<center>The Hammer vs Duo
The Hammer has been facing some odd obstacles as of late. Duo has been on the warpath, but failed to pick up the Bleeder Championship from Kermit. Will the former boxer be able to out-maneuver the monster Cage, or will Cage's strength dominate?</center>

Mutaaz Tareef has quite a bit on his plate these days.

In addition to his impending departure from TCW to pursue a movie career, he now has to deal with the ending of a relationship. Tareef doesn't have very much experience with this, since the last significant relationship in his life took place years ago and ended with a car accident.

To be honest, he isn't too surprised that it came to an end in the way that it did. He did feel sorry for Alexxx though. Hammer can handle these things pretty well, he's a big scary dude that can be pretty heartless when he wants to be. Alexxx on the other hand...she's just a kid, really. Sure, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened to her, but it always hurts.

Or so I'm told.

Anyway, a wrestling match with Purple Camo was something Hammer just didn't have the time or the desire for. I'm sure that the man had accomplished a lot in his wrestling career...but was he on Hammer's level? Was he worth Hammer's effort? Probably not.

So he took him out. Busted him open, knocked him unconscious...you know, your typical heel beatdown. Needless to say, Ghetto Grass wasn't very happy.

Well, three members of Ghetto Grass were unhappy about it for sure. Alexxx hadn't commented on the situation, but she also hadn't left her room except to use the john in over a week.

Yasmin: How could you do that to him?

Stoner: Why couldn't you just be a man and face him in the ring?

Ghetto Fire: What the hell is wrong with you?

Hammer wasn't really listening to them. He has more important things on his mind, like his scheduled meeting with TCW Commissioner Valerie Stern that he's heading to as we speak. No Ghetto Grass, no agent, just Mutaaz Tareef and the Commissioner. Well, that's what he had been told...once he arrives, he sees another person there that he didn't know would be there.

Bruce: Hi Hammer!

Hammer: Well well well, my old buddy Bruce. Valerie, if I'd been told you were bringing a friend, I would have brought one too. A double date, if you will.

Bruce: Date? I hear that's not going so well for you these days, Frank. Did Jessica finally find some other rich bitch to stand next to and look important?

Hammer: Don't push me Bruce, you know I won't hesitate to put your ass in the ground.

Stern: This is exactly why I invited Bruce here, Mutaaz. Your recent mental state as indicated by your actions towards Purple Camo makes it necessary that I have some backup.

Hammer: Recent mental state?

Bruce: Hammy, that means we think you're craaaaaaaazy, man.

Hammer: I'm not crazy. Pissed off? You betcha. But hey, you'd be pissed off too if your girlfriend left you for some emo kid and your employer wasted your final days in wrestling by booking you against no-name jabronis.

Stern: Well, what are we supposed to do with you?

Hammer: I dunno, but it's not like you're using other people all that great either. I mean come on...Dante vs. Kermit? What'd that Tony Soprano wannabe ever do to deserve main event status? Darkness vs. Freya? What is this, a wrestling show or Love Connection?

Bruce: This from the guy who wrestled Rachel Hunter a hundred times...

Hammer: Why don't you let me kick this guy's ass again? He too busy hiding under your skirt?

Bruce: Funny, I don't recall you kicking my ass.

Hammer: But you do recall hiding under her skirt.

Stern: Stop it! OK Hammer, you want some competition?

Hammer: Yes I do. Real competition too, not some jobber or Bruce.

Bruce: Hardy har har.

Stern: OK then, I'll have you match up against the biggest and baddest wrestler we've got here in TCW...

All of a sudden the door to the Commissioner's office gets torn open. Elsie walks in followed by the immense Cage, who will be serving as Hammer's opposition this week.

Cage: You rang?

Yeah, it's one of my lazier setups, sue me!

"Oh. It's him."

Cage would be sneering at Hammer if Cage was in the business of making facial expressions. As it is, he sort of blankly looks down at Hammer, then to Bruce and Stern.

"Elsie, Cage. I wanted to talk to the three of you about the Havoc match..."

"So our paths cross again, man of faith."

Shaking his head Hammer looks up at Cage, who is still looking at Stern, listening to her speak. He could swear he heard Cage say something to him just now, but whatever.

"Unlike the last time we met, this time, I will see to your end myself. You sicken me. What you believe sickens me. It sickens you as well, you just don't know it."

Hammer turns his head quickly back towards Cage.

"What did you say?!"

The rest of the room turns their heads towards the Muslim Megastar. Stern's face shows a look of mixed concern and annoyance.

"Mr. Tareef, are you alright?" She really didn't need to speak to him as if she were his school teacher.

"Yeah... thought I heard something, that's all. Sorry."

"As I was saying..." The commish continues on, but Hammer pays no attention.

"It is your faith that gives me this avenue to speak with you. It is sick and twisted and allows me to exploit it."

"Discriminatory bastard! I'll have none of this!" Hammer is waving his finger at Cage now, the rest of the room in shock.

"Hammer, what we'll have none of is sudden outbur--" Stern is cut off.

"I don't need to take this from that big bastard! And the rest of you, acting like you just didn't hear him! I'll sue! I'll file a suit against this company! I'll call the Better Business Bureau!"

At that, Hammer slams open the door to Stern's office and stomps down the hall. Finally reaching the Praise Allah X-Press, Hammer bursts through the door in a fit.

"You won't believe what just happened, what those bastards upstairs did!"

Looking around, Hammer doesn't see what you might call 'friendly faces.'

"What, is it worse than what you did to Steve?" Yasmin starts off another round of ammo.

"Whatever it was, you probably desereved it!" She's followed by Stoner. Ghetto pipes up, and now all of them in the X-Press are talking at once, calling down Hammer for his actions against Purple Camo. Hammer can't get a word in, his frustration mounting. And then...

"The chaos you now experience will seem like nothing when you next encounter me, Mutaaz."

Holding his head, Hammer lets out a shout, and another shout follows.

"Leave him alone already, you guys!!"

Ghetto Grass and Hammer both quickly silence themselves, all heads turning towards the door to the bus. An upset look on her face, there stands Alexxx.

Ghetto Fire: Alexxx, I know you've been through a lot lately, but you do remember what he did, right?

Yasmin: He took out Steve!

Stoner: The guy that broke us all into the business, remember?

Alexxx: Yeah, I remember.

Stoner: So why aren't you as mad about this as we are?

Alexxx: He's been through a lot lately, we should cut him some slack.

Yasmin: Cut him some slack? Girl, you done lost your mind!

"Ignorant girl, she knows nothing about the evilness inside of you."

Hammer: Get out of my head!

Hammer darts out of the bus, leaving the Ghetto Grass kids to continue this argument amongst themselves.

Is is too much for Hammer to ask to have one week where everything doesn't go crazy? Apparently so. In any event, this whole voice thing is really starting to piss him off.

"Am I bothering you, Hammer?"

Hammer: YES!

"Good."

Good? Now he's just being annoying. After a day of more occurrences like this, Hammer decided it would be a good idea to visit a psychologist. Hammer usually doesn't believe in this stuff, but he's willing to try anything to get over this stuff. Luckily for Hammer, TCW employs a psychologist by the name of Dr. Margaret Fontaine. In her prime, Fontaine was one of the best psychologists in the country...however, it seems lately her work isn't what it used to be. At least, that's the way Hammer sees it while lying on the couch...

Fontaine: Were you molested as a child?

Hammer: What? No! Why would you ask something like that?

Fontaine: In psychology class we learned that the first question we should ask a patient is if they were molested as a child. If they were, that's usually what's causing their problem.

Hammer: Well, that kinda makes sense.

Fontaine: So things haven't been going well lately?

Hammer: To say the least. I was doing ok until a day ago when I started hearing this voice in my head.

Fontaine: What does it say?

Hammer: It talks about my faith and brings up my shortcomings...

Fontaine: Does it sound familiar?

Hammer: Yeah, it sounds just like Cage, the guy I'm facing at Havoc.

Fontaine: Ahhhhhhhh. This isn't the first time somebody's had this problem.

Hammer: Interesting.

Fontaine: There's really nothing to explain it that has any grounds in reality.

Hammer: Well what else is new?

Fontaine: The only thing I can really do for you is recommend that you take some medication for your depression.

Hammer: Depression?

Fontaine: Well, it's obvious that your breakup and impending retirement are causing your depression.

Hammer: But I didn't even bring either of those things up!

Fontaine: You didn't need to, I surf the Internet.

"There's nobody that's going to help you, Mutaaz. Soon, your career will not end by your terms, but by mine."

Hammer: Damn it, stop that!

Fontaine: Stop what?

Hammer: I heard the voice again!

Fontaine: I didn't hear anything.

Hammer: Of course you didn't, it's in my head! What the hell kind of psychologist are you?

Fontaine: One that doesn't get paid enough.

"What a crappy psychologist. No wonder everybody around here's nuttier than a box of trail mix." Hammer thinks to himself as he leaves the office. As Hammer steps into the hallway, he is greeted by a familiar face...

Alexxx: How'd it go?

Hammer: Not well. She just recommended I take some medication.

Alexxx: But you don't take any kind of medication.

Hammer: Exactly!

Alexxx: Hey...I just wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday.

Hammer: It's no problem. I don't blame them for being mad. Hell, I'd be mad if somebody took out my mentor too. It does bring up an interesting question though...why aren't you mad?

Alexxx: *shrugs* Steve will be OK. And there's just too much other stuff going on right now to get worked up about it.

Hammer: I see.

An awkward silence follows until that now-familar voice makes its reappearance..

"Hello, Mutaaz."

Hammer tries to ignore it, but Alexxx's facial expression changes to indicate a hint of fear. That combined with the heavy breathing makes Hammer think that maybe he doesn't want to turn around and face what's behind him....which happens to be a really big dude.