The shoot opens with Charlie Nickles and Ned Kaye standing together next to Steve Sayors. Steve is dressed in a sharp suit with plenty of hair gel in his slicked-back silver hair. Charlie stands a few inches taller than Ned with a bit more muscle and a lot more fat.

Steve: Welcome back, folks! I’m here today with two of the most NOTORIOUS

Steve Sayors winks at the camera.

Steve: Wrestlers in our federation: Ned Kaye and Charlie Nickles! Ned is our returning fan favorite with an inscrutable reputation fresh off of a big win at Relentless. Charlie is the fresh face that has won the hearts and minds of trailer parks across the nation! But Charlie, I have to ask you: how do you feel about the perceived drop in your stock over these last few weeks? Some of your fellow wrestlers have been writing you off since your loss to Sarah Lacklan. Why do you think that is?

Charlie’s face glows red and his eyes narrow as he readies himself for a rageful rant.

Charlie: I don’t give a damn what the piss ants have to say! I am 3 and 1 in my last four matches. In those three wins I took out over a dozen of those mindless blabbermouths. Robbie Bourbon, Warfare MVP? I tossed his fat ass over the top rope. Thunder Knuckles, Television Champion? I hit his ass with two suplexes for two wins: one on the ringside mat for the battle royale, one on his empty head for the main event. I heard his face looks like a flat tire now. If all the cockgaggers and ballsniffers in the back can say about me is that I lost a nail-biter in the biggest match of the decade, then I think I must be doing some shit right.

Steve Sayors nods along. He purses his lips before turning his attention to Ned.

Steve: Most recently it has been Hanari Carnes and Peter Gilmour throwing shade your way, Charlie. But Ned, you obviously have been dealing with Chaotic Inc for a long, long time. How has their interference with your life affected you?

Ned: "It has been a primary part of my life, unfortunately. They took my mother hostage, for God’s sake. So, whether I like it or not, I’ve been dwelling on the situation. It’s extended to how my family feels about me, how my friend Ethan feels when he’s around me. Chris Chaos decided it would be a fun little sick game for him to strain all these different people in my life with these acts and I’m not amused. But I am overjoyed at the thought of getting Peter and Hanari in the ring. They were so quick to join along with Chris and commit heinous acts and I am going to savor every second of retribution Charlie and I get to deliver. I am ready to make another example out of one of Chaos’s little misfit toys."

Charlie quickly hops in as Ned finishes his thoughts.

Charlie: See, that’s the god damned problem with those pussies in Chaotic Inc. They think a little kidnapping is going to shake my partner and I? Hell no! A little kidnapping is nothing: what, five years? Ten in the penn if you have a cunt judge? Doesn’t faze me. If you’re taking hostages, you better brutalize them: or else what was the fucking point? Why let them run and flap their gums about what you did? Make a snuff video and maybe you’ll get some intimidation going your way. But kidnapping a little old lady? Shit, you want some respect? Try kidnapping kids and stuffing em’ ten deep in your rape van. Kids are fast and speedy, and everyone is going to be looking for em’ when they get that lil’ alert on their phone. But an old lady? She won’t run and no one cares: what are they even trying to prove?

Ned: "...I think what he's trying to get at is that's incredibly cowardly to kidnap an old woman, which I totally agree with. I think it is safe to say, for the good of Charlie and I, that we do not support the abduction and abuse of children in "rape vans." And we sure as hell don't encourage actual desperate psychopaths to brutalize my mother, right, Charlie?"

Charlie shrugs nonchalantly and prepares to answer, but Steve’s producer is going off in his hidden earpiece about how Steve needs to move to the next question NOW.

Steve: SOOOOOOOO you both have a history in the independent wrestling scene. How do you two feel about your time there? Do you think it'll give you an advantage over your opponents?

Ned takes a few moments to collect himself before answering. As Ned collects himself Charlie reaches into one of his pockets and pulls out a half-eaten slim jim. He starts to munch, leaving a few awkward seconds of mostly silence (except for the munching) before Ned is ready to move on to the new topic.

Ned: "I think that is the key advantage. We’re not looking at a pair of people who had put in the same work that we did. There’s a level of endurance that never leaves you. Now, Charlie has been in the jungle for a lot longer than I ever did, and I still spent seven years there. Peter and Hanari are accustomed to the bright lights and easy living of a big federation, but you place them against some of those weeknight warriors on the independent scene and they would crack in an instant. Their stomachs are full and bloated and have been for so long that they forgot what it meant to hunger. Charlie and I starve by nature. There is only one success and that is to be amongst the greatest and men and women like us won’t even tire once that’s been achieved. We have them outmatched in both talent and spirit and Warfare will show you by just how much."

Charlie gulfs down the rest of the slim jim. He wipes the grease off of his fingers on his beard as he speaks.

Charlie: Gilly and Carnes don’t know what it’s like to have nothing. To have to fight and scrape just to survive. But us indy boys? We’ve never had nuthin’. Carne Asada has been living good off all those Chipotle and Taco Bell royalties, not to mention the stock he prolly has in drug trafficking. But ol’ Charlie and Ned? Not so, chino! We know the struggle. We have the struggle and the fight in our hearts. And it’s coming out tomorrow night, buster! Bet on it!


Steve: Charlie, what ways do you think this match will challenge you?

Charlie: What the fuck is wrong with you? Don’t ask me that bullshit! There’s not a god damned thing that’s going to challenge me in that ring tomorrow night. Shit, last Saturday I fought the T.V. champion and the #1 contender. Before I pinned Knuckles to win that tag match, I won a battle royale with a dozen entrants. This is my easiest fight this week! Gilly hasn’t been relevant for years. His illegal loses matches so often I’m starting to think it’s a requirement in his contract to put everyone else over. There’s no challenge here, just another easy win to pad the stat sheet.

Steve nods along as Charlie drags his opponents.

Steve: And Charlie, how do you feel about partnering with Ned? The two of you seem to have very different approaches to this business!

Charlie: Ned’s one o’ them fine, upstanding citizen types. I wouldn’t take him to the saloon with me, but I’m damned sure more than happy to take him to the ring with me! I know that he’s not pulling no funny business and he’s not going to try some dirty shit on me to get some clout. He’s a straight shooter and I can respect that. When he heads to that ring the only thing on his mind is taking care of business. I like that. That’s a man I can work with. I remember seeing him back, shit, what was it...a half decade ago? He was up and down those podunk indy cards with me, and I’ve seen firsthand how much ass that clean-cut champion of decency and honesty can kick when he sets his mind to it.

Steve: And Ned, how do you feel about being partnered with Charlie?

Ned: "I'm excited! I haven't teamed with someone from the old indie days in years and while Charlie and I didn't cross paths a ton, we definitely noticed each other. This is a tag team that has been years in the making! Charlie is a human battering ram who can overpower opponents in mere seconds. I am a mix of high flying and technical moves that focus on dismantling an opponent's offense and defense. We're talking about an assault that simply doesn't let up and we are two men who never stay down for long.

Steve nods along absentmindedly as he lets the tag team partners gas each other up. He waits for Ned to finish before turning back to the camera to wrap up the scene.

Steve: Charlie, Ned: it’s been great having you two! We’re all wishing you luck and we’re excited to see your tag team matchup! Folks, be sure to tune in tomorrow night to watch some amazing tag-team action!

Steve smiles at the camera for a few moments.

Steve: Cut!

Steve looks at the camera man as he makes a motion of cutting across his throat. As the camera man turns off the camera the point of view shifts to the side. We see Steve loosening his tie before offering a handshake to the two men. Ned accepts the handshake with a smile and a nod. Steve offers the same courtesy to Nickles, but Charlie slaps the man’s hand away before walking off back towards the locker room. Ned apologizes to Steve before following Charlie backstage, putting a little hustle in his step as he tries to catch up to his impromptu tag-team partner. Charlie’s moving fast and dips into the locker room with haste. By the time Ned enters into the locker room Charlie is already seated in a chair with a neon bandana tied around his arm, just a few inches above the elbow. He is melting a few rocks of heroin down in a spoon. Ned looks surprised as he stops dead in his tracks in the middle of the doorway. Charlie looks up at him, meeting his gaze.

Charlie: Oh hey! Was that prick getting on your nerves, too? Him and all the fucking jews that run this company are always trying to piss me off, throw me off my game. Fucking greedy moneygrubbers looking for their next story, that’s all they are.

Ned: "Whoa! We don't talk that way about the Jewish people, man. Besides, management here is plenty diverse. At least, it was."

Charlie: Ehhh.

Charlie clearly disagrees, but he doesn’t push the envelope. He’s got bigger plans. He grins as he sees the rocks of heroin turn to a sticky yellow liquid. He reaches into the locker behind him and pulls out a heroin needle. He sucks up all the narcotics with the syringe and prepares it for injection. He quickly looks back up to Ned.

Charlie: Oh shit, my bad man. I forgot my manners! You want some of this dope? I got another gently used needle somewhere over here.

Charlie reaches back into the locker room to look for his other heroin needle. Ned’s lips curl into a disgruntled frown.

Ned: "Look, I don’t do that. Not even back then. It’s not “a smile for the cameras” thing, it’s a “those drugs have killed people I know” thing. If you want to do that, you go ahead, I guess. But I fell down a big enough pit myself, I don’t need another."

Charlie shrugs as he presses the needle into the scarred flesh of his arm. His eyes roll back in his skull for a few seconds as he pushes the drugs into his bloodstream. Ned looks on uncomfortably. Charlie moans softly before reaching down and grabbing the heroin needle, pulling it out of his arm with roughness and vigor. He tosses the now empty needle to the ground.

Charlie: You got a gal pal, Neddy boy? A nice little wife in your bed waiting for you back at home?

Ned looked down to the ground, remembering all the good times he had with the love of his life. He takes a few moments to think about his words carefully before looking back up at Charlie with a mixed look of remorse and happiness.

Ned: “We were only ever engaged, not married. You see, Lilian was the kind of girl you expect to be dating movie stars and famous musicians. She was charming and funny, clever and casual. She treated me like a person when everyone else was looking to see me as a wrestler or kid or something. In her eyes, I was the best of myself that I could be and it made me twice the man I could be around her. Ever since she passed… I've felt like a spectre at some level. I… don't want to get into it too much."

Charlie rolled his eyes at Ned’s naivete.

Charlie: Shit, women aren’t nothing but trouble. You’re lucky she passed to be honest. My bitchy whore of an ex-wife has been nothing but a parasite. She’s constantly on my ass demanding child support, wanting me to come see the kids, like Jesus fucking Christ bitch, I have a life! We’re over! Your slutty boothang would’ve turned out the same, so don’t worry. It’s better that she’s gone.

Charlie gave a nod and a smile, his glazed over eyes narrowing unintentionally as his vision blurred. Charlie couldn’t see the barely subdued look of disgust struggling to come to light on Ned’s face.

Ned: "Charlie. I respect you. I appreciate you. I think you are a legend in your field and will shine a lot brighter than me a lot sooner. But don't you ever say that shit to me again or I am going to, respectfully, knock you on your ass."

Charlie was a bit shocked, leaning back in his chair as he tried to contemplate Ned’s comments. He was going to respond, but as his mouth was opening a sudden rush of euphoric elation washed over him and a delighted smile found its way onto the drug addict’s face. Ned shook his head from side to side, walking away from the conversation before his heart overwhelmed his mind.