Eddie Has Big News

*Alyssa opens the door the the Manager's office looking for The Management Planner, but instead finds Eddie Hawkins sitting at the desk chewing on a toothpick with the Hardcore Belt around his waist.*

EH: Alyssa, I'm glad you came to see me. I have some big news, big news.

AT: I assume you must be talking about the Har...

*Eddie interrupts.*

EH: That's right, I'm staring the Eddie Hawkins Lottery.

*Eddie looks right into the camera.*

EH: Everyone, go put $10 into an envelope and send it to me here at the CWF and then I'll let the lovely Alyssa draw a name from my hat and they'll win the money. Kids, you don't need your parents permission, so just send that money in.

AT: I... sort of thought you were going to talk about something else.

EH: You're right, I should address this. Ray Gotti, as much as I like the tag partner that you hooked me up with, the snake who likes to bake, or whatever. However, if I ever find that you were the one who sent me to prison... I'll get you.

AT: Eddie, I didn't even know you had anything to do with Ray Gotti. I was just wondering how you got the belt. Did you finally beat Tom Dudely?

Eh: Alyssa, look. I told Tom Dudely that he was only holding MY belt. I was going to let him bring it to me, but he kept putting it out there. So, I had to go get it myself. This is MY belt and I plan on keeping it. He who holds the belt is the Champ right? So I guess that makes me the Hardcore Champ. The Constrictor and I are going to tear Dudely up just like I did to him with CSO Hardy.

Closing the door the The Management Planner's office, Alyssa continues down the hall to a gym where The Constrictor practices a series of brutal throws and locks on a training partner while Ray Gotti looks on.

AT: "Mr. Gotti, have a few minutes to talk about the upcoming tag team match between Hawkins and The Constrictor, and La Meako and Dudely?"

RG: "First off, let's get one thing straight: that's The Constrictor and Hawkins. The Constrictor is the star here; Hawkins in nuttin' but a two-bit thief. You watch an' see- The Constrictor will tear those two up, an' knowing that light-fingered felon he'll probably swoop in an' steal the pin. Mark my words, though: The Constrictor is the star."

AT: "Now, Hawkins called The Constrictor 'The Snake Who Likes To Bake'. If you don't mind my saying so, that's kind of a dumb nickname."

*Gotti smiles condescendingly as he tries to peek down Alyssa's blouse.*

RG: "It's Snake from the Lake, Alyssa. He's got a lot of nicknames, but he's too busy twisting people's arms off to spend much time in the kitchen. Now, Hawkins, I've heard a lot of rumors about him."

*Tyler tugs her blouse up higher as she scowls at Gotti.*

AT: "So have I, actually- about you, too. Seems he thinks you put him in jail. Care to comment?"

*Ray Gotti chuckles and twists a large diamond ring around on his thumb.*

RG: "He's still going on about that? Listen, sweetheart, Eddie and I were, ah, business partners. It was a long time ago. Let me guess, he tried to get some money, right? Probably set up a 'lottery', or asked people to send him money, right? Get rich quick? Baby, it's called a Ponzi scheme, an' it's illegal. I found out what he was doin', an' I pulled out. I'm a ... legitimate businessman. I had NO idea that all the money I was making was illegal. An' if he says anything about a reward for turning on him when the cops closed in, you just remember that he's a liar."

AT: "Ah, all right ... so, what do you think about the match? Can they take La Meako and Tom Dudely?"

RG: "Can you doubt it? The Constrictor has already taken out Squall Cloud an' Penza, an' you think those two are going to be a problem? Fuggedaboutit!"

AT: "I understand that The Constrictor and La Meako don't really get along."

RG: "That's right, Alyssa. You probably don't know much about South America, but the Mexican's, they been oppressin' the natives for centuries. The Constrictor, he don't like that. I can't really control him, capice? He gets angry, he does his own thing. All I know is I ain't never seen him this angry before, so la meako better watch out."

AT: "Um, Mr. Gotti, isn't Mexico in North America?"

*Ray Gotti smiles gently at Alyssa.*

RG: "Sweetheart, it's a good thing you're such a pretty young thing, 'cause you ain't never gonna make it on your brains. We're in America. Where's Mexico? I'll give you a hint: south of us. That's what South America means. Anyway, meako apparently said somethin' to him, 'cause he came back to the locker room jabbering on about how he was gonna tear him apart."

*Ray Gotti shakes his head, but he's grinning.*

RG: "Man, I almost feel sorry for those two."