The scene opens to a Television studio in the heart of London, where two black leather chairs have been set up in the center of a black painted hardwood stage, with a Seventy-inch television monitor about seven feet behind them having the IIW logo on the screen. In front of the chairs, is a mahogany table that has two glasses of water atop it, as well as a clear glass vase holding roses in the center. At the front of the stage, there are two steel tripods. Each one with a man wearing a gray polo shirt, black pants and black sneakers behind it, making sure that the cameras are pointed directly at the setup, before a man attired in a black suit with white shirt and navy blue tie with black loafers walks onto the stage from the right side. Gesturing to the two men, he takes his seat on the right-hand side, lifting up his glass and sipping some water.
Man: Are we ready to go?
The two producers nod, as he motions for them to begin rolling, with the image on the Television screen changes to one promoting the IIW's upcoming pay-per-view event, Keys 2 Success. Placing the glass back onto the table, the man looks forward, a calm expression across his face.
Man: Hello IIW Universe. I'm Michael Morrison, here with the newest edition of "IIW Weekly" as we head into Keys 2 Success. I'm not alone however, as today, I have a special guest coming onto the show to talk about not just his career so far in the IIW, but also about the big triple threat match he will be in. A man who last Mayhem, defeated both the number one contender to the UK championship Max Stone and the Celtic Club's Andy Donahue. Deandre Williams.
Applause can be heard over the Public Announce system, as Deandre, having heard his cue, walks onto the stage from the left. Attired in a charcoal gray pinstripe suit with a white undershirt and black tie as well as polished black loafers before sitting down on the vacant chair and looking across at Michael. A friendly but stern expression across his face.
Michael: Glad to have you on the show, Deandre.
Deandre: Pleasure is all mine.
Michael nods, as he attempts to remember the points he wants to go over with his guest.
Michael: First and foremost, you've made a massive impact since coming on board with the IIW. Plenty of people saw you as just another failed or former football star, looking to come in and cash checks without committing to the sport, but in your short time, you've silenced a lot of those critics. Did it bother you when you first came in that some were seeing you as nothing more than generic former football player number 1,384?
Deandre laughs, narrowing his eyes as he glares into Michael's irises.
Deandre: No. I don't pay attention to that noise. I don't care what anyone thinks of me, or if they wanted to believe that I didn't deserve to be here. If they saw this as me just trying to cash in on being a former collegiate footballer. Let them think that. Makes it all the easier to step into that ring and prove them wrong. Shut them up when their favorites are left on the mat, broken and defeated by somebody they know absolutely nothing about. It's as I said when I walked through those doors. If you think I'm only here because I "failed" at football, then you don't know the first thing about me.
Michael: I know you were a two-time national champion in high school wrestling, so how much did that influence your decision to come back to the sport when the Dolphins cut you?
Deandre: It's what made this sport my "Plan B". People don't realize that I bled for this sport in high school. That wrestling has always been a part of who I am, so I always left the door ajar. I always knew that I was going to be stepping into the ring, no matter where it was. No matter who would be watching. I told Max that before Mayhem. I'm here because I want to be here. I'm here because I want to be the one at the top of the mountain. The one carrying the weight and telling everybody else to match me. To step up and try and knock me down.
Something that nobody has been able to do.
Whether it be the likes of a man who is actually only in the ring because he couldn't cut it anymore on the field in Knox or two men who have been in the ring longer than I have and hold more "prestige" as some might like to call it in Max and Andy. They stepped up in the hopes of being able to match me. Praying to themselves that they could be the one to make me slip down the mountain, only to find that I am every bit the alpha that I say I am. That I am the lion in a pack of gazelles, ready and willing to take them down and leave them lying, looking up at the lights. Wishing that it wasn't their turn I told my agent as soon as I signed the contract to tell them to keep the seat warm for me, because I know I'm going to be scaling the mountain and sitting alone at the peak, looking down at all those who lay at my feet.
Michael meets Deandre's stare, taking another sip from his water.
Michael: I can't deny you have shown so far you are a force to be reckoned with in the ring. Especially in the main event last Mayhem.
Deandre chuckles at that statement.
Deandre: Of course you can't. Nobody can. Just like when I was on the line at college, there isn't a single person on the roster who is able to block me. Who is able to hold me and prevent me from getting to the top. It's not a matter of if I will reach the summit, but when. A time I think we both know is going to be coming sooner rather than later. You know it, I know it and as much as they may not want to admit it, everybody else knows it too. Especially those in the back who know their time is coming soon when they will have to step into the line of the freight train that is coming their way.
Michael can only give Deandre a nod, as he considers the best method to steer the conversation back to where he wants it to go.
Michael: At Keys 2 Success, you step into the ring with the returning Kenny Pryce and a man who many say is interlocked with you, considering you both came into IIW at the same time and have been equally impressive since making your debuts in Clyde Newton...
Deandre interjects, annoyed at the last portion of Michael's remark.
Deandre: I'm going to stop you right there. Clyde hasn't been equal to me. Yes, he's undefeated like I am but I have gone out there and made the show mine. Gone out there and made sure everybody knows just who is on the marquee. Who their eyes need to be on. I've been the one to set the standard that nobody is able to match, whereas Clyde has tried to make this into promoting his raps. Into trying to show that he's some sort of ghetto fighter. That he is from the streets, yet only showing that he can feast on a person who I already exposed and somebody not a single soul has heard of. Dude is running in second place and even he knows it too. He's the shadow. I'm the one out there casting it.
That's how it's always going to be between us.
Just look at how he let his obsession with me ruin his date. Man acted a fool in front of everybody because he knows he can't live with the fact that he isn't on my level. That no matter what he achieves in his career. No matter if he goes on to become a star, people will always see him as "the other man" who came on board the day I did whereas I am always going to be the star of the show. The one who people turn up to see and the one people want to be. He shouldn't be ashamed of that though, because no matter who it was, anybody who came in either at the same time as me or even anyone who comes in after me is always going to live in my shadow.
They're going to find themselves unable to reach the top because I'm already there. They won't be able to eat because I've already taken their meal and made it mine. He can talk or rap all he wants. He can scream about how football is dead to me and how he's going to beat me down until he turns blue in the face, it's not going to change the facts that are staring him right in the eyes. The reality is his best. His peak performance isn't going to be enough to match up against me. It's not going to save him from receiving the same dose of defeat that Knox, Max and Andy did. Kenny will at Keys 2 Success. It won't make the cheers any louder when he comes out, because the fans will simply see him as somebody trying too hard to be gangster when he's really just another wannabe. Another man who hustles, hoping it will get them somewhere without wanting to put the work in.
A small smile appears across his face, as Michael sits there, not wanting to interrupt Deandre's message.
Deandre: I can see it every time you talk. You want to be the man. You want people to respect you, but you're not about the smoke. You're not about earning that respect. You'd much rather just have them give it to you. Convince them that your raps are worth the paper they're written on and that your muscle in the ring is worth their time and money... when in reality, neither are. That's why you're obsessed with me. That's why you can't take your mind off me going into this match. You want me to keep the door ajar for you. You want me to notice you, yet you forget that when I notice you. When I make you a target, I don't stop until you're on the mat. Looking up at the lights and imagining that you are the stars swirling around in your eyes.
Beaten and broken.
Left with no choice but to mourn the time the freight train ran you over and left you on the tracks. Unable to move and with your last memory being of its cool steel colliding with your flesh.
You're just another message.
Another victim, who's going to be forgotten about and seen as a footnote in the history books. A citation when people reflect back on my career when it's all said and done as the first of two men who fell when I stepped into Wembley and made my pay-per-view debut. When I proved that all eyes should be on me.
Michael, having thought of a way to follow up this message, decides to cut in.
Michael: I'm guessing you see him as more of a target then Kenny?
Deandre chuckles once more.
Deandre: I'm going to be real with you. Kenny isn't a threat. Man is coming back and accepting he's in his father's shadow. He can talk all he wants about wanting to trend and be a viral hit, but dude can't go anywhere without dad being there. I don't know what he was like last time he was here, seeing as I wasn't around, but if he was anything like he was when he turned his camera on and spoke, then he's just like any kid you could find at high school or on social media. Pretending they're some sort of hit when in reality, people couldn't care less about them.
High on sugar and energy, but low on actual production. Only around so that there's a body for the real talents. For those who are setting the standard night in and night out to use as an example. So, Clyde being more of a threat than him isn't a high bar to pass at all. Don't worry though Kenny, you will get your wish of going viral at Keys 2 Success, just not in the way I'm sure you want to. It'll be when you're on the mat and they see you're nothing more than a kid who never learned how to get out of the kiddie pool and into the ocean. At least Clyde can say he doesn't need floatation devices to keep his head above water.
Michael: Don't you think that's a bit unfair? Kenny did showcase some talent last time he was here, and now he's back with his father. I'm sure he's going to want to prove to the world what they've been missing.
Deandre: They've been missing nothing. I saw his workout. It was something I was doing when I was in fifth grade. Dude wants to make appearances and try to make people believe he's putting work in, but he's not doing shit. He wants to be clipped, but doesn't understand that highlights aren't even one percent of this sport. That the big moments might be shared around, but they are forgotten when you have to go into the trenches. When you have to get blood on your hands and execute on somebody that isn't a crash test dummy. Or a stuntman. A person who is going to hit you back ten times as hard as you can hit them and actually wants to hurt you. Wants to leave you on the mat.
Picking up his glass, Deandre takes a sip of his water, allowing Michael time to think up another question.
Michael: I'm guessing by the fact you stated earlier that you're aiming for the top of the mountain, you're also going to have eyes on the world title match?
Deandre: Of course I am. It doesn't matter who wins, but I want them to know that when their time comes, I plan on taking their meal too. I plan on taking that gold from them and putting it on my shoulder and there isn't going to be a damn thing they can do about it. They might be the top dog right now. The one who has scaled the mountain, but they'll tumble down to the bottom just like anybody else who stands in my way when I step into the ring and look them in the eyes. To me, they are nothing more than the one who is going to crown me as king once it's said and done and the smoke clears. When the new standard is set.
I hope they're ready for that.
That seat isn't theirs. It's just a placeholder and whether it be John or Joe, they should understand that my line of sight is focused on them. That it won't matter when the time comes that their name is number one on the list, the result will be the same as it was against Knox. As it was against Max and Andy. As it will be against Clyde and Kenny. That is, with my name being announced as the winner. My hand being the one lofted high, only it will be with the title they once held in my hands. You can talk about how everybody wants to be at the top, but not everybody is me. Not everybody can go out there and not just reach the top but be the top itself. Be the man. The king of the ocean. Rule over this sport with an iron fist. I can and I will. It's just a matter of time.
Glancing across at the cameramen, Michael makes a note of the time, realizing there isn't long left until they have to get to the next portion of the show.
Michael: We're almost out of time, so is there anything else you want to say before we let you go?
Deandre shakes his head.
Michael: Alright. It's been great to have you on here Deandre and I wish you all the best for Keys 2 Success.
Deandre: Thank you. Don't worry, it's going to be a night people won't be forgetting anytime soon. That's a promise.
With that, Deandre begins to rise out of the chair, as Michael looks at the cameras, which are preparing to go to commercial.
Michael: Coming up next, we break down the Keys 2 Success card and talk about potential matches you fans have told us you want to see.
Deandre walks off the stage as Michael continues talking, heading back toward his locker room and getting ready to head back to the hotel. Continue his preparations for the match with Clyde and Kenny.
The scene changes to Hyde Park, where Deandre, now attired in a navy-blue polo shirt, denim jeans with a golden buckled black leather belt and black Nike sneakers, is sitting atop an oaken bench. Around him, children are playing soccer, jovially laughing and smiling amongst themselves, enjoying the sunlight and its UV rays. Reaching into his pocket, Deandre pulls out his phone, unlocking it and scrolling through until he reaches Melanie's number, remembering that she had asked him to call her earlier. Finding her number, he presses call before lifting the phone to his ear, waiting for her to answer.
Melanie: Hello Deandre. Guessing you got my text?
Deandre: Yeah, I did. What's up?
Melanie: I'm guessing Mark told you earlier about the promotional stuff we've been doing for K2S? How even Skip and Shannon have been talking about you recently?
He nods to himself, remembering Mark mentioning that during their zoom call a few days ago, shortly after he landed in England.
Deandre: Yeah. You know how I feel about that shit. I leave that to you and just give them the product they want in the ring. That's my focus.
Melanie: I know, but thought I'd tell you that we have managed to get you a slot on Undisputed next week. Make sure that we capitalize on the hype around you as well as your results in the ring since making it your primary focus. On top of that, Nike wants to do a photoshoot with you on Tuesday to help promote their latest attire as well as special ring gear they made for you.
Deandre smiles at this, having been a Nike guy his entire life. He remembers lining up with his parents to buy the latest Jordans and Air Forces when they dropped, even wearing Nikes his entire collegiate career.
Deandre: Alright. Where are they doing the shoot?
Melanie: They said they'll fly out to London and meet you there at two PM. Do the shoot and then they'll discuss a more permanent affiliation with them. They really want you on board, seeing as you've brought a lot of eyes on them with your appearances on IIW. Especially in the main event of Mayhem.
Deandre: Did you expect anything else? I'm the name on everybody's lips right now... some more than others. I'd sign me up too if I was them.
Melanie laughs, but she cannot refute that. His name has been generating a lot of buzz on social media. More than anyone she has worked with in her three years in the job.
Melanie: I wouldn't go that far, but you definitely deserve this. You have been our best client since you brought us on board with you. Both inside and outside of the ring.
Visualizing Melanie blushing as she states that last part, it's Deandre's turn to laugh.
Deandre: It's nothing. I told them that I would cash every check I write and I have. I will. It doesn't matter who stands in my way, pretending they're a wall or a barrier. Thinking that calling me a "failed footballer" is going to get under my skin or prevent them from looking foolish when the time comes for them to reap what they sowed for themselves.
Melanie appears to ponder something on the other end of the line.
Melanie: So, you heard what Clyde said about you?
Deandre: Yeah. For a rapper, he sure falls flat when it comes to actually being creative. You know, I thought rappers were supposed to have bars and hit deep... Clyde's words are nothing more than a surface wound. Something that you forget about almost immediately after it happens. He also appears to lack the ear capacity to hear who I'm talking to. Or he's vain enough to believe I was referencing his father. I was talking about Kenny and his father, Clyde. I know. It might surprise you to know that as much as you're riding me. As much as you're trying to get anything you can from me, you're not the only one in the ring with me at K2S.
Melanie: I figured as much.
Deandre: Though I'm glad he brought that up. Just means he knows what it's like to starve, the same thing that will happen to him in the ring at K2S, when he's left broken and without a meal in my hands. I get it, he's hungry. He wants to show that he's fighting. Trying to break away from poverty and make something of himself, what he doesn't realize is that I'm fighting too. I'm even hungrier than him. I'm just not out there making it define me or drumming up a sob story to try and get people on my side.
Melanie: Don't you think it's harsh, calling it a sob story?
Deandre: You know it's true though. Why else would he try to make it about his family and claim I brought them up first? He wanted me to do it so bad that he had to jump in and bite when I brought up Kenny's family to make it about himself. He wants people to feel sorry for him and is hurt that it's not working on me. That I see right through it and treat him like the wannabe he really is.
Melanie: I guess you're right there, but I wouldn't want to give him any more motivation. Remember, you don't want him being the one in the spotlight after K2S. It'll just give the doubters and media more ammo to hurl at you about your ego.
Deandre's eyes narrow as he lets out another chuckle.
Deandre: They'll do it anyway. They did it to me in college, so if they want to keep trying. Keep painting me as arrogant, let them. I'll just keep going out there and showing them that it's not arrogance but confidence. Self-belief. Knowledge that there isn't a simple competitor on this planet that matches up to me. Don't worry about me executing in the ring. I got that on lock.
Melanie lets out a gentle laughter. One that Deandre knows is accompanied with her sweet smile.
Melanie: Just make sure you keep your word. I don't want to have to run defense on Monday.
Deandre: I will.
Melanie: Good. Anyway, I'll send you a text later with the details regarding the gear. I've got to go do some things now though, so talk to you then.
Deandre: Sounds good. Talk later.
Deandre pulls the phone from his ear, hanging up the call before putting his phone back in his pocket.
Deandre: Clyde, you know it's better to stay silent and let people think you're foolish rather than open your mouth and leave no doubt? You want this match to be personal so bad that you hijacked a point to make it about you. You really think I care about your story? How you "come from nothing"?
Newsflash: I don't.
I don't have any violins to play either. Maybe Brooklyn does, so why don't you play that story for her? All I care about is stepping into that ring and showing you that you're simply nothing more than a wannabe. A hustler who cannot stand up to a man who is bigger, stronger, faster than he is. A man who is walking into a fight against a gun with nothing but his words and maybe a pocket knife. It's not personal. To me, this is just business. This is about making sure everybody knows who the next man up is.
A cold stare appearing in his eyes, he looks toward a vacant portion of the park.
Deandre: No rapping. No stories. No "rising up from the streets'' is about to save you from falling at K2S. From being helpless as you lay on the mat, asking yourself if this is really what you signed up for? If you should really have put music on the backburner for this? Think of it as the "fifteen minutes of fame" you've been searching for your entire career. The spotlight you have been working toward, only for it to be taken away from you. For your hard work and effort to have only led you into this collision course with me. One that was inevitable.
Is this what you want?
Think about it. Do you really want this? Do you really want the lights to be on you, or are you simply trying to make yourself believe you belong here? That you deserve to be at the top? I don't think you know the answer yourself. I don't think you realize the gravity of your situation. You talk about how you're here for the "right reasons" but are you? If you were, you wouldn't need to reference money. You wouldn't need to talk about paychecks, because you would be doing your own thing. You would go out there and prove money doesn't mean anything to you... instead of being envious of what I'm earning. Keep trying to pretend you secretly know my intentions. Keep trying to talk about how you're going to put me in my place. How you took what I said personally.
Deandre's eyes narrow as he leans forward.
Deandre: I want you to bring that same energy in the ring. Don't run. Don't hide behind Kenny. You want to come at me. You want to show you're the man. The one. Then step up. Show some balls and stare me in the face. Bring your hood. Bring the kitchen sink. Aim your Glock at me and see what happens when you find yourself in the ring with a real lion. A man who isn't afraid of your little street act and won't care if he sends you back there with nothing left on your plate.
Deandre's voice becomes sterner.
Deandre: I'll be waiting to see if you want to be a man or be a fraud. It's in your court now, Clyde... I've seen plenty of people like you in high school and college. They'll put on an act, but won't do anything about it. Instead shying away when the heat is on them and they're in the fire. Show me you're different. Show me you're about it. Otherwise, you're just a coward. An obnoxious pest who lives in his own fantasy, waiting for the real world to hit them.
I'm your real world.
I don't need to put on an act. I don't need to run around and play games. I'm the real deal. The article you read that inspires you. That causes you to take on this life. K2S is where you get to see it first hand and become the next man to fall, alongside Kenny.
With those words, Deandre stands up and begins to walk along the grass, heading back to the carpark. Intending to drive back to the hotel and take Jessica out for dinner before he puts the final touches on his preparations for K2S.