Plans

[Cory]

Paul Heyman sat contemplative in his "office" at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. What was called his office was a small, unused locker room that had a folding table and chair set up inside of it. Heyman's briefcase was resting on the table and open, several file folders strewn about on the table that included storyline sketches and house show schedules. Heyman was staring at several pieces of paper that were on the table in front of him, showing several sketches of potential elimination orders for the upcoming Royal Rumble match. EBWF Administration always made sure to keep several contingency plans in place in the event that there was a last minute injury, or another unexpected change of plans. After the discussion Paul Heyman had with Chris Jericho and Wes Ikeda the afternoon prior, Paul was now revisiting all the backup options, never knowing when they might actually come in handy. There were some of the more obvious choices like Wes Ikeda and AJ Styles, number 30 and number 1 respectively. You had dark horse picks like Roman Reigns, Tyler Breeze, or Sheamus. But what about his client, Brock Lesnar? What about Randy Orton? There were so many stars in this match.

Paul Heyman's train of thought was interrupted as the door knob twisted and the door opened, a massive frame walking through the threshold unannounced. Heyman looked up briefly, then back down to his paperwork, unphased by the 6'3", 295 lb monstrous figure in front of him.

Brock Lesnar: So, am I winning or what?

Heyman smirked.

Paul Heyman: Of course you are. You're also going to win all the titles at Wrestlemania and we're going to sign the Undertaker so you can beat him, then send him back to Austin. How's that sound?

Lesnar chuckled as he casually sat down on a folding chair that was set up opposite Heyman.

Paul Heyman: You call Rena?

Brock's face contorted into a scowl, which was particularly frightening on him.

Brock Lesnar: Yeah. Take a wild fucking stab at how well that went.

Heyman shook his head. Brock and Rena's marriage had been on the rocks since Brock returned to wrestling in the EBWF.

Brock Lesnar: She doesn't mind the paychecks, my closet will tell you that.

Paul Heyman: Well, at least she's a good mom. She may not be the best wife...

Lesnar snarled.

Brock Lesnar: I just want to get into the ring tonight. Throw a couple idiots out, maybe accidentally break Bret Hart's hip.

Heyman's eyes widened and he put his hands up in a "STOP!" gesture.

Paul Heyman: Wait wait wait wait. None of that. I'm probably going to have enough heat on me from the Hart/Neidhart family after tonight, I don't need any more. Please. If I have to set up a pulley system to lower him down to the floor so he doesn't break something I'll do it. Listen...

Paul stood up and walked around the table, sitting down on its edge. He faced Lesnar, his hand folded together on his lap.

Paul Heyman: Brock, you're a big attraction here. EBWF has used you sparingly, because it allows us to keep your image without diluting what you bring to the program. That might be changing soon, if you're okay with that.

Brock Lesnar: What're you talking about Paul?

Heyman breathed.

Paul Heyman: Look, you've got very little build up going into the Rumble, read into that what you want. There are a lot of potential programs after the rumble in the build to Wrestlemania if you want to be featured.

Brock Lesnar: Wrestlemania is money. A lot of money. I'm in. Especially if we can finally get the Wes thing going.

Heyman flinched very briefly and Lesnar didn't notice. Paul recalled the conversation he had with Wes and Chris in their limo about Wes' potential bid to win the whole thing, which would certainly put the kibosh on a potential Wes / Brock feud, unless they decided to call an audible. The last time they had a sudden course correction was the day Brock Lesnar made his debut, challenging AJ Styles for the World title and beating him for it on the build-up to Wrestlemania.

Paul Heyman: Nothing would please me more, but I want you to have an open mind on this one. There's plenty of money match-ups to be had. Now come on, let's head over and get a promo done with Michael Cole.

Brock Lesnar: Oh, that'll be fun.

The two friends stood up. Paul smoothed out his suit jacket and buttoned it as they walked out of Paul's "office".

~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Cole adjusted his tie, a nervous tick that had plagued him for years. The tie was fine. It was in the perfect spot. The knot was as symmetrical as it was going to get, and still he adjusted it. He looked up at the cameraman and nodded, a darting glance going in the direction of the person he was about to interview. The red light on the camera came on, and it was go time. Cole straightened up and smiled.

Michael Cole: Hello, EBWF fans! We are mere hours away from one of the most popular EBWF attractions of the entire year - the Royal Rumble! Tonight, thirty men will enter the ring and only one will emerge as the winner, and that man gets a shot at the EBWF World Championship at Wrestlemania! This may be our most exciting Royal Rumble ever! It's a star-studded line up for sure, and with me tonight is one of the men who has to be an odds-on favorite to win the entire thing! He is a former World Champion in his own right, and tonight he is joined by his advocate Paul Heyman. Ladies and gentlemen, Brock Lesnar!

The camera panned back... way back to fit Brock Lesnar into the shot, who's shoulder seemingly took up a quarter of the screen itself. Lesnar silently looked on as Paul Heyman walked past him and stood in front of the microphone.

Paul Heyman: Not a bad introduction Mr. Cole, however you did not put much emphasis on the inevitability of Brock Lesnar's involvement in the Royal Rumble match. See, if it were me, I would have done something like...

Heyman snatched the mic out of Cole's hand, and glared at him, challenging him to do something about it. Cole put his hands up and inched away as Heyman brought the mic up to his lips.

Paul Heyman: Ladies and Gentlemen, in just a few hours time, the world will witness one of the most talked about spectacles on the road to Wrestlemania, the ROYAL RUMBLE. And in that match, 29 men will compete for a shot at going to Wrestlemania for the EBWF World Championship. 29 men... and one BEAST. For those 29 men will share the ring with a former EBWF World Champion. A former UFC Heavyweight Champion. A NCAA Heavyweight Champion and a two-time All-Americ...

Heyman stopped short and smiled slyly.

Paul Heyman: I could go on and on, couldn't I? Suffice it to say, he is the BEST pure athlete in the business today. He was the best pure athlete in 2002 when he made his professional wrestling television debut. He was the best pure athlete in 2005 when he dominated the world of New Japan Pro Wrestling. He was the best pure athlete when he knocked Randy Couture on his ass at UFC 91. He is the most dominant wrestler, striker, and overall fighter than anyone in the HISTORY of this business. He is the next number one contender and the uncrowned EBWF World Champion.... BAWWWWWWROOOOOCCCCKKKK... LESNAR!!!

Lesnar nodded in agreement, silently folding his arms with a confident smirk on his face.

Paul Heyman: Now, Mr. Cole, you may continue doing your job for which you are barely getting by.

Paul offered the mic back to Michael Cole, who trepidatiously accepted the mic and pointed it in Paul's direction.

Michael Cole: Paul, Brock Lesnar has an incredible challenge ahead of him tonight at the Royal Rumble. Despite his impressive list of accolades, you have to consider the fact that the Royal Rumble is one of the most unpredictable matches of the year. At any time, one can be eliminated. What will be Brock Lesnar's strategy going into this match?

Paul Heyman: Well, you just want to keep on riding this mediocre journalism train, don't you. Well, my friend, allow me to explain... Brock Lesnar's "strategy". Step number one: Brock Lesnar is going to walk into the ring, and however many people are still left in the Rumble by the time he arrives, will part like the Red Sea when he steps between those ropes. Step two: Brock Lesnar's going to maul the first person he lays his fierce eyes on. He's going to drive him into the corner and use his shoulder to slam into this unfortunate person's gut, over and over until all the air has been driven out of him like an empty tube of toothpaste. When that person can no longer breathe, Brock Lesnar will pick him up and toss him over the top rope like a bag of garbage, which is exactly the metaphor I would use for this "star-studded" Royal Rumble.

Paul's over dramatic air-quotes accentuated his sarcasm.

Paul Heyman: I hope beyond hope that one of these old, decrepit has beens are in the ring when my client... BROCK LESNAR... gets into the ring. I hope they decide to mix it up with the Beast Incarnate. I hope that when they are in the ring, feeling good and loose, feeling like they might just get that one last run at Wrestlemania, I hope that optimism just evaporates and escapes their body, when my client's music hits. I hope that sinking feeling hits them that their time is about to be up, much like their time was up years ago. It was up long before they decided, stupidly I might add, to try for one last run in 2016. I'm talking about your Bret Harts, and your Shane Helms, and your Lance Storms. Brock Lesnar will take great joy, and great pleasure, in breaking their bodies once and for all, right before he breaks their hopes of that one last Wrestlemania match.

Michael Cole: Paul, your client had what appeared to be the makings of an alliance with several other EBWF superstars going on. How is this going to factor in with the Royal Rumble matchup. Could we see Brock Lesnar teaming up to last longer in the match itself?

Paul Heyman: Allow me to make something abundantly clear to you, Mr. Cole. My client, BROCK LESNAR, needs no alliance. He does not need a "team". Brock Lesnar is a team unto himself. Now, while my client shares similar goals with men like AJ Styles, CM Punk, and Solomon Crowe, and while my client may have a working relationship with those three men periodically, allow me to assure you that tonight Brock Lesnar is interested in the results of only one man: Brock Lesnar. My client will expect that those three men understand that at the end of the day, the Royal Rumble is every man for himself, and my client would expect that those three men will not be surprised if they find themselves being dumped over the top rope by the Beast. Now, this is where you say, "That's an excellent point, Mr. Heyman."

Michael Cole: Erm, I---

Lesnar leaned in slightly towards Cole.

Michael Cole: That's an excellent point, Mr. Heyman.

Paul Heyman: Thank you, Mr. Cole.

Michael Cole: There's a lot of interesting possibilities in this match, Paul. You've got Randy Orton and Edge both coming out with 90 seconds of each other. You've got Wes Ikeda coming out at number thirty, per the decree set forth by the General Manager, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. You've got--

Paul Heyman: Hang on, hang on, hang on a minute there, Cole. Did you just jump off the turnip truck yesterday? Give me a moment to respond before you continue peppering me with your stupid questions! Let me tell you a little something about "Rated RKO" and their appearance together in this Royal Rumble match. Randy Orton and Edge are two men that have not cared about this business for years. These are two men who have no idea where they fall in the 2016 roster. They are not willing, or potentially not able to find a position of relevance in this company, and they should be taken out... permanently. My client, Brock Lesnar, takes his spot in this company very seriously. Brock Lesnar constantly trains, constantly spars, constantly betters himself. He is the epitome of what it is to be a fighter. Randy Orton and Edge have done no such hard work. They show up when it's convenient for them, pick off some weak wrestlers when they're feeling like they want to grace us with their presence, and then they disappear into obscurity for another 6 months. That ends tonight, at the Royal Rumble. My client will not only eliminate both members of Rated RKO, but he will do so after delivering the harshest punishment one can imagine: a one-way trip to Suplex. City. Now, I will take this opportunity to address this Wes Ikeda business. Now, I'm fully aware that Wes Ikeda is a powerless shell of his former self, a man who has no real concept of what it is to be a business man anymore, and a man who has dodged my client at every turn since his debut in the EBWF. I know all of those things. What I didn't know, is how deep Wes Ikeda's pockets were, and how much he was willing to bribe his way to the number 30 spot in the Royal Rumble. I will assure you of one thing: it won't matter when Wes Ikeda comes out to the ring. My client, BROCK LESNAR, will be waiting.

Paul snatched the microphone out of Cole's hands, and Cole looked like he was going to try and get it back until Brock Lesnar put a hand on Cole's shoulder and wagged his finger back and forth. Lesnar's massive hand seemed to dwarf Cole's upper body. Cole stepped back nervously. Heyman faced the camera.

Paul Heyman: Wes Ikeda, tonight when the world hears "YEAH I GET IT, YOU'RE AN OUTCAST!" and you triumphantly make your way down to the ring, and you step between those ropes, you are now a target. Nomatter who else is in the ring at that moment, one man will make sure that your existence in the Royal Rumble match is as brief and forgettable as your wrestling career. One man will punish you for ever having the incorrect thought that you had a chance to stand at the same level with anyone else in that ring. One man will beat you within an inch of your life, and then when he feels like it, will grant you the sweet release of being dumped over the top rope. That man is the Beats Incarnate....BAAARRRROOOOCCCKKKK... LESNAR. And that goes for every. single. one of the rest of you.

Heyman pushed the mic into Cole's chest and walked off. Lesnar smirked and leaned in towards Cole, who flinched, a look of terror in his eyes.

Brock Lesnar: In case you didn't get that, I'm going to win tonight, and I'm gonna kill anyone who gets in my way.

Lesnar patted Cole on the shoulder before casually leaving in the direction that Paul left, leaving Cole to wrap up the interview. The scene faded to black.