08/01/2013
Santa Barbara, California
Central Police Department
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* We fade in with an exterior view of the official Central Police Station in Santa Barbara, California. The sun is shining and birds are heard singing in the distance while we move forward through the front parking lot. A few active officers are seen making their exit from the building in destination of their individual patrol cruisers. We move through the front entrance and the cameras begin to slowly pan the area. Telephones are heard ringing off the hook while a multitude of conversations overlap any possibility of direct dialogue. The cameras cut to the second floor of the building and gradually move through an open doorway. Inside, we find the HWA All Star Champion Michael James seated behind a desk speaking with two male officers *
Officer #1: And you’re completely confident in your actions with this order. Is that correct, Mr. James?
Michael James: That’s right. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
* The two officers share a cynical glare and look back at James *
Officer #1: Truthfully, I would hardly consider Mrs. Parker to be a reasonable threat to anyone. According to our records she has no prior offenses or criminal history. Are you completely sure this is the woman that’s threatening your life, buddy?
Michael James: First of all, I’m not your buddy. Secondly, I was already told by your commanding officer that I wouldn’t have to worry about being questioned about my personal affairs. So, I would appreciate it if you could just stick to the business at hand instead of wasting my time.
Officer #1: Why of course, Mr. James! What was I thinking? I’ve only been running this district for the last sixteen years. What the hell would I know, right?
* He says with obvious sarcasm *
Officer #2: Maybe you would like us to grab you a couple of hookers from the holding tank while we’re at it. How does that sound?
Michael James: It sounds like you’re pissing me off.
Officer #1: Then I would say we’re doing our job for the day, what do you think?
* He looks at the other officer with a humorous expression on his face. James begins to mutter under his breath is Japanese *
Officer #2: What was that?
Michael James: Don’t worry about it. Excuse me for a moment.
* He reaches inside of his jacket and removes his cell phone. He begins dialing and a few seconds later we hear someone in the opposite room answer the call. James quietly speaks into the phone and ends the call. A few seconds later, the acting Chief of Police barges into the room with a frustrated appearance *
Chief: YO! PRICKS!
* The officers nervously direct their attention towards the Chief *
Chief: My office. NOW!
* The officers get up from their seats and follow the Chief into his office. James watches from his position in the opposite room as the officer’s supervisor begins a verbal assault on each man. A few seconds later, the officers make their exit from the Chief’s office and move back into the room with Michael James. He hands the All Star Champion a piece of paper and allows him to browse the printed text. It appears to be a legal restraining order with Wisdom Parker’s name printed at the top *
Officer #1: All you need to do is sign the bottom and we can begin to process the order.
Michael James: You got a pen?
* The officer reaches inside of his shirt and removes a pen from his pocket. He hands it to James and allows him to sign his name at the bottom of the restraining order. With a huge smile on his face, James hands the pen and the paperwork back to the officer *
Michael James: Is there any way I can get a few copies of the original draft?
Officer #1: Sure. I’ll be right back.
* The officer rolls his eyes and makes an exit from the room. Michael James leans back in the chair and props his feet up on the desk *
Michael James: A long time ago I had a friend give me a valuable dose of realistic advice. He said “life isn’t fair unless you can guide your own destiny”. So far, that hasn’t been a problem for me. When I first entered the wrestling industry I didn’t have the usual struggles that come with being a rookie. I opened my mouth and two weeks later I had gold around my waist. Over the years I have continued to do the exact same thing no matter where I go. In my first pay per view appearance in the HWA I was able to beat Judas Mercury and capture the All Star Championship. For six months I’ve held that championship with a sense of pride and dignity that none of the previous holders could accomplish. It wasn’t difficult. It was simple because I’m one of the rare people capable of directing my own destiny. Freddie Styles is nothing like that. If he was he wouldn’t have lost the Tag Team Championships like he did at Road to Ruin. If Freddie was half the man he says he was he would have been featured in the main event instead of Michael James. But Freddie is just like Butch. He’s full of shit and he tries to use that to make his own way. I don’t know about anyone else but it seems to me like he needs to find a new approach. Because if losing championships and showing limited activity is his guaranteed “path to greatness” Styles isn’t going to make it past the likes of Heckler and Kosh. If you don’t believe me just watch the footage from Road to Ruin. Unlike Styles, I was able to defeat H & K on my own. To me, those two assholes were nothing more than a pit stop on my way to the top of the company. It wasn’t like that for Styles and Price. They dropped the ball and lost the championships because they don’t have what it takes to compete anymore. That’s all there is to it. They might as well be in the same league as the ####ing Bushwhackers.
* James begins to imitate Luke Williams’ trademark arm swing *
Michael James: Freddie wouldn’t know anything about holding a championship with pride and dignity. The first time he was given the task to defend the gold he lost the titles to a couple of ####ing clowns. Don’t get me wrong. If they had lost to a dream team like Michael James and Senester I would be able to understand such a humiliating loss. But they lost to the WORST possible examples of competition that the HWA has to offer. Thanks to his loss at Road to Ruin, Freddie placed himself in a division lower than mid card status. Not only did he lose the respect of everyone in the company but he also proved to Shevington what kind of champion he would be. But, he isn’t going to be a champion. Not unless they rejuvenate the Spotlight title but that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. At Havoc, all of his hopes and dreams are getting shoved right back up his ass. I’m not losing my championship anytime soon and not to a useless douche bag walking away from a loss to Heckler and Kosh of all people. I deserve better but if this is the best it’s going to get then I have no choice than to accept it. That’s the kind of open minded person I am. If things don’t go my way I find a solution to the problem. Things didn’t go according to plan for Freddie Styles and he lost the only gold he will ever have. At Havoc I’m not going to be losing anything besides a significant amount of time that I will never get back. But I’m okay with that. If I have to take five minutes out of my day to earn my place as the undisputed champ then I am more than willing to oblige. In this case I have the opportunity to eliminate another clueless imbecile from my past. Sure, the outcome will always be the same. But to be completely honest I would be much happier if I could just put a buck shot in his chest and call it a day. He’s asking me to destroy his career just like Butch Parker.
* He puts down his feet and looks out towards the hallway. A few female officers walk by the office and one of them flirtatiously wink at James. He smiles back at her and begins browsing through emails on his cell phone *
Michael James: As far as I’m concerned, Freddie Styles isn’t worth my time. He isn’t the World Champion so I could really care less what happens after I defend my title. He wants a shot at something he will never have. I’m sure there are a lot of people that feel the same way. But the fact is they aren’t going to be rewarded for having impossible dreams. Styles wants to convince me that he’s going to take my championship. Yeah, right. If he couldn’t make it past Heckler and Kosh what the #### makes him think he can stand his ground against the best in the company? He can’t. He won’t. There will be no sign of change for Freddie. There will only be humiliation, disappointment and shameful defeat. At this point he’s living on delusions and I can’t say I blame him. If I just got my ass kicked by the worst team on the roster I would be living in denial as well. But everyone knows that will never happen. They know what I’m good at and it sure as #### isn’t losing to assholes with no talent. I’m good at winning. I’m good at being the All Star Champion. I’m good at being better than anyone could have ever expected. Freddie Styles isn’t going to be the one to change that. Despite what the website says, I don’t have a moment of judgment awaiting me. People say that “every dog has his day”. Well, #### that. The only reason people lose is because they couldn’t do a damn thing to stop it from happening. Unlike them, I always plan ahead. I’m not about to slip up at the last second and give Styles something to use against me. I told him he has no chance in this match and that’s the honest truth. If he was still a champion then it might be a different story. But he isn’t a champion. He was one half of the Tag Champions for less than three months and then he flushed it down the toilet. Styles isn’t going to get the chance to do that a second time because I won’t let him. The All Star Championship deserves better.
* He continues looking through the emails until stopping on an unread message. It is titled “Loose Ends”. He opens the message and is directed to the most recent promo by Freddie Styles. He grows an unimpressed smirk on his face as he begins watching the footage *
Michael James: I don’t know if Freddie Styles is on crack or if he shares the same mental stigma of Bryan Deas and Butch Parker. Either way, he really needs to learn how to grasp the idea of processing intelligent thought before making an effort to run his mouth. As far as I can tell Freddie doesn’t have an intelligent bone in his entire body. Otherwise he wouldn’t have cut some half assed piece of shit full of fraudulent information. For starters, let’s talk about my credibility of the All Star Championship. So far, I have defended that title to the best of my ability. I won it from Judas Mercury and then defended it against him a few weeks later. Judas had more than enough time to present something in an effort to take back the championship. Instead, he tucked his tail between his legs and accepted defeat like so many others. Next, I defended my championship against Bryan Deas. Unlike Judas, he put forth an actual effort. Granted, it wasn’t a quality piece and it probably wouldn’t win him any matches. But he still made an effort out of respect for Michael James and the All Star Championship. I beat Bryan Deas and put him in a wheelchair that night. Is it something I planned ahead of time to ensure the defense of my championship? Who knows? Maybe. Then again, maybe I just got bored and decided to cripple the stupid bastard out of spite. I’ve never been the type of person to follow expectations so you never know what’s going to happen. Unlike you Freddie, I have been more than capable of defending my championship. What about you? Didn’t you say that you were going to bring a new class of style to the tag team division? Tell me something. How are you supposed to do that when you can’t even defend the championships past your first opposition? Do me a favor and don’t mention credibility to me, Styles. You haven’t earned the right. In order to do that you’re going to have to put down the crack pipe and pull your head out of your ass. But as we all know, that isn’t going to happen.
* The Chief of Police enters the room. He hands a file folder to James *
Chief: Here you go, Mr. James. If there is anything else I can for you please do not hesitate to ask.
Michael James: Is there any way you could record Wisdom’s reaction when she gets this order shoved in her face?
Chief: I’m afraid not. We consider personal cases involving restraining orders as a temporary solution to individual disputes. Unless she’s doing anything illegal the only responsibility we have is passing along the paperwork.
Michael James: That’s a shame.
Chief: Yeah, right.
* The Chief nods his head in reaction to the comments made by James. He turns away and makes his exit from the room. With the folder in his hand, James stands up and makes his way out of the room. The cameras cut to the exterior front of the building. A few seconds later the front door opens and Michael James makes his way out of the building. He stops for a second and reaches inside of his jacket. He pulls out a cigarette and places it between his lips. He uses a Zippo lighter to ignite the tip. He inhales a drag from the cigarette and begins walking towards his parked rental car *
Michael James: I never wanted things to come to this. I hate police. I don’t care if it’s in America, Japan or anywhere else throughout the world. In my opinion they are the ####ing enemy. But just as history has proven throughout the course of time, teaming with the enemy can prove to have its benefits. Now that Wisdom will be legally bound to keep her distance from me, I have assured my future victory of the World Heavyweight Championship. Sure, she will try to save face and say that Butch can fight his own battles but everyone knows that she’s full of shit. If he could hold his own against me he wouldn’t have required her assistance at Road to Ruin. She thought she could save her husband and ended up eating her teeth in the process. I did what I had to do so I refuse to acknowledge that brainless ##### as an innocent victim. She says I’m the one responsible for all of her problems. Is it my fault she stuck her nose in my business and then failed to counter a simple kick to the face?
* He stops in his tracks and takes a moment to laugh at the image of Wisdom being kicked in the face *
Michael James: No, it’s not. If she was as skilled as she said she was it wouldn’t have been a problem. She would have destroyed me and spared her husband the embarrassment of losing the match. Instead, she decided to become the ultimate source of his downfall and loss to Michael James. Smooth move, dummy. Maybe next time the two of you are out on a date you can shove Butch directly into rush hour traffic. Wisdom is Butch Parker’s biggest obstacle. If she wasn’t in the picture Butch would be a completely different person. He would have an actual set of testicles in place of his current vagina. He would be a realistic champion like I have become. But who are we kidding? Those days are long gone and they’re never coming back. Not while I’m around to knock him down every time he tries to get back up.
* He exhales some smoke from his mouth. James reaches inside of his pocket and pulls out the remote to his rental car. He points it towards a pitch black 2013 Super Sport Camaro and unlocks the doors. He approaches the car and opens the door. James sits down in the driver seat, starts up the engine and begins browsing channels on the stereo. He pulls his hand away when he hears the Butcher Babies blasting on the vehicle’s speakers. James closes the door and takes a drag from his cigarette *
Michael James: But neither one of those douche bags are any of my concern right now. We both have our individual problems awaiting us at Havoc. He has to defend the World Championship against a cripple and I have to defend the All Star Championship against an oblivious retard. Obviously, neither title will be changing hands in either match. I might hate Butch with every fiber in my being but I know he’s more than capable of defeating an idiot like Bryan Deas. But this is the HWA so I’m always open to the possibility of expecting the unknown. If I’m wrong and we somehow end up with a new World Champion, so be it. There’s no way in Hell Shevington would allow a cripple to hold the title. The only choice she would have left is to hand it over to the next person in line and that’s Michael James. So, you know what? I hope Deas is able to pull a miracle out of his ass. If he fails like usual, then I will be back to where I am right now; standing tall as the most celebrated champion in the entire company. It isn’t easy being the best. But at the same time it isn’t very difficult either. Just like my victory over Freddie Styles a few months back. I told him what was going to happen and it went down exactly as I predicted. He lost and had nothing to show for it. This time around he needs a victory over me more than ever. He just lost to Heckler and Kosh. He lost his gold and the small amount of credibility he once had. He lost the respect of the entire locker room. The sad part is he has no one to blame but himself. But like we’ve seen in the past Freddie isn’t a man that likes to admit his mistakes. When I beat Styles before, he spent the next week making excuses for his loss. He said I “barely” defeated him. What the #### is that supposed to mean? Either I beat him or I didn’t. According to the record books I won the match. According to Styles, it was a draw.
* James puts the gear shift in reverse and backs out a few inches. He slams it into drive and pulls out of the parking spot. He takes a right hand turn onto the main strip and spots a sign for the interstate *
Michael James: Luckily, it isn’t up to him. It’s up to the tale of the tape and according to the footage he got his ass kicked by the Personification of Perfection. I think it’s ironic how many of my opponents end up saying the exact same shit with different words. Freddie Styles is just like Price and Deas. They said they would prove me to be a fraud and neither one of them have made a dent in my flawless record. Butch Parker said he would shut me up at Road to Ruin. But I’m still here and I’m still talking shit so it looks like Butch was wrong again. To be honest, it doesn’t surprise me to hear Freddie using the same bullshit they did. It isn’t going to help him get over this losing streak but he is more than welcome to keep trying. And I’m not going to lie to anyone. I’ll give him credit for responding to me as quickly as he did. He isn’t wasting time and that’s something I can admire. The only problem is he failed to give me what I asked him to deliver. I wanted a quality presentation. Not a bunch of pointless shit that no one wants to hear. I’m sure his material will prove to be useful when I’m ready to pass out but that’s as far as it goes. I told him to give me something he could be proud of and what do I get? The same thing he had before. Nothing. And that’s the best that Freddie can hope to become. I don’t give a shit about your inner darkness.
* He rolls his eyes upon thought of the words and phrases of Freddie Styles *
Michael James: This is reality and in the real world I’m the ####ing king. You can disagree all you want, Styles. It won’t change the fact that I’m still the undeniable All Star Champion while you’re stuck choking on the dust of your own stupid mistakes. You aren’t scaring anyone, douche bag. You never have and you never will. You want to guess why? It’s not that hard to understand. People don’t shudder in fear when they see you coming down the hall. They laugh their asses off and say “Look! There’s the loser that had his ass handed to him by Michael James”.
* He moves into the correct lane and merges in line with a row of cars. He passes under a highway sign featuring the emblem of an airplane. He turns up the volume on the car stereo and takes another drag from his cigarette *
Michael James: Is that the future you really want, Styles? Because like it or not that’s how things are going to be after you lose your only chance at becoming the All Star Champion. If you want my opinion I would say it’s a positive way to end your career. Look at it this way. You can say you tried to take on the best and failed after multiple attempts. Unlike your buddy Deas, you won’t have to spend the rest of your days with an IV tube stuck up your ass. But knowing you like I do, Styles, your ego won’t allow you to do that. It’s like I was saying earlier. You’re exactly like Butch Parker. You both follow the code of pride before glory and stupidity before safety. In this game that’s the same as walking around with a knife jammed in the center of your back. All I will have to do is twist the blade and sever your spine. But then again, you already lost your spine with that defeat to Heckler and Kosh. Didn’t you, Freddie? Yea, that’s what I thought, b###h. Keep running your mouth about the things you will never do. I don’t have that problem. I follow through. I’m a constant man of established truth. What have you proven so far? That you can talk big and lose?
* He drops into second gear and grows a smile on his face as the engine of the Camaro echoes throughout the remote section of the highway *
Michael James: What a way to aim high. What’s next, asshole? Are you going to claim ownership of the World Championship after you lose to me on Havoc? What’s wrong? Did I spoil your plans? Oh well. It was a stupid idea to begin with. But we all have to make mistakes on our way towards a quality destination, right? Wrong. You might be used to being a born loser but I’m not. You ####ed up and lost everything you ever worked for, Styles. I haven’t lost anything and I’m not about to start now. I have nothing left to prove. I’m the champ. I’m the best. I’m the one that people in your lowly position turn to for advice. And you know something? I am more than ready to lend my knowledge to anyone that is willing to learn. That’s the problem with most of the people on the roster. They think they know everything when they don’t know shit about shit. You’re a part of that group, Styles. You think you can use pathetic threats as a defense against unquestionable evidence. It didn’t work for you last time but if it helps you sleep at night I say more power to you. Maybe if you were willing to listen to reason you wouldn’t be recognized as such a defeatist douche bag. After all, there isn’t very much we can expect from a guy who lost to H & K. Allowing those two idiots a victory is basically the same as committing career suicide. Freddie Styles doesn’t see it that way because he’s a ####ing imbecile. The way I see it, if a couple of pathetic clowns like Heckler and Kosh can beat you, anyone can. A random crack head would oppose more of a threat than Freddie Styles at this point. At least that way I would have an opponent capable of presenting an actual challenge. Styles has nothing to lose because he already lost everything at Road to Ruin. It will be interesting to see what his next move will be after I give him the worst beating of his pathetic career.
* A static feed interrupts the footage. When the white noise clears an image of Michael James appears. He is standing behind a bar holding a shot glass in his hand. When the image pans to the right we gain sight of the three Japanese assailants that were featured in the main event at Road to Ruin. Michael James and the men have a toast by knocking their glasses together *
Men: SAKI!
* They down the shots and another static feed interrupts the footage. When the noise clears, viewers gain visual confirmation of what appears to be the interior of an old gym. A wrestling ring is placed in the center of the building while a variety of old wrestling posters decorate the walls of the gym. There is Japanese text printed on the ring mat while several of the posters are seen featuring signatures from famous Japanese wrestlers. We cut towards the back of the gym where we gain sight of the HWA All Star Champion in the process of finishing his work out. He drops one of the smaller weights on the ground and begins to catch his breath. James reaches down and picks up a towel from the floor. He wipes the sweat from his brow and tosses the towel side. He moves out of frame and approaches a bench where we gain sight of the HWA All Star Championship. James causally takes a seat on the bench and places a cigarette between his lips. He uses a match to ignite the tip. The cigarette begins to glow as he inhales a drag from the filter. James exhales a cloud of smoke from his mouth and uses his forearm to wipe another stream of sweat from the side of his face *
Michael James: I think the most humorous part of Freddie’s entire ridiculous reaction has to be when he said that he is going to be the one to “make things right” in the HWA. I hate to break it you Fred but you aren’t going to do a damn thing. Sure, you can say you’re going to do all of these heroic things but we all know it’s just a bunch of bullshit. You said you were going to be this “phenomenal” tag team champion and we all saw what happened there, didn’t we? Tell me something, dipshit. What the #### makes you think the people are going to trust you now? In this game you have to pay for your mistakes. At Road to Ruin you ####ed up and gave everyone a reason to start doubting you. Nothing you say is going to change that. If you want that trust back you’re going to have to earn it like everyone else. And despite whatever bullshit you want to believe you won’t be earning a ####ing thing when you face me for the All Star Championship. If you want to start making changes to the company I suggest you start by finding a way to pull your reputation out of the gutter. Do you want to know why I have the ability to make my own rules? It’s because I contribute more than anyone else. Unlike you Freddie, I’m the beating heart of the entire company. You fail to bring shit to the table and that’s why I consider you to be the ass end of the HWA. You bring the same pathetic game as everyone else and it makes me want to puke. For once I want an opponent that is capable of thinking outside of the box. For once I want an adversary that is going to force me to work for my victory. You definitely aren’t that opponent, Styles. Why else would you be begging me to put you out of your misery?
* James grows a smile on his face and places his trademark sunglasses over his eyes. He lifts up the All Star Championship and places it in his lap. He looks down at the gold plated centerpiece and strokes it with his hand the same way he would a woman’s hair. He exhales a cloud of smoke from his nostrils and clears his throat *
Michael James: If you were half the man that Butch Parker was I would have to put more effort towards your defeat. I went to war with that son of a b###h and he more than enough ammunition to keep up with me. He didn’t refer to stereotypical tactics and tired dialogue like you, Freddie. Butch gave me his best and it still wasn’t good enough to do what you’re trying to do right now. If the World Champion couldn’t beat me what do you think I’m going to have planned for our confrontation? You’re just going to have to wait and see. I know the anticipation is probably going to make you piss yourself like you usually do but that isn’t my problem. I suggest you bring an extra set of adult diapers with you to Havoc because you are definitely going to need them. You can talk about “bottom feeding vultures” as much as you want, asshole. I’m not the one that lost my championship at Road to Ruin. I’m not the one that’s stuck at the bottom rung on account of my own mistakes. That’s you. So, it’s like I said before. You need to think before you speak and recognize when you are clearly out of your league. If you were able to do any of those things you would know better than to talk about me the way you do. But, you’re an idiot and I’m just going to have to accept that. I’m going to be defending my championship against a complete moron and there is nothing I can do about it. But, that’s the advantage of being a professional. Even if I know what I’m doing is immoral it’s still just a part of the job. There is no right and there is no wrong. There is only victory, defeat and retirement.
* James leans forward and takes another drag from his cigarette. He inhales the smoke deep into his lungs and tosses it aside *
Michael James: By the end of the next pay per view event I’m going to come back here and do exactly what I’m doing right now. In one hand…
* James grips the strap of his All Star Championship and holds it up with his hand *
Michael James: I’ll have the HWA All Star Championship. In the other hand I’ll have the HWA World Heavyweight Title. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get bored along the way and challenge H & K to another handicap match with the tag team championships on the line. Anything can happen. I can do anything I want and you can bet your asses I’m always going to do what’s best for Michael James. I’ve been the All Star Champ this long and a piece of shit like Freddie Styles isn’t going to slow me down. People give me their best and I always find way to shove it down their throats. I’m the only person in the HWA that can do something like that without worrying about the hassle of possible consequences. I told everyone that I was a different breed. I told Butch Parker to give me respect and he decided to spit in my face. So, in return, I did the same to his wife after I jacked her ####ing jaw. Butch calls himself a One Man Army, right? If you want my opinion he needs to discover a realistic moniker because I already proved his current one to be a complete fraud. Most armies rely on success in numbers. Butch relies on success through lies and deceit and that’s exactly why he lost at Road to Ruin. But now that Wisdom is out of the picture we will have a chance to see what Parker is made of. Is he really a “one man army” or is he a broken down dinosaur that needs to hang up his boots? I already know the answer but I guess we will just have to see what happens. Hopefully, Butch won’t end up six feet under from result of Wisdom’s venomous cooking before we can make it to that point.
* James grows an irritated expression on his face. He stands up and drapes the All Star Championship over his shoulder *
Michael James: Styles, do yourself a favor and take a moment to look at something you will never have. As far as you’re concerned this is the closet you will EVER get to my championship. You might not agree but I don’t really give a shit what you think. You aren’t the same person I faced before. You’re a beaten man stuck in a situation you can’t possibly win. So, you know what that means? I’m not going to be walking into this fight the way you remember. Instead of focusing on the concept of a simple victory, I’ll have my attention focused towards the pain and suffering of a counterfeit challenger. I’m telling you right now, Styles. You’re going to get hurt in this match. Your chances of survival are slim to none. I’m not going to hold back a ####ing thing because I have no reason to. And as always, I encourage you to prove me wrong. Show me the full extent of your limited capabilities and I will do my best to avoid laughing to death. I said it once before. I will always be Michael James and you will always be Freddie Styles. As long as I’m still around you will never have a chance to make it past mid card status. Just ask Butch Parker and he will tell you the exact same thing. I’m the future of this company. I’m the flagship. And soon enough, I’m the one you’re going to be calling the HWA World Heavyweight Champion.
* Suddenly, a static feed interrupts the footage. A few seconds later the scene fades to black *
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