Bored of Directors

[Roberto Verona]

You’re not fooling anyone, Angel. 

All of this psycho-babble about getting inside my head whilst projecting a siege mentality for your own cerebral defence, it’s just bravado and a misinterpretation of the situation you’ve found yourself in. 

I’ll never deny that you have gotten under my skin, and you deserve… praise is perhaps the wrong word, recognition perhaps, for being one of the only people to genuinely earn yourself a portion of disdain from me. However, if you want to believe the fallacy that you can somehow cause me to unravel by attacking those I love, then you’re fooling yourself with a false dichotomy. 

As for getting inside your skull? 

I think the fact that you are so obsessed with me undermines yours boasts of mental stability. You’re just as fragile as the rest of the worms searching for something in Simon, it just so happens that it manifests in brutality and ruthless ambition instead of a cowering wreck. 

I can see right through you, the only thing I can’t see is what you truly have to gain from this unholy alliance. 

Me? I get to chase you off, tick off another legend from my list of men I was told I’d never be better than, save my company and yes, bask in the adulation that comes with it. You? Do you just get to bask in chaos? Perhaps strut around the back proud in the knowledge that you were the only man to truly best me? Exploit the disintegration of order and turn this place into your personal playground? 

It could be a number of things, and truthfully, it’s not the way you threaten my social life or insult me time and again that makes you dangerous, it’s the fact that your motives… your real motives, are clouded. 

The only irony is that if you somehow manage to achieve them, Simon will never allow you to exercise the power you crave. He may be allowing you to rule de facto in his stead at present, but that is only because he knows when and when not to get his hands dirty. 

I know your probably understand that your grip on absolute control is on a limited time only basis, but what you fail to grasp is that when you’ve dispatched me, usurping the power that Simon wields to stay on top will not be the walk in the park you no doubt assume it will be. Everything you think I am not capable of, Simon wrote the book on. All your parlour tricks, the sick little games, they’re just standard business practice to him. 

Simon is a billionaire who profits from the deaths of millions and the promotion of global conflict, do you really believe you stand a chance against a man like that, just because he doesn’t have a trophy cabinet full of wrestling belts? 

But then, I guess you don’t care, do you? 

Your focus, as erratic as it may be, right now is to simply destroy me. 

To take everything I built and burn it before my very eyes whilst humbling me before the entire world, slaying my aura of invincibility. 

You see me as the Dark Knight, the White Knight, whatever persona you wish to apply to me… yet you fail to spot the obvious. I am the best professional wrestler in the business today, I’ve proved it time and time again, every time I am face with adversity, I rise above it, any challenge you may set, I will conquer it. Ultimately, you’ll have to settle this inside a ring with me and when push comes to shove, regardless of your legacy… 

I will defeat you. 

Your pantomime tricks can only get you so far, Angel. You’re going to have to put me down and make sure I cannot get back up and there hasn’t been a man, woman or self-professed God capable of doing that. I have a drive that surpasses your sadism, I will never lay down for you and accept defeat, not with what is at stake here. 

This weekend, I will prove to the world that you’re just a man, and once the myth has been debunked, I will do unto your what you promise to do to me. 

I will destroy you.

The sun begins to set over the Chicago skyline as we join Roberto Verona, sat in a large leather chair in his ornate office at the headquarters of the Imperial Wrestling Federation. Leaning back he twirls the coiled wire of his telephone around one finger as he holds it against his ear with the other, rotating on his chair left and right in increments.

Roberto Verona: Yes, I saw the look on his face… I know, you did good… I’m not having this argument again, you’re not allowed back at the arena’s yet, not whilst he’s still able to walk… do we really have to have this conversation?

Suddenly, Verona looks up and see’s Kelly Fox and Zelda Knite stood in the doorway to his office.

Roberto Verona: I have to go, Hannah, just try to enjoy yourself… I love you too, good bye.

Lowering the phone from his ear he slowly places it back on its stand, waving his other hand to welcome the pair in.

Roberto Verona: What can I do for you two ladies?

Kelly Fox: We just wanted to pop by and congratulate you on your wise appointment.

Roberto Verona: Don’t you mean gloat?

Kelly laughs.

Kelly Fox: We’re not fooling anyone, huh?

Roberto Verona: I’m grateful for the support, Kelly. Honestly.

Kelly Fox: Is that a thank you?

Roberto Verona: No, it’s a statement of a fact.

The pair laugh as Roberto leans back in his chair, the recent weeks of unease seemingly dissipating a little as the tension which had enveloped him recedes slightly.

Roberto Verona: We both know you don’t make social calls, Kelly, what’s the problem?

Kelly pouts a little.

Kelly Fox: The Board of Directors.

Roberto Verona: I thought we had them under control?

Kelly Fox: We did. But last week there was an emergency meeting called and, ironically, my invitation got “lost in cyber space.” Suffice to say my sources inform me that Simon effectively locked them in a room and reminded them of where their loyalties should lie.

Verona’s apparent moment of relaxation comes to an abrupt end as he leans forward.

Roberto Verona: So they’re back under his thumb?

Kelly Fox: Yes and no, some were understandably terrified, others are frankly getting tired of his games and constant attempts to undermine you.

Roberto Verona: Believe me, they’re not as tired as I am…

Roberto sighs.

Roberto Verona: What do you need?

Kelly Fox: Honestly? Time. The longer Simon plays favourites and messes people about, the greater their frustration will be.

Roberto Verona: You want me to hold off fighting back?

Kelly Fox: No, that’s not what I mean. I just need you to keep doing what you’re doing, but lull Simon into a false sense of victory, the more he throws his weight around the more people will turn against him and you can take back the power he usurped from you.

Roberto Verona: You think that will work?

Kelly Fox: It’s worth a shot, nobody can act without the will of the board, we need them on side, Simon rules them through fear, you need to rule them through wisdom. I’m used to dealing with them, just let me handle it.

Roberto nods.

Roberto Verona: Ok, I’ll give you time.

Kelly Fox: Thank you.

Kelly turns to walk out of the office as Roberto stands up.

Roberto Verona: Kelly…

Kelly Fox: Yes?

Roberto Verona: How is Hannah doing?

Kelly Fox: What do you mean?

Roberto Verona: I haven’t seen her in two weeks since you moved her to your hideout, she’s pretty distant on the phone.

Kelly Fox: Give her time, Roberto, she thinks you pushed her away. You did what you had to, just let her contribute from a distance when she can…

Roberto Verona: I just want her to be safe…

Kelly smiles, stepping forward and placing a reassuring hand on Verona’s arm.

Kelly Fox: And she will be, just do what you need to do. Women are a funny breed, when she sees you drive your foot through Angel’s face, she’ll soon forgive you.

Kelly nods her head, turning and exiting the room along with Zelda as Verona closes his eyes and sighs, shaking his head as the scene slowly fades to black.

So, I guess it would be remiss of me to completely ignore the other factors in this match.

Spike Kane’s little bitch and Gjenrei.

And of course a very prestigious prize in the IWF Cruiserweight Championship.

Normally, I wouldn’t dream of relegating a belt to a secondary position in a match, regardless of the build-up before it but quite frankly, despite the pride I would have wearing it around my waist, it simply isn’t my objective to become champion this week.

I am here to stop Angel from getting his filthy hands on that belt to prevent it from becoming his personal plaything and truly believing he can simply do as he pleases. I actually care, contrary to what you may believe, Bob, about how this belt is perceived but God knows I have absolutely no confidence in your ability to prevent Angel from getting what he wants.

Being halfway up the colon of Spike Kane wouldn’t save you from being consumed by Simon’s cohorts to place it on the man he has invested so much into.

You’re right, what should be a match about this belt has assumed the veneer of one being all about the future of this company, a mere afterthought in a grander scheme yet, despite your frankly bizarre assumptions about my character, I am here to do everything in my power to prevent that becoming a regular occurrence.

But then, it’s all my fault that this company is falling apart, isn’t it? I step back to allow men like you to finally have a chance to be more than a sidekick, which you ironically have decided to be anyway, I am somehow the villain. When I dominate the company and have title shots, I am an egomaniac who is just fuelling my own fragile sense of entitlement.

The illusions, and delusions, which people have built up about me are contradictory, farcical and frankly a little amusing.

Listen, Bob, you can keep puffing out your chest and acting like a bad ass if that makes you feel better about yourself, knock yourself out. Your job this weekend is to represent this company as its IWF Cruiserweight Champion, nothing more, nothing less. If you want to make this into your little soapbox moment to lambast me on my failures instead, then so be it, but don’t come crying to me about your championship being relegated to inconsequence when you do it.

You’re not bigger than the belt, perhaps it’s time to stop acting like you’re doing it a favour, the only reason you’re getting upset at the idea of your belt being secondary to a wider picture is because it means this isn’t all about you this weekend.

If anybody is a hypocrite here, Bob, it’s you. 

Perhaps the next time you want to lambast me for the state of this company, you’ll remember you are the one who walked through the doors and immediately elected to enable those who are doing everything in their power to destroy what it stands for.

As for you Gjenrei?

I’ve been keeping an eye on you since day one and let me be blunt, you’re a complete enigma to me. You can impress me and encourage me to invest heavily in your continued advancement in this company one week and then the next, you’re stinking out the building and leaving me wondering what the hell I ever saw in you like some sort of bitter housewife.

It may not be the most original criticism you’ve ever heard, but then when you’ve not fixed the problem, why do you expect the conclusions to be any different?

You have everything in you to be a supreme talent, but you lack the consistency to walk tall alongside men like me, and that isn’t ego talking, it’s simple fact. What separates me from guys like you is that for every time I impress the world, I follow it up, that’s what gave me the platform to succeed to the level I have.

I would like to see nothing more than you wipe that smug smile off of Bob Pooler’s face and prove to everyone that your talent can be matched by the level of consistent success that would make you a big deal around here but at the end of the day, the only person who can influence your application, is you.

Now you can either take this criticism like Bob, and kept your panties in a twist, or you can take it for how it is intended; a wakeup call.

It’s time for IWF to see the real Gjenrei, to witness you take the performance you put on in the Extinction Event and do that week in, week out. No more excuses, no more off days, just complete dedication to your craft and the consistent performance to go along with your immense ability.

Sink or swim.

Because when I put Angel back in his box, I will be looking to rebuild this company around men who truly deserve to be in the positions they are in.