Hostile Takeover (3)

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Scene 1

Off Camera

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The past few months have been a whirlwind ride for Summer Collins.  It’s been quite similar to a roller coaster ride with the ups and downs that have made up her life as of late.  The excitement of starting a new journey in the professional wrestling organization known as Emerge, and not just that but tag teaming with her husband Neil Newman as they attempt to claim their tag team championship gold.  The shock and major letdown upon hearing the news of the death of her parents followed by an even bigger shock when the will was read and it was announced that she was given full ownership of the family business; Collins Incorporated.

While her parents dying is definitely an unwanted event, it was also expected and thus Summer had already braced herself for that inevitability.  What she did not expect was for her parents to give her the keys to the kingdom, so to speak.  Collins Incorporated grew from a small family business to a major international powerhouse.  During the time when their parents were too sick to run the company, it was Summer’s older brother Michael Collins who took charge of the company and made all of the major decisions.  It stood to reason that Michael would be given the ownership of Collins Incorporated upon their death.  Yet it seems that their parents had other plans in mind.

It baffles Summer to no end and she still isn’t even sure herself if she wants to own Collins Incorporated.  Running this major international corporation brings with it a great deal of responsibility.  Many employees are relying upon her decisions to keep the company moving in an upward motion.

“Quit the primping, babe.” That’s the voice of Jessica Lasiewicz, daughter of Angelica Jones and Summer’s best friend.  Jessica sits in the living room of Summer’s luxurious estate, watching her friend stare at herself in a full length mirror. “You look fine.  But then again, don’t we always look absolutely Fabulous?”

Summer chuckles. “Of course, not that you needed to use our catchphrase to remind me of that, Jess.”

“I need to get you away from the mirror some way.” Jessica insists. “Besides, do you really need to look good for a training session with your husband?”

“Point taken.” Upon hearing those words from Jessica, Summer turns and sits down on the sofa next to her.  She sighs. “Maybe my mind is just not all there right now, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh there are places I could go with that, but I won’t.” Jessica remarks with a wry grin.

“Wise decision.” Summer says with a noticeable frown.

“What is bothering you, babe?” Jessica asks quizzically. “Is it your mom and dad still?”

“No, not that.” Collins shakes her head. “They were sick for quite some time.  Their deaths were expected.  It’s what I found out after the fact, at the reading of their will, that’s been troubling me.”

Jessica’s eyes grow wide with a look of realization upon her face. “Oh yeah, you inherited the entirety of Collins Incorporated.”

“Yep…” Summer’s voice trails off.  Jessica stares at her best friend for awhile, studying the look on her face, before answering.

“You’re not happy about it, are you?”

“No.” Summer shakes her head.

“Why not, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Michael deserves it, Jess.” Summer begins with a deep sigh. “He has been running that company for a very long time now.  Ever since mom and dad got sick to the point that they couldn’t handle the company any longer, it was Michael who took the reins.  He did it because he was the business savvy one.  Me?”

Summer shakes her head. “I am far from business savvy.  I wouldn’t know the first thing about how to keep that company running.  Maybe I should just give it to Michael and wash my hands of this…”

“Seriously?” Jessica asks with a puzzled look on her face.

“Yeah, seriously.”

“Summer, you may doubt yourself right now but your mom and dad clearly had faith enough in you to give you the company and not your brother.  Collins Incorporated is already a powerhouse.  It’s going strong.  You just need to keep it going.  How hard can it be?”

“You have no idea.” Summer remarks.

“But I believe in you, and so did your parents.  So consider it.”

“I’ll give it some thought.”

“That’s all I ask.”

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Scene 2

Off Camera

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While Summer was off with Jessica, Neil was waiting for his wife inside of the state of the art gym he is more grateful than ever she insisted to set up. He wouldn’t start without her. He didn’t mind waiting, there lives have been more than busy. Between Emerge and the huge responsibility laid on the lap of his wife, Neil’s main responsibility has been making sure the weight of the world didn’t crash down on Summer. Tough enough to deal with a parents death and a company with hundreds of employees to worry about, being a wrestler as well? Enough “excitement” to unsettle anyone. Neil is happy, not once thinking about how recent events affect him. 

Summer eventually showed up, looking as fabulous as ever.  Summer stepped into the ring Neil was waiting for her in. He can tell she was trying to get into training mode. He wouldn’t blame her at all if her mind was elsewhere. Exactly what he anticipated. She closes the distance between them. 

“How about we start with this...?”

Neil doesn’t lock her up. He doesn’t try to take her down. He... poses like he is a praying mantis. 

Summer looks at him strangely. “Babe...”

“Work with me here.” Neil insist. 

“I don’t get the point of this.”

“Good.” Neil goofy smiles. “We need to prepare for anything. Moustache Ride will throw anything at us.”

Summer chuckles. “Don’t think they know the praying mantis style.”

“I don’t either. They could. They are unpredictable. I was thinking what is the most unpredictable thing I can throw at you.”

Summer raises her eyebrow. “Well...” Summer breaks out laughing. “Stop. You look like a goof.”

“I kinda do.” Neil stops acting like a praying Mantis. “Would you like to see what else I had in mind?”

Summer shakes her head. “That’s ok. Thanks, I needed that.” 

Summer sighs deeply.  “Neil, can I ask you a question?”  

“Anything.”

“I spoke with Jessica earlier.  I got her opinion; now I want yours.  Collins Incorporated has always been my parents’s business, or Michael’s, but never mine.” She shakes her head. “Never ever was it my baby.  Michael has been running it for years for mom and dad.  That’s why them willing it to me is so shocking.  I’m seriously considering just selling it to him.  But Jessica doesn’t think I should.” 

“My business expertise is next to zero, but; the question you need to ask yourself before you come to a final decision is, are you going to be able to give Collins Incorporated the time needed to ensure the family business continues to prosper? Take wrestling for instance, both of us dedicated our lives to become the best we can be. We train religiously. We travel, you more than me, we do live our lives on the road. We have to stay on top of the opponents we’re facing. There is a lot of time and energy that goes into what we do. I imagine it would be the same for running a business. Long hours. Being briefed on the inner workings. Whatever else you need to do to ensure the business doesn’t fall apart. In todays age you can work from home or on the road, modern technology does make things easier. In my eyes, not a matter of if you can, I believe, so did your father. With everything going on, are you certain you can continue to keep the pace you have between Emerge, GCW and running Collins Inc? Answer that, we’ll move forward. Whatever you decide, I’m all in.”

Summer pauses to take time to consider the words uttered by her husband.  He makes good points and she does truly want to fulfill her father’s wishes.  “My dad wanted me to have this company, I don’t know why but he did.  Clearly he believed in me.  And if he believed in me, then so should I.  And if it was his dying wish for me to continue the family business, then who am I to turn that down?”

Summer grins from ear to ear. “It may be challenging, but it is a challenge that I’m up for.  I will do whatever it takes to keep things going.”

Neil smiles. “I knew you would. Remember, you’re not alone.”

Summer hugs her husband. “I know. Thanks for all your support.”

Neil and Summer continues to embrace knowing there would be challenging times ahead. 

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On Camera

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Since day one of the arrival of myself and my husband upon the scene in Emerge, we have had one singular stated goal and that was to become the tag team champions and use that platform to reinvigorate tag team wrestling in the sport today.  And let’s face it, anything we touch becomes golden and it becomes absolutely Fabulous.

What have we done since our arrival?  What have we done since declaring our intentions of one day becoming Emerge Tag Team Champions?  Win.  We’ve been winning again and again and no one has been able to stop us.  Quite honestly, I am beginning to wonder if anyone really can stop us.  The answer is simply no, no one can stop us.  Reinvigorating tag team wrestling, making it golden again, and making it Fabulous, that is the destiny of myself and my husband Neil.  It’s what we were born and bred to do.  It is what we WILL do here in Emerge.  And you don’t have to thank us for saving your tag team division, Drew.  Believe me, it is our duty and responsibility to make tag team wrestling great, under the Newman banner.

“There was a huge announcement a few weeks ago. Emerge is officially its own company. That’s great. A step in the right direction. As great as that accomplishment was, lets not lose sight of one simple fact, Emerge isn’t perfect. It will be soon because of me and my wife, lets not allow the positive publicity to hide behind the fact that tag team wrestling in Emerge has been on a slippery slope for a very long time. The first champions abandoned this company. Jason and Willow imploded on each other. ToXXin are no longer around, neither are those twins whose names I can’t recall. And Tombstone? Pfft. Hardly the wrestlers me and my wife are. Picking off the carcass of a division that has always been broken. No more need to worry. Unlike Serotonin, ToXXin, Jason-Willow, the twins and Tombstone, we are the embodiment of tag team wrestling, me and my wife won’t just make the tag division great again. We’ll make it great, period. It is an insult to us Drew you handed Mustache Ride a championship match at Invasion: Miami? This is what we’re talking about, the division is so broken you handed a title match to those two.  That’s ok, at Emerge #27, we’ll prove how wrong you are placing your faith behind a bunch of hairy clowns.