Carnival Cavalcade Wrestling
CCW Chaos, episode #3: Underneath Girls Ascendant?
In the commissioner’s office…
All-American Amy Steel, BRICKHOUSE, Hannah Hammer, and The Iron Maiden stand opposite Hollander’s desk. The first three look like they want to be there. The fourth looks like she wants to be anywhere else.
HOLLANDER: “None of you are booked to wrestle tonight, so you can make the Pack Task Force your priority. If any, or all, of those disgusting miscreants show up here tonight, I want them dealt with, harshly. All except Gothica. (he stares at the framed photo on his desk) If she shows up, I want her brought straight to me. (he paws the photo) Is that understood?”
Steel and BRICKHOUSE nod their agreement. Hammer says, “Yes, sir.” Maiden just stands there.
HOLLANDER: “I asked if my orders are understood, Iron Maiden.”
Her big, muscly arms folded over her big, muscly chest, weight shifted over one hip, Maiden glares across the desk.
MAIDEN: “I’m not here for this. I’m here to wrestle, win championships, and make money. If you’ve got a bug problem, call an exterminator. (she turns to the other three) And if anyone on the goon squad here wants to work for a living, they know where to find me.”
Steel pushes past BRICKHOUSE and Hammer into Maiden’s face.
STEEL: “We’re not done, you and I. After I prove I’m the best professional wrestler in this company and take the CCW Championship from that shit-kicking hayseed, I’m going to give you the first shot at it.”
They’re nose-to-nose.
MAIDEN: “You got a lot of names for people, I notice. I’ve got one for you: Cowardly B-”
HOLLANDER: “That’s enough, ladies. (he stands up) Step back please, Ms. Steel. (she does) If The Iron Maiden doesn’t want to participate in our task force, she doesn’t have to. Go on. (he waves Maiden toward the door) You’ll be on the card later tonight, facing a suitable opponent of my choosing.”
Maiden glares at everyone in the room, Steel the longest, and leaves the office.
In the arena…
Teresa Salazar is already in the ring for the opening match. Her four-straight losses since joining the CCW underneath-girl locker room don’t show on her at all. She looks confident, loose, ready, smug even.
The Tale of the Tape
Teresa Salazar is 44, 5’8”, 135lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. She wrestles in a backless, blood-red singlet, cut high over her hips, black knee pads, and black boots with a blood-red flame pattern embroidered in them. Sizzlin’ Scarlett Jackson is a star with a 7-2 record. She is 26, 5’5”, 130lbs, with dyed bright-orange hair and light-brown eyes. She wrestles in a shiny orange & white bra top, shiny orange booty shorts, shiny white knee pads, and orange basketball sneakers with white highlights.
Ring announcer Jimmy Swift introduces Scarlett and she bounces and bops her way down the aisle in time to her music. Like, Teresa, Scarlett bears no obvious scars, physical or emotional, from her loss to Anna Konda in last week’s Tri-County Championship match.
Scarlett hops up the ring steps and through the ropes, then onto the second rope in her corner to get some glory from the obliging crowd. Cute, sexy, and sleek, Scarlett goes to the ropes to borrow the mic from Swift and turns to Teresa, who meets her in the middle of the ring.
SCARLETT: “Listen, I lost last week. And I know you lost last week. But I also know I’m an awesome wrestler and you’re an awesome wrestler. So, what do you say you and I have an awesome pro wrestling match for these people and show the rest of them back there how this is done?”
The crowd cheers. Teresa hides the sly smile on her face as she nods.
Scarlett flips the mic back to the ring announcer, and referee Roger Clayton calls for the bell.
Sizzlin’ Scarlett Jackson vs. Teresa Salazar
No wrestler in CCW combines speed and aerial ability with technical skill like Scarlett Jackson. Despite her record, no CCW wrestler combines technical skill, pro-wrestling smarts, and old-school guile like Teresa Salazar. With them in the ring together, dedicated to practicing the craft and passion they share, the first six minutes of this match fly by, with neither woman gaining a distinct advantage, but the respect between them grows by the hold, deepens by the reversal.
But at 6:32, Teresa rakes Scarlett’s eyes, claws her back, and shoves her into the corner for a series of hard boots to Scarlett’s tight midsection.
Most of the crowd boos, but not all.
Teresa batters Scarlett in the corner with kicks and elbows as the referee warns her against all of it. When he starts a DQ count, Teresa whips the stunned, bewildered Scarlett into the opposite corner and nails her in the chest with a beautiful back handspring elbow. Scarlett stumbles out of the corner and falls to her knees, then her face.
Teresa pounces, grabbing both of Scarlett’s legs and bending them over her back for a Boston Crab. Scarlett, crying out, tries to push up out of it, but Teresa sits down, really torquing Scarlett’s lower back.
Referee Clayton checks with Scarlett for a submission but she refuses. Hands clawing and scratching at the canvas, Scarlett tries to drag Teresa to the ropes to force a break, but it’s no good. Teresa, bearing down, has her trapped.
CLAYTON: “What do you say, Scarlett? You want to give it up?”
Jackson screams her defiance and, with a twist of her back that would snap vertebrae in a lesser athlete, pushes off the mat with her abs, gets a hold of Teresa’s leg and leverages her backward to the mat. Scarlett follows through and stacks Teresa on her shoulders. The referee is in position.
1…
2…
Teresa uses her own abs — weaker than Scarlett’s and still sore from last week — to power out of the roll up.
Scarlett staggers back, then throws a flash standing dropkick, but Teresa stays low and Scarlett crashes to the mat on her side.
Teresa, her breathing controlled, even, pulls Scarlett up by her orange hair and shoots her hard into the corner. Her back already injured from the Boston Crab, Scarlett stumbles out of the corner and collapses to the mat.
Pulling Scarlett over onto her back, Teresa dashes to the corner and climbs to the top. She measures Scarlett for a big elbow drop and leaps.
Scarlett pops up and takes Teresa out of the air and into an inside cradle on the canvas.
1…
2…
With a bellow from somewhere deep in her sore belly, Teresa bucks with her legs and breaks the pin.
They rise simultaneously. Teresa swings a home-run clothesline, but Scarlett ducks it and catches Teresa right under the chin with a reverse crescent kick, flattening her.
Scarlett sees Teresa’s eyes are closed and her mouth is open as she pants on the mat, her little belly heaving. Scarlett gets to the corner, climbs up, and steadies herself. She leaps, angling to splatter Teresa with her Superfly Splash…
…but Teresa moves.
Readjusting in mid-air, Scarlett hits the canvas on all fours and, in one motion, shoulder rolls to her feet.
But Teresa is already up. She charges.
Scarlett leapfrogs Teresa, who runs hard into the far ropes. Teresa ducks a clothesline on the rebound and, building speed, hits the ropes again.
Scarlett is a hair slow turning around and Teresa catches her with a rolling schoolgirl pin, complete with a handful of Scarlett’s shorts to leverage her shoulders tighter to the mat.
The referee, screened by Teresa’s body, slides into position.
1…
Scarlett is screaming and kicking desperately.
2…
Teresa reaches over the referee’s back and hooks her arm around the middle rope for even more leverage.
SCARLETT: “Ref, ref, ref!”
3.
The referee calls for the bell at 9:13.
Teresa releases Scarlett’s shorts and the rope and bails out of the ring, a massive grin on her face.
Teresa scores her first CCW victory. She is now 1-4. Scarlett endures her second defeat in an many weeks, falling to 7-3.
Scarlett rages as Teresa is announced the winner. She grabs the referee by the collar.
SCARLETT: “She had my shorts and the goddamn rope, ref. Come on!”
Clayton says he didn’t see anything and warns Scarlett’s hands off him.
Scarlett goes to the ropes and stares down hard at Teresa, who blows Scarlett a kiss and gives her a little booty shake before heading up the aisle.
In the underneath locker room…
Melora O’Brien and Riley Slade, both in street clothes — Melora’s a bit tight — sit on the long bench away from the lockers. Elbows on her thighs, Melora picks at her nails as they talk.
At the monitor, Cassie Rae, also in street clothes, and Sunny Austin, bikinied and barefoot — her natural state — watch the replay of Teresa Salazar stealing one from Scarlett Jackson.
Sunny, hands on hips, scoffs.
SUNNY: “What the hell was that? That’s what she has to do to w- (she tilts her head at Cassie) Why are you smiling?”
Indeed, Cassie is smiling, her arms crossed, her short, curvy body nicely wrapped in a black tank top, low-rise jeans, and flat sandals.
CASSIE: “It’s not the way you or I would try to win, but Teresa has…her own story. (she takes both of Sunny’s hands) She’s got to do this her way. We don’t have to like it, but I respect it.”
SUNNY: “You do?”
Cassie slides her arms around Sunny’s slim waist and pulls her in close. Cassie tilts her head, giving the bikini girl Quite a Look.
CASSIE: “I do.”
Cassie bats her eyes. Sunny rolls hers.
SUNNY: “Not even fair.”
They kiss, slow, deep. Sunny moans a little as Cassie’s hands wander her bare back.
The door opens and Teresa strolls in, looking like there’s not a drop of stress anywhere in her body.
Cassie looks over her shoulder as Teresa opens her locker.
CASSIE: “I’m gonna go congratulate her. (she smiles at Sunny’s cocked eyebrow) Trust me.”
Sunny watches Cassie go to the lockers. Teresa throws her arms around Cassie and they hug, tight, tears in Teresa’s eyes.
SUNNY: “OK…”
She wanders over to the long bench.
SUNNY: “Hey, guys. Melora, you got a minute?”
The pretty Irish redhead gets up, tugging and pulling at her tight tee-shirt, and follows Sunny to the corner with the little rusty chair.
Riley turns her attention to the lockers, and Cassie waves her over.
In the corner, Sunny sits Melora down.
SUNNY: “I need a favor. Cassie and I were supposed to team tonight against the Cowgirls, but now they want Cass for this special interview with McClean. In the ring; kind of a big deal. I wondered if you’d tag with me tonight.”
MELORA: “Oh god, you don’t want me. Can you see if Tiffany’s around? Or call her if she’s not? I’m just…I’m just gonna drag you down and we’ll lose for sure.”
SUNNY: “Melora…”
MELORA: “At least with Tiffany you’ll have a chance, Sunny.”
SUNNY: “I’m asking you.” (she kneels in front of Melora, takes both her hands) I want you to be my partner tonight. You gonna turn me down?”
Melora’s glassy eyes wander the room.
MELORA: “I lost in 16 seconds last week. And I…I’m not…”
Sunny squeezes her hands.
SUNNY: “OK, first, I don’t doubt The Iron Maiden could beat me in 16 seconds. Second, Hannah Hammer beat me in a minute last week. And third, (she catches Melora’s eye) yeah, you’ve gained weight. We can all see it.”
Melora rocks back in the chair.
MELORA: “Jesus Christ, Sunny. That’s so fucking embarrassing. Why would you say that?”
Sunny re-grips her hands.
SUNNY: “Because I don’t look down on you, and neither does anyone else here.”
MELORA: “Well, that’s fine then, but I don’t want to be the company fat girl, do I?”
SUNNY: “Here’s what I know. You’re the girl who goes out there and wrestles. You show your heart, your skill, you use this body — which is beautiful, by the way — and you make your case. You give these girls in the other locker room a match. That’s what we’re here to do.”
MELORA: “Sunny, we all know you’re not long for this locker room; you’ll be over there with the star girls soon enough. I don’t want to go out there and embarrass you, set you back. Please, don’t ask me to do that.”
SUNNY: “No matter what I’ve done in the ring lately, I still lose. A lot. I’ve been a part of two tag-team wins, and I’ve lost 12 other matches since I got here. I’m an underneath girl. Tonight, (she pushes back to her feet) your fellow underneath girl needs a tag partner to take on the Cowgirls and she wants you. (she offers her hand) Are you gonna turn your back on her?”
Melora gets to her feet and takes Sunny’s hand. They share a firm handshake.
MELORA: “I’m sorry, Sunny. I’m proud to team with you. And don’t worry, we’ll make sure it’s me they pin.”
Sunny levels a hard, serious gaze directly into Melora’s eyes.
SUNNY: “Who says either of us is getting pinned?”
In the deputy commissioner’s office…
Jules Moreno, this week’s power suit and heels a dark red, strolls down a line of six burly men in black CCW tee-shirts and black jeans. SECURITY is across the back of their shirts in white letters.
JULES: “Starting tonight, you men will provide protection and support for any situation for which it’s deemed such conditions are necessary. You will be answerable to me, or Jack Blake, our senior offi-”
HOLLANDER: “Oh, I don’t believe so, Deputy Commissioner Moreno.”
Jules rolls her eyes as the commissioner saunters into the room with another burly man — bald, big mustache, wearing jeans, a dress shirt, and a tie — behind him.
JULES: “Can’t anything ever be simple with you, Hollis?”
HOLLANDER: “This is simple, Ms. Moreno. These men you’ve vetted and hired are now CCW support staff. As you know, all support staff fall under the commissioner’s authority. Or, in this case, (he claps the bald man’s shoulder) under the authority of Duke Derringer here, our new head of security.
Derringer offers Jules his hand. They shake.
JULES: “Mr. Derringer…”
DERRINGER: “Ma’am.”
Hollander is beaming.
HOLLANDER: “I used to manage old Duke when he was taking some of the southern territories by storm. Eh, Duke? Won some titles, had some fun. Hell of a time.”
Hollander, all smiles, gives Derringer a playful elbow to the ribs, to which the burly bald man is only partially receptive.
Jules, arms crossed, leans against her desk.
JULES: “So a wrestler you used to manage — an old running buddy of yours — is our new head of security.”
HOLLANDER: “That’s right. (he claps Derringer and Jules on the shoulder) The security guards report directly to him, and he reports directly to me. (he turns on his heel, giggling) Have fun.”
Hollander struts from the office like he’s leading an invisible marching band. Jules gives Derringer a look.
JULES: “Is this the part where you tell me I can forget you doing anything beyond guarding his office from creditors?”
DERRINGER: “No, ma’am. (Derringer looks over his new charges) This is the part where I tell you it’s true I need this job, but I intend to do it properly.”
JULES: “OK… (she side-eyes him) Well, if that’s true, we have an interview segment coming up after the next match. That’s your first assignment.”
DERRINGER: “We’ll be there.”
In the arena…
Sunny Austin and Melora O’Brien are already in the ring for the next match. As they always do, the ring lights bathe and highlight Sunny’s nearly naked, lithe body beautifully as she bends and stretches in her team’s corner. Melora, her gear uncomfortably tight around her breasts, hips, and pronounced belly, continuously pulls and tugs.
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Sunny lays a hand on Melora’s back.
SUNNY: “Stop. I know you’re uncomfortable out here, but I need you in this match. If we stick to the plan, we can win. (she rubs Meloras’s back) and then we can get you some new gear.”
Melora shifts her weight, hip-to-hip, fidgety.
MELORA: “I don’t want new gear. I want to fit into this gear again.”
SUNNY: “Then that’s what we’ll work on. Hey, look at me. (She grabs Melora’s shoulders) If you don’t believe we can win this, we’re gonna lose, just like everyone here expects.”
Melora shakes her head.
MELORA: “I want to believe, Sunny, but you had this match planned for you and Cassie to wrestle.”
Sunny squeezes Melora’s shoulders, smiling.
SUNNY: “I came up with this plan for me and you. Not Cassie. You.”
Melora nods.
MELORA: “OK…OK, yeah. I’m with you.”
SUNNY: “Atta girl. (she gives Melora’s shoulders a little shake).”
The Tale of the Tape
Underneath girl Sunny Austin is 24, 5’11”, 140lbs, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Her current record is 2-12. She wrestles barefoot in an orange-and-white bikini. Melora O’Brien, also an underneath girl, is 25, 5’5”, 145lbs with red hair and green eyes. She wrestles in a green floral old-school one-piece, white knee pads, and green boots. She is currently 1-5. The Cowgirl Sisters are a star tag team. Diamond is 26, 5’5”, 130lbs with blonde hair and blue eyes. She has a 7-4 record. Platinum is 24, 5’5”, 130lbs, with blonde hair and green eyes. Her record is 7-3. The Cowgirls wrestle in pink cropped tank tops, pink bike shorts, pink knee pads, and two-tone pink & white boots.
Jimmy Swift introduces the Cowgirls, and Diamond and Platinum, their ropes swinging and swishing around, walk down the aisle like they were born to it, giving the fans as much jeering and derision as they get. Once between in the ring, Diamond smirks at their underneath opponents while Platinum drops the ropes in the Cowgirl corner.
DIAMOND: “Hey, Sunny girl. Been a while since we beat you. You’re lookin’ trashy as ever. (she nods at Melora) And I see you traded ol’ Cassie Rae in for the plus-sized model.”
Sunny steps in front of Melora before the enraged redhead can do or say anything, her gaze — and a smirk of her own — leveled at Diamond.
SUNNY: “Talk to me after the match.”
DIAMOND: “Y’all’ll be on your backs as usual by then. (she shrugs) Maybe I’ll whisper sweet nothings to you while you sleep. Rumor has it you’d like that.”
Sunny herds Melora, still fuming, back to their corner and lays a hand on her chest.
MELORA: “They’re not taking us seriously at all, Sunny.”
SUNNY: (smiling) I know. (she slides her hand to the side of Melora’s neck) Which means they do not see us coming. At all.”
Melora, peering past Sunny’s shoulder at the Cowgirls, smiles.
Referee Jessie Motley calls for the bell.
The Cowgirl Sisters vs. Sunny Austin & Melora O’Brien
Diamond and Sunny start. The cowgirl looks for a lock-up, but Sunny cartwheels away from it.
Then she does it three more times.
Diamond, and elements in the crowd, are getting frustrated.
DIAMOND: “Do your gymnastics on your own time, skank. You’re here to give me a light workout, so let’s go.”
She goes for another lock-up. Sunny, perfect every time, cartwheels out of the way.
DIAMOND: “Hey, ref. What the hell’re we doing here?”
MOTLEY: (shrugs) “She’s not breaking any rules.”
Sunny starts to circle, serious, grappling stance.
DIAMOND: “Finally…”
Diamond reaches for the tie-up. Sunny cartwheels past her and creams Platinum in the face with a dropkick, knocking her from the apron to the concrete floor on the fly.
Sunny does one more cartwheel, this one to get behind the stunned Diamond, and hooks her up for a high-angle back suplex that folds the pretty blonde Cowgirl in half.
Back on her feet, Sunny pulls Diamond up by the hair and sends her hard into a neutral corner, where Diamond crashes and sags, seeing birdies no one else can.
Sunny tags Melora, who comes in and moves to the corner opposite Diamond. Sunny grabs her partner’s wrist and shoulder.
MOTLEY: “C’mon, Sunny. One in, one out. Let’s go.”
Her feet planted, toes digging into the canvas, Sunny uses every muscle in her legs, hips, stomach, rib cage, back, and arms to Irish whip her Irish partner at Diamond. Melora leaps just before impact and crushes the Cowgirl in the corner with every ounce of her weight.
Making guttural, almost animal, sounds, Diamond, eyes rolled, stumbles out of the corner and flops face-first to the mat.
Sunny slides out past the Cowgirls’ corner, breaking the referee’s DQ count, and lifts a quick knee to Platinum’s jaw, sending her sprawling anew.
Back in the ring, Melora scrapes what’s left of Diamond off the mat and drives her neck and shoulders into the canvas with a textbook Falcon Arrow. Melora transitions beautifully to a tight, leg-hook pin and gets the 1-2-3 at 2:31.
Referee Motley, shock and a smile battling on her face, watches as Sunny and Melora hug over the KO’d Cowgirl Diamond.
Jimmy Swift puts a little extra on the announcement as the crowd cheers the upset.
SWIFT: “Here are your winners, the team of Sunny Austin and Melora O’Briiiiii-en!”
Sunny improves to 3-12, with all her wins in tag-team matches. Same for Melora, who goes to 2-5. The Cowgirls each take a surprise loss.
Still holding each other tight, Melora wells up.
MELORA: “Thank you. Thank you so much for this.”
SUNNY: “Couldn’t have done it without you, babe. (she rubs Melora’s back) Remember that.”
In the underneath locker room…
Cassie hugs Riley while Teresa, back in street clothes, nods, a smirk on her face.
The cracked monitor replays Melora disposing of Cowgirl Diamond for an easy three count.
TERESA: “Man, I did not think that chubby redhead had that kind of power, or that technique, in her.”
Cassie stands with her arm around Riley’s shoulders.
CASSIE: “Neither did she.”
RILEY: “And Melora’s not chubby, she’s beautiful.”
Teresa rolls her eyes.
TERESA: “How about we just split the difference, all right, kid?
The door bursts open, startling all three of them into defensive postures.
It’s Scarlett Jackson, fuming, still in her gear.
Cassie and Riley relax; Teresa remains ready to fight.
Scarlett strides right up to Teresa.
SCARLETT: “Cassie, I know this is y’all’s room, but I need a few words with this…woman right here.”
Cassie shrugs.
CASSIE: “That’s fine with me. I’m surprised it took you this long to get here. (she claps her hands) OK, I have to head to the ring for my interview. Hope I don’t get disappeared before I say three words. (she smiles at Riley’s worried look) I’m kidding. There’s supposed to be security out there.
Teresa looks at Cassie sidelong, trying to keep an eye on Scarlett.
TERESA: “Sunny’s not here. I should be with you out there.”
CASSIE: “Nah. (she waves that away) I’m sure Wink McLean will protect me.
TERESA and RILEY: “Cassie.”
CASSIE: “Have fun in here.”
Cassie fine tunes her street clothes, exchanges nods with Scarlett, and goes.
Scarlett shoves a finger in Teresa’s face. Riley retreats to the long bench away from the lockers.
SCARLETT: “I want a rematch. Next week. Two out of three falls. I’m gonna get my win back from tonight and add another.”
Teresa crosses her arms, smug, weight shifted over one hip.
TERESA: “That’s not how it works, but you got the match.”
SCARLETT: “I’m going to the commissioner’s office right now. (she smiles) You’re not gonna to be able to cheat your way out this time.”
TERESA: “I learned enough about you tonight I won’t have to cheat to beat you again.”
Scarlett freezes halfway to the door, fixes Teresa with Some Glare, but then leaves.
Riley, one foot up on the bench, arms wrapped around her leg, peers over her knee at Teresa.
RILEY: “What’d you learn about her tonight?”
There’s a knock at the door. Teresa moves to answer it.
TERESA: “That I have to cheat to beat her. She’s going to destroy me next week unless I think of something. Let’s see what she forgot to yell at me. (she opens the door. A ring attendant hands her a slip of paper and leaves. Teresa closes the door, reads the paper, and shakes her head at Riley) Addition to tonight’s card: You’ve got The Iron Maiden tonight, kid.”
Riley jumps to her feet, hands wrapped around her head.
RILEY: “I’m not…like…ready at all. And Cassie’s not here. Oh god, can you…(she waves her fingers at Teresa) give me some quick advice, or something?”
TERESA: (shrugging) Don’t let her kick you in the stomach so hard it hurts for a month?”
RILEY: (hands back on her head) “Oh lord…”
In the arena…
Duke Derringer and the six new security guards surround the ring. Referee Jack Blake is out there too.
In the ring, Wink McLean, facing the hard camera, smooths his hair and adjusts his bow tie.
Over his shoulder standing near the ropes, is Sunny Austin — still barefoot, still bikinied, still sweaty from her match — looking as serious as we’ve ever seen her. She continuously scans the crowd.
McLean clears his throat.
MCLEAN: “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time, the longest tenured wrestler in CCW history, Cassie…Rae!”
Cassie makes an entrance — something she never does as an underneath wrestler — but without any music or pyro. The crowd gives her a nice hand though. A few, mostly young, girls scream their love for Cassie.
Two security guards stand to either side of the ring steps as Cassie ascends.
Cassie is visibly surprised to see Sunny in the ring. They hug — as fellow underneath girls would — but Sunny makes sure her mouth is close to Cassie’s ear.
SUNNY: “Love you, babe.”
CASSIE: “I want to kiss you so bad right now.”
Cassie passes Sunny close — drawing her hand across Sunny’s flat, toned belly — and steps to the waiting Wink McLean.
MCLEAN: “Cassie, your history with this company is well documented, so I won’t go through it, but it does seem to be your status as perhaps the leader of the underneath locker room that’s made you a target for The Pack, a group made up entirely, at least until recently, of underneath girls who suffered severe indignities. Cassie, I have to ask, do you feel that connection?”
Cassie, relaxed, nods.
CASSIE: “Every member of The Pack was once an underneath girl in…I’m not going to say my locker room, but our locker room. Gothica was Aubrey Blackburn, Pequeno Tigre was Lyssa Lopez. I can’t say I feel responsible for why they felt there was no way out other than The Pack, but…yeah, I wish I’d been able to help those girls more.”
MCLEAN: “I notice you didn’t mention Jessica Kelly, who returned to CCW in the worst possible way last week; I was a witness to it. Cassie, talk about Jessica. How is she doing?”
CASSIE: “Well, first, Wink, (she looks at him sidelong) I do feel particularly bad about losing Jessica to The Pack in the first place, and that’s the way I’d put it: I lost her. And because I did, that beautiful young woman had endure something unspeakable last week. (she looks straight into the hard camera) Jessica is not here tonight, but she will be back.”
The crowd cheers.
Teresa climbs into the ring, shares a brief embrace with Sunny, then joins her in flanking Cassie while remaining near the ropes.
MCLEAN: “Cassie, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask you about Chloe Suzuki. It was bad enough watching Chloe get whipped with a cat o’ nine tails by Outlaw Annie Hook, who remains suspended for doing it. But then, she was clearly intercepted on her way to medical treatment and has become the latest underneath girl to be kidnapped by The Pack, though her current fate remains unknown. Cassie, given your role, however unintentional, in the creation of The Pack, do you feel responsible for what’s happened to Chloe Suzuki?”
Sunny and Teresa stare daggers at McLean, but Cassie remains calm.
CASSIE: “Wink, I’m not sure any of us knows what The Pack is truly about or what they ultimately want, especially with this new leader they seem to have. But…I helped Chloe get the win that ultimately led to what’s happened to her so, yes, it broke my heart seeing her tied to that tree…so scared…in so much pain…(she looks into the hard camera) If The Pack wanted my attention, they have it. If this masked leader wanted my attention, they have it. And if any of those weak, scared, little girls — Aubrey, Lyssa, Zehra — want to finally be women, they’ll let Chloe go and come get me instead.”
The lights go out.
Scrambling is heard inside and outside the ring.
The grating, electronic voice of The Cloaked Figure fills the arena.
FIGURE (filtered): Come get you? Come…for you? Interesting talk, Cassie Rae…for a fetish girl.”
The lights come back on.
Sunny, Teresa, and three of the security guards surround Cassie, ready to fight…
…but there’s no one new on the scene.
McLean, realizing no one is protecting him, rolls his eyes.
In the star locker room…
The Cowgirl Sisters are back from the trainer’s room. Already annoyed, Diamond still in pain, they’re brought up short by the sight of someone — a figure in black with a black cowboy hat — sitting at their lockers.
PLATINUM: “Hey, could you clear the hell outta there? We’re in no kinda mood.”
Outlaw Annie Hook stands and turns, fixing the Cowgirls with a snarly glare.
HOOK: “Y’all just lost to a coupla losers, and quick. I think we should talk.”
In the underneath locker room…
Cassie, followed by Sunny and Teresa, blasts through door.
SUNNY: “I’m not saying we leave Chloe to them, but Cass, you’re calling the whole Pack down on us. We have enough trouble trying to survive in this company as it is.”
Cassie wheels on them.
CASSIE: “I didn’t bring anyone down on you, I called them out to take me.”
Sunny, hands on hips, weight shifted, cocks her head.
SUNNY: “Are you fucking serious saying that?”
Teresa steps between them.
TERESA: “All right, hey, listen. Your relationship is none of my business, but Cassie, Sunny’s right. You have to know, The Pack is not going to leave everyone else alone and just come after you now.”
Cassie looks from Teresa to Sunny and back again. Her entire presence softens.
CASSIE: “You guys are not going to be able to protect me. (she turns away) No one ever has.”
In the arena…
Riley Slade is already in the ring for the next match, looking like the next victim in a cheap slasher movie. Except she doesn’t look scared, she just looks…numb.
The Tale of the Tape
Riley Slade is 19, 5’4”, 115lbs, with light brown hair and hazel eyes. An underneath girl with an 0-4 record, she wrestles barefoot in a tee-shirt knotted into a crop top and cutoff booty jean shorts. A towering, powerful star, The Iron Maiden is 35, 6’, 175lbs, with dyed silver hair and gray eyes under mushroom cloud contacts. She wrestles in a black & silver, sleeveless, full-length bodysuit, a silver-studded black belt, and chunky two-tone black & silver boots. She’s 9-3.
Jimmy Swift, as he always does, gives Maiden a big intro, and her music is always loud, but she couldn’t care less. She climbs in the ring and rolls her eyes at Riley.
Referee Clark Sierra calls for the bell.
The Iron Maiden vs. Riley Slade
Up on her toes, trying to circle, Riley risks a look up into Maiden’s eyes.
RILEY: “Ms. Maiden, I know you’re gonna beat me. Could you just do that n-”
The lights go out.
Maiden yells something, there’s activity outside the ring as the crowd buzzes.
The lights come back.
The referee is down on the outside.
The Pack — Pequeno Tigre, Gothica, Zehra, Blonde — lines one side of the ring.
Riley is between them and Maiden.
MAIDEN: “Get behind me.”
Riley dives past Maiden’s hip as The Pack attacks. Maiden decks Tigre, Zehra, and Gothica with right hands. Tigre and Zehra try again, but this time they grab Maiden’s arms.
Blonde hands something to Gothica.
Maiden throws Tigre and Zehra off, but Gothica is already in motion. She drives a cattle prod directly into Maiden’s exposed arm.
Maiden takes the shock, her arm smoking, and bellows at the Pack.
The others reel, but Gothica hangs in and drives the cattle prod into Maiden’s other arm.
This time, Maiden crumples to the mat face-first. She’s not moving.
Riley flies over Maiden’s back and blasts Gothica in the chest with a dropkick.
The barefoot, bikinied Pack high priestess tumbles to the canvas, but Tigre and Zehra grab Riley’s arms and pin her down across Maiden’s back. Riley struggles and thrashes, but Blonde lays across Riley’s feet, immobilizing her legs.
A sick grin on her face, Gothica stalks the screaming Riley, cattle prod held high.
Cassie Rae and Sunny Austin hit the ring. Blonde flees.
Still in her street clothes, Cassie rips the cattle prod away from Gothica and rams the back end of it into the Pack girl’s soft stomach.
Doubled up, Gothica rolls out of the ring as Sunny hits a double clothesline on Tigre and Zehra, who skitter out under the bottom rope.
The Pack flees into the crowd as the CCW corps of referees rushes to the ring, followed by Hannah Hammer, followed, jogging casually, by All-American Amy Steel and BRICKHOUSE.
Cassie holds Riley close as Sunny checks on Maiden, who still hasn’t moved.
Somewhere backstage…
Jules Moreno shoves past two harried crew members and grabs Duke Derringer by the shoulder. He turns around.
JULES: “Where the hell were you? Did you see what just happened out there?”
DERRINGER: “I’m sorry, Ms. Moreno. Commissioner Hollander had us guarding the arena doors. He thought The Pack might-”
JULES: “But they did. They did. (she shakes her head) I knew this would happen.”
DERRINGER: “I’m sorry. We were just doing our-”
JULES: “If you were doing your goddamn job, The Iron Maiden wouldn’t be headed for the trainer’s room with her arms smoking. You’re useless.”
Jules walks away from Derringer and straight into Wink McLean. She waves him away.
JULES: “I have nothing to say, Wink, please.”
MCLEAN: “No, Jules, it’s something else.”
Jules stops, McLean draws close.
MCLEAN: “I asked Cassie Rae about Chloe Suzuki’s kidnapping earlier. The Pack took her from the EMTs after that whipping.”
JULES: “Yes. (she shrugs) I know this, Wink. What’re you-”
MCLEAN: “The same thing happened with Blonde and Brunette. They were taken from here by EMTs after that…display with Anna Konda, and the next time we saw them The Pack had them. (he cocks an eyebrow) Just like Chloe.
Jules eyes widen.
MCLEAN: “I think we have a problem.”
In the underneath locker room…
Melora, in street clothes, is the only one there as Cassie, arms around Riley, and Sunny come through the door. Sunny locks it behind them.
MELORA: “Was that like a…stun gun they used on The Iron Maiden?”
SUNNY: “It was a fucking cattle prod, Mel, which hopefully convinces Cassie The Pack can and will get to anyone. I told you telling Teresa to go home was a mistake.”
Cassie hands Riley off to Melora, who takes her to the long bench. Cassie wheels on Sunny.
CASSIE: “You’re blaming me for this?”
SUNNY: “No, Cass, the opposite. (she grabs Cassie’s arms) These girls are coming for all of us. They just took down The Iron Maiden. The Iron. Maiden. What else do you need to know this isn’t about you?”
Cassie wrenches her arms from Sunny’s grip.
CASSIE: “Is it about me! I couldn’t stop Lyssa from starting this. I couldn’t stop Aubrey and Jessica from joining her. They got that girl Zehra when I wasn’t even looking. And now they have Chloe. (she looks at the bench) And they almost got Riley. And all because I…because I was letting…”
SUNNY: “Say it.”
Cassie turns away.
CASSIE: “I was letting her…”
SUNNY: “Say it.”
Cassie turns to the other three, glassy-eyed.
CASSIE: “I was letting Tiana abuse me. Because I loved her and I thought she loved me. We broke up because she forced herself on me one night. Here, in the arena.”
Melora and Riley huddle close on the bench.
Sunny moves toward Cassie.
SUNNY: “Cass…let me hold you.”
Cassie stares at the cold concrete floor.
CASSIE: “But leaving Tiana was my choice. Staying here is my choice. (she looks at Sunny) You’re my choice, Sun. And it feels amazing.”
Cassie walks past Sunny toward the door.
SUNNY: “Where are you going?”
CASSIE: “The commissioner’s office. More choices. Lock this door behind me.”
In the arena…
Two new wrestlers are already in the ring for the next match.
The first is Sarah Lawrence. She’s 21, 5’5”, 130lbs, with dyed blue hair and green eyes. She’s wrestling in a cut-off half tee-shirt, black, with a punk band on it, plaid-patterned, skin-tight pants that stop just below her knees, and black Doc Marten boots. Sarah seems nervous, occasionally running her hand across her soft stomach and trying to pull up her pants a fraction higher.
Sarah’s tag-team partner is Josie Myer, 24, 5’6”, 125lbs, with a curly, borderline frizzy, mop of dark brown hair and brown eyes. She’s wrestling in a plain black sports bra, cuffed, gray low-rise sweatpants, and black flip-flops. She has a shapely, toned body without any bulk or sharp definition. Unlike her partner, Josie is calm, laid back. She casually slips out of her shoes and reclines in the corner, arms over the top rope, one foot on the bottom rope.
The Tale of the Tape
Sarah and Josie are making their CCW debut. The Coal Miner’s Daughters are the current tag team champs. They have matching 6-1 records. Shannon is 25, 5’8”, 150lbs, with brown hair and hazel eyes. She wrestles in gray denim overalls, a red bra top, and black work boots. Brianna is 23, 5’8”, 150lbs with brown hair and hazel eyes. She wrestles in gray denim overalls, a blue bra top, and black work boots.
Jimmy Swift announces The Coal Miner’s Daughters, who are all business as they come to the ring. Shannon’s neck is unbandaged, the slash Pequeno Tigre put there has healed. She and Brianna stare at their opponents. Sarah looks away. Josie gives the tag champs a little smirk.
Referee Randy Hickman calls for the bell.
Non-Title Match
The Coal Miner’s Daughters vs. Sarah Lawrence & Josie Myer
Brianna takes over immediately on Sarah, who has no answer for anything. She’s winded within a minute, and a bodyslam from Brianna sends her breathless and crawling for her corner, where Josie makes the tag.
Shannon tags in for the Daughters. Josie is quick on her feet, agile, athletic, but her attempts at offense — punches, kicks — are too basic to be effective. Shannon lays back, taking Josie’s measure, until the new girl manages a one-footed dropkick that drives her back a few steps. Shannon tags as Josie dashes to the ropes and Brianna walks right into handspring back elbow that catches her square in the jaw.
Brianna tumbles backward into her corner as Josie bounces up, smiling. The crowd cheers. Josie takes a second to acknowledges them and has just enough time to hear Sarah scream “Look out!” before Shannon knocks her for a 360 with a Coal Miner’s Clothesline that leaves Josie stretched out flat on her stomach.
Sarah steps halfway through the ropes but freezes under Shannon’s glare.
Shannon flips Josie onto her back and leans across her chest.
Groaning, gasping, Josie weakly kicks her feet and twists her hips, but it’s nothing against Shannon’s weight and strength. The referee counts three and calls for the bell at 2:42.
Shannon gives Josie a little slap on the chest, then uses it and Josie’s stomach to push back to her feet. Josie rolls to her side.
The Daughters pick up the easy win to go to 7-1. Josie and Sarah each begin their CCW careers with an emphatic defeat.
Sarah crawls to Josie as the tag champs get their glory, both giving Josie a considered look as they do.
Sarah kneels next to Josie and risks a hand on her freshly pinned shoulder.
SARAH: “Hey. You OK?”
Josie rolls to her back — chest and belly heaving, feet flat on the canvas — her eyes and a smile peeking through her wild hair.
JOSIE: “I will be. How fun was that?”
In the commissioner’s office…
Hollander reclined in his desk chair, has a big smile on his face.
HOLLANDER: “Well, I must say, I like the sound of this very much. Let’s do it.”
The commissioner reaches across the desk, hand extended…and Cassie Rae takes it for a vigorous shake.
CASSIE: “It’ll be my pleasure. And yours.”
In the arena…
Jimmy Swift warms up the pipes one last time for the non-title main event.
Russian Farmhand Anya, the smarter, prettier of the sisters, is introduced first. She draws a few wolf whistles and flicks her dark-red hair a few times, drawing a few catcalls…
…but those are drowned way out by the reaction for the new CCW Champion, seeing her first ring action since winning the title. Betty Magnum plays to the crowd, but it’s clear seeing The Iron Maiden taken out earlier tonight has her looking over both shoulders.
And there’s no security in sight.
The Tale of the Tape
Russian Farmhand Anya is 28, 5’9”, 160lbs, with dyed dark-red hair and green eyes. She wrestles in a black singlet, red knee pads, and black boots. She’s a star with a 3-3 record. Betty Magnum, the CCW Champion, is 32, 5’7”, 145lbs, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She wrestles in a denim-patterned bra top, denim-patterned athletic leggings, and cowboy-style wrestling boots. She is currently 11-3.
Once in the ring, Betty’s gaze darts to the crowd one too many times and Anya attacks before the bell. She hammers away on Betty’s shoulders and back with forearms as Magnum hands the belt to referee Jack Blake, who dishes it off to the timekeeper and calls for the bell.
Non-Title Match
Betty Magnum vs. Russian Farmhand Anya
Anya batters Betty to the mat and drops a big elbow to the small of her back. Pressing the advantage, Anya goes for it: She pulls Betty back to her feet, scoops her up, and drives her to the canvas with the Russians’ standing power slam. The referee is in position.
1…
2…
Betty cries out with the effort and shoves her shoulder up off the mat.
Back on their feet, undeterred Anya grabs Betty’s hair and drives a knee into the champ’s stomach. The redheaded Russian dashes to the ropes, but Betty, staying low, times it perfectly and snatches Anya up on the rebound for her explosive belly-to-belly suplex.
Betty pounces, bearing down on the stunned Anya’s chest and stomach for the dominant press pin at 1:24.
The CCW champion puts the Russian farm girl away quickly and easily to move to 12-3. Anya falls to 3-4.
The pretty Russian redhead rolls to her side, arms around her chest and belly, her face a mask of anguish and humiliation.
Betty snatches the belt from referee Blake, climbs to the second rope, and holds it aloft. She yells out in victory, and maybe anger, as the crowd roars for her.
In the underneath locker room…
Cassie Rae is alone. Standing in front of her open locker, she digs into the back, near the bottom, and pulls out a white string bikini.
CASSIE: “Once a fetish girl…”
Fade Out
