Desperation

[Cory]

The Rated RKO locker room was host to a lot of gold today. The EBWF World Championship and both Tag Team Championship belts were suspended from hooks on the wall near Randy and Adam's change area. As Wrestlemania drew ever closer, the usual chaos backstage just hours before the most important program of the year was in full swing. Randy and Adam never took for granted the privilege of having their own space. Perhaps it was a mutually beneficial arrangement, allowing Rated RKO to prepare for their matches in peace, while sparing the general population from their antics. Everyone is a bundle of nerves just hours before Wrestlemania, and the last thing EBWF brass needs is Randy or Adam making some kid look foolish just before they're participating in the most important match of their career.

Their pre-show silence was soon interrupted as the senior cameraman Drew activated his camera and focused it on the soon-to-be competitors in the main event of Wrestlemania. Randy and Adam had worked with Drew enough over the years that there was barely any conversation needed. That was their cue.

Randy Orton: So, what do you think? After we burn the house down tonight, you figure we'll have another match against Cameron Grimes and Tomasso Ciampa on Warfare?

Edge chuckled.

Edge: Another masterstroke by the brainiacs in charge. You would think they would have learned to...

Edge's face soured as the door opened, and in stepped Paul Heyman into the Rated RKO locker room.

Edge: ...hire smarter people.

Paul Heyman:: Gentlemen. I hope I'm not disturbing anything of particular importance.

Randy Orton: We're not doing anything of particular importance, but you managed to disturb it anyway.

Heyman gave Randy a toothy smile.

Paul Heyman:: I just wanted to wish the two of you the best of luck in your main event tonight. Two of our finest veteran talents showing the kids what a main event looks like. Randy, I wanted to give you a heads up on some upcoming speaking events that I'd like you to consider...

Edge scoffed and shook his head.

Edge: Really? Are we really doing this? You're going to come into our locker room and do this bit where you pretend like I'm not here, and that's supposed to convince Randy to... what, exactly? Take you on as an "advocate"?

Paul Heyman:: Now, now Edge, let's not be uncouth. I'm simply trying to--

Randy sighed and stood up.

Randy Orton: Paul, what is this. You got involved with a contract signing that you had no place being at, you constantly interrupt Edge and myself when we're backstage. You've been selling me this act since you realized that Brock Lesnar could only be a part-time money making slab of beef. I'm going to say this one more time real clearly. I. ain't. buying. Now run along, Paul. Go pay Jericho back his twenty bucks.

With that, Randy turned to face away from Heyman, but Paul grabbed his bicep. Randy wheeled around and stopped himself just short of decking Heyman right then and there. Heyman put his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

Paul Heyman:: Hey hey hey. Listen. Relax. I know when I'm not wanted. I'll be on my way.

Randy narrowed his eyes and straightened up as Paul turned to leave. Just as he walked out the door, he stopped and turned to address Orton again.

Paul Heyman:: A word of advice. My job is not simply to be a mouthpiece. My job is go make the life of my client easier, 24/7. Often times at the expense of those who are not my clients. I'm very good at what I do. And if you're not interested... someone else will be.

Heyman took a hard look at Edge before fully turning at walking out of the room. Randy shook his head.

Randy Orton: I'm getting too old for this shit.

Edge grinned and clapped Randy on the back, grabbing his tag team title belt off the wall.

Edge: I've got to go make a whole bunch of interviewers really mad. Maybe do something about the rat problem in this room before I get back, yeah?

Randy Orton: What a weird guy.

Edge nodded and left the locker room, headed off to cut his Wrestlemania promo. Randy sighed and took a glance at the camera, still recording.

Randy Orton: Did you know I'm celebrating my 41st birthday in a few days? That means I'll have been in this business for over 18 years. My career could buy cigarettes. And yet that greasy penguin wants to come in here and act like I'm some kind of first year prospect? Trying to recruit me in front of my tag team partner?

Randy shook his head,

Randy Orton: This. This is what we have been talking about for years now. The typical boilerplate promo about Rated RKO is that we're washed up has beens who don't care about the business anymore. The reality that no one wants to admit is that Edge and I are the best two wrestlers in this company by a country mile. And yet somehow, we just keep...

Randy grabbed the tag belt off the wall and dropped it onto the chair in front of him.

Randy Orton: ...getting...

He grabbed his World Championship belt and dropped it on the same chair.

Randy Orton: Underestimated. Paul Heyman is just another symptom of a disease that has infected this company. A disease of stupidity where everyone is so consumed by their own averageness that they can't do anything but try to bring us down to their level. There's no way we're letting that happen to us. Edge was at my wedding. He's an uncle to my daughter. He is family to me in a more meaningful way than most of my biological family. Do people legitimately think they can crowbar that with a career opportunity? Tonight, Edge and I are going to leave everything we have in the ring. We are going to embarrass the other wrestlers of this company in ways they didn't think possible. And when all is said and done, after we beat each other senseless and I use every single weapon in my disposal, one of us will be left barely standing. Win or lose, I will still jump in front of a train for that man. But between you and me?

Randy smirked.

Randy Orton: We both know what's going to happen. I've been preparing for this match for a long time. I knew this match was going to happen eventually. It was just a matter of the opportunity presenting itself. Edge winning the Rumble, or being on the opposite side of the tournament bracket. When you tag team with the only other wrestler worth a damn, the writing is on the wall. I have no doubt he's done the same ten times over. But the truth is, if you don't think you're the best in the world, you don't belong here. I know who I am, I know what I'm capable of. And tonight? In the best and arguably only challenge I've had in the last 3 years? I'm going to prove it.

Randy picked up his World Championship belt and hoisted it over his shoulder.

Randy Orton: If there's one thing Paul Heyman has succeeded in doing, it's proving to the entire EBWF Universe that Rated RKO is the most dominant force in this company and nothing anyone can do about it. Edge and I are going to war tonight, and when the dust settles, not a damn thing will have changed. Rated RKO will still baffle and irritate the big hater on the 30th floor for years to come.

Randy grinned.

Randy Orton: And that's not just a prediction.

He grabbed the camera and pulled it close to him, forcing it to zoom in on his icy features.

Randy Orton: That's a spoiler.

He shoved the camera backward and the screen shattered to black as the EBWF logo flashed in the corner.