The horn of Joe Anoa'i's rental car bleeped twice as he locked the doors, walking further into the garage of the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Clothed in a thick EBWF branded hoodie and jeans due to the frigid weather outside, Joe headed inside and moved the hood back off of his head. He headed up the hallway, scanning for someone on the Talent Relations team that could direct him where to go. He saw a man rushing back and forth along the backstage area with a wireless headset in his ear, the signature of a talent coordinator. He draped his duffle bag over his shoulder and nodded in the man's direction. The talent coordinator had a rushed expression on his face.

Roman Reigns: Hey, man. You got a second?

Talent Coordinator: I've got exactly ten.

Roman Reigns: Just wondering if there's a storyboard for anything I've got going on today.

The talent coordinator quickly leafed through the papers on his clipboard, scanning each page frantically.

Talent Coordinator: I... I don't... I'm not sure. I'll have to get back to you on that.

Voice: Hey, Joe!

Joe turned around toward the sound of that voice.

Wes Ikeda: You can get back to work, Phillipe. I’ll get him whatever he was after.

Philippe the Talent Relations Coordinator didn’t have to be told twice. He moved, with gazelle like swiftness away from the two men. Wes turned toward Joe.

Wes Ikeda: How’s it going?

Roman Reigns: Hey, Wes. It's going well, man. Thanks. Was just checking to see what the plan was for tonight.

Wes Ikeda: Yeah, we haven’t gotten there yet. I had a really long talk with Paul about you last week. Sorry you ended up jerkin’ the curtain there. You turned out a main event caliber matchup.

Joe's eyes widened at the mention of Heyman. Paul must have gone to bat for him.

Roman Reigns: Thanks a lot, I appreciate that. There's nothing to be sorry about, man. I needed a bit of a pep talk if I'm being honest.

Wes Ikeda: Well, Paul can be good for that. We do have you and Adam in the main event. He and I were getting together…

Wes turned his wrist, to look at the face of his all-platinum Omega Master Co-axial timepiece.

Wes Ikeda: In about 90 minutes. We were going to have some lunch. Do you have time to join us?

Joe noted that that genuinely sounded like a request and not an order. He nodded with a shrug.

Roman Reigns: Yeah, I got time. That'd be great.

Wes Ikeda: Great. My office is at the end of the hallway. Where the locker rooms are.

He pointed off the way he had come.

Wes Ikeda: See ya in a bit.

Joe watched Wes head off in the direction of his office. He clenched his jaw. This was certainly a change of events in comparison to two weeks ago. He thought he was going to have to go fishing for a job in Orlando, much less just get told that his match on Warfare was main event caliber. He headed over to catering and grabbed a bottle of water. He went and got changed into a Roman Empire t-shirt, making sure to put on some wrist bands for an pre-match interview before lunch with Wes. He met with Renee Young across the way, where an interview room had been set up with Drew, the senior cameraman. She smiled at him.

Renee Young: You ready to do this, hotshot?

Joe smirked as he pushed his hair behind his ear.

Roman Reigns: Ready to roll, girl. Let's do this.

Renee gestured in Drew's direction with a smile. Drew nodded and flipped the camera on.

Renee Young: Hello to everyone out there in the EBWF Universe! I'm Renee Young and I'm here backstage before Warfare, where we have an exciting show with AJ Styles taking on Mankind, and Roman Reigns getting a shot at one member of Rated RKO, Edge! With me here right now is a man who had an impressive victory against PJ Black last week, and will face the Rated R Superstar tonight in one on one action - Roman Reigns!

The camera panned back and revealed Roman Reigns, who had gotten into full business mode. He adjusted the wristband on his tattooed wrist. He looked down at Renee and gave her a wink.

Roman Reigns: Always a pleasure to get an interview from you, girl.

Renee grinned and cleared her throat.

Renee Young: Roman, you had a solid victory against PJ Black last week. Tell me what was going through your mind when your arm was raised in victory.

Roman Reigns: You know Renee, if you had talked to me a couple weeks ago, I would have told you that it was tough being in the EBWF. I got into a spot where I wasn't sure how I would ever get anything goin' here. But then, I had what alcoholics would call... a moment of clarity.

Renee kept her composure. Obvious Pulp Fiction reference was obvious.

Roman Reigns: I realized what I was doing wrong. I came to this company thinking it was every other promotion in the world, and if I could just wait for the right opportunity, it would come to me. I was wrong about that, Renee. This is the EBWF. This is where the big boys come to show that they're the best in the business. I'm going to make it here, I'm going to have to take my spot from someone else. So, when I went into that match with PJ Black, I looked at him as what he really was; the guy that was holding me back. When I knocked him out and made him look at the lights, I was taking MY spot.

Renee Young: Tonight, you have the opportunity to make a big impact here in the EBWF, as you take on a former World Champion in Edge. What are your thoughts on the Rated R Superstar.

Roman Reigns: I'll be honest with you, Renee. I'm a big fan of Edge. I think he's one of the best. And that's why I'm going do everything I can to take him out tonight.

Roman's demeanor got serious. He looked straight into the camera.

Roman Reigns: I'm out here for one thing and one thing only - to show that I'm the biggest, baddest dog in this yard. Edge is a man that I respect. Which will only make it that much more frightening when you see what I do to him. Because you're gonna think to yourself, 'Man, what'll he do if he doesn't respect me?'

Renee Young: Are you saying your goal tonight is to put Edge on the shelf?

Roman shook his head.

Roman Reigns: Nah, my goal is to win. And I know what that's gonna take when I'm up against a guy like Edge. I'm gonna be mean. I'm gonna be violent. And when it's all done, I'm gonna be declared the winner.

Renee Young: Tonight, Roman Reigns takes on Edge! The winner gains some momentum going into the Royal Rumble!

She gestured for Drew to wrap up the interview. Roman thanked both Renee and Drew, and then he made his way back to Wes’ office. A standard clock was hanging above one of the production tables, and he saw that it was just a few minutes before he had agreed to meet with Wes. He journeyed back to the locker room area, but continued down the hallway. The door that was at the end of the hall stood open, and as he got closer he heard laughter. His large frame was blackening the doorway as the conversation continued.

Adam Copeland: Randy’d been in the room for a grand total of five seconds, and all of a sudden, he leans forward, pretends to grab something off of the floor and he says, “Here Sweetheart, I picked your jaw up off the floor for ya…” She turned bright. red.

Wes Ikeda: Poor Renee. Poor, poor girl.

Adam was sitting back on the couch. One of his long legs was propped up on the coffee table. Wes was straddling a backward folding chair, holding a white chinese food carton.

Wes Ikeda: Joe, hey, com’on in. Sorry we didn’t wait for you to order. I hope Chinese is cool. Orange Chicken, Beef Broccoli, Sweet and Sour Pork. Help yourself, but leave the Wonton Soup, that’s for Nat.

Joe grinned put his hands up in a surrender gesture. He reached in and started placing a helping of each of the items onto one of the plates close by.

Roman Reigns: That's fine with me. Don't wanna get you in trouble.

There was an empty arm chair on the other side of the coffee table that was obviously meant for him. When he’d finished grabbing his food. He took it.

Adam Copeland: I’m sorry, Roman. Have we met?

Wes Ikeda: Adam spends many of his evenings drinking people under the table, and Randy isn’t here to whisper in his ear whether or not you’ve met.

Adam smirked. Adam and Wes had had a disagreement a couple of months back, but neither had spoken of it again. Reigns put his food down and leaned in, extending his right hand towards Adam.

Roman Reigns: Joe.

Adam Copeland: That… doesn’t answer my question, but, hi. Adam.

Adam shifted his food container to his other leg, and leaned forward to shake Roman’s hand.

Adam Copeland: Sure, I’ll put him over.

That comment was directed to Wes.

Wes Ikeda: You’re an excellent judge of character that quick, huh?

Joe cleared his throat, not about to let on that he was actually a little nervous at the moment.

Roman Reigns: I'll live up to it. We met once in Tampa, when I was training.

Adam Copeland: Tampa? Fuck, how long ago was that?

Roman Reigns: '05, I think? You hadn't come over to EBWF yet.

Adam searched his memory bank for a moment.

Adam Copeland: Oh… you had short hair. Your dad is one of the Wild Samoans, right?

Joe smiled and nodded.

Roman Reigns: Sika, yeah. Don't ask me to draw our family tree. Even I don't know what shape it is.

That got a laugh out of Wes.

Wes Ikeda: So I figured you two could just go at it straight. We’ll put Reigns over, want him to look like a big threat going into the Royal Rumble.

Adam nodded.

Adam Copeland: We can work out the spots once they’ve got the timing worked out and we know how long we have. Is it cool with you, man, if you avoid spearing me, though? I was thinking maybe I could spear you for a two count. Then you tease a spear and hit me with the Superman Punch instead?

Roman Reigns: That's totally cool with me. Maybe I come in, you leapfrog me, I pivot and bam, Superman Punch.

Joe gestured it with his fist.

Adam Copeland: That sounds like a finish. I was…

Randy Orton: Adam…

Wes straightened up a little at the sight of his unscheduled brother-in-law. He cocked his head, wondering what he was doing here, but guessed it was work, and currently Randy seemed to be taking what he could get. Randy moved passed Joe, giving him something of a look before focusing on his tag team partner.

Randy Orton: Have you already agreed to put him over?

Adam looked to Joe, then back to Randy, a little concern showing on his face.

Adam Copeland: I have. Is… that a problem for you.

Randy Orton: Well, his promo is already up on the website, Adam. And he did the one. thing. no one. can do. in a promo. against you.

Adam Copeland: He did?!

Joe had stopped eating. He was looking from Randy to Adam, and then to Wes. Wes looked just as bewildered as he did.

Randy Orton: He didn’t call you old. He didn’t say that your one EBWF World Championship Reign was a fluke.

Adam Copeland: It was not.

Randy Orton: He didn’t say that our longest championship reign in EBWF History doesn’t count because we didn’t defend the titles.

Adam Copeland: We didn’t…

Randy Orton: You know what he did? Do. you. know. what. you did. Roman?

Roman opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Suddenly, after a moment of silence, Adam’s response came in a loud, dramatic prose.

Adam Copeland: Oh, Joe. Did you quote Pulp Fiction?

Randy and Adam both shook their heads, almost as one.

Adam Copeland: I got a threshold, Joe. I got a threshold for the abuse that I will take. Now, right now, I’m a fuckin’ race car, right, and you got me in the red. And I’m just sayin’, I’m just sayin’ that it’s fuckin’ dangerous to have a race car in the fuckin’ red. That’s all. I could blow.

Randy Orton: Oh! Oh! You ready to blow?

Adam Copeland: Yeah! I’m ready to blow!

Randy Orton: Well, I’m a mushroom-cloud-layin’ motherfucker, motherfucker! Every time my fingers touch brain, I’m Superfly TNT, I’m the Guns of the Navarone. IN FACT, what the fuck am I doin’ in the back? You’re the motherfucker who should be on brain detail! We’re fuckin’ switchin! I’m washing the windows, and you’re pickin’ up this n….

Wes Ikeda: That’s going to be enough out of you two…

Adam laughed. Then he looked at Joe.

Adam Copeland: We’re just hazing you.

Randy Orton: No, but really. Don’t quote Pulp Fiction. Not unless you’re willing to go the distance.

Wes Ikeda: Hey, Randy. I want you to go in that bag and find my wallet.

Randy Orton: No, no… you’re not a part of this.

Wes Ikeda: What’re you doing here anyway?

Roman Reigns: Saving me the price of a movie ticket, is what they’re doing.

Randy gave him an appreciative nod. He was still grinning when he spoke to Wes.

Randy Orton: I brought Karlee to Nikki. I’m going to take them home in the morning.

Before Wes could inquire any further, Adam stood up, and stuck his hand out to Joe again.

Adam Copeland: I’ll come find you when the schedule is up. Should be a good show.

Joe reached out and shook Adam's hand with a smile.

Roman Reigns: It's gonna be great. Looking forward to it.

Adam Copeland: Come on Randy, let’s go entertain ourselves with Renee’s doe eyes and sudden inability to speak.

Wes Ikeda: Actually, could you guys go bother Joanie? I’m trying to sneak a couple things into the second half…

Randy turned and cocked an eyebrow.

Randy Orton: You really do know how everyone here ticks, don't you?

Randy turned to the doorway.

Randy Orton: Com’on, Adam. Let’s go bother Joanie…

Wes Ikeda: She’s over by…

Randy Orton: I’ll find her.

The two men left the room, leaving the door open. Joe still had a good put of food on his plate, and when Wes stuck his chopsticks into his own container and continued to eat, Joe took that as an invitation to stay.

Wes Ikeda: So, who talked you into getting yourself noticed?

Joe took a big bite of broccoli.

Roman Reigns: That was Paul. I know that's what you need to do, it just took Paul telling me that what I was doing wasn't working.

Wes Ikeda: People from Connecticut come in here all the time though, and never get it. Chris always tells these guys, we hired you because of what you did. Now, show us what you can do. People seem to forget that I was two hundred and twenty pounds of nothin’ during my first two title reigns. I couldn’t care less how tall somebody is, or how much they weigh. Shit, I couldn’t even wrestle. Randy would argue that I still can’t. I don’t expect you to make a comment on that. I’m just glad to see you taking charge. I can use a guy like you. So, boss, let’s chat about what you want to do going into Wrestlemania...

Joe and Wes continued their conversation as the time for Warfare drew nearer. Joe knew that this was the opportunity he had always wanted, and he wasn't going to fuck it up again.