The scene opens with Sebastian Hamilton standing by a jetty dressed in a three-piece Italian suite. Next to him stands a man wearing a tweed suit. He hands a binder of sorts wrapped in felt, to Sebastian who takes it and doesn’t even check it before stuffing it under one arm and shaking Tweed's hand with the other. He turns and begins to head towards the city of Atlanta… No sooner has he got off the jetty however than his phone rings… He looks at the caller ID and sighs…
Sebastian Hey Ally, what are you doing??
Ally Sebastian hi! I was just checking we were still on for lunch?
Sebastian Ahh he bc yeah, lunch! Sure thing, of course we're still on!
Ally You forgot right?
Sebastian Nah of course I didn’t forget…
Ally Seb…
Sebastian Ok, ok I forgot! Was there somewhere you wanted to meet specifically?
Ally There’s a really nice restaurant not too far from the Atlanta Brewery, we can check that out?
Sebastian Yeah we could definitely do that, I’ll meet you there in an hour.
Sebastian hangs up his mobile phone and places it in his pocket, holding the book under his arm he checks his watch as the scene fades out…
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…As the scene reopens, we find ourselves in a restaurant, called Blue Ridge Grill. Both Sebastian and Ally’s meals are out on the table starters and mains alike, along with a jug of iced water and two glasses. A seafood gumbo for Sebastian and hot smoked Salmon for Ally, for starters and a Fried Lobster B.L.T for Sebastian and Ally has picked a delicious Lemon Chicken as their main dishes. Both tucking in Sebastian looks up at the Combat reporter.
Sebastian So clear this up with me love, is this a professional interview?
Ally Yes of co…-
Sebastian Or your way of getting me out on a lunch date??
Ally is stopped in her tracks, mouthful of food and cheeks as red as beetroot.
Ally This is strictly a professional appointment I can assure you, Mr. Hamilton.
Sebastian I’m only joking sweetheart I know you don’t do lunch dates. Anyway, what’s on your mind?
Ally What do you mean I do… Nevermind. Look a lot has been said about your approach for the belts on Combat, Sebastian and I’m wondering what the end goal here is?
Sebastian Ally, I won’t even tell Kalvin Dayspring or even other members of The Nightmare Court just yet, I’m not going to give away my plan before I’ve even stepped into the ring against Cyrus, which is where I need to seal the gate shut…
Ally Sorry, what gates are you talking about, Seb?
Sebastian Hmm? The gates that keep allowing imbecilic individuals like Kalvin Dayspring and Cyrus Youngblood from getting involved in my business of course. The floodgates of idiocy if you will, that let these morons believe that they can stop me.
Ally Absolutely, I wasn’t sure if you meant figuratively speaking or literally… And what of Cyrus Youngblood? Kalvin believes he’s deserving of a rematch with you, due to the intervention of other members of The Nightmare Court and will have them locked up this time around… Your take on that?
They both continue to tuck into their meals, as Sebastian picks up his glass of water and takes a few sips while seemingly thinking.
Sebastian Well I’m pissed off if I’m gonna be honest with you, Ally. The match I had with Cyrus, had both belts up for grabs as I keep explaining! Which includes the Hardcore Title… Now some may view that as having some discoloration in context but it’s simply black and white, sweetheart. The very definition of Hardcore rules is “anything goes” so there’s absolutely no difference in Sebastian Hamilton using a chair or Kendo stick on an opponent during that match and, say, enlisting one of my brothers or another TNC member to do it for me…
Ally You know, that is true… All of it, the more I consider it the more I feel like you’re getting a raw deal there.
Sebastian You think? Heh… But come Riot Act, Kalvin is gonna have to come up with a new plan.
Ally smiles as she finishes her Salmon starter and is now working her way through her Lemon Chicken. Her eyes wander to the felt wrapped item on the chair next to Sebastian and she nods towards it.
Ally And that?
Sebastian That'll be for another time, it’s part of an acquisition I’ve been making. Speaking of acquisitions though, I really do like this place, I want it… I think I’m going to speak to the owner…
Ally can’t help but smile at Sebastian’s directness as he gets the attention of the waiter and we watch as the scene dissolves into darkness…
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… A few hours later and as the moon hovers in the night sky above Briarlake forest, Atlanta and rains down illuminated blemishes into the trees, we spot Sebastian Hamilton standing by the bank of a rapidly flowing body of water. He is wearing a pair of black wading boots, black jeans and what looks to be a raincoat as he just gazed over the bank…
Sebastian So Combat is turning into one of those circuses, is it? Kalvin has put me through absolutely everything he could possibly think of to attempt to dismantle the operation that The Nightmare Court has going on, the project that Sebastian Hamilton has brought to IIW and FNC and it seems like he can’t find anyone wanting to take me on anymore, everybody has decided to stay in their own lane so much so, that Dayspring has chosen to give none other than CYRUS YOUNGBLOOD another shot, at Sebastian Hamilton! Another crack at the whip and this time he’s gonna have The Nightmare Court, locked up at ringside! Well, what are you waiting for Cyrus?!
I mean mate, this is literally gonna be the very best shot you’ve got, at taking the belts away from me, you’ve got to realise that surely? When you go whining and sulking about how I used every advantage at my disposal in a match where ANYTHING GOES due to the IIW Hardcore belt being on the line, then you’ve got to see that what’s happening here is being done at the very minimal so you manage to get something out of this, other than battered once again?! Sebastian Hamilton will have no assurances or assistance at ringside and yet I can’t help but think you will… But that’s okay fella because unlike you I don’t actually NEED the help! I just don’t really give a shit about whether or not I use it and if I do, it’s because I WANT them involved.
At the end of the day Cyrus, can you truly say you’re ready for this? Can you really look at yourself in the mirror, be reminded of what happened between you and me at Theatre of War, when I took the IIW Uprising Championship from your shoulder and declare that you are prepared to step into the ring with me again? Nightmare Court or not sunshine, I’m going to wipe that forehead of yours off the planet… What happened at TOW was just a taster of what’s to come this week at Riot Act believe me. So when you stare back at your reflection mate and you ask yourself what you’re in for, the answer is a shedload of pain and awkward inadequacies after we’re done because believe me Cyrus I’m gonna make you wish you’d been laid to rest…
Sebastian takes a tin from his pocket and grabs a cigarette, placing it in his mouth. He pulls a lighter from the other pocket and lights it, then sticks both back in his coat and takes a drag of the cigarette, before blowing smoke in the air as a small pitter-patter of rain begins to fall.
Sebastian You have claimed Cyrus, that I’m greedy, sinful and whilst I may indeed like a vice or two, greed isn’t one of the seven deadly sins I play poker with. I am collecting belts simply because I can and to make a point of Kalvin Dayspring… I will take you out at Riot Act, I will end your quest for either of the belts I carry and I will move on, to whoever is holding the IIW Television title at the end of the night, out of TJ Alexander and Andre Cash… You respect the fact I am what I am and whilst that doesn’t change the narrative I do appreciate that you mate, understand the predicament you’re in, because you’ve figured out by now that I do indeed have no ulterior motives and you will get exactly what you’ve paid for and what you ask for, where sebastian Hamilton is concerned and that is a man with nothing to lose, yes, despite me holding the IIW Hardcore and Uprising Championships!
The thing I don’t get bruv, is why you’ve even taken this second chance on? Why have you even bothered accepting this opportunity that Dayspring has given you when you couldn’t finish me off to begin with, at TOW? I mean you were so keen to not only stop me getting my hands on the Uprising Title but also taking my Hardcore belt too, but do you know what I think happened, Cyrus? I think that your mind wandered and you got distracted… I think that the thought of holding both belts made you tingle inside and you took your eye off the goal for one second, am I right? Of course I am because at the end of the day everybody wants a belt, Cyrus… Anyone who climbs into that ring and says it isn’t for the accolades is lying, including you.
You know I do owe you an apology though, Cyrus because it was evident prior to our meeting that I happened to trigger you quite massively. Your rant, which I’ll be honest, I only caught after I’d left you reeling in the squared circle, was pretty sad and I felt so awful leaving you crying like that… Because you were crying weren’t you fella? You were annoyed that I said I didn’t believe you could live up to half your claims and you, my friend, have done absolutely nothing to prove me wrong… Even now, you’ve done absolutely nothing whatsoever to prove to me that you can handle this pressure. You faced the former World Champion, Caleb Scott after we duked it out and you just seem to have… Lost your way I guess, pal?
So let this just be a simple piece of advice to you, from me, Cyrus… If you value your career, if you value what life you have left on this planet, to shall we say cleanse the souls of this God Forsaken rock… Then, you may as well just not show up at Riot Act. For if you do then you should know mate that I for one, will not be held responsible for what happens to you… Again, this isn’t a warning to you, but merely some advice to assist you in whatever path you decide to take next. You’ve got a lot of the Lord’s work to do Cyrus, you wouldn’t want to hinder that by getting wreckless now, would you? Because that’s genuinely what I feel you’ll end up doing mate… You’re going to get this little itch you need to scratch and you won’t take your foot off the peddle until you get it. And that itch is me, I’ll see you Friday night son…
Sebastian flicks the cigarette, before turning away and walking through the thick forest, as the scene fades to black.