Gold Rush
Semi-final vs. Killer Kandi
The scene opens up with Mona Darling on location, standing in front of a lavish-looking home. Mona is dressed professionally as usual as she smiles at the camera before beginning.
Mona Darling: Hello AMA fans! Mona Darling coming to you on location from beautiful Venice Beach in sunny California, and if you haven’t guessed it by now, I’m outside of the home of the only the self-proclaimed Ace of AMA, Max Maverick! Maverick is one of four competitors left in the Gold Rush tournament vying for that Grand Championship! I’m here to sit down for an exclusive, candid interview with Max just days before the big show in Daytona Beach!
Mona knocks on the door, and she doesn’t have to wait long as it swings open rather abruptly, which startles Mona a little, but she composes herself as she’s greeted by Maverick’s lackey, Chester Hayes.
Mona Darling: Is Max Maverick in? I’m here for an interview on behalf of AMA.
Chester slightly ogles Mona and doesn’t try to hide the fact that he does so, much to her disgust.
Mona Darling: Excuse me?
Chester Hayes: Right this way, Miss Darling.
Mona looks back at the camera and rolls her eyes before following Chester. Eventually, Chester leads her to what appears to be a viewing room, but no one is inside besides her and Chester.
Chester Hayes: Take a seat; Mr. Maverick will be here shortly.
Mona takes a seat and sits in awkward silence as Chester just stares at her.
Mona Darling: Don’t you have somewhere that you need to be?
Chester is about to answer when Max Maverick enters the room. Max is wearing a Def Leppard 88’ Hysteria tour t-shirt and jeans with his usual long hair tied back.
Max Maverick: Chester, you little creep, get lost!
Max shoves Chester out of the room and turns back to Mona.
Max Maverick: Sorry about him, Moana.
Mona Darling: Um, it’s Mona. Mona Darling, I’m here for AMA.
Max Maverick: Whatever, I didn’t ask for your life story! You’re here for an exclusive interview with the soon-to-be Grand Champion, The Ace of AMA! I know why you’re here; I’m not an idiot!
The two of them take their seats as the interview begins.
Mona Darling: Well, Mr. Maverick, before we begin, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention what went down with you and your fellow Hammad Agency associate, Christopher McMichaels, at the last show.
Max Maverick: Can you believe the nerve of that little punk?! To question the genius of myself and Hammad! Just because he couldn’t cut the mustard while I continue to win match after match, he gets jealous! The audacity of him!
Mona Darling: Is that the painting from Mr. McMichaels?
Mona points to a painting hanging on the wall behind them.
Max Maverick: Yeah, what about it?
Mona Darling: It’s quite lovely.
Max can’t help but laugh and stare at Mona dumbfoundedly.
Max Maverick: You can’t be serious! That thing is hideous! It’s atrocious! I don’t even know why I kept it around! Chester, get in here!
Chester shuffles back into the room.
Max Maverick: I thought I told you to get rid of that ugly painting?! I want it in the garbage bin this instant!
Chester nods and struggles to take the painting down while the interview continues.
Max Maverick: Back to what we were talking about before, can you believe that little punk, McMichaels?! I was going to take him under my wing. He would be my protege but decided to throw all of that way with his jealousy! Ungrateful little pissant!
Mona Darling: Changing subjects, let’s talk about your upcoming semi-final Gold Rush match with Killer Kandi at Manifest Destiny, with the winner facing either Brian Zewbowski or Shinzo Omega.
Max Maverick: The winner being me.
Mona Darling: Is it wise to overlook Killer Kandi?
Max Maverick: Look, Mandy, I get it.
Mona Darling: It’s Mona.
Max Maverick: Whatever, Monica. I get it. You’re a female. Kandi is a female. Girl power and all that jazz, and that’s great, but should I genuinely consider her a threat? Have you seen who she’s gone through to get to this match? She hasn’t had much of a challenge; hell, her last opponent didn’t even bother to show up!
Max grabs a remote and dims the lights in the room. Then he turns on the screen in front of them and plays footage from Kandi’s last match.
Max Maverick: She’s had her handheld throughout this whole thing while I’ve gone through hell and back to get this moment.
Mona Darling: If I remember correctly, you defeated Pariah by count-out to earn your way in this tournament.
Max Maverick: Clearly, you need to have your memory checked, Molly. Regardless, my point is that Kandi hasn’t had a real challenge. Now, she faces a real challenge in me. Let’s face it, though; she’s not ready. She’s never met anyone like me. I’m not some pushover or a cowardly Frenchman; I’m Max Maverick. I’m The Ace of this company. Kandi will be in the fight of her life when she steps inside of that ring with me.
Max Maverick standing victorious over another inferior competitor. She can bring everything she wants. She can throw whatever she can at me, but it won’t matter because the result will always be the same.
Mona Darling: That’s a bold proclamation, and if you do happen to get through Kandi and advance to the finals, you’ll have to contend with either Brian Zewbowski or Shinzo Omega.
Max Maverick: When I defeat Kandi and advance to the finals, it doesn’t matter who stands before me, whether it’s my old pal Brian or Bozo the clown Shinzo Omega. Just like with Kandi, and just like at the last show with Buffalo Jones, Max Maverick will be victorious, and the only thing that people can do about it is like it.
Mona Darling: Again, I question where it’s wise to overlook either of these men. You’ve tangled with Brian before in an AMA ring, and you didn’t come out with the win. Surely you’ll want to exact some sort of revenge and right that wrong.
Max Maverick: First off, don’t call me Shirley. Secondly, I remember my last match with Brian, which didn’t go as planned. I haven’t forgotten about that.
Now his last match with Brian appears on the screen.
Max Maverick: You see? I’ve been studying this match. I wanted to see where I went wrong.
Mona Darling: Oh? What did you find?
Max Maverick: I found that I did nothing wrong! Brian used some underhanded tactics and got the win! I won’t let that happen this time. Brian may think he can outsmart me again, but he’s wrong. He can blame it on his second identity or whatever it is that’s wrong with him, but it’ll be because I outsmarted him and outwrestled him. Besides, he’s not fit to be the face of this company; the man is hideous!
Mona Darling: Well, if it isn’t Brian, you’ll have to deal with Shinzo Omega.
Max Maverick: Speaking of hideous! Have you seen that guy?! What a freak!
Mona Darling: He’s been quite the thorn in the side of the Hammad Agency for several months now.
Max Maverick: The man is too stupid to leave well enough alone. If I’m in there with him, I’m going to do what no one else has been able to do, and that’s put away that clown Shinzo Omega. Not even Christopher McMichaels could do it, but I will! Shinzo will learn a valuable lesson that you don’t mess with the business dealings of one Shabazz Hammad. I dispose of him once and for all, ridding the AMA of him, and in turn, I become the inaugural Grand Champion!
Killer Kandi, Zewbowski, and Omega have all made it this far, but this is where their luck runs out. This is my destiny, Monique. It is my destiny to be Grand Champion and be AMA’s face. I will carry this company and The Hammad Agency into the promised land because I am THE Ace, and that’s a fact, jack!
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Later on, that day after the interview has concluded, Max Maverick is sitting alone outside his home when he receives a call.
Max Maverick: You know you have a lot of nerve calling me! Have you finally come to your senses?
Max listens and nods; a smile begins to form.
Max Maverick: You know what? I never doubted you for a second. I’ll see you at Daytona then.
He ends the call as the scene ends.
