Let's Collaborate... Work Together... etc... etc...

Bryan Dawkins: Look, I know what I said last week but…some things have come up.

Bryan is outside the Ellis’ homestead, AirPods nestled in his ears whilst pacing back and forth outside the apartment. He’s sweating but it has nothing to do with the heat or humidity - this perspiration is a direct result of the conversation that’s been going on for the past fifteen minutes.

Bryan Dawkins: He’s just gonna have to wait, Kai.

‘If I keep pacing back and forth on their lawn, I’m going to have to pay for new sod…’ Bryan thinks as he wears a path in the front yard. He’d be right if the drought conditions hadn’t already killed all of the grass in the midwest this summer. He hops over onto the pavement and continues his pacing like a prisoner inside his cell.

Bryan Dawkins: Yeah yeah, I know. It’s been fourteen years.

He pauses, allowing Kai to say her piece.

Bryan Dawkins: Look, I don’t know what to tell you. I was gonna swing by your way on the way to Oregon but…some things came up.

If you listen really closely, you would hear Kai asking “what kind of things?”

Bryan gulps - he knows his next statement won’t go over well.

Bryan Dawkins: Well, uh…my new tag partner, Adam…he and his wife Ginny…they had their first child and I felt like I needed t’be here. Y’know, for solidarity and such.

He instinctively grimaces as the words exit his mouth, anticipating the nuclear reaction. He continues to pace with squinting eyes, preparing for impact.

Instead…silence.

Dawkins immediately feels it in the pit of his stomach - it’s the same feeling you get when your father says that they’re not mad at you, they’re just disappointed.

Without thinking, he does what any human who knows they fucked up does–scramble.

Bryan Dawkins: Yeah I mean, we’re a new team. Tryin’ to get on the same page and…well, uh, seemed like they could use my support.

If Bryan had a shovel, he would be halfway to China at this rate.

He keeps digging.

Bryan Dawkins: I mean, you remember how it was when we had Nico, right?

Anyone standing within earshot could hear Kai exclaim “HIS NAME IS NICHOLAS!” Just keep digging, Bryan.

Bryan Dawkins: Yeah, sorry…but you remember, right?

Of course she does.

Bryan Dawkins: I needed to be here, Kai.

Probably needed to be there for his son all those years ago, too.

He sighs and rubs his temples. A migraine is imminent. A stiff drink may help.

Bryan Dawkins: Look, we’re in Portland on the 23rd. I can probably…er, I can make time to swing by on the way to Vancouver. The big show’s actually in Seattle in about a month, so I’ll be around then too. I can get you and Nico–I mean, Nicholas, tickets!

Too little, too late. He frowns at Kai’s response as the porch light turns on, illuminating the pavement.

Bryan Dawkins: Well, uh…I guess you can think about it, ya? Can get tickets for ya anytime.

The last thing Kai cares about right now are comped tickets, but it’s all Bryan has to offer. Although you can’t hear Kai’s side of the conversation, you can see the effect of her words, slicing through Bryan like a hand-forged Japanese knife through a cheap steak.

By the end of her soliloquy, Dawkins looks defeated–something he’s gotten awful used to over the past eight months–and stares blankly at the scorched lawn in front of him. He doesn’t hear the front door open behind him, revealing his tag team partner emerging from the house.

Bryan Dawkins: Look Kai, I’m doin’ the best I can right now. I promise we’ll meet soon and work this ou–

Stopped in his tracks. His eyes well up, distorting his vision. As he’s trying to wipe the tears from his eyes, he turns around to see Ellis looking on apologetically. Bryan attempts to compose himself.

Bryan Dawkins: Yeah, I get it. I won’t mess this up. I’ll see you guys soon. Bye.

He attempts to clear his throat but it’s not quite working. Ellis takes the hint.

Adam Ellis: Hey Bryan, you didn’t have to come all this way. We’re glad you’re here. Come on in…

Bryan manages a weak, half-hearted smile. As he approaches the door, Ellis throws an arm over Bryan’s shoulders, pulling him in close.

Adam Ellis: She’s beautiful, man. Can’t wait for you to meet her.

***

The Ellis apartment is quiet and tranquil as two figures lie sprawled across the bed in their bedroom. They are lost in the few precious hours of downtime that new parenthood reluctantly yields. Adam, with his broad shoulders, and the gentle rise and fall of his chest, is the immovable object, an oak in a forest of dreams. Ginny’s fiery red hair fanned out on the pillow, lies beside him, the iron-willed defender of the domestic ring they have built together resting comfortably in her oversized t-shirt with an American flag in the center.

Then…

*WAHHHHHHHHHH*

Ginny shoots up from a deep sleep, her mother's instincts kicking in as she scans the room for the source of distress.

Ginny Van Lear (half-asleep): Whaa… huh?

She finds it in the baby monitor broadcasting the shrill cry of baby Abbigail that fills the bedroom and sighs.

Ginny slaps her forehead and shakes her head.

Ginny Van Lear: Guess I ain’t gettin’ much sleep tonight.

But before Ginny can throw herself off the mattress and into the fray, the bedroom door swings open with the suddenness of an unannounced entry at a royal rumble.

Ginny Van Lear: ADAM!

There stands Bryan Dawkins, his tattooed arms relaxed by his sides, his pineapple-patterned wrestling tights a stark contrast to the muted colors of the room. Behind his colorful sunglasses, even in the dead of night, his gaze is steady, fixed on the task at hand.

Ginny, adrenaline flowing, reaches under her bed and whips out her shotgun. Dawkins quickly raises his hands.

Bryan Dawkins: WHOA GINNY! No need to come out blastin’, bruh!

Looking through the sleep in her eyes, Ginny realizes who it is.

Ginny Van Lear: Bryan?

Dawkins nods with an assuring arm gesture.

Bryan Dawkins:  I got this. Go back to sleep.

Ginny's mind races. She nudges Adam,

Ginny Van Lear (voice sharp with urgency): Why is Bryan here?

Adam, still half-entrenched in slumber's sweet grasp, barely lifts his eyelids.

Adam Ellis (mumbling with groggy undertones): We're...working together.

Ginny’s confused.

Ginny Van Lear: Huh?

Adam taps Ginny on the arm and rolls back over.

Adam Ellis: It’s all right honey.  Just go back to sleep.

With those words, he settles back into the comfort of the bed like a giant claiming his territory within the ropes.

Bryan gives Ginny a weak wave and closes the bedroom door to head for Abbigail’s nursery, prepared to face off with whatever grave challenge lay ahead for him... having never changed a diaper in his life.

Ginny sits motionless wondering what the hell is going on? Why is her tag team partner in life allowing his PRIME tag team partner to run interference at this hour?

After a couple quiet moments of contemplation and gazing up at the ceiling for divine guidance to explain all this, Ginny flops back down in bed with a resigned sigh.  She peeks one last time over at Adam… who’s already sound asleep.

Ginny Van Lear: Figures.

She rolls her eyes and then rolls over and closes them to get some much-needed shut-eye.

A close-up of Adam’s eyes revealed rapid eye movement…as if he was having a dream or something. Suddenly, the silence is pierced by the faint, unmistakable sound of a wrestling bell echoing in the distance—a harbinger of a dream sequence about to begin. It's a subtle, reverberating tone that seems to emanate from the depths of Adam's mind; a call to action in a dreamscape where reality bends to the will of imagination.

As the bell continues to toll, softly at first, then growing steadily louder, the scene within Adam's dream begins to materialize. An ethereal glow bathes a beachside bar on the Gulf coast where he finds himself sitting with Bryan Dawkins.

Adam Ellis: Thanks for asking me to come down here for a beer, Bryan.

Bryan Dawkins: Figured you could use a few minutes away from the chaos of new parenthood, bruh.

Adam Ellis: Yeah, it’s been a long week… getting used to being up at all hours of the night when Abbigail is hungry and helping out Ginny when she needs a diaper change.

Bryan Dawkins: Been there, bruh. It’s not easy.

Adam Ellis: Bryan, this was a good idea.  I think part of the problem with our tag team is we’re not collaborating enough.

Bryan Dawkins: I mean, we’ve been together for what, a month now? Not sure that’s enough time to really be clickin’ on all cylinders, ya?

Adam Ellis: As a tag team, we should be coming together by now.  Be a little more cohesive.

Bryan Dawkins: I hear ya, bruh. I’m sure it’ll come with time. Not to mention, it’s not like our plates outside the ring aren’t a little full, am I right?

Adam Ellis: Right, cohesive. And we should be… collaborating a little more.

Bryan Dawkins: I mean…I’ve got some ideas.

Adam Ellis: So, what do you have in mind?

We cut to a music video montage stolen directly from the Naked Gun, featuring Herman's Hermit's ‘I'm into Something Good’. The video starts with both Adam Ellis and Bryan Dawkins in their wrestling gear running in shallow water down the beach in slow motion.

“Woke up this morning feeling fine.”

Ellis and Dawkins now are on the beach tossing a beach ball back and forth.

“Had something special…”

Adam’s throw is short and Dawkins has to bend over to pick up the ball.  Another beach ball then flies in with velocity and smacks Ellis in the face.  Adam recoils and falls backward onto the sandy beach.  Dawkins then proceeds to laugh at him.

“…on my mind.”

Adam and Bryan order cotton candy from a vendor on the beach. 

“Last night I met a new girl in the neighborhood, whoa yeah.”

Adam takes a bite out of his and flashes a thumbs up.  Then both he and Dawkins randomly rear back and laugh heartily.

“Something tells me I’m into something good.”

Next. We see Adam and Dawkins sitting in a chair at a tattoo parlor where two burly, bearded biker-like men are putting a tattoo on Adam’s left arm and Dawkins’s right.

Adam gets a “FUCK THE RED ARMY!” tattoo on his arm; Dawkins a “ROSE SUCKS!” tattoo.

(“Something tells me I'm into something…”)

Next, Adam and Dawkins at a hot dog stand.   Dawkins holds up a thing of mustard and is having trouble getting anything to come out.

“She's the kind of girl who's not too shy.”

Dawkins bangs the container down and then shoots out a stream of mustard that hits Adam in the stomach… and the face… and his arm. 

“And I can tell I'm her kind of guy.”

Adam shrugs and takes a container of ketchup and sprays it all over Dawkins.  Bryan laughs uproariously.

“She danced close to me like I hoped she would...”

The hot dog vender is also laughing so Adam and Bryan decide to spray him with ketchup and mustard too.  

(“She danced with me like I hoped she would”)

And everyone laughs raucously as Dawkins turns and sprays ketchup all over someone who’s dressed up like Rose.

“…oh yeah.”

Now at a rodeo.  Dressed in cowboy garb… because that seems to be a thing around PRIME at the moment… Dawkins shoots out of the gate on top of a bucking bronco.

“Something tells me I'm into something good.”

He gets thrown off.  But Adam… dressed in a traditional cowboy hat, vest, and cowboy boots is there to pull him off the muddy ground.

(“Something tells me I'm into something…”)

They high-five.

During the instrumental part of the song, again we see Dawkins and Ellis running along the beach in the water.

Then Ellis and Dawkins are standing on the stern of a large boat where Adam recreates Leonard DiCaprio’s epic pose from the movie Titanic … arms outstretched… taking in the ocean breeze…

Adam Ellis: I’M THE KING OF THE WORLD…

…but then Ellis suddenly slips…

Adam Ellis: …WHOA… WHOA…

…and falls into the water…

Adam Ellis: …AAAAAAAAAAARGHHH…

…while Dawkins looks down at Adam in the water and laughs.

“I walked her home and she held my hand.”

Adam and Bryan exit a movie theater laughing their heads off.  Dawkins is nearly in tears from the hilarity of the film.  The other people around them don’t seem to be as amused. 

“I knew it couldn't be just a one-night stand.”

The camera pans up… the name of the movie on the marquee?   ‘Fatal Attraction.’

“So I asked to see her next week and she told me I could.

And yet again, it’s Ellis and Dawkins running in the water along the beach.

(“I asked to see her and she told me I could”)

But this time, they encounter a couple who’s also walking on the beach in the opposite direction.   One is dressed like Ivan Stanislav; the other is dressed like Agent Zarya.

“Something tells me I’m into something good.”

Adam and Bryan both link hands and double clothesline the Red Army cosplayers sending them flying backwards into the water.

“(Something tells me into something)”

Ellis and Dawkins leap into the air and high-five.

“To something good… oh yeah… something good. (Something tells me into something)”

The song… and the dream sequence… fade out.

***

MVW Press Conference-August 14th

The flashbulbs pop like fireworks around the Missouri Valley Wrestling press conference, illuminating the backdrop emblazoned with the MVW logo. The air hums with anticipation as Ray McAvay, the owner of MVW, stands at the podium, his voice booming through the microphone.

Ray McAvay: Good afternoon.  My name is Ray McAvay.  I am the majority owner of Missouri Valley Wrestling.  Today, I am here to welcome our prodigal son back to MVW.  I’m proud to announce that Adam Ellis has re-signed with MVW!  Adam come on up.

Applause thunders through the venue as Adam Ellis rises from his seat.  He shakes hands with his PRIME tag team partner Bryan Dawkins and then gives Ginny a kiss… Ginny has baby Abbigail in a pouch-like carrier on the front of her body… before he steps up to join McAvay.  At 6'4" and 225 pounds, he towers over the crowd, an athletic colossus with a gentle giant's demeanor. His eyes scan the assembled reporters and fans, a subtle Midwestern twang coloring his speech as he takes the mic.

Adam Ellis: Thank you, Ray. It’s great to be officially back.

Adam waits as the applause finally quiets down.

Adam Ellis: Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you today not just as a wrestler, but as a man with a mission.

Adam's voice was calm, yet beneath the surface lay an undeniable intensity.

Adam Ellis: As you may know, Boris Antonov, Agent Zarya, and their Soviet Bloc attacked me a few weeks ago at an Appalachian Mountain Championship Wrestling show in Logan, West Virginia. With the Soviet Bloc’s help, Antonov defeated me to become the new AMCW title. Why I am returning to MVW now? Well, Antonov… along with my former manager Dawn McGill… or Agent Zarya as she’s now calling herself… has signed with MVW.

He leans into the podium, his fists clenched, the fire in his belly igniting his words.

Adam Ellis: I'm returning to MVW for one reason and one reason only- to fight back against The Red Army and The Soviet Bloc. I’m returning to MVW to push back the tide that threatens to engulf what we love about this sport—the heart, the honor, the respect.

A murmur of affirmation sweeps through the crowd.

Adam Ellis: I’m sick and tired of bullies who think they can do whatever they want without any consequences to their actions. That ends now.

Adam pounds down on the podium with his fist.

Adam Ellis: It's time for good people to band together. To fight back. To stand tall against those who would bully us into submission…

At this moment, Bryan Dawkins stands up from his seat amidst the crowd. The colorful sunglasses atop his shaved head glint under the press room lights. His Hawaiian-patterned wrestling tights are a stark contrast to the seriousness etched on Adam's face. Bryan offers a casual nod, his laid-back personality evident even in this charged atmosphere.

Adam Ellis: …which is why I've teamed up with my bruh, Bryan Dawkins, in PRIME.

Adam acknowledges his tag team partner with a steely gaze.

Adam Ellis: At PRIME’s upcoming ReVival 54, Bryan and I go to war against the Red Army’s Kenny Freeman and Max Kael. And I promise you, with every fiber of my being, with Bryan by my side, we will take down the Red Army.

He slams a hand onto the podium, each word punctuated with the force of a body slam.

Adam Ellis: We will not be intimidated. We will not back down. And we will not rest until justice is served inside that squared circle!

Adam's tone shifts, now vibrating with resolve.

Adam Ellis: Together, Bryan and I going to stand up to the bullies in the Red Army at PRIME’s ReVival 54 on August twenty-third in Portland, Oregon and we are going to get our first win in the Tag League.  To paraphrase Tom Petty… “you can stand me up at the gates of hell but I won’t back down.”  To paraphrase Kurt Russell in the movie Tombstone, “you tell them we’re coming and hell’s coming with us.”

Dawkins jumps up from his seat.

Bryan Dawkins: Yeah, BRUH!

Ginny on the other hand?  Her expression radiates that she’s not overly crazy about all the hell references.

Adam Ellis: And this weekend… if both Boris Antonov and I win our matches… Sunday night… it will be me and Antonov and I fully intend to confront the Soviet Bloc and show them exactly what happens when you mess with the heart and soul of MVW.

Again, Dawkins leaps up to his feet and the press conference erupts in cheers, the fans rally behind Adam's declaration of defiance.

***

Dollar General Just North of Warrensburg

The late afternoon Missouri sun casts long shadows across the Dollar General parking lot, setting the stage for a confrontation far removed from the cheers and jeers of a wrestling arena. A light breeze carries the distant sounds of life in Warrensburg as Adam Ellis steps out of his truck, the gravel crunching under his boots.

Adam Ellis: Stay cool, Jennie.

Adam’s voice is soft-spoken yet firm, his towering frame a reassuring presence beside her. His eyes, steady and vigilant, scan the area before locking onto Jake Foster's approach.

Jake, with a swagger that didn't quite reach his eyes, sneers at the sight of Adam.

Jake Foster: Look who we have here. Think you're some kind of hero, Ellis? Make one wrong move, and I'll have the cops on you so fast-

Adam doesn't flinch. Instead, he wears a knowing grin, an ace up his sleeve.

Adam Ellis: That's why I brought backup, Jake.

From the passenger side, Bryan Dawkins emerges, a stark contrast to the tension with his laid-back demeanor, his colorful sunglasses reflecting the fading sun. In his hand, a cell phone is already recording, ensuring every moment is captured.

Bryan Dawkins: Chill, bruh. Just making sure everything's fair and square.

Bryan speaks with a casual ease that belies the gravity of the situation. His tattoos peek from beneath his sleeves, hinting at the strength underneath the relaxed exterior.

With Bryan's camera rolling, Jake's bluster deflates like a punctured balloon. The exchange that follows is civil, stripped of threats now that the power dynamic has shifted. Adam watches, silent sentinel, as Jennie reunites with her son, the boy's laughter cutting through the stale air of the parking lot standoff.

As Jake grumbles into his car, the engine coughs to life, and he speeds away, leaving behind nothing but exhaust fumes and a defeated ego. Jennie, her son's hand in hers, turns to Adam with gratitude shining in her eyes.

Jennie Oliver: Thanks, Adam. You always were the strong, silent type, huh?

Adam Ellis: Wasn't just me.

Adam gestures to Bryan, who gives a nod and kills the recording on his phone.

Adam Ellis: Team effort.

Jennie Oliver: Heroes don't always wear capes, or tights, I guess.

Jennie chuckles, watching Bryan slip the phone back into his pocket.

Adam Ellis: Sometimes they just show up when you need them most.

Together, they watch her son play, a peaceful moment earned through solidarity—a testament to the strength found in standing united against life's bullies, be they in the ring or a parking lot in small-town America.