I'm just gettin' started.

It was a sunny friday in the midwest as Randy cocked back and hurled a bright green tennis ball into the distance of his property in the suburbs of affluent St. Louis. He was out there with his four year old dog Aries, who took off after the ball like a bullet, hitting top speed in a matter of seconds. Aries did a quick jump as the ball came down and caught it square in his mouth, then made a beeline for his owner. Randy scratched Aries behind the ear and took the ball from his mouth, giving it another throw. The athletic purebred
Rottweiler took off again, not missing a beat. Randy figured he should probably be reaching out to Paul about their Path to Glory match at this point, but it was the furthest thing from his mind as he continued to play with Aries. Paul was a pro, he and Randy would be able to come up with something that'll get "This is Awesome" chants after talking for 30 seconds, he wasn't to worried about it. He wasn't too far from Louisville either, a quick four hour jaunt from his home and he'd be there.

Aries returned with the ball yet again, proudly dropping it off into Randy's hand as Randy's back pocket began to vibrate. He slid his iPhone out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID, which read "Lynne McClinton - Work Desk". He arched an eyebrow, not expecting that name. He threw the ball again and answered the phone as Aries took off after his prize.

Randy Orton: Hey Lynne. How are you?

Lynne McClinton: Hi Randy. I'm well, thank you. Yourself?

Randy Orton: Oh, I'm fine. Just getting ready for my match.

Randy took the ball that Aries offered and gave it another hard throw.

Lynne McClinton: Thank you for taking my call. I hope this is not a bad time.

Randy Orton: Never a bad time to talk to you, Lynne.

Lynne McClinton: I'm calling because Wes needs to speak with you in his office. Can you stop by today, around 2 o'clock?

Wes wasn't typically one to delegate trivial matters to his administrator to coordinate, this must be something a little more serious. He wasn't sure what it was about.

Randy Orton: 2 o'clock would be fine.

Lynne McClinton: Thank you, Randy. I have you on the books. I'll let you get back to your match preparation.

Randy Orton: Sure thing. Take care, Lynne.

Randy hung up the phone and he and his companion Aries headed inside. Aries trotted along dutifully at his left heel. A "official" meeting with Wes, he thought. That's just what I want to spend my afternoon doing. Despite his irritation, he kept his word and around 1:30 he hopped into his Maserati Quattroporte and made the commute to the St. Louis based headquarters of EBWF.

~~~~~~~

The secured elevator beeped and opened up slowly to thirtieth floor. Randy stepped over the threshold and walked over to Lynne who was waiting at her desk just outside Wes' office. She looked up over her glasses to see him, giving him a small smile.

Lynne McClinton: Good to see you, Randy. He's ready for you.

Randy nodded quietly and walked towards Wes' office. This all seemed oddly official, and Randy knew he wasn't due for a contract renegotiation any time soon. Wes’ door was open as it usually was, and Randy went into his office and began to close the door. Wes was sitting behind his desk, and didn’t look up to stop him. He didn’t look up when the door clicked either. It was obvious to Randy that Wes wasn’t going to get up and come around to the more relaxed seating area so Randy approached the desk. Wes had a pencil in his hand, and he appeared to be working on something. He had a thick hardcover book open, and Randy watched his brother-in-law flip the pencil to erase something and then cock his head slightly, before putting the lead back to the page and starting over. Randy lowered himself into a chair in front of Wes’ desk. It had been almost exactly a year since their last serious conversation in this room, and Wes appeared to be preparing himself for this visit with… math? It was algebra more specifically, and it appeared he wasn’t going to start this meeting until he was finished.

Randy Orton: Need some help with that? I have a calculator app somewhere on my phone.

Wes Ikeda: Can’t use a calculator, but that’s okay, because that. is. the answer. Right there. Perfect.

Wes put his pencil down, and looked up.

Randy Orton: It seemed strangely official that Lynne called me. Is everything alright?

Wes Ikeda: I’m doing algebra at 4 on a Friday, Randy. No, everything's not alright.

Randy Orton: To be fair, is there ever a good time to do algebra?

Wes Ikeda: No, which is why I’ve put it off for so long. I’ve been telling myself for 12 years that I was going to get my GED before Blaine graduated High School, and when he started his senior year this week I realized I was running out of time.

Wes' strange decision to write out math problems in long form suddenly made more sense to Randy. He nodded in understanding.

Randy Orton: Does life look a little different in the eyes of soon-to-be member of the forty club?

Wes Ikeda: Strangely? No. Except for the obvious thing I’m missing, my life is the best it’s ever been. Different maybe in that I’m looking forward to it. Get back to me in May when Blaine turns 18 and graduates high school. Then maybe the mid-life crisis can begin.

Randy Orton: What does a man in a mid-life crisis do when he already has a garage full of high-end sports cars?

Wes Ikeda: I guess we’ll find out.

Wes looked across the desk at Randy, and leaned forward a bit.

Wes Ikeda: You probably gathered that this isn’t a personal call.

Randy Orton: Yeah, I had put that together with Lynne's call.

Wes Ikeda: Okay, I was wondering how you’re feeling going into Sunday night.

Randy Orton: I'm feeling fine. Tweaked my shoulder a little on the segment with Paul, but I worked it through and it's fine now.

Wes nodded.

Wes Ikeda: Things better at home?

Randy Orton: We're getting back into a rhythm, I suppose. It's pretty quiet at home, we're both doing our thing.

Wes Ikeda: So, no?

Randy smirked.

Randy Orton: Not as good as I would like it.

Wes Ikeda: Sounds like the internet’s general feelings about the current state of your career.

Randy Orton: The internet thinks I've got another secret family somewhere. It's not my first place for career advice.

Wes Ikeda: How long do you have left on your contract? It’s a year right?

Randy Orton: October next year, yeah.

Wes sat back for a moment, and then lifted his right leg to cross his ankle over his left knee.

Wes Ikeda: Well, then we’d better start figuring out how we’re going to wrap this up.

Randy cocked an eyebrow as he straightened up a little.

Randy Orton: Not getting your money's worth, Wes?

Wes Ikeda: I’m not saying that. I just think the fans probably deserve an appropriate send off.

Randy Orton: What makes you think I'm ready to hang it up?

Wes sat up a little straighter.

Wes Ikeda: Everything about the way you’ve conducted your business since Karlee was born. Am I wrong?

Randy Orton: I've been a team player this whole time. I've worked the shows you wanted me to work, I put over people you wanted me to put over.

Wes Ikeda: You have. You have. I wasn’t trying to be confrontational. You aren’t doing anything wrong.

Randy Orton: Okay. So what are we talking about here?

Wes Ikeda: Well, I thought we were going to talk about what we were going to do with the next 14 months while you wound down, but it sounds like your intention is to sign an extension. So if you’re content just showing up to the shows we tell you to and put over the people we tell you to put over then that’s that. You’re content. EBWF is in the black. Okay.

Randy Orton: Wes, what is this really about? You can't seriously think that I was planning on retiring at 37.

Wes Ikeda: I actually did think that maybe that was the way this was going. You haven’t shown much interested in doing anything other than midcard fill ins, and we thought maybe you were just going through the motions.

Randy shook his head, exhaling with a bit of a huff.

Randy Orton: Look, I like my job. I don't plan on giving it up. But I also like spending time with my wife and daughter, so I got to do both.

Wes started to offer a rebuttal to that, but he only shrugged.

Wes Ikeda: Okay.

Randy nodded.

Randy Orton: Okay. Is there anything else?

Wes sighed.

Wes Ikeda: I guess not, Randy.

Randy Orton: Okay.

Randy stood up, and looked down at the desk.

Randy Orton: Good luck. I hated math in school.

Wes Ikeda: I don’t need luck, Randy. Neither do you. You aren’t happy. Why are you okay with that?

Randy had started to move toward the door but stopped. Now we were getting to the actual reason for the meeting. He slowly, begrudgingly sat back down in the chair. He was silent for a brief moment.

Randy Orton: What is the solution, then? Work more? Win a title? I'm not okay with being unhappy. I'm just not sure what the fix is.

Wes Ikeda: The solution is to be ambitious and have some goals. Whatever those are. I’m disappointed in how this last year has gone for you.

Randy Orton: Ambitious.

He smirked a little, shaking his head.

Randy Orton: That sounds familiar.

Wes didn’t know what that meant.

Wes Ikeda: I just want more from you, Randy, but if it’s not genuine the audience is going to know that. There’s nothing wrong with the way you’re doing the work, but for there to be more, you have to want it.

Randy Orton: There's at least a few things I still want to do. Plenty of things on my wrestling bucket list. I'm not going to try and sit here and pretend that I'm the hungry guy that I was a couple years ago. Something's broken and for the life of me I can't find the tools to fix it.

Wes Ikeda: I’m having this conversation with you because Jim is afraid of you.

Randy looked at Wes with a baffled expression.

Randy Orton: Why on earth would Jim be afraid of me? I'm so nice.

Wes Ikeda: He had to deal with a 23 year old Randy Orton in WWE, and the legend of why John is no longer with us has taken on a life of its own. People are under the impression that if they so much as give you a side eye you could have their job. You’ve once again created a reputation for yourself. I wish I could tell you how to fix it Randy. I do. I think you’re waiting on something that just isn’t going to happen, and if you’re really truly doing your own thing? I think you need to go back to doing what you do best.

Wes scratched his head, shaking it out of frustration.

Wes Ikeda: Sami is good, if not a little too nice. PJ is good, but he would rather think he’s being held down because he doesn’t like me, than because he’s inconsistent. The door has been wide open for a bonafide star. You’re it. You should be the face that runs the place.

Randy mulled that over silently.

Randy Orton: I'm sure that can only help with the reputation I apparently have.

He smirked a little, half joking.

Randy Orton: I understand what you're saying.

Wes Ikeda: Do you?

Randy Orton: Yeah. You need someone you can trust to be front and center, because I chased out the guy you counted on for that stuff.

Wes shook his head.

Wes Ikeda: It’s not about towing the company line, Randy. I am a fan of this business. I am a fan of Randy Orton, and that’s saying something because I know you personally.

That made Randy crack a grin just a little bit.

Wes Ikeda: You used to be the most feared man in the locker room. Now you’re a guy who can’t have a match without your opponent talking about how good you used to be. I don’t know why you’re holding yourself back, Randy, but you are this close to being legendary, and you won’t just step up and take it. Man, if Joanie were here she’d be kicking your ass.

Randy cleared his throat uncomfortably, scratching the back of his neck. Joanie was always Randy's biggest fan, and he was hers. It was one of the few soft spots Randy had in his life that wasn't his family.

Randy Orton: Man. Why do you have to pull the Joanie card.

Wes Ikeda: Because it’s true. I think she’d be as disappointed as I am.

Randy's grip on his chair tightened and his jaw muscles flexed. That irritated him as he mulled it over. Joanie was one of the only people on the planet whose approval Randy sought at any point. Not even his wife could really claim that.

Randy Orton: You want me to step up? Fine. I'll step up. I'm not going to be held responsible for the fact that the mid carders that have been keeping my spot warm are going to be here in your office complaining.

Wes Ikeda: Why are you fighting me so hard, Randy? I’m on your team here. I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do. All I’m asking is if this isn’t it, you figure that out. What is it? You’re telling me you’re not burned out. Is it Nikki?

Randy shook his head.

Randy Orton: Nikki seems to think this funk I'm apparently in is what started our problems in the first place.

Wes Ikeda: Nikki is full of shit sometimes.

Randy smirked a little.

Randy Orton: Sometimes. I can't ignore it, though. She's not the only person that's said it.

Wes nodded.

Wes Ikeda: If this is a funk, Randy, you’ve been in it for an awfully long time and it seems to have only gotten worse since…

Wes had looked away, but then he steeled himself to look Randy in the eye.

Wes Ikeda: ...well since we lost Joanie. I’m sorry I should have left her out of it.

Randy nodded.

Randy Orton: It's fine. You're not wrong. She'd be in the locker room to rake me over the coals as fast as her heels could take her if she thought I was mailing it in.

Randy clicked his tongue few times, deep in thought.

Randy Orton: Truth is...

He sighed.

Randy Orton: I don't think I've felt the same about wrestling since Izzy died.

Randy saw Wes fight the urge to flinch. It was that metaphorical punch in the gut that causes a person to hold their breath. He didn’t say anything for what felt like a long time, and without looking away he leaned forward a bit.

Wes Ikeda: If I have a good day, a day where I had fun with my family, or where I laughed a whole lot, I go home and I feel tremendously guilty. Like that somehow means I miss her less, or forgot to love her that day. But I try to let that go, Randy, because Blaine and McKenzie and CJ? They deserve a better dad than the one I usually feel like being. Natalie deserves a better man than the guy who wants to sit in a chair all day and think of ways to burn the world down around him.

Wes put his head in his hands, and tilted his head to look at the desktop. Then he looked at Randy again by lifting just his eyes.

Wes Ikeda: My daughter would not want that for me. Isabella would not want this for you.

Randy nodded somberly.

Randy Orton: I shouldn't have said that. It's silly for me to bring up some years-old guilt I have about Izzy to her dad of all people.

Wes Ikeda: No. It’s okay. I think all the time about how I should have been a better dad that day. I didn’t really have to have the paperwork I came for right that minute. We shouldn’t have even been there. But Randy, if I hadn’t been there? Lynne would be dead. Hope would be dead. Nicole would probably be dead. We lost Izzy, but you saved 5 children that day. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry you had to do that. But I’m glad you were there, because that SWAT team would have come upon a whole different scene. I spent a year of my life fucking hating you for not letting me die that day, but now? I really love my life, so thank you. In case I hadn’t said it before.

Randy exhaled and his posture adjusted. His shoulders relaxed a little.

Randy Orton: You don't need to thank me. Not for that. Not for any of that.

He looked around.

Randy Orton: I um, probably need to go work this out in this gym. Then, I suppose it's time to go get my spot back.

Wes Ikeda: That’s what I want. But listen Randy, you do what you want, just push through. No matter what it is, you have to be doing something. We’ll talk more about business on Sunday, okay?

Randy nodded and stood up. This conversation with Wes had him slightly rattled, and he even felt a little awkward.

Randy Orton: Sunday it is. I'll, uh... see you then.

Wes Ikeda: You and Adam are coming to the party tomorrow night right? It’s not a party without the two quiet guys in the back silently judging everyone’s life decisions. I need you to do your part.

He smirked a little. That helped.

Randy Orton: If half the people that are rumored to be there are there, then we'll be doing plenty of that.

With that, Randy headed out of Wes' office and nodded in Lynne's direction before taking the elevator back down to the ground floor. He wasn't sure what just happened between he and Wes, but he knew that the time had come. Whether he liked it or not, it was time to start earning the money he took home every day. And it was going to start on Sunday with the Path to Glory Championship. Maybe it was time to reach out to Paul and talk about how they were going to outshine the main event.

~~~~~~~

EBWF.net Exclusive - August 28, 2016

Randy was centered on the shot as the camera faded in on him, standing backstage at Summerslam. He was wearing a new t-shirt that had a simple RKO logo on the front and "Outta Nowhere" on the back of it, the EBWF marketing machine making sure to capitalize on an internet phenomenon that fizzled out almost a year ago. He was holding a microphone in his hand, almost like a correspondent.

Randy Orton: Greetings, EBWF Nation. My name... is Randy Orton. I'm coming to you live from backstage at the KFC Yum Center in Louisville, Kentucky. I can almost smell the horse feces from here. Speaking of horse feces, I'm here with a very special guest today. As part of my ongoing mission to expose the fans of the EBWF to wrestling correspondents other that tiny blonde little twerp that everyone keeps asking for, I have decided to offer this interview to none other than Michael Cole.

Randy stepped to the side, handing Cole his microphone. Cole nervously adjusted his tie and accepted the mic. Before he could speak into it, Randy leaned over.

Randy Orton: Just remember. If this interview is bad, I will probably have to hurt you.

Michael's eyes widened and he nodded, a brief look of panic on his face.

Michael Cole: Well, Randy. I, um... well.

He cleared his throat and pulled himself together. It was either that or he was getting choked. He just knew it.

Michael Cole: Randy, you have a great opportunity tonight to accomplish two things. First you have a shot of winning your first ever Path to Glory Championship reign. Second, you have the opportunity to open up a road map to a future World Championship title shot. How do you feel about your chances tonight against PJ Black?

Randy Orton: Okay, Michael. This is already not going well.

Randy fake lurched at Michael, who put his hands up.

Michael Cole: WAIT. I mean...

Randy Orton: Oh, calm down. It has nothing to do with chance, Michael. When Nate Diaz went the distance with Conor McGregor, there was a chance that the judges could have scored it in his favor. If the people of Louisville ever pull their heads out of their asses, Kentucky might have a chance of getting a pro sports team. When it comes to my Path to Glory Championship match, there will be no chance involved. It will be me, holding the belt over my head, as what ever is left of PJ Black is carried out on a gurney.

Michael Cole: What's your strategy going into a match like this? PJ Black is a risk taker, and his offense can sometimes be unpredictable.

Randy Orton: That's where you're wrong about so much, like always. Is PJ Black a high octane competitor? Absolutely. That doesn't make him unpredictable. Evan Bourne is also high energy, and I can see him coming three miles away. PJ's got speed, Michael, but I'm faster. He's got finesse, but I've got more. That's the difference between me and PJ. When PJ goes in there, he likes to go to the top rope. He likes to pop a nice reaction from the crowd. He likes to make sure his hair looks nice as he flies around like the acrobat that he is. My game, Michael? It is far smarter. My work is tailor made for the wrestler that I'm in there with. Every move has a purpose, every attack has a plan. When I go in there tonight, I will execute a game plan that is specifically designed to hurt PJ Black. So the truth of it is that I'm the most unpredictable one in that ring, and the most dangerous.

Michael Cole: We have certainly seen you achieve some amazing accomplishments when you are focused Randy. Longest reigning EBWF World Champion of all time, back to back King of the Ring winner, and one of the few people to hold the IC and World Championships simultaneously. Not to mention the longest reigning co-tag champ as well. But the question is, how focused are you on the Path to Glory Championship, when you yourself have said in the past that the title itself does not interest you?

Randy Orton: Let me stop you right there. The Path to Glory Championship is a prestigious title, a fact that when taken into consideration, makes it even more baffling that PJ Black is currently holding it. I know this doesn't sound like me, but my status as a former World Champion has given me a little bit of an... ego.

Michael rolled his eyes before Randy noticed.

Randy Orton: When you have been at the top of the mountain, twice in my case, by default you sometimes give off the impression that anything else is demeaning or not worthy. That is not true when it comes to the Path to Glory title. I don't take many people seriously. I don't take most things seriously. But I take this opportunity seriously. Not only is this championship one I've never held, but its also resting around the waist of quite possibly the worst human being in the world. The gift of being in the ring tonight and taking his title away from him is going to be the highlight of my year, without question.

Michael Cole: The week after you were named the number one contender for the Path to Glory Championship, PJ Black assaulted you during your match with Enzo Amore. What's your reaction to that?

Randy Orton: At the time it pissed me off, I'm not gonna lie. But at this point, I'm not too worried about it. The little dope got one up on me. Tonight, when this washed up has been of a former world champion goes in there with the Path to Glory Champ and pries the title away from his cold, dead fingers, I'll let the pundits decide on who walked away in a better spot.

Michael Cole: That brings up an interesting point, Randy. A common criticism of your career of late has been your level of success. For a man with your accolades, your career over the last year or two has been a little quiet. Does this match represent a resurgence for Randy Orton, or are we seeing the twilight of the era of the Silent Assassin?

Randy's jaw flexed. His mind reflexively jumped back to the conversation he had with Wes two days ago. It was time to shit or get off the pot. He narrowed his eyes and leaned in towards Michael so that his words came through crystal clear.

Randy Orton: I'm going to tell you this Michael, so you can upload it to EBWF.net and everyone can hear it. I am not done. Not by a long shot. I have worked too long and too hard to get where I'm at today, and I'm not going to let wrestling pundits or the other jokers on this roster dictate what my career looks like. I'm just getting started. Tonight, I'm going to go out there and I'm going to put PJ Black on ice, and then I am going to come back the next week and make someone else a victim. Then I'm going to come back the week after that and ensure that one unlucky wrestler wishes they had slept in that day. I am going to take back everything that I have given up. I'm sick and tired of listening to promo after promo from some average talent saying that my time has come and gone. I decide when my career is winding down. I decide when the top spot belongs to me. So tonight, the defeat of PJ Black and the crowning of me as the new Path to Glory Champion starts the beginning of a long and very painful chapter in every EBWF wrestler's career whose name isn't ... Randy Orton. And I promise you... it isn't going to be pretty.

Randy gave Michael and icy smile and smacked the microphone out of his hand. With that Randy left, and the scene faded to an EBWF logo.