1:34 a.m. 10/6/07 (Marriott Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA)
{Ring}
{Ring}
{Ring}
Cyrus lying face down, reached his hand out, sweeping it from side to side, trying to find the phone.
{Ring}
{Ring}
Finding it, he picks up the receiver, turns over on his side, eyes still closed and answers the phone.
'Make it good.' Cyrus answers.
'Hey, Cyrus, man I'm sorry to wake you.' The voice on the line said.
The voice was barely recognizable. Due to being thick with emotions.
'Who is this? And what do you want?' Cyrus asked
'Its me, Smitty. And I called because I need your help.' Smitty answered.
'What do you mean you need my help? Help with what Smitty?' Cyrus asked as he sat up.
'Its Sage Cyrus, hes ruining my life, and hes destroying my family!' Smitty exclaims.
'Hey, Smitty, no offense, but..........this concerns me, how?' Cyrus asked.
'It doesn't, but Cyrus, I am tired of him, I am tired of the way he treats everyone in fuse, and the way he is treating my daughter.' Smitty says.
'Hey, look, I would like to help you out, but its kinda your problem, and besides what exactly is it you would want me to do?' Cyrus asks.
'What would I want you to do? Cyrus, (pause) Cyrus, hurt him, make him suffer.' Smitty tells Cyrus with a note of resolve in his voice.
'You've got the size, the strength and the skill to make him pay for everything he has done to me, Cyrus, Ill book the match, but I want you to do your best to hurt him. Win or loose I don't care, as long as you make him suffer.' Smitty pleads with Cyrus.
Cyrus sighs.
'Again hired for revenge.' Cyrus says under his breath.
'What did you say?' Smitty asks.
'Uh, nothing, just........yeah, book the match, ill bring the pain to Sage.' Cyrus says.
'Thank you Cyrus. Ill get right on the bookings.' Smitty says.
'Yeah, yeah, but you owe me Smitty, remember that.' Cyrus says.
'Oh yeah, of course, definitely!' Smitty exclaims.
'But ill get right on that match, and you'll have it next week.'
'Yeah, yeah, just get it booked.' Cyrus says.
'I will. But ill let you get back to sleep now, and Ill talk to you later.' Smitty replies.
'Yeah, night.' Cyrus says as he hangs up the phone, not waiting for a response.
Cyrus laid back down bed, and stared up at the ceiling.
Cyrus sighs.
'Back to hurting people for a price, I guess it really is pointless to run away from your past, it always catches up with you in the end.' Cyrus says to himself as he rolls over and tries to go back to sleep.
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Noon, 10/10/07 (Promo)
The scene opens to Cyrus staring straight into the camera. There are beautiful grassy rolling hills behind him, with a magnificent blue sky with big white puffy clouds being lazily blown by the wind. There are a few trees scattered here and there behind Cyrus as well. The scene looks like something you might see if an artist were to paint a perfect day.
Cyrus is wearing a black t-shirt with white letters that say 'Afflict this.' With a hand below the words flipping the bird. His shirt is tucked into his blue jeans.
'Sage.' Cyrus says as he extends his arms wide.
'I saw this place on my way to the arena, and it just made the think of you.' Cyrus says with a smile.
The camera begins to pan back as we see a white iron fence about thigh high behind Cyrus, as the camera begins to pan back even farther we are now able to see that Cyrus is standing in a grave yard, surrounded by tomb stones.
'Thats right Sage. A grave yard is a fitting place when it comes to you.' Cyrus says.
Cyrus begins to walk down the rows of tomb stones, randomly speaking the names carved on each stone.
'Matthew Grimm.' Cyrus says as he walks a little further.
'Jonathan Masters'
'Michael Bishop'
'Jason Braughm'
'Carl Stanley'
'You see sage, no body knows these names any more, just as it will be with you. Your no body Sage, you think people will remember your name six months after your gone? I doubt it.'
Cyrus walks a little further.
'Sure, your known now, but thats only because your around, you have done nothing that people will remember, your career is worthless, your just the big bully is all you are. The flavor of the day, here today and gone tomorrow.'
'And just like a bully you've shown me what your made of already, you duck and avoid any one on one confrontations with us, The Highwaymen. Because you know, were not scared of you, you know that one on one, we'll rip you a new one bigger then the grand canyon. Thats why you hide behind your lackeys, Diablo, Stevens, Jeb. Your a coward Sage. You've got no back bone. Your pathetic.'
Cyrus stops at one Stone.
He begins to read the inscription.
'John Pawell, loving father, loving son, loving husband.'
Cyrus looks at the camera.
'Whats yours going to say? Clinton Sage, FORMER champion, FORMER wrestler, FORMER member of The Affliction, FORMER woman beater, formally remembered.'
'It's funny to think, but in a few years, you'll only be known as 'That One Guy'.
'Hey, you remember that one guy, you know the one, who's name was like a spice or something. Anyways I saw him on Hollywood squares the other day.'
'or'
'Hey you remember that one guy who used to be the champion, Clint.....Sarge........Client.......Cunt....something, what ever. I saw him on an infomercial trying to sell the new Jack LeLanne juicer.'
'Face it Sage, soon you'll be nothing more then a middle aged has been with a washed up career'
'But don't get too depressed about it, I mean because there will always be spots open for you on shows like 'The Surreal Life' and 'Where are they now' or maybe even your own show titled 'Sage Knows Best' yeah, I can see it now.'
Cyrus waves an arm in an arcing manner opening and closing his hand emphasizing each word of Sage Knows Best.
'Sage Knows Best'
Cyrus smirks at the thought.
'So why don't you just do you, me and the rest of the business a big favor, and lay that belt down at Smitty's feet, and walk away from the business while people at least still remember who you are. Save what little dignity you have left.'
'Just a suggestion, because I mean, its your funeral after all.'
Cyrus says as he begins to walk out of camera view.
Cyrus walks back into camera.
'Oh, one last thing Sage, you really aught to thank me the next time you see me, because I saved your life this morning.'
Cyrus pauses.
'Yeah on the way here, I ran over a s%$# eating dog.'
Cyrus walks back out of camera view.
The camera pans down to the grave that reads: John Pawell, loving father, loving son, loving husband.
Fade to black.
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9:30 p.m. 10/11/07 (Hilton hotel, Philadelphia, PA)
Cyrus Raynes is sitting in his hotel room, pacing back and forth trying to ease the sense of anticipation he feels from knowing that in less than twenty-four hours he will be facing the biggest challenge of his life. Clinton Aurthur Sage, The Seventh Sin, the most sadistic man Cyrus had ever seen, and by far the most dangerous opponent Cyrus had ever faced. Not only was Sage dangerous, but his entire stable was filled with dangerous men, capable of atrocities equaled only by the Nazi concentration camps of Auschwitz, Dachau, and Treblinka. This would not just be a match, this would be an all out war. And Cyrus knew that Sage was not just coming to win a war, no, he would be coming to end Cyrus' career. Cyrus had made a powerful enemy when he Smitty had aligned him with The Highway Men, thus opposing Sage and The Affliction. Maybe that was Smitty's' idea all along........
The phone rang.
{ring}
{ring}
{ring}
'Yeah?' Cyrus said as he picked up the phone.
'Hey there champ, long time no see.' Said the beautiful voice on the line.
Cyrus knew the voice right off.
'Sam!' Cyrus exclaimed.
She giggled.
'How did you ever guess?' She asked playfully.
Cyrus chuckled.
'So how did you get this number?' Cyrus asked her.
'Well it wasn't easy, I'll tell you that much.' Sam said.
'So how you been?'
'Good, good, been busy, but good.' Cyrus answered.
'Been traveling a lot, seeing the U.S.. press conferences, a lot of fan events. In fact, tomorrow I've got autograph signing most of the day. But it will be fun though, I love getting to meet the fans.'
'So how bout you? You keeping busy?'
'Oh yeah, been pulling a lot of doubles there at the dinner, them being short handed and all.' Sam told him.
'But its good though, keeps me bills payed and keeps me out of trouble.'
'That's good, you staying out of trouble is always a good thing.' Cyrus said with a chuckle.
'Hey now!' Came Sam's response.
Cyrus chuckled again.
'I'm kidding, I'm kidding, you know that.' Cyrus said.
'So ummm, have you been by to see mom lately?'
'Yeah I saw her about two weeks ago. She is doing good. How bout you, you seen her lately?' Sam asked.
'No, not since around Mothers Day.' Cyrus said, sounding ashamed.
'It's alright, don't worry about it too much Cyrus. She knows your a busy man.' Sam said comfortingly.
'Yeah, I suppose your right.' Cyrus relented.
'Well, hey it's late, and you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow, what with facing Sage and all. I just really wanted to to call and wish you good luck, and let you know that I'll be watching and routing for you.' Sam told him.
'Oh, well, thank you Sam.' Cyrus replied.
'Hey no problem. I should probably let you go for now though, so you can get some sleep before tomorrow.' She said.
'Yeah, I guess your right, well it was great to hear from you. I really enjoyed it.' Said Cyrus.
'Yeah me too, but don't worry, well talk again soon.' Sam assured him.
'All right, I'll hold you to that. G'night Sam.' Cyrus said.
'Good night, champ.' Sam said before she hung up the phone.
Cyrus hung up the phone, turned off the light, and laid down on the bed.
'Sleep, yeah, don't see that one coming easily.'
========================================================================================================================
10/12/07 (Arena)
The day had been very nice, sunny, and about seventy-five all day, with a slight southern breeze, about five miles an hour. Cyrus had signed autographs until about noon, then headed to the local 'Planet Hollywood' where he was scheduled to appear.He had lunch there, and signed some more autographs. The day dragged on uneventfully for Cyrus who was becoming more and more anxious with each passing minute. Soon it would be time for his match, soon he would get his chance to rip Sage apart, and finally get even with him for everything he had done to The Highwaymen these past couple of months. But as Cyrus stood in his locker room waiting for the signal the show was about to start, he couldn't help but wonder, was he really ready to step up to a man of Sages caliber? Was he good enough to pin the man known as The Seventh Sin? Was he good enough to extract the revenge Smitty wanted? Would The Highwaymen be avenged for The Afflictions actions over the past couple of weeks..............
The P.A. system blared.
'Uproar starts in 5........'
'4.........'
'3.........'
'2........'
'1........'
Would The Highwaymen be avenged for The Afflictions actions over the past couple of weeks..............
'Time will only tell..........' Cyrus breathed.