Exterior Office Building [UOW Head Offices]
CJ Walker stood with his head held high, the fresh air filling his nostrils and down into his lungs. The smell of the fresh air a free man was a complete opposite from what the air was like in prison. The nearby paper mill made every waking moment smell like a deep fried egg fart, it had been fried into his sense of smell and his brain forever.
He had gone in at just nineteen years old. His plea has been guilty although everyone in their right mind knew the only thing he was guilty of was self defense. But the Honorable Judge Humphrey was what they called a swinging judge, and in his mind it didn't matter that the dead guy had walked up on CJ and his fiance with a loaded gun and stuck it in their face. No, he saw only that this nineteen year old that was six inches taller than anyone in the courtroom, had boxed as an amateur since he was kid, and listened to heavy metal was a cold blooded killer. The judge was fire and brimstone as he handed CJ ten years flat, that meant CJ would do every single day of his sentence, no parole or chance of early release.
A decade inside Tucker Maximum Security Unit near Pine Bluff was a decade in the most violent prison in Arkansas. Fights, stabbings, killings, tapes, these were the daily menu for Tucker. Every day CJ found himself fighting, fighting to see the next day and the day after that. For ten years it was bloody knuckles and busted noses and lips or worse, a shank made out of tooth brush sticking out of his chest while he beat it's owner to within an inch of his life. And then one day it was over...he was standing outside the prison gate a free man. But now what? They had turned him into a monster and then simply pushed him back out into society like a ticking time bomb, knowing damn well he would get in trouble and get sent back.
But CJ wasn't going back, atleast not without a fight. But it was fighting that would prove he could become something more than what they had made him into. Standing there on that sidewalk, the sun on his face, it was an incredible feeling. But there was only one thing that he enjoyed more. ..
Interior Small Gym [CJ Walker Training Camp]
George Specht, CJ's grandfather and training coach stood sever feet away as CJ worked the speed bag.
George: "C'mon kid. You're gonna have to be quicker than that. These guys aren't the same as the punks you've been knocking around for the last four years. This is the big time, big name players, that means bigger money and bigger risks."
CJ: "New Yard, New Enemies, Same Results. We've done this plenty of times. They aren't ready for what's coming. There's a difference between being a tough guy in TV and having to be one to survive."
George: "We'll see about that kid. I know you are as tough as they come, but these people don't know that. They don't know you. So I set up a promo recording for later today. To get people hyped about you. This thing you're doing, The Vengeful One...there's not a lot of fiction in that is there?"
CJ stops hitting the speed bag and turns to the man who has raised him from a baby. He respected George more than anything and George was the one man he could never hate no matter what. CJ placed his gloves hands on his hips as he caught his breath.
CJ: "You taught me the difference between right and wrong. You taught me to stand up for what was right and protect those I care about. That man had a gun in Kim's face and I did what I had to do to save her life and mine. He would have killed us both and because he was a junkie he would have done maybe two years and another six months of counseling and got paroled early. I'd never even had a speeding ticket and I got ten years for saving my life and Kim's. So you're damn right there's not a lot of fiction in what I'm bringing to the table."
George sighed and stepped towards his grandson. CJ was more like a son to him, George never had any children of his own but CJ was his son no matter what anyone said. The old man reached up and laid his hand on the giants shoulder. A sad look crossed his wrinkled old face as he spoke.
George: "I'm sorry son, I wish there was something I could do to take that pain away from you, But I can't. And I'm sorry I got old on you. You and I both know you should have never been held guilt of anything. Everyone in town knows it, that's why Judge Humphrey was forced from his position. For whatever reason, he tried to put you down. But did you stay down? Huh? Did you? No! You spit in that mother fuckers face and you survived, the day you walked out of that prison is the day you gave him the finger so severely that you broke that man's pride. Where is he now? He's working some desk job where he has no authority. And you? Where are you? You just signed with the biggest wrestling company in the world, making your debut at their biggest event of the year. That's the equivalent of a rookie quarterback starting his first season by starting his first game at the Superbowl. Now your grandmother god rest her soul never approved of you doing this but she would be proud of you. So before you let your anger and your bitterness consume you. Split yourself...take one half and make that The Vengeful One. Let all of that hatred and thirst for violence consume the gimmick. The other half is you, the real you. My grandson. Husband to a beautiful woman. Together you and Kim have given me my great grand children. Keep him separate. Don't let him become The Vengeful One."
Later...
Sound Stage & Studio
CJ stood next to his grandfather as they watched the playback of the promo hype package.
The Hype Package
The video opens, a black screen and the sound of gun shots. A voice came over what sounded like a police radio.
Voice: "Shots Fired! Shots Fired! We Have Officers Dow...."
The voice was broken off by radio static as the screen began to brighten into a tar colored black, then it began to zoom out. Soon the yellow lines on a street appeared, then smoke and debris, several squad cars with lights flashing as the sound began to fade in. Sirens wailed and gunshots rang out, a cop dragged himself towards where his fellow officers were pinned down. It's an aerial view of the scene and soon another cat is in frame. Behind it assailants with automatic rifles returned fire as the wind kicked up bloody hundred dollars bills blew out into the street.
The two apposing forces exchanged fire as the camera did a quick drop to a down the street view. The exchange of gunfire on opposite sides of the screen tried to draw focus from what was coming down the street towards the camera. A figure, tall and muscular with long hair. The figure carried a heavy chain in each hand as he walked right in between the two sides gunfire.
Suddenly the two sides stopped firing and soon both the cops and the crooks were watching the new arrival. It is here the video shows the first clear glimpse of CJ Walker. The camera cuts to a close up of his eyes as he snarls and flames erupt in his green eyes. He whips one hand and the chain strikes the crooks, they turn to ash. The cops celebrate only for CJ to whip chains and reduce the officers to ash as well. Then he stared a head, there in front of him was a huge tower that said U O W. CJ grins devilishly and tossed the chains aside as he begins to approach.
Another camera cut, this time to a wide shot shows that the closer he gets to the building, the more the city skyline is ablaze in fire and smoke.
The screen fades to black as CJ's voice is heard.
"Vengeance Is Coming..."
CJ stared at the screen in silence for a pause. One of the producers sat next to him on his left, he was also the editor of the video. George sat to the right of his grandson rubbing his chin while still looking at the screen.
George: "What in the fuck did I just watch? Was that it?"
CJ: "I don't know. I think so, that or you're auditioning me for the reboot of Ghost Rider."
The producer went pale and almost swallowed his own tongue. He tried to stammer out a rebuttal but CJ stood up and grabbed him by the collar and lifted him out of his seat and put him up against the wall. George got up and tried to wedge himself in-between his grandson and the producer, pushing on CJ's chest to get him to back off.
George: "Son, Son stop it! Back up! I said back up boy!"
CJ released the man as he took a few steps back. The producer whimpered and grabbed ahold of George only to have the eighty year old man turn around and slug him right in the face, the blow knocked the producer on his ass.
George: "Get your ass off of me. You're fired! C'mon kid, we gotta go get you your passport. Then we gotta get to Mexico, we'll figure out something then."
CJ: "Geez old man. You knocked the nerd out cold. Nice!"
The Story Continues In Mexico...In The Next Episode.
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