The last time we saw Duke, he was not having, well let’s say, the night he wanted. After joining PWT, he thought that it would be his time to make everything right with his estranged wife, but that wasn’t exactly what had happened. Duke did call out Bobby “The Bandit�?Jones, and found out that Bandit just quite doesn’t want to face what was coming for him. So now what can Duke do? What can he do to make the start in PWT that he wants, to make his wife come back, as well as getting Bandit in the ring, or outside the ring, in the parking lot, hell wherever he can get him?<o:p></o:p>
But for now, Duke is scheduled for his first match. And yes, this time he can finally prove to that has been Bandit that he is better than him. A win over Steven Xavior would really start to eat at Bandit, whether he shows it or not. It would almost be a leg up over that scum bag. <o:p></o:p>
Its Monday morning, five days before the in ring debut of Duke Andrews. The alarm clock starts buzzing as Duke reaches over slapping it off before rolling over in his bed. He reaches his arms up wiping his eyes as he looks back at his alarm clock, time reading 6:45 a.m. Duke then rolls over not really wanting to get out of bed. He looks outside as the snow continues to fall. Seems like this whole month has been nothing but a giant snow storm. Duke finally sits up in bed, stretching his arms out trying to crack his neck as he places his feet on the cold wood floor in his bedroom. He stands up as he walks into the bathroom. <o:p></o:p>
After a few minutes he comes back out, looking a little more awake after he did the normal morning needs. Well minus the shaving. He shuffles across the floor as his body isn’t quite all awake as he heads to the door of his room. He reaches out and opens it as he flips on the light switch. He looks down the steps as if hitting the light switch was an alarm clock for his dogs as they look completely passed out on the floor at the bottom of the steps. As soon as Duke makes his first step down the steps, both chocolate labs are up on their feet, stretching, just like their owner. Duke smiles at them as they instantly head to the door just out of the dining room. Duke picks up the pace as he heads down the steps and to the dining room opening the door to let them out. He flips on the light off the back patio as he stands there for a moment watching the dogs actually trying to catch the snowflakes in their mouth before he turns around. There is a white trash can in the corner of the living room that is filled with their dog food. He walks past it and grabs the two dishes for water as he fills them up. He walks back setting them on the floor before reaching in the top of the crash can and grabbing a cup of food and placing one cup in each of the bowls. He walks over and opens the door letting them back in. They both dash for the food as Duke watches for a moment before leaving the room. <o:p></o:p>
He heads back up the steps to get changed, time for his usual morning jog. He gets into his bedroom and opens his closet door. He reaches in and grabs a white t shirt with “Duke Andrews�?inscribed across the chest, an old tattered and torn t shirt from his last stint in this business. He slips it on over his head before grabbing a dark green Under Armour hooded sweatshirt. After putting it on he finds his black UnderArmour running pants. He reaches into the bottom of his closet finding his white Nike Shox. After a few moments he walks over to his dresser. He grabs his ipod and slides the ear buds down the inside of his sweatshirt. He hooks them up to his ipod as he hits play on “Playlist 1�?before putting the ipod in the pocket of his running pants. He puts the ear buds in his ears before grabbing a black beanie and putting it on his head. He heads back out of his room shutting the lights off and closing the door. He trots down the stairs and corrals the dogs and leads them into the garage. He walks back into the house shutting the lights off one by one before walking out the front door. He sits on the front porch as he stretches his legs out. <o:p></o:p>
The snowflakes are almost quarter sized as they fall from the sky. The street lights in the development covered in snow and not allowing hardly any light sneak through the piles of snow. As Duke stands up it seems as if that was the switch to shut off the snow as it stops falling from the sky. Duke reaches into his pocket and turns the volume up as high as it could go before putting it back in his pocket. He starts to walk to the end of his driveway. Once he gets to the road he stretches one last time. It’s time for his routine two mile morning jog. He starts to run heading left and down the road. His lips moving to the lines of the song playing in his ipod<o:p></o:p>
“Betrayal has now left us numb
We’re sorry we can’t escape from
This choice now we all must succumb
He’s been thrown away, left for dead
This is the only father we’re dead
Thrown away, left for dead
How could you choose money instead?�?lt;o:p></o:p>
Duke makes his way, lap one, a one mile lap around the development as he makes his way back to the front of his house, this time he makes a turn and heads the opposite way. Making a right around a long curved road. The same routine he has followed since he could start jogging again almost a year and a half ago. The same routine he had followed since he had gotten out of college and started training to become a superstar in this industry. The same routine that has allowed him to become the most physically fit person he had known. Duke finally makes the last turn and makes it back to the end of his driveway, the steam coming from his shoulders, every breath that he has taken, visible by anyone who might be around to see it. Duke slowly walks up his drive way and back into the house. He gets inside and kicks off his shoes at the door. He walks into the kitchen and opens up the cupboard grabbing out a large black bowl and setting it down on the counter top. He then turns around and grabs his box of Kellogg Cornflakes, almost filling up the whole bowl as he grabs the milk from the cupboard, adding just enough to soak the flakes. He reaches across the counter as he grabs a banana, peeling it and tossing the peel in trash can.<o:p></o:p>
Duke walks over flipping on the TV, leaving it on Wood TV 8 morning news as he slowly eats his cereal.<o:p></o:p>
After a half hour Duke walks over turning the TV off, getting all of the information he needed from the news. He tosses the bowl in the sink and then walks out into the garage. He hits the button to open the garage door as he climbs in the driver’s seat of his all black Cadillac Escalade. <o:p></o:p>
The next scene opens with Duke at a local gym. Early morning doesn’t bring a lot of people out as Duke walks right in. He has removed his running pants and his ipod. The ear buds still hanging out of the top of his sweatshirt. He walks in and finds his trainer who is actually working with another up and coming superstar, one we may see someday in PWT. His trainer signals that Duke should just start lifting. Duke sits down on the bench that had already been set up for him. He looks out the window as he reaches for his ipod in the pocket of his hoody. He plugs it back in and again hits play as he stares into the sun as it starts peaking over the top of the buildings on the horizon.<o:p></o:p>
Duke lays back on the bench, light weight for a warm up, getting the blood flowing again to all parts of the body as he reaches up, giving a good grip on the bar, hands evenly spaced as he pushes up, lifting the 185lbs up and moving it out over his chest, slowly lowering it down and exploding back up, breathing in as he lowers, exhaling as he pushes back up. Duke pushes out 25 reps before reracking the weight. He sits up as his trainer starts walking over to him. Duke reaches up removing the ear bud out of his right ear as he stands up and walks over to the weight tree. He grabs two forty-five pound plates. His trainer walks up grabbing one as Duke looks up at him.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: Morning sunshine, not looking so good.
Duke: Yeah, it’s been one of those mornings.
Trainer: Well snap out of it. We got a lot of work to do today kid.
Duke: Good.
Trainer: I have footage of that match from last week. Steven Xavior and Bandits match.
Duke: You looked it over right?
Trainer: Yes, of course. I found some things in particular that your good friend did wrong that I think you might be able to change
Duke: No, you are mistaken, not my good friend.
Trainer: Just shut up and let’s get going.<o:p></o:p>
Duke nods as he lays back and grabs the bar again, this time with 225 laying above him. Duke looks up at the trainer who is standing behind the bar, just for security purposes.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: Let’s get thirty out of you today.<o:p></o:p>
Duke nods once again as he lifts up, slowly dropping it to his chest before pushing it back up. Breathing in, exhaling out. He gets to twenty nine as he gives a sarcastic wink to his trainer as he lifts his feet up resting them on the base of the bench for the last rep. He racks the bar as he sits up.<o:p></o:p>
Duke: Thirty.<o:p></o:p>
His trainer shakes his head as he walks over grabbing another forty five pound plate as he walks back over.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: I think today we’re going to find your breaking point.
Duke: Sounds like a plan. I need to get tested again.
Trainer: Exactly, that’s my plan.
<o:p></o:p>
His trainer walks back over grabbing yet another forty five pound plat, making the grand total on the rack four hundred and five pounds.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: This is what NFL players are hitting, and I know you can go higher. Let’s get ten out of it.<o:p></o:p>
Duke lays back down, feet spread on the floor as he reaches up grabbing the bar pushing it up and moving it over his chest. His trainer’s hands on the bar for support. As Duke gets it over his chest he starts to lower it, his trainer’s hands let go of the bar. Duke hits his chest and pushes it back up.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: One
Duke inhales as he drops it on his chest pushing back up<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: Two
Duke again hits his chest, starting to feel the burn in his biceps and his chest as he exhales pushing it up<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: Three
The sweat starts running down Dukes face as he hits it down and pushes it back up<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: Four
Duke grunts as his drops it again and pushes it back up, not waiting to hear the next number as he lowers it again pushing it back up. Picking up the pace as he lowers again, back up, down, up, down, up.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: NINE<o:p></o:p>
Duke lowers it again hitting his chest before exploding one last time, grunting out loud as he forces the bar up and drops it on the rack before sitting up.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: Good job kid. Take a break. Go get water and come back, 450 for three reps.<o:p></o:p>
Duke stands up and takes his sweatshirt off tossing it to the floor as he walks over grabbing water. He twists the top off and takes a gulp of it, before pouring some over the top of his head. He finishes the bottle and tosses it in the trash as he walks back over to the bench. He looks at the weight and smiles before laying back down. He grips the bar and hammers out five reps at 450.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: Always going above and beyond.
Duke sits forward as he rubs his right wrist. He shakes it off as he lays back looking at the rack.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: Let’s get one rep, 515.<o:p></o:p>
Duke smiles a bit as he reaches up grabbing the bar lifting it up and moving it out over his chest. Duke drops it, and lets out a large exhale as he gets it 90 percent up a quick inhale and another exhale that allows him to get it all the way back up. He racks it and sits up.<o:p></o:p>
Duke: 515?
Trainer: New personal record.
Duke: Good.
Trainer: I want to get in the ring first. We need about an hour in the ring today, and then we’ll go over that match.
Duke nods as he sits up. He takes his t shirt off and grabs his hoody. He walks past the ring and into the locker room. He walks over opening up his locker and grabs his old black wrestling boots. He kicks off his running shoes. He reaches back in his locker and grabs his black knee pads and puts them on. Then his boots. He reaches back in and grabs his white elbow pads before closing his locker. He walks back out where one of the athletic trainers is waiting for him. He puts his right hand out as she begins wrapping his wrist and thumb. Once she finishes the right hand, she wraps the left one. He slides up his elbow pads before entering the ring. His trainer is leaning against the ropes as he looks at Duke.
Trainer: So what do you know about this kid?
Duke: All I know is he is technical and beat Bandit.
Trainer: So you don’t know much?
Duke: I guess not
Trainer: So you don’t know that you out weigh him by about 35 pounds?
Duke: Nope.
Trainer: You don’t know that you stand four inches taller than him?
Duke: I do now
Trainer: Well that just means that you, you have to use your size.
Duke: Ok.
Trainer: Let’s be honest kid, you can’t beat him in his style, you’re not a technical wrestler. You have to beat him your way. Pound the shit out of him. Beat him. Pick him back up, and beat him some more. Prove that you are better than him. Prove that you are bigger than he is. Prove that you are stronger than he is. Prove that you are the better wrestler. PROVE YOU ARE BETTER THAN HE IS!<o:p></o:p>
Duke nods as the up and comer hops back in the ring looking at Duke. He has on a pair of shorts, and wrestling boots. He looks at Duke as Duke realizes that he is about the same size as Xavior.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: And luckily for you, I got someone who is technical, and about his size. He isn’t as strong as you. So that means he cannot over power you.<o:p></o:p>
Duke nods as he again stares over the new kid.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: I just want to get a match out of you two, see what we need to work on. <o:p></o:p>
Duke walks over towards the new kid as they lock up. Duke grabs his elbow and tugs on him throwing him to the mat. His face planting against the mat as he quickly gets back up. Duke meets him with a right hand to the head staggering the kid. He takes his hand and throws him against the ropes. The kid comes back as Duke meets him with a shoulder block. He reaches down grabbing him by the band of the shorts lifting him up off the mat. Duke tosses him off the ropes again as he goes to meet him with ddt the kid counters and drops a neck breaker on Duke. Duke quickly gets up and back to his feet. He wipes his face as he looks at the kid. The kid runs off the ropes and hits a drop kick to Dukes left knee. Duke looks at him as he goes for a headlock. Duke takes the time to regain his balance. He reaches around and grabs him by the hip and gets back to his feet. Once he gets to his feet he lifts the kid up and hits a back body drop, breaking the headlock. Duke takes this time give him a running slide to the midsection. He picks the kid up and drops him back to the ground with a big boot.<o:p></o:p>
Duke reaches down as he lifts him up by his long dirty blonde hair. The kid struggles hitting lefts and rights off of Duke’s midsection forcing Duke to break the hold. Duke drops back bounces off the ropes and hits a power clothesline. He picks the kid back up and hits him in the gut with a strong right fist. He pulls him back to the ropes as Duke hops up to the second rope. He reaches down and picks the kid up before hitting the White Out laying the kid out as Duke rolls over for a cover getting the 1 2 3.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: Good, but I wanted to see a few counters. I wanted to see what you could do when he gets you in a technical hold. See what you could do to get out of what he could get you stuck in. What can you do to get out of a sleeper, what can you do to break from a submission? <o:p></o:p>
Duke nods as the kid gets back up.<o:p></o:p>
Trainer: Yeah, well let’s watch the film, break it down before we come back out here.<o:p></o:p>
Duke nods again as he looks at the kid shaking his hand<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
TBC by Me<o:p></o:p>
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