Rival Factions: The Build Up

[The Experts]

"Please make your questions short and to the point; Mr Benevolence hasn't got time to listen to your life stories."

Russell White leans back from the microphone and surveys the crowd of reporters as a flurry of hands shoot in the air, and cameras click and flash, recording every moment of the post-Extreme Tournament press conference. Beside White sits Jack Benevolence, his eyes covered in dark sunglasses, the True Expert Championship sat over one shoulder while the other is held in a sling, and a wry grin on his face. Benevolence barely moves as the reporters jostle for position, eager to be the next one to ask their question. Russell White gestures towards a lady a couple of rows back and a groan of disappointment sounds out as she smiles and stands.

Reporter: "Mr Benevolence, with some controversy following the tournament, and Maverick Jones' Golden Ticket always waiting, who do you think your next challenger will be?"

She sits down and Jack Benevolence pauses for a few moments, before he leans towards his manager and speaks into White's ear, protecting the arm he injured in the Chamber as he leans. The backstage politician nods along with his client and clarifies a point or two, before he leans back towards the microphone.

Russell White: "Mr Benevolence has proven his worth, he has proven he can beat anyone, he has proven is the one and only True Expert. The idea of continually asking him to defend this championship against the pitiful excuses for 'competitors' The Experts keeps finding is insulting to Jack's legacy and status. He was messed around and screwed-over with bookings throughout the Tournament, not least the finale, and yet he still came through the winner. How many times did Sandy Makel defend the True Expert Championship? Or indeed the illustrious Doug E Fresh? At this stage Jack Benevolence is just about the only champion to really put his title on the line. Well, no more. Write this down carefully, slowly, and word-for-word... ladies and gentlemen, Jack Benevolence is done defending the True Expert Championship."

Immediately the pens hit the paper and the cameras click-and-flash-and-click-and-flash as Jack Benevolence continues to calmly survey the room, the title safely on his shoulder. White shoots his client a look that says 'they got the message' before he pours himself a glass of water, sipping at it slowly. The hands keep shooting up, eager to ask the next question, and White gestures to a man in a suit.

Reporter: "And what about when Timothy Kahrs announces the main event of Rival Factions? How would you handle it if it's a True Expert Championship match?"

Russell White: "I'm not convinced you were listening carefully – we are done defending that damn title. Who out there can match Jack Benevolence? Who out there comes even close to his talent and expertise?! The Experts was an organisation that promised each wrestler the chance to challenge himself, to come up against the best, to get the opportunity to crown themselves the greatest wrestler in the world. Jack Benevolence is without a shadow of a doubt the greatest wrestler in the world. Name me anyone else who's competed in three Extreme Tournament finals. Name me anyone else who's won the Extreme Tournament twice. Name me anyone else who's defended that championship for over 400 days against whomever, whenever. Do you people not see it now? There is nobody better than Jack Benevolence. He is THE True Expert. He has nothing more to prove, nothing more to gain, and nothing more to defend."

White sits back in his chair and continues sipping at his water as photographs are taken, TV cameras pan the room, and Jack Benevolence himself remains stoic and still. After a few seconds White nods to another woman in the front row, who stands up with a microphone in hand.

Reporter: "So if you're not defending the title, where do you go from h—"

"WHAT ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU TAPPED THE FUCK OUT IN THAT ELIMINATION CHAMBER?!"

The attention turns to the back of the room and many of the assembled reporters and journalists part, revealing Michael Thunder stood there. The Living Legend looks like he's had a rough few days, his silver hair is lazily tied back, his stubble has been allowed to grow out to a slightly scraggly beard, and his face is bruised and cut from the beating taken in the Chamber. He fixes eye contact on Jack Benevolence, who appears to be slightly taken aback by the appearance. Benevolence turns to White, who shrugs his shoulders, before leaning into the microphone.

Russell White: "Security, we're only allowing reporters with passes in here, kindly remove this—"

Michael Thunder: "Shut the fuck up, White. If ya boy's so damn perfect I won't cause him any trouble, will I?"

White remains quiet for a moment or two before he turns to Benevolence, who subtly gestures with his uninjured hand, calling White off. Michael Thunder begins to step through the reporters as he keeps his gaze locked right on the True Expert Champion.

Michael Thunder: "I'll ask it again, assumin' you didn't hear me the first time. What about the fact you tapped the fuck out in that Chamber?!"

Calmly Benevolence leans forward to his own bundle of microphones, his right arm clearly strapped up in the sling lending weight and credence to the Living Legend's statement.

Jack Benevolence: "I don't know what your deluded, concussed brain thinks it saw, but there is one outcome and one outcome only from that tournament... I'm here as the True Expert, and you're the one shouting across a room of the world's press, desperate for some attention."

Michael Thunder: "That's bullshit and you know it, son. I had ya bang to rights, I made you tap that mat and scream for me to stop. I won that chamber, I won that Extreme Tournament, and I won that True Expert Championship. And you know I'm fuckin' right you son of a bitch; you couldn't let your dogs tear me apart after that because you knew I beat ya! You sit here claimin' all kinds of victories, tellin' the world you ain't got a thing left to prove. Listen here Jack... prove you can beat Michael Thunder, defend that title against me at Rival Factions."

The cameras are now flicking between Thunder and Benevolence as the True Expert remains silent, looking right back at his old rival as he slides his dark sunglasses off. White leans in and whispers in his ear, and Benevolence's eyes dart to White briefly, before he looks back at Thunder. The Once and Future King sneers a little before Russell White leans back into his own microphone.

Russell White: "As we've explained at some length now, Jack Benevolence won't be defending that title anym—"

Michael Thunder: "And I'm fairly sure I already told you to shut the fuck up. We're doin' this man-to-man, fighter-to-fighter. I beat you Jack. I beat you fair and fuckin' square, the whole world saw it, the whole world's talkin' about it. You don't get to go through that kind of match with that kind of fuckery and then ride off into the sunset tellin' everyone you ain't got a thing left to do in this sport. You and me, Rival Factions, one-on-one, one more time. Show the world just how damn good you really think you are, son."

Russell White shakes his head and begins to shout off-stage at some of the team running the press conference as Thunder drags himself closer and closer through the throng of reporters. Pens are writing furiously, flashes are going off all over, the room is becoming chaotic.

Michael Thunder: "Where'd ya fight go, kid? Where's that silver tongue?!"

Russell White: "This press conference is over, someone get this man out of here."

White gets to his feet and gestures for Benevolence to follow suit as Thunder persists.

Michael Thunder: "Fight me like a fuckin' man Jack! No TitanCorp, no brass knuckles, no political leverage. Just you and me, two wrestlers goin' at it with nothin' but their wits and their skills. I made ya tap out Jack, I beat you that night, deny it all you like, it's recorded for the world to see—"

Jack Benevolence: "You're embarrassing yourself, Michael."

Benevolence gives The Living Legend one last disparaging look before he gets to his feet and begins to follow his manager out of the room.

Michael Thunder: "Take me on, you asshole! Prove yourself! Show the world how great Jack Benevolence can be!"

Thunder is incensed as White and Benevolence are briefly held up by a group of cameramen and reporters blocking their exit from the table.

Michael Thunder: "One more match Jack, I'll giva ya whatever you want. Name your stipulation. Name your damn price..."

The True Expert gives a little laugh at that offer, shaking his head as he leans back into the bundle of microphones.

Jack Benevolence: "I don't think you have anything I could ever want..."

Benevolence shakes his head once more and turns to leave as Thunder continues.

Michael Thunder: "One more match, Jack. One more Experts main event. It'll get you in the Hall of Fame..."

Finally the cameramen and reporters are parted, giving Benevolence and White a path to leave by. The True Expert pats the championship over his shoulder as White exits the area and Benevolence continues to step out.

Michael Thunder: "Take me on, prove yourself. A hundred grand. I'll wire ya a hundred grand right now... defend that championship against me Jack... it's mine by right."

Benevolence continues to shake his head as Russell White steps out of view, and the True Expert pushes his way past the crowd.

Michael Thunder: "... fine... my career Jack... I'LL GIVE YOU MY CAREER."

Jack Benevolence stops dead, and the chaos and murmuring throughout the room falls to almost silence. An incensed and desperate Michael Thunder stares ahead as slowly Jack Benevolence turns around, eyeing his old rival. The two lock their gazes as Russell White comes storming back into view, shaking his head and shouting at Benevolence to follow him out of the press conference. Thunder has a grin on his face as the True Expert seems to be genuinely interested.

Michael Thunder: "Jack Benevolence versus Michael Thunder, True Expert Championship versus Career. I've plagued you for years Jack... this is your chance, end the biggest legend this sport has ever seen. Put Michael Thunder in his fuckin' grave..."

What do you give the man who has everything? How do you tempt a man who's broken record after record, held championship after championship, won accolade after accolade? Make him bigger than even the biggest in his field. Make him a star nobody can outshine. Make him a legend killer, a career-ender, undoubtedly and irrefutably the greatest of all time. Russell White is furiously pulling on Benevolence's arm, trying to drag him back, shouting at him that he will never defend that title again. Thunder stares ahead, his smile widening, his eyes narrowing, beaconing and baiting Benevolence...

Jack Benevolence: "Done."

The press conference room explodes with noise as the reporters try and capture the exact moment Jack Benevolence agreed to one more title defence. For the smallest of moments Thunder's focused and defiant composure breaks as he realises he's got one more shot, one more chance, and is taken aback. Without another word Benevolence raises the True Expert Championship above his head and turns, following a furious and red-faced Russell White to the back. The attention turns on Michael Thunder who remains standing where he is, his gaze following the champion as he heads to the back. A small grin forms on The Living Legend's lips... he has work to do.