Silas Romero [vs] Alex Remington

IWF Debut Match
Silas Romero [vs.] Alexander Remington

Rock n Roll.

Chicago, Illinois – August 26, 2012. The crowd was roaring with applause after a great match between Ruby Winters and Rosalie Knight; many were excited to see what the rest of the night had in store on such a wonderful evening filled with their favorite IWF icons in action. They were on the edge of their seats as they waited for what would come next, a bout between Stygian and Anna Stone. But for Alexander Remington, it was moot.

He had a busy schedule planned for him on this day, you see. First, he was competing in the second of what would have been three matches with former friend turned foe in Alexander Raven, had it not been, of course, for the closing of UECW’s doors soon thereafter. Then, he flew across the Atlantic Ocean and made his way to Chicago and to the Enterprise Arena, for he had a business meeting to attend to. Alex was always careful with those he did business with, never wanting to take part in a raw deal, but there was something about Corey Casey, and though their business relationship began by a few simple comments on a social media website – Twitter – Corey had personally invited Alex to his private box at From The Ashes II to talk about some issues they both had on their minds.

It was purely coincidental, I’m sure, that he arrived just as Stygian’s match was just about to begin.

“Corey Casey, you son of a bitch – how in the hell are you,” Alex stated immediately as the doors opened to Casey’s private box; the woman by Corey’s side – Jessica Matthews-Casey - forced a smile as she didn’t quite know the gentleman that had been escorted into her husband’s box. Of yet, the IWF camera crews had not caught wind of this arrangement and thus attention was not drawn to this meeting, and besides, Alexander was out of view of the outward-facing windows that looked down upon the ring like kings looking down at the gladiators as they fought in the pit. Alex had a long bandage covering his forehead – a reminder of the loss he had taken at the hands of Alexander Raven just earlier in the day. “I guess this is it eh? IWF – home away from home.”

Remington cracked a smile as the two came together; Corey’s smile almost equaling that of Remington as they shook hands with a firm, tight grip.

“And Alexander Remington – it’s about time that we met face to face. Sit down,” he suggested, pointing over to one of the leather couches in front of one of the windows. “Would you like a drink? Martini? Vodka? I…”

“Scotch man myself; I’ll take a scotch,” he quickly stated, not meaning to be rude with his interruption, but after the day that he had had, he had no intention of beating around the bush. Corey nodded, pouring Remington a glass and walking over to him, sitting a couple of cushions away from him on the couch as he turned to face him.

“So you said you wanted to talk business. I suppose you’re going to say that you want me to concoct a plan for you to finally get your hands on Stygian?”

Alex chuckled to himself, letting the glass gently touch his lips as he had his first taste of the beverage that Corey Casey had given him. He shook his head slowly, placing the glass down on the small table beside the couch.

“Some would think it that simple, wouldn’t they? I suppose you have no other reason to believe that I would want anything else, but Corey, I want more than the Dragon’s head on my mantle. I didn’t fly halfway across the planet just to lure the Dragon to UECW. That’s the easy part.”

“Easy? I guess I’m not following,” Casey replied quickly.

“Let’s make this part quick,” Remington said with a sigh as he took another taste of his drink, peering out at the crowd which was seemingly staring up at the private box now. At this point, the announce team and the video monitors had all realized what was taking place, and now every fan watching on TV and those sitting in the arena knew that Alexander Remington was at least in the building, though they could not hear the discussions that were taking place. Remington stopped, waving at everyone before turning his attention back to Corey.

“Stygian is not a god; he’s not superhuman – he’s a human being. He calls himself Superman, but even he had his weaknesses.”

“Kryptonite.”

Alex nodded.

“He’s not going to be lured by money – I’ve tried that. He’s not going to succumb to me by promising him fame and glory – he’s got that and more. But there’s one thing that cripples him. There’s one priceless jewel in his life that if tampered with, he will crumble. Lilith. I’ve seen what happens when somebody messes with his girls, but even more specifically, with her. I saw what happened when Corey Bull got his hands on her. He snapped. And while Corey Bull was broken and destroyed for his mistake, I have a few more cards up my sleeve than he did.”

“So what is it that you’re proposing?”

Alex leaned forward toward Corey, speaking softly.

“You’re going to sell Lilith to me.”

“What do you…what in the hell do you mean by that Alex? I can’t just sell Lilith. She’s a human being. I may not like their whole operation over there, but we don’t run a slave trade in IWF. I don’t know what kind of business you think we…”

“Relax,” Alex replied coyly, a smug smile forming from cheek to cheek. “I just want an encounter with Stygian; nothing more. I am a man of my word, and I said that before the year was through, Stygian would be seen in a UECW ring once again. Now I can’t go back on my word – I may manipulate the truth from time to time, but a liar, I am not. But UECW’s ship is sinking, and I will not allow my words to be in vain. I promised a Dragon within that ring, and a Dragon I will deliver, and more.”

He paused for a moment before explaining his proposition.

“You’ll sell me Lilith’s contract, because I sense that though you are retired, your hatred for Stygian burns within you daily. You can’t control it. It eats at you like a parasite, and you wish you were the man that retired him, and not the other way around. It’s festering inside of you and nagging at you and you can’t seem to release the pain that you feel each and every day. You sit in your private box and you put on a feigned smile so that everyone thinks that you’re alright, but you’re not. You’re dying a little bit inside each and every day. After all, that is why you reached out to me in the first place, isn’t it? To live vicariously through me? You know that though there are several on your roster that can defeat the Dragon on any given day, I’m the one man that can get in his head. I’m the one man that can make him wake up at night in a cold sweat. And guess what? He knows that too. He may not admit it, but in his heart of hearts, he knows that I’m the one man that can make the rest of his career a living nightmare.”

“Not if you’re fighting in another promotion, you can’t,” Corey responded, neither affirming nor denying Remington’s accusations; merely listening to his sales pitch.

“Precisely my good man – I’m tired of waiting for him to come to me, so I will come to him. Soon and very soon, you have my assurances – I will be part of Insurgency.”

Corey’s eyes widened with intrigue, but his mouth, for once, stayed shut, sensing Alex had more to say.

“Sell Lilith’s contract to me with the provision that if Stygian represents me successfully in a match of my choosing, her contract will revert back to IWF status. I don’t want to hold her hostage; I simply want to merely rent her. I’ll kill two birds with one stone on that night. Three birds actually. I’ll deliver on my promise to get Stygian back in a UECW ring, I’ll surely see victory when he represents me successfully, and I’ll finally have my chance to fire the first shot. This moment, this is only the beginning, but it is a necessary one nevertheless. If you can make this happen for me, you will have my gratitude. And Corey,” Alex stated with a smile. “My gratitude means job security. My gratitude means the ability to provide this beautiful woman over here even nicer things in life. My gratitude means that you can have your revenge and you can see the fall and the demise of one of wrestling’s greatest stars. I can do that for you Casey, but you have to trust me. You have to understand that I want exactly the same things you want. I want glory, I want respect, I want honor, but most importantly, I want what you can no longer have – to be known as the greatest fucking wrestler that has ever stepped foot inside a professional wrestling ring. Only he stands in my way, and I intend of removing that one obstacle that has alluded me for so long.”

“And if I give you what you want,” Corey responded, not trying to show much emotion in this transaction, but one could easily ascertain that he was intrigued about the possibilities, “what does this mean for IWF? I may hate Stygian, but no doubt he is good for business. What will you do for me?”

Alex laughed, finishing off the last few drops of his Scotch, putting the glass down again.

“As I said, UECW is a sinking ship. I not only will give you the money required to purchase Lilith’s contract for the time being, but I can see the writing on the wall. Brooklyn Nelson doesn’t know what she’s doing at UECW corporate, and it’s only a matter of time before the doors close on that wretched place for good. I may have hated him, but Mike Nelson was a wise businessman, but Brooklyn hasn’t a clue what she’s doing, and from what I’ve heard through various channels, the place is going bankrupt. They’ve already pushed back our paychecks several months at a time, telling us that we’ll be getting bigger bonuses for being so patient. The ratings continue to drop and it won’t survive long. But you have my word. When it does eventually go belly-up, I’ll remember your business acumen. I’ll remember the favor that you had done for me. And I’ll sign an IWF contract on the spot. And not only that, I’ll bring several others along with me. That means money in your pocket; that means higher ratings; that means we both get what we want.”

Corey cracked a smile, nodding his head slowly.

“I like the way you think Alexander, and I will have no problem getting that deal done. And maybe you’re right – no, you absolutely are right. I don’t like Stygian. I loathe him. And maybe I can’t compete any longer, but I’ll be damned if my war against him will be finished just because of that one night. There’s one thing Corey Casey doesn’t do; get anything but the last laugh.”

Remington smiled, pleased that their deal could happen. He reached forward, shaking Casey’s hand again, though he felt the need to clarify one thing.

“Do not misinterpret my intentions Corey. I’m not coming to IWF in the future purely for the Dragon. There are other challenges and other temptations in the wrestling universe for me to fill that void. When that day arrives, I will walk into IWF and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that I belong at the very top of wrestling’s upper echelon. Stygian is simply a part of that process. Yes, I have always had this festering animosity towards Stygian – perhaps I’ve grown tired of the world pretending that he is that bar that everyone else aspires to rise to, but he isn’t the endgame. I see IWF as an opportunity to further my legend. I see IWF as a chance to achieve things that UECW could never afford me, even in its greatest years. Besides, what joy is there in simply defeating the Dragon? Several have done that before me – I wouldn’t be the first. I want to humiliate him. I want to degrade him. I want his pretty little women disgusted at the very sight of him. I want to make him rethink everything. I want to make him question every decision he’s ever made. I want him constantly looking over his shoulder. I want his dreams to be haunted by me. I want his world to forever be broken because of one man – Alexander Remington. And together we can do that. Together we can achieve that. And it won’t be about one simple match. It’ll be for the rest of his career. Until the day he hangs his boots up and says ‘enough is enough’; until the day where he bows down to me as I sit upon my throne, I will not rest; I will not tire; I will not cease. But he isn’t the end; he isn’t my purpose. He alone doesn’t define Alexander Remington. But in IWF, I will have the opportunity to prove what I’ve been saying all along – I’m simply the best.”

The two men, having finished their drinks and presumably having said all that needed to be said, stood to their feet.

“Alex, I think you and I are going to get along perfectly. I will have my people draw up the paperwork for Lilith, and I’ll deliver you your Dragon to UECW. I’ll be impatiently awaiting your arrival to the Insurgency.”

“As will I, my friend.”

Remington and Corey exchanged handshakes again. Alex then shook the hand of Corey’s wife, giving her hand a gentlemanly kiss as he said his goodbyes. Turning, he was escorted by IWF personnel out of Casey’s private box and to the parking garage. The deal completed, Alexander drove away, trusting that his deal for UECW would be completed, but looking forward to the future and his employment with IWF.

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Cut ahead to a few days later; the inside of a very lavish penthouse suite. The fireplace was lit on the western side of the camera shot; the lights dim, but not so dim that the viewer would have a hard time in taking in the surroundings. Alexander was shown sitting on a comfortable white plush sofa; wine glass in hand as he stared before him at the crackling fire as though he were deep in thought, almost in a trance as he paid no attention to the fact that the camera was bearing down on him. He took a single sip from his glass before setting it down on the small table beside the couch, shaking his head slowly before turning his gaze toward the camera; a slight smile forming on his face.

“First introductions are so deceiving, aren’t they? After all, if I didn’t say a word and this was simply an episode of ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous’ or even that preposterous ‘MTV Cribs’ show, you would assume that I was just like any other suave rich guy that has come and went in our business. They drive the fancy cars and they spend their entire existence trying to fool you into believing that because they have money, they therefore have power and thus they are better than you in each and every way. And they do this, usually, because they are lacking somewhere else in their lives, whether suffering from small penis syndrome; perhaps never loved as a child – for certain, they were or are deprived of something in this life which causes them to outwardly flaunt their successes in front of the universe in some feigned attempt at recognition.”

He smiled again as he stood to his feet; the camera panning up to his face as he walked over to the fireplace, running his fingertips slowly along the mantle as he turned to glance back at the camera, seemingly without a care in the world.

“But these niceties that have been afforded me are not what motivate me, nor do I consider myself better than any of you because of them. I’ve achieved all of this because of my success, because of my abilities in that ring, and because of my business and professional prowess. But all of this does not define me. All of this is not who I am in the ring. First impressions would lead you to believe that I’m just some guy who was handed everything on a silver platter for all of his life and therefore will never amount to much in a profession which requires discipline and hard work and sometimes even being willing to get your hands dirty and deal with all the filthiness and the politics and the deceit that this business was founded upon.”

“But you know me better than that; this is by no means my first impression to IWF, is it?”

Alexander smiled as he leaned against the white-colored wall beside the fireplace now; lifting one leg just a bit above the ground as he propped his foot against the wall and resting his back gently against it as well. He shook his head to the contrary as he continued to speak.

“After all, your precious Dragon – your White Knight – has told you all about me, hasn’t he? He’s told you that I’m vile and that I’m corrupt and that I’ll stop at nothing to bring destruction and mayhem to your sport. And now that he’s realized that I’m part of this company that he holds so dear to himself, he’ll do everything in his power to convince you all that I am bad for IWF and that I’m a cancer to this sport. I’ve been called a cancer by many a man, but isn’t it amazing that everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve exhibited my Midas’ touch – everything I touch turns to gold. Business booms; pockets get fatter with cold hard cash. Your first impression of me, because you are all like little infants, spoon-fed lies by a man that has about as much integrity and about as much honesty as a modern-day politician. So you look at me, and you automatically assume that I’m the type that will cut backroom deals and play the political game better than anyone else and…”

Alex shrugged his shoulders, chuckling a bit to himself as he nodded his head.

“Ok, maybe he doesn’t have me all wrong. But your hero, he is a liar. Your hero, he is a fraud. Sure, he exhibits a great talent in the ring and that cannot be overstated or exaggerated. Stygian is a great wrestler; he’s a great linguist, and yes, he is a large reason why I am talking to you today on an IWF broadcast. But he is not the best. Not even close. You’ve been fooled and taken to believe a lie because until this moment, he has been your superhero. He has been your bright and shining star. He has been everything to this company, and on his back this company has thrived. But not anymore, that day ended when I signed my name to an IWF contract and I promised Corey Casey that I would remove the Dragon from power and take my rightful place on IWF’s throne.”

He scowled as he thought of his arch-nemesis in Stygian. This didn’t begin with IWF. A long time before that actually in UECW.

“I know many a man has come through the IWF doors and made the same promises, and each and every time they have failed. Stygian has taken each and every one of those individuals who wished to ascend Blackrock Spire and sent them back down that mount broken, crippled, and most of the time, on unemployment. I don’t act as though my task isn’t great; I don’t pretend that what I am going to do to Stygian over the coming months and years will be easy. But I am better than he. I am IWF’s redeemer. For many months you have been held down and tormented and crucified by the Black Dragon, and though I may not always be trusted by my peers, I have never spoken a lie into existence. I will raise IWF from the ashes that he has left in his fire-breathing wake, and I will bring a new day and a new era and a new kingdom to IWF. I don’t speak in vain; I don’t speak with exaggeration. I am better than Stygian, I will end the career of Stygian, and whatever needs to be done to accomplish that task, I will do just that. I am the one man that has gotten inside his head; I’m the one man that in this game of chess, he has yet to figure out how to bring about ‘checkmate.’ There’s a reason why he’s spoken about me so much in your presence.”

“Stygian fears Alexander Remington.”

Alex paused for what seemed like an eternity, staring at the camera as he let these words sink in.

“But kingdoms require a crown and so my goals for IWF reach much further than feeding dragon meat to the impoverished waste of IWF. It requires a championship; it requires a legacy; it requires a king. It begins with my first step inside an IWF ring and it ends with my eventual retirement. But this week, I face a man that, though at his core he desires many of the same things that I do, he refuses to acknowledge his need for a crown. He isn’t interested in kingdoms; rather, he’s interested in being the executioner for that kingdom. Frankly, an admirable trait, but not one that will allow him to sit at the table at my feast.”

“Truth is, I like you Silas; you’re the type of man that won’t take shit from anybody, and you said it yourself last week – you are simply interested in beating the living hell out of people and collecting a paycheck. I like that. I admire that. I’m curious to see if you can deliver on that. Because I’m not Beno – I’m not just some guy that’s thrown to the wolves. I’m Alexander fucking Remington, and I’ve seen many a man making empty promises and threats like you did last week. Silas, it’s easy to make idle threats when your opponent is too scared to even acknowledge you, but you’ve got my attention. You’ve at least earned that respect.”

“Fame, glory, power – things that many an individual have come against me seeking, and I’ve ruined each and every one of their hopes and their dreams. There’s a reason why men like Stygian can’t keep my name off their tongues; there’s a reason why Corey Casey flew me halfway across the planet on his private jet to meet with me. It’s because I am absolutely greatness personified and I’ve proven that time and time again. You want a fight – you never have nor ever will be in a fight like you will be in for at Battle Grounds this week. I’m not just hype nor am I just some rich gentleman that’s never been in a fight in his life. I’m the master manipulator. I’m the man that keeps people up at night, wondering from which direction I will come at them next. You talk about fear? Silas, I am the very essence of fear. I don’t need dim lights and theatrics to get men to fear me; I don’t need to preach a message of doom and gloom and light things on fire for them to quiver at the mention of my name. I don’t need to threaten hellfire and brimstone for people to run away. I don’t need to be a monster; I just simply need to be Alexander Remington.”

Alexander wondered whether this Silas Romero would live up to his words from last week. He believed there was something in Silas that was special, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, and he wasn’t going to be so quickly swayed. After all, he felt it was easy to seem confident when facing an individual like Beno; it was something completely different to stand in the ring with the likes of Alex.

“I don’t doubt you Silas; in fact, I think you mean every word you say and can live up to everything you said. You would be a perfect enforcer in my kingdom, and perhaps one day, I will give you that opportunity. But you aren’t the best in this business – I am. I like to hurt people too, Silas. Ask Stygian how a barbed wire bat in a man’s skull feels. Appearances can be deceiving, I know – I don’t need someone else to do my dirty work for me. I like to hurt people in the ring and out of it. I like to make a man think and I love to see a grown man cry. I take pleasure in all those things. Fame, glory, power, and respect – we all want those things, but I’m going to be the one that takes it all from you in one single night and I will leave you as a mere afterthought in everyone’s minds. And then we’ll see your true colors. Then we’ll see what you’re really made of. It’s easy to make yourself look like an ass-kicker when fighting children, Silas.”

“You fear mediocrity; an admirable trait. But the man that you’re looking at right now has the ability to make even the best of the best look weak, worthless, and dull. Unlike last week, you won’t see fear in the eyes of the man that you’re staring across the ring at before the bell sounds. I didn’t come to IWF to play games with the riff-raff, so I expect your absolute best shot at Battle Grounds, but it won’t be enough. It never is. I’ll take everything you thought you knew about the wrestling business and begin to make you question yourself and doubt whether you really are as great as you think yourself to be. I’m one of a kind; I’m something this company has never seen before. As I said, many a man has walked through IWF’s doors making boastful claims about how they are going to do this and to do that – I’ve watched with very intrigued eyes as each man has fallen by the wayside in their attempts at fame, fortune, respect, power, and glory. I hope you aren’t like the rest Silas, but frankly, I don’t give a fuck. I have bigger fish to fry and a higher agenda to attend to. You are simply in the way; you are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Because at Battle Grounds, you aren’t fighting Beno or whatever half-assed wrestler they’ll throw at you next who is simply looking to collect a paycheck and feed their families at night. You’re fighting Alexander Remington – a man who has it all, but isn’t even close to being satisfied.”

Alex finally returned to his original position on the couch, slowly circling his fingers around the wine glass that had been sitting there for the duration. Again he held it to his lips, savoring another taste before placing the glass back down on the table beside him.

“IWF, for a long time I’ve waited for this moment. For a long time I have watched your company thrive, and I have wanted nothing more than to be a part of this great place, and if not for being completely committed to UECW, I would have been here much sooner. But I’m not here simply to just fit in. Nor am I here to just be one of the greats. I’m here to change this company once and for all. I’m here to mold IWF into the company it should have been all along. A company devoid of dragons. A company rid of mediocrity. A company that is primed and ready for ascension. I’m here for my kingdom; I’m here for my throne. I’m here for my crown, and I’m here to be known. And I’ll be damned if I let someone like Silas Romero or anyone else stand in my way. Battle Grounds; it begins. With Stygian, his reign ends.

He stared into the camera one last time with a cold dark stare, scowling a bit as he finished with the following.

“You wanted a changing of the guard and you asked for a savior. I fear that it has come in a form that you will never understand nor appreciate. And I’ve made my peace with that.”

And so, it ended. Alexander motioned for the cameras to stop recording as the video began to upload to IWF’s production crew. He leaned back on the sofa as he had another sip of his finest beverage, watching as the fire began to die down. In just a few days, he would be met with his first challenge in his time in IWF, but it would be the first of many. He knew there was a long journey ahead of him, but years had gone by without a resolution to that one nagging painstaking issue of Stygian. He was his adversary, and though he wasn’t the be all end all of his perceived time in IWF, he would be remiss if he pretended that his arrival to IWF was not mostly motivated to that very man. But he did not fear the Dragon like many others. He did not simply speak those words into existence while secretly cowering under the potential blanket of shame that might overcome him were he to fail. In his heart of hearts, he believed that Stygian’s time would come to face the consequences – to finally have his long awaited confrontation with Alexander Remington.

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