The chosen few (Invite)

[seifer]

Overload comes on the air live from the O2 Arena. The fans were at a fever pitch as the entrance theme of GM Stan O'Malley hits the PA.

Tony: We've heard since late last week that Stan had a huge announcement regarding the OTS Tournament, looks like we won't have to wait long to find out what it is, eh Willy?

Willy: Last time he dropped a bomb on us, it was announcing his brainchild "The Crucibal", and what a match it was. Damn shame Overload couldn't bring the bling home, but shout outs to the new World Champ Tommy Tryton.

Tony: Shout outs indeed.

Stan, now inside of the ring, raises his mic and addresses the fans.

For the 1st time in 2 years, XWA is in the UK, and I gotta say people, this has always been one of my favorite cities to come to. Back when I was wrestling, and now that I'm not. As a lot of you have heard, I have an announcement to make regarding Overload and OTS, but there's one order of business that needs to be taken care of 1st. And that's the business of Upper Echelon, and more importantly, Scott O'Dell.

The cheers quickly change to boos at the mere mention of "The Franchise".

I gotta give it to you, Scott. You pulled a big one over all of us at Ring Rage. I was expecting only one guy, but out from backstage comes both Kaster Troy AND the No Limits Champ Brian Yang. I can honestly say I didn't see that coming. So the rich get richer. Upper Echelon adds two, no...I'm gonna guess three to it's fold, as with Kaster Troy, Pollox Troy is sure to follow. So you've in essence added new troops to your army, Scott. And bravo for that. Because you're not the only one soldiering up, my friend. I can see what kind of game you're playing, Scott. And I can play it just as well as you can. In fact, I plan on playing it tonight. Because to start things off, I'm playing match maker. We start things off with you, Kaster. Tonight, you're going up against Van Hayden 1 on 1. Brian Yang? You'll be dancing with the new No.1 Contender for your title, Sushi-X. And that leaves Mr. Alston and Mr. O'Dell. Tonight, you two gentlemen are going to be teaming up against Adam Devlin and Ryan Fierhart. But not in a normal Tag Team match, no, no, no. Tonight, you boys are going to get it on in a Tornado Tag TABLES match.

A thunderous ovation booms from the fans.

Tony: WOW!!! Only 7 minutes into the show and we've already got 3, count 'em 3 huge matches!!!

Let's see you try and weasel you're way outta this one, eh Scott? Now, on to the other business of the night, Overload's involvement in Only The Strong. This year, unlike previous years, it's going to be an 8 man field as opposed to the usual 16. 4 guys from Takedown, 4 guys from Overload, with the winner landing the last spot in The Last Dance. And it doesn't need to be said that this is our last chance getting one of our guys into the Last Dance. So in that fact, I hope Roachy-boy has his choices selected wisely, because the 4 men going into OTS for Overload, are going to be 4 of Overload's heavy hitters. And those men are...

...Johnny Aces, Toa, Evan Fate and Ethan Bain!!!

Willy: Now that's what I call a line up!!! I don't think Takedown's got anything that can match up to that kinda firepower!

Tony: Don't be so sure, Willy. They're up on us as far as guys in the Last Dance, allbeit Dan Ripley stole his spot in it. Still, with 4 guys the caliber of the men Stan just mentioned, I'm liking our chances.

And with that said and done, enjoy the show ladies and gentlemen.

Just as Stan prepares to leave the ring, the entrance theme of Upper Echelon cues up.

[scott]

Boos echo throughout the O2 Arena as Scott O'Dell and fellow UE members Osiris Alston & Kaster Troy step out from backstage. O'Dell already had a mic in hand, and digs right into his response as their theme fades out.

Wow, Stan. What a way to assert yourself tonight. Seriously. Way to put your foot down. Damn shame you put your foot in your mouth in the process. Do you really think you putting us in matches against Fierhart, Devlin and Hayden scare us? All guys who we've all historically beaten the crap out of? *Heh heh* Not exactly what I'd call "soldiering up". It's more like a desperate call to arms. One that's going to fall on deaf ears tonight, and on into OTS. Because up until this point, we've just been toyin' with ya' "boss". But here and now? Fun time is over. If those three jokers are the best you can possibly throw at us, *heh heh* you're going to have to seriously...SERIOUSLY rethink your stance in this whole thing. XGamesIII isn't to far off from now, Stan. And you're not exactly winning the war, my man. Answer me this. What happens if you're chosen soldiers can't get the job done? What happens if...no...when...we systematically take each one of them out. Then what, eh Stan?

[seifer]

Stan brings up his mic for a steady response.

Ya' know, Scott? That's what I love about you. That overbearing overconfidence you have. It's kinda cute in that annoying little brother kinda' way. But let me answer that question for you. If you think Devlin, Hayden and Fierhart are the only guys I have gunning for you're heads, you're dead wrong. In fact, I've got someone who's been sitting in the wings, waiting for his chance to get his hands around your neck for a long, long time. How about I introduce the two of you at Only The Strong?

[scott]

Scott chuckles to himself before looking to his cohorts, who stood shaking their heads as well. His response would soon follow.

So now you're playing the secret weapon card now, Stan? C'mon. We all know there's no one else on roster good enough. The best guys on Overload, dare I say in XWA period, are Upper Echelon brothers. You can't introduce me to anyone, because you have no one left. Oh wait...I see what's going to happen. This is all a plot for you to get in the ring with me. I can see it a mile away. You wanna dust off the old boots and go one more time, is that it? If you want to get your ass kicked by me so badly Stan, all ya' have to do is ask.

Scott gets a tap on the shoulder by one of the others. He passes them the mic there after.

[si]

C'mon now Scott. What are we gonna get outta you beatin' the hell out of an old fart like him? Blown out knees, punch drunk from all chair shots he's taken over his career. Nah, he ain't wantin' no part of you, Scotty. I wanna know who the hell this dude is my damn self. I think the old man is bluffin' us, fellas.

They wait for the response of the GM.

[seifer]

Stan's reply to Alston's "request".

Do you now? I'll tell ya' what, Alston. I'll give you your wish. Because he just so happens to be here in the arena, tonight. Oh yea, that's right. He's sitting up in the executive sweet, probably sippin' on a brew, eatin' up how you guys think this is just me tryin' to pull a fast one on you. But at the end of the night, this little war you boys have started against me and XWA brass is about to hit a really...REALLY big obstacle. So I'd suggest you boys head on backstage and get geared up. Somethin' tells me this is gonna be a long night for you all.

Stan lowers his mic.

[kaster]

After receiving the mic from Alston, Kaster give his response.

*Hmmmph* I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket there, Stan. One man isn't going to change the way this whole thing plays out. The deck is stacked against you, and you're only but a few matches from losing complete and total control of Overload. Like Scott said when he made me the offer to join the ranks of Upper Echelon, "It's time for us to take back what's ours." You've been doing so much to see to it that the "lesser" talent get their spotlight. Problem is, that's exactly what we're taking back. Men like us are the driving force of this business. We're the reason why you have a job, O'Malley. We're the reason why Overload's the #1 wrestling program on television. It's our show, my friend. And when all is said and done, we'll be the ones firmly in control. Don't think of it as threat. Think of it as a promise. And I can speak on behalf of Scott & Osiris here in saying...we're men of our word.

The Upper Echelon theme cues over the PA once more. The three men all give satisfied grins as they glare at the GM in the ring.

Tony: I hope this plan that Stan's got cooked up is a good one. Because there's no denying that the GM's back is against the wall, big time.

Willy: Whoever his man is, he'd betta' be a heavy hitter. Because Upper Echelon looks ready deliver some bombs tonight.

Tony: We'll certainly here from the three men who'll be opposing them, Ryan Fierhart, Adam Devlin & Van Hayden later tonight. And I'll bet what they have to say is going to be plenty interesting.

[adam]

Later in the show, the three men in question stand backstage with Joe Beakman.

Fellas, you heard like the rest of us. At the top of the show, Stan O'Malley booked you all in some pretty important matches going into Only The Strong.

Adam would be 1st to speak.

Yes he did my fine, portly friend. And with things coming down to the wire, it seems Scotty-boy pulled him self a 5 Star power moving pulling in Kaster Troy and Brian Yang. A pair of heavy hitters to add to the line up of Upper Echelon. You'd think that'd give us reason to be a lil' concerned, right?

WRONG!!!

Scott O'Dell can go out and soldier up the entire damn roster for all we care. We're not buyin' his crap, and we damn sure ain't backin' down. We've been at war with O'Dell since the 1st day XWA came into being. This goes way deeper then just him and his boys trying to monopolize Overload so that they have all the pull. This is personal. It's personal for me. It's personal for Ryan and Van here, it's personal for Osh Vaughn and Shane Camden, it's personal for The Strike Force, and if you have a damn pulse and your own XWA payroll, it needs to be personal to you. Doesn't matter what damn show you're on. Syrus Sykes wants to come over here and talk about how it's so "serious" here on Overload? Well no disrespect Sykes, but you're god damn right it's serious here on Overload. Because we take this business seriously. We take our brand seriously. And we damn sure aren't going to let a group of hot shot egomaniacs run this, what men like us have busted our asses to put on the map into the ground. This isn't "entertainment" like on Takedown. This is our livelihood. And I don't know about you guys, but I'll be damned if I let anyone take whats mines. Alston? O'Dell? Come for a fight, but be ready for war. Cuz war's what we're bringin', and we ain't takin' prisoners.[/font]

[ryan]

Ryan would be the next to speak.

Joe, it all comes down to one thing. Pride. And there's two kinds of pride. There's the pride which comes with being part of something great. And then there's the pride that comes from you thinking of only yourself. That kind of pride is the pride that you'd consider a sin. The three of us? We're proud men. But our pride comes from the fact that we're proud to be counted among the founding Fathers of this company. Adam and I have been here since day one. Van's been in XWA since midway through season one. We've survived the onslaught, weathered the storm and rose from the brink. We've all been challenged. We've all been tested. And we've all tasted the sweet tasted of victory and the bitter taste of defeat. It's just as Adam said. This is personal, Joe. This isn't about control for us. This is about our legacy.

This is about what we've done in this company to help put it on the map. Sure, only Van here's ever been a champion amongst us. But the three of us are the heart and soul of XWA. We're the men who poured our blood into this company in it's infancy to allow guys like Sykes, Von Schwartz, Ripley and so on to come into XWA and have the success they've had. This is about the men who helped build this company from the ground up, standing against the men who have used this company for their own personal gain. We're not standing for it. And that's the reason why we'll fight O'Dell, Alston, Jasta and whoever the hell else they bring to the dance to the last man. This is ours, and we're not lettin' anyone, and I do mean ANYONE take it away from us.

[van]

Van finishes things off by saying the following.

The boys here have pretty much summed it all up. Upper Echelon's been ridin' high and runnin' a muck the past few months. It's high time we repaid the favor. Tonight's only the beginning. And like the GM Stan O'Malley said, when tonight's done, things are gonna be reeeeeeal interesting. O'Dell & his boys do real well at talkin' a good one. But us? We're done talkin'. It's all about action from this point on. And our actions tonight are gonna speak louder then anything anyone's ever heard in XWA.

After he speaks, all three men walk off from the interview area. As Beakman stand in wonder of what might go down, Overload goes into it's next match.