Respect

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Scene 1

Off Camera

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To say that Angelica Jones has not had the easiest, the best of lives would be an understatement, and yet you may not know it from the lifestyle she lives.  Jones lives an exquisite, luxurious lifestyle, one she feels she is owed due to a childhood full of trauma, pain and heartache, and also to ensure that her own children would not have to endure the same kinds of trauma that she had to endure when she was their age.  Angelica has always wanted to make sure her children would never be without the things that she had to do without growing up.  Most importantly, she does not want her children to endure the emotional heartache that she had to endure growing up.

Angelica was close to her mother.  Very close.  It was, therefore, very painful for her to lose her mother when she was only thirteen years old, and it was an added sick and twisted irony that Angelica would be tied up and forced to watch her mother get raped and butchered, killed, taken from her in such a violent manner.  Her life didn't get any easier from there, as her father, instead of stepping up and taking responsibility as the father and taking care of her and her sister, he sent them both away to foster care, never to see them again until they were both adults.

Jones never did fully get over that traumatic experience and it left a scar permanently embedded into her soul, one that makes it difficult for her to trust anyone fully.  So much terror and betrayal would leave anyone paranoid, especially Angelica Jones.  The one constant that she had in her life, the one person she felt she could count on at all times, every time, was Monroe Jones, her cousin from her father's side of the family.

Monroe had always been there for her whereas her own father had abandoned her.  He had always been honest, seemingly never to get off the straight and narrow, whereas Angelica herself would do anything and everything, using whatever means necessary, to get what she wants.

Such as it is with the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament.  Bolu, McCaron, Wiseman, Cannon, Mason, Selena Frost, all cheated, screwed over by Angelica Jones and her strategy of getting her opponents disqualified.  Her strategy in this tournament is far from honorable, it is far from the straight and narrow, but Angelica could care less.  All she cared about was making the semi-finals and she did; she made the semi-finals by the skin of her teeth.

Now all she cares about is closing the deal at Retribution as she first has to defeat Selena Frost in semi-final action and then end it all with a victory in the finals over Dawn Lohan or Red Rayne to become the SCW Adrenaline Champion.  Jones could compete honorably, following the straight and narrow, but competing honorably isn't her goal.  Winning is her goal.  Winning is what is on her mind and she will do whatever it takes to win.

For Monroe Jones utilizing such tactics would be unheard of and that is, really, what separates Angelica from her beloved cousin.  For Monroe, a wrestler himself, competing honorably is of primary importance whereas with Angelica she only cares about winning.  In that sense, she hates to admit it, but Monroe's sister, Isabelle Jones, is truly correct when she says that she and Angelica are actually not that different.

Isabelle had blacklisted herself from the family during a time when Monroe was overseas in Europe training to be a wrestler.  She told stories to their parents about his promiscuity there and, as a result, their parents wrote him out of the will.  The entire estate, at the death of their parents, was left to Isabelle.  And Monroe was left with absolutely nothing and he could do nothing about it.

For the past several months Isabelle has been trying to convince Angelica that the two of them are not different.  She has also been trying to convince Angelica that Monroe is not the saint that she believes him to be.  Angelica had been ready to dismiss her entirely until a story arose...

...a story about a girl named Katrina.

This controversial story would stain Angelica's image of her cousin Monroe, but as with many controversial stories there are always two sides to it.  The story, as told by Monroe, is that there was indeed a girl named Katrina, she was underage, and he did have a relationship with her but that it was consensual.  But Monroe issued the worst accusation of them all, stating that Thaddeus Rogers actually raped the poor girl.

The story told by Isabelle was much different.  In her version, the version she told their parents, Katrina was her and Thaddeus's daughter and Thaddeus had no relationship whatsoever with his daughter, forced or consensual.  It was Monroe who forced himself upon Katrina.

Angelica thought she had it all figured out.  She thought she knew who she could and could not trust.  She thought Monroe was honorable and that Isabelle was a conniving bitch.  Now, as she sits in her hotel room with her eldest daughter Marie Annabelle Jones and her middle child Jessica Lasiewicz, she has to wonder whether she was wrong about Monroe?  Maybe he isn't as honorable as she thought he was?

And perhaps she was wrong about Isabelle as well?  Maybe Isabelle really did tell the truth to their parents and that she was justified in taking Monroe's inheritance from him?

“So is this Katrina?”

Marie is pacing the floor as Angelica sits on the edge of the bed next to Jessica.  The eldest Jones child has two pictures in her carefully manicured hands, one is of an infant in pink clothes and the other is of a teenage girl.  She studies them closely as she walks back and forth across the floor.

“Have you seen these, Jess?”

Marie stops and holds out her hands, offering the pictures to her sister.  Jessica takes them and looks at them, studying them intensely.  Finally Jessica nods her head.

“Yes, I have...” she pauses, her voice trailing off as she puts the one picture of the teenage girl away “...actually, I have seen this one of the teenage girl.  Monroe showed it to me before...”

She holds up the picture of the infant child “...but I have not seen this one before.”

“According to Isabelle, that is Katrina's baby picture.” Angelica chimes in finally, after such a long time of remaining silent.

“How would she have a baby picture?” Marie asks.

“Think about it.”

Marie shares a look with her sister Jessica and then over at Angelica who simply nods her head.  Finally the realization washes over Marie, suddenly, hitting her like a ton of bricks.

“You mean...”

Angelica sighs. “That's right.  Isabelle claims to be Katrina's mother.”

It is a strong accusation from Isabelle, one that brings serious charges with it, charges of incest and rape among others, but it is the story that convinced Isabelle and Monroe's parents to strip Monroe of his inheritance and it is the story that Isabelle is sticking to, to this very day even.  She may be wrong, but Angelica expects that, if the story had no credence to it whatsoever, then Isabelle would have dropped it ages ago.  But yet she keeps to it, she keeps with it to this very day, despite the fact that this story has gotten her blacklisted from the family.

All of the family except for Angelica Jones.

It is this story that makes Angelica question everything she had once known about her family.  It seems as if the entire wrestling industry had a reason to hate the Jones family for one reason or another and, for the longest time, Angelica could not understand why.  She knew she was no saint.  She knew she was not a good person, but she never pretended to be one.

Angelica Jones is who she is: a cold, calculating human being willing to risk Merrick Wiseman's career in order to advance to the semi-finals of the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament.  She is someone willing to take any shortcuts, including bribing other wrestlers to attack her, to get her opponents disqualified so she could rack up enough points in order to advance to the semi-finals.

Now she is in the semi-finals, facing Selena Frost one more time.  One has to ask, what is she willing to do now in order to advance past Selena and then defeat either Dawn Lohan or Red Rayne to win it all, to close the deal and become SCW Adrenaline Champion?

Those who know Angelica well know that she will do anything to get the job done.  That's just who she is but she never thought it was fair for the rest of the world to look down upon the rest of her family because of sins she committed.  Marie and Jessica are their own people.  Angelica's sister Kayla is her own person.  And, of course, there are her cousins, Monroe and Isabelle.

Good or bad, right or wrong, each of the Jones family members make their own choices, their own decisions in life and Angelica felt that labeling the entire family as bad, judging every Jones as being bad, was completely unfair.

Yet now, witnessing this scandal unfold, Angelica is beginning to wonder if its just fate that that Jones family would always be wrapped up in scandal and that the Jones family members would never ever truly be saintly?

“Do you think she's telling the truth?” Marie asks curiously.

“No, not at all.” Jessica shakes her head vehemently. “You know what Kayla says about her.  Isabelle is bad news.  She lied to her parents, to convince them to write poor Monroe out of the will.”

She drops the pictures back on the bed. “And this is that lie.”

“I...” Angelica starts to chime in but her voice trails off

“What is it, mom?” Marie asks.

“I...” she shakes her head “...I just don't know.”

“What isn't there to know?” Jessica asks, somewhat dumbfounded by her mother's response. “Isabelle is clearly lying.”

“Maybe she is, maybe she isn 't.” She picks up the picture of the teenage Katrina and holds it up to Jessica. “If she were lying about this to convince her parents to write Monroe out of the will then tell me one thing...”

Angelica shuts her eyes. “Why is she continuing this lie?”

“Huh?”

“Their parents are dead, Jess.” Angelica states. “Monroe legally cannot get his inheritance back from her.  There is no need for her to maintain the lie.”

“I just can't believe it.” Jessica shakes her head. “I refuse to believe that Monroe would do such a thing.”

“Why can't you believe it?” Angelica asks, resting a hand upon her daughter's shoulder. “Jess, I hate to say it, but you have to come to grips with the fact that our family does not have a great record of purity.”

“Clearly.” Jessica remarks coldly. “You should know, considering the way you chose to advance in the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament.”

“I know.” Angelica remarks quietly. “I know, Jess.”

“Don't disrespect, mom like that.” Marie snaps back.  She points a finger at Jessica. “You need to understand that this industry isn't all pure, it isn't about right and wrong.  It's about winning and that's what mom is doing.  She's winning.”

“But she isn't proving herself to be the best...” Jessica states stoically “...she's just proving herself to be the most manipulative and cunning.”

“Maybe that's true, but...”

“Marie, be quiet.” Angelica speaks up to her eldest. “I can handle this.”

The truth is, Angelica wishes she could believe like her daughter Jessica.  She wishes that this industry were truly the way Jessica views it, as about right and wrong and who is truly the best competitor, but Angelica, after years of being in this sport, after enduring the worst of this sport, she understands the harsh truth that professional wrestling is not fair and it is not just.  It is a harsh reality, one that is not for the feint of heart.

“I know you haven't been proud of the way I advanced in the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament.”

“You could say that.” Jessica remarks.

“Let's face it, Jess, do you honestly think Selena deserves to win?”

Jessica shakes her head. “Not that arrogant bitch.”

Angelica snickers. “I didn't think so.  Then there's Dawn and Red.  Now maybe you could make an argument for Dawn but she's already been put down, what, once by Red?  Twice?  Do you really think she can make it past her in the semi-finals?”

She shakes her head. “Third time is NOT the charm, Jess.  I love the Lohan family, we all do, but I don't see her beating Red.  It'll be me, Selena, or Red winning this tournament.  One of us will be SCW Adrenaline Champion.  An arrogant bitch as you so eloquently put it, a member of New Eden, or me, a Silas World representative.  One of us will walk away with the Adrenaline Championship.”

“Then let me ask you this, mom.” Jessica begins, her face growing more and more grave and serious. “If you defeat Selena...and if you defeat Red, or maybe even Dawn...if you become SCW Adrenaline Champion then tell me, what happens next?”

“What do you mean?”

Jessica sighs. “If you win you set your name in the history books as the first winner of this tournament.  You also become SCW Adrenaline Champion.  What then?”

She points a finger at Angelica. “You have a chance to change things for this family and you can do it with Shot of Adrenaline.”

Angelica hops up off of the bed. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“You could win this tournament by defeating Selena and then defeating Dawn or Red on your own skill and ability without cheating.” Jessica states. “That's how you could change things for this family.”

She holds up a photograph of Katrina. “This girl, this person whom we haven't even met, is a prime example of why our family is looked at so poorly in this sport.  This woman represents the stain upon our family.”

Jessica stands up, getting off of the bed, and approaches her mother. “Do you want to know what really separates you and Monroe?”

“What's that?”

“Whether Monroe knowingly forced himself upon his niece, or whether he just had an innocent relationship with a stranger she had no idea was an underage girl, whichever story is true, at least he knows that he did make a mistake and at least he is trying to redeem himself.”

Angelica shakes her head.  “I cannot redeem myself, Jess.  I am who I am.  I just...”

She bows her head. “...I just hate to think that Isabelle is right, she and I may not be all that different after all.”

Up until this point Jessica and her mother have done most of the talking while the eldest, Marie, has remained silent.  Partially because she knows she does not have much room to talk.  Marie knows full well that she is not a saint either.  At least her sister Jessica does try.  But now it is the eldest child who approaches her mother, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Mom, you have done so much for Jessica and me...”

“You two girls deserve better.” Angelica interrupts, tears forming in her eyes. “You girls deserve better than this family.”

“No!” Marie exclaims, placing both hands now on her shoulders. “Right or wrong, good or bad, it is irrelevant because you DO try to do what is right by us.  And no matter what, Selena Frost, Dawn Lohan, Red Rayne, Shot of Adrenaline, Silas World, all of it be damned, you ALWAYS stand by your family first and foremost.”

“Marie is right.” Jessica responds, chiming in. “You will make a great Adrenaline Champion, no matter how you win it.  But mom...”

Angelica looks at Jessica in the eyes. “Yes?”

“...you have the chance to turn things around for this family.  You have a chance to prove to Isabelle that you ARE better than her, just as she is WRONG about Monroe.  This is your chance to prove that she is completely wrong about everything.”

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Marie Jones

On Camera

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Do you want a #GingerFact?  Well here it comes: Studies show that gingers are genetically superior to their brunette counterparts.

Hey!  Don't get mad at me!  I'm just telling you what the studies say!

It should come as to no surprise to ANYONE, then, that my mother, a certified ginger and honorary member of #GingerNation, made it past those clowns in Block B of the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament to advance to the semi-finals.

Do you want another #GingerFact?  Winners ALWAYS get paid better, they always get the marquee spot, they are always in the main event whereas those who compete honorably and play by the rules don't always get those main event spots, they don't always get the marquee, they don't always get the best pay.

Mainly because they don't always win.

I don't think I have to tell Dawn or Red this, as I think they've figured it out, but Selena Frost needs to remember that at the end of the day the name of the game is not WRESTLING, the name of the game is WINNING and WINNING is what the Jones family does best.

Selena Frost needs to quit whining and moaning about HOW my mother got to where she is and start WORRYING about what she is gonna do now that she is here because Angelica Jones is coming to Retribution to close the deal and win the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament.

Don't dwell on the past, honey.  Quit living in the past, and move on up to the present with the rest of us, because none of what happened matters now.  What matters is that you have to find a way to survive The Dragon.

Do you want one final #GingerFact? Here goes...

...Angelica Jones is gonna win The Shot of Adrenaline Tournament.

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Jessica Lasiewicz

On Camera

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Angelica Jones is going to win the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament.  Now that might sound biased coming from me but I can tell you why she is going to win and I can tell you without using the words disqualification or Silas World.

If you count the years she spent in training, then my mother has been in this business for over twenty years.  During that time she has had the opportunity to study some of the best in the game, to compete with some of the best in the game, and she used that opportunity to learn and to grow and to mature as a competitor.  So when my mother shouts to the world about her intelligence then she is absolutely right.  She has true WRESTLING-INTELLIGENCE.

That also includes over twenty years of in-ring experience.  And barely a year of that time included Silas Mason or Silas World.  Throughout her in-ring experience she has gotten the job done without the fake cowboy or his call girls.

I cannot tell you if my mother will compete by the book and try to win legitimately or if she'll just do whatever it takes.  My gut says the latter.  But regardless, even of how she does it, it should be clear to everyone that she CAN get the job done.

Angelica Jones is good enough to wrestle twice in one night and win the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament.  And that's my point, at the end of the day.  She is good enough to get the job done without any assistance, without any tricks.  So imagine what she is capable of if she uses every dirty trick in the book just like she has been doing?

Smart money is on Angelica Jones.  So come and place ya bets.

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Angelica Jones

On Camera

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I hate hypocrites and that's why I can't stand the wrestling world at large, because they are full of hypocrites.  Everyone from the snot nosed brats and their fat mothers who bought tickets to Breakdown and Retribution to the self-righteous assholes in the back complain about how I got to this point, they all complain about how I became a semi-finalist in the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament.

All I did was I used the rules to my advantage.  A disqualification win is as good as a pin or submission win, am I right?  Of course I'm right.  You get two points regardless of how you win, just make sure you win.  So a wrestler or three would come down, attack me, my opponent would get disqualified, and I would get my two points.

There was nothing illegal with what I did.  There was nothing outside of the boundaries of the rules.  Everything I did was totally and completely legal.  Yet everyone still complains; and the funny thing is that you all do it.

I stand in judgment of you all because each and every one of you do it.  Each and every one of you bend the rules to your own agenda.  Sometimes it gets so bad with the lot of you that special rules has to be made just to deal with stunts you pull.

I can relate.  SCW Management gave Merrick Wiseman the replay booth because of my stunt.

Oh but don't you ever complain about my bending of the rules when you all do the same damn thing that I do.  Hell, at least I'm honest about my dishonesty.  I make no pretense about who and what I am.

I am Angelica Jones.  I am the most sadistic, bloodthirsty bitch remaining in the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament and perhaps in SCW altogether.  I know every dirty trick in the book and I am not afraid to use each and every one of them if necessary in order to get what I want.

What I want is the SCW Adrenaline Championship.

Selena Frost...

You can have your pretense of righteous indignation all you want but you and I both know the truth.  We both know that deep down inside that it's just that, a pretense.  A fallacy.  We both know that if push came to shove you will do anything to get past me.

You said it yourself, you're desperate to defeat me at Retribution because you don't want to fail your precious believers...again...you are desperate to defeat me because you don't want to fail Dawn Lohan and Red Rayne...as if they gave a damn...

You are desperate to defeat me because YOU have the pressure riding on your back.  I already beat you once.  I made you tap out.  Now you have to prove to the world that it was just one match and that I do not have your number.  You have to prove that I am not necessarily your superior because until you can prove otherwise, that tap out victory is all the evidence I need to show the world and to show you that you are a fraud.

I have been in this industry for over twenty years, Selena and in those twenty plus years I have managed to learn from the best to ever grace that squared circle and I took from each of them wisdom and talent, until I made myself into something else entirely...

...the best in the world.

This Shot of Adrenaline Tournament is and always has been mine for the taking.  Yes, I could have won it “the right way” but why waste my precious time and energy when I can do it easier, more efficiently, by my disqualification method?  By injuring Merrick Wiseman?  By injuring you?

Now you are the last obstacle that stands between me and a shot at the finals, a shot at the SCW Adrenaline Championship.  I hope you realize this, Selena.  Realize that you truly are the only one standing between me and glory.  If I make it past you, don't expect Dawn or Red to stop me because they won't.  If I make it past you, then I will be SCW Adrenaline Champion.  So if you hate me and my methods so damn much, then understand that you really are the last line of defense.

And YOU can live with the knowledge that you FAILED to stop me!

Believe it...

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Scene 2

Off Camera

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Stamina and endurance have been two important key factors in preparing for the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament, as each of the sixteen competitors would have to compete in seven different matches over the course of several months.  But things have taken a change now that the tournament field has been narrowed down to four.  As we enter into the semi-finals of the Shot of Adrenaline Tournament, the principles of stamina and endurance play an even greater role as wrestling and winning twice in one night becomes a requirement in order to win it all, in order to win the first ever Shot of Adrenaline Tournament.

Wrestling multiple times in one night is not something new to Angelica Jones.  As a twenty-plus year veteran she has had to do that on more than one occasion; but no matter how many times she does it, no matter how many times she is scheduled by management to compete multiple times in one night, it does not get any easier, and every single time it requires a ton of hard and grueling training.

Her sister Kayla has a neck injury and is unable to help, both Marie and Jessica are busy with their own wrestling careers to help, so that leaves Angelica with the obvious alternative...

...Monroe Jones.

Monroe Jones is a wrestler in his own right, trained in the European style and a contracted athlete for Global Championship Wrestling.  And while it may be true that his reputation amongst the rest of the Jones family is tarnished, there is still the fact that he is working to rebuild and repair himself and also the fact that he is still quite a good wrestler and, whose talents and ability, can help Angelica prepare for the grueling task that is to come.

She has already had to face Selena Frost and she knows what Frost is capable of.  At her best Frost took Jones took the limit, literally speaking, as time ran out on them.  True, Selena did tap out once the clock expired, but Selena lasted longer with Jones than few have and that in and of itself speaks of her toughness.  Selena will be weakened but still very game.

Then there's the finals itself.  Angelica will have already wrestled once against Selena and if she wins she will have to face either Dawn Lohan or Red Rayne to take home the SCW Adrenaline Championship.  Both are accomplished athletes, Dawn a former GDW Television Champion and Red Rayne the current reigning SCW Adrenaline Champion.  Winning twice in one night against two great competitors will be quite the task for The Dragon.

She knows she can accomplish this task but she also knows that she needs help to get the job done, hence why she has reached out to her cousin, her family, Monroe.

Despite everything, no matter what may happen and no matter what troubles or difficulties may arise, the Jones family seems to always come together, they are always there for one another.  The same can be said of the relationship Monroe has with Angelica.  At the deepest, darkest, recesses of her depression, when she was being blackmailed by one Thaddeus Rogers, Monroe Jones took a major risk by killing Thaddeus and thus eliminating him from Angelica's life permanently.

Angelica could not accept that Monroe was simply being kind, so she went out of her way to seek the truth.  It was on that quest that she learned about Katrina, the mysterious teenage girl Monroe met overseas in Europe and had a relationship with.  Monroe claimed it was consensual and she was a total stranger.  Isabelle, his sister, claims that he forced himself on her and that Katrina was her and Thaddeus's daughter.

Nevertheless, it was Angelica's turn to take a risk by continuing to put her trust in Monroe.  She would not blacklist him from the family the way Isabelle had been blacklisted.  She would not disown him.  Forever and for always Monroe was her cousin.  And no matter what Isabelle may say, Angelica will trust him.  Angelica will always have his back, because he always has her back.

The redhead is standing in the middle of a blue wrestling mat in an empty gym.  Jones is wearing her wrestling gear which consists of tight black leather pants, black boots, and a flame design black top.  Her long red hair is pulled into a ponytail in the back.  She is stretching when...

“Are you ready?”

She looks up to find Monroe Jones entering the scene wearing a red wrestling singlet and black wrestling boots.  A sly grin is on his face.  His body is sculpted almost like a Greek god.  Monroe truly does give off an impressive appearance of greatness as he slowly makes his way towards the wrestling mat, cracking his knuckles in an attempt at intimidation, one that does not go unnoticed by Angelica Jones.

“I am ready to walk through hell with Selena Frost, Dawn Lohan, and Red Rayne.” She says before pointing at Monroe. “I doubt there's anything you can do to me.”

“True enough, but at the very least I can try.”

Monroe steps onto the mat.  Jones braces herself for an attack as Monroe gets himself ready.  The two begin circling one another, neither one wants to be the first to strike.  This preparation, this stand off, seemingly goes on forever.

“As much as I appreciate you doing this,” Angelica begins “I have to ask when the hell you're going to attack?”

“Odd,” he grins “few actually want to get hurt.”

“Ha!” Angelica laughs. “Like you can hurt me!”

Monroe rushes in, shoots a double leg, and jackknifes her into a cover but Angelica wriggles free at the last possible second.  The two scramble back to their feet.  Angelica looks dumbfounded, shocked that he managed this but Monroe just smiles rather smugly.

“Lesson one, dear cousin,” he holds up a singular finger on his right hand “pride cometh before a fall.  Your catechism should have taught you that.”

“So I have heard, but have you heard who the hell I am?”

This time it's Angelica who rushes in but Monroe catches her with a deep arm drag into an arm bar.

“Yes, you are Angelica Jones, my somewhat headstrong cousin.”

“Fine, you got me there...”

“I have you now but more importantly,” he wrenches the arm bar in even tighter “Ms. Frost, Ms. Lohan, or Ms. Rayne will have you at Retribution, finished and defeated, if you do not clear your head and focus.”

“You want me to focus, eh?”

Angelica begins to fight her way back to her feet.  Her face contorts as she struggles through the pain.  The ginger-headed superstar does eventually make it back to her feet and reverses into a hammer lock on Monroe but Monroe uses his feet to trip her up.  She falls forward and he floats over into a side headlock.

“Getting better...” he winks “...but still not quite there.”

It is at that point that the mood shifts.  Her eyes seemingly change as she focuses into a zone that few have the unfortunate opportunity to see.  The intensity level picks up as she becomes something more.

The Dragon.

Almost immediately Angelica counters into a side headlock of her own.  Monroe uses his superior size and strength to power back up to his feet but Angelica drives a knee to his gut, fires off a European uppercut, and then drops down with a stunner style maneuver that takes Monroe off his feet.

Jones snatches his feet and attempts to turn him over into the Angel's Arch but Monroe fights it.  She keeps trying to turn him but it's clearly still too early to attempt such a move and Monroe kicks her away.  Monroe pops back to his feet and comes walking into a dropkick from Angelica that puts him back down again.

Monroe pops back up again and holds up his hands. “Hold on, hold on!  Time out!”

“Time out?!” Angelica's eyes look sinister, almost evil. “There is no...”

Her voice trails off as she studies Monroe.  Seeing his soft yet veteran features causes her to soften.  Jones seems to return to normal.

“...time out?”

“Yes,” he nods his head “time out.”

“Oh, my...” she rubs her forehead “I'm sorry, Monroe, I...”

“No, no, don't apologize.” He shakes his head. “I haven't had this good of a workout in years and besides, I think you needed this anyway.”

She sighs. “Maybe...”

“Be honest with yourself, dearest cousin.  You know what Selena Frost is capable of as you have faced her before, am I right?”

“Yes...”

“Prepare for Selena as if she will give you just as good a fight as before, if not better, because now she has experience against you and knows your weaknesses, just as you know hers.  The first fight is always easiest, the second is always the more challenging because now you know each other's weaknesses.”

He places a hand on her shoulder. “But I have confidence in you, dear cousin.  If you can repeat this kind of performance against Selena with that kind of intensity, then you should be triumphant.”

Angelica nods her head. “Well, I will do my best, but...thank you...”

“Thank you?”

“Thank you for assisting me with this.” Angelica states. “I mean, I'm kind of surprised you were willing to spar with me considering everything I've been doing with your sister and...”

He shakes his head. “Say no more.”

“Huh?”

“Angelica, you were curious, and justifiably so.  You and cousin Kayla deserve to know the truth about my sins while overseas in Europe.  And regardless of whether you believe me or Isabelle, I will always be with you, I will always stand by your side to help you should you need it.”

Angelica smiles, grinning from ear to ear.  This is what family is all about and perhaps this is what the answer to her question is?  The answer had nothing to do with who was right or wrong, who is good and bad, as all are guilty in this horrible situation.  What Angelica found is that the Jones family bond is stronger than any scandal.  Nothing can tear them apart.

Still, a part of her is curious as to whether or not Monroe is a rapist or just an innocent, if not somewhat promiscuous man?   But that is another question for another time.  And perhaps it is a question that she does not want to see answered?

That is perhaps is the question Angelica is afraid to hear the answer to...

==========

Monroe Jones

On Camera

==========

I knew from the very beginning that my cousin Angelica Jones had it what it took to survive the opening phase of Shot of Adrenaline.  And she didn't just survive, she excelled.  In a series of seven matches she won five of them, lost only one, and drew another.

Not bad if I do say so myself, though I am biased in favor of my somewhat deranged cousin.

Now the semi-finals and finals will be held in one night, the night of Retribution, and my lovable cousin faces the woman she adores oh so much...

...and I am DEFINITELY speaking facetiously...

...Selena Frost.

You are an honorable warrior, Selena, and should you win it all you would have definitely earned it.  Defeating Angelica is quite a task, one that you haven't even managed to accomplish if I recall?  You drew with her, and tapped out right at the last buzzer.

As good as you are, as honorable as you may be, I take offense at you calling my cousin cowardly or a worm.  Her tactics may be...questionable...but she backs down from no challenger.  She is a warrior true and true.  She is a proud athlete and sometimes that pride gets away with her.

But to say she is a coward is dead wrong.  I do hope you will learn the error of your ways but I fear it will happen at your expense at Retribution.  Perhaps Angelica will make you tap out again?  Perhaps then you will learn to respect her.

You may not like her tactics.  I don't like her tactics.  But you have to respect her.  Especially you, someone who has tapped out to her.  Or you will tap out to her again.

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Angelica Jones

On Camera

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Let's talk respect for just a moment here, ladies and gentlemen.

Specifically, let's talk respect...Selena Frost...

You can talk about my tactics all day long, Selena.  You can whine and bitch about how I got to where I am, you can moan and groan about how I injured you and Merrick Wiseman.  Keep whining about everything I do...but what you cannot do, what you cannot say, is that you do not respect me.

Because it's a lie.

You have NO CHOICE but to respect me, Selena, and do you know want to know why?

You gave up.

Breakdown...you and I went toe to toe, face to face, to the buzzer, and you earned my respect as A COMPETITOR...I hate your guts as a human being but as a competitor you EARNED my respect because you went bell to bell with me.  But then, when the final bell sounded, I heard that oh so joyous noise that brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eye...

...the tapping of your hand to the mat.

You speak of your believers and yet you yourself did not believe, you yourself GAVE UP.  You QUIT!  You quit on your fans and more importantly on yourself!  YOU GAVE UP!

You tapped out.

You say you don't respect me but that's a lie.  That's a lie and I know it's a lie because if you did not respect me then you NEVER would have tapped out.  Tapping out is just another way of saying that YOU are NOT as good as I am.

And that is precisely what you said to me when you tapped out, you just said it without words.

This journey has been a long and tireless one, one that has led me through seven matches so far and now has brought me to the semi-finals at Retribution.  Only one of us will advance to the finals to face either Dawn Lohan or Red Rayne for the tournament victory and the SCW Adrenaline Championship.  We've learned a lot about one another as we went along, because while you may not have been paying much attention to me, I have been paying a great deal of attention to you and I know exactly who and what you are.

Arrogant.

Self-righteous.

Self-serving.

But you are also a tremendous competitor.  Not as good as me, but still tremendous nevertheless.  Making you tap out once, even if it was just a fraction of a second too late, was enough to make my millennium.

Now?  Now is my chance to do what so many have failed to do.

Humble you.

The Adrenaline division is NOT your division.  The Queen of the Ring division in IWC is NOT your division.  You are not the savior of those or any other division.  You are just another competitor, taking up space on the roster.  Nothing special.  No different from any other wrestler on the SCW roster.

To set yourself up as something better, something special above them, is arrogance beyond anything else I could ever conceive of.  Because when you make those kinds of statements that you do, you had better be prepared to back them up little girl, because there will always be someone, be it a youngster or a veteran like me, ready to put you back in your place.

I make grand statements myself.  I do not pretend to be different from you.  I am the best in the world and I will declare it to the world at large without pretending to be a humble hero to the fans.  Instead I go out to the ring each and every night and prove to the world and to all of my critics that I AM RIGHT that I AM the best.

Retribution I will prove once more that I am the best.  I will prove it by wrestling and winning twice in one night by defeating you and Dawn...or you and Red...but I will win.  I will be SCW Adrenaline Champion.