She and the medics push past the crowd of wrestlers, staff and fans while pulling the stretcher upon which Cody K. Olwagen lies.
Montani is close behind: SHE SAID 'GED OUTTA DA WAY!'
Upon hearing his voice, they completely part like the Red Sea. They reach the border of the parking lot where an ambulance is waiting to take Olwagen to Sambuca General.
Montani helps them load him in: Just get goin'. I'll be right behind ya. GO!
The ambulance doors shut and Dr Sharma slaps them, prompting the driver to peel out. She gives Montani a nod and returns to her other office. As she leaves, Johnny Cyclone approaches.
Cyclone: What's the word?
Montani: He's gonna live. We got friggin' lucky.
He then looks Cyclone, his equal in stature at 6' 7", in the eyes: Lookit. I don't know you, and I don't know what's goin' on in dat head o' yours.
Cyclone (holds up his hands): I was just trying to do right thang, man. Grizzly was way out of contro-.
Montani (points at him): Whatchu did... was ya put your ass on the line for my brudda. And I ain't gonna fuhgeddaboudit. Anythin' ya need (holds up a fist), ya come lookin' for me, aight?
Cyclone (hesitantly reciprocates the fist bump):... 'ppreciate that.
Suddenly, Jeffrey Campbell walks past them with his keys in his hand: Vito! C'mon, mate. I'll chuck ya a lift to Sambuca General.
Montani: Boss, I got-
Campbell (shakes his head): It's not up for discussion. Least I could do, so let's get crackin'.
Montani gives Cyclone one last look, before going deeper into the parking lot. Campbell's about to follow, but then spins around and points at Cyclone, who has begun to leave: Cyclone!
Cyclone: Yes, sir!
Campbell: Just call me Jeff. First-ever Fight Pit this Friday. You're kicking us off.
Cyclone (wide eyes): Real- Thank you, si- Jeff.
Campbell (wags finger):Oi, don't go chuckin' shrimp on the barbie for me just yet, mate. You're headin' in for a fair dinkum stoush with Kruscher. Give him a good floggin', and you'll be lookin' bonza for a crack at the Dominion Title.
Cyclone (processing the vernacular): I... understand between, I think.
Montani (suddenly reappears, angrily looking between both men): Ayy! Hold on a sec! If we're talkin' 'bout Dominion and Grizzly, then that line still starts behind ME. That jagoff's gonna get his!
Campbell: ... We'll talk about it on the road.
Montani: Oh, we're going to talk, alright.
He leaves again, and Campbell follows, after giving Cyclone a brief nod. The young Alabaman watches them leave before walking briskly back into the building. He passes by the newly crowned Bloodbath Champion, Roger Evans, sitting on an equipment box, with his head heavily plastered.
Evans: Dude... nice.
Cyclone: Thanks, and, uh, congrats. Heck of a debut.
He then passes Empress Ngozi, the new Jewell's Champion and the wife of Alf Balducci, with whom she is speaking. Her right arm is in a sling. She briefly gives Cyclone a nod of approval. He gives her one of his own and carries on his way.
When he rounds a corner, he comes face-to-face with the "Mother of Darkness" Tình Nhân. She stands a mere 2 inches shorter than him and is flanked by her two 7-foot sons, the newly crowned Tag Team Champions, Pandemonium. Hổn Loạn with his mask of rage, bordering on explosion. Mộng Dữ in his mask of the Great Old One, Cthulhu, just stares ahead blankly.
Cyclone tenses up, but doesn't back down. Tình Nhân stares blankly at him, her mask completely hiding any emotion.
Tình Nhân: The prodigal son... of a tainted lineage... on this bloodstained stage...
Cyclone frowns, but she just walks around him: Indeed, there could be no "Psycho Style" without you.
Hổn Loạn and Mộng Dữ follow her. In doing so, they reveal who was standing behind them. The first-ever Thunderweight Champion, El Demonio de las Heladas and the now-former Jewell's Champion, Queen Cobra, whose limbs are wrapped around Heladas. She appears to be bordering on depression. The Demon glares up at Cyclone, but ultimately follows after Tình Nhân, his sobbing wife in one arm and his title in the other.
Cyclone exhales loudly and continues on his path. When he reaches the gorilla position, he finds Security Chief Brendan Steele with Sara Williams, and a nervous young, short and curvy black woman in a green dress.
Woman: JOHNNY!
If she wasn't less than half his size, she would have knocked him over. Instead, he just effortlessly grabs and picks her up.
Woman (hugging tightly): Thank God, you're okay! (pulls back a little, looking mad) What were you thinking coming back here?
Johnny: Sorry, Maya, I just had to see Montani and Olwagen off. Make sure they were okay.
Maya: But what if that Grizzly guy was still around? He would have torn your head off if... Montani hadn't got back up.
Johnny: All the more reason, in case he tried something.
Steele (marching): An' what the bloody hell were ye gonnae dae if he did, eh?!
Johnny puts Maya down: Listen, Mr Steele-
Steele (jabbing him in the chest): Naw, ye listen tae me! When ma lads are tryin' tae douse the flames, the last thing we need is mair bloody petrol. I dinnae give a toss who drafted you tae what show or whose grandwean ye are. Ye're no' on the card? You bide yer arse in yer seat, otherwise you answer tae me! Dae you hear?!
Johnny looks down at the finger on his chest for a moment. He then locks eyes with the smaller but still physically impressive man: Loud and clear.
Steele then storms off.
Maya (squeezing his hand): He's just doing his job, Johnny.
Johnny (smiles and squeezes back): I know.
They are suddenly of Sara Williams' presence. She is squinting at them.
Johnny (clears throat): Mrs Williams, I just want to apologise for-
Sara (waves her hand): Eh, you got your earful from Brendan. Old news. I'm curious about something...
She slowly points her finger at Maya: This young lady came in here, saying she was your wife. Is that true?
Johnny holds up his hand to show off his ring: It is.
Maya holds up her own to match.
Sara: How long, if you don't mind me asking?
Johnny (proudly): One year, on Tuesday at least.
Sara (eyebrows raising): How... old are you again?
Johnny: 23, turned last month.
Maya (hesitantly): 22...
Sara (eyes widening): How long have you been together?
Johnny (frowning slightly): With all due respect, Ma'am. Where is this going?
Sara (waves them off): Nowhere. Just get out of here.
Johnny then leads Maya back out through the curtain.
Bethany Jones, the Social Media Manager, who was sitting in a corner, looking at her phone, stood up. A small drone with a camera and a microphone comes down from the ceiling and lands in her hand.
Sara: You get everything.
Jones nods.
Sara: Then get to work.
Jones walks off.
Sanka gets up from his own seat: So, what do you make of him?
Sara: He is certainly... something else.
Sanka: It does seem like he can pick his battles sometimes. And he's definitely assertive with how he shut you down before you asked a question that would land you in HR.
Sara: Sanka... I am HR.
Sanka: You are TR.
Sara: What's the difference?
Sanka (blinks and walks away): Not a question you should ask out loud.
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