Glimmer of Hope

[The Headliner]

A sign points around the bend towards the city of St Louis, as probationers clad in orange jumpsuits collect roadside trash. Overseen by a supervisor, each of the dozen or so participants grabs assorted debris at the end of a long handle, before depositing in a clear plastic bag in his or her other hand. Among them is Jimmy Duxen, who pauses when we approach.

"I guess this means we're finally back on television," he says, casually resuming his litter duty, "And I've heard the rumor he's been spreading around the company. Harrison Hughes thinks that just because I shut down the old HPW when my father came in as commissioner, that I was responsible for these technical problems after losing ownership back to our glorious leader."

Jimmy smiles, "But the difference between this outage and the last, is that I'm in a better place right now. Sure, I may not look it here today, at the side of a road picking up trash. But after HPW 6, when my father and I teamed up and put Hughes in his place, I've no reason to be bitter. And besides, why would I jeopardize my probation by ruining the company of my sponsor? If he can't keep the show on the air a few weeks after regaining control, then I'd say the blame lies squarely at the feet of our chairman."

At the feet of the former chairman, an old newspaper tumbles across the ground until grabbed by Duxen's litter stick. He picks it up and unfolds the front page of the dusty, slightly faded rag. Staring back at him is his own photograph, beneath the headline: "LOCAL COP CHARGED AND DISCHARGED."

"When I think how hard I've fought to stay out of prison, to serve out my sentence on probation... it makes this Sunday an ironic situation. Hughes has made it no secret that he wants me nowhere near the World Title, but he seems keen to support the decisions of the new general manager - whoever that is. In the current climate of my career, a Fatal Four Way against the top competition in HPW is an opportunity I can't afford to miss. Like everyone else it seems, I know nothing about this new GM, whether he's fair handed or a spineless Harrison Hughes sycophant. But when you're in my shoes, you only get one chance to make a first impression. If I prove my worth, then maybe, just maybe, a title shot won't be out of the question after all.

"But to do that, I have to step inside a steel cage, and put myself behind bars. To reach for the one thing I need the most, I have to willingly confront the life I've been striving to avoid."

Jimmy stuffs the media publication into his plastic bag, "This Sunday, I'm entering the lion's den, where I will stake my claim to three hungry animals as king of their jungle. I don't take them lightly. Micheal Bloodman's no legend, but he's been dominating HPW while I was distracted by personal battles. If he wants to prove himself the man he thinks he is, he'll have to go through me to leave that cage. Something Julian Bosley couldn't do when we last met. But if anyone has the unbreakable desire to escape those confines, it's an Xcon, and I know he'll take advantage of the chaos in that match. Chaos that seems to follow Trent Malik everywhere he goes, taking credit for the recent downtime and boasting a history of steel cage violence. But Malik, just like Bosley and Bloodman, doesn't have what I have - and that's a must-win motivation this Sunday."

Duxen's eyes are overcome with sincere determination, "This may be my last shot at reaching the top in HPW. If I win this match, the climb only gets harder. But first I have to pass three opponents to escape that cage, and escape the legacy to which I've condemned myself. This Sunday, I take back control not of Harrison's company, but of my career and my life. I've no desire to turn off the lights, when for this solitary moment, through this one little window of opportunity, my future in HPW looks a little brighter."

"DIXON!"

Jimmy glares resentfully towards the probationers' supervisor. As our uninvited visit comes to an end, the former deputy indicates the newspaper in his litter bag and leaves us with the promise, "One day again, they'll be printing my name for the right reasons - when I become the World Champion in Headline Pro Wrestling."