<center>

#1 Contendership for the TCW Tag Team Championship

All three teams beat their opponents at Friction, so now they must all face each other for a chance to take on the Tag Titles' other #1 contenders, DeSean and Shadow, the Infinity Tag Champions. PD and Duo all have their sites set on Shadow, so they'll be sure to bring the fight to this match. Freya and DeadZone are no slouches either, and Freya's seeming membership in the New Hellfire Club means she's sure to be looking to take on Infinity. And what of Ghettofire and Hammer? Will they be looking to take on their stablemates for the gold, or are they just planning to soften up the new challengers?</center>

(It was about 24 hours since DeadZone and Freya had beat the Roxorz in Germany. Now? Now the pair were focused on two teams that stood in the way of them getting closer to the tag titles. Well, at least *one* of the members of this team was focused on it. The other one seemed to have other things on his mind at the moment. At the present moment in a hotel in England, as Freya was washing her face in the bathroom, her partner, DeadZone, was asleep, though it was not a peaceful sleep. Muttering to himself, DeadZone tossed and turned this way and that, sweat slowly building up on his forehead and running down his face as he did.)

DeadZone: (Asleep, mumbling) No.....No......what do you want? What do you want?

(His tossing and turning became faster and faster as this apparent nightmare of his became more and more, it seemed, horrifying. Yes, in this nightmare of his, DeadZone was face to face with that same hooded figure. The one he saw that night with Duo.....the one he chased out of the casino with Freya running after him.....the one he saw when David Hardy confronted him just before the show. Yes, his "old friend" was paying him a visit again.)

DeadZone: (In his dream state, he is backing up as the figure approaches him) Stay back! I'm telling you mack! Stay back! Don't.....Don't make me slug ya, you hear me?!?

Figure: It's quite charming that you're putting on that tough front Stephen old boy....but face it....you're scared of me.....

DeadZone: You're damn right I'm scared pal! I don't know who you are! And on top of that, whatever gobbledy gook you're spouting about "higher powers" wanting rid of me isn't ringing in as normal to me either!

Figure: (A pause, a chuckle is slowly heard escaping from him) You *truly* don't know yet huh?

DeadZone: Know what? What?

Figure: Hmmm.....Well let me put it to you this way.....The lovely Miss. Freya has a little bit to do with it....now.....

DeadZone: Freya? (A pause, he frowns) I'd better not catch you trying any funny business with her jack.....Or I'm liable to...

Figure: Temper, Temper now.....I have no desire, nor need to do *anything* to her.....I'm merely telling you this.....She is beyond any sane beings reach now, you however are yet to escape my reach.

DeadZone: But.....But what does it mean? What kind of nonsense is that?!?!

Figure: It's all going to be coming in a few days good Sir....but for now....I'd like for you to.....wake up.......wake up.....wake up.....

(The reason for this repeated phrase was that, back in the real world, Freya, who had come out of the bathroom and spotted the tossing and turning, not to mention mumbling in his sleep DeadZone, was concerned, and she had gone over to his bed to check up on him.)

Freya: (Gently shaking DeadZone) Wake up......Stephen....wake up.....

DeadZone: (Finally jarred awake by the shaking, he bolts up, nearly hitting Freya as he does) What do you mean?!?!

Freya: Jesus!

(Freya backed up a bit in surprise as DeadZone, panting heavily and wiping his sweaty brow, turned his head to look upon his partner)

DeadZone: Freya? W-Wha......When did you.....

Freya: You gave me a copy of your room key last night remember? I came in to wash my face up and get you out of bed so we can head out and talk strategy....but then I see you tossing and turning like you're having a seizure....talking about some kind of person....telling them to stay back..... (A pause, she then continued) What happened Stephen? Bad nightmare?

(DeadZone, the words of the Figure still echoing in his mind, slowly ran his hand across his forehead once more, then spoke)

DeadZone: Doll.....If I told you....

"She is beyond any sane beings reach now, you however are yet to escape my reach."

DeadZone: ....I'm pretty sure you wouldn't believe me....

(To Be Continued)

England. Mutaaz Tareef has been there once before...you guessed it, another place where he had one of his championship boxing matches. He kinda liked the place, but the people were rather tiresome to him. Something about the goofy way they talked, maybe. Not that all British people talked goofy...just the ones he knew the best. They probably aren't all annoying either....just the ones that Hammer has interacted with in the past.

Well, except for that one night Hammer spent with Keira Knightly. But that's another story for another time...

Hammer's got a pretty big match coming up in a couple weeks at Havoc. The winners of this match will become the number one contenders for the TCW Tag Team Titles and take on Infinity's DeSean Blackwell and Shadow for them.

Wait a minute...Hammer's in Infinity too, right? Well how bout that. Though, it's not like Hammer hasn't taken on members of his group in matches before. Remember the five star classic he had with Highone? People are still talking about that one.

Let's not count our chickens before they hatch. There are lots of tough competitors for Hammer & Ghetto Fire in this matchup, which is why Hammer has ordered a team meeting in the main room of the Praise Allah X-Press this morning. Most of Ghetto Grass isn't used to being awake before noon, so the 9 AM start time wasn't exactly their cup of tea.

Muhammad Jabbar is still in America working on things for his movie, so the only people involved in this meeting are Hammer and the Ghetto Grass kids.

Hammer: All right guys...we've got a big match coming up at Havoc, so I'm going to go over each of our opponents.

Hammer turns on the television and pops a tape into the VCR. He presses Play and we see images of everybody's favorite ex-Infinity member and Duo's match from Friction...

Hammer: Cameron Jones. I don't need to say too much more about this guy that hasn't already been said. He stabbed Infinity in the back a couple of months ago, and I'll never forgive him for that. He might be a worthless scumbag, but he was wrestling before you guys were born.

Yasmin: That's not true, he-

Hammer: He's been around forever. Let's just leave it at that, OK Yasmin? He's forgotten more about wrestling than I've been able to teach you so far. You remember facing him in TLC, Alexxx. He's a very tough customer and we can't afford to underestimate him. Now, as far as this Cage fellow goes...I don't know too much about him or his partner Elsie.

Ghetto Fire: Damn, that guy's huge!

Hammer: Indeed he is. Bigger than anybody I've ever faced. We're going to have to figure out how this guy operates, and how the girl plays into it. I've got a feeling there's more to that than meets the eye.

Yasmin: Isn't there always?

Hammer: Yes. Now, on to team number two...

We now see images from Deadzone & Freya's victory over the Roxors at Friction.

Hammer: First, we've got Deadzone. Seems to be stuck in a previous time. Wears a pretty nice hat, though it's got nothing on my stylish black turban.

Alexxx: It is very stylish.

Hammer: Thank you, Alexxx.

Alexxx shows a hint of a blush while the other Ghetto Grass members roll their eyes like so:

Hammer: Highone's given me some good tips on what he's like in the ring, so I'm not too worried about that. He is very different from anybody else we've faced though. That leaves us with........Freya Green.

Hammer: The newest member of our opposition. I understand that you guys have a friendship with Freya. Now, I wouldn't want to do anything to stand in the way of such a relationship...but it's obvious that she doesn't care about you guys anymore.

Alexxx: What do you mean?

Hammer: Come on Alexxx, you know exactly what I mean, more than anybody else in this room does...she's alligned herself with the New Hellfire Club. And you know who makes up that group of infidels, right? Jason Dante, Darkness, Misfit...

All of Ghetto Grass: Acolyte.

Hammer smiles and slowly nods before returning to his point.

Hammer: Yes. Acolyte. You guys remember what Acolyte did to you when you needed him most. He turned his back on you! He tried to take your heart and rip it out! After all that you guys did for him, he thanked you by beating the crap out of you! He broke your hearts!

Alexxx nods, Hammer makes eye contact with her and nods as if to say "I know, I know."

Hammer: Listen, I don't know this girl very well...but anybody that would associate themselves with somebody like Acolyte...well, you see what I'm getting at. If you guys maybe wanted to talk to her, see where she's at and why she's hooking up with that lot, I'd be down with that.

Alexxx: I think we'll do that right now. Let's go, guys!

Alexxx & the rest of the Ghetto Grass kids get out of their assorted seating positions and head out the door, presumably to find their friend Freya. Hammer smiles and opens up his newspaper to the sports section. An advertisement for a local wrestling promotion's upcoming event on the third page catches his eye...

Frontier Wrestling Alliance Presents A Night of Wrestling Action in Sheffield:

Friday, January 19, 2007

Main Event 1:

15 Man GoldRush Rumble

Main Event 2:

British H/W Title:Robbie Brookside (c) v Darren Burridge

'I Quit' Grudge Match: Stevie Knight v Johnny Angel

Johnny Phere v El Ligero

Tag Team Challenge: Manchester Massive vs. Shaun Bisley & Rachel Hunter

Hammer's eyebrow raises over the last line of the card listing...

Hammer: Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

One wonders if Hammer might be paying a visit to his old "friends" later this week. Well, he might. But you never know what else might come up before that...

"No, I'm going to the store on the corner to get us some food. It'll be safer for you to stay up here. I can see the entrance from the store, so no one is going to get in without me knowing it. I'll be back in less than ten minutes. Do NOT leave this room."

With that, Cage pulls up his hood and makes his way towards the stairwell, which is too tight for him, but at least not as stuff as the elevator would be.

As Cage passes each floor, he shudders slightly, a disgusted look on his face.

I can feel you all, fools... Such strong faith put towards simplistic ideas created by ignorant men. Fighting each other in the name of gods, and... hmm... some even trying to fight gods themselves. Pathetic, all of you.




"Time to go, Cameron! Let's pay our sweet lil' redhead a visit now that she's aaaaall alone. Heh heh heh..."

Climbing from his bed, PD decides it's about damn time to get something to eat. Maybe figure out what the hell "bangers and mash" meant. Occupied with thoughts of food, food, and more food, PD doesn't notice that he's not exactly heading downstairs, but down the hall. As he nears room 321, a searing pain pierces his skull.



As Deadzone takes a last deep breath of fresh air (if you can call it that), he steps back into the hotel. Out the corner of his eye, he spots the hooded man! Jolting around, he turns to face him.

"What the hell do you want with me!!"

DeadZone comes flying at the hooded man, realizing all too late that he's just planted his fist into Cage's side.



Elsie peeps through the peephole, then pulls open the door, letting Cameron into the room. She smiles up at him, but doesn't like the smile she's given back.

"Hello, sweet young thing...

Taking a step back, Elsie looks around the room for a weapon.

"Elsie! ungh... Whatever it was you did to me on the plane, I need you to do it again!"

To punctuate his need, PD purposely throws himself to the ground, doing his best to remain immobile.


As Cage holds Deadzone in the air by the skull, a shout comes from across the lobby. Cage drops Deadzone to the floor, turning to see Freya racing up to him. As she shouts nasty things at him, Cage again turns.

Crinkling his nose at Mutaaz, Cage turns back into the stairwell.

Disgusting, filthy fools.


Elsie kneels in front of PD, her hands on his head. As Cameron's spasms subside again, the door bursts open, almost coming off its hinges.

Backing up, Elsie moves out of the way, as Cage races into the room, lifting Cameron up by the back of the neck, slamming him into the wall. A familiar position for these two.

"Elsie! Get into the other room! NOW!"

She does as she's told, and Cage moves his face to PD's.

"There will be no more chances, Cameron. I am aware of the darkness in which you walk. And I am aware that it has nothing to do with the madness in your head. I am sworn to protect the girl from precisely your kind! The girl will not cleanse your mind again. You are useful to me as you help me dispose of our enemies, but make no mistake: I care nothing of your wasted life, and to see your soul descend into true chaos would only bring me joy."

Cameron hits the floor with a thud, holding his neck, wheezing for air.

"Elsie! It is time for us to leave this filthy place!"

As Duo walks past him, PD watches, still holding his throat. Cage was a means to an end, that end being Shadow, but this was getting ridiculous. As soon as this alliance was over, Cage would get exactly what he deserved along with Shadow...

"And I don't need the old bastard in my head to take care of that freak.

"...I'm pretty sure you wouldn't believe me..."

"Try me." Freya looked serious.

"Toots," DeadZone rubbed his forehead, "it was just a bad dream." Freya looked at him for a few moments before walking to the door.

"Where are you going?" he asked her.

"Me? What's it matter to you where I'm going? You don't trust me enough to tell me what's going on."

"It was just a bad dream."

"If you're just going to fob me off, at least put some conviction into it. We're meant to be partners."

"And that's why you told me about the New Hellfire Club?" There was a flash of annoyance on DeadZone's face.

"It was a split second thing, I wasn't just going to let Jason get beat up." Her face fell as she recalled the albino lying in his hospital bed.

"So they didn't ask you before?"

Freya sighed.

"There wasn't a good time to talk about it, we were in Vegas, and then you were seeing people that weren't there..."

"So you don't believe me?"

"Did I say that?" She sighed again. "We're not getting anywhere here, I'll see you later." Freya was out of the door before DeadZone could say anything.


**


Freya sat in the hotel bar. It had been several hours since she walked out on DeadZone, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to go back. She felt like a hypocrite being angry with him for not confiding in her when she wasn't planning on sharing her own secrets. She took along drink of the pint in her hand. She wanted to talk to someone, but her stable mates were AWOL, except Dante, and she couldn't start telling him her problems when he was...

She couldn't finish the thought and took another gulp of her pint. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a familiar set of faces. She turned and greeted Ghetto Grass with a smile.

"Can I get you guys a drink?"

"What are you drinking?" GhettoFire eyed the pale yellow liquid in Freya's glass.

"Old Rosie. A proper English Cider."

"Well, when in Rome..."

"We're not in Rome, Rome's in Italy, dumbass." Yasmin looked smug with her quip, the others just rolled their eyes at her.

Freya fetched three pints and a spritzer for Yasmin.

"Take it slowly, this stuff is stronger than what you normally drink," she said passing the pints out.

They sat, chatted and joked for what seemed like ages. It felt like when she'd first joined the Fed.

"So where's your partner?" GhettoFire's question pulled her out of her reverie.

"I dunno." She shrugged. "Where's Hammer?"

"We left him on the Ghet... the Praise-Allah X-press," Stoner chimed in.

"Not that he sent us to talk to you," Yasmin said quickly.

"No, of course not." Freya said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alexxx asked.

"What? Come off it, of course that's why you're here. I don't hear from you in months and then the minute we're in a match, bam, here you all are." She looked around at their slightly shocked faces. "I'm just surprised Acolyte hasn't been mentioned yet."

"And why would we want to talk about that traitor?" GhettoFire spat.

"He's not the same guy as when he was with you. He's matured."

"Are you saying we're immature?" Yasmin challenged. Freya was shocked and actually slightly impressed with Yasmin's perceptiveness.

"Yes. Remember when we got arrested? You guys were more worried about your bong collection than being in prison. And this whole Hammer thing: there are four of you, you could just kick him out if you wanted. What's the worst he could do?" Ghetto Grass looked at their drinks. "Come on Alexxx, you don't really want to do whatever Hammer tells you to for the rest of your life, do you?" Alexxx blushed and made a non-committal noise. "Right...ok." Freya stood up and downed the last quarter of her pint. "See you guys at the show. Take it easy on the Cider."

Freya waited until she'd left the bar before she belched.

"Dear Gods," she said, covering her mouth.

"Freya Green, that wasn't very ladylike?"

Freya turned around and found herself facing Hammer.

"Piss off, Hammer," she told him.

He feigned a hurt look. "That's not very friendly now, is it?"

Freya opened her mouth to reply but saw her tag partner being dangled by his head across the lobby from her. "Shitting hell." She dashed over to where Cage had DeadZone. "Put him down, you bastard."

She seemed to catch Cage's attention and he dropped DeadZone before disappearing through a door.

"Wha..." DeadZone opened his eyes and looked up at Freya. He noticed something odd about her. She wasn't scowling at him. She actually looked concerned.

"Can I not leave you alone without you trying to get yourself killed?" She helped him to his feet. "You ok?"

"Yeah." He noticed Hammer standing behind Freya, a small holdall in hand. "Going away?" he asked.

"Briefly," Hammer smirked. "Don't worry, I'll be back."

Freya and DeadZone watched Hammer leave the hotel.

"So what happened?" Freya asked, turning back to her tag partner.

"He...I....well.." he paused. "I thought he was the figure..."

"The one that said he was trying to kill you?"

"Yes."

"You thought it would be a good idea to attack a hooded figure, that only you can see and has told you that it wants to kill you...?" Freya raised an eyebrow.

"It was a split second thing." His voice sounded cold.

"Right, ok." Freya checked her watch. "Did you want to get some food? Taste some of the local...er...cuisine? My treat."

"Ok."

"I want a coat though, it's going to rain."

"How do you know?" DeadZone looked at the hotel front, trying to see out of the windows.

"It's England in January. If it doesn't rain, something bad is going on." Freya opened the door Cage had gone through. "Can you just check if I've got any messages at reception, please?"

"Sure," DeadZone shrugged.

"Ok, won't be long."

**

Freya exited the stairwell and checked the corridor. Finding it empty she headed towards her room. As she neared room 321 she could hear shouting. She hurried past and was fiddling with her door key card when the hulk of Cage entered the corridor, followed by a much smaller figure. Cage turned and looked at Freya, and she realised she had been staring, so quickly went back to her door. Just as it clicked open another familiar figure staggered into the corridor.

"Shut up you...she's not even your type..."

Freya sat on a bench in the gym. Adam Wilson was leaning against the practice ring just across from her. Freya looked at the big clock on the wall behind him. 10:30. DeadZone was half an hour late. Freya had managed to get the practice time sooner than expected, and had talked Wilson into coming down to give them some pointers, but DeadZone had been fine about it when she spoke to him the night before.

"I don't think this is going to happen today, Mr. Wilson." Freya stood up as Adam Wilson stepped away from where he was leaning. "Sorry for wasting your time."

"No problem, kid. Hope he hasn't gotten himself into any trouble."

"Me too." She managed to smile as Wilson left the gym but she was really quite concerned. This whole ‘figure' thing was worrying her, she was sure he was seeing something, what it was she didn't know, but it seemed intent on doing Stephen harm.

She knelt down and rifled through her bag for her mobile.

"I'll be gone in a sec." She called out as she heard the door swing.

"I thought we were training?"

Freya spun around upon hearing DeadZone's voice. "Where the fuck have you been?"

"I overslept," he shrugged. The bags under his eyes told a different story though.

"More bad dreams?"

"Are we still training?" he asked, ignoring the question.

"If you want, we've only got half an hour though." Freya dropped her bag and walked over to the ring.

"I'm fine," he said in a low voice.

"Are you now?" the voice was hollow. DeadZone turned and saw what he had been dreading: the hooded figure. He gritted his teeth and carried on to the ring. "Ignoring me now are we? That's not going to do you any good you know..."

"Stephen, you alright?"

"Yes," he snapped at Freya.

"You don't sound it. We can reschedule if you..."

"We're doing this," he growled at her.

"Taking it out on her isn't going to make me go away." If the shade had a face it would have been smirking.

"Shut up."

"I didn't say anything." Freya looked slightly puzzled.

"I wasn't talking to you..."

"I'm the only one here..." Freya looked around the gym to make sure. "Unless..."

"She thinks you're crazy, you know. She won't want to work with you. Why do you think she joined that group?" There was a weird noise that could have laughter.

"It's not true."

"What's not?" Freya's question went unheard.

"Isn't it?"

DeadZone paused.

"You can't even be sure." The thing laughed again. DeadZone couldn't take it anymore and flung himself at the figure.

"Stephen!" Freya cried out as he leapt into apparently thin air.

DeadZone crashed to the floor. He turned onto his back and found the figure still there where he'd been standing.

"That wasn't such a good idea, Stephen." The hooded figure turned to where Freya had been standing, except now there was just a wolf.

The animal jumped down from the apron and sniffed at the ground. The figure stepped away before disappearing. DeadZone watched the beast examine the ground. He wasn't sure what was going on, he couldn't see Freya anywhere, and how the hell did a wolf get into the building? Did England even have wolves?

He slowly got to his feet, trying not to attract the animal's attention. He was about to move away when the wolf's head shot up. He shut his eyes and swallowed hard, just waiting for the inevitable.

"Stephen?"

DeadZone opened one eye and then the other when he saw Freya standing in front of him.

"Wha... Where did you come from? What happened to the animal?"

"Well..." Freya wasn't sure what to say. DeadZone didn't give her the chance to explain though, before she could carry on he'd crossed the space between them and had his hand around her throat.

"What the hell is going on," he demanded.

"Let me go!" Freya tried to struggle against her partner.

"Not until you tell me what happened. Where did the animal come from."

"The animal I can explain." She paused. "The animal was me. I'm a werewolf. This figure you keep seeing..."

"What do you mean ‘I'm a werewolf'? Werewolves aren't real, everyone knows that."

Freya narrowed her eyes. "Is that so? Well, that makes you double the crazy because whatever you keep talking to is defiantly not real either."

"He was here though." DeadZone's grip tightened a little.

"He doesn't smell." Freya's voice was slightly high pitched.

"Smell?"

"Everyone smells, but since the floor was cleaned this morning there have been three people in this room, me, Adam Wilson and you. What ever you seen is a figment of your imagination."

DeadZone's face filled with rage. He threw Freya to the floor and walked out of the gym. Freya had landed by her bag. She looked at her phone sitting on the top of it, willing it to ring, and for an NHFC voice to be on the other end.

"Where the hell are you guys?" She muttered to herself.

**

GhettoFire and Alexxx walked into a small, badly-lit pub. They hadn't heeded Freya's advice about the cider and were now feeling the worse for it. They'd left Stoner and Yasmin on the Praise Allah X-Press, the married couple having their own hangover cure.

"God I'm hungry," GhettoFire said.

"You're always hungry," Alexxx reminded him. The pair sat at a small table and glanced over the menu.

"Hehe...faggots."

"You are such a child," Alexxx chided.

"It's just a funny word," GhettoFire tried to sound like that was the real reason.

"Is there anything on this menu that's real food? Look; toad-in-the-hole, pasty and peas, spotted dick," she shot GhettoFire a disapproving look as he stifled another laugh. "What are bubble and squeak?"

"I dunno, aren't they those little dinosaurs that blow bubbles in that computer game?"

"I think I'll have lasagne," Alexxx said, shutting her menu.

"You come to England and have lasagne?"

"Yup."

"Well, I'm having fish and chips." The pair looked at each other over the table. There was a long silence. "I'll guess I'll be paying then," GhettoFire said, finally giving in and going to the bar.

Alexxx crossed her arms on the table and laid her head on them.

"Can I join you?"

Alexxx looked up too fast, causing her head to spin. As her vision cleared, Cameron Jones appeared at the side of her.

"I...er... sure."

PD sat down in GhettoFire's seat. "Are you on your own?"

"No, she's not." GhettoFire reappeared behind PD.

PD: Hey...don't worry man. I'm not here to fight you guys. I just want to eat some food, ok?

GF: OK.

Ghetto Fire sits down at the side of the table between PD & Alexxx and listens to what the wily veteran has to say.

PD: You know, that's the problem with you kids these days....you always think that everything's gotta lead to a fight. I don't want to fight you guys. Hell, I've got no problem with you, really. My problem is with the man that leads you around.

GF: Join the club.

PD: I know he doesn't give a damn about you guys. He's just using you to do his dirty work. That's what he's done ever since he came to ECF...he surrounds himself with people to do things for him so he can take all the credit.

Alexxx: Now, that's not entirely true...

PD: Isn't it? What has he ever done for you? Fill your head with lies? You guys don't need him to be successful.

Waiter: How may I help you?

PD: Let's see...I'll have the spotted dick.

Ghetto Fire snickers.

PD: What? I'll have some faggots too.

Ghetto Fire continues to laugh while Alexxx sits and wonders if PD's words have any merit. Is Hammer really just using them? Ghetto Fire wouldn't question that for a second, and neither would Stoner or Yasmin. They certainly don't have a high opinion of Mr. Tareef. But yet, Alexxx doesn't seem to agree with their take on things...

---------------------------------

One might wonder where Ghetto Grass's employer was during all the previous shenanigans...well, Mutaaz Tareef had other business to attend to. To be specific, he was at the Sheffield Arena, where the previously mentioned FWA show was being held. It wasn't too difficult for Hammer to get backstage, as promoter Alex Shane recognized Hammer and was more than willing to let him visit with some of his old friends.

Friends? Well, Hammer thought they were. Or did he? Honestly, it's been so long that I don't remember what the premise behind all of that was. Some have said that Hammer had a little bit of a crush on Miss Hunter, but that was purely speculation and never proven to be accurate.

Never.

Just before Hammer enters their locker room, Rachel Hunter & Shaun Bisley are doing exactly what you'd expect them to be doing...discussing old Simpsons episodes.

They're such geeks, but hey, they're Hammer's geeks...

Hammer: Rachel! Shaun! My buddies!

Bisley: Oh God...

Hunter: What are you doing here, Hammer?

Hammer: Well, I thought I'd meet up with a couple of my old friends. It's been a long time, hasn't it?

Bisley: Not long enough.

Hammer: Oh Shaun, you were always such a ribber. Seriously though...I read in the newspaper that you guys would be here and I thought to myself "Self, why don't you go meet up with your two old friends and toughest rivals?" So I'm doing exactly that.

Bisley: Fantastic.

Hammer: Yeah, I think so too. You know, TCW's been on this worldwide tour lately, and at every bus stop the Praise Allah X-Press makes, people ask me "Hey, whatever happened to those two jabronis you used to beat up all the time?"

Hunter: Somehow I doubt that's what they say.

Hammer: I tell them I have no idea, because they wouldn't return my calls after How Few Remain. But now that I know where you guys are, I think it'd be a great idea for you guys to make a little reappearance in TCW for all your old ECF fans. So I went out of my way and purchased some front row seats for Havoc for you guys.

Hammer takes the tickets out of his pocket and hands them to Hunter...

Hammer: You wouldn't believe how much I had to pay for these babies. Sold out show...not like this show that can't draw flies, that's for sure.

Hunter: Ha ha.

Hammer: Seriously, have you looked out the curtain? Lots of people dressed up like chairs out there. Oh well, I guess that's what happens when you wrestle in a shithole like this country.

Bisley: You son of a bitch!

Bisley charges towards Hammer, but is cut off by some FWA wrestlers, officials and security. He yells more obscenities at Hammer while being held back...

Hammer: OK, OK, I can tell when I'm not wanted. But let me tell you something...if you guys are ever ready to step back up to the major leagues, me and the rest of Infinity will be waiting for you. With open arms. I hope to see you guys at Havoc.

Hammer turns his back and allows the FWA security to escort him from the locker room while Hunter & Bisley look on.

Bisley: I thought we left that guy behind in America!

Hunter doesn't reply verbally, but she's always known that no matter where she and Shaun Bisley go, they may never be rid of Mutaaz Tareef...

-------------------------

Back at the restaurant, PD eats his spotted dick with faggots while Ghetto Fire throws back a pint of Guinness and Alexxx picks at her lasagne.

Hee hee, spotted dick with faggots...

Anyway, our heroes are about to have even more company. Mostly because I need to give other people something to work with, and I'm watching a college basketball game and drinking some beer. Hey, I'm nothing if not honest.

Elsie: Hey Cage, it's your tag team partner! You guys mind if we join you?

PD: Sure!

Duo, you're on the clock...

"All right, Elsie. We will attempt to dine civilly with Cameron... but one wrong move by him, and --"

The spry youngster cuts off her protector.

"I know, I know. You'll ice the motherfucker."

Cage's eyes squint slightly. "I'm having the front desk cut off the satellite access for our room. I think we have had enough HBO."

As the duo head towards the pub, Elsie glances up at Cage, wondering why he gave in so easily to her demands... He must have bigger fish to fry, and indeed he does. Cameron may be a potential problem for Cage, but at the moment, he was unimportant compared to the others.



"Pull up a seat, Elsie." Cameron and Cage share a moment of cold silence, PD's neck stinging at the memory of the giant's hands around his throat. But true to his word, Cage forces himself to be as civil as he can be, given the situation, and attempts to find a large seat, eventually settling his rear on the bench beside the bar.



As the evening passes on, Cage watches the room, never involving himself. PD spends much time listening to Elsie carry on spirited one-sided conversations, while Alexxx and Ghetto try to best each other downing shots. Freya and Deadzone are more restrained, wary of those around them, but engage each other in conversation.

"Hello, friends!"

Turning, Alexxx and Ghetto spot Hammer coming up to them, patting them both on the backs. Hammer looks down the bar, then back at his homies.

"So, uh, what's going on with the whole 'dining with the enemy' thing?"

Cage watches the conversation intently.

"Yeah, we're eating with them. What's the big damn deal?!"

Ghetto has spun around on his seat to face Hammer, looking not too pleased.

"Ghetto, calm down!"

Alexxx isn't too pleased with things either, least of all the angry look on her lover's face.

"I don't exactly think it's the best idea to be consorting with the likes of them right before--"

"I really don't care what you think, you ignorant --"

"Both of you stop it!"

As the argument grows, Cage motions to Elsie, and she begins dragging Cameron towards the exit. Cage remains behind.

Deadzone and Freya also rise from their seats, ready to leave before things get ugly. But Deadzone is rather easily distracted lately...

"Freya, look! You must see him! Right there!"

Looking around the room, the hooded man once again eludes Freya's gaze.

"Stephan, stop!"

But it's too late: Deadzone has again run off after the haunting figure, leaving Freya all alone... Well, that's not quite entirely true, as she is now left standing beside her own hooded figure, the hulking Cage.

Staring at the growing fight between Ghetto and Hammer, Cage smiles openly. He then turns his attention to the woman standing below him.

"Isn't it a beautiful sight?"

Freya raises her eyebrow at the giant.

"Yeah, it's real cute watching the two of them about to pound each other to pulp."

He smiles wider.

"It is true beauty to watch one's enemies tear into each other. Your sarcasm is a weak mask. You and I take a similar joy in this, even if you won't admit it to yourself."

"That's a bloody lie, and you're a bloody fool for believing it."

Continuing to smile, Cage glances down at Freya, then back to the fight.

"Then why don't you intervene?"

"Well, I'm..."

Her sentence trails off, and Cage smiles down at her again.

"Exactly. Why don't you open your mind a little, hmm?"

Freya grabs her head, a sharp pain shooting through it. She senses something behind her and turns, face to face with Elsie. As Elsie clamps her hands on either side of Freya's head, Freya notices, through Elsie's goggles, the blankness in her eyes. She then closes her own eyes, pain shooting through her skull, as an intense ringing grows louder and louder in her ears. Cage smiles wider as Freya drops to her knees.


A feeling of intense fear and vulnerability rolls through Freya. But still she presses on, silently sneaking down the steps. Following the path of light, she creaks open the wooden door. The stench of blood stings at her nostrils, but something about it appeals to her... But her mind is sent into shock as she spies her brother, hunched over the bloody lump, tearing into it with his teeth.

Freya gasps and Bronson moves towards her quickly, blood dripping from his smirking mouth. Bronson lunges at her, digging his teeth into her throat. She screams, hoping this will call her father or anyone to her aid. But no one comes. Freya begins pounding her fists against Bronson's skull, and when one lands on his neck, he jumps back, choking slightly.

Her eyes narrowing, Freya lunges at her brother just as he had done, driving her fangs into the red spot on his neck. Bronson yelps, clawing at her, but Freya locks her teeth into him, lurching her head back, tearing open his throat. She returns her teeth to him, this time using her hands as well to dig into his chest, ripping flesh from his body.


"You three, get the hell out of here! I'm about to call the cops!!"

Hammer and Ghetto, still shouting at each other, and Alexxx, still shouting at them, are shoved out into the streets. Ghetto's mind still clouded by alcohol and... something else he can feel... he continues the pushing, shoving Hammer towards the road. By now, the former boxer is fed up, and takes a swing, popping Ghetto in the jaw. Alexxx screams, begging for an end to the chaos.

Fifty feet away, in the dank alley beside the bar, Cameron Jones lies face-down.

(A dial tone, then a second one, then a third one, finally....)

"Hello?"

(DeadZone sighed with relief that Freya had answered her phone. After taking two deep, tired breaths, he answered back.)

DeadZone: Hey toots....it's me....

Freya: (V.O) Oh ho.....you.....don't even talk to me after the crap you pulled at the gym! What the hell was wrong with you? You...

DeadZone: (Cuts her off gently) Listen.....I've....been doing some thinking these last few hours now....

Freya: (V.O, sounding slightly calmer) Thinking huh?

DeadZone: Yeah.....and uh.....I've honestly come to a conclusion about what's been happening to me lately....

Freya: (V.O) And that would be what?

DeadZone: I'll tell you tonight at the local pub.....I'll tell you everything, I swear....

(Silence for the next five seconds came, then, a sigh from Freya.)

Freya: (V.O) Fine....But if you run out on me again....then I'm going to seriously consider finding another partner for this match....I don't care who I have to use....Understood?

DeadZone: ....Understood kiddo....I'll see you in..... (Checks his watch, then speaks) two hours.....ok?

Freya: (V.O) All right....good bye..... (Click)

************************************************************************
(That's how the night had started....innocently enough, but now it had come to this. DeadZone had long lost the figure, and now simply stood outside in the cool night of England. Sighing to himself, he shook his head and turned back around. This was it....he was gonna get some kind of psychiatric help...He was gonna tell Freya all about it, and hopefully, she would support him and keep their partnership in tact, rather then kick him to the curb. However, once he got back into the pub, he didn't find Freya sitting and drinking normally, far from it. No, DeadZone found quite a....chaotic situation.)

Land lord: (Trying in vain, to stop the brawling Ghetto and Hammer) Stop! Stop this at once! I'm telling you, I'm going to call the cops!

Alexxx: (Also trying her best to restrain Hammer and Ghetto) Mutaaz, you've got to stop this! You two are partners! Please!

Hammer: Stay the hell out of this Alexxx! I mean it! This all ends now!

(DeadZone stared, mouth agape, at the ensuing chaos. He had come here to ease tensions with Freya and tell her he was going to get help for these "visions" he was seeing, he sure as hell wasn't looking to break up a fight and avoid being arrested. But why the hell was Freya apparently unconscious and on the floor? Why were Cage and Elsie in on this fight? They never seemed like the types who fought in mindless brawls.....And.....why all of a sudden was DeadZone feeling chest pains shooting through him?)

DeadZone: (Reaches a hand out towards the fight, but speaks in a hoarse voice) ....Freya.....what the..... (He slowly grips at his chest) Ah......Wha.....What is......

(Chest pains, numbness on his right side (most notably his arm), a feeling of dizziness suddenly coming over him.....Was it a heart attack? Was it a stroke? God, he was too young for this.....He was supposedly a healthy, fit man.....Why now? He attempted to walk forward, though his steps were lurching and staggered, almost as if his body was looking to fall rather then walk. And there was something else too.....Where Alexx, Hammer, and Ghetto were....suddenly.....three men dressed up as WWII U.S soldiers were.....and rather then a fight being broken up....the three men were looking over what appeared to be a map of some sort behind a barricade, obviously wanting to remain out of sight and enemy fire. Freya and Elsie were replaced with.....and he couldn't believe it.....an American soldier standing over a fallen German soldier. Cage was no longer standing by and watching....he was a French man, cowering away at the fight before him, longing for the American to over come the German, but at the same time, frightened at the madness around him. More shooting pain, more numbness. Now DeadZone's legs were beginning to buckle underneath him. It was like slow motion.....he first dropped to one knee, then to two.....finally......there it came.....he slumped over onto his back, and unconsciousness took over him. It seemed like a horrible way to end the night....not only was he apparently dropping dead of a heart attack, but he had to go seeing visions of the past.....a past.....that would soon be very familiar to him...

************************************************************************

"Hawthorne! Hawthorne!"

(A voice calling out to him. It was probably Freya....but it sounded like a male's upon second listening....was it a doctor? An EMT?)

"Hawthorne! We can't lose you soldier! You need to get up!"

(Groggily, and a bit surprisingly, DeadZone sat up. He had figured, at the very least, he would have been strapped onto a stretcher in an ambulance, but sitting up? And apparently on what appeared to be on a dirt stained cobble stone road, rather then the pavement? Slowly looking around, DeadZone noticed a few more....well....major changes to his surroundings. He was no longer in England, for starters, he knew that for sure. And he no longer was dressed in his regular clothes....rather.....like the soldiers he saw before his blacking out, he was dressed up in a soldier's uniform. And was that a rifle by his side that he saw? Finally, his eyes turned up to the source of the voice calling his name, and it was there he realized it was certainly no EMT worker....or Freya for that matter....It was him.....his old Sergeant.....his friend....James Badlock....)

Sgt. Badlock: (Kneeling down to DeadZone, a look of concern on his face) I thought those snipers got you kid.....are you ok? You hurt?

DeadZone: (A long pause, then, he shook his head) ......No.....I'm not hurt....

Sgt. Badlock: Ok.....then follow me over to those barricades....from there, we'll make our move....

(DeadZone found himself nodding, then getting up and following Badlock, crouched down like him, over towards two over turned jeeps that were serving as barricades. It was all coming back....slowly but surely, it was all coming back to him. Lord, how long had these memories been trapped within his mind? How long was he going to live his "life" as a wrestler and not know what his "real life" was? The whizzing of bullets over his head, coupled by two small explosions jarred him back to the situation as he and Badlock crouched behind the jeeps and faced one another)

Sgt. Badlock: Tough break that some of us got pinned down by those Germans like we did....but we're beginning to make some progress! Now when I give the signal, we need to go out, guns firing, and get into the town, ok?!?

(Again, without even knowing why, DeadZone found himself nodding. Soon, Badlock held up his left hand, then began to count down, on his fingers, to when it would be time to charge. Four fingers, then three fingers.....two......then one......)

Sgt. Badlock: (As he drops his last finger) Let's go!

(With a yell, Badlock charged, DeadZone following with only a slight hesitation seconds later. DeadZone didn't know, now did he care about anyone shooting at him, nor the amount of bullets he had shot out, or if anyone around him was being shot or shot at. All he cared about now was that he finally remembered his life, his real life. Breaking away from Badlock, DeadZone made his way to the side of what appeared to be a bombed out house. Crouching down for a moment and catching his breath, it took him a few seconds to hear the sobbing of a woman from behind him. When he finally spotted the woman, somewhere in her late 30's, dirty and frightened looking, with black hair and brown eyes, he cautiously crouch walked over to her and pulled her by the hand over to him, speaking gently in French to her after he did so.)

DeadZone: Etes-vous la blessure? Allez-vous très bien? Me dire que quel est mauvais. (Are you hurt? Are you all right? Tell me what's wrong.)

Woman: (In between sobs) Ils prendront mes enfants! Aller les assassiner! Ils sont si jeunes! Je ne peux trouver personne qui les aidera! (They are going to take my children! Going to murder them! They are so young! I can't find anyone who will help them!)

(She obviously meant the German soldiers who had occupied the town. Speaking firmly, but calmly, DeadZone responded to her.)

DeadZone: Rapidement, où ils sont? Où avez-vous vu que les durent? (Quickly, where are they? Where did you see them last?)

(The woman pointed a shaking finger back out into the street. As DeadZone looked, he spotted a large truck towards a dirt road, where two German soldiers appeared to be hauling people, mostly elderly and children, into them. I suppose they figured if they were going to lose this town, they would take and slaughter the innocents along with them. The faces of the crying children and silent, but solemn elderly, coupled with this woman's pleas sparked something within DeadZone. Gripping his rifle, and letting out a yell, DeadZone charged towards the two soldiers. As the people scattered out of the way, and the two soldiers looked up in surprise, DeadZone shoulder tackled into the nearest soldier, knocking him flat on his back. The second one shouted something in German, and dropped his rifle, taking a knife out of his side pouch to stab at DeadZone, though he managed to quickly punch the soldier before that could happen. With that, the German soldier lunged at DeadZone and got him to the ground, causing the two too scuffle about the ground and giving the people the two soldiers were going to hoard into the truck ample time to escape. The kids, DeadZone assumed, were safe back with their mother, thankfully, so that wasn't worrying him now....what was worrying him was this soldier he had to contend with. What also should have alarmed and worried him was that the first soldier he knocked down was now standing back up. Pretty soon, a sharp, hot, stabbing pain pierced into DeadZone's back. Ah hell, the son of a bitch had stabbed him right in the back. Letting out a howl of pain, DeadZone's body shot up straight, then slowly fell over much like the first time he fell, in slow motion. Thankfully, and somewhat ironically, seconds later, the two soldiers were over taken by other American soldiers and shot, but the damage was done. It appeared as if DeadZone was dead.....again.....)

************************************************************************

"Is this him? Is this the one?"

"It is....."

"He's the one who saved the children and elderly from being sent away?"

"Yes.....sacrificed himself he did....."

(He wanted to think it was French or American ambulance drivers, but, being proved wrong once before, he decided to just keep his eyes shut and his body still, as, despite being apparently alive again, he was in tremendous pain.)

"If he cared more about their safety then his own well being, then it's obvious he is fit to join the fight...."

"I'm inclined to believe you......"

"Shall we let it come now then?"

"No, No....Now is not the time....."

"When shall the time be?"

(Yes.....He remembered now...remembered the voices, whatever and whomever they belonged to, having this discussion....He never *did* see what they looked like....but from the sound of them....they were not from this world....)

"The future to be exact....."

"Then how can he fight if it's so far away?"

"We'll have him wake up during that time....implant some memories into him.....he won't have any knowledge of this life he's had...He'll think he's had a normal life in another time..."

"And when will he figure out the truth?"

"All in good time.....All in good time...for now, let's take his body away and prepare it for another time...."

(That was the last he heard.....then there was silence.....then there was white.....pure white....)

************************************************************************

(He awoke with no pain, no exhaustion, no nothing. How long had he been unconscious? A few minutes? Few hours? His eyes open, he saw no fight between Hammer and Ghetto (he assumed they had vamoosed after he had fallen), nor did he see Duo and Elsie (They too also must have left soon afterwards). What he did see though was Freya, sitting a few yards away from him, her head in her hands. Slowly getting to his hands and knees, and with the now freed knowledge of his life within him, he crawled over towards her and sat next to her.)

DeadZone: F-Freya....

Freya: (Looks up at him and gasps) Stephen? My God! I called an ambulance for you! I found you out here unconscious and thought you were hurt! Ah God, I knew that Elsie was crazy, whatever the hell she did to me was quite a number! I mean....

DeadZone: (Suddenly) I know what's wrong now......

Freya: .....What's wrong......with you?

DeadZone: That's right.....the vision, my lifestyle....everything..... (Freya silently looked at DeadZone, awaiting what this revelation could be) ....I......I just don't think you'll believe me....

Freya: Try me.....

(And try her he did. For the next 5 minutes or so, he spilled out his guts to her. Told her about his being in the war, how he saved those prisoners, or soon to be prisoners anyway, and lost his life in the process, the voices who pledged him apparently "worthy" of being brought into the "fight", how he was taken, apparently, to the present time....everything.....All that seemed to be left now.....was her reaction, which was one of genuine surprise and awe. DeadZone, once he had let all of this out, was in complete silence, a silence that was finally broken by Freya putting her hand on his.)

Freya: Let's go.....come on....

DeadZone: Where are we going exactly?

Freya: .....To talk too them.....my partners.....

DeadZone: You mean.....

Freya: Darkness and Dante? Yeah.....I do.....

(To be continued)

OOC~/SORRY ABOUT THE SHORTNESS Y'ALL JUST WANTED TO GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO POST ONE MORE TIME


3!
2!
1!

Hammer: "And we're done."

Ghetto: "Thank goodness."

Alexxx: "Why were you guys fighting to begin with?"

Hammer: "I always think its good thing for you guys to get your agressions out, otherwise they will build up and then you'll become clinically insane."

Ghetto: "Like Jabbar."

Hammer: "Exactly."

Cage & Elsie walk over to the trio.

Elsie: "Howdy motherfuckers."

Cage: "Forgive her, someone was watching the Sopranos a bit too long last night."

Ghetto: "Soooo what's up?"

Before Cage could bring up a topic; he remembered a certain something and turned around and said something to Elsie rather loudly.

"Go check on PD..."

Hammer: "Speaking of which, where is the spotted dick?"

Cage: "The what?"

Alexxx: "Spotted dick."

Cage: "Haha, that your peoples' nickname for Cameron?"

Ghetto: "Well you know what they say..."

Hammer: "You are what you eat."

Cage: "Of course."

Elsie: "He's gone."

Ghetto: "ADVENTURE TIME!"

So right now we got Cage, Mutaaz, Elsie, Alexxx, and Ghetto Fire walking down the gloomy streets of England.

Try to imagine that...

Oh wait you can, we have those little image things now...hehe.

Elsie: "So what are we walking to and/or looking for again?"

Hammer: "We're headed towards the X-Press."

Alexxx: "It's usually the epitome of chaos during the build-ups to our matches."

Cage: "Ah."

Ghetto: "And we figure either Freya & DZ will be there or the Spotted Dick."

Cage: "Well I think I just spotted a dick."

And there he was spraying all over the X-Press.

Haha, dick, spraying= hilarious!



Good Lord I suck at paint