Show #7: The Awful Truth
In the commissioner’s office…
Melora O’Brien, looking meek and uncomfortable in her tight street clothes, stands with her feet together opposite Hollander’s desk. The commissioner, leaning back, hands interlaced behind his head, drinks her in with his eyes.
HOLLANDER: “Ah, Ms. O’Brien, good to see you. You know, I don’t believe I’ve ever realized how pretty and…shapely you are.
Melora stares at the plush carpet between her feet and the desk.
MELORA: “Thank you, commissioner.”
HOLLANDER: “I’ll come to the point. As a CCW underneath girl, your win-loss record is, of course…less than stellar. But, (he sits up straight, finger in the air) you have managed to be on the winning side of two tag-team matches, most recently when you and Sunny Austin defeated The Cowgirl Sisters in quite decisive fashion. (he looks at her sidelong) You even scored the pinfall in that match. Well done.”
Melora’s gaze remains in the carpet piles.
MELORA: “Thank you.”
HOLLANDER: “That Sunny Austin sure is something, isn’t she? (he shakes his head) So help me, the body on her…”
Melora finds the courage to look him in the eye.
MELORA: “Have you been able to find out where Sunny was taken?”
HOLLANDER (waving that away): We’re doing all we can. (he flattens his hands on the desk). Ms. O’Brien, I want to give you an opportunity.”
MELORA: “Oh? What is it?”
HOLLANDER: “I’ve recently re-signed Zehra to the main CCW roster. You know her, don’t you?”
MELORA: “Not well, but…”
HOLLANDER: “Do you think you could defeat her in a one-on-one match? (another sidelong look, grinning) Don’t be modest now.”
Melora stands up a little straighter, widens her stance just a bit.
MELORA: “Yes. I think I could beat her. Absolutely.”
HOLLANDER: “Excellent. I’d like to book that match for next week: Melora O’Brien versus Zehra, one-on-one.”
MELORA: “Oh, thank you, commissioner. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
Melora steps forward and reaches across the desk, hand out.
Rather than shake Melora’s hand, Hollander pulls something green from his desk drawer and fills her hand with it.
Melora takes the item, which is really two items, in both hands. It’s a green bikini. She blinks across the desk.
MELORA: “What’s this?”
HOLLANDER (grinning): “That is your attire for the match with Zehra next week. I’m sure you’ll fill it beautifully.”
Melora holds the bikini like its sewage.
MELORA: “I don’t…I don’t think I’d be comfortable wrestling in this.”
HOLLANDER: “Well, I can understand that. You have a gained a few pounds after all. (Melora turns scarlet) But, I have to say, if you’re not comfortable wrestling in that, (big grin) I don’t think I’m comfortable booking you to wrestle Zehra. Or really (big frown) any other match you might have any chance of winning.”
In the arena…
Riley Slade is already in the ring for the opening match. This is her first singles match since she lost in her CCW debut 10 weeks ago. Last month, she was booked to wrestle The Iron Maiden one-on-one, but that match ended in a no-contest after a Pack attack.
Riley takes deep breaths and tries to relax in her corner — looking cute and sexy — but her hands are shaking just a bit. She tugs at her skimpy ring gear.
The Tale of the Tape
The youngest wrestler on the roster, Riley Slade is 19, 5’4”, 115lbs, with light brown hair and hazel eyes. An underneath girl with an 0-6 record, she wrestles in a tee-shirt knotted into a crop top, cutoff booty jean shorts, and white Skippy sneakers. Sizzlin’ Scarlett Jackson is a star with a 9-3 record. She is 26, 5’5”, 130lbs, with dyed bright-orange hair and light-brown eyes. She wrestles in a shiny orange & white bra top, shiny orange booty shorts, shiny white knee pads, and orange basketball sneakers with white highlights.
Ring announcer Jimmy Swift, his bow-tie askew but his voice on the money, introduces Scarlett, who sizzles and slides her way to the ring. Her hair shimmers under the lights as she vaults over the top rope into the ring.
Most of the crowd feeds off Scarlett’s positivity, the rest drool over what she’s likely to do to Riley.
Scarlett takes one look at Riley and heads toward her. Referee Clark Sierra moves to head her off, but Scarlett waves him away with a smile and nods at Riley.
SCARLETT: “Hey.”
RILEY: “Hey…”
SCARLETT: “I’ve got a title shot next week, and this is a showcase for me. I gotta make an example out of you.”
Riley’s gaze drops to the mat.
SCARLETT: “But Riley…bit of advice?”
Riley looks up.
SCARLETT (smiling, backing away to her corner): “Don’t let me.”
Riley smiles, just a bit.
The referee calls for the bell.
Sizzlin’ Scarlett Jackson vs. Riley Slade
They circle. Scarlett grabs a side headlock, turns it into a hammer lock.
Riley reverses it, works a drop toe hold, and shoulder rolls up Scarlett’s back to grab a side headlock of her own.
Scarlett grabs Riley’s hips and rolls her onto her shoulders.
1…
2…
Riley bucks free, and they get back to their feet.
Scarlett snags Riley’s arm, shoots her into the ropes, and works a beautiful arm drag on the rebound. She goes for it again, but Riley reverses the arm drag into one of her own, then catches Scarlett coming in with a hip toss and, when Scarlett charges again, blasts her in the chest with a standing dropkick.
Scarlett kips up before Riley can go for the pin, a big smile on her face.
SCARLETT: “Cassie teach you all that?”
RILEY (nods, smiling): “The dropkick is from Chloe.”
SCARLETT: “Goddamn.”
They circle, tie-up, and Scarlett lifts a short, hard knee to Riley’s belly, doubling her up. Scarlett leaps over Riley’s back, taking her over with a sunset flip, but releases it before the referee can count and drills Riley in the face with a basement dropkick, sprawling her in the canvas.
Riley is easy prey from there. By the 2:30 mark, Scarlett’s used enough fast, disorienting offense and technique to render Riley tired, winded, and compliant. She hauls Riley to center ring by the hair and body slams her down hard.
Riley writhes and moans on the canvas.
Scarlett dashes to the corner, makes the top turnbuckle in two balanced lopes, and soars. She crushes Riley with the SuperFly Splash then, on her knees, straddles the young girl’s middle and presses Riley’s thighs with her hands.
Scarlett plays to the hard camera as the referee tolls the academic 1-2-3 and calls for the bell at 3:18.
Now 10-3, Scarlett will roll into her Tri-County Championship match with Anna Konda on the upswing. Riley drops to 0-7.
Scarlett spins off Riley, hops to her feet, and gets her glory and her hand raised. She moves to the corner and jumps to the second turnbuckle, dancing to her music and playing to the crowd, but she keeps one eye on Riley.
The referee gets to one knee over Riley, who begins to stir. Scarlett hops off the ropes and lays on her stomach next to her defeated opponent, an arm across Riley’s chest, her mouth at the young girl’s ear.
SCARLETT: “You gonna be all right, babe?”
RILEY (still a bit moany): “Think so…”
SCARLETT: “Good. You tell Cassie Rae I’m gonna be around if she needs me. OK?”
RILEY (nods): “Uh huh…”
SCARLETT: “Good match, girl.”
Scarlett pops back to her feet and heads up the aisle as the referee helps Riley sit up.
In the underneath locker room…
Melora sits in front of her open locker, still in her street clothes, head down, the green bikini in both hands.
Jessica Kelly, Tiffany Green, Sarah Lawrence, and Josie Myer, all in their ring gear, are grouped near the long bench away from the lockers.
TIFFANY: “Cassie, Sunny, and Chloe all know her better than I do. And I’m not great at this stuff, anyway.”
The other three look to Jessica.
JESSICA: “What?”
TIFFANY: “You’ve been here the longest.”
JESSICA: “Yeah, but I’ve spent half that time with The Pack, for Christ’s sake. She doesn’t want to hear from me.”
SARAH: “Guys…”
Jessica and Tiffany look at Sarah, then follow her gaze as Josie heads across the room to Melora, where she leaves a few feet of bench between them.
JOSIE: “Hey. Mind if I sit?”
MELORA: “Might be better if you saved whatever it is for Cassie. Or Teresa.”
JOSIE: “No. (she sits, facing the room rather than the lockers) I was concerned about you.”
MELORA: “Forget me. You’ve got Anna Konda to worry about tonight.”
JOSIE: “Eh. (she waves that away) I’ll give it a shot, but she’s gonna put me to sleep. Everyone in the arena knows that. (she nods at Melora’s hands) What do you have there?”
Melora glances at Josie, a lopsided smile on her face.
MELORA: “You have the weirdest attitude toward being an underneath girl I’ve ever seen.”
JOSIE: “Wrestling is fucking amazing. (she nods again) What’s that?”
Melora hands the bikini over.
MELORA: “Hollander said he’ll book me to wrestle Zehra next week if I wear that in the ring.”
Josie looks the bikini over, holds up each piece.
MELORA: “And it’s so…fucking…frustrating because I know I can beat Zehra. It’d be my first singles win. (she lowers her voice like she’s saying something wrong) Sunny doesn’t even have a singles win.”
Josie balls the bikini up in her lap.
JOSIE: “That’s awesome. (big smile) Your first singles win. I’m so happy for you.”
MELORA: “No, Josie, the commissioner is saying I have to wear that (she points) in order to get the match.”
JOSIE: “Yeah, I get it. (she holds up the bikini top) So you get to look extra sexy while you beat Zehra.”
MELORA: “You don’t get it. (she stares into her locker) Maybe just leave me alone, OK?”
Josie straddles the bench and pushes close to Melora.
JOSIE: “I’ve been here a month, which is more than long enough to know you’re a serious wrestler. This (she holds up the wadded bikini) is bullshit. You and Sunny buried the Cowgirls the night Sarah and I debuted. And it wasn’t your fucking gear that pinned Diamond after a perfect falcon arrow. It was you.”
She gets up and holds the bikini out to Melora.
JOSIE: “You’re beautiful and you’re powerful. Next week, you have a chance to show both.”
Melora looks up at Josie, blinking, teary, and takes the bikini.
In the arena…
Chloe Suzuki and Teresa Salazar are already in the ring for the next match. Neither looks comfortable.
For Chloe especially, there’s a lot going on…
- This is her first match in two months. In her last match, she defeated Outlaw Annie Hook in a huge upset for her only win.
- The next week, Chloe saved her partner in this match, Teresa, from being whipped by The Outlaw, only to take two lashes herself, one on her back, one on her side.
- That night, Chloe was kidnapped by The Pack while en route to the hospital and wasn’t seen in the CCW arena again until two weeks ago, when Cassie Rae found Chloe hanging by her ankles in the underneath locker room, The Pack’s symbol — which turned out to be Tiana Miles’ initials — burned into her skin above her hip.
- Last week, Commissioner Hollander decided Chloe was ready to return to the ring.
But she’s not. Usually reclining on the top turnbuckle before a match, flirting and chatting with the men in the crowd, Chloe stands next to Teresa, flat-footed, trying to psyche herself up to compete. She’s in her usual gear, but she’s got an oversized Okinawns Are Hot tee-shirt on over it to hide the scars from the whips, the burned-in initials, and the extra couple of pounds she gained while she was held by The Pack.
With her partner already the smallest woman on the CCW roster and one of the youngest, Teresa watches Chloe trying to get loose, trying to get there mentally, and all she can think of is one thing.
TERESA: “I never thanked you for saving me from that whip. It kills me you got it instead. And then all the Pack stuff. I… (she shakes her head) I’m just so sorry, Chloe. All that should have happened to me.”
Chloe shifts her weight from foot to foot.
CHLOE: “It shouldn’t have happened to anyone. (she nods up the aisle) You think we can win this match? I know you beat Scarlett Jackson.”
TERESA: “Yeah, by cheating my ass off. She beat me two straight after that.”
Chloe starts to bounce on the balls of her feet, just a little.
CHLOE: “I remember Cassie saying these Russin girls are top-heavy. (she glances up into Teresa’s eyes) Can you do something with that?”
TERESA: “I…maybe, yeah.”
Chloe nods, shakes her beautiful long, black hair out.
CHLOE: “Then we should try to give them a match. Make our case to win. (she grins) You owe me.”
TERESA (smiling): “OK, yeah. Let’s fucking do it.”
The Tale of the Tape
Chloe Suzuki is 20, 5’, 115lbs with black hair and hazel eyes. An underneath girl with a 1-5 record, she wrestles barefoot in a red bra top, red booty shorts, and red wrist and ankle tape, though tonight she’s got that big tee on over her gear. Teresa Salazar is an underneath girl with an 1-6 record. She is 44, 5’8”, 135lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. She wrestles in a backless, blood-red singlet, cut high over her hips, black knee pads, and black boots with a blood-red flame pattern embroidered in them. The Russian Farmhands are a star team. Anya is 28, 5’9”, 160lbs, with dyed dark-red hair and green eyes. She wrestles in a black singlet, red knee pads, and black boots. Olga is 30, 5’10”, 165lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. She wrestles in a dark-red singlet, black knee pads, and dark-red boots. Both sisters have a record of 4-4.
Jimmy Swift introduces the Russians and Anya and Olga make their way to the ring to their usual somber music and tepid reaction from the crowd.
Chloe gets a nice hand during the underneath girls’ intros, which are always a no-frills afterthought — by order of Commissioner Hollander — to go along with their lack of entrances or music.
Referee Randy Hickman calls for the bell.
The Russian Farmhands vs. Chloe Suzuki & Teresa Salazar
As it turns out, Chloe, eager to start the match against Anya, really shouldn’t be in the ring yet. Normally the fastest wrestler on the CCW roster, Chloe is at least two steps slower tonight and the Russians manage to corral her for some slow but punishing offense. Anya and Olga, tagging and moving smoothly, batter Chloe with heavy forearms, driving kicks, and a few suplexes and slams that really take it out of her.
Teresa winces as Chloe barely gets her shoulder up before the three-count on a hand-on-chest pin from Olga.
Winded, weak, crawling, Chloe tries to make it to her corner for a tag, but Olga, grinning at Teresa, drags Chloe by the ankle back to the Russians’ corner, making it plain what the Farmhands intentions are.
Olga tags Anya, then gorilla presses Chloe with ease and waits for Anya to set up on one knee.
Chloe, terror etched across her sweaty face, kicks and screams, knowing she’s about to be destroyed.
Teresa charges across the ring and smashes the back of Olga’s knee with a huge chop block.
Olga collapses down on her back, Chloe crashes down on top of her, but there’s no count because Anya is the legal woman for the Russians.
Keeping the fallen Olga between herself and Anya, Teresa grabs Chloe’s arms, drags her back to their corner, gets back to the apron, and tags her.
Anya, trying to roll Olga out, gets clipped in the back of the head by Teresa’s boot and falls to her hands and knees. Teresa dashes to the corner, gets to the second rope, and flies, landing an elbow to Anya’s back that drives her stomach-first to the mat.
Grunting, Teresa rolls the bigger girl over and makes the cover, but Olga — still in the ring and back on her feet, yanks Teresa off her sister by the leg before the count.
The referee warns Olga out of the ring as Teresa scrambles back to her feet. She turns around and walks right into an Anya bearhug. Several cracks and snaps race the length of Teresa’s spine, and she screams as the referee rushes to check on her.
HICKMAN: “What do you say, Salazar? You want to give it up?”
She absolutely does, but Teresa screams “No!” and tries to claw at Anya, but the smarter of the Russians keeps her head tucked under Teresa’s arm.
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Teresa rains forearms and elbows down on Anya’s back, but each of them is weaker than the last, and Teresa’s legs and head start to droop.
HICKMAN: “C’mon, Teresa. You want to give up? Let me ring it.”
There’s no more air in Teresa’s lungs to scream, but she has presence of mind enough to shake her head and moan, “No…”
Chloe, still panting, starts to climb the ropes in the corner.
Anya readjusts her grip around Teresa and really bears down.
Teresa cries out, arms and legs flopping and flailing, but then they dangle. Her head settles onto Anya’s shoulder.
Chloe just gets her feet under her on the top turnbuckle when the referee calls for the bell at 4:21.
CHLOE: “Fuck…”
Anya lets Teresa crumple to the mat and goes to celebrate with her sister. The Russians get some mild heat as they’re announced the winners.
The Russian Farmhands get a much-needed win; they’re both now 5-4. Chloe drops to 1-6, Teresa to 1-7.
Chloe scrambles to the fallen Teresa, who’s lying in a heap on her side, and pushes her onto her back.
CHLOE: “Hey, girl. Talk to me. You need the docs?”
Teresa labors hard to breathe, her face a mask of anguish.
TERESA: “So sorry, Chloe. I thought…thought we could…”
Chloe, on her knees, shakes her head.
CHLOE: “No, shhhhh, none of that. Gotta make sure you’re OK.”
With the Russians headed up the aisle, Chloe waves the referee over and they quickly decide to call for a stretcher.
On the mat, Teresa wheezes, eyes closed, head lolling.
TERESA: “I couldn’t…she was…so strong…”
In the deputy commissioner’s office…
Jules Moreno, looking squared…away in her maroon power suit and heels, stands in front of her desk. Referee Jessie Motley is alongside her. Security Chief Duke Derringer and senior referee Jack Blake stand opposite the women, with the entire unit of six security guards standing behind them, three by three.
JULES: “Since Commissioner Hollander is…entertaining, Mr. Derringer and I will ensure security for the next segment, about which I confess I have no idea what’s going to happen.
“Tiana Miles says The Pack is dead. We’ve accounted for Blonde, Gothica, and Zehra, and we know Lyssa Lopez, aka Pequeno Tigre, quit the company. (she glances around at the referees and Derringer) But Tiana clearly has someone, maybe more than one someone, helping her with…technological stuff, either inside the company or outside. Or both.
“So, we’re going to handle this situation as though it will be attacked in some way by Tiana’s allies, perhaps even new Pack members. Duke, you and Jack coordinate the security guards and make sure that ring area is locked down for whatever this talk between Tiana and Cassie Rae is going to be. (she points a finger at Derringer) And, Duke, I want two guards assigned get Cassie out of there if something happens.”
DERRINGER (nods): “Yes, ma’am.”
JULES: “Jack, you know wrestlers. If Tiana does anything to make you think an attack is coming, you let Duke know, then signal the cameras. Jessie and I will be back here with the rest of the referees as a second wave of security.”
BLAKE: “You got it, Ms. Moreno.”
JULES: “Jessie?”
MOTLEY: “Absolutely, ma’am.”
JULES: “OK. (she strides around her desk to her chair and eases into it) God help us, let’s see how this goes.”
In the star locker room…
Anna Konda sits at her open locker doing some form of meditation. Around the big, clean monitor, Hannah Hammer, The Cowgirl Sisters, The Coal Miner’s Daughters, The Russian Farmhands, and The Iron Maiden all give the side-eye to Sizzlin’ Scarlett Jackson.
SCARLETT: “I told y’all, I have no idea what’s going to happen.”
DIAMOND: “You were Tiana’s tag partner. You didn’t know what she was plannin’ with The Pack?”
PLATINUM: “Come to think of it, did The Pack ever attack her?”
SCARLETT: “Tiana wasn’t part of The Pack when I was running with her.”
ANYA: “How do you know this?”
SCARLETT: “I dunno. I just do. (she looks to the Coal Miner’s Daughters) We were gunnin’ for y’all, and she fell apart on me. And I know it had to do with Cassie, not The Pack.”
DIAMOND: “Oh, why would anyone give a shit about Cassie Rae? Maybe the deputy commissioner suspended Tiana as cover for her to join The Pack. We don’t know.”
PLATINUM: “Maybe Scarlett here knew that too?”
HANNAH: “That doesn’t seem right to me.”
PLATINUM: “Well, you ain’t exactly the biggest brain here, darlin’. So maybe stand there and be just another homely fa-”
MAIDEN: “Quiet!”
Instant silence.
MAIDEN: “The Pack attacked almost all of us, before Tiana led them and after. Now that she’s back, she’s gone right for Cassie Rae. (she glares at all of them) Use your goddamn brains. What’s about to happen out there is between Tiana and Cassie, but it might affect us all. So shut your mouths (she points at the monitor) and watch.
In the commissioner’s office…
Zehra, all sensual and slinky in her gear, sits on Hollander’s desk, literally peeling him grapes while he paws her thigh and side.
ZEHRA: “Do you think Tiana and Cassie Rae will be…together in the ring tonight?”
Hollander gives her a look.
HOLLANDER: “I very much doubt it, but I like the way you think, my little dancer. (he traces a fingertip along the arch of Zehra’s foot) The ratings for that would be astounding.”
In the underneath locker room…
Melora, Jessica, Riley, Tiffany, and Sarah are huddled around the small, cracked monitor, all in gear.
MELORA: “So we agree. We all help Cassie the second something goes wrong, and we all help her find Sunny the second Tiana says where she is.”
The others nod and murmur their agreement as the monitor blinks to life...
In the arena…
Throughout CCW’s history, all manner of sounds have come from the crowds and the ring. Many of those sounds have been jubilant, celebratory, emotional. Some of been unpleasant, even repellent. But, for the first time in the promotion’s history, there is next to no sound in the packed CCW Arena. Only a low, anticipatory buzz for what’s about to happen.
Duke Derringer and referee Jack Blake guard the timekeeper and ring announcer Jimmy Swift. The six security guards patrol the rest of the ringside area. All eight men radiate tension.
In the ring, Wink McLean — his hair and tuxedo perfect but his brow beaded with sweat — brings the microphone to his mouth with a slightly tremulous hand.
MCLEAN: “Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve been asked to introduce the participants in this conversation and then cede the ring to them.
“First, she is making her return to the CCW Arena having shed her disguise as leader of the renegade group known as The Pack and newly reinstated to the star roster. This is Tiana Miles.”
A cascade of boos loud enough to drown out her music welcomes Tiana Miles back to CCW. She doesn’t give the crowd the satisfaction of a reaction, making her way down the aisle deliberately, stopping a few times to soak up the derision with her hands on her hips.
Tiana makes her way up the ring steps and through the ropes. She’s in street clothes: a purple athletic bra top with a matching cropped jacket and leggings, and black Chuck Taylors. Tiana reaches through the ropes to take a mic from the timekeeper, then saunters to a corner as if this was a match.
McClean doesn’t even start talking again before the boos fade and rebuild as cheers.
MCLEAN: “And, making her way to the ring at this time. She became The Pack’s focus in its waning days and has, in her CCW career, weathered everything this company has thrown at her. Please welcome, the longest tenured wrestler in CCW history, Cassie Rae!”
With just about the entire crowd cheering her — something she’s never had for a wrestling match — Cassie Rae ignores them all and strides to the ring with smooth steps and decisive purpose. Once she’s in the ring, some of the cheers transmogrify into wolf whistles and catcalls. Cassie is wearing a white bathrobe and white, open-toed heels. She doesn’t look at Tiana or McLean as she collects a mic from the timekeeper and moves to the corner opposite Tiana, into which she leans and, finally, smiles across the ring.
Tiana looks away.
MCLEAN: “All right, this was proposed to be a discussion between you, at the end of which, Ms. Miles, you will disclose the location of CCW wrestler Sunny Austin. One note: I’ve been informed by Deputy Commissioner Jules Moreno that you will be fired, and prosecuted, if you do not disclose Ms. Austin’s location, or if that location proves inaccurate.”
Some in the crowd chant for Sunny. Tiana’s expression remains neutral.
MCLEAN: “Ladies, the floor is yours.”
With a quick, meaningful look at Cassie, McLean leaves the ring and heads up the aisle.
The crowd’s buzz is, once again, low and tense.
Cassie strolls out of her corner. Eyes locked on Tiana.
CASSIE: “Do you want to start? This was your idea.”
Tiana leans into her corner, arms crossed.
TIANA: “Are you sure you want me to start? There’s a lot I could say that I think these people would like to hear. Things about you, their little put-upon underdog hero. And things about me, the star on the rise who gave you the time of day until you threw me over for that disgusting blonde skank. (she turns to the crowd) I guess the first thing we reveal about Cassie tonight is she’s only happy when she’s with other losers.”
This, of course, gets a rise from the crowd. But not from Cassie.
CASSIE (smiling): “I’m a loser, yes. I’ve been an underneath girl here for most of the last ten years. I assume I’ve lost more matches than anyone in CCW history, and maybe more matches than anyone will ever lose in CCW history. And for just about all those losses I was basically a zombie. I dressed like trash, I felt like trash, and I let this company treat me like trash. I let this company take most of my 20s, and the beginning of my 30s, away from me. It was a sad, humiliating existence.
“Just an existence. Not a life.
“Life came to me earlier this year when you joined that underneath locker room, Tiana. We were put through some awful, embarrassing, demoralizing matches together and, somehow, we found ways to take care of each other, support each other, and, I thought, love each other.”
TIANA (stepping out of her corner): “This is all nice and fuzzy, but I think there’re things at the end of this road I know you don’t want me telling these peop-”
CASSIE: “Oh yes, I do, Tee. (she walks back to her corner) Because I’ve decided this conversation is going to be very, very revealing.
Cassie takes her heels off, then wriggles out of the robe. She’s wearing the white string bikini of her past as a CCW fetish girl, and her recent emphatic victory over The Pack’s Blonde and Gothica.
Unable to offer any pretense, Tiana just stares.
Cassie strolls to center ring, the lights bathing her nearly nude body in a warm glow. She looks Tiana dead in the eye, her voice even.
CASSIE: “This is why we’re here. This is why you took The Pack over and tried to get at me. This is why Jess Kelly and Chloe Suzuki have your fucking initials carved into them, you sick bitch. (she does a little spin) This is what you want. Me.
“(she turns to the crowd) And that’s why the rest of this…little chat she wanted to have is going to be really simple. Tiana and I were lovers earlier this year. I’d never been with a woman before, but Tiana made feel loved, and valued, and protected. So much so, I let Tiana dominate me during sex.”
TIANA: “Cassie. You don’t have t-”
CASSIE: “And there’s nothing wrong with that. People have domme/sub relationships all the time. And what better sub to have than a wrestler who loses all her matches. Perfect, right? (she shrugs) And here’s the thing, guys. It was perfect. I thought Tiana was taking care of me. You guys may have even noticed, I changed my gear, I got much more competitive in this ring. I still couldn’t win, but I knew I had Tiana to cushion my falls, make my defeats feel…not quite so bad. (she looks at Tiana) I loved you, and I thought you loved me.”
TIANA: “I did love you…”
CASSIE: “You didn’t though. Or at least, you didn’t love me more than you loved what was going on inside you. Should we tell them all about that, Tee?”
TIANA: “I don’t think you, of all people, want anyone to know-”
CASSIE: “I’m fine with them knowing. I didn’t used to be. It used to embarrass me. Control me. But no more. Tonight, we’re going to see how you like it embarrassing you.”
TIANA: “All right, Cass, maybe we should take this conversation to the b-”
CASSIE: “Backstage? Ironic you should mention that. (she turns back to the crowd) I know you remember Tiana busted her ass in this ring and started winning matches. Before long, the office moved her from the underneath locker room to the star locker room. I’m pretty sure no one’s ever done that before, and no one was happier for Tiana than I was, even though I knew it was possible that, as a star, she’d forget me, or, at the very least, want to trade up.”
TIANA: “Cassie, I would never have-”
CASSIE: “What I did not know is, while Tiana was getting her wins, she was starting to feel a certain way about it. A certain way about how those wins felt. (she crosses the ring to stand close to Tiana) Isn’t that right, Tee?”
Tiana, one hand on her hip, looks away, but brings her gaze back to meet Cassie’s.
TIANA: “Yes. I did.”
CASSIE: “Thank you. (she turns back to the crowd, her voice flat)
“One night, Tiana was booked to wrestle Judy Mulray. Remember her? Smart, good woman, but she and her sister were the least competitive wrestlers in the company. They just retired a few weeks ago. Did any of you notice?
“Tiana destroyed Judy Mulray that night, as we all knew she would. Judy took it like the woman she is, but something about defeating Judy, dominating her, having another wrestler — another woman — completely at her mercy really triggered something in Tiana. (she looks over) Didn’t it?”
TIANA: “Yes.”
CASSIE: “Do you want to tell them what happened later that night? I assume you thought you might have to tell them to make good on your threats to embarrass me, humiliate me, in front of all these people. By now, you must know you’re not going to get a fucking thing you want from me, so, why don’t you tell it now, with me standing her all bare and exposed, and humiliate yourself.”
The crowd is silent, rapt. Tiana, nodding, steps to the center of the ring and takes a deep breath.
TIANA: “Beating Judy Mulray that night got me off. (she shrugs) No other way to say it. I wanted to…feel that again, but I wanted it with Cassie. Late in the show that night, I pulled Cassie into a room at the end of one of those hallways back there and I…I told Cassie I wanted a match with her, and I wanted it to basically be (she shakes her head) me dominating her, sexually, in front of all of you.”
Not even the most depraved, old-school CCW sadists in the crowd make a sound for that.
TIANA: “And because I know this is the part that hurt Cassie the most, I’ll tell you. I tried to convince her to have that match with me…to lose that match to me…while I held her pinned to the wall in that room.”
Now there are gasps, and yes, maybe a crass comment or three escapes the crowd, but it’s still largely silent.
TIANA: “Maybe you should tell the rest.”
CASSIE: “As much as the ‘match’ she proposed disgusted me, Tiana pinning me to the wall with my arms behind me was horribly worse. I was scared, I felt helpless (she looks at Tiana) And you wouldn’t stop.
“Tiana let me go after I screamed at her, and I smashed her across the face with my elbow. That was the end of our relationship.”
TIANA: “I had…a lot of trouble, mentally, wrestling after that and I tried to get fired by telling Jules Moreno what I did to Cassie. But she suspended me instead.
“By then, The Pack was doing its thing, and I knew all those girls. I knew I could control them, so I took that group over, without ever telling them who I was, and we set about to…god, I don’t know. (she looks at Cassie) I don’t know what I was doing. I just wanted to hurt you. Hurt everyone here.”
Cassie walks to within inches of Tiana, looking her square in the eye.
CASSIE: “You put Sunny in that same room tonight, didn’t you? That’s where she is right now, isn’t it? The room where you attacked me.”
Tiana’s gaze drops.
TIANA: “Yes.”
Referee Blake and two security guards charge up the aisle.
CASSIE: “Tiana, look at me.”
She doesn’t.
CASSIE: “Tee, look at me.”
Tiana manages to raise her gaze to meet Cassie’s.
CASSIE: “You say you didn’t know what you were doing with The Pack, but you put the person I love, which you know happened after you, in the one room on Earth I was made to feel the worst I’ve ever felt in my life. But you didn’t know what you were doing.”
TIANA: “Cass, I…”
CASSIE: “Two weeks ago, Sunny and I made love in that room. I choose that, on purpose, to take every drop of power you still had over me away.
“You are nothing to me now. You want to pin me in a match? You want to cripple me in a match, or outside in the parking lot? You want to use those hands all over my body right now…take me as yours in front of all these people? Do it. Do all of them. There is nothing you could ever do to me that would affect me in any way that matters, Tiana.
“I am done with you.”
Outside the room where it happened…
With Jules, referee Jessie Motley, the two security guards, and the underneath locker room giving him just enough space, referee Jack Blake swings the sledgehammer one more time and smashes the broken-locked door open. Jules leads the two referees inside.
Sure enough, Sunny Austin, as barefoot and bikinied as ever, is sitting in a metal chair to one side of the wood table. Her hands are handcuffed behind her; two other pairs cuff her ankles to the legs of the chair. She’s also gagged…but there’s not a mark on her.
Jules unties the gag and flings it to the wall.
JULES: “Jesus Christ, Sunny, are you OK? Do you need a doctor?”
Looking perfectly beautiful. Sunny smiles.
SUNNY: “I’m fine. Does this mean Cassie is done with her…hey, babe!”
Cassie is standing in the doorway between Blake and Motley, back in her robe and heels, tears in her eyes, her expression stunned relief.
Jules stands back and orders Blake to find some bolt cutters as Cassie grabs Sunny’s face and they kiss, open, slow.
Cassie’s hands and eyes move quickly all over Sunny’s face, neck, chest and arms.
CASSIE: “She…you’re not hurt?”
Sunny shrugs.
SUNNY: “I’m handcuffed to the chair but, other than that…she never touched me. Well, after whatever she did to knock me out in the first place. (she angles her head to catch Cassie’s eye) You talked to her?”
CASSIE (nodding): “Everything…Sun, everything is out in the open now. I’m completely done with her. Forever.”
SUNNY: “I love you.”
CASSIE: “I love you, too. Oh god, my beautiful girl.”
Blake returns with the cutters and frees Sunny’s hands. She and Cassie hug and kiss while Blake cuts Sunny’s ankles free.
Still kissing, Sunny boosts Cassie up onto the table and climbs up after her while Cassie lays back, kicking her shoes off and pulling the tie on her robe.
Jules lays her hands on Blake’s and Motley’s backs.
JULES: “OK, let’s give them a few minutes. At least.”
In the arena…
Josie Myer, already in the ring for the next match, watches the CarniTron with a big smile on her face as Jules pulls the broken door closed.
Josie steps back out of her flip-flops and slides them under the bottom turnbuckle with her foot, then, feet apart, bends and stretches, arms clasped over her head, back arched.
SOME GUY IN THE CROWD: “Wooooo!! Love you, Josie!”
Josie turns pink, leans back in her corner.
JOSIE: “Huh…that’s new.”
The Tale of the Tape
Josie Myer, an underneath girl with an 0-4 record, is 24, 5’6”, 125lbs, with a curly mop of dark brown hair and brown eyes. She wrestles barefoot in a plain, black sports bra and cuffed, gray, low-rise sweatpants. Anna Konda, the current Tri-County Champion, enters this match at 18-1. She is 32, 5’7”, 138lbs, with golden brown hair and light brown eyes. She wrestles in a snake-print bodysuit and ballet flats laced up her calves.
Jimmy Swift introduces Konda, who makes her way down the aisle for this showcase match. Her title challenger for next week, Scarlett Jackson, already defeated her underneath opponent with relative ease, so now it’s up to Konda to one-up Jackson and gain that psychological edge for their title match.
Konda stares at Josie with a big smirk on her face as she slinks to her corner. The beautiful Brazilian hands her title off to referee Roger Clayton, then slithers out of her ornate robe.
Konda shakes her golden-brown hair out, smiling at Josie.
KONDA: “You will be sleeping one minute from now.”
Josie looks away, her hands squeeze the top ropes.
The referee calls for the bell.
Non-Title Match
Anna Konda vs. Josie Myer
Josie has wrestled four CCW matches, all losses, with the best possible attitude for an underneath girl: Try to compete, learn from defeat. But one sentence from the Tri-County Champion has her cowed and intimidated. Josie circles, flat-footed, hands up defensively, and Konda pounces on her.
The wiry submission assassin keylocks Josie’s arm, takes her to the mat on her stomach, and quickly controls all of Josie’s limbs with a Romero Special. Konda rocks onto her back, keeping her shoulders off the mat, and pushes Josie into a suspended position, her arms and legs pulled back behind her.
Pain tearing at her shoulders, back, quads, and knees, Josie screams as Anna Konda keeps her suspended in the air, unable to move. As soon as the referee starts to ask Josie for a submission, Konda releases Josie’s arms and uses her own legs and hips to slam Josie down hard on her chest and face.
Out of the Romero Special but racked with pain, Josie can barely move her arms to try to get back to her feet.
Konda, slithering, sliding on the mat, snatches Josie up by the hair to a seated position and wraps her up in her finishing sleeper hold.
Crying out, feet pounding the mat, Josie grabs Konda’s arm with both hands and struggles to free herself.
Smiling, Konda readjusts her arm position slightly and squeezes Josie’s carotid arteries much tighter.
With a soft, submissive cry, Josie’s legs and feet relax, her hands drop into her lap, and her eyes flutter and close. Her belly creased into tiny rolls; she starts to drool.
The referee only checks Josie’s arm once, then calls for the bell at :57.
Konda, supremely confident, is now 19-1. For Josie, her worst defeat yet; she drops to 0-5.
Anna Konda releases the sleeper and bounces to her feet. She arranges Josie’s limbs — legs and feet together, hands folded on her heaving chest — and stands over the sleeping, conquered underneath girl to get her hand raised. She plants her ballet flat on Josie’s stomach and looks into the hard camera.
KONDA: “This opponent was nothing. Your turn next, Scarlett.”
In the commissioner’s office…
Tiana stands in disgust, arms folded, while Zehra, sitting on Hollander’s lap, rubs noses with the commissioner.
HOLLANDER: “I must say, Tiana, I didn’t agree with much of what The Pack did — especially since we couldn’t market any of it — but I really expected something more explosive between you and Cassie Rae this evening.”
TIANA: “Telling the whole world our entire sexual history, including the night I basically assaulted her, wasn’t enough for you, huh?”
HOLLANDER (scratching Zehra under the chin while she purrs): “I dunno, I thought it was all bit…boring. You didn’t even take advantage of the bikini she’s been running around in. You know, I never really noticed until recently what a hot little body she’s got on her. You have good taste.”
Tiana shifts her weight to one hip.
TIANA: “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you my first night back. If it’s all the same, commissioner, I’d really like to resume my CCW career as if none of the last few months ever happened. I was hoping for an opponent for next week. (she looks Zehra up and down) Her, for example.”
Zehra makes a pouty face at Tiana as Hollander rubs her back.
HOLLANDER: “She already has an opponent for next week. But if you want one too, I have one picked out: Riley Slade.”
Tiana’s eyes widen a bit.
TIANA: “‘Little Cassie?’ No, I mean, I already beat her, in her debut. There’s got to be someone else. Maybe one of the Cowg-”
HOLLANDER: “You’re back under CCW contract, Ms. Miles, you’ll wrestle who I tell you to wrestle.”
TIANA: “That’s fine, I just don’t want anything to do with Cassie anymore, and Riley is-”
HOLLANDER: “I don’t think you’re done with Cassie Rae, Ms. Miles. Not nearly done. (he shifts Zehra from his lap to his desk; she slips one of her feet between his legs) Your opponent for next week is Riley Slade. Impress me with what you do to her.”
In the arena…
Watching the CarniTron fade out from what we just saw, Jimmy Swift shares a look of lamentation with referee Jack Blake, before getting the cue from the timekeeper.
SWIFT: “The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the tag team championship!”
The Tale of the Tape
All-American Amy Steel, a star, enters with a record of 13-3. She is 26, 5’8”, 160lbs, with dirty-blonde hair and blue eyes. She wrestles in a garish, patriotic-themed bra top with matching short shorts, knee pads, and boots. Her partner is BRICKHOUSE, a brawling star. She is 28, 5’9”, 160lbs, with dyed dark-red hair and green eyes. Her record is 17-4. She wrestles in a black, sleeveless bodysuit with a brick pattern down the front and red & black boots. The Coal Miner’s Daughters are the defending tag champs. They have matching 6-1 records. Shannon is 25, 5’8”, 150lbs, with brown hair and hazel eyes. She wrestles in gray denim overalls, a red bra top, and black work boots. Brianna is 23, 5’8”, 150lbs with brown hair and hazel eyes. She wrestles in gray denim overalls, a blue bra top, and black work boots.
This has been an emotionally draining night, but Amy Steel and BRICKHOUSE are still fired up and plenty obnoxious as they head down the aisle to Steel’s loud music, trading jeers with fans and smiles with each other.
The Coal Miner’s Daughters come to the ring with their belts over their shoulders and their jaws set.
The referee calls for the bell.
Tag Team Championship Match
The Coal Miner’s Daughters [c] vs. All-American Amy Steel & BRICKHOUSE
Amy Steel is the difference in this match. As strong as either of the Coal Miner’s Daughters, and more skilled than both put together, it’s only a matter of time before Steel and BRICKHOUSE, the strongest woman in the match, gain a decisive advantage.
Shannon and Brianna hold their own as long as their tag-team continuity holds out but, at the 5:43 mark, BRICKHOUSE keeps Shannon from making a tag and she ends up isolated in enemy territory.
By 7:53, Steel has Shannon softened and tired. She hooks the Coal Miner’s Daughter up in her American Eagle submission — a standing octopus hold — and grinds in the pressure.
Brianna immediately charges into the ring, but BRICKHOUSE meets her with a hard clothesline and, rather than tossing Brianna to the outside, BRICKHOUSE holds her down and makes her watch as Shannon drops to one knee.
Despite her sister’s desperate screams of encouragement and protest, Shannon’s other knee hits the mat and, screaming herself, she surrenders the tag team titles at 8:53.
BRICKHOUSE releases Brianna, who crawls to her defeated sister as Steel, ecstatic, bellows in victory from the second rope in the corner.
SWIFT: “Here are your winners…and the new tag team champions, All-American Amy Steel and BRICKHOUSE!”
BRICKHOUSE mounts the adjacent corner, and referee Blake distributes the tag belts to their new owners.
In a dark hallway somewhere backstage…
Wink McLean hurries through the hall when someone grabs the lapels of his jacket…
It’s Chloe Suzuki, terrified.
CHLOE: “Oh, thank god, Mr. McLean.”
MCLEAN: “Chloe, what are you doing hiding back here? I’ve got to get to the ring. We have new tag team ch-”
CHLOE: “I saw him, Mr. McLean. I saw that face.”
McLean stops trying to free himself from her grip and lays his hands on Chloe’s forearms.
MCLEAN: “What face, Chloe? Who did you see?”
CHLOE: “When The Pack kidnapped me, there was a face. I saw a man’s face tying me to that tree. I saw it again tonight.”
MCLEAN: “I knew it was one of those EMTs. Did you see him in the trainer’s room tonight? Do you remember wh-”
CHLOE: “No, Mr. McLean, not the EMTs. (she shakes her head) It was Rick. The trainer. He’s the face I saw!”
In the underneath locker room…
Melora sits in front of her open locker, turning the green bikini over in her hands. Nearby, Josie, still a little woozy, is changing into her street clothes.
Jessica, still in her gear, wanders over from the other side of the room. Sarah at her side.
JESSICA: “I’m so glad all this Pack and Tiana stuff is over. Cassie and Sunny looked so happy when they left. (smiling, she nudges Sarah with her shoulder) For the first time in months, I’m looking forward to being here.”
Melora looks up.
MELORA: “Yeah, I think I feel the same w-”
SARAH: “That’s weird.”
JESSICA: “What is?”
SARAH (pointing): “Teresa’s stuff is still here, in front of her locker.”
JOSIE: “And her locker’s still open.”
The others glance around at each other.
SARAH: “Did she never come back from the trainer’s room?”
Fade Out