His days following Fatality had been a topic of conversation and mystery to those who now watched him walk into HWA headquarters through the ground floor of the academy. “Disheveled” was a polite way of saying Jeremy Branson looked like total shit. His facial hair which had been growing out the last months as it was, was now bushy, scraggly at the edges, his hair was a mess…he was far from his normal pristinely groomed appearance. His eyes were bloodshot and onlookers weren’t sure if he’d just lost sleep, had been crying, had been drinking, or all of the above. He was wearing one of Matt’s black “Miller Time” HWA t-shirts, jeans and white sneakers that gave the appearance he at least made an effort to dress decently, but in truth he mindlessly threw everything on other than the shirt, and upon closer look they were all worn, wrinkled and dirty with noticeable spots here and there.

Whispers hit the training floor as he walked through but he either didn’t hear them or they went ignored as he made his way past everyone heading upstairs towards the corporate offices. When he stepped off the elevator the reception area was ahead. He struggled to remember the name of the woman at the desk ahead. He knew her, saw her all the time, had spoken with her on countless occasions but at the moment her name escaped him somehow….pushed aside right out of his head by everything else in the forefront of his mind. She smiled warmly as he approached.

(Assistant): Jeremy….we’re you been hiding stranger? Haven’t seen you around in weeks.

Her lips were moving but he didn’t hear a word she said. He had to pause and think…did she say something?

(Jeremy): Huh?

Now that she looked at him, she could see he wasn’t really mentally there. He kept looking past her at the offices, his head turning around in search of something or someone else.

(Assistant): So, what brings you upstairs?

(Jeremy): Butch….Wisdom…they in? I heard they’re back from Texas.

(Assistant): Well, yes….they’re back but they haven’t got to the office just yet.

(Jeremy): I’ll wait.

(Assistant): I don’t know when to expect them to be honest. I heard they might be in today but that’s just what Terry was saying.

Again, he didn’t hear a word. He was watching as down the hall one of the workers had taken down a large poster, it lay curled up on the floor below him and in the frame he now hung back up was the newest photo of Maniac holding the HWA Championship. They typically did these pretty fast for marketing purposes, etc. Get all the new artwork and materials out fast. They probably did this photo shoot the day after the ppv, maybe the same night. Maniac’s freshly painted face hides the bruising from the ppv, the title shines brightly on his shoulder, and the smile on his face is one of absolute and genuine pride, but to Jeremy it’s the same mocking grin he gave at the press conference, thanking him for the win. He instantly goes mad, stomping towards the man and without a word…yanks down the large frame, the picture wire breaking from the back, nails falling to the floor where it had been ripped from the wall.

(Worker): Whoa….Hey!

Jeremy ignores him as he tosses the frame to the floor and drops down ripping at the back of it, pulling the poster out and begins shredding it.

(Worker): Jeremy! Come on….you can’t do that.

Jeremy looks over at the cart the guy has to the side, it’s like a large file folder of posters carefully arranged and he gets to his feet and begins shuffling through them. After a moment of not finding what he’s looking for still sorting through them he looks over at the guy.

(Jeremy): Where’s the one with Matt and his dragon paint? Put that one up. Or Sean…the one with Sean coming off the cage. There was one with Michelle and Sarah too, where is that one?

(Worker): Come on Jeremy, you know we rotate these, just let me do my job alright? I know you got it rough right now but you gotta chill man.

He paused, looking at the man, at the torn poster on the floor, the frame, the wall. He suddenly felt guilty letting his emotions get the best of him. He actually didn’t even seem to remember doing it like another part of him had taken over.

(Jeremy): I’m…..I’m sorry…let me help.

The man puts his hands up.

(Worker): It’s alright, I got it. I’ll just run up to production and get another one printed.

He looks at Jeremy with concern.

(Worker): You gonna to be alright?

(Jeremy): Yeah….I’m fine….again, I’m sorry…really!

He nods and begins to clean up the mess as Jeremy walks back to the front and paces in front of the reception desk. When Butch and Wisdom arrived he’d be waiting, it didn’t matter how long it took. It was some time later when the co-owners of HWA walked through the sliding automatic doors. They both looked tired, Butch especially, like he hadn’t slept properly in days. His beard, like Jeremy’s was looking a little scraggly and there were bags forming under his emerald green eyes. Upon catching Jeremy in his eyeline, he looked to Wisdom before rolling his eyes. He knew there was no avoiding him and to be honest, with everything that had happened with Sean and Matthew, hearing Jeremy’s moaning about Maniac was the last thing he had the energy for.

Wisdom looked at Butch. They had this way of reading each other’s minds, of communicating in silence through their eyes and gestures. Her eyes asked if he wanted her to handle this, and his eyes said “No, I got it.” Jeremy turned to them as they approached. As she had before…Wisdom’s heart went out to Jeremy. To a large extent, she knew what he was going through and she also knew she probably wasn’t the best person to talk to him because of it. Her love for Butch drove her to do a lot of things and how could she deny him the same for Matt. It was an area where wearing her boss hat was more difficult that she was comfortable with. She walked past with a nod, and greeting as she went to her office.

(Wisdom): Jeremy.

He didn’t respond, only registering her presence then turning back to Butch who hadn’t moved towards his door. He approached him.

(Jeremy): I need a word.

Butch inhaled through his nose, keeping his walking pace towards his office.

(Butch): Jeremy, I don’t have time for your complaints about Maniac. He’s World Champion and I know you’re not happy about that but you know what? I’ve got bigger f*cking problems on my plate than your conspiracy theories.

Jeremy stood there like a scolded child as Butch walked past him, heading to his office. “Conspiracy Theories” he thought. It’s not a theory when it’s true. He was tired of everything being swept under the rug, tired of their evasiveness, tired of them having written Matt off as they raise Maniac up. He turned looking at the back of Butch as his keys went to his door. His fists clenched down at his side trying to contain his anger but failing.

(Jeremy): But you have time for Maniac right? Time to schedule photo shoots and have posters plastered up everywhere right away. You probably already have new t-shirts printed with his new, stupid, circus freak outfit.

He points to the wall where the framed poster of Maniac was supposed to be.

(Jeremy): ….but you don’t have a few minutes to look me in the eye?

Butch was already running out of patience. He stopped in his tracks, looking sharply at Jeremy.

(Butch): First of all, you’ll mind your tone. Second, I don’t have to justify the way I run my company to you. Thirdly, like it or not, Jeremy, a new World Champion was crowned at Fatality. Irrespective of who that person is, that makes them, in the eyes of the fans and the media, the face of the company. I have a staff of hard-working people in my employ that I trust to carry out instructions in my absence because, in case you hadn’t f*cking noticed, I’ve been a little preoccupied these last 72 hours. But, sure, let me drop everything I’ve got going on to accommodate another one of your temper tantrums.

Butch stops dead in his tracks, folds his arms across his chest and stares right at Jeremy.

(Butch): But ok, I’ll humor you. Here’s me looking you in the eye. What do you have to say to me?

It was clear he had upset Butch but he didn’t care, he wasn’t going to let this go.

(Jeremy): You don’t think I have an idea of what you’ve been through the last few days? I’m as concerned about Sean as you are, he’s your nephew….but he’s my friend. What happened at Fatality was beyond belief. Sean, Michelle, even Hans’ match….these things should never have happened, but take a look around….“Sir”….how many of us are left? How many of us left still fighting for that vision of pure wrestling you once had? Does it even exist anymore?

Jeremy can see Butch’s eyes roll, and his deep inhale of breath raising his chest.

(Jeremy): No, let me finish….when you opened the door for Maniac to come back in here he wanted to go straight back to the top so he went after Matt. You don’t want to justify how you run your company to me? Fine! Justify it to Matt. Matt who carried your banner high for 8 years wrestling in thousand person spaces on Youtube for chump change when he could have been at the top of any major promotion in the world.

You’re entire career you fought against a tyrant, against evil and you made your name in the wrestling world for little kids like me knowing that Butch Parker was the man who would stand up for what is good and what was right and then you took over the company. You gave it a new sky, clear of the dark clouds of the past, free of drama and chaos running rampant, and you brought it back to the fundamentals. People signed up by the hundreds for the academy, a lot of them didn’t make, a lot of them took what they learned and moved on to AEW, or NXT, ROH, even NJPW and a few of us…a few of us stayed. I fell in love with Matt and through him this business. He, Sean, the girls and I…we kept HWA alive and only months into us going big you let those CBS executives push you into signing that Asylum match that ruined Matt’s career. And I know he agreed to it, I know he wanted it…but that was only to get his hands on Maniac. The piece of shit you rolled out the red carpet for and let walk back in here.

By now Jeremy was amped up, chest heaving words spit firing out of his mouth desperate to prove his point.

(Jeremy): Ever since…you seem to just turn a blind eye to everything Maniac’s done. You did nothing when he attacked Matt, when he tried to run Sarah over in that bus. You sat idle as he ruined Matt’s career. When he recruited Erica and took her into his circus of chaos then let his newly trained dog go free. You did nothing when they went after Hans, your own best friend, his wife, and even now his son. This demon crap of Maniac’s….twenty years you’ve watched him, you’ve known what he’s all about and you just keep booking matches and writing him checks. Why?

(Butch): Are you done?

Jeremy’s chest is heaving from his rant and doesn’t say anything else, answering Butch’s question for him.

(Butch): First of all, it’s not that I don’t want to justify how I run HWA to you, it’s I don’t need to, Jeremy. You don’t think I know that Matt was our standard bearer? You think I don’t know he turned down an offer to go to WWE to help us? You think I’ve forgotten the trials and tribulations this company has gone through? Jeremy, you’re so blinded by your selfish rage that you’re forgetting who you’re f*cking talking to. I know you like your wrestling history but I don’t need a history lesson from you on something that I experienced first hand! You’ve literally been in this business for the blink of an eye compared to the majority of this roster. You’re accusing me of losing sight of what made HWA what it was when you’re just as bad as Maniac!

Jeremy points a finger to retort but Butch cuts him off.

(Butch): No, you’ve had your literal rant, Jeremy. Right now, just shut the f*ck up and listen to me. This vengeful mission you’ve been on since Matt left has gotten old really fast and I’m sick and f*cking tired of it. I’m sick of you questioning the way I run my company, questioning my integrity and my decision-making! I know you don’t like that Maniac is in HWA and believe me, it brings me no pleasure having him around. But successful businesses aren’t built on friendships, they’re built on money and like it or not, Maniac brings in money. He’s an HWA legend and has helped this company in more ways than I’d like to admit. The more you get on board with the fact that he’s not going anywhere, the better. We clear?

(Jeremy): No, we’re not clear! You don’t understand. Listen to me!

Jeremy pulls out a small booklet he tucked in his pants and opens it up showing Butch. It’s his entire journal of Maniac’s affairs. His mad scribbling, photos, notations of news articles, time stamps. He thumbs through feverishly and for the first time Butch looks at him noticing just how unstable Jeremy seems, his obsession with Maniac driving him to the brink of insanity.

(Jeremy): Look here….Wolfy died at Maniac’s house…the NYPD’s official report is here on the body they found, but how was it stolen from the morgue?. And here….he went out of his way to assault a 16-year-old boy and cut his ear off just because he’s Erica’s little brother despite him repeatedly saying he wanted to help her. Look here….on this date….and this one….and this one here….he starts dating Mandy, and here….Ring Master. I could have ended it there but you re-signed Lunatik and he got in the way. Look here…look at the flight patterns he’s taken from show towns to local attractions and back to New York, and his bus schedule. Look at the gas stops. What does he keep in there? Here’s some receipts found on the ground…alcohol and snacks. And why is Greg always with him?

He continues flipping through the booklet like a mad man, some loose pages falling to the floor and he drops down trying to rearrange them muttering to himself. Butch shook his head, a look of both concern and frustration on his face.

(Butch): Jeremy, this is verging on obsession, on illness. You look like absolute shit, like you haven’t slept in Christ knows how long. Go home, have a shower and sleep. And I don’t want to hear another word on this. If I hear one more word that you’re stalking Maniac or whatever the hell this is…

Butch motions to Jeremy gathering his papers like a manic scientist.

(Butch): … there will be repercussions.

Butch’s words hit very hard. They didn’t sting, they stabbed and he hadn’t expected him to take Maniac’s side in this. Everything was so obvious wasn’t it? He thought carefully on what he could say to sway him, but found no gap in which Butch might hear him. Deaf ears are all he’d find. Butch now found him and his questioning a nuisance, and now he was given an ultimatum. Leave Maniac alone or else, it was absolutely comical. Suddenly the rage inside him was quiet…there was a deadly silence. The sheer love in his heart and soul for Matt dared him to go into the Lion’s Den and face whatever may come. He stepped forward face to face with Butch.

(Jeremy): This ends, when I end him. Room of Thumbtacks Match, for the World Title. I’ve never asked for anything, you know that…but I think I deserve that much.

Butch stared at Jeremy for what felt like the longest time. He looked into Jeremy’s bloodshot eyes along with the dark sunken patches of skin underneath them. He thought deeply about what Jeremy was asking. He was testing him, pushing him to give him what he wanted.

(Butch): You want barbarism? You want to go out on your shield like Matt? You want to end up just like him? The answer is no, Jeremy. You’re not in any sound mind for me to be granting you this. You want a match with Maniac, go ahead, I’ll book it. I’ll even go so far as to make it no DQ, but I am done indulging any more of this sadistic bullshit. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to figure out what to do about the fact your friend and my nephew almost died at the hands of someone I’ve known since she was a child.

As Butch turns away the floodgates burst and Jeremy lashes out shouting so loudly the entire building could hear him.

(Jeremy): I want Justice! I want Revenge!…call it whatever you want but I’m going to get it. I’m not the one “not” in my sound mind Butch…you are. Have you even heard yourself? You stand there telling me what you don’t want to hear anymore….well I’m sorry the end of Matt’s career is such a fuking inconvenience for everybody. You stand there and tell me to leave Maniac alone or there’ll be “repercussions.” What I do in my own time is none of your business. I bet you don’t say shit to him about all the things he’s done off camera, so why me? And “history lesson”….No Butch, I didn’t think I needed to give you of all people one.

I thought you of all people would understand. Like I said…you spent your entire career here fighting a tyrant, rallying against anarchy, but you put that suit on and turned into HHH when Maniac shows up because he’s “what’s best for business.” You say “shut up Jeremy,” the guy who busted ass for you long before Maniac decided to come leech off our hard work. Maniac can crack his jokes, mock anyone he likes, and it’s fuking crickets. Asylum Match…granted… Exploding Barbwire Match…granted….a goddamn Zoo Match…granted, but when Jeremy Branson asks suddenly the boss has had enough “barbarism”….that is until Maniac asks, until the network asks and then it’s a green light all the way. “’ll even go so far as to make it no DQ.” As if you don’t already pass those out like Halloween Candy.

And don’t throw Sean’s situation in my face. Make no mistake…he almost died and is laying up in that hospital right now because of Maniac. Maniac who took Erica under his wing, trained her, encouraged her. Erica who so much like him just goes around doing whatever she wants. I was locked in that room with you trying to get out there to Sean. But guess what Butch…You brought Starlight in because you thought she’d combat Erica but it didn’t blow up in your face…Sean was the victim and it all started from Maniac. I’m the only one stepping up, the only who gives a rats ass about what is going on around here, and I’ll end it…with or without your blessing.

Butch turns back to face Jeremy. He doesn’t say anything to begin with, but he’s conscious that all the staff’s eyes are on the two of them now. He inhales resignedly.

(Butch): I’m done getting into a tit-for-tat with you, Jeremy. This conversation is done, as is this obsession with Maniac. I have a lot of damage control to oversee, insurance chaos to try to sort out for Sean, Hans and Sensei, I have to speak to the Stardom president about Azami’s contract, and… I need to see what Wisdom thinks…. about Jeremy Branson facing Maniac for the HWA World Championship…. in a Room of Thumbtacks match…. Because I’ll only sign off on it if she’s on board.

Butch had just opened the door to what Jeremy wanted. He thought that Butch had to know he was right even if he didn’t want to admit it. He would get this match, he would get his title shot, he would put Maniac out of wrestling and help lead this company back to what it’s meant to be. He looks at Butch, still on fire over his bias towards Maniac and his dismissiveness. The way he spoke to him like a petulant child when he was only speaking truth.

(Jeremy): I’ll be waiting.

Jeremy turns and walks away. Eyes on him as he heads down the hall and back downstairs from those having heard him raise his voice. He means business and anyone listening knows he does if they didn’t before. Maybe he knocked some sense into some of them. He reaches up to his neck and feels the silver necklace Matt gave him for his birthday last year…he wasn’t into gold jewelry. As his fingertips touched it he mouthed to himself “Soon baby, I’ll make everything right soon!” as he leaves the academy. Meanwhile, Butch shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose with a sigh as he makes his way towards his office, replaying Jeremy’s rant in his head. As he gets to the corporate floor of the Academy, Butch walks into Wisdom’s office, closing the door behind him and resting his head against the back of it.

(Butch): Well, that went well…

Wisdom sees him and abruptly ends he phone call, then walks over to him.

(Wisdom): Jesus, I think the whole block could hear it…what is it now? We just walked in for Christ sakes.

(Butch): Jeremy decided to he was going to put me in my place by having a rant about how it’s Maniac’s fault that Sean and Matthew got hurt, that Maniac doesn’t deserve to be here, that he should never have been offered a contract in the first place. He’s got all these notes, Wis, you should’ve heard him, rattling on like some conspiracy theorist; he’s tracking Maniac’s every move. Oh, and get this…. he wants a shot at the World Title in a Room of Thumbtacks match…

Wisdom sits on the edge of her desk now, legs crossed and rubbing her lips with the edge of a pen in consideration.

(Wisdom): Remind you of anyone? He’s young and madly in love…he’s like a version of us when we were his age. Think about it…Matt suffered a career ending injury at a time when it should have been the peak of his career, then Sean’s situation now. He’s reacting, he wears his heart on his sleeve.

She shakes her head.

(Wisdom): This company hung by their threads for years and right now it’s just him. We’ve both gone down the rabbit hole for the ones we love, and we still do. Maybe he’s a bit obsessed, maybe he needs a visit with the Talent Relations Division to get some help but what he’s asking…I don’t think he even really wants the title itself, he’s just desperate. He’ll do anything to take Maniac down.

She brushes her hands through here hair as she tilts her head back and sighs.

(Wisdom): I don’t know…we already shot down that match with Stu-E and Maniac for Fatality. We’ve tried to steer away from those things but…if this is what it takes for him to get this out of his system then maybe we just let him have it. God…..Maniac and I used to hang out back in the day remember? He’s the most erratic person you ever want to meet, but chill at the same time and he damn sure knows how to push your buttons…so you can’t blame Jeremy there, but where does it end? Every time someone has a damn beef, we can’t just go throwing out the most insane matches so they can kill each other. What else did he say? How far off the deep end are we talking here?

(Butch): What you and I have been through isn’t even comparable to Matt and Jeremy, Wis. I know you have a soft spot for him but the way he’s behaving, it’s beyond passion and love; it’s paranoia, it’s mania. He’s tracked Maniac’s movements, Greg’s movements, Mandy’s too, bugging their conversations. He’s calling our decision-making into question, our motives, our leadership. And what happened with Stu and Maniac was different, there was no hatred there, no axes to grind. They just wanted that match for shits and giggles. Now, I agree we shouldn’t be just throwing these brutal matches around every time someone wants to settle a score. But I don’t know what to do here, Wis, I really don’t. I’m still trying to wrap my head around Azami after all these years, whether or not Sean will even have a career, Matthew and what happened with Hans and Wolfy…. this is just one more headache I could do without right now.

She walks over behind him and begins rubbing his shoulders. He’s stiff…his traps are they’re like two rugged mountain peaks.

(Wisdom): We don’t need to decide anything right now. You said we’d consider it and we will. We also have to consider that he did challenge Maniac already and he declined. Let’s see if we can get Jeremy some help before he completely loses his mind. I’ll have the TRD get in touch with him, maybe one of the girls can do sort of a welfare check on him…. discreetly. Michelle’s with Sean, but perhaps Sarah or Alexis might reach out to him.

As far as other affairs, what do we do about Azami, and Erica for that matter? She’s been playing nicey nicey the last months and suddenly goes right back to her old ways. I’ve had enough of her shit. I say we cut our loses…send Azami back to Stardom and fire her little tagalong. He hasn't said much about it, but I can't even imagine what Matthew is feeling right now.

(Butch): Hans went to see him the other day, apparently he was in better spirits but he’s very good at masking his emotions. As for those two, I couldn’t agree more. I don’t care if they sue us for breach of contract. I don’t want either of them anywhere near the Academy or anywhere we host a show ever again.

(Wisdom): They won’t be missed, and by all accounts from Alexis and Matthew we’ve got girls in the academy ready to get called up…so they’re finished. I’ll have HR draft up the termination papers. I don’t want Sean to even hear their names when he gets back let alone see their faces.

Butch seems to just melt in his seat, pushed further in from the weight of everything. Wisdom comes and lays on the sofa, putting her head in his lap and looking up at him and sighs as she plays with the scraggly edges of his beard.

(Wisdom): Remind me why we did this?

Butch just sighs tilting his head back, his hand going to her waist gently rubbing her.

(Wisdom): We’ll take things one at a time…I’ll order us some lunch…Sean and Michelle will be coming home any day now and we’ll get Azami and Erica settled off before then, and other than Jeremy and Maniac…maybe we can get back to some normalcy around here.

(Butch): HHH!

Butch scoffs!

(Wisdom): HHH? What about him?

(Butch): Nothing! Okay…pity party over…let’s get to work.

Wisdom raises up and Butch begins to rise and gets a deep stretch in. They come together in an embrace, and a few pecks on the lips sees them both off start their respective days of HWA affairs as the scene fades to black.