Darion: Fucking paperwork. This is getting to be quite tedious. Why is Ripper making me do all of this shit?

*Up walks a beautiful waitress holding an empty tray and money between her fingers. She looks down at the big man and begins to speak.*

Waitress: Would you like anything else there hun?

Darion: Nah Peaches, I better not have anything else until Pete gets here. He has the rest of the work I needed him to pick up. Just bring me a glass of water?

Waitress: A glass of what? Did you say…

Darion: Don’t be a smart ass. I’m not in the mood for it. I have got too much shit on my plate to have to worry about some bimbo waitress giving me slack also. Now, PLEASE… get me my water.

*The waitress looks down at Darion disgusted, than slaps him across the back of the head, knocking his head forward slightly. She turns and walks away in a huff.*

Darion: Damn bitch. Now where was….

Voice: Hey, DARION!!!

Darion: Damnit.

Voice: I got that info you wanted.

Darion: Fine Pete, just put it here and sit down. How did you get it?

Pete: Well, let’s just say it wasn’t easy. It’s hard getting into Kosmo’s office. He had a lock on the door. I found a way through it though. I think he is gonna need a new one. Oh well, maybe I’ll send him one in the mail. A gift from me. Gifts are good.

Darion: I’m sorry I asked.

*Darion opens the file folder. The name atop the folder reads: Dux, Cryst. He begins to read the many papers that lay strewn in front of him. At times, his face has a slight hint of a grin, and others, stone cold.*

Pete: Anything useful in there Darion?

Darion: Actually yes Pete. It has all her personal history in here. The abandonment from her father, the brutal death of her mother. How she was adopted by some rich bastard. It’s all in here. You did good Pete.

Pete: Thanks Darion.

*The waitress returns with a glass of water on her tray. She bends down and places it on the table in front of Darion. Darion smacks her in the ass and watches her jump. She gives him a wink.*

Peaches: What’s all this shit? Homework for the little wrestler?

Darion: Peaches, you can be so annoying at times. Leave us. Be a good lil girl and grab Pete some Fireball would ya?

*The waitress turns and walks away once again.*

Pete: You were mean to her Darion.

Darion: She’ll be back. Her and I go back dude. Remember when I lived this way for awhile…well her and I dated for a bit. I was the one that got her the job here. Now if you don’t mind, I have some reading to do. Go find something to do.

*Pete begins to pout a bit. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a black Zippo. His face lights up and he darts from the booth, leaving Darion to read. *

Darion: Poor, poor girl. She has been through a lot. No woman should have to deal with this hardship so young in life. I mean god, what kind of man would do such a horrendous thing. Make a little girl watch as he slits her mother’s throat. That’s just wrong, on so many different levels.

*Darion continues to read. At times, papers are just tossed aside, and at some points, Darion looks hard and intently over them, as if to make sure he doesn’t miss anything.*

Darion: Man, looks like I am in for one tough fight. I was expecting to walk in and out of this match unscathed, but this young lady has a lot of pent up frustration just waiting to veer its ugly head.

*The waitress returns with the whiskey for Pete and places it on the other side of the table from Darion. She sits across from him and stares at him.*

Darion: what do you want?

Peaches: We need to talk!

Darion: Not now. I kinda busy.

Peaches: We need each other. I want you back Darion. Do you not remember how it use to be? You and I sitting around looking at the stars. Many a nights lying in your room cuddled by the fireplace. The hot passionate sex that usually followed. Don’t you miss that?

Darion: Don’t start Peaches. Things have changed. We have changed. There can’t be an us anymore. I am too busy and too fucking stressed for this shit right now. Leave me. Just leave me alone.

*Darion grabs his wallet and places a $50 in her cleavage and shoes her away. She stands up, rustles around in her pocket, removes a key from it and places it in Darion’s hand.*

Peaches: Just incase you change your mind.

*She turns and walks away from Darion. Darion sits and looks at the key in his hand. He puts it on the table near his bottle and continues to read.*

Darion: This fight is gonna be brutal. I have an advantage to her. Sheer size and power. She may be fiery but she just can’t conjure up enough gull to be able to beat me. There is no way. Fuck, why was she placed against me in the first round of this damn tournament? She is too beautiful to be messed up. This isn’t fair. Kosmo has some balls to do this to a woman. I think it is time for his annual cat-scan.

*One by one, the customers at the club leave. Soon, Darion can no longer here many voices, and the music is turned down just enough for the evening staff to here it. Darion finishes off the bottle of J.D. and places it on a passing cart pushed by one of many night staff. Pete strolls up to Darion with a smug grin upon his face.*

Darion: What did you do Pete?

Pete: Why do you always think I have done something wrong? Is there “shit disturber” written across my forehead or something? I really resent that remark Darion. It’s just like that time…

Darion: What did you do Pete?

Pete: I set the kitchen garbage can ablaze. It wasn’t my fault though. Some idiot put something flammable in the garbage bin. Who in their right mind would do something like that? Like honestly….use your thinker man. This place is getting a little warm and stuffy don’t ya think? Can ya finish this up at the hotel dude?

Darion: Ya, I guess so. Let’s get out of here.

*Darion and Pete begin to start to leave when a rather large bouncer comes up and stops Darion.*

Bouncer: Hey, that little punk burnt half our kitchen down. Who’s gonna pay for it?

Darion: Insurance maybe. It is a bar jackass.

Bouncer: Don’t get smart with me. I have tossed your kind out of this place before.

Darion: I doubt you have ever come in contact with my kind before son. Run along before you get yourself hurt.

Bouncer: You think so do you? You got a big mouth there boy. It’s time for me to close it for you asshole.

*The bouncer swings and nails Darion square in the jaw. Darion’s head falls back slightly then leans back into position.*

Darion: That’s one.

*The bouncer swings again, this time cutting Darion’s lip. The bouncer shakes his hand a little bit. Darion licks the blood from his lip and begins to smile.*

Darion: That’s two. If I were you, I wouldn’t let there be a third. Run along now; watch “Roadhouse” and fondle yourself like the rest of your little bouncer counterparts.

*The bouncer swings a third time, but his hand is caught by Darion. Darion quickly grabs the man by the throat and pushes him against the wall, lifting him a foot off the floor. Peaches runs over and yells at Darion.*

Peaches: Darion. Put him down. He’s new. He doesn’t know any better. Don’t make things worse than they are. Come on now, for god sake, put him down.

Darion: Listen little man, you’ve been touched by an angel tonight. If it wasn’t for her, forensics would have to get dental caps done to figure out who you are. I will leave you with a warning this time. The next time you won’t be so lucky. This is your last warning.

*Darion hoists the man up into the air and drops him through the table delivering a devastating chokeslam. The man begins to writhe in pain on the floor.*

Darion: Peaches, get him out of here. I’m leaving.

*Darion picks up the key off the floor and tosses it to Peaches.*

Darion: Give this to him; I think he needs it more than I do.

*Darion and Pete turn and leave out the back door into the alleyway. As they leave, Darion begins dusting wood chips from his coat. Pete looks up at him with a smile on his face.*

Pete: Now that’s why I hang out with you Darion. You always seem to have some kind of action go on around you. If I ever need cheering up, all I have to do is take you to a bar or movie or gothic festival or flee market or….

Darion: I get the picture. I didn’t want to do that man. Unfortunately for him, he just picked the wrong time to get in my face. Poor lad. Maybe if he is lucky, they’ll be able to put Humpty Dumpty together again. I’ll meet you at the coffee shop man. I have something I have to do.

*Pete looks at Darion, but decides to say nothing. He wanders off chanting something unintelligible. Darion pulls out the file folder from within his duster and pulls out his own Zippo.*

Darion: I have a feeling they have a copy of this back at the office in case of just such an emergency. I don’t need this in my possession anymore. Cryst, you’ll thank me for this later.

*Darion sparks the Zippo and holds it to the folder. The flames begin to engulf the folder, melting the burning all that remains inside. Darion drops it into an empty trash can and watches it burn into nothing. All that is left is ash. Darion dumps the contents of the can onto the concrete and scatter the remains until nothing is around.*

Darion: I’m sorry Cryst for what I must do. You can blame me, or you can blame the owners, but one way or another, I am advancing to the next round in the tournament. May the god’s have mercy upon their soul…and yours!

*Darion turns and walks away leaving behind memories of Cryst’s past. As the scene fades, you see Darion walk into the local Dunkin Donuts where Pete is annoying the counterhelp.*