Scene 1 – Reintroduction
The arena was buzzing with anticipation. For the first time in months, Reckoning stood united at the top of the stage.
Jaxon Cross led the charge, flanked by Kai Maddox, Talon Creed, and Saint. Their presence wasn't about dominance—it was about rebirth.
No pyro. No special effects.
Just four warriors who'd earned their way back to each other.
Inside the ring, the crowd chanted:
> "RECK-ON-ING! RECK-ON-ING!"
Jaxon took the mic.
"Last week, I stood in this ring with a busted shoulder, blood still in my mouth, and one question in my head…"
He glanced at Kai, then back to the camera.
> "Do I deserve to lead?"
He paused. The crowd held its breath.
"I've got my answer."
He turned slowly, facing his crew.
> "Not without them."
A pop from the crowd.
Jaxon continued, voice stronger.
"I tried to carry this on my own. But Reckoning was never about one man. It's about every one of us who was told we weren't enough."
He turned toward the ramp.
"And now we're not asking for permission anymore."
> "We're taking everything."
The crowd roared.
But backstage, someone wasn't clapping.
---
Scene 2 – Spotlight and Shadows
Elsewhere, inside a private viewing suite high above the crowd, Stephanie McMahon stood by the glass, watching the moment unfold on the arena floor.
A soft smile touched her lips. But behind her, murmurs were rising.
Producers. Executives. Whispers.
Two board members stood nearby, watching the screen with wary expressions.
"You sure this is the image we want?" one muttered.
"Stephanie's playing favorites again," another said under his breath. "Can't let this become a McMahon project."
She heard it.
She turned. Calm. Controlled.
"If you have concerns about my personal life, bring it to me directly," she said without flinching. "Not to your shadows."
They shrank.
But she knew the truth: Jaxon's rise wasn't just about gold and violence anymore. It had implications. Especially with her name attached to his.
And it was only a matter of time before someone tried to weaponize it.
---
Scene 3 – A Night Alone
Hours after the show, back at the hotel, Jaxon stood at the edge of the balcony, shirtless, bandages over his ribs. The city hummed below.
Stephanie joined him, two mugs of black coffee in hand.
He took one, still staring out.
"They're already talking, aren't they?" he asked.
She nodded. "Of course they are."
Jaxon sighed. "You deserve better than this mess."
Stephanie looked at him.
"Better than a man who tore the house down to find himself again? Who clawed back from blood and fire just to protect the people he almost lost?"
She stepped in close, resting a hand on his chest.
"No. I don't want better, Jaxon. I want you."
Their foreheads touched.
The world slowed down.
But the quiet didn't last.
---
Scene 4 – The Viper's Play
The next night on SmackDown, just as the main event wrapped, the lights cut out.
Static crackled through the speakers.
The tron lit up—grainy footage of Randy Orton sitting on a throne of ash, decked in all-black, a single flame flickering behind him.
He spoke slowly.
"You think I lost? That I walked away from Reckoning empty?"
He smiled coldly.
"You didn't beat me, Jaxon. You used me. You let me turn the screws… and then walked off with the kingdom."
He leaned forward.
"And now I get to return the favor."
The screen glitched—cut to a hidden camera shot.
Stephanie McMahon.
Jaxon Cross.
On the balcony. Together.
Orton's voice layered over:
> "You gave me the tools. Now I'll build the weapon."
The tron cut to black.
The crowd was stunned.
So was commentary.
So was the locker room.
---
Scene 5 – Repercussions
By Monday morning, social media was on fire.
#McMahonCross
#ConflictOfInterest
#OutlawAffair
Pundits, dirt sheets, executives — everyone weighed in.
Stephanie's name was trending. Jaxon was accused of being "corporate protected." Even Reckoning's win over Judgment Day was now being dissected.
Backstage at RAW, Jaxon sat in the locker room, staring at his phone.
Stephanie walked in, eyes hard but not panicked.
"They're going to try to use this to discredit you," she said.
He nodded. "Let 'em."
She tilted her head.
"I mean it," he said. "Let them come. Because I'm not going to apologize for loving you."
Her breath caught.
The word had slipped out.
But he didn't flinch.
Neither did she.
She stepped forward, resting her hands on either side of his face.
"You don't need to fight me, Jaxon. Not ever."
Then she kissed him.
Long.
Honest.
And that was the moment Reckoning became realer than ever—because now, it wasn't just about war.
It was about everything they stood to lose.
---
Scene 6 – One Last Warning
At the end of the show, Jaxon walked out to the ring, alone.
No mic.
Just fury.
He looked into the camera.
"You want to drag her into this, Orton?"
He pointed to the tron.
"Fine. Then you deal with all of me."
A pause.
"Face me. One-on-one. No tricks. No shadows. At Hell in a Cell."
The crowd exploded.
"And if you're too much of a coward to come to war…"
He leaned close to the lens.
"…I'll bring the fire to your doorstep."
---
Final Scene – Orton's Smile
In a smoky room somewhere far away, Randy Orton watched the challenge.
He grinned.
He didn't speak.
He just lifted a glass of bourbon and toasted the screen.
Then he whispered:
> "Checkmate."
---