Ben Jackman paces slowly back and forth across the living area of his Denver, Colorado hotel room. Its Saturday night before Oblivion, and Jackman stands poised at the end of another week of preparation, almost visibly twitching with desire to be in the ring, in front of a packed house. And even moreso to have the opportunity to wrap his hands around Kyle Darkbriar's throat one more time before the coup de grace at Players or Pawns. Jackman smiles softly to himself at the thought of finishing Darkbriar a week early and making Players or Pawns just a litle more academic than its already become. Jackman has his cell phone pressed against his ear, his eyes never wavering from the floor as he still paces back and forth slowly, waiting for his call to be picked up on the other end. After several moments it is, and a young female's voice appears on the line. "New Orleans, Louisiana Police Department. Missing Persons Division. How may I help you?" Jackman shudders with laughter but is able to keep himself under control outwardly. "Yes, ma'am. I need to report a missing person." "Okay, sir. What is the person's name?" "Kyle Darkbriar. I belive his maiden name may be Ortego." The voice comes back over the line to Jackman sounding a little confused. "Maiden name, sir? You did say his maiden name right?" Jackman laughs out loud this time unable to keep it bottled up. "Well, he is a bitch." "Sir, if this isn't a serious call you could be putting yourself in very serious trouble." Jackman immediatly gets himself under control. "Yes ma'am. Excuse me. This is a serious call, we haven't seen or heard from Mr. Darkbriar all week." "No one has?" "No ma'am. I'm a representative of his employer and he appears to have fallen completely off the face of the earth." "Ok, sir. I belive we have the man your looking for in our database. It appears he's had several runs ins with the local law enforcement. If we find him, we'll be glad to give you call." Jackman smiles. "Thank you very much, ma'am." "Your telephone number sir?" Jackman gives his number twice, to ensure she has it correct before hanging up the phone and collapsing onto the couch in laughter. After several minutes, Jackman regains his composure and looks up from the couch, tears streaking down his face from his bout with laughter. The SHOOT cameracrew in Jackman's room smiles inwardly, the camera trained on Jackman as he sits up on the couch. "What?" The camera crew shake their heads. "Can't I show concern for my fellow man, without you looking at me like I'm some kind of asshole?" A small expulsion of laughter escapes Jackman again, but he is able to reign it in relatively quickly, before turning back to the camera. Suddenly all business. "You know, Kyle. This has been your chance. You had it all laid out in front of you. You HAD it right in the palm of your hand. You could've been the star you've always wanted to be, and in true Darkbriar style you fucked it off. I hope for your sake that this isn't another one of your pathetic attempts at mind games. Oh wait, maybe it is." Jackman adjusts on the couch. "Is the old standdy where you dissappear and I'm lead to think 'Oh shit, he must be planning something big. I haven't heard anything out of him. Oh what could it be?" Is that what I'm supposed to do? Well...Kyle, sorry to dissapoint, but it ain't gonna happen. If this is a game, its a shitty one, and if not then maybe you've realized how deep the pile of shit you've been digging in for the last month plus is. Maybe like so many before you, you realized that you're outclassed, outsmarted, and outdone at every turn, and its not because I try to do it. No, it just comes naturally, Kyle. Because I'm simply better at what I do than you are at what you do. Yeah...what is it you do again? Thats right, you talk alotta shit about being hardcore, thats right. A Hardcore Extremist. Well..Kyle, I hope your saving the best for last, because as of right now I'm less than impressed with what you've shown me. Which is...." Jackman holds his right hand up his thumb and forefinger extended squeezing the air between them. "About this much." Jackman closes the distance completely pressing his fingers together. 'Nada, Darkbriar. I'm not impressed, and from everything you've said for the last month plus thats what you wanted to do. Use me to impress, Use me to make yourself a star. Thats your motive, big boy, well sadly you fell flat on your face again this week, just like everyone expected. What a shame. And even worse, your partner isn't too happy with your sudden dissapearance it would seem, but Cronos is not my concern. You are Kyle, and simply its beginning to look more and more like you're the odd man out on Sunday. I want to fucking beat your ass. Josh wants to beat your ass, simply because your on the other side of the ring from him, and well...you've gone and pissed Mr. Diamante off. Looks like you're in for a long night. That is if you decide to show up....." Jackman stands up from the couch, a smile on his face. "I wouldn't blame you if you thought better of it and just didn't show. Its the best thing for your health, and we all know I'm concerned about that." Jackman laughs as the camera fades to black.