- Event: Rumble at the Rock
Refueled XLII
After the show went off air..
Sektor: QUE PASAAAAAAAA!!??
The Gold Standard bursts through the door of the BA locker room, pumped with adrenaline and excitement as he greets Jatt Starr and Doozer with open arms. His body shines with sweat but there is no sign of fatigue on the hall of famer as he smiles from ear to ear. He had just returned from ringside after turning out Dane’s lights with the C-Sektion and stretching him in front of the entire arena. Getting the upper hand before a big match was always something Sektor regarded as important when it came to mind games. Eric Dane is a man who prides himself on getting under the skin of his opponents, finding the right buttons to push and taking that cerebral approach to crafting a victory. Sektor is similar in that way, but he prefers the spectacle to take place in the ring, hence his home hitting message tonight. The cherry on top will be painting a masterpiece at Rumble at the Rock, completing the mission that Lee had given him. Surely there will be only good things in store for the Gold Standard from then?
Doozer: That shit was LIT, Sek!
Dooze high fives the former World champion, as does Jatt Starr.
Sektor: I told you tonight was going to be sensational and did I fuckin’ deliver or what?
Jatt Starr: That you did, my man. You might say it was, Seksational!
Sektor smiles and gives Jatt an acknowledging point of the finger before tilting his chin upwards to Doozer.
Sektor: Doozer, my good man, hand me one of my stogies, would ya?
Dooze gladly obliges, reaching down into a cigar box underneath Sektor’s locker and pulling out a big, fat, cuban cigar, handing it over to Sektor who begins by using it as a pointing aid.
Sektor: I began tonight strong and I fucking finished strong. Eric Dane is gonna be a sore mother fucker after what just happened out there. Yes sir, he’s gonna be eating those words.
The locker room is decorated with various pornographic images of women, save for a picture of Billy Joel on Jatt’s locker. The bar has been set up ready to begin a night of celebration as a table at the side of the room holds various bottles of liquor.
Sektor: That bitch wants pain? We give him pain. He wants to push buttons? Well tonight he found out the hard way that the only button his sorry ass is pushing, is his own self destruct button. Am I right?
The boys laugh at Sektor’s shitty attempt at an Eric Dane impression. With an arrogant smirk he snips the tip of the cigar off and clenches it gently between his teeth. Doozer cooly flicks the lid on a zippo and strikes it in one smooth motion on the side of his jeans, bringing the flame up for Sektor to use. The Gold Standard gives him a wink as he begins to puff away. Steve Solex strolls in behind him, nursing the back of his head with a face full of anguish. Sektor’s eyebrow raises as he hears him and turns around, glancing up and down at his defeated demeanor.
Sektor: Solex! The fuck took you so long? Get on in here..
Solex’s body language screams of a man bitter with himself for eating a loss. Sektor of course notices this but decides to approach it in the only way he knows how. He grabs his arm, gently, not to intimidate and ushers him to turn around.
Sektor: We did a good job out there tonight, wouldn’t you say? I think we’ve gotten his attention..
Sektor has a knowing smirk.
Sektor: How did tonight work out for you, Steve?
Solex slowly looks up from the floor, his face full of confusion as he narrows his gaze at Sektors.
Solex; What?
His quiet, yet genuine, response is met by Sektor looking around the room at the boys, questioning with his eyes where the difficulty lies with that question.
Sektor: It’s a simple enough question, Steve. The match? How..did it..work out for you?
Solex’s spine straightens like a pool cue, seeming to take exception to where Sektor is leading this conversation to. He stares at the Gold Standard for a moment, who merely raises both eyebrows and moves his eyes from side to side as if to say ‘well?’
Solex: Are you…you fucking kidding me, right now?
Sektor raises his hands in surrender.
Sektor: Hey, easy, why you so upset?
Solex: Because I lost! And you fucking know that so spare me all this bullshit will ya? If you have something to say then just spit it out, because I’m not in the mood for games.
Sektor scrunches up his shoulders.
Sektor: What? So you lost? Big deal. You’re okay, right? You’re still in one piece?
He looks around the room at the others.
Sektor: Were you the last person to leave that ring tonight? Were you the one lying, covered in blood, nursing a bad arm and now, probably a bad neck?
Solex chews on this for a second, beginning to realise what Sektor is getting at.The true ring General cups a hand on the back of Solex’s neck, gesturing with the cigar between his index and middle finger. The simmering cherry on the end of the cigar comes dangerously close to singing Solex’s moustache, which was almost definitely deliberate.
Sektor: Don’t even worry about that loss tonight, pappa. It doesn’t matter. It’s insignificant. You did your job and you fucked that arm up even more! You made him bleed. He’s so beat up right now that he doesn’t have a hope in hell of getting match fit for Alcatraz. And that was all you, baby!
Solex nods, appreciating the support but clearly still going through the motions of recovering from a loss as he heads towards the makeshift bar area. Sektor places his hand on the side of Solex’s cheek, giving it a gentle but manly slap, as if to say, ‘Good Job, don’t be so hard on yourself.’
Sektor: I mean it, boys. We are looking STRONG, right now. At the Rumble at the Rock, Jatt is going to hand that little nerd Connor Fuse his ass! No respawns. No continues..Game Over, right?
Jatt nods as he drops an olive into a martini glass and tilts it towards Sektor.
Jatt Starr: Right!
Sektor: And I am going to finish off Eric Dane once and for all. HOW is only big enough for one ring general, and now that I am back that role belongs to ME. Dane is the blister on Lee’s taint that I? Intend to pop!
Jatt grimaces at the image of this whilst he’s in mid sip of his martini.
Sektor: Dane says he’s hungry? Well the only thing he’s going to be chewing on is his own fucking pride, right before I shove it down his throat. There will be no way back for him from there. His time in HOW will be over, and the rest of us can focus on bringing all the Gold back to the Best Alliance.
Doozer: Starting with the World title, right? When the Minister kills Mike and brings home the bacon!
The room falls silent as Jatt and Solex glance uneasily at one another. Sektor’s smile has vanished and Doozer intuitively begins wondering what he said wrong.
Doozer: What? What did I say?
Sektor’s eyes are lost in thought for a moment. Sektor and the Minister still haven’t spoke since the resurgence of the Best Alliance. The awkward subject of the Minister having Sektor’s daughter keeps rearing it’s head and all Sektor wants to do is pretend it doesn’t exist. Eventually Sektor smiles.
Sektor: Right! The World titles coming home.
Doozer seems relieved by Sektor’s reaction as his shoulders relax into a natural position.
Sektor: Now let’s get showered up and hit the town, we got a lot of drinking and fucking to do before we head to the Rock.
Sektor buries his nose into his armpit and gives it a good hard sniff.
Sektor: You know what? Fuck it. The real dirty ones love a little Sektor stink..
Jatt Starr: If I may, por favor..
Sektor cocks his head to the side, mainly due to Jatt’s poor use of the Spanish dialect.
Jatt Starr: Need I remind you that I had to burn the StarrSek Enterprise because of that, stink, you speak of?
Sektor: Ya, that was a damn shame..
His tone is full of sarcasm as he rolls his eyes at Doozer.
Jatt Starr: Ergo, I am not getting in that limousine with you unless you take a shower.
Sektor grins, showing teeth with the cigar clenched down between them.
Sektor: Fine, fine..
The Gold Standard saunters over to his locker and opens it up, pulling out a wash bag and towel before bringing up a finger half an inch away from Jatt’s nose.
Sektor: But if you cock block me again, I swear to God..
Sektor points an accusing finger and spits his words out like venom. As much love as he has for Jatt pales in significance to his love of pussy. Jatt holds up both hands to diffuse Sektor’s apprehension.
Jatt Starr: Do not fear, Mav. Tonight, I will be the perfect Goose!
Doozer: The fuck? Goose? Sek what’s he talking about..
Jatt slaps his forehead and shakes his head in disbelief.
Jatt Starr: Kids today, so uncultured..
Sektor: It’s a Top Gun reference. He’s trying to say he’s going to be a good wingman for once in his fucking life.
Jatt Starr: That I am, Mon Amigo!
Sektor turns, staring at the cold floor of the locker room for a second before looking around at his teammates in turn.
Sektor: Listen guys, real talk. The four of us have the potential to grab HOW by the balls and control the whole fucking thing. All the money. All the titles. All the benefits. We can be Kings!
Doozer: And Minister, right?
Sektor: The FUCK, is your obsession with him!
Sektor snaps like an angry dog at Doozer, who merely pulls a disgusted expression. Sektor relaxes, realising that he shouldn’t have reacted like that. His jaw relaxes into a nervous and awkward smile as he tries to force himself to be positive.
Sektor: I’m sorry, look. The Minister is only in this Alliance, because he’s Lee’s son. He knows that he doesn’t play nice with others so he is in this Alliance for name sake alone. But the four of us?
Sektor clenches both his fists for effect as he looks at each of them in turn.
Sektor: We’re a team. We’re brothers. Somos Familia! If we look after each other? We will be unstoppable. So I can rely on you guys, come Rumble at the Rock, right? I don’t have to fucking spell it out, do I? You guys know what to do if it comes to it?
Sektor looks at Solex, who gives a sincere nod. He then glances at Dooze.
Doozer: Right!
Jatt then lays an arm around his shoulder.
Jatt Starr: You can always count on me, soul brotha!
Sektor nods slowly, his moustache curling a little more as he mouth makes an upside down U-shape.
Sektor: Good. Then let’s go have some fun.
———————————————————————–
Chicago, IL
A few days later..
It was now Monday, and Sektor had finally left his hotel room and made his way over to the Best Arena, with the intention of formulating a game plan to take down Eric Dane. He is currently standing in the middle of a training ring, opposite three cadets who are all standing at attention with their hands behind their backs. The Best Arena had diversified by opening the doors to the public, offering wrestling classes to anyone interested in learning the art of professional wrestling. The trained professionals were always being harassed by the coaches and personal trainers to come down to the arena and offer some inspiration to the budding young wrestlers. Sektor had never really shown interest in such things, and in the past only used them to polish his own craft. He was the last person who should be allowed to ‘Inspire’ anyone.
The three students all come from different moulds of physical shape and stature. The first on the left is a tall, lanky, skinny young man, with a military buzz cut and clean cut features. In the middle is an overweight, grunge looking, type with a scraggy ginger beard and tatty shoulder length hair of matching colour. Finally, on the far right, is someone who more closely resembles what Sektor thinks a wrestler should look like;
..Toned arms, flat stomach, chiselled jaw line.
Sektor slowly pases up to the more athletic guy, giving him a good hard look before turning ninety degrees and slowly pacing up and down the line with his arms behind his back, much like a drill sergeant in the army.
Sektor: So you guys wanna do what I do, huh?
He speaks with a drole monotone, no hint of enthusiasm.
Sektor: Well if you do, the first thing you all need to figure out, is what your strengths are..
He holds up a finger to pause, slowly beginning to wag it.
Sektor: But more importantly? You need to know your weaknesses. I mean, let’s look at you as an example.
He stops at the skinny kid who tried to shake his hand, looking at him down the end of his nose before turning on his heels and beginning to walk back up the line.
Sektor: You’re too skinny. If this was MMA or Boxing? Then you’d be matched against someone your own size and weight and it would be a fair fight, at least on a physical level. But you’re entering the world of professional wrestling. A world filled with giants, freaks, psychopaths..
As he turns around again he makes eye contact with the boy he is referencing, who is hanging on his every word.
Sektor: If I got you in the ring? I’d snap you in half.
He makes a sharp, snapping motion, with his hands, as though he had a little twig between them.
Sektor: Hell, if either of these two got you, they’d make mince of you, because you’re nothing but a lanky streak of piss. Am I…
He stops himself.
Sektor: I suppose you’re quick right? Agile?
The skinny lad nods.
Sektor: That’s good. But you can only rely on your strengths for so long. A good wrestler, will always sniff out your weakness and turn it against you. The trick is, to leave your opponent guessing for as long as possible, and not make anything obvious.
He stops, face to face with the skinny kid who swallows hard and is probably having a body image crisis by now.
Sektor: So bulk up a bit, son. You training to be a long distance runner or a fucking wrestler?
The kid again swallows as Sektor barks his question at him.
Skinny: A wrestler..
Sektor: Then drink some protein shakes. Eat! ALOT! And hit the fucking weights. Also..
Sektor tilts his chin, beckoning the boy to lean closer as he plants a hand on his right shoulder and leans into his ear.
Sektor: A little pro tip for ya, we all use the gas when we start out..
As Sektor finishes whispering his dark secret into the kids ear, he pats him on the shoulder and gives him a wink. The kid looks genuinely confused and almost scared to ask a question.
Skinny: Uhm, gas?
Sektor: What, you need me to spell it out for ya?
Sektor rolls his eyes and steps out in front of the line, turning to face all three of them.
Sektor: The point is, you need to figure out your weaknesses now and work hard to either get rid of them, or mask them. Look at me? I’ve spent an entire career becoming the most polished technical wrestler in the world. In the ring I have very little in the way of weakness. I’m not the biggest guy but I’m strong as a bull. I’m not the fastest but I’ve found ways and tricks to control the tempo of a match. But we all have weaknesses. Mine is an addictive personality, namely in the form of gambling and class A drugs..
Sektor holds his hands up, owning his afflictions.
Sektor: But I have that under control. I mean, I still have the occasional flutter if Lee throws me a decent tip. And sure, a line of coke or two on a night out never hurt anybody, right?
The guys just shift uneasily in their stance, not really knowing how to react to what Sektor is telling them.
Sektor: But my biggest weakness is all up here.
He taps his temple.
Sektor: I struggle sometimes, with my thoughts and feelings. I’ve never been very good at processing them or dealing with them. I got shit haunting me from the past. On top of all that I put immense pressure on myself to win and succeed. But that’s how I got to where I am today.
He runs a hand through his slicked back hair, jerking his head slightly to shake off the dark thoughts that try to creep into his mind.
Sektor: Now you all know I’m facing Eric Dane at the Rock, right?
They all nod.
Sektor: Well Dane thinks he can get inside my head. He thinks I’m a pussy for attacking him from behind and running with a crew. But I just call that being smart. You see guys, when I was around your age, little older maybe, starting out in this busines?. I tried going it alone. I tried being a fan pleaser. I’m sure you all feel the same right now. You all probably jerk off in bed at night, imagining a sold out crowd chanting your name as you walk to the ring. But let me give you the best piece of advice I can give you..
He leans forward a little, ensuring that what he is about to say is heard clearly.
Sektor: Be the bad guy!
He lets them chew on that a second.
Sektor: Be the guy who they boo. Who they throw their own piss at and send death threats too on the twitter machine. Fuck the fans. Eventually, if you make it, they will learn to respect you anyway. Do what you have to do, to survive but more importantly? To thrive! I’m a gambler, but I always play the odds. The odds are, if you back the winning team then you’re going to win. I figured that out a long time ago and that’s when I began a Hall of Fame career. Eric is just bitter that no one wants to play with him any more. Even Linds and Dan have gotten tired of his bullshit. So now he has no one to protect him, which brings me on to my next subject. What about Danes weaknesses?
Sektor holds his chin, deliberately looking puzzled before pouting and shrugging his shoulders.
Sektor: He doesn’t have any. Physically he’s just like me, strong, built, he’s got decades of wrestling experience and knowledge. Mentally, if you listen to him there is nothing I can do that will get in his head. He is bullet proof. Completely impregnable. Eric Dane is just a fucking badass isn’t he?
His sarcasm again pours out at him without apology. He looks around at each guy in turn.
Sektor: So how do I beat a man with no weakness?
Again, looking at each of the three guys but this time seemingly disappointed by the lack of response.
Sektor: Easy. I make one! That’s why Eric Dane’s arm is hanging on by a thread right now. So all I have to do is go to work on that fucking arm and the match is as good as won. The reason my limbs are intact? Because I have friends. Power in numbers, boys and girls.
The guys nod as the penny drops, all the while seeming somewhat perturbed by the ethics of what he is suggesting.
Sektor: Now then. You’re all new, enthusiastic students of the craft. What innovative holds can you show me to break this mother fuckers arm?
He looks at the skinny kid first, pointing a relaxed arm in his direction.
Kid: Uhm, well..
Sektor: Dont tell me! Show me, Dios Mio!
He says, rubbing his head in frustration. He then squints with disbelief as he notices the kid facing him with an orthadox wrestling stance.
Sektor: Not on me, fuck! Do it on porky..
He says, pointing to the chubby ginger to his left. The kid turns and whispers something to the overweight student. The student nods and holds out his arm, allowing the skinny kid to perform a clumsy armbar takedown, transitioned rather sloppily into an armbar. Sektor just stares down at him with cold and dead eyes as the kid looks up to him for feedback.
Sektor: An arm-bar? I ask you to show me something innovative and you give me a fucking arm-bar? Get the fuck up!
Sektor sighs as the two get to their feet, before gesturing to guy he affectionately named, ‘Porky.’
Sektor: What you got?
Porky: To be honest, I’m still quite new to this..
Sektor: Forget it. What about you?
He says, looking towards the more athletic of the three, who we will refer to as Chet.
Sektor: You’re the only one here who even remotely looks the part, so please tell me you got something new for me?
Chet: I mean, I’ve come from an MMA background so I can show you some cool variations on a..
Sektor: Please don’t say arm-bar..
The guy just swallows, giving Sektor all the information he needs about where he was heading. He shakes his head, with genuine disappointment. Suddenly, his head straightens up and his eyes glow as though a light bulb turned on in his mind.
Sektor: Actually, there might be something to that..Yeah. What greater spectacle than showing off all the tools I have before finally crippling that smug piece of shit.
Sektor has a menacing grin forming on his face as he turns to the skinny kid and quickly snaps his fingers.
Sektor: You! Come here!
The skinny guy nervously walks forward and Sektor stares right into his soul with his dark, emotionless eyes.
Sektor: I’m going to tie you up and assume a position of control. Your job is to try and defend yourself. Got it?
Skinny opens his mouth to speak but Sektor already snatches hold of his arm, falling back onto his own back and wrapping his legs around the kids head with a triangle arm bar. The skinny kid grunts in pain and goes to tap with his free hand on Sektor’s thigh, making no attempt to defend himself. Before he gets the chance Sektor switches one of his legs over the side of the kids head, using both legs to apply pressure on the head and neck, providing more leverage on the arm. The kid screams as the joint hyperextends and begins tapping.
Skinny: STOP, YOU’RE BREAKING MY ARM…PLEASE!!
Sektor scoffs with disgust as he pushes him off and rolls out of the way.
Sektor: Pathetic. NEXT!
Sektor shakes his head with disgust in the direction of the skinny kid, who is still picking himself up off the canvas, holding his arm with tears in his eyes. Sektor rubs the back of his wrist underneath his nose, clearing his moustache of the mucous that had snotted out while he was straining. He then points at the shorter, overweight cadet in the middle of the three, beckoning him over.
The apprehension is evident as the young man makes his way over to Sektor, arms up in a half hearted guard. To Sektor’s surprise, the kid snatches his legs from the front standing position and takes him down to the canvas, using his body weight to mouth him. Sektor instantly snatches hold of his left arm as the kid tries to mount pressure on him. He then underhooks an arm and rolls a leg around his side, locking in an arm crush variant of the armbar.
Sektor: Nice try, kid..
Strangely, Sektor reverses the hold so that they are back in the neutral, mounted, position.
Sektor: Come on, lean into me!
Porky follows instruction, getting very close to Sektor and beginning to hug his head. Sektor uses his arms to put a frame across the kids neck and begins pushing him away. As he does this he manages to get his hips free, gaining control of the kids shoulder. He then throws a leg over, turning Porky onto a belly down position and applying a sickening version of a belly down arm bar. A blood curdling yell escapes his mouth, followed by the sound of tapping which echoes around the empty training area. Sekttor keeps the pressure on the arm a little longer than he ought to, giving the kid a taste of what he may endure in his future. Eventually he rolls off, licking his lips as he gets back to his feet and glaring at the third and final student.
Sektor doesn’t have to give any instructions, the more athletic of the three comes forward with purpose, locking horns with the multi-time World champion.
Sektor: Gooooood..
The word gurgles out of Sektor’s throat as his eyes light up.
Sektor elegantly takes him to the canvas with a simple, but perfectly executed arm drag, keeping hold of the arm in a side mounted position, keeping his shoulders close to the kids chest to maintain control. Chet uses his own strength to keep as much pressure off as he can, rolling onto his shoulders and popping his hips to try and kick out of it. Sektor, on his knees, turns his body to try and get the arm bar, but seems to struggle through the resistance of the student. Quickly, he turns to face the other direction, this time locking in a traditional, side mounted arm bar.
Before he can get the hold fully locked in, the kid rolls onto his side, rolling Sektor onto his shoulders and trying to release some pressure. Sektor rotates his, bringing the kids head down to the canvas and locking in an ambar with his opponent in the face down position.
Sektor: Come on, give up!
The kid’s face strains as he uses all his strength to resist the hold. Sektor’s eyes are wide with frustration. Sektor eventually transitions, using his legs to lift the kid over him, rolling and taking him back onto his back. Never releasing the arm, he rushes so that he is mounted on top of him, shimmying his knees up the the side of the students torso with his arm tied into an arm crush.
Sektor: Why won’t you give up Eric?
The other two student’s glance at one another, sensing that Sektor has lost control whilst he positions himself at the top of the kids shoulder, leaning back with an excruciating version of an arm-crush/arm-bar combo. Before the kid can tap he turns the move from a North/South position. He then transitions again, rolling forward across the kids front so that the kid is now face down, his arm pointing towards the ceiling in yet another devastation variation of the arm-bar. He begins to tap wildly on the canvas.
Sektor: GIVE UP! GIVE UP, DANE!
Porky: HE IS! Let him go, dude!
Sektor’s face is beetroot as strains harder and harder, stretching the joint more and more until..
POP!
The other students throw their hands behind their heads, their faces drained of color in shock as they hear the arm snap. The banshee-like shrieks of the student forces Sektor to snap out of his trance and release the hold. He rolls off, jumping to his feet and looking down at what he has done.
Chet: Arrrghhhh, my arm-my arm! You broke my fucking arm!
The tears pour down the poor kids face as Sektor begins to panic. Eventually he lets out a deep sigh and runs a hand through his hair.
Sektor: Fuck..
Sektor snaps his head at the other two, who are just standing there looking gormless.
Sektor: Well don’t just fucking stand there! Go get help!
As Sektor barks at them they quickly react by fleeing the ring in search of some medical assistance for their peer. Sektor again sighs as he slowly makes his way over to the student, who is still writhing around in pain, pouring with sweat. He slowly crouches down next to him, staring off at a far point in the gymnasium.
Sektor: Sorry, kid. It was an accident. I got a little carried away.
The kid is in too much pain to give a shit about Sektor’s half hearted attempt at an apology.
Sektor: But rest assured, son. At Rumble at the Rock?
He smirks, looking down at the kids arm which is facing the wrong direction at the elbow joint.
Sektor: There will be no accidents..