"The world is in your hands, now use it."

- Phil Collins



Las Vegas, Nevada
Tuesday Evening

Doctor D'Ville- Hello, my friends!

The Fat Man across from the Doctor stands basically leaning against the three men in suits behind him. He steps forward a couple steps into the light.

The Boss- So. You're the guy, huh.

The Fat Man looks the Doctor up and down and looks over to the briefcaase.

The Boss- You, uh, got the money then, huh? Mind if I take a look?

Doctor D'Ville- Certainly, my friend. Is my purchase going to be present for this transaction as well?

The Fat Man snaps his fingers and one of the men behind him click a button and the trunk of a car beside them opens up. Raising up out of it is the Ex-Detective.

Trevor- LOU?! What the fu--

Out of nowhere the door to the trunk slams shut on top of the Ex-Detectives head. The Doctor then kicks the briefcase, ever so slightly, in the direction of the other party. The briefcase slides across the concrete as if it was on ice. Stopping in front of the Fat Man, he picks it up.

He sets the briefcase on the hood of a car beside him and opens it. Stacks upon stacks of hundred dollar bills nearly fall from it.

Doctor D'Ville- Do you wish to count it as well? I'm on a bit of a tight schedule, you see.

The Fat Man closes the briefcase and looks at the Doctor.

The Boss- that won't be necessary, good doctor. I'm sure I can find you if I need to. So, enough for the pig and enough for the car we stuffed him in. Tell me though, what'd this fucker do to you that you want him dead? You must have a pretty hard grudge to pay this for his head.

The Doctor ignores the Fat Man's questions and approaches the vehicle. He looks over The Ex-Detective for a moment and slams the trunk. One of the black suits throw him a key and the Doctor enters the vehicle.

The Boss- Not much of a talker is he?

The black car travels up the ramp onto the 1st sub level and around up the ramp to the ground level. The Ex-Detective, now driving the car, makes a right out of the garage and leaves the area. Not ten seconds later several SWAT vehicles and city police cars zoom into the scene and down into the parking garage. The men in black suits and the Fat Man are slowly making their way towards their hidden back office when all of the commotion lands in their lap. Surrounded by lights, sirens, and guns pointed at their heads, the four men in suits fall to their knees and throw their arms into the air. As they were apprehended by the police, they all had something to say about it. An officer picked up the briefcase, the apparent payment the Doctor gave this motley crue for tracking down and abducting the Ex-Detective, which could be their niche... The officer opened the briefcase not to reveal the stacks of money, but a briefcase filled to the top with bags of heroin. The Fat Man sees this from a distance as he's in line to be stuffed into the back of a police van. He tries to scream out but becomes sick to his stomach on the spot. He drops to his knees and covers himself in vomit. Two of the officers pick him up as he's still vomiting and throw him into the back of the van.




Lordsburg, New Mexico
Present Day


The Doctor sits in the passenger seat of the car at a gas station in Lordsburg, New Mexico. After Monday, the Doctor had to back track to Las Vegas. His new associate ran into a bit of trouble at the hands of the law and some old friends, so the Doctor took it upon himself to intervene. Besides, they've already interupted the Doctor's plans. The Ex-Detective never did make it to Denver.

After the pair met up in Las Vegas, the Doctor and Ex-Detective began traveling to Houston, Texas for the Doctor's next session. The NRG Stadium will host the next Monday Madness where he will join "Loverboy" Vinnie Lane in the main event.

As the Doctor waits in the vehicle, the Ex-Detective is across the road at a liquor store buying a different bottles of booze. He loads the counter with the bottles and the Clerk begins ringing them up and placing them in a bag.

Clerk- Having a party pal?

The Ex-Detective pulls out a folded wad of cash and slaps two hundred dollar bills onto the counter. Ignoring the Clerk's comment he stuffs the remaining money back into his pocket. The Clerk produces the change and the Ex-Detective grabs his bags and walks out of the store. He passes three men in ski masks and crosses the road. He hears two gunshots behind him and shouting as he approaches the car.

The Doctor is looking through several papers in a folder. The Ex-Detective enters the car and opens a small bottle of rum. He swallows several gulps from it and throws it between the seats. Looking over onto the Doctor's lap he sees a picture of his next opponent.

Trevor- Who's the chick? She's pretty.

Doctor D'Ville- Mister "Loverboy" Vinnie Lane.

The Ex-Detective double-takes the photograph and looks closer.

Trevor- Oh.

The Ex-Detective starts the vehicle as the Doctor laughs and gathers up all of the papers and places them neatly back into the folder they came from. The Ex-Detective takes the car from the parking lot and out to the road, on ward to Houston.

Doctor D'Ville- Waking up in any strange places lately, Mister Loverboy? Is the man who looks in the mirror and claims to see the future of this company losing his grip? I knew you were taking the loss hard, my friend. But rock bottom is a long way to fall from the top. Maybe you do need someone to talk to. Do not be shy, my friend, though perhaps skip the session with the "Lovergirl" you've become quite fond of as of late. Lying around, getting high, and performing intercourse all day is not the kind of therapy you need right now, Mister Loverboy. It's time for a bit of a detox, I would say. And know I've had all sorts of patients; princesses, aliens, murderers, heroes, zeroes. How would you classify yourself? I always thought of you as a type of hero. A man who started with just a father's dream and pursued much, much more than that. Taking his music career to new heights and then expanding his influence to an entire new world. You approached this new world with an iron fist and went through every wall that was placed in front of you.

The Ex-Detective lights a cigarette and takes a few more gulps from the rum. He looks over to the Doctor and rolls his eyes a bit at him.

Trevor- Still out to save the world, aren't ya, Lou... Or claim it.

Doctor D'Ville- When the world is in your hands, you must use it, my dear Trevor.

Trevor- Or abuse it.

The Ex-Detective takes another drink from the bottle. He holds it across the seat and points it at the Doctor. The Doctor takes it and takes his own drink from it. The two pass it back and forth several more times.

Doctor D'Ville- If that's how you choose. That is perahps some of the downfalls I whitness in the XWF right now. Either they believe the world should be handed over, they believe it already has, or they believe it can just be taken. Mister Loverboy has already given us the finest example with his actions last week. His frustrations are simply showing that he feels unsafe in his current status in the federation. The few accolades you do have mean nothing now. Showing your weakness on Madness has certainly hurt your image. How can the XWF promote a man when he's shot his morales out the window?

The Ex-Detective pulls off to the side of the road and screeches to a stop. The Doctor looks over to his driver.

Trevor- Sit tight, Lou. I gotta take a piss.

The Ex-Detective falls out of the car and stumbles around the back of it to the side of the road. As he urinates on the bank he asks the Doctor:

Trevor- so... Before we got a little side tracked, you needed something. You have a shadow?

The Doctor sits back in his seat and puffs on a cigar. He looks up to the sky.

Doctor D'Ville- Do you believe in aliens, my dear boy?

Trevor- Do you believe in God?

The Doctor laughs.

Doctor D'Ville- I once treated an extra terrestrial, quite briefly.

Trevor- After meeting you, I'll believe fucking anything, Lou. You and your magic tricks.

Doctor D'Ville- Magic? No. But manipulation.

Trevor- Well, whatever.

The Ex-Detective zips up his pants finally and walks around the front of the car. A bright light shines on the sky behind him. He turns around and shields his eyes, falling to the ground. There's a loud "WHOOSH" sound followed by a gust of wind that would've knocked him down anyway.

Trevor- Holy fuck, Doc! Aliens!!

And then it's gone.

The Ex-Detective looks around and sees an airport just across the road from where he was stopped. The Doctor laughs aloud. The Ex-Detective clumsily gets up and crawls back into the car.

Doctor D'Ville- Pedal down, Trevor. We have many miles to Houston, yet. Our arrival should be right on schedule as always. Mister Loverboy, I wish you a safe trip back from Russia, my friend. I am eager to meet you and I think you will get great benefits from a session. You think you're being held back? Prove them wrong by taking me down. If you take me down, maybe you did deserve the Television shot. If I take you down, maybe you just think too highly of yourself. And judging by what I've seen thus far, Mister Loverboy, I believe you think quite highly of yourself. But passed all of that hair, all of the glitter and headbands... There you are. I can see you now. The man behind the music. I'd like to meet that man someday. Perhaps after your jejune presence in the XWf has ran its course, and the music industry finally shuts you out, we can talk once again. i'm sure you'll have much more to talk about by then. But in the mean time, Mister Loverboy, let's focus on getting to Houston. Do not disappoint the Doctor.



**The above banner created by Azrael Erubus.
*Song "Land of Confusion" by Genesis. Performed by In Flames.