“My secrets are burning a hole through my heart…
And my bones catch a fever.
When it cuts you up this deep…
It's hard to find a way to breathe.
Your eyes are swallowing me.
Mirrors start to whisper, shadows start to sing…
My skin's smothering me!
…Help me find a way to breathe.
(It’s the early hours of the morning as we see a soft lamp illuminated gently in the corner of a master bedroom where on the bed an angelic looking Cameron Russow is curled up, lost in a sweet dream. Their baby boy Zion wrapped snugly in her arms. And at the illuminated table we see Jesse Russow, sleepless and listless in a tank and joggers. In front of him, an empty notebook. He looks over at his peaceful wife and son…the two things he cherished most in the world…was he putting this over them? As he writes, a voice begins to read the words aloud.)
“October 20, 2022
My dearest Zion,
Life for you has been treasured and kind up to this point, I take great pride in that fact your mother finally whipped me into shape to be the man I need to be. But if you’re reading this…you know that during this period, I’ve put our family through a bit of…what’s the word…a “tumultuous” time. Excuse me if I misspell, there are a thousand stories you need to know about me, about you, about your mother and our family. You are nothing short of a miracle. You are made of magic and stardust, my son. And they can never take that away from you. But they’ll try...every time you turn around, someone is gonna try you my son. For no other reason than you are who you are, you’re going to grow with what you have, and you have a poisoned last name. Don’t you pay them ANY mind. I’m gonna change my legacy…and it’s gonna be one you can be proud to say “that’s my Dad” on. I PROMISE you this, my Zion, they will have to take the breath from my body to stop me from my end goal. Which brings me to your mother…
My darling Cameron,
I don’t deserve you. I never have and I never did. But unfortunately, I’m too Goddamn stubborn and selfish to ever be without you again. Even when…you know…you wanna take my head off for causing more “family drama” I get that. I get it, babe. And that wasn’t the angle I had…intended. They all think I’m “controlling” Slaps somehow. I may know the words to trigger him, but I’ve yet to trigger him since his first return match. This beast has been all Slaps and I don’t know how to keep a tamper on it anymore. But I’m gonna find him and I’m gonna fix this. When I finally have that Goddamn title, it’ll finally all be FIXED. WE will have the respect we deserve! Aren’t you tired, love? Aren’t you exhausted from constantly being stacked up against your siblings like Laura? No of course you wouldn’t…that’s silly of me to think. You see the best in people…in me. And I’m…letting you down…
…again.
…and I’ll never be sorry enough for that.”(Jesse closes the book and looks back at the two biggest pieces of his puzzle and smiling with a hint of a chuckle, he turns off the lamp. But instead of joining them on the bed, he kisses their foreheads and grabs a jacket as he walks out of his house, zipping the jacket and throwing the hoodie up as we hear a twig snap. Jesse whirls around looking for any sort of danger. When he’s satisfied there is none, he gets in his car and slowly pulls out of his driveway waiting until he’s clear of the bedroom windows before turning on his lights.)
“Time stood still the way it did before…
…It's like I'm sleepwalking.
Fell into another hole again…
…It's like I'm sleepwalking.”
(The engine of Jesse’s ‘67 Impala roars to a stop outside the familiar sight of The Quarry but much to his surprise…there is no sign of life. He roars up and slams the car in park, leaving it on and the headlights on bright…he gets out with a look of great concern on his face.
…the front door was open.
Jesse approaches with caution and for a moment he whirls around because he swears a shadow darts in front of the lights behind him. Every hair on his body was standing at attention as he walks to the trunk, pops it, and grabs the jack bar as he twirls it, quietly approaching the slightly open door as he creaks it open…he looks inside to see complete bedlam. Every standing piece of furniture wrecked and shattered, every trace of notes they have printed all piled in the middle of the room and in the middle of the room, a small fire still burns as Jesse’s eyes grow wide as he pushes the door open and walks inside right up to the fire.)
Jesse Russow: Well at least there goes the paper trail…
(The light illuminates the walls as Jesse notices smudges and quickly kicks the power to the facility on and what he sees…almost makes him want to turn the light back off. Every inch of wall space was matted with what appeared to be handwritten messages in dripping red. Each wall had words like “LIAR” and “FALSE PROPHET” and things like that but interestingly enough the three walls all have one large message stretched across the three of them.)
Closest Wall: “OHHH…MY WAYWARD CHILDREN…
Back Wall: “YOU PLAY SUCH WICKED GAMES…
Third Wall: “...IT’S TIME YOU LEARN HOW.”
Jesse Russow: …I swear if that motherfucker has turned on me.
(Jesse turns and storms out, ripping his cellphone out of his pocket and dialing as we hear him slam the door and roar off into the distance.)
“I’m at the edge of the World…
…do I sink or swim?”
(POUND! POUND! POUND!)
“M”UP! I’M UP! JESUS.”(A lamp clicks on as the massive frame of Slaps McKill storms to his front door and since he’s not exactly scared of anyone he just starts to open it but it suddenly BURSTS open and slammed shut as Jesse Russow runs over and clicks the lamp off and peeks out of Slaps curtains.)
Slaps McKill: …Okay I know the crippling paranoia is a NEW thing, but if you EVER-
Jesse Russow: SHHH! Sh!
(Slaps raises an eyebrow at Jesse before walking off to find a shirt to put on. Jesse looks around the unkempt house…the dishes piled in the sink, the TV on the antenna channel that just plays Walker, Texas Ranger all day. Slaps walks back in wearing what is obviously his cleanest dirty shirt as he walks over and peeks out the window.)
Slaps McKill: You wanna tell me what this is all about?
Jesse Russow: What did you DO to The QUARRY!?
Slaps McKill: I haven’t been, nor will I return, to that shithole of a complex. I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that actually, I-
Jesse Russow: We have to get on top of this.
(Jesse sets his phone to record as he cleans off a seat and perches himself on the end of it touching the tips of his fingers to his mouth as Slaps crosses his arms. Once he’s sure he’s being filmed, Jesse begins.)
Jesse Russow: Forgetting for the moment the immense bursting rage I feel at once again being handed cannon fodder instead of proper challengers to propel me to the top of this company. I want whomever out there is trying to mess with us to understand one thing…that AIN’T gonna end well for you, son! I’m sick and tired of having to clean up PWS’ little “contract messes”. So I’m going to use Dawn Warren to send one last warning shot and then? WE take matters into our own hands.
(Slaps glares at the back of Jesse’s head but cranes his neck and decides to say nothing.)
Jesse Russow: Dawn Warren HAS never nor WILL ever be ANY sort of player or contender in PWS as long as people like us are on the roster. She’s there to collect a paycheck and stuff her fat ass with catering. Well you’re about to earn this money, you crusty bitch! I don’t give a fuck anymore…you wanted “equality”, you’re gonna get it. I just better not hear you bitching about how much it hurts. Because YOU signed up for this life…and I signed up for this life to end YOURS. And whomever is trying to be cute and send me little messages I want you to watch what I DO...to Dawn fucking Warren...and then, rethink your strategy.
(Jesse reaches forward and turns the camera off as he stands up wiping his face.)
Jesse Russow: Someone’s neutralized The Quarry.
Slaps McKill: Neutralize…what?
Jesse Russow: THE QUARRY IS GONE.
(Jesse punches his rage out on a couch cushion, Slaps stops him.)
Jesse Russow: Head on a swivel, Slaps…keep your head on a swivel.
(Jesse pats Slaps face and heads out the door as Slaps exhales a deep breath and we fade.)