Fired

A balcony at the Warhammer Corporate headquarters outside of Hong Kong. “God’s Gift” Jeremiah Vastrix stands with his hands on the railing as he looks over the South China Sea.

His advisers, his girlfriend, and even his mother have advised that he quit wrestling and focus on the running of the company. Except for the fact that wrestling is his passion. It always has been.

Vastrix listens as he hears footsteps behind him. The analytical software in his his working out who this could be. He smiles to himself.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: Anderson. Finally, you make your way to me.

Allen Anderson walks over to stand next to Jeremiah Vastrix with a smirk as if he knows he were the smartest person around. A ghost of a sneer can be seen on Jeremiah’s face, but it’s gone as soon as it arrives.

ALLEN ANDERSON: How did the meeting go? Are all the divisions going to work for the better good instead of the almighty dollar?

Jeremiah just shrugs a little.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: There was protesting, but they all agreed to the new plans with provisions. We will be helping people, but at a price. We will be working toward having key influence in the nations that we help. Like the United States and North Korea will be wanting use of our radiation reducing technology to make the areas irradiated by the missiles habitable once again.

ALLEN ANDERSON: I hear there’s talks of making what’s left of North Korea into a wholly owned corporate property of Warhammer with all civilians becoming employees. You think they will stand for it?

Jeremiah smiles as he takes out a cigarette from a pack on the inside of his business jacket. A glittering blue laser from his left eye lights the cigarette and Jeremiah takes a nice long drag before responding, blowing smoke into the night sky.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: They will have even more freedoms under Warhammer Asia than they ever had under the old regime. The fact remains the nation is broken from the United States counterattack. We will rebuild it to be stronger than ever and be the most advanced nation on the entire planet.

ALLEN ANDERSON: And you intend to continue to wrestle?

Jeremiah’s cybernetic eyes both glitter blue for a moment to express Jeremiah’s excitement.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: Oh yes! In fact, we have a show coming up. I face Kronin in the ring. The German Suplex Machine doesn’t stand a chance against the new capabilities of the hardware I have in my skull. They decided to upgrade me while they were rebuilding me from the damage done by Belial and Takuma Sato.

Anderson nods, looking over the South China Sea in contemplation.

ALLEN ANDERSON: What if your enemies decide to kill you while you’re in a wrestling match. You don’t have a legal heir.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: Nonsense. I have plenty of heirs! Just none of them actually bear my name.

ALLEN ANDERSON: Bastard children who cannot inherit the company. You should focus on running the company, marrying Olivia, and making inheritable babies.

Jeremiah flicks ashes over side of the railing, he watches as a battleship, the WCS Ravenhead, comes into view on the horizon.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: There will always be people gunning for my head to try to take me down. There is a reason I am staying in UOW beyond the fact that I love wrestling. I can make a difference on a national scale in changing how the Warhammer Corporation is seen. We need to be seen as a force for good rather than corporate greed. I need to show through force of will in my match against Kronin that I represent the new spirit of the company. I need to transform how to public sees us.

Anderson is silent for a long time, clutching to the railing tight.

ALLEN ANDERSON: Will you change places like Desolation? Twilight?

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: I can’t gut the company overnight and transform it, but one day these places of darkness will be shut down forever. There’s one more thing I can do now to remove an evil from the company.

ALLEN ANDERSON: Oh? What is that, pray tell?

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: You’re fired.

Anderson releases the railing, turning to face Jeremiah totally. He looks amused, but that changes to anger when he realizes that Jeremiah isn’t kidding.

ALLEN ANDERSON: You think removing me will help change things?

Jeremiah flicks his cigarette butt over the railing, turning to face Anderson.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: I know removing you will change things. You are the reason millions have died. You are the reason that millions have vanished to never be seen again. Though we both know that they have turned up in Desolation where they worked in the most dangerous workplace environment in the world. Poisoned by the air, the water, and the earth even if they aren’t killed in a workplace accident or violence. You have negotiated more arms deals to keep warlords in control around the world than any other Warhammer associate.

Jeremiah motions to the South China Sea with a grand gesture.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: I would bet the entire sea could be replaced by the innocent blood spilled on your watch. No more. You are fired!

Anderson’s eyes narrow as he regards Jeremiah with a hateful sneer.

ALLEN ANDERSON: I have been the most valued employee of the real Warhammer Corporation. You know how many employees died at my hand or were sent to the Akira Dome to fight to the death on my rise to stand next to your father? More than you can imagine, boy. You cry about the number of innocents sent to Desolation, but they are people displaced by natural disasters and wars. People who would have died anyway. I gave them purpose!

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: If we would have spent our time and money on ways to prevent these wars, prevent damage from natural disasters, and helped with shelters they would not have died!

Anderson shakes his head. The altruistic ways of Jeremiah Vastrix were not going to last long. The spirit of the Warhammer Corporation cannot be so easily swayed.

ALLEN ANDERSON: I’m going to clear out my desk. You will regret this action, Jeremiah…

Anderson turns and walks away…

ALLEN ANDERSON: I hope Kronin kicks your ass!

Jeremiah watches until Anderson is out of sight, lighting up a fresh cigarette.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: I bet you’re not the only one.