Off camera, somewhere in Mexico…2010

We open up near the location where Maniac is finishing up with Sophia Santiago, it took some time and a lot of broken bones and spilled blood but Sam Harris was able to find out not only where Maniac was but what he was there to do, though he knew he wouldn't make it in time to save the woman. It took more time to actually get to the area, not including taking down anyone that got in his way but Sammy found the building and made his way towards the basement. He gets to the door that leads to the basement and slowly opens it, the sound of the radio filling the empty building as Sammy peeks inside and sees that there is a little set of stairs that leads to another door and standing in front of that door is a man with his back to Sammy. He holds an IPad in one hand and what looks like a canister of mace spray in the other, Sammy quickly and quietly pulls a ski mask from his back pocket and puts it on then unsheathes his hunting knife before sneaking up behind the man and with his left hand he covers the mans mouth and with his right Sammy stabs the man in the side of the neck. He drives the knife deep then twists the knife before pulling it back out only to stab him in the neck a few more times.

Sammy: Shhhh, it’s time to sleep now…

When the man is dead Sammy drags him up the stairs quickly as he isn’t sure when the song that is playing will end. Sammy finds a closet and stores the dead body inside, re-sheathed his knife after wiping it off on the dead man’s shirt, takes the iPad and the canister, then quickly makes his way back to the basement door. After a few minutes the song ends and Maniac opens the door, stopping dead in his tracks when he sees the masked man who he has no idea is Sammy. Sammy says nothing, he simply holds the IPad forward and it comes to life, revealing a message that simply reads “mission complete.” Before Maniac can ask a question Sammy sprays him in the face with the canister and Maniac is out cold. Sammy drops both items then removes his ski mask, he returns it to his back pocket, then looks down at Maniac unconscious on the ground.

Sammy: Don’t worry buddy, I’m going to get you out of here and somewhere safe.

Sammy picks up Maniac and carries him back to the jeep he came in, the local he hired as a driver is patiently waiting where Sammy told him to wait with the engine idling. Sammy loads Maniac into the back of the jeep, shuts the door, then gets in the passenger seat and tells the local to get going. They take off into the night and only when they are out of sight of the area does Sammy sit back and breathe a sigh of relief, even letting a little chuckle escape his lips. He turns to the local driver and smiles, giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder.

Sammy: Buen manejo mi nuevo amigo, bien vale su peso en pesos(Good driving my new friend, well worth your weight in pesos)

The two share a laugh which is short lived, little did they know or expect Maniac has woken up and removed a knife he had hidden in his sock. He opens the knife quietly, in a drug-induced haze he feels like he’s stuck in the middle of a fog and can’t escape. He doesn’t know where he is and what’s going on, all he knows is that this wasn’t protocol and that he'd been kidnapped. He hears the two burst out in laughter and uses the opportunity to strike, jumping up and stabbing the driver in the throat with his knife. Sammy screams for Maniac to stop and lunges to help the driver but is met with a quick and painful elbow to the face which causes Sammy’s head to go flying into the passenger side window, cracking but not breaking it. For a few moments Sammy’s vision blurs and he sees double but he can still see and feel what’s going on, the driver is swerving heavily now because of the massive amount of blood loss.

Sammy: Maniac…no…

He tries to yell but it only comes out a whisper, he also tries to hold his hand out but he can’t even lift his arm as it feels like there’s a thousand pounds of weight attached to it. The car swerves a few more times before it suddenly stops which sends Maniac flying forward and threw the front windshield, then with what energy he has left the local then puts the car back in drive and takes off, swerving in the opposite way Maniac went flying and heading back down the road. Sammy looks back in horror and then at the driver.

Sammy:¿Qué haces? ¡Tenemos que volver por él!( What are you doing? We have to go back for him!)

The driver weakly shakes his head and keeps driving, Sammy can tell that the man doesn’t have much longer to live because he’s lost too much blood already. Sammy doesn’t fight him nor does he argue, he simply nods and sits back in his seat to wait for the inevitable. They get another half mile down the road before the man dies and Sammy has to grab the wheel to keep the jeep from crashing, he steers it to the side of the road and it makes a smooth stop. By now Sammy’s senses have came back to him, along with his strength and muscle control so its easy for him to open the driver’s door and push the dead man out before hopping in the driver’s seat himself. Sammy turns the jeep around and slowly goes back the way they just came, turning the headlights on high so he can look for Maniac. He finally comes across the area and hits the breaks in shock, the only thing there is from the incident is the glass from the windshield shining from the jeeps headlights. Sammy gets out of the jeep and walks over to the glass, he kneels down and notices blood all over the glass and there’s a little trail that leads off into the darkness.

Sammy: Dammit, I should’ve brought a flashlight.

Sammy curses at himself, he didn’t think he’d need one but should have brought one anyway. He didn’t bring his phone as he didn’t want to be tracked to where he’s at so he couldn’t use the phones flashlight either, after a few minutes of debating with himself Sammy stands up and heads back to the jeep and gets in. He just sits there for a few moments before cursing himself again and takes off into the night as the scene fades...

Current day

Maniac bolts upright in his bed, breathing heavily as he looks around to confirm his whereabouts. Once he confirms that he’s in his bed next to Mandy on his bus he calms himself before grabbing his phone and  quietly getting out of bed, careful not to wake Mandy and makes his way out to the front room and to the bar. He goes behind the bar and makes himself a drink then goes around and sits on a barstool, looking over at the cage that Wolfy’s sleeping in and smiles. The cover is over the cage so he knows that Wolfy is asleep but is still sure not to wake him as he sits there and enjoys his drink. Ever since Mandy helped him unlock that deep rooted memory Maniac’s been having a reoccurring nightmare about that night and it always ended the same, as soon as he opened the door to leave he was hit by a mist and then he wakes up. The whole nightmare is so vivid and each time he feels like he’s back there doing those horrible things, and tonight was no different except for when he woke up. It wasn’t at the usual part this time he remembered after opening the door, no he was in a car with two other people. He attacked them, stabbing one and elbowing the other in the face but that was all he remembered before waking up. Maniac’s thoughts are interrupted by the sound of his phone going off then he hears Mandy’s phone going off in the bedroom a few moments later, he waits for any movement or sounds but when there’s none Maniac checks his phone. A smile slowly starts to form on Maniac’s face as he reads the latest posts from Toby as the scene fades.
___________________________________________________

On camera

The scene opens at Ivy Glam Spa & Wellness, Meredith has just walked in with the camera ready for her assignment. She groans as she knows being in a place like this only means one person can be here, she just wanted to get it over with and leave. She’s greeted by the receptionist at the front desk who hands her a bottle of chilled Evian and then leads Meredith to the back where they stop at one of the massage rooms, the receptionist smiles before opening the door and motions for Meredith to go in.

Receptionist: He’s waiting for you in here.

Meredith takes a deep breath, nods, and walks in holding out the bottle of Evian to the figure laying on the table. They’re laying on their back with a towel over their waist and their face is covered with a seaweed wrap while the massage therapist is currently working away at the persons shoulders. When the massage therapist notices Meredith she stops the massage and pats the figure on the shoulder and they sit up, removing the seaweed wrap as they do and Meredith can’t help but smile.

Meredith: Maniac?!?!?

Maniac chuckles and nods.

Maniac: Who were you expecting?

Maniac smiles and motions at the Evian.

Maniac: Is that for me?

Meredith nods and hands Maniac the bottle who opens it and pours the cold water into a nearby watering can and then uses the can to water a bonsai tree sitting on a table. After its watered Maniac puts the can down and then reaches down into a nearby cooler and grabs a beer, popping the top and takes a drink he cheers the camera before finishing it.

Maniac: That’s better, so you just keep pointing the camera and I’ll talk, cool?

Meredith nods and Maniac smiles, grabbing another beer and popping it open. He takes a big swig and then sits the can down before beginning.

Maniac: Toby, glad to see you could muster up the energy to not only post online but actually appear on camera after running away from the main event at Havoc. You know T-Diddy, I bet you think I’m mad after that don’t you? And I also bet you think your little social media jabs were the salt in the wounds huh? I know what you’re trying T-dog and it’s not going to work, you want a shot at my HWA Championship? Get in line, taking cheap shots and running your mouth on social media won’t get your cookie cutter heel ass anything.

Maniac grabs his beer and takes another drink before continuing.

Maniac: Now with that being said there’s one thing I can agree with you on, and that’s this.

Maniac motions at his surroundings.

Maniac: I gotta tell you T-Mobile this place knows how to make you feel like a brand new person, no wonder you like coming to these places so much. Not even mentioning the fact that it helps me with my yellow eyes from all my drinking and smoking, and the ladies don’t mind my bus stank so that’s a plus…

With that being said Maniac smirks and raises the can of beer in cheers again, then turns back to the massage therapist and cheers her too in which the massage therapist smiles and gives a nod of appreciation. Maniac finishes off the beer and tosses the empty can back into the cooler before grabbing another one, popping it open, and taking a drink.

Maniac: And look Toady they even cleared up my crack addict skin tone, isn’t that amazing?

Maniac holds up his arm to show it off.

Maniac: All clear and looking good, I’m going to definitely make it a habit to start coming to these things more often. That way I can look good AND maintain my crack habit, hashtag brightside right Titus?

Maniac gives a sarcastic wink before taking another drink and continuing.

Maniac: I do have to correct you on something though Taylor, its not dragons and reality I’m fighting. Oh no it’s a demon and reality but you were close buddy, I know you get confused inside that big puss pocket that’s growing on your shoulders that you laughingly call a head. No you see Theo, its you that’s going to be fighting a dragon and it’ll be sooner than you want or expect if you keep going down the path you’re going. I’m going to really enjoy watching Wyatt wipe the floor with you at Havoc, but not as much as when you step in the ring with William. He’s going to beat you within an inch of your life and then fry you up Drogon style ala Game of Thrones, and speaking of my friend William…

Maniac finishes his beer and tosses the empty can in the cooler.

Maniac: Listen William, I understand you may feel slighted by my request to deal with this Jeremy situation but please know it’s not my intention to disrespect you, ignore you, look past you, or anything like that it’s just that I know if I don’t end this now then it’ll never end. I also know that he’d pop up during our match and try to or would interfere, and that’s not fair to either of us nor is it fair to the fans who pay their hard earned money to come see us do what we love to do. I know Trevor is trying to stir the pot with his latest social media posts but really we both know he’s just fueling the fire that’s going to burn him in the end, don’t we William?

Maniac motions for Meredith to get closer as he lies back down and signals for the massage therapist to resume.

Maniac: Jeremy, I really hope you’re doing well wherever you are. Take care of yourself man, see you at Havoc.

Maniac puts the seaweed wrap back on his face and relaxes as the scene fades to black.