All is quiet at the Compound. Sebastian Duke and Asmodeus have yet to arrive home from Warfare. The Brothers, as is the rule when their Leader is out doing his professional wrestler thing, they stay silent. No words to each other. Especially no words to Linn Kwann who walks about in the Compound seemingly aimlessly. Is she exploring? Perhaps. The Compound is a very old building. During the Revolutionary War it served as a barracks of sorts to the Colonials before it was over run by British forces. The building was old even then. The grounds outside are very sacred. Hallowed ground, if you will. During the numerous battles that raged outside the walls of the building, both Colonial and British soldiers were laid to rest in the earth here. One of the few things Sebastian Duke respects is history. As they say, if you don't learn from history, you're doomed to repeat it. With the sacred and hallowed cemetery full of unknown soldiers, and zero grave markings, it continues to be one of numerous reasons he doesn't like strangers on his property.

Linn Kwann is shown pacing the corridor on the ground floor anticipating her future husbands arrival home. Although, she is worried about his frame of mind after the turn of events she witnessed on Wednesday night. He could be depressed. May be angry. Who knows? If she's learned one thing during her time here at the Compound it's to expect the unexpected from Sebastian Duke. His reactions and his emotions can be, at times, very volatile.

She stops pacing when she hears the electric gate opening outside. She hurriedly swings open the large wooden front doors to the Compound. She exits the building and waits on the portico watching as the three Tahoe's speed through the gate and come to a stop outside of the main entrance to the building. She darts toward Sebastian when he steps out of one of the trucks. Basically, he side steps her effectvely ignoring her.

Asmodeus notices this as he puts his arms around Linn Kwann. They both watch as Sebastian Duke disappears into the building.

LK: "That bad, huh Asmo?"
A: "Oh. No, my dear. Worse then it looks."
LK: "Over a loss?"
A: "I suspect, Linn, that it's a little deeper then that."
LK: "Should I talk to him?"
A: "Give him a few minutes to settle in."
LK: "How has he been? I mean, since the loss."
A: "Quiet. Very quiet. He had a verbal exchange with Wallace Witasick, but other then that. Completely silent."
LK: "I doubt that's bad. Maybe he's just tired."
A: "Linn, when Sebastian Duke is tired, he simply goes to sleep. When he falls silent. It is an ominous warning."
LK: "Warning? What do you mean?"
A: "Stay out of his way."
LK: "Before you go in Asmo, I took the liberty of setting an alarm for you in the morning."
A: "Alarm? For what?"
LK: "You're going with me."
A: "Going where?"
LK: "Shopping."


Linn watches as Asmodeus and the Brothers enter the building. Unsure what she should do, she whips out her phone and shoots a text to Sebastian:

"Are you in the quarters?"
"........."
"Can we talk?"
"........."
"Can I come up?"
"........."
"Will you say something?"
"Something."
"........."

She puts her phone away and heads into the building. One thing she's learned to love about Sebastian is that, away from the XWF cameras, he has a very sarcastic sense of humor. With his reply though, she is unsure whether he' being sarcastic or if he's just that mad. She heads upstairs presumably to their private living quarters.
_________________________________________________________________


Once she reaches the inside of the living quarters she sees Sebastian Duke sitting in a chair staring out a window looking down at the hallowed ground that is his estate. Linn is somewhat surprised to see him sitting there in silence holding and petting the small dog.

LK: "I think he missed you."

She doesn't get a response. She expected it, but hoped differently. He doesn't even acknowledge her presence.

LK: "Asmo and I are going into town tomorrow. More shopping for the wedding."

Again, no response. Now, she's running out of things to say that do not include the XWF or Warfare.

LK: "Would you like to talk about it?"
SD: "Talk about what?"

Finally a response. Rather than wasting time, she goes right for it.

LK: "Warfare. Wallace Witasick. The tournament. Any of it."
SD: "No. Not particularly."

She's fears she is losing the battle.

LK: "Asmo told me you had an exchange of words with Wallace. Will you tell me about it?"

The flood gates of speech have opened.

SD: "I should be champion right now. I felt it in my bones. I felt heading into Wednesday night that I was going to be crowned the United States Champion. Tyrone stuck his nose in my business and caused me to lose."
LK: "Is that why you had words with Wallace?"
SD: "We've reached a mutual understanding. He apologised to me for sending Tyrone out and I apologised for flying off the handle at him. He realised I'm a much better ally then enemy. After all, it was me that carried that show when no one else bothered to show up."
LK: "So you two are cool?"
SD: "Yeah I guess so."
LK: "Are you going to get a rematch?"
SD: "Probably. Somewhere down the line."
LK: "You want some company over there?"
SD: "The dog is here. I have company. What I want is silence."

At this point, Linn decides shes pushed far enough. Rather then continue to badger him, she simply pulls a chair up beside him, sits in silence, and leans against him.
_________________________________________________________________


"For many years I have worked hard. Worked hard at perfecting my craft. Worked hard for respect. Worked hard to stand out and be noticed by decision makers, General Managers, authority figures of all shapes, sizes, and personalities...

"In all of those years, this is the first time I've felt personally violated. Not just with what went down Wednesday night, but since arriving in the XWF. I don't obsess over losses but I do obsess over how I lose. Four times now, I've been held back and screwed over by management....

"Lets rewind to January 12. Last Impact. Sebastian Duke versus Angelus. Falls count anywhere. A great match. Back and forth. I would have taken a clean loss like a man. That's not what happened. What happened is Shane , the owner of Saturdays show and leader of the Black Circle drives a car down the aisle way and hits me with said car. I still fought. No matter how much pain I was in I fought. Angelus proceeds to trap me in my own move, Pandoras Box. Did I tap out? Did I say I quit? I give up? No. I stayed there. Helpless with nowhere to go until I lost conciousness....

"Fast forward two days. January 14. Madness. Sebastian Duke versus Ursula Areano. First blood. A match I should have won handily. A man known as Nathaniel Adolph Zachary Idenhaus jumps me from the crowd. Unexpected, yes. He busted me open with a chair. This man, Nathaniel, works for Shane . He was no doubt, SENT by Shane . Did Ursula beat me? No. She got the win, but an attack from an outsider gave it to her. She never earned it....

"Fast forward one weeks time. January 21. Madness. Sebastian Duke versus a man I won't give publicity to. Even calling him a man is a stretch. A parade match. Whatever the hell that is. With a number one contendors spot on the line for the right to face the XWF European Champion. The former General Manager of Madness took it upon himself to attack me from behind and cause me to lose. Thanks to the Administrator Network, this result was ultimately reversed. My opponent? Gone. That General Manager? Gone. I'm still here. Still standing after getting screwed three times in a 9 day span....

"Fast forward one last time. Nine more days. January 30. Warfare. Sebastian Duke his just tore through two competitors and made it to the semi-final of a tournament to crown a new XWF United States Champion. It was fate. It was in the cards. Momentum was on my side. I defeated Crimson Dong and Neil Capra handily. Sebastian Duke versus Angelus. The winner has a shot at becoming champion in the finals. Sebastian Duke in firm control. Readying Angelus for defeat. Enter: Tyrone. Wallace Witasick's pitbull. Stops me from doing what I was going to do to Angelus and knocking me out cold. Not only robbing me of the United States title but also robbing me of my X-Treme title in the process....

"Wallace claims he sent Tyrone out to restore order. Not knock me out of the tournament. That may be true but it's the fourth time in 18 days I was screwed by management. It's old. It's played out. Sebastian Duke is no longer going to sit back and take it on the chin....

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. From this point on, if you screw me over, whether it's a member of management or it's another competitor....

"Expect to see Sebastian Duke in your rearview mirror. Expect to see backlash. Expect to see hell like you have never seen before. Expect to feel pain like you have never felt. Expect.... pure torture....

"Having said all of that, it's time to address my opponent next week. Prophecy...

"Tell me, Prophecy, do you see your future? Do you know what's going to happen next week? Do you realize you have to step into the ring with a very vicious, very powerful, very angry Sebastian Duke? I don't envy you....

"I haven't seen much of you yet, but what I have seen, I will admit, I like. You have great potential. Potential though, only carries you so far....

"I hope you don't get over confident being a stellar rookie. You see, I'm also a rookie, at least as far as the XWF is concerned....

"Let me give you a little history. Not very long ago, a hot shot loud mouthed rookie by the name of Brett Rayne came in here and talked the talk... But he couldn't walk the walk... He stepped into the ring with me, lost... And we've never seen him since...

"Coincidence? I doubt it....

"Prophecy, you need to know that you're about to face the measuring stick. I'm the measuring stick because most rookies get swallowed up....

"By the life on the road....

"By the spolight shining too bright....

"By not being able to walk the walk....

"I walk the walk, Prophecy. Every week. Every event that I get booked on, I am all go, no quit! Win or lose, I come back fighting and I come back stronger...

"I am the measuring stick, Prophecy... Just accept that....

"Management, from time to time, likes to put rookies in the ring with me to allow them to prove that they have what it takes. You don't have to beat me to prove it, I mean, lets face it. You beating me, is just not going to happen....

"I PERSONIFY the new era of Warfare and the XWF. I PERSONIFY the next generation. I PERSONIFY the new blood. I lead this generation of XWFers Prophecy....

"It is time, you accepted the Angel of Darkness as your Leader!"
_________________________________________________________________


The next morning, Asmodeus lays in his bed sleeping. He had no idea what to expect on this shopping trip so he made sure to get a good nights sleep. He's not particularly fond of leaving the privacy of the grounds of the estate here in New England. He goes to the XWF events buts that's pretty much the extent of it.

The old school bell style alarm clock on his end table shows it's a minute before 6:00am. There's Asmodeus sound asleep. An interesting man. A private man that leads a private life. A man that leads a life of mystery. Very little is known about his past. His hopes. His dreams. All shrouded in mystery.

The clock suddenly strikes 6:00am and the bells start clanging loudly. Asmodeus' eyes spring wide open.

A: "I WANNA RIDE THE PONY!"

As he yells this, obviously the final sentence from his dream, he springs off his bed violently and falls to the floor cracking his skull on his end table. Blood begins seeping out of his head as the alarm clock continues to ring.

Outside, the guard hears the crashing sound and the sick thud. Springing to action the guard bursts in the door and finds Asmodeus lying on the floor clutches his forehead as blood seeps through his hand. The guard reaches up and shuts off the annoying alarm. He turns Asmodeus over and pries his hand from his head.

A: "How bad is it?"
G: "Ehh. Not as bad as it looks."
A: "Is it as bad as it feels?"
G: "Definitely not as bad as it feels, sir."
A: "Help me up. I will kick that alarm clocks ass!"

The guard does as requested and helps the old man off the floor and into the bathroom. Asmodeus begins cleaning up his small wound and decides it is indeed, not as bad as it looks.

G: "Will you be okay, sir?"
A: "Yes I will be fine, thank you."
G: "No problem, sir."
A: "As you were. Do not worry about this clumsy old man!"
G: "It's my job to worry, sir."
A: "Indeed. Have you seen Ms. Kwann yet?"
G: "She was loading her things into the truck when I came in."
A: "Very well, as you were."
G: "Yes, sir."

The guard makes his exit. Asmodeus begins running water in his bathtub to take a quick shower.

As Asmodeus showers and gets ready for his day trip with Linn, across the grounds, she closes the hatch on the truck and walks inside. Moments later she walks back out with her dog on a leash. She walks the grounds of the estate allowing the dog to lead her and sniff around. They near Asmodeus' residence when he, himself, exits the home with the alarm clock in his hand. He walks toward Linn. Noticing the clock:

LK: "What are you doing with that?"

She notices the bandaid on his forehead.

LK: "OH MY GOD! What happened to your head?"
A: "This happened to my head!"

Without warning he punts the clock. It finally crashes down on the driveway ahead, smashing into dozens of pieces. Right away he clutches his foot.

A: "OH MY GOD! That hurt like hell!"
LK: "Asmo are you okay?"
A: "Yep! That definitely hurts more then hitting my head!"
LK: "Can you walk?"
A: "I don't know. Let us see, shall we?"

He steps down applying pressure for the first time. He quickly lifts his feet back up.

A: "Nope. Most definitely can not walk. Please. Go without me."
LK: "Ohhhhhh no no no. We have a big day planned! Wait here. I'll get your cane."

She steps into the house and comes back out moments later, cane in hand. She hands it to Asmodeus.

A: "I know you wanted to do this today but I can not possibly walk around stores and malls in this condition. I insist you leave the old man behind."
LK: "Absoluely not! Asmo, the stores have electric scooters for people that have a hard time walking!"
A: "They do?"
LK: "Oh yeah!"
A: "Okay. Help me to the truck will you?"
LK: "Of course!"

Linn slowly helps Asmodeus toward the Tahoe. Hobbling along, Buddy, the chihuahua, decides to wrap his leash around Asmodeus' cane without his knowledge. He lifts the cane for another step but the cane stays where its at effectively taking his legs out from under him. Both Asmodeus and Linn Kwann fall in a heap just yards from the truck.

A: "Oh damn! This day is already not going well! This dog will be the death of me today! Please tell me he is staying with Sebastian."
LK: "Nope! He's coming!"
A: "Oh heavens no!"

Linn helps up Asmodeus and helps him complete the journey to the truck. She helps him in and closes his door. She walks to the driver side and climbs in. Starting the truck, they start off on Asmodeus' journey from hell.

Asmodeus in public? On an electric power chair? What could possibly go wrong!?


Fade to black...