The Ol' Rock and A Hard Place.

[The American Tradition]

Open scene on Phoenix Winterborn in his hotel room, just hours before WAR where he is scheduled to face off against longtime friend, Drew Stevenson with A Native Americano as the guest referee. Phoenix is relaxing in his street clothes for the moment, holding the leather vest of his with Renegades of Peace adorned across the back. He looks deep in thought with a somber look on his face.

"So, I'm...backed into a corner right here. I'm faced with a very, VERY tough decision to make. I have to either show my loyalty to the Renegades of Peace or, I have to stand up for my best friend in the business."

He pauses long enough to stand up, the vest still clutched in his hand.

"You see, for anyone that has followed my career, and followed Drew Stevenson's career...you will know that we have come up in the business together. We started out together, we tamed on and off throughout the years, and throughout everything? We've remained the best of friends." he breathes a deep sigh. "Drew, you know me, and I know you. Very well. I know that...what you did last week? You would not have done if you didn't have good reason to do so. Now, what that reason is, is none of my business. I have not spoken to you, I have not talked with you. I've tried texting you, calling you...you won't answer my calls, you won't answer my texts. I don't know what's going on. But, you're scheduled to face me this week on WAR. The new champion once again. The three-time SEW champion. I have my ticket punched for Wrestle X to face Mack. But, I have to stand up to my toughest test to date against you this week. See because you? Are no pushover, Drew. You're a good man. But, for me to continue onto Wrestle X as the deserving champion? I have to defeat you tonight."

Another pause, as he looks at his cut again.

"Y'know...after I was told what happened. My boss in the Renegades of Peace came up to me, and was like 'You can't let this stand. I want you to do out there, and I want you to destroy him." He took in a sharp breath. "And...it's caused me to do a lot of thinking this week, Drew. It's caused m to do a lot of soul-searching, as it were."

Opening up his bag, he started checking on his gear.

"And, even to this moment? I still don't know what to do. Do I go out there, and shoot on you like I was instructed to do? Do I go out there, and put on a competitive clinic like only you and I can? I don't know. I do know this, though. Is sacrificing your best friend in pro wrestling-no. Not only in pro wrestling. in life...is sacrificing your best friend in life what is really good for the company and good for the Renegades of Peace? i don't know if I can do that."

Zipping it back up, he returns to the camera.

"I'm not sure if I want to be a part of something that will make me turn my back on my friends, because my friends are what helped me get to this level. My friends, are the ones who kept pushing me. Who told me that yes, I could do this. Cause there were times, there were times Drew, and you know this first-hand, where I just wanted to say 'Screw it.' and quit. Go back to a normal life, free of the drama, or the politics, or anything like that. I didn't need to put with that, and I had that choice on several occasions. Just to set the boots down, and walk away. But, I didn't. I didn't because of my friends. They pushed me, and by God, I did it for the love of this business!"

The fire in Phoenix's eyes was starting to build for a moment, before cooling off again. The last thing he needed to do right now was lose his temper.

"I don't know what's going to happen tonight. All I know is that, in the end? I'm gonna make the right decision."

Setting the cut in his gear back, he pulled out the SEW championship, hiked it over his shoulder, and headed out with his bag en route towards the arena.

[NBD]

A Native Americano waiting at the Greensboro Coliseum in the back pacing around at the loading dock, fans can be seen, and heard out back screaming as the Director looks at the floor thinking. He looks up and out at some fans trying to look inside and A Native Americano shouting.

WHAT?! YOU WANT A FUCKING SHOW?!

A loud pop and the Director stepping outside in his swat gear looking ready to fight, but approaches the back fence keeping fans back who look eager to see anyone, even A Native Americano. Some mark yells.

How come ya screwed Drew?

The Director looking indifferent, but shoots on the kid.

That one of you lame ass twitter followers who ain't got what it takes to enter SEF, to enter a place of refuge for professional wrestlers that are sick of playing a sick, twisted game of politics just to get over!?! Drew couldn't accept his mistake that made me shoot on him and his ignorance was his downfall and tonight he goes down, no doubt about it. It may not be from one real smack to the head, but Phoenix will live up to his end of the match and he better be the SEW Champion he needs to be or he will have a long way to go before he ever trumps Da Natural Asshole that is Daddy Mack.

Lot of oohs on that and the crowd wanting Mack, but A Native Americano keeps it going.

You all came here to see that main event, Phoenix versus Drew, to see someone other than the usual crowd that stands up for what is right, that stands up for SEF, right!?!

A loud hell yea from the crowd and the Director fires back.

Then you tell that son of a bitch to stop beating around the bush, you voice it to your champion of SEW, make him realize that you can't move forward on a neutral train.

The Director turning as the crowd rallies on behind him.

Ya see that Phoenix, they want you to do what is right, now sit around feeling sorry for a so called friend. If Drew was your friend, he wouldn't have came in here disrespecting every single person in this business, especially you, someone who has shown they care. We don't need anymore Mack imposters like Drew, especially when they ain't got half his talent or can't even get their facts right to make a shoot real instead of the biggest flop since the shockmaster in wcw. We need you, yes Phoenix, we need you to be the guy that stands up to these no talent trolling hacks who think they got some bit of talent because a bunch of shameless, worthless, corrupted promoters from MSN pushed him when he didn't deserve it. I know what goes on outside SEF, I always have, I follow professional wrestling as good as any historian who has a head full of knowledge that I have learned from, dissected and built A Native Americano into such a big name without having wrestled even ten matches or however few I had so far!?! While Phoenix and Drew may have had classic battles before they came to SEF, there is no indication of it for us to see that being the case tonight as Drew is going to lay low, show up and job out, then go to twitter and claim we used a fake even though everyone in this company knows better and even people outside SEF know Drew is full of shit. Its time to take a stand, to stand up for SEF as Mack promoted earlier on twitter, most we seen from that guy in social media since I signed him up. Guess he must still be having trouble using his smartphone, then again, not even I own one of those, I prefer, well never mind, I'm killing the crowd, so let's get to it, let' see Phoenix show up right here, right now, were waiting brother!?! Cause ya see, you go on about friends, well I though we were, I thought we were becoming more, becoming brothers, otherwise I wouldn't have never handed you that cut. The Renegades of Peace are a brotherhood, we fight to keep the peace and fight against the drama queens of the business like Drew, like so many other haters that tried to bring SEF down. We don't go into the night blindly following some sheep to a slaughter. We march into the night shooting light and firing on anyone one of these little piece of shit, so stand by my side brother, stand side by side in the Renegades of Peace and let's show this trash the way to the dumpster where his kind belong.

A Native Americano backed up to the fence with his arms spread out and the crowd of fans all fired up behind him slapping his back. The Director turning and looking for Phoenix to see if he showed up yelling across the lot to some guard.

YO, YA SEE PHOENIX ARRIVE YET?

The guard shaking his head no and yells the same thing, so A Native Americano turning to the crowd and asks.

Who wants an autograph from this so called legend?!?

Everyone yells hell yea and the Director jumping in to sign, pose for picture, whatever these fans want as he waits for his partner, his friend, his brother to show up!?!

[The American Tradition]

As ANA is signing autographs, the roar of a 2013 Scion FR-S is heard. The crowd parts for the car, as the door opens, and an arm holding the SEW Championship. The fans cheer, as Phoenix Winterborn steps out of the car, and removes his Oakley sunglasses he was wearing. The two men stood looking at each other, as Phoenix slipped th arm of the shades over his buttonup shirt.

"So, the world wants to know my decision. Am I going to stand by the Renegades of Peace tonight, or will I stand by my best friend, Drew Stevenson? Who will I be loyal to?"

Phoenix took the leather vest out of his gear bag, and slung it over his shoulder.

"The honest answer is...I don't know. You want this cut here to trump my thirteen year friendship. Is it what's best for business? Quite possibly, but you have to understand that I have my own morals and beliefs to stand by as well. You will not dictate what I do in this business. You will not silence me. I am the SEW champion, and I do have a voice in what happens. So, which side will I pick?"

He paused, looking out at the crowd.

"I don't know, but when I know, you'll know as well."

He took a deep breath, and stepped past A Native Americano before entering the building to finish preparing for his main event match.

[NBD]

The crowd a bit let down by these actions, so A Native Americano indifferent in his expression still, but those hungry dark eyes showing a feeling of betrayal from his prospect who doesn't quite seem to get it. The Director yells after him.

HEY!!!

Phoenix stopping to turn seeing it was indeed A Native Americano who yelled, that loud bark unmistakable with the fans rallying behind the High Chief Warrior of the Renegades of Peace.

I want you to employ your voice and express your feeling of disrespect that you conveyed to my old lady in a private conversation, that is what I want. I want you to use SEF as a platform to stand up for the company you want so badly to be the man in. I never said to be silent nor did I try to dictate you or anyone else, so where your coming from is beyond me unless you like so many others who have been labeled haters of SEF truly believe the reputation we have is one we deserve!?! If so, I'll take that cut from your ass and choke you the fuck out, then punch Drew out again, only this time I'll break his fucking jaw and leave SEW with no match, again!?! You don't get it Phoenix, I want you to do what is right by this business and only for this business. We don't have to be friends or brothers, you don't even have to hate Drew, but you have to recognize that Drew was wrong for how he went about his return to SEF because he is the one who broke kayfabe, he shit on you and everyone else whether you want to admit it or not. All your doing by trying to remain neutral is going stale, and burying yourself as the so called chosen one, you are failing in your quest Phoenix. I thought from what Whitney told me you were saying about this Drew situation, that you were already set to destroy him, yet you pull this shit!?!

The Director seeing Phoenix take a couple steps back towards him and makes up the distance between them to go nose to nose.

You do what is fucking right by this business, not because I say to, but because you know deep down it is the right thing to do, or you stay out here and don't even bother coming inside cause I may end up knocking your ass out!?!

Phoenix confused as A Native Americano remains indifferent, but those dark eyes hungry to explode on the first person who gives him a reason.

I have put more effort into pushing you than you have to push yourself and go on, think I don't know what its like to be in your shoes, but I know all too well, I get it more than anyone in this business. I know what friendship means in a cut throat world, but true friends don't do what Drew did and you remaining ignorant to that tells me I can't trust you and if I can't, we ain't done here, so either hop in your car and leave or you get your fucking head right!?!

The Director shoving by slamming Phoenix in the shoulder with his own turning the SEW Champ sideways and turns to look back at him.

I'll be inside cause I got a fucking show to run and if I can't count on my so called leader of SEW, then we all know who I can count on!!!

A Native Americano turning and walks inside leaving Phoenix to walk slowly towards the arena while glancing back at the crowd chanting.

ANA...ANA...ANA...MACK...MACK...MACK...PHOENIX...PHOENIX...PHOENIX...

And the American Tradition looking down to head for the arena, still moving slow, thinking as the Director's large back is seen disappearing from sight.