[They turn around and give a farewell wave to their mentor, coach, friend, and partner as they climb into the parked SUV. Today, Curtis Penn and Tyson Burke, they'll leave Mike Sloan sitting on his porch instead of all climbing into the Airport Taxi and setting off towards another Defiance show. ]

[The doors closeand they just look at each other hoping one or the other has a plan.]

Penn:
Well…

[Tyson reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cherry Twizzler.]

Burke:
Yep… Doc Andrews, huh?

Penn:
Everybody uses that guy. He’s like a miracle worker when it comes to wrestler’s bodies and putting them back together.

Burke:
He’s much bedda dan da King’s homies…

[Curt casts the first “do what” look of the vignette.]

Burke:
Come on! I ain’t suspposed ta know Humpty Dumpty!

Penn:
I know… but you?

Burke:
It’s cause I’m black ain it! I’m not suspposed ta know Humpty Dumpty…

Penn:
It’s not that… you just come across as a candy eating thug. Aren’t you tired of that?

Burke:
And ya come off as a sawed off asshole who only wants ta punch something.

Penn:
Whoa, I’m not sawed off I’m over six foot!

Burke:
Dat’s whatcha billed at… ya mo’ like 5’11” witcha shoes on. And what’s wrong with candy, it’s soooo good. Better den ya freakin’ tofu.

[Anxiety has overcome them. The pressure of leaving their friend wheelchair bound and not being able to help the situation is about to make them explode. Not good.]

[They both look out of their respective window.]

Penn:
Sorry. I don’t mean to be so judgmental.

[Tyson does a double take at his partner before responding.]

Burke:
Twizzler?

[He holds the twisted candy in the face of Curtis Penn.]

Penn:
Sure.

Burke:
Ya eva offer me Tofu I’ll break ya hand.

Penn:
Have you ever tried Tofu? How do you know you won’t like it?

Burke:
Ya eva tried shit?

[Touché.]

Burke:
So…uh… whadda we gonna do bout Heidi and her three dwarves.

[Penn bites down on the licorice whip and points the remainder at his friend.]

Penn:
We’re going to take away everything that they hold dear, one moment at a time, one member at a time, until they see us in their dreams and wake up in a panic.

[Burke stares out of his window again.]

Burke:
Think Mike will eva get back in da ring?

Penn:
Don’t know, I think he was contemplating retiring anyway.

Burke:
Still, you jus’ don’t take dat from someone. If dat his choice ta leave dat’s fine, but …

[His voice trails off.]

Penn:
I hear ya, but right now, this moment all we can do is hope that Mike is taking it better than we are.

[Meanwhile back at Mike Sloan’s ranch, the old man is sitting in his recliner watching the boob tube. To his left is a coffee table holding his sweet tea and chewing gum. To the right is his remote caddie.  Nothing remotely interesting is on the screen he just has it on for the noise.]

[Around the entertainment stand are old titles, pictures of him from around the world, and old playbills. Sitting beside the door is a gym bag full of wrestling gear that he might not be able to wear in front of a crowd again, unless it’s Halloween. ]

Sloan:
MCL… LCL…ACL… PCL.

[He looks over at his gym bag and then back to the tv.]

Sloan:
Huh…MCL, LCL, ACL, and PCL. Wonder if this is what Eric felt like.

[Fade out.]

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