We find “Guttertrash” Greg Adkins in the most curious of places, though after the events of Night of Champions, not a shocking location. He’s laying in a hospital bed. Nothing seems to be broken, but he has enough in the way of stitches and bandages to cover for a lifetime of regular folk.
He weakly pulls up a wired remote and hits the “Call Nurse” button. It’s about thirty seconds before the speaker on the wired remote responds.
Nurse: You need something?
Greg Adkins: I’m in a fair amount of pain, like a lot. Anyway we can get this machine to administer another dose? Like now?
Yes, one of the bags above Greg’s head is a morphine drip. How he got that approved is anyone’s guess.
Nurse: You are scheduled for another dose in about two hours. It will automatically dispense, sir. I can’t give you more than what the machine dispenses or you will overdose and die.
Greg Adkins: I think you underestimate my tolerance level.
Nurse: Doctor’s orders, sir. I’m sorry if I cannot be of any more help.
The connection is broken and Greg sighs. He is in a fair amount of pain as his drug tolerance is rather high. Nothing broken does not mean that there was no deep bruising and no concussion. Those came with the bandages and stitches. Greg breathes in deeply and coughs the breath out in pain. The ribs are bruised from where the ring steps landed on him.
Greg Adkins: I am supposing perhaps Redmond Fury is a touch homophobic from the reaction of a finger going into his butt.
There is a chuckle from the door. Greg frowns and looks to see Armand von Krauss walk into the room. He has a small box of chocolates in his hand as he walks in and stands by the bed. Greg groans and looks at the man.
Greg Adkins: If you’ve come to finish the job your man started. I’m ready.
Armand chuckles, setting the chocolates on Greg’s bedside tray.
Armand von Krauss: I’ve not come to kill you. As a matter of fact, I brought you some alcohol spiked chocolates. They should help you in your hour of need.
Greg’s eyes go wide and he opens the package of chocolates, eating one right away. He closes his eyes as the vodka flavor hits him.
Greg Adkins: Sooooo good.
Greg eats a couple more of the spiked chocolates before looking back to Armand.
Greg Adkins: If you haven’t come to kill me. Why are you here?
Armand von Krauss smiles, lighting himself an Egyptian cigarette.
Armand von Krauss: Why, I came to check on you! You left my service and found yourself in this situation. Do you think that he would have been so rough on you if you had been a part of the KGB? If Redmond Fury had known that Donzig or myself would have taken revenge for the injuries inflicted upon you, he would have thought twice about his bold actions. We might have even come down to the ring during the match just to remind him who the real power players in the Network were, but you left my service…
Greg Adkins: You would have supported me? You would have interfered in the match on my behalf?
Armand flicks ashes onto the remains of Greg’s lunch plate that had not been removed from the room yet with a chuckle.
Armand von Krauss: Those who serve me deserve my support. I would have sent someone at the very least to make sure that the match was fair. You joined the Galactic Sex Pirates. Did they support you in your match? The Bastards were in town with you. They could have come. It’s not like they were busy since it was the opening match. Have they called or sent flowers or any sign of concern for your welfare?
Armand motions to the empty room where nothing has been sent by the other members of the GSP. Greg looks down at his feet with a glum look.
Greg Adkins: I hadn’t heard anything from my fellow pirates yet. They just hadn’t-
Armand von Krauss: You know the Bastards think only of themselves and the other pirates are still in Canada. What support could you have gained from them? Come back to the KGB. Come back to my service. I will treat you the way you ought to be treated.
Greg seems to think about things for a moment before placing his hand to his shoulder to where he has fresh stitches. The gunshot wound from Gabriel Tuck.
Greg Adkins: You sent your goon to kill me.
Armand looks at him with some measure of surprise.
Armand von Krauss: And yet you are alive? If I had sent a man to kill you, you would be dead. I had heard of this confrontation and I am glad that you made it out alive. Thank goodness that Rob Riot was there to save the day or else Gabriel Tuck might have killed you. I will speak to him about doing such things without my permission.
Greg Adkins: You’re going to slap him on the wrist?
Armand puts his cigarette out onto the dinner plate and covers it up with a grim smile.
Armand von Krauss: Gabriel has been punished before. He is lucky that when I threw him off a bridge once that a train was going underneath to catch him.
Greg swallows hard, thinking about his own possible screw ups if he were in Armand’s service.
Greg Adkins: I don’t know. Suppose I were to turn you down right now?
The room seems to go darker with just a light across Armand’s face.
Armand von Krauss: Then, the only good pirate is a dead one…
Greg Adkins: Oh. Well, I suppose that I would have to say-
Rob Riot: Hey, how is the patient doing?
Rob Riot walks into the room, sees Armand and laughs.
Rob Riot: What is this?