Open Fire

[Billy]

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Uploaded to the Gunn Club YouTube
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The camera opened on Austin and Colten Gunn sitting on round barricades painted to look like giant baseballs. The iconic home plate of Minute Maid Park loomed in the background. A small subtitle popped up along the bottom of the screen confirming the location. “Minute Maid Park, Houston Tx, 2/1/2021 0115.” Austin had his phone out, scrolling constantly and not pausing long enough to look at anything that might be on screen.

Austin: Boring, boring, boring, legalese.

Colten looked back at the gate as the last of the lights went out inside. He stood up and pulled his own phone out of his pocket. He looked at the screen before tossing it into his gym bag sitting on the ground. Colten shot a look of irritation toward his brother.

Colten: I told you this was a bad idea! Neither of us won so he’s not going to welcome us back. Not even mom could change his mind about this one.

Austin: Hang on, hang on. I think this email is important.

Colten: Why?

Austin: Because, all the words are just so BORING!

Austin buried his nose in his phone. Colten stood their starring daggers into his head. Colten started to pace from one baseball to the next and back.

Austin: Okay, so if I’m reading this right. And, we both know I am! Then our contracts in Florida have been voided.

Colten: Does it say why? We got permission to come out to Texas and work! We were given the green light by all thirty of the executives!

Austin: Yeah. Let me read that part again. Oh, here it is. Your contract has been nullified at the request of your talent agent. While we regret your departure from our company, we wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Colten: Our talent agent? We have an agent? Since when?

Austin: Yeah, ummm soooo… I think dad signed his name on those lines. Something about making sure we maintained creative control over our careers.

Colten: GREAT! Let me get this straight. Dad told you this was a bad idea. You went against him. We both failed to get a shot at the EBWF World Title. AND, we’ve lost our old jobs?

Austin: Well, according to this we quit our old jobs!

Colten: DAMN IT AUSTIN!

Austin smiled and shrugged.

Colten: And, you still think he’s going to show up to bring us home?

Austin: He said he was on his way. Said he would be here as soon as possible!

Colten: HE’S IN FLORIDA! There’s no way he’ll be here anytime soon.

Austin: Oh yeah. I forgot. Well, we’ve got nothing better to do. May as well wait.

What followed was a montage of moments accompanied by a clock in the bottom right of the screen. The first of February started to fly by rapidly. The brother’s paced, argued inaudibly, played cards, and stared into the screen of their phones with their backs turned to one another. The speed slowed to a reasonable measure as Colten caught sight of a car and got excited. Colten bolted toward the camera as the vehicle pulled into frame. Colten’s presence between the camera and the driver’s window obscured them from view.

Colten: You with GateGallop?

The driver’s voice was a series of wah’s and woo’s with varying inflection and pitch.

Driver: Wah woo woo wah woo.

Colten: Awesome! I appreciate it!

Colten pulled a Whataburger bag from the car window and took several steps away from the car. As the car pulled away Austin looked toward his brother with his head tilted to the side. Colten walked back toward the arena, digging in the bag with one hand and carrying it with the other.

Austin: Dude! Did you order anything for me?

Colten: Nope! You got us into this mess, you can order your own food!

The scenes sped back up just as Colten unwrapped a burger. At high speed he ate the burger. Some police officers talked to them, they played more cards and then it got dark again. The clock rolled over to the next days with both brothers sleeping against the baseball painted barricades. The clock continued into the next day. More food was delivered, to both brothers. At one-point Austin pulled his ring gear out and let it air out on the barricades. Once again, the footage started to slow. A silver SUV pulled into frame with dark tinted windows. Both brothers perked up and grabbed their gear. The SUV pulled to a stop in front of them, obscuring them from the camera. Light flooded through the driver’s side windows revealing the silhouette of the driver as the passenger doors opened. With the sound of the doors closing the shot jumped to the back of the vehicle. Colten was sitting in the front seat shot from profile as he shot glances from Austin to the driver. The driver was now obscured by the headrest of his seat. Austin was sitting behind the driver, so he had a clear view of Colten and didn’t hide him from the camera.

Colten: Okay, listen. We know we messed up. We know. But you have to understand.

Driver: Wah woo wah wah wah. Woo woo wah. Wah wah wah.

Austin: Yeah, we completely get that. We knew that it was a big risk but we didn’t think you would get us fired over it.

Driver: Wah wah woo. Woo wah.

Colten: No, we got the email. Apparently, our agent had our contracts terminated.

Austin: And you’re our agent!

Billy Gunn looked over the driver seat at Austin and smiled. He nodded to his sons and laughed.

Billy: Yep! I am your agent. And, I did get your contracts pulled. But, like a good agent.

The Gunns: Statefarm is there!

They broke into a raucous laughter. Billy held a hand up and the three men stopped for a moment but quickly broke back into laughter.

Billy: Sorry, sorry, sorry. In all seriousness. I’ve negotiated a new contract for the two of you. A chance for the Gunn Club to spread its wings and be something special without Papa Gunn.

Austin: A new contract? With who?

Billy: The EBWF!

Colten: Wait what? I thought we had a one-night agreement with them strictly for their Royal Rumble pay per view.

Austin: Yeah, the contract stated no extra dates unless one of us won the Rumble and then we could go on to compete at Wrestlemania.

Billy: That’s true. Contracts that I urged you not to sign. Always ask for more, never settle for less. However, luckily for you someone in the company was impressed with your performance and wanted to offer you a full-time contract. Tony agreed to let the two of you out of your contract on one condition.

Austin: I need you to slow down. That’s a quick turnaround. I got the email about our contract only a couple hours after the show ended. How quickly did you get the call from EBWF.

Billy: Today.

Colten: So, you got our contracts terminated before you knew we had another job lined up?

Billy: Yep! I was planning on teaching you a lesson and it looks like I learned one instead.

Austin: Damn dad, that’s cold.

Billy: You don’t get to the place I am without breaking a few eggs.

Colten: I guess freezing us out of Florida is a good way to make us hatch!

Austin: Good thing we learned to fly before you pushed us out of the damn nest!

Billy: Still, you’re going to go far without the old man. I put together a care package to smooth things over. We’re headed to it now.

Austin: One more thing.

Billy: Shoot!

Colten: What was the condition for getting our contracts released?

Billy: I had to add your remaining duration onto my contract. I’m tied down to Jacksonville for the better part of four years!

Colten: I take that to mean you won’t be competing in the EBWF.

Austin: Oh man, the Gunn Club is breaking up?

Billy: Slow down! We’re still going to do the YouTube stuff together. I’ll rep the Club in Florida and you’re going to rep it everywhere else! It’s time to grow!

They had been driving through the streets of Houston for the duration of their conversation. Now the shot jumped back outside the vehicle as it pulled into an RV lot. The Gunns jumped out and slammed the doors in near unison. Austin let out a scream and took off running out of frame. Colten covered his mouth and gasps barely escaped his hands. Billy was laughing and grinning from ear to ear. The camera panned to reveal Austin with his face pressed against a RV. The gaudy vehicle had been wrapped in Gunn Club logos, catch phrases and brightly colored stripes. Front and center of all of that was Austin and Colten from the shoulders up, back to back, doing the finger gun hand motion. Their appearance on the side of the RV was easily four or five times larger than life.

Austin: I LOVE IT! O-M-G!!!!! THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER! NEW JOB, NEW BUS, WHAT COULD MAKE THIS DAY BETTER?

Billy: Fridge is stocked with muscle milk and Bang Energy!

Colten dropped to his knees in mock tears. He overacted his sobbing into his hands.

Austin: We’re going to fly this baby to the moon!

Billy: Slow down. This is where we part ways and I give you the one bit of bad news I’ve got. You’re booked for your first match February fifteenth in Sacramento.

Austin: Kentucky? Odd place to make a television debut.

Billy: No, not that Sacramento!

Colten: Pennsylvania? We better get on the road now, that’s a LONG drive!

Billy: Stop! It’s not that Sacramento either. It’s the famous one.

Austin and Colten: NEBRASKA!

Billy: CALIFORNIA!

Austin and Colten: Oh!!!

The camera pulled in as the three members of the Gunn Club gathered next to the RV.

Billy: I’m going to need you two to get on the road and get there early. They’re going to want to shoot some promo stuff. Then after the show you need to load up and head to Los Angeles, ALSO CALIFORNIA, because you have a promotional shoot there as well.

Austin: For what?

Billy: Well all that Bang wasn’t free! You boys are going to be brand ambassadors. They liked the whole bright colors and loud personalities thing we’ve got going on! Your job is easy. Take some pictures, post on Instagram about how great it tastes. Atinylittlelogoonyourringgear.

Colten: Repeat that!

Billy: Take some pictures?

Austin: Next part.

Billy: Post about the product on social media?

Colten: One more…

Billy: Atinylittlelogoonyourringgear.

Austin and Colten: NO! Company logo on our gear?

Billy: I had it made for you, it’s barely noticeable. Besides, it’s a crosshair that says BANG. Completely on theme with the Gunn Club right? Good! It’s decided!

Austin: Fine.

Colten: I’m sure the contract is already signed anyhow.

Austin: And who do we have for our first match?

Billy: Tommaso Ciampa and Cameron Grimes!

The shot paused on the shocked faces of Austin and Colten. It zoomed in until Billy was out of frame. Slowly the shot faded to black. White letters faded in. “The Gunn Club will return…”

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EBWF.net Exclusive Video
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Renee Young was standing next to Austin and Colten Gunn. They were wearing a neon green and neon orange shirt respectively with matching headbands, bicep bands and shorts. Austin’s Bang Energy logo was on his right thigh, Colten’s was on his left. The Gunn Club triple triangle was emblazoned on the shirts and headbands in black outlined with an off green color that had to be glow in the dark. Renee looked stunning in a black top with silver accents.

Renee: Ladies and gentlemen, I’m joined at this time by two of the most recent EBWF acquisitions. Austin and Colten Gunn, I’d like to officially welcome you to the EBWF! You both had good showings at the Royal Rumble and clearly someone took note because you’ve been signed to more long-term deals. How does it feel to be going into your first EBWF television event?

Austin held up his hand in a gun.

Austin: I like you Renee, you’re a real straight shooter. I think I speak for both of us when I tell you that we are over the moon with excitement! We’re sure that everyone is going to take shots about our age, about our father and the fact that neither of us won the Royal Rumble. Luckily, that last one can be applied to twenty-seven other men. Some of whom had two or three faction members in their corner to help them. And, you know who wins it? A guy who started his career when dad was still in his prime!

Renee: Let’s talk about your dad for a moment. He’s had a successful career in the EBWF and abroad. Why didn’t the patriarch of the Gunn Family come along for the ride?

Colten put his hand on Austin’s and pushed his hand pistol down. Colten nodded and mocked holstering a pistol. Austin obliged and holstered his finger.

Colten: Our daddy dearest is under contract with a competing company. A contract he is unable to escape on short notice. So, while Wild Bill was dealt the metaphorical Dead Man’s Hand, he sent a couple of Cowboys in his place! Which is great because Monday Night Warfare is about to become the O.K. Corral, EBWF the town of Tombstone!

Renee: I am completely confused!

Austin: Don’t worry Renee when it comes to guns, cards, and cowboys, I’m your huckleberry! What Colten is trying to say is that this company is essentially the wild west. The outlaws are running wild. And you’ve got a couple new sheriffs in town!

Renee: I was wondering which version of the Gunn Brothers we would be getting. Your promos for Royal Rumble were all so different, I think everyone was confused about what was going on. Which is a great next question isn’t it?

Colten: Was that just the question? I think you’re right Renee. When you questioned whether your unasked question was a great next question. But, I think you ruined the moment by asking a question other than the next great question. The question you asked wasn’t even a good one. It probably would have done better as internal monologue.

Renee: RIGHT…. So, are we getting cowboys? Goofballs? Hard hitting superstars? Legacies? Which one is it?

Austin: Yep!

Renee: Multiple choice.

Austin: E. All of the above. Always the best bet! Double down!

Renee: How do all the card puns and phrases tie into the gimmick?

Colten: Um, cowboys! Duh! We could be the smoking guns this week!

Austin: Absolutely! Then next week we could infuse a little attitude and be a bit more BAD ASS!

Colten: Maybe we’ll just be ass men if the situation calls for it!

Austin: We have range!

Colten: Depth!

Austin: A lot to choose from!

Renee: That’s all well and good I suppose but this week you’re going to make your tag team debut against an EBWF veteran Tommasso Ciampa and his new partner and friend Cameron Grimes. Which aspect of your father’s history do you bring to the ring for something like that?

Austin: Who says anything about bringing a part of my father’s past to the present? We don’t need to invoke our father to win a match, bury a tag team or entertain the fans. It’s all theatrics! Done for kicks and grins.

Colten: Speaking of kicks, we’re going to kick the shit out of Ciampa and Grimes on Warfare!

Austin: That’s right, they’re going to be talking about this for decades to come!

Colten: The rise of the Gunn Club! The downfall of the wild west in EBWF.

Austin: LAW AND ORDER!

Colten: Criminal Intent.

Renee: Wait, like the TV show?

Austin and Colten: SUCH A GOOD SHOW!

Renee Young: Which one of you gets to be Vincent D’Onofrio?

Both brothers raised their hand. They looked at each other and it almost sounded like Austin growled. Renee was visibly confused by their reaction to such a silly and simple question. The two brothers looked like they would come to blows.

Renee Young: I guess, thanks. EBWF Universe, Colten and Austin Gunn are here to stay.

The shot ended with the two brothers pressing their fists into each other’s cheeks.