Red Ale
Somewhere in the backstage area at the MGM Grand, we hear the arena erupt at the appearance of “The Innovator” Brock Newbludd and “Black Out” Pat Cassidy… The Saturday Night Specials. Both men are dressed in a manner that suggest they’re ready to compete in the Survivor challenge later tonight and Pat is carrying a small red cooler. The two men walk briskly down a random hallway.
Brock Newbludd: Okay… I’m pretty sure it’s right up here… yep! Here we are.
We see that both men have stopped in front of a door with a nameplate that reads: Lindsay Troy.
Brock turns back to his partner.
Brock Newbludd: We clear on the plan?
Pat Cassidy: We are. I do all the talking cause I’m pretty sure she’s still mad at you about…
The Milwaukee Made Man interrupts The Scrapper from Southie, making a quick “cut it” motion and gesturing to the camera.
Pat Cassidy: Right. Gotcha. Anyway…
Cassidy walks past his partner and plants three loud BANGS on the black door. From inside, a woman’s voice…
Lindsay Troy: Door’s unlocked!
Cassidy takes that as a permission to enter. Much like Hayes Hanlon did earlier in the evening, he opens the door and pokes his head into the Queen of the Ring’s backstage “office.” Troy isn’t behind the desk as she was with Melvin and Hayes. Instead, she’s sitting on a leather sofa, phone in hand, the ReVival proceedings on a big screen TV mounted on the wall and on low volume.
Pat Cassidy: (imitating a fake Southern accent) Well, I do DE-clare, if isn’t Lindsay Troy.
Lindsay looks over to her friend and sometimes-SHOOT Project tag team partner with a smirk.
Lindsay Troy: (amused) Cass. I know that accent. You want something.
Pat Cassidy: Well… two things, actually.
He and Brock walk all the way into the office and shut the door behind them.
Pat Cassidy: The first… we bring good tidings! We wanted to be here in person to introduce you to…
Cassidy pops open the little cooler he’s carrying and produces a silver and purple large beer can. He holds it up so the camera can read the label, but he also helpfully says it out loud for us as he does…
Pat Cassidy: It’s the new Ballyhoo Brew “Queen’s Gambit” Red Ale!
Cassidy hands it to her.
Pat Cassidy: Huh? Huh?? Not bad, huh?
Troy takes the can and admires the label. There’s a quick flash of surprise across her face, and that knowing smirk of hers softens into a smile as she pops the tab and takes a swig.
Lindsay Troy: This is really good guys. And you didn’t have to do that.
She takes another sip. The smirk returns.
Lindsay Troy: Not a bad gesture for a bribe, though. Now what’s the real reason you’re here?
Cassidy and Brock exchange a quick glance before turning back to LT.
Pat Cassidy: OK, it’s not totally a bribe, Lindz, c’mon. You know we respect you, right? Props on a long and badass career. And as someone who settles all her problems in the ring… and quite well, mind you… we gotta ask:
Both members of SNS drop to their knees, clutching their hands together in a mock show of begging.
Pat Cassidy: Please, please, please… can’t we just fucking wrestle for the tag team titles?
Cassidy and Brock get back to their feet.
Pat Cassidy: You got us running around with rocks, putting puzzles together… I know it’s only a matter of time before we’re running over some hot coals! Come on! Obviously Newbludd and I love to party, but we signed up to fight! This ain’t fighting!
Lindsay Troy: You’re right, it’s not.
Pat Cassidy: So we’re off the hook?
Lindsay Troy: (laughing) The hell you are. Part of becoming and being a champion is doing what you have to do to win. It doesn’t matter if it’s a fight in the ring or running up stairs, sliding down slides, and putting puzzles together….you need to use your mind as much as your body. If Survivor doesn’t challenge you to do that then you’re sunk before I even book you two in your first actual wrestling match.
She downs the rest of the beer and tosses the empty back to Pat.
Lindsay Troy: Now stop whining and go solve a puzzle, kid.
Cassidy looks at the can. Shakes his head.
Pat Cassidy: Going with the “tough but fair” approach, huh? Bold move, Troy. Well… if that’s how it’s gonna be… Newbludd and I are about to go fuck some people in puzzle putting together. Right, Brock?
Brock Newbludd, who has been very intentionally trying to keep quiet this whole time, simply offers..
Brock Newbludd: Yep.
Cassidy points to the (seemingly still full) red cooler that he took the beer out of.
Pat Cassidy: I’ll go ahead and leave the rest of that here for you to enjoy… let me know when you’ve had a couple, maybe we’ll come back and ask again. Let’s go buddy.
The Saturday Night Specials make a quick exit, stage left. Lindsay shakes her head as they leave, then turns back to her phone and dials a number.
Lindsay Troy: Hey, where are you?
She waits a moment for the other person to answer.
Lindsay Troy: OK. Well grab Dam and drift on over to my office. You two gotta see this beer…