The Phoenix Effect (The Death of Aguiire)

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[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/TCPinho/tompatrick.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/TCPinho/VinceMcMahon.jpg[/IMG] [COLOR=Red]Disclaimer: This is a fictional history based on the game Total Extreme Wrestling and should not be miscontrued as actual wrestling news, information, rumors, or results. Any images, logos, banners, avatars used in this forum are copyrighted by the organization they come from. [/COLOR] [I]Mr Thomas Patrick sat at his desk in Titan Towers daydreaming whilst absently flicking his pen. He had an eerie sense of calm to his manner and his mouth was shaped into an impish smirk. All of a sudden there was a loud crash and a pile of papers fell heavily onto his desk. Tom spun on his chair and looked straight ahead. On top of the pile of papers was a report with Nielson ratings for Smackdown, which were sloping downward at an alarming rate since last Summerslam. Tom looked ahead from the papers and there standing in all his glory was Vincent K. McMahon Jr, his eye twitching and his face as red as a tomato. [B]Vince [/B] - "WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE?" [B]Patrick[/B] - "They are Smackdown's ratings for the last couple of weeks, now I know what you going to say Mr McMahon, but the fact is this kind of drop can only be placed upon the current Champion." [B]Vince[/B] - "Shut up! Now you listen to me you stupid limey, JBL is a wrestling god and he is one of the most over and charismatic wrestlers on Smackdown! If there's problems with ratings it's because you and your creative team are doing something wrong. What have you got to say for yourself?" [B]Patrick[/B] - "Perhaps if we did not have to pander to the needs of you daughter and were free to creatively move the boundaries I guarentee the ratings would improve." [B]Vince[/B] - "Dammit you arrogant bastard, I've told you last time I listened to that kind of thinking the company was nearly torn apart by politics and injuries. As for Stephanie, she is the only person on your team who actually knows what she is doing." [B]Patrick[/B] - "Well Vinny, you want to play statisics and ratings. Ever since Steph took over from me as head of Smackdown creative and put the title on JBL, as per your wishes. The ratings have dropped and are continuing to drop." [B]Vince[/B] - "You smarmy, self-important son-of-a-bitch. Who in the hell do you think you are?" [B]Patrick[/B] - "Shhh Vinny, shut that trap of yours for just a second and let me explain. You see the way I see it, you have a choice. You can continue to push all the wrong guys for the wrong reasons in the name of good business, or you can admit your mistake and begin building for the future. Come on McMahon, you revolutionised the tired industry in the 80s and late 90s, it's time to do it again. What's it going to be?" [B]Vince[/B] - "I've had enough of this crap..." [B]Patrick[/B] - "Choose!" Vince McMahon looked around, now hesitant for the first time before inhaling deeply. [B]Vince[/B] - "Screw you Patrick, YOU'RE FIRED!" Tom Patrick, obviously not expecting such a response shook his head in disappointment. [B]Patrick [/B] - "So be it McMahon." Patrick reached into his pocket and took out his mobile phone and hit speed-dial number one, after a short pause he began talking to the person on the end of the line. [B]Patrick[/B] - "I'm afraid it's as you predicted... I know I guess I expected more of him" said Tom casting a glance to the confused McMahon "Yup... that's right... put Aguirre into operation, you know where the funds are.. OK i'll see in a few hours." With that Patrick put the phone away, grabbed a small deck of cards, each emblazoned with various WWE superstars past and present, from his desk and breezed past McMahon. As he passed there was an almost inaudible whisper directed at the President of WWE "Evolve or die McMahon, evolve or die." With that Patrick left Titan Towers and caught a cab to the airport, unhappy that his meeting had not gone according to plan but excited of what lay ahead of him.[/I] [SIZE=3][I][B]ONE YEAR LATER[/B][/I][/SIZE] Tom Patrick sat on the curb outside his beautiful home in Lincoln Park, Chicago. In his left hand, a Lucky Strike cigarette and in his right a deck of wrestling themed cards, each was showing a different wrestling superstar. He carelessly shuffled the deck with one hand, whilst staring across the empty street. A man wearing a blue mask rolled out from the shadows and placed his hand on Tom’s shoulder, he leant close to the dejected figure, his twisted form struggling in its wheelchair, [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Mystery Man[/COLOR] - “I did warn you sir.” [COLOR=DarkRed]Tom Patrick[/COLOR] - “I know you did, but I didn’t listen. I thought I could handle it, but I couldn’t.” Tom’s head fell into his hands and he sighed. “I knew I was inexperienced in dealing with the ins and outs of my own business, but I never thought the wrestlers would turn on me.” [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Mystery Man[/COLOR] - “It was… unforeseen, sir, even for me,” replied the man, gritting his teeth, “We cannot however let this small setback stop ours plans entirely.” Tom looked up suddenly [COLOR=DarkRed]Tom Patrick[/COLOR] - “Are you insane? I mean we tried to stop McMahon, but the loyalty to him runs deeper than we knew. Even Hero left us and he was being groomed as the next mega-star. If he hadn’t left then Aguirre would have succeeded and it would have been McMahon sitting here.” The rage inside him surfaced and he began to shake. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Mystery Man[/COLOR] - “Sir, we both know that is not the case, Hero made his decision to leave when he realised you were isolating the company from the other independents. You asked too much of him… and yourself.” The rage died away replaced with melancholy. [COLOR=DarkRed]Tom Patrick[/COLOR] - “Your probably right.” He stood up and faced his home. All the planning and production of Aguirre Pro Wrestling had begun in this very house. Where he and his mystery partner had plotted the downfall of the McMahon family and their empire. Things had not gone according to plan however, as certain members of the staff had not been as loyal to their vision as he would have assumed. One in fact, was taken to court over the undercover sabotage of AGPW, where it was insinuated that he had purposefully handed secret documents of Mr Patrick’s straight to Mr McMahon. Nothing was ever proven however, and he has since rejoined the WWE. [COLOR=DarkRed]Tom Patrick[/COLOR] - “It’s over old friend, he won.” Tom’s head sunk and he threw the deck of cards into the gutter. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Mystery Man[/COLOR] - “It is not over sir, it is not over until Vincent McMahon has been made to pay. He must pay for what he has done to you, to the fans, to everyone.” Mystery Man’s fist clenched and his teeth grated. “We still have money left and I still have some influence.” [COLOR=DarkRed]Tom Patrick[/COLOR] - “I’m afraid the money is gone friend, I’m sorry. I used the rest to try and sue that bastard for corporate espionage, but McMahon had the judge in his pocket.” [COLOR=RoyalBlue]Mystery Man[/COLOR] - “YOU FOOL! What did I say to you when we first met? I told you to control yourself, and now we are broke, with nothing to show for the last year other than a handful of memories.” The masked man punched the arm of his chair. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, he composed himself. “Fine that should not be a problem, know you listen to me Patrick and you listen good, because this is your last chance. I know the head of human resources at TNA, and now they have a TV deal, they are looking for new creative team-members and I can get you in. Once you are in, you will need to work your ass off and gain some responsibility and we will talk again. You have made a terrible mistake with my money and contacts Patrick and now it’s time to start paying me back. You have a meeting on Monday, so sober up.” With that the masked man wheeled away into the darkness, leaving Tom to his loneliness. However Tom did not feel lonely, for the first time since he could remember, he had a glimmer of hope, hope to undo what he had done and punish those responsible for his grief. A strange twisted smile crept over his face as he looked down at the scattered cards. He was back and now there were two targets, McMahon and his filthy little lap-dog, and both would suffer the cold pangs of vengeance. Tom stepped on a card and with great pleasure spun on the ball of his foot and ripped it. The card read WWF Superstar ‘The Immortal’ Hulk Hogan.