November, 9th, 2022
Concord, New Hampshire
-A cold rain pours down over New Hampshire. Despite the storm, a small gathering is held in the town of Concord, to mourn the loss of a friend. Not Osh Vaugh, but someone who helped Eoin O’Rourke be assigned for IIW. His name was Keith Moniz-
-In a 1965 Mustang through the town, Eoin O’Rourke drives with his wife, Elizabeth Devereaux-O’Rourke sitting next to him, both who knew Keith. Despite having history with him, the trip was an uneasy one.-
Eoin: I bloody hate this… Fucking funerals. People’s are dying left and right love.
-Silence. As his voice trailed off, expecting a reply she just sat staring out the window watching the passing scenery. The large dark sunglasses reflected in the tinted glass. Her long coffin shaped nails tapping against the door panel. Without turning her head she finally broke the tentative silence-
Elizabeth: I guess you forgot who you were talking too. I can’t say I share the same sentiment. Have you forgotten my extensive history of funerals and wakes Eoin? To you this is an unusual occurrence, a thing to behold. To me this is a Tuesday. I promise, you’ll get used to it. Give it time. After the third or fourth one you just start treating them like PR stunts.
-Eoin breathed in deep-
Eoin: God damn woman, you really hit it hard, and we ain’t even there yet! Look, I know you have lost a few friends in your time, but lest we forget that this one is gonna be different? There are going to be folks we ain’t seen in person in quite awhile. Folks we know for both good and ill. Especially that rat bastard Krimson, y’know what he did. And ya know what’ll happen if he steps outta line…
Elizabeth: You and I seem to remember things quite differently. Or at least these fine upstanding people differently. There’s more ill for me and less good. I’m only involving myself in this whole charade because I have too. It is required. Not required in the means that I have to actually attend out of respect or appearances, or even due to being your wife, but because if I don’t I won’t be able to look myself in the mirror for passing up an opportunity to ruin the day of everyone else involved. I’m not attending as a mourner. I’m attending as a pox upon the social event. Plus, Jarek is coming. The one good thing.
Eoin: Did you HAVE to mention him now?! We ain’t even got there and you’re already mentioning him!!
Elizabeth: Don’t be daft. You knew what it was when I agreed to attend. It is what it is. He’s family now. Accept it and embrace it.
-Seething his teeth, Eoin inhales deep-
Eoin: FFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
-The two drive through the rain as Eoin keeps screaming-
Eoin: UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
-And then they finally pull up to the funeral home-
Eoin: UUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCK! *EXHALE* *WHEEZE*
-Eoin looks at his wife and blinks rapidly-
Eoin: We’ll discuss how and where Jarek fits into our family after this shitshow of a funeral. Are you ready to get this done and over with?
Elizabeth: Quite. I actually checked out mentally halfway through your excessive fuck proclamation. Shall we?
-Eoin rolls his eyes and grabs an umbrella that was underneath the seat and exits the car. After he does so, he walks over to Liz’s side and opens the door for her to exit as well. Eoin stares at the door, sternly and uncomfortably as thunder rumbles in the air he grabs ahold of his wife’s arm-
Eoin: There is so much on my mind about this. I was dead set on getting this title shot and now I have to put my effort on this funeral. The funeral for a guy who I asked to find out anything for the guy I lost to a couple weeks ago. Seems… Too much like TV don’t it? Like some fucking episode of 24.
Elizabeth: It’s the nature of the beast mon cher. It comes with the territory. I know that better than anyone. Yesterdays contact is todays corpse. Tomorrows informant is next Tuesday’s “suicide”. It is what it is.
Eoin: Think this has anything to do with Mr. Vaughan? Wait, Vulva? Volvo? Oh who the fuck cares the guys fucking dead too!
Elizabeth: He’s dead, that’s good, amen.
-Eoin salutes-
Eoin: I just think this is too much of a coincidence. My investigator dies, then Osh gets blown to fuck. And it happens to all be when I’m getting my first chance of championship gold, and against Mon… Mon-
Elizabeth: MonTOURI. Carry on.
Eoin: Yeah that fucker. Still, it just feels like maybe someone’s out to get me. Maybe.
-The thunder claps again-
Eoin: Alright fucking hell! I get the point, you want me to get on with it!
Elizabeth: I didn’t think you would turn into old man yelling at the sky so soon, but here we are I guess. Damn CTE.
-Eoin holds onto Liz’s arm and reaches for her hand and they walk up the stairs-
-The screen freezes with Eoin and Liz, and then another Eoin walks up from the corner of the scene-
Eoin: Uh hey, you. Yeah, you. Seeing this, visualizing all this in your mind, painting the picture that you see before you. You’re probably wondering what the actual fuck is going on with all of this, and all will be revealed in due time. BUT if you’re seeing all this unfold, and you’re aware, like I am aware now, yes now, that a certain Stone hasn’t been mentioned yet. That is because, the greedy bastard was comfortably sitting as hardcore champion at this point. HOWEVER he got added to my title match, and it is mine, I earned it.
Allow me to um do a bit of an editor’s note at this section, yeah? Don’t worry, your featured presentation will resume in a little bit. So what do I gots to say about ol’ Maxwell Stoney? Well the slick fuck attempted to use logic his way into my match against Monmomto. By stating he’d already beaten Knox before me and that he should have an International title match. AFTER, by the by, he already beat three dudes, myself included, for the Hardcore championship. Then of course the guy pins the UK champion Scott a couple weeks ago too!
So, with that in mind I gotta ask, why the fuck would this dude get in literally my way again? Let me stress this, Max Stone, he beat me, okay. I know when I’m bested and I take my losses on the chin. Even with all my lovely prep work, my workouts, my money, all of it I accept my losses, and Stone won the hardcore title fair and square. THAT BEING SAID! He had nothing to do with J-Monz previously. Instead, he used a logic tactic on Shaun Hart, who isn’t quite logical, to punch above his bloody weight. Gave up his title, and get an auto title match, just to fuck me over?
Stone… I don’t know what to say other than to say… What the fuck did I do to you mate? Why is it when I’m given a fair and just title opportunity you’re there, to get in my way. Do you deserve to move on to bigger and better belts? Sure, but you jump in on a belt already fought over? A belt I want? That pisses me right the fuck off lad. This was never your match, this was mine. MINE!
I never had a negative opinion of you, until you did this. You’re a rat bastard for doing this. An absolute scumbag. I will ensure you forfeiting your belt will result in nothing. You steal my limelight and eyes for my match that people look at you, rather than me. For the sake of not repeating myself Stone, I bloody hate you. For me, against you, this won’t be about contracts, even though your price has gone up, it's not about that. I deserve this more than you do. I’m fighting and clawing my way up in this company. You? You’re just trying to show the world how greedy of a bastard you are.
*sigh* Alright, vent over. Now back to the program.
-The Euro-Couple open the door to the funeral home to be greeted by a short man who is standing behind a podium that reads “Max Height” while standing on a chair and looking down at a piece of paper-
Height: Welcome to the funeral of Keith Moniz. Please leave your coats, jackets, hats and other items at the… Oh fuck its you two.
Eoin: Oi Height. You little shit how are yea?
Elizabeth: Minimum Height. Joy. Are we sure there are no height requirements for attending or being an attendant at a funeral? You must be this tall to mourn?? No? Damn.
-Eoin laughs as Height stands in a very angry silence, who then extends his hands out-
Height: Just… Give me your shit and get in. Fucking O’Rourke’s.
-The couple smirk and take their outerwear off and Eoin hands it to the man of irony. They enter the hall seeing a room full of their former colleagues. Such as, Goddess Dawn, Razor Sharp, Jarek Vanders, Vlad Alucard, Cordin Ganea, “The Crusher” Vladimir Solokin, and Keith’s sister Kei.-
Eoin: Strange, was expecting…
?: Ladies and gentlemen!
Eoin: Oh fucking hell!
-A man walks past Eoin and Liz in a hurry and gets in the middle of the crowd and that man was Doug Sheppard-
Doug: I, Doug Sheppard, am so pleased to be back here, amongst friends in these very trying times. I know, we are all gathered here today in loss of my good friend Keith Moniz. A friend you all know too well. One who was caring, trying, wanted nothing but the best for everyone. The man who some would call the diplomat. One who tried to mend old wounds, and made us all friends. To make the past be the past. Because friends are-
Elizabeth: As if you of all of us here would know a God damned thing about friends. You’ve got some audacity to show up here with a monologue prepared for someone else's funeral, just to make it all about yourself, you bilge rat prick. There’s only a handful of people present that have any right to call Keith a friend and you sure as fuck aren’t one of them. Neither am I. In fact a lot of the people he THOUGHT were his friends are seemingly absent. Not even a floral arrangement. I’m shocked. SHOCKED! Well not really. Imagine alienating yourself, letting people walk all over you your whole life, making a fool out of yourself and then dying suddenly and tragically, only to be ignored and passed over by the same people whose asses you spent the majority of your time kissing to get ahead in life. A subject you know a lot about Doug. It’s the only reason you’re even here. The spectacle. At least I’m keeping it honest. I’m here because I pretty much hate every single one of you and know the feeling is mutual. But I will be god damned if I’m going to stand here and listen to you embarrass yourself and make a mockery out of Keith’s funeral in front of his sister and the true friends he did have. You have two options, shut your fucking mouth or I will drag your ass outside myself and curb stomp every tooth out of your fucking mouth. Bet.
-Everyone in the hall gasped audibly and stared back at Liz. They stared in awe and the only thing that could be heard at that point was the rain hitting the glass windows. Even Height entered the hall wondering what it was he missed. After the initial shock of the Apathetic One’s words rang, all eyes turned to Sheppard, who stood speechless, lost for words, and silenced for all his words. Everything he had said went back down his throat and he knew he was in a losing battle before it even began. He looked at everyone who stared at him with anger and disgust, especially Eoin. Doug, who was looking for anyone to step up to his side, quickly and hurriedly left the funeral home all together. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Eoin stepped up and cleared his throat-
Eoin: I do believe you all need to thank my wife for doing and saying what each and everyone one were thinking when you saw that Canadian cuck walk through here.
Dawn: Yes, thank you Elizabeth.
Kei: *sniff* Thank you..
-Kei ran over to Liz and hugged her tight. While most of them walked away to their own conversations, Jarek walked to the Euro Couple-
Jarek: Hard to believe that guy had me fooled once for being a genuine good person once upon a time.
Eoin: Jarek.
Jarek: Eoin.
-Eoin turns to Liz-
Eoin: Can I kill him?
Elizabeth: Absolutely not. Quit being a petulant child. Jarek! I’ve missed you! Very much so…
Eoin: No…
Jarek: I’ve missed seeing you too Elizabeth. Been too long.
Eoin: No………!
Elizabeth: Much too long. We really need to stop waiting until someone dies to play catch up. You should come out to Ireland sometime soon.
Eoin: Over my dead body will I-
Jarek: I would like that someday soon.
Eoin: Alright enough! You’re the one who wants to make this guy be like “family member”, and yet you both make these innuendo’s as if I never existed! And I’m literally right here!
Jarek: Yeah, pity that.
Eoin: This motherfucker. I can’t even fucking…
Elizabeth: Oh quit it. You know damn well I have had more than one opportunity to close that deal and I hadn’t. By my own choice. I love him like a brother. Nothing more, nothing less. If something was going to happen it would have by now.
-Jarek looks at his wrist to see the clock-
Eoin: Don’t count on it boyo…
Jarek: Well it’s actually important for once, and it does involve you Eoin.
Elizabeth: Business or social?
Jarek: Business. It’s never social with a guy who works for contracts.
Elizabeth: True. Fair point. Need me to step aside for this?
Eoin: No, you can stay here, me and him will leave and you can at least enjoy the catering. If this is “business”, I probably won’t be staying for too long.
Elizabeth: By Catering you mean slipping out back to get high and ignore everyone in here. Then yes.
-Eoin eyes Liz as she takes out a pack of her Gauloises, as Jarek and Eoin walk to the other side of the funeral home, where the casket was being finalized along with the outerwear's ignoring Height-
Height: Hey, where are you two going, the corpse isn’t ready yet. Hey!
-Eoin gets against a wall and leans against it, with Jarek standing in front of him and pulls out a whiskey flask-
Eoin: Well fuck, it must be as bad as I thought?
Jarek: No. Worse.
Eoin: Worse? How can it be worse?
Jarek: We don’t have any leads. There was… Nothing that could be found or traced. It was… Too clean. Nothing was out of the ordinary at his home, or missing. The only thing Keith had of note for you was this.
-Jarek reached for his jacket and pulled out a big folder filled with files-
Jarek: Everything you asked for, he compiled into this. Things with both relevance and irrelevance. You knew Keith, he went through every contact he could, and put in everything. There was something he gathered, and it was dated a day before we found him.
Eoin: What was it?
Jarek: Something about that Alexander fellow. The one who had his contract removed. It’s… almost like it was taken for refiling.
Eoin: Interesting. And you think this has something to do with his passing?
Jarek: Yes, and no. I think someone was following him while he was following your guy. An inside job.
-Eoin opens the folder with the contract for J-Mont at the front-
Eoin: Well, you at least did your job with your head on.
Jarek: Yeah, well, your place of employment has indeed turned into a dangerous one. I’m glad I’m assigned somewhere else, but you? I also just heard one of your bosses just died too.
Eoin: And where have you been assigned?
Jarek: Uhm… Re-assigned. I am now working for a certain French Diplomat…
-Eoin stopped looking into the folder just before he got to the “Blade Alexander” portion of the folder-
Eoin: By whose request? Razor? Or the diplomat’s?
Jarek: I’m uh… I- you know, I’m not entirely at liberty to disclose-
-Eoin slammed shut the folder-
Eoin: I don’t know pal, I think you, and me discussing while off the clock about our job positions is considered free reign and liberty because god bless this United Fucking States huh?
Jarek: Look man, it wasn’t as if I could just say no. Like our job is literally-
Razor: Excuse me boy’s.
-Jarek jumped when he heard another voice behind him and turned around to hear his boss, Razor Sharp-
Jarek: Jesus, I didn’t think you were that close to me Razor.
Razor: Sorry Vanders. O’Rourke, I honestly wasn’t expecting you to be here. Especially with how your wife felt about Moniz.
Eoin: I had business to attend to, bookerman.
Razor: At a funeral? You boys are sure cold. Though I should thank you O’Rourke for getting Sheppard out of here, nobody wanted his stupid ass here. Hopefully he will go back to whatever hole he has in Canada. As for you two, I’d like to think it would be wise for you to get on with your duties, and not interrupt this period of warning. Which means you’ll have to go to Eoin.
-Jarek motions himself away from between Eoin and Razor-
Eoin: You could’ve thanked Liz, Razor. She took care of Doug.
Razor: Nah, you brought her here, you’re the reason she took care of the problem. So thank you. Now, you should get going.
-Eoin sighs and puts the folder under his arm and walks passed Razor who has an emotionless face-
Eoin: One question though, bookerman. Why did you assign me IIW?
Razor: To see how you can handle things by yourself for once in your life. Maybe that title opportunity of yours will pay up to your potential. Even though you used to be Joe Montuori’s shadow in other places, maybe you could overcome it. Oh and, don’t get too comfortable with that so-called World Champion Cav over there. You’d do best to remember who your real boss is.
-Razor not once turns to look at Eoin, but Eoin turns to him and looks at him very disappointingly. Eoin turns around to find his wife who was making her way towards him while applying lipstick to her lips-
Elizabeth: You would do best to remember who keeps you in business and flush with the cash that keeps you enjoying the lifestyle you so enjoy. Unless you would rather my Father take his money, influence and contacts elsewhere Mr. Sharp.
-Razor finally turns around with a grin on his face-
Razor: That would be wholly unnecessary Elizabeth. This business is a fine job that helps everyone, including your father. Rest assured, I have the best interests at heart.
-Razor walks back to the hall leaving Liz and Eoin alone-
Eoin: What a tosser.
Elizabeth: Nevermind him mon amour. He’s just a big boy with small dick energy.
Eoin: What is your gameplan lass?
Elizabeth: Arrangements have already been made, you’ll have a flight to catch in JFK tomorrow, and I’ll be taking the car, and take a cruise back to Ireland with Jarek.
Eoin: … You fucking what?
Elizabeth: Have a nice trip darling. I’ll send my love telepathically and you'll feel it soon.
-Liz rejoins the party and leaves Eoin with his jaw hanging open. After a few moments of being alone, he grabs his coat-
Eoin: So this is what it’s like to be dead, alive.
-Eoin grabs his phone and walks out the door as the rain pours down and as he shuts the door thunder rumbles once more as the scene suddenly shifts to Eoin sitting in a chair, staring right at the camera-
December, 1st, 2022
Barcelona, Spain
Eoin: Been an interesting couple o’ week’s hasn’t it? Here I sit, in front of you, spilling out what has been going on with me, my life, and it hasn’t been easy for this fella. Because let me tell ya something folkers, I haven’t been straight in the head for quite awhile and this is where it all starts. Start with the knowledge of one of my pal’s passing… Then Vagnanov dies… And I’m getting my one on one changed because Max Stone has something to prove. Just keep spiraling outta control here.
However, I just wanted to fight that guy J-Momma in a nice, simple, good ol fashioned title match that I earned. Think of it like, Celtic vs CCPE thing if you wish. Although my allegiance to Cav is only bound by dollar bills, I have accompanied him to the ring already. So you can think of that. There is though more to it than just an Irish fella vs a self-absorbed goon for Chris Page. Because if anything to spice up this match, it has to have Max Stone in it. Right? Right?
Wrong! I’m the one who earned this match, and that punk waltz his way to Hart to get what he wants because “Fuck this belt and fuck that Eoin guy.” He has it ot to just fuck me over! Hell at this point, I wouldn’t be shocked if this ends in a bloody hand-shake between those two louts! Why do I say both of them? Because J-Momo would do anything and everything to just keep one shred of significance, outside of being a lap dog for Chris Page. Because when that goes belly up, and it will, Motoro will still want a backup in his pocket, and being a champion is one of em.
I’m of the impression that people have it out for me. Making sure that I never take center stage, never once getting what I’m justly deserved. I hate being told that I’m close but just not there so we have to bring in this third wheel to cover all bases. To hell with that I say. Here in Spain, my work is put on display for all to enjoy, while my colleagues and acquaintances I knew are no longer with us. For this match I will honor my pal.
-Eoin stands up, and slaps his face with paint, running down his face, wearing a patched up leather vest, with his family crest on the back, and a kilt-
Eoin: In my custom, we O’Rourkes wear traditional clothing to battle to bring our ancestors, friends, and loved ones to battle alongside us. In this case, I will not be battling Joe or Max alone. Because of them possibly working together, in a match such as this, the potential is there, too much for me to just ignore. With that said, I will tap into my Irish roots just for this. I don’t like to use it, often it gets people hurt for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A place where Max Stone currently sits. However, he asked for this. Bloody gave up his own belt just to do it. But I can’t fix stupid people. Only beat them. As for the one whose name I can’t pronounce… Allow me to fix your twisted mind.
Originally I was just going to go after you, full head of steam and kick your arse all over the arena, stage, what have you. All I wanted to do was take your bounty of a half a million, take your belt, and become the International champion. Now? It is far more complicated than that now. Now you have me who has to worry about a person who doesn’t belong. Which makes me more dangerous and compelled to just hit everything with whatever I can get my hands on, including you!
You may have been able to hold onto that championship for as long as you have through skill, but mine is untapped. It is uncontrollable. And if I keep it out, it will hurt someone… And I’m okay with that. I’m okay with hurting people. People who deserve it, and you most definitely deserve this beating. I want your title because it MEANS something! I don’t want to beat Max Stone, I want you J, as it should’ve been.
Unfortunately, here we are. A simple story turned into a big convoluted match-up. A match between two Newcomers and a veteran champion. A match where three go in, and one leaves as champion. A match… I need to finish. Some claim my match with Blade Alexander was my breakout moment. As flattering as that may have sounded, I need to prove however that the match was only an appetizer, and that this is the sign of things to come. And the only way to do that?
Is
Winning
The
Gold