After the main event of Assault...

[Quillz]

(The scene opens backstage as two trainers help Akira Wyld backstage after his brutal meeting with Viktor Sokolov on Assault. Akira's arms are draped over the shoulders of two attending ringside physicians as blood seeps from several wounds on his head and chest. The crowd cheers as Wyld limps past the curtain. As soon as he is backstage he attempts to take a step under his own power, only to have his leg buckle under him. Wyld collapses against a concrete wall, leaving a smear of blood on it as he slumps to his knees.)

TRAINER: Easy Akira... you've lost a lot of blood. And you might be concussed... we need to get you backstage and get you checked out before you go anywhere.

(Nikki Wyld runs up to Akira with a look of concern on her face.)

NIKKI: Akira! Holy hell, you got brutalized out there! Are you alright?

(Akira looks up at her from his knees. One eye is squinting through a crimson mask.)

AKIRA: Seen better days Nikki...

(Akira pushes himself to his feet as Nikki hands him a white hand towel. Akira presses the towel to his forehead, blotting blood from his face. He leans on the wall for support as frustrated physicians tend to his wounds.)

TRAINER: This is going to need stiches. Come on Akira, lets get you horizontal on a medical table.

NIKKI: That jackass Sokolov isn't a wrestler. He's a sadist! I thought you were really making headway on him until he started raining down those grounded headbutts. He broke you open on purpose!

(Akira pulls the towel away from his head and winces. He shakes his head.)

AKIRA: He was just... too damn strong. But I'll get him. He's not invincible. Every man has his weakness.

NIKKI: Sokolov's no man Akira... he's a monster. You get in there again with him he's going to kill you.

AKIRA: Whatever kills me makes me stronger.

NIKKI: What?

AKIRA: Sorry... I might be little concussed.

NIKKI: Well at any rate... that's it for you and Sokolov THIS season. You know the open challenge rules. One and done. Who's going to be able to take that bastard down?

(Just then, Rebel Wyld comes down the hallway toward Nikki and Akira.)

REBEL: Well... you look like crap.

AKIRA: That makes two of us. What's you're excuse?

REBEL: I told you that the secret to beating Sokolov was in managing his airflow. Sticking and moving will only get you so far. I've watched the tapes. The guy gets winded. When you break him down, you need to lean on the submission game. Drag that air out of him. Once you get him gasping, he'll do the rest of the job for you. He doesn't have an off switch. He'll blow himself up.

AKIRA: That's easy for you to say.

REBEL: I'm just saying... you still rely on going for the finish too soon. Break him down with the fundamentals. Don't get impatient.


(Akira nods and dabs at his head with the towel.)

AKIRA: At any rate... I almost had him.

NIKKI: Damn right you did.

REBEL: Keep telling yourself that.

AKIRA: I hate you so much.

NIKKI: That big jagoff... I'd like to take him down a peg or two myself.

AKIRA: That's the spirit. You get him. I'll save a hospital bed for you once you're done.

NIKKI: Hey, I'm fast! He can't hit what he can't catch!

AKIRA: Yes he f'n can.

REBEL: Okay you two... enough of that. I came to find you for a reason. Have you seen what happened to Gary Bloomfield?

AKIRA: What?

(Scene fades to black.)