From Fiesta Preview, http://wwa-online.com/?pg=preview&show=224:

"In our Main Event, Mal Somer’s issues with Vik Ventressa and Wrestle Man go on. Now Vik has thrown him into a handicap match against the WWA Tag Team Champions, Kindred. Can Mal survive or will Kindred put an end to the Somers story for good?"

It was only a matter of time. At least that was the though running through Kharon's head when he heard about Ventressa using he and his brother as his own personal torture weapons. Since they arrived in WWA, they had done nothing but destroy whoever it was that had been placed in front of them.

Mal Somers would be no different.

That was why Ventressa had picked them to do his dirty work. Truth be told, Kharon didn't like Ventressa very much at all. Something about him seemed slimey, but having Mal Somers, one of the greatest tag champions of all time AND possibly one of the greatest WWA wrestlers to ever lace up a pair of boots, gift wrapped and handed to him was really a step in the right direction to winning Kindred over.

"Mal will not go into this blindly," Legion was the first to speak. He always was. "He's been at this too long. He'll have something up his sleeve."

Legion was probably right. The wars that Mal Somers had been through had given him enough experience to not only survive this match, but to possibly win it.

Win it? Kharon laughed at himself for even having the thought dance through his head.

"Maybe he'll bring Rookie. I'd like nothing more than to be able to shove that stupid little belt up his ass." Kharon was hyper-critical of Mal Somers. Despite all the successes Mal had had, he never treated his tenure in the WWA like anything more than a birthday party...with him being the clown. "He's an embarrassment. I look forward to dismantling him."

Mal had became one half of the most popular tag teams in WWA history by way of a seemingly endless list of parlor tricks, bad jokes, and one-liners. He had risen up through the ranks more because people enjoyed watching him make a fool of himself week-in, and week-out than because of his abilities. He would lure people out of their gameplans with child-like tactics, then take advantage after he had wooed them into a false-sense of security.

Mal Somers was, in Kindred's opinion, a mediocre wrestler at best, but one of the greatest entertainers ever. But being an Entertainer wouldn't help him Monday. No. Not at all.

"I don't like having to do Ventressa's dirty work, though." Legion had always been suspicious of Commissioners that used other wrestlers to get their points across. If they couldn't control things by word alone, what kind of a leader were they? "This is starting us down a bad path."

"It's just a match. Against one person." Kharon smirked. He knew what his brother had meant, but in reality, Mal Somers had been at the top of this business nonstop for the better part of five years. From EWA to WWA. Mal had rarely taken time off. He had rarely been away from the limelight. To Kharon, that meant that he was set up very nicely for quite a sizeable fall.

"One Person? Don't be so arrogant."

"Arrogant? Mal will have to break every bone in my body to keep my hands from his throat."

"Armaan managed to survive us."

"Armaan...That debacle was because of Him, and His unprescedented favor of Proteus."

"What do you mean?"

"Had it been either of us, He wouldn't have demanded that the rest of us interfere in such a panic. He didn't want his glory child to get beaten."

"Kharon..."

"Don't interupt me. You see it. You're just too afraid to say it. Proteus could have won that match by himself had He not paniced and pulled the trigger too early."

"I don't ..."

"Think so? Of course you do. Let's face it. He isn't interested in KINDRED, he is interested in PROTEUS. You heard how He sang his praises to Thorne on Meltdown."

"..."

"I don't like the path He has chosen for the three of us. Soon, he will rip Proteus from us."

"I don't want to hear anymore."

But Kharon was right, wasn't he? The frustrations he had inside had built for weeks. He was certain that Legion had them too, but His control over the three of them made it very difficult to discuss such things. He was only interested in the benefits of Proteus. Not Kharon. Not Legion. The smart thing would to be abandon Him and Proteus all together, but he couldn't do that to his brother. He wouldn't. And now that the frustrations had risen to a boiling point, poor Mal Somers would pay the price ten-fold.

"Come on. Proteus is waiting for us." Legion barked the order out like he was still chewing on what Kharon had said. Kharon smiled. He'd let that thought bounce in his brother's head for a while before bringing it up again. At least he had made him THINK.

As the two Champions leave, from in a dark corner the sound of a lighter can be heard.

*FLICK*

*FLICK*

Then the small illuminated red cherry from a cigar as one long pull is taken from it. He had been there the whole time. He had heard every word. And as He exhaled, the thick smoke danced around where his head should be like a dragon.

"They'll betray you Proteus. I only hope you aren't blinded by brotehrly loyalty to see it."

The evil laughter from HIm fills the room.

FADE