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Centurion · **Yesterday, 06:34 PM**

He was expecting a visit. He just didn’t know who was going to show up.

We open up on the front porch of Centurion’s luxury cabin in the Poconos. Standing there is Centurion, smoking a cigarette, with Nellie standing next to him, smoking her vape. Neither say a word, as they stand in their collective silence, the sound of the breeze rustling through the dormant trees surrounding them being the only thing that interrupts them.

This does not last, however, as the sound of driving cars can be heard down Centurion’s driveway, getting closer to the home.

“Here we go.” Centurion says as he lifts his foot and puts out his cigarette on the bottom of his shoe.

Three black Escalades pull up to the front of the cabin, parking themselves in a row as close to the front porch as possible. The two cars in the front and back open up, and uniformed, masked ICE agents step out. The middle car opens, and out steps Pier Hess Graf, the tall, blonde, controversial district attorney of Lebanon County. Neither Centurion nor Nellie move. In fact, Nellie doesn’t even stop smoking. Centurion, meanwhile, looks at ICE agents - four in total - before turning his attention to Graf. “Cute.”

“Mr. Cortinovis.” Graf quickly speaks, not acknowledging Centurion’s dismissive attitude. “I’ve been attempting to get a hold of you over the phone. It appears as if the service out here may be a bi unreliable.”

“My service is great.” Centurion coldly responds. “I’ve been ignoring you. Though, don’t feel bad - I didn’t even know it was you. I’ve been ignoring anyone who thinks they can intimidate me after what I did to Elon.”

“So you know why I’m here…”

“No, I don’t.” Centurion cuts Graf off before she can begin to speak. “I know why SOMEONE is here. What I don’t know is why YOU are here. This isn’t Lebanon County. A crime didn’t take place in Lebanon County. You have nothing to do with this, Frau Hess.”

“I’m here on behalf of my friend and client.” Graf says as she folds her arms in front of her. “And I don’t appreciate being mocked. A serious crime has occurred, Mr. Cortinovis. A crime that was witnessed by all of America, and the fact that you’re so lackadaisical about it just says so much more about your character than words could ever do.”

“A crime implies something illegal has happened.” Centurion says, standing upright and becoming more serious. “The law is very clear, thanks to Thesz Vs Indiana. “Anyone who enters or approaches a combat ring assumes the risk associated with it and therefore forfeit their punitive action in the case of injury.” The moment Elon stepped in that ring, he was no longer your “friend.” He was no longer Elon Musk, the billionaire. He was Elon Musk, the owner of the XWF and combatant, and therefore neither HE nor YOU have a leg to stand on.”

“Elon didn’t know of this law when he approached the ring.” Graf quips back. This response is immediately met with laughter by Centurion and Nellie, the latter of whom releases a cloud of smoke when she does.

“You mean to tell me that the OWNER of a WRESTLING COMPANY didn’t know the rules involved in a WRESTLING match?! Because if what you tell me is correct, that means Elon Musk signed the agreement to purchase the company without reading the contract. And that sounds like negligence. Doesn’t that sound like negligence, Nellz?”

“Sounds like negligence to me.” Nellie responds back, nodding.

“You’re WAY too damn cocky for your own good.” Graf says, her voice becoming angrier. “You may get away with this on a technicality, but let me tell you - we are NOT the people you want on your bad side. You could save yourself a lot of headaches if you were to publicly apologize for your actions, and offer some kind of compensation.”

Centurion clears his throat as he steps forward, closer to Graf. This causes the ICE agents to step closer to him, their thumbs in their flack jackets, ready to act in case Centurion decides to get physical. Centurion, meanwhile, smiles as he looks at all four agents. “You think bringing your uniformed goons with you would scare me?” Centurion looks one of them up and down. “Boy, the Gestapo uniforms have really gone downhill over time.”

“Back up, sir.” One of the other officers from the opposite side of Graf speaks up, causing Centurion to change his focus to him.

“You got something to say to me, Six Cheeseburger Danzig?” Centurion’s quip gets the agent, who does indeed look like the rockstar Danzig if he had laid heavy into the fast food, to step in front of Graf and get nose to nose with Centurion. “Do it. Go ahead, do it. I WANT you to do it. I have cameras all over this property, and the moment that film airs, I become a front runner for the Democratic nomination. Try me. All of you. Try. Me.” Centurion’s intensity stares daggers into the one agent, who does not move and does not blink. The other three, meanwhile, glance over to Graf, with concern on their faces. Even Nellie, who has stood back and looked completely nonchalant up until now, has a look of concern as the situation becomes more heated.

“Take a step back, boys.” Graf says in a low tone, causing the ICE agents to reluctantly back up. “We’re not here to make an arrest anyway. We were here, hoping to make things right. I can see by your demeanor, however, that you have no intentions to do so. If that is the route you wish to take, be my guest, but understand something - we’re in power for a reason. You want your job, your reputation, your entire career to be sullied in an instant, then please, go ahead and continue down the path you’re going down.”

“My reputation?!” Centurion snarls back. “You assholes have been slandering me for nine ten years. What could you possibly say or do to me that you haven’t already been doing? Your cult hates me. The owners of the company I work for want me dead. I’m getting every punch thrown at me from all angles, and you’re telling me you’d ruin my REPUTATION?! Do me a favor, since you didn’t come with a warrant - take your soldiers here and goose step your ass off my property.”

Centurion’s eyes pierce through Graf, his steely gaze unwavering as she takes two steps backwards. She points at him as she continues to back up.

“We’ll see you soon.”

With that, Graf turns and gets back in the car. The three ICE agents linger for a moment, causing Centurion to do a dismissive wave, before they return to their vehicles and the cars begin to pull back around and up the driveway. Nellie walks up to Centurion, who continues to stare at the cars as they drive out of sight.

“…I think that went well.”

———You Don’t Get To Pray For Me———

“Ladies and gentlemen - ‘Generic Bad Boy Number 540’!”

The sound of cheering and applause is heard as the camera opens up on a stage. He raises his arms around and poses for the crowd…but there is no crowd. Instead, Centurion walks over to a podium and pulls out a tape recorder, which he shuts off, causing the sound from the “crowd” to instantly stop.

“I hope you enjoyed that, Matthias…because it’s the only reaction you’re going to get.

I’m currently engaged in a 20 year feud with Michael Graves, and let me tell you…it’s exhausting. And there’s a lot of things I can call that man, which I’m sure I will in the upcoming days and week, but let’s just say none of those words are positive. There isn’t a single word I can say about him that doesn’t drip with disdain.

With one exception…he certainly isn’t boring.

His presence, however grotesque it may be, has a purpose. He makes me feel something, even if all those feelings are disgust. But you, Matthias?

You make me feel nothing.

And that’s a shame, because this match is supposed to be super important. After all, it’s coming immediately after my Anarchy Title match against Miss Furry, which I’m sure will include all kinds of hijinx and tomfoolery. Furry, Graves, Musk, and an army of Nazis are probably going to be next to that ring, beating me, bloodying me, and leaving me for dead. They’re going to stand back, with giant grins on their face, thinking they accomplished their ultimate goal by weakening me to the point where I’ll be forced to drop my Television Title. The crowd is going to boo, the champagne will be flowing, it’s going to be a huge moment.

And then your goofy ass is going to walk down to the ring, and all the energy will be sucked out of the room.

You’re the most basic ass human being ever conceived. Your entire existence screams “I’m a character in someone else’s story.” You look like the first bad guy that gets beat up in a superhero movie. You repulse women by telling them how much of an alpha male you are. You derail conversations by talking about how underrated Morrisey is. You tell people you're a “Slytherin” unironically - you see what I’m saying here?

And what really pisses me off is what could have BEEN. Scoops McGee and I battled to a draw the last time we were in a match together. He has earned another opportunity at the Television Title. Betsy Granger took me to the limit, proving a lot of what I said about her was complete bullshit. Ken Davison BEAT me, at my own anniversary show. Granted, he had some help, but it was still impressive enough to earn him a title shot if he wanted it.

And yet, I’m stuck with Bunk Ass Gerard Way.

And here’s the thing, I don’t even know WHY you’re here, Matthias. Usually, I can figure out why someone gets a title shot. Obviously, if they earn it, the mystery is solved. If they didn’t earn it, then you can usually make some assumptions - either someone knows their dad, or they’re sleeping with someone important, or the management thinks they are controllable. Something along those lines.

But you, Matthias - I have no idea how you got here. Are you Jeff Bezos’s nephew? Did you work catering on Epstein Island? Did you win a bet? I’m serious, I have no clue here.

I’m asking a lot of questions, and I don’t know why. I honestly don’t care. It doesn’t change the situation I’m in. I have the weight of the XWF’s financial backers on my ass, and I have the opportunity to walk away with two XWF titles in one night. I know my motivation, Matthias. And I know how this story ends…it ends with me, holding two belts, and you, laying in the center of the ring after just meeting your…

FINAL FANTASY!!!

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