You’re nothing but a cheesy gimmick that’s been done to death before you popped out that whore you call a mother’s womb when all you had to do was just be yourself.
Just be that self-centered prick.
Be me.
What’s fucking crazy about all of this, and why I truly see a lot of myself in you thus tells me that EVENTUALLY, you’re going to reach that next level you THINK you’ve already hit; but what’s crazy about this is how you love to say “I better than you.” And how you’ve adopted it as a catchphrase to a degree. Bruh I was using that same tag line thirteen years ago while you were running around in underroo’s playing little league or discovering masturbation. Been there, done that. At this point in the game, it’s not about who’s better than who or who won this and why they did that… this is all about who is willing to sacrifice the most when it comes to taking pain and dishing it back out. We’d both be foolish to think that given our history that we damn sure know how to fucking fight; but for the first time, you and I both walk into a situation knowing that no one can interfere on either behalf, we walk in knowing that there are no rules to abide by and more importantly we walk in knowing that one of us isn’t going to have an “out” other than having to admit that they’re inferior. Think about that for just a second; the title is important enough, sure, but if anyone needed any more motivation to step up and show out you need not look any further than taking the bragging rights of what has been a lengthy feud between the both of us.
For me, this is so much bigger than just challenging for a Universal Title.
For far too long all the sideline hoes have loved to say that I’d be nothing without Robert, and I’ll be the first to admit that when I coaxed him over to the dark side the intentions were to use his star power to pull myself up after a company buried me. This is common knowledge, there are even discussions from Rob and me about it and yet people continued to beat that dead horse further into the ground. I wanted into High Stakes knowing that the Battle Royale was going to be a make or break for me. I needed a quality performance and even in a losing effort, I gained more than Thaddeus could have ever dreamed of.
Why?
Because I did it by myself.
There wasn’t Robert Main watching my back when I tossed Doc over that top rope or even the Xtreme Champion.
Robert wasn’t there HELPING Me along the way. Nah bro that was all you kid because even the people that YOU associate with see all of your imperfections just as I do. Where you’ve gone completely wrong is not acknowledging that YOU didn’t do anything… ALL of you did something, What’s that say about how they view you? Or are you that deluded to think they carried you to where you are with those Championships like I’ve carried you to where we are in this program. This is the time for me to show the world that what started as a crutch went away a long time ago when I surpassed Robert in every form or fashion. All I needed him to do was show up and he did exactly that. Walking into the first Pay-Per-View of 2021 we have to eliminate everything that was 2020… including the Champions that walked into 2021 with the titles. It’s all cursed and the only way to cleanse it is to take them all away and remove any memory of 2020 in the process.
I mean ole Duke’s already done it with the tag title.
Next, we’re going to see Doc give his to Thaddeus to console him for being a failure when he leaves Snow Job empty-handed, and alas we’re going to be gifted the Corey/Thad connection, which was probably the plan the entire time… not that I give a flying fuck because I’ll be too busy making the Universal Title scene relevant once again.
Double Champion?
Get the fuck out of here.
The best of the best?
Maybe in your selfish mind.
Universal Champion?
Enjoy it why you can because the sands in that hourglass that Chaos gave you back at Snow Job are finally about to run out.
Better than me?
Not on your best day and my worse.
All the unanswered questions between the two of us are going to finally be answered upon the closing bell of the Snow Job Main Event. When the smoke clears and the dust settles there’s only going to be one of us left standing, to that victor will go all the spoils of the Universal Championship and the bragging rights on the culmination of a blood-feud that needs to see a definitive winner and loser. Regardless of how this shakes you’re not going to get excuses; oh no, I’ll leave that to you because I’ll be leaving with the strap, the win, and all the respect that should already be mine from a generation that only cares about themselves. You are the epitome of that as I’ll continue to expose you as our road to Snow Job is just beginning. I’m going to use this as a chance for all of you fuckers that slept on me, that thing I’m not capable of climbing to the top of the mountain on my merit and abilities that there are a time and a place to throw your proverbial trump cards to prove a point.
My point is going to be proven when I’m finally crowned XWF Universal Champion.
Nothing is standing in my way from eliminating Thaddeus from this equation once and for all.
This opportunity isn’t going to be squandered, but more importantly this Page/Duke war is going to end with Chris Page as its victor.
… at least you’ll have a Champion that wants to be a Champion.
As for you…
Do me the favor and keep opening your mouth because the more you seem to do it the deeper the grave you’re digging for yourself with each word you’re trying to speak. When I sit through your promo’s I wonder if you even know how to trash talk an opponent? It’s the weakest babble I’ve ever had to consistently sit through, and you’d think that by this point in time after working with me for so long you’d have something tangible to say other than repeating the same shit you started with way back before Relentless!
There’s not been any evolution.
There’s not been any deviation from the normal banter you throw in my general direction, and yet you stand before me and throw that lame ass, cheap, lazy fucking garbage in my direction and seriously think for one second that I’m NOT going to call you on it? Bro, you’re not as smart as you think you are, and it shows in spades at this point. I’m not carrying your dead weight anymore, and now that the grand stage is upon us now is the time that I’m going to give you what you’ve YET to receive; MY best.
That’s right buttercup, this entire stint I’ve been going through the motions knowing that we were building to something bigger and better while you sir have been throwing out your best material while NOW being forced to regurgitate it when it matters while I’ve barely scratched the surface on anything that has to do with the past and everything to do with the present. I’m pointing that out for you and everyone else here and now so that you can fully come to terms with just how FUCKED you are right here, right now as you realize we’re three deep and I’ve just stepped on your nuts. You’re going to learn exactly what it means to be owned by a superior opponent in every sense of the word, and I’m going to enjoy being that guy.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
- HALL OF LEGENDS 2019
- 2019 Heel of the Year
- 2019 Locker Room Leader of the Year
- 2019 Feud of the Year w. Robert Main (you’re welcome)
- Former