It was late Thursday night, just hours after Zero Tolerance had aired. The HEW post-show was off and running. Zero Tolerance had been a spectacular showing for the company, setting it's one month mark in return. The HEW had sent camera men through the locker rooms, getting feedback and response, as well as candid interviews from each of the employees. It was being received well, and would be received well by the fans when the video monterage would be shown.

         One camera man set off down the hall, stopping periodically inside of various locker rooms. He came upon the last one, and took the door handle, opening it up to what was inside.

         Inside, in the corner...sat Zero. His shirt was off. The tattoos that had once only ran from his elbow to his shoulder were now obviously going into his back, as he was turned away from the door. A row of three stars, each about the size of a silver dollar, were tattoo'ed in a row across his back. In between each one, a small "0" rested, almost as a period mark between each one. Going out from them, across the same point on each rear shoulder, was an direction arrow tattoo, each pointing out from the direction of the stars.

         The camera man looked on, watching. Zero had a bucket of some kind of fluid in front of him, his hand dunked deep within it. His left hand. Laying on the ground beside him, a bloodied rag lay. Drops of blood could be seen around the bucket and rag. A small hiss could be heard as Zero removed his hand from the bucket, and turned around in the small stool that he sat on.

         Looking at the camera man, not surprised, not annoyed, but simply in curiosity, he asked . . .

Zero

         " What is this for? "

         With the camera awaiting to be running, the camera man told him of the video package that the HEW would be working on. Not interested in all of that, Zero turned halfway back towards the bucket, for his knuckles were once again starting to bleed.

Zero

         " I have no interest in being part of a video package. That's not my goal, and it doesn't really concern me. "

         The camera man told him once again that the video package was needed from each wrestler. Becoming jst slightly agitated, Zero looked over his shoulder at him.

Zero

         " Look, I have no problem with you. You're just doing your job. But I have a job to do, too. If what I say doesn't have anything to do with my job, then I'm just wasting my time. "

         The camera man looked at him, well aware that he had two more locker rooms.

Camera Man

         " Just say something. We need a full roster package. "

         Zero looked him, well aware of the blood that was starting to run down his forearm. He turned back around, dipping his arm into that bucket, and said . . .

Zero

         " You want me to say something, I'll say something. It will not concern this promotional piece you'll are doing, though. It's just for the matters at hand. See to it that it goes to where it needs to go. "

         Agreeing, the camera man set up the camera as Zero sat with his hand in the bucket. With the camera man's cue, as he zoomed the lenses up to Zero, Zero began to talk.

Zero

         " You went off and cut your little shoot, thinking you had finally seen the last of me. But what do you see upon exiting? A hole straight through your window. It wasn't time to leave just yet for you. There were plently of things still left in store. But did you know who had done it? Did you know who it was? Did that little voice tell you? That little voice that appeared over a year ago . . . "

         Zero turned around, facing the camera. He grabbed a clean, white towel from off to the side, and wrapped his hand with it.

Zero

         " Of course I'm not gone, Havoc. An ending was merely needed to start a new journey. One that you will see play out in time. You cannot begin one trip without first setting down the road work. "

         Zero's eyes, from a half gaze at the camera, took on a harder glare into the very reflection that he was getting from the recording lenese.

Zero

         " Gone are the days of you taking center stage. Gone are the days of you taking things from my life. Gone are the days of your power trips. Those days have ended. Welcome to a new age. "

         Grabbing a t-shirt from beside the stool, Zero slid it on. It didn't go on correctly, as a knotted bulge still lingered in the right shoulder, but Zero paid it no mind.

Zero

         " My hand will heal. It is nothing more than reopened wounds. My body has already healed. My conscious has healed. My memories of months past with you and Karen . . . have healed, too, Havoc.

         " Now it is your time. Only I know you will not last as I did. "

Zero

         The white rag was starting to fade to a light crimson around the fist portion.

         " It's like a shirt that the HEW used to sell. One that you boldly wore the night that I came back to confront you. It seems fitting right now. Havoc, in life, there are only three things. You've accomplished the first two, but the third step is fast approaching for you. In life, you but . . .

         " Live . . . Breath . . . Die

         " Nothing more, nothing less. The rest of the things are but merely speed bumps along the way to the destination. Welcome to another speed bump. "

         Wiping away the lingering blood from his knuckles, Zero tossed the stained white towel off to the side, and grabbed some grey wrist tape. Beginning to wrap it around his left wrist, he forcefully snapped it off, setting that piece in place.

Zero

         " I've asked it before, and I'll ask it again. Weeks ago, all you wanted was a chance at me. Just one chance, one shot, and you would of reached utopia. Now that chance, that opportunity has arrived. And I say to you . . .

         " You asked for me, you got me. Now what are you going to do about me? "

         Continuing the wrap his left hand, the camera went off. Looking up at the camera man as he continued to apply the tape to his hand, Zero commented.

Zero

         " Were you looking for something like that? "

         The camera man, unfolding his camera, and getting it ready to carry to the next locker room, looked over at him.

Camera Man

         " Probably not what the boss was looking for, but I think with the position you're in, it's probably better off that way. "

         Zero just nodded his head to him, and turned back around to the bucket. Yes, his position. A position that Havoc would soon learn to understand. He may have only began to learn of the full implements of what was taking place, but soon . . . soon, it would be clear to Havoc . . . to Mason Xavier, the man himself.

         Snapping another piece of the wrapping, Zero's face grimaced a little as the open flesh caught onto the sticky side of the tape. Zero bit his lip, though, and continued to wrap the wrist.