Celebration

[The Jersey Devil Diva]

Act 1: A Night of Champions

“If you want to take your mission in life to the next level, if you're stuck and you don't know how to rise, don't look outside yourself. Look inside. Don't let your fears keep you mired in the crowd. Abolish your fears and raise your commitment level to the point of no return, and I guarantee you that the Champion Within will burst forth to propel you toward victory.”
Bruce Jenner

The scene opens on the Sandbar USA club in Jersey City. The city was bright and yet it was quiet except for those that were brave enough to venture out into the night to go clubbing. The moon was bright in the sky, and the stars twinkled against the midnight blue sky with all their might trying to be seen over the bright lights. The camera soon pans to the waterfront where we see a night club full of life, on the chilly evening. Most of the people there didn't seem to mind the cold, or didn't feel it. The spotlights that ran along the ceiling flashed reds, blues, greens, and purples as the music thumped through the speakers, and over those that were in the middle of the dance floor. Tonight was a celebration, and nothing was going to change that. We see Joanne and the boys in the middle of the dance floor surrounded by the crowds of people that were celebrating her win over Manabu the night before. It was a match for the ages, and one that Joanne wouldn't soon forget, or anyone else for that matter. Her mind flashes back to the match the night before, and the sound of the crowd once again fills her ears as she stands on top of the cage. Manabu had followed her up in hopes that she would make a mistake. Joanne hit Manabu with "Welcome to Jersey Shore", and down he went. It was perfect. The count had begun, and then, she was Champion. She snaps from her thoughts as she feels her cell phone vibrate in her pocket. She answers it and walks off the floor with Reno following behind to make sure she was all right. She answers it, as she walked a little ways from the loud music.

Joanne: HELLO? CAN YOU SPEAK UP? HOLD ON...

She walks a little bur further towards the parking lot, where the music had faded. She leans against the fence that surrounded the place, as Reno catches up with her.

Joanne: I can hear you now. Sorry about that. Now you were sayin'? This is she. Thank you very much for lettin' me take the shot at the title already. No, I was thrilled about how it ended. He's not dead is he? Ok good. So what can I help you with? A match this week? Sure. Against who? Really? I've been waitin' a long time to get my hands on him again. No, I'll be there. Thank you... You just made my night.

Joanne hangs up the phone, and smiles as she adjusts the title that hung off of her shoulder. It glistened in the dim light coming from the street lights that lined the street as she adjusted it.

Reno: Who was that?

Joanne: It was Mr. Blake. He wanted to let me know I have a match this week.

Reno: Who's it against?

Joanne: Jake Eaton. I've been waitin' for so long to get my hands on him again. When he hit me with that chair he made the biggest mistake of his life. I still never got my revenge for that, or the fact that he came out to face Classy J and I, only to walk away like a pussy ass bitch.

Reno: Wait he's the one with the girlfriend that you ended up in the fight with right?

Joanne: That's right. If she tries to interfere in any way I want you guys to take care of her.

Reno: No problem. We don't even really need an excuse.

Joanne just sighs, as they start back toward the open air club, as the sound of repeated gun fire explodes from somewhere around them. Reno grabs her, and they duck behind a car, as the crowds that had once been enjoying the evening runs out into the night toward the parking lot.

Reno: You ok?

Joanne: I'm fine. We have to find Rude and Scarpaci. Damn it how did they find us here?

Reno: I don't know, but we have to get in there.

They run back toward the club, as her cell phone rings once again. It was Rude.

Rude: WHERE ARE YOU TWO AT?

Joanne: We're headin' back in. Where are you and my brother at?

Rude: WE'RE BEHIND THE BAR. TWO GUYS JUST OPENED UP, WHEN THEY SAW ME AND SCARPACI. YOU'RE BETTER OFF OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW. WE'LL COME TO YOU.

Joanne: I don't think so. We're on our way to help.

Joanne pulls out one of the desert eagles she carries in her jacket, and Reno follows behind with a gun in his hands. This wasn't going to be pretty, but it didn't matter. Someone had tried to kill her once again, and now the game had truly begun.

Reno: Are you sure you want to do this? I mean they'll be gunning for you baby.

Joanne: I know, but I'll be fine. Let's go.

Joanne and Reno head back into the club as shots were fired toward them. They duck behind a table that had been over turned, and peer cautiously over it, seeing at least two guys moving about in search of their targets.

Reno: They're trying to find Rude and Scarpaci. It'll only be a matter of time that they'll...

Reno turns to look back at Joanne and she is already up on her feet moving through the crowds as they ran out of the club. A few more shots sound off, as a young woman hits the floor. Joanne rushed to her side, but she was already dead. One of the guys with the guns spots Joanne and fires off another round, grazing Joanne's left arm. Joanne turns and fires in return hitting him. He goes down, and Joanne moves on toward the bar.

Joanne: *voice Over* Why did this have to happen tonight? I was enjoyin' myself that's why isn't it?

Joanne reaches the bar, and ducks down with Rude and Scarpaci.

Rude: I thought I said for you and Reno to stay outside?

Joanne: And I told you I couldn't do that. One's down already, but I need the other alive for now.

Rude and Scarpaci nod, as they start to make their way from behind the bar, leaving Joanne alone once again. She leans against the bar, and sighs, hearing a few more shots going off. She gets up slowly and looks over the bar, seeing the other gun man on his knees. Joanne walks out from behind the bar, and over to where Rude ans Scarpaci had the gun man. Reno walks toward them with a semi automatic rifle in his hands.

Joanne: You got some balls boy. Let me guess another lap dog for Giovanni right?

Man: Yeah. If I get rid of you Giovanni told me, he was going to make me a made man!

Joanne bursts into laughter as she looks at him. He wasn't of Italian decent, and knew that he was lying.

Joanne: Please. You'll never be a made man. If you're not Italian, or have any connections to the old country you are worthless to him and will be nothin' more than a solider all of your life.

Man: You're lying.

Joanne: I'm not. If you go back to him and tell him I'm still alive your life is over anyway. Since I'm in a good mood, I'm not goin' to kill you, but we are goin' to take a nice little dive.

Man: What are you going to do? Drive me out into the middle of nowhere, and dump me naked?

Joanne: No. I have somethin' much worse for you. Reno, Rude get him in the car, and make sure he doesn't try anythin'. Shoot him if he does.

They nod, as Joanne sees something sparkling under a table. She moves it, and there sat the World Title that had fallen when she was hit. She picks it up and hands it to Scarpaci.

Scarpaci: Why are you giving me this?

Joanne: Keep it safe. I'll meet you at the car in a minute.

Scarpaci: Are you sure you're going to be ok?

Joanne: I'll be fine. I have a call to make.

Scarpaci: Sure thing sis.

Scarpaci walks away as Joanne digs out her cell phone again and begins to dial. She could hear sirens in the distance knowing that the police were on their way. The call is soon picked up on the other end and Joanne smiles.

Joanne: Hey it's me. I take it you heard huh? Yeah two guys showed up out of nowhere, and started shootin' the place up. You're on your way? That's good to know. I trust you to clean it up. Have you talked to our agents on the inside? You have? What did they say? Perfect, so everythin' will be linked right to Giovanni? That's what I wanted to hear. One guy is dead, and we have the other. I might leave him alive, depends on if he pisses me off or not.

Joanne starts walking back to the car, with her title over her shoulder. As she walks a few feet away from the club it explodes. Joanne ducks for cover as the place falls into the water.

Joanne: What was that? The club exploded! I don't think you're goin' to find the guy alive. But I'll make sure we leave him somewhere you can find him. Right... Talk to you later.

Joanne hangs up her phone and runs for the car, as the sound of sirens drew closer. She hops into the backseat of the limo, and they soon pull off, leaving what was left of the club to burn as the police and fire department showed up to the scene, as the scene fades to black.

Act 2: The morning after

The scene opens on the Canelli estate the next morning. The smoke from the club could be still seen as it floated up from Jersey City, as it died down. The morning sun poured through the window in Joanne's office, casting bright light into the darkness that was within. We soon see Joanne sitting in her high backed black leather chair, with her cat sitting in her lap. Joanne stared out at the yard, watching her guards making their rounds, and the squirrels moving through the budding trees. A knock comes to the door, and she turns around slowly as it opens. There stood Alex Bliskin. Joanne smiles as he walks inside and closes the door behind him.

Joanne: I knew you would come and see me about last night.

Blitskin: Was this your handy work Joanne?

He tosses her a paper, and on the front page it read:

"YOUNG MAN FOUND HUNG FROM ALLEGED MOB BOSSES FRONT GATE!"

Joanne shakes her head, as she sets the paper on the corner of the desk.

Joanne: It wasn't us. We took him for a drive and dropped him off at Giovanni's estate that's it. We scared the crap out of him, but we didn't kill him.

Blitskin: But I thought you said...

Joanne: We were, and I even thought about takin' him to see someone last night.

Blitskin: You mean HIS brother?

Joanne nods. The thought had crossed her mind more than once as they drove through the city, but she didn't want to expose him, or where he was. She had given a promise to HIM, and that was one she was going to keep.

Joanne: Yeah. I could have, but I didn't. I knew whatever he did would have the FBI on his trail again. So we took him back to Giovanni, knowin' that whatever I was goin' to do to the guy, couldn't be any worse than what Giovanni would do to him when he told him he didn't kill me.

Blitskin: True. It was a real mess this morning over there. The FBI were there and they want to pin this all on you, including what happened last night.

Joanne: I know that. But if they search the body they'll find no bullet holes in him, or fingerprints from us. What happened at the club last night, was total self defense. Those two guys came in and started shootin' up the place, and nearly got me. I fired back in self defense as anyone would.

Blitskin: Don't worry, nothing will be tracked back to you. I'll make sure of that myself.

Joanne: Good.

Blitskin: Well I'm going to head out. I know you probably have meetings all day, and going to be busy.

Joanne: My meetin's don't start until this afternoon, but I still have to train for my match this week.

Blitskin: That's right. Good luck this week.

Joanne: Thanks Alex. But I don't think I'll need it. I've gone toe to toe with this guy more than once, and he's not that hard to figure out.

Blitskin just smiles, and nods before walking out of the office leaving Joanne alone once again. She looks down at the paper and smiles reading the article. What she had in mind for the guy could have been a lot worse. But Giovanni had taken care of him for her.

Joanne: *Voice Over* It's funny, I thought I would be sorry for what happened to him, but I don't. He tried to kill me and my guys, and he got his reward in the end. You don't disappoint a Don, and think you are goin' to walk away from them in one piece. They have tried to kill me twice already, and have failed. They say the third time is always the charm, but not with me. If they want me dead they have to do a lot better than that.They remind a lot of you Jake. You've failed twice against me, and yet you still keep comin' back for more. Tell me how long do you think you are goin' to stand against me this time? Every time you step into the ring with me, you always seem to end up on the mat with a loss don't you? But the last time you were suppose to face me and Classy J you backed away like a coward like I knew you were.

She turns and looks out the window again, at the grass that was already starting to turn green. Spring had started early this year, and Joanne was happy. She loved this time of year, and that meant summer was just around the corner.

Joanne: *Voice Over* Tell me Jake how many times do I have to take you down before you learn your lesson? You will never be as good as I am, and I have the title to prove it. I'm surprised that someone like you never held it, then again... Yes I can. You don't have the talent to play in the game, or to even stand against me this time. Shame it's not a special match or anythin' because last week, it was awesome. When I put Manabu though that cell it felt great. I won that match with a single move, and left Manabu on the ground. This week won't be any different. If you want to try and prove yourself against me this week, then step into the ring, and see if you can stop me. I'm not goin' to play nice, nor will I stop until you are on the mat.

As she stared out the window, her eyes filled with determination, knowing that Thursday night wouldn't be easy but she wouldn't stop until she had the match won, mo matter what it took.

Joanne: *Voice Over* I just hope you're ready to face me, instead of runnin' away like you did the last time when you were suppose to be in the ring. We are the Mafioso, and we get paid to kick your ass. See you soon Jake.

Joanne smiles to herself as she leans back in her chair, with the little white cat still purring loudly as it fell into a deep sleep, as the scene fades to black.