March 19 , 2002

A local Harris Teeter , something is brewing. No it isn’t beer , but someone is buying some. This someone is followed by a cameraman for some reason. His face unseen before here , but one of the roster recognises this face all to well. .This guy with the long hair , and the blue eyes that seem to stare a hole into the camera. This person picks up a case , and places it in a buggy. He pushes the buggy down the isle , dodges a cart pushes by someone else , and stops around the corner.

“I need some milk , it does the body good. “

He picks up two gallons of milk and places them into the cart. He begins to push the buggy up the next isle which is filled with bottled drinks.

“Pepsi , I love Pepsi , but Mello Yello is better. “

He takes a 2 liter bottle of Mello Yello , and gently places it into the buggy with the care of a mother holding her child for the first time. He rolls the cart up to the end of isle #2 , avoiding a near crash into another buggy this guys weaves around the corner and goes down Isle #3. He takes some various items from the shelf and places them into a cart. He gets a bag of potato chips , and tosses them into his cart.

“There is no substitute for good chips. “

At the end of the isle again he turns right onto the cereal isle. There are many boxes of different cereals . Lucky Charms , Honey Comb , and Life. He takes a box of Life cereal down , and looks at the kid on the cover.

“They say his name is Mikey. “

He crushes the box with his bare hands , and moves on down to the other , better cereals. He takes a few random boxes and places them into the cart. His cart is now around half full. He pushes the cart to the end of the isle and goes down the next one. He goes down the cans and soups isle. This is where he fills the rest of the cart up. Various name brand soups fill the cart in there “low-priced” glory. This someone then heads to the checkout line. He finds one that has just opened up , and the checkout girl starts swiping stuff across the barcode reader. It takes around 3 minutes for her to finish , and give him the price of 83 dollars and 55 cents. The bag boy is bagging grocieries like a mad man. He pays , and pushes his buggy out the double sliding exit doors. As he approaches his vehicle he takes out his keys , and opens the trunk of the car. He stows the paper bags of food and drink away in the trunk. When he finishes putting the bags in the trunk , he rolls the buggy to the place where they are kept. He walks back and the camera man hands him the microphone that has remained on through the entire shopping spree. He holds the microphone in one hand while opening his car door with the other. From the bhind the back seat he takes out a object very familiar , or should be , to the eyes of one person. It’s a pick-axe ! He put the pick-axe on top of the car.

“I never thought I would see you again , Mike Rage. I thought that after we all left the NWO you would run and hide. You did hide , didn’t you Mike ? I guess in some damaged section of your mind you thought that I wouldn’t find you again .. As usual Mike , you were dead wrong ! It has taken me close to a year to find you .. But now that I’m here , are you going to take off and leave ? I know that you may not recognise my long hair , or my face after a year , but something about it just seems familiar doesn’t it. Remember the NWO Mike Rage , think back to that time. The time when you were better than you are now. The time when Mike Rage was on top of the world. But something happened didn’t it Mike ? Tell them Mike , Tell them all about how you lost that Tag Match to ME and Vortex ! Tell them Mike !!! Tell them about how you lost to Portal , tell them how you lost to Jon Portal!”

Jon Portal with a sickening smile begins to laugh..

Jon Portal :” I got a phone call a few days ago. It was from a very excited Mr. Jayson Thomas. He told me where I could find you Mike.. Then he offered me a spot in S.o.E. Of course being the sportsman I am.. I said “Yes” without the least bit of hesitation. See Mike , when you seen me in the last Jayson Thomas promo , where Jayson showed footage of me and Vortex beating this supposed great tag team with you in it Mike , some bells should of went off .. Something in your mind should have read .. State of Emergency !”

Jon takes the pick-axe down and throws it through the side window in his car , shattering it . Glass falls ever where.

Jon Portal :”It seems we are in a little tag team match with a partner of choice for you Mike. It seems to me that the last time you were in a Tag Match you lost. Sure Mike , you can come out here and say things change , and that you’ve gotten better than when you were in the NWO , but that is a lie. How can you beat me if your not true to thine own self ? Surely you shall fall in defeat if you try to lie , because a lie breeds a lie .. and thus blinds you . For if you lie , and you lie again then you will begin to believe these lies. Believing a lie will lead you to your doom . Now surely you saying what does that have to do witht eh tag match , well if Mike tells me that things change , and that he has gotten better , then he is lying. Mike Rage could get no better than he was going into that Tag Match with me and Vortex. He was on top of his game , at least that is what he said at that time. “

Jon pauses ..

Jon Portal :”Mike Rage , take a look at this window I just busted with my Pick-Axe. That window represents you . Your sitting out there thinking your so good . So easy to see through.. But the pick-axe represents what will happen to you .. Your hopes and dreams of ever defeating me [Mocks the RVD pose] Jon Portal , will be shattered again ! See Mike , you have done lost to me once .. In that Tag Match in the NWO. What makes you think you can beat me now ? I’ve trained long and hard , yes that is how the ladies love it , long and hard for this match. For the chance to wrestle you in this ring one more time. To show you , Mike Rage , that you can neither run , nor hide from me . To show you that there is one wrestler that you cannot defeat. I am that wrestler that will forever plague you , and haunt your dreams at night. The only thing you will be able to see in your mind is a picture of me pinning you ! A picture of your defeat ! You’d better make that Tag Partner choice a damned good one. Because if you don’t , your just Damned.. “

Jon smiles at the word damned for it is his favorite.

Jon Portal :” Why are you Damned Mike ? You know me well enough to know that I have the in ring ability to defeat you . You’ve witnessed it before , and soon shall see it again. The in ring ability is all that matters , and as of late I’ve noticed some holes in yours. Yes , Mike Rage , I’ve been lurking in the shadows watching your matches at every event. I’ve had them taped so I can study them . I know your every move in the ring. I have studied long enough to know a counter for every one of those moves you have. I’ve also noticed certain tendencies that you have where you revert back to your old “NWO” style of wrestling. There are so many more things , but to list them all here would give you a chance to change .. Face it Mike Rage , there is nothing new about you.. Last time we were in a match , it was a Tag Team match. How nice of the powers that be here to grant me another Tag Match against you. All these parrells to the NWO match.. The sad thing is , for you Mike it will end the same way. I’m sure you’ve got the feeling that you are nothing more than a pathetic actor playing out his last few moments on the stage. But on this stage the curtains begins to fall too soon . In other words .. Back to the grave that Vortex sent you too in that hallowed match of old. But Lo and Behold , when the night falls .. Me and Daniels will be the ones with our hand raised to the sky. The fans may not be chanting out names , but that doesn’t matter. They don’t mean a damn thing , only the mission matters , soldier. This match has the potential to turn to a war zone , it is a war that I’m well prepared for. I’m still going to train , and watch all the film I can get my hands on. “

Jon pauses to regain his breath ..

Jon Portal :” Just remember Mike , that when you get hit with the Spine-Splitter , oh wait , as you remember it .. When you get hit with Something Wicked , that Jon Portal and Jayson Thomas have got the best of you again. ! Yes , your FATE is SEALED !”

Jon Portal chucks the “mike“[microphone] across the parking lot shattering it . Foreshadowing the shattered hopes and dreams Mike Rage. Jon gets in his car with a busted side window and starts his car. He backs up and pulls away slowly.. With “Left Behind” by Slipknot blaring.