[As Wildfire comes back on the air, Kid Rock's voice comes screaming through the Carver Hawkeye Arena speakers.]
[PAGE]: Looks like we're going to hear a few words from former CAL champion, Mace.
[MCCOY]: Oh great, just what we need.
[The sound of a dropping bomb is heard, accompanied by two criss-crossing pyrotechnics coming from above the ring, impacting in front of the entranceway. As the sound of an explosion rocks the arena, Powerman 5000's Bombshell comes blasting through the speakers. And former CAL champion Mace comes from behind the curtain.]
##Get up##
##Get up##
##This is out of control##
##Get up##
##Get up##
##Get up##
##Drop the Bombshell##
##Get up##
##Get up##
##Get down...##
[Mace stands at the top of the ramp, trying to soak up the adulation of the crowd. But something is wrong, the celebration, the elation, it wasn't there. There was no arm raising, no playing to the crowd. Instead Mace just stood there, a dour look on his face.]
[PAGE]: Mace doesn't look like himself today. Looks like something's on his mind.
##Now I'm not the same because you're not the same,##
##Well you're not the same the because I'm not the same,##
##We're not the same, this could never be the same##
##and we just wanna survive...##
[Mace walks down the ramp. Absent is his usual cocky swagger. Gone is the intense fire burning in his eyes. He gets to the ring, and slides in, rolling under the bottom rope. He stands up allowing the fans a view of what he looks like without his belt, in just his standard jeans, Authority T-shirt, and jean jacket.]
##Get up##
##Get up##
##This is out of control##
##Get up##
##Get up##
##Get up##
##Drop the Bombshell##
##Get up##
##Get up##
##Get down...##
[Mace does his usual routine of going corner to corner however it is without his usual zest. He doesn't raise his arms in the air above his head, in fact he just stands on the second turnbuckle, looking out into the crowd. Despite his lacklustre performance, the crowd still cheers extremely loudly. After making his perfunctory rounds, Mace stands in the middle of the ring, microphone in hand, waiting for the applause to die down.]
[MACE]: Hello Iowa city!
[MCCOY]: Insert cheap cheer here.
[Sure enough the crowd cheers loudly.]
[MACE]: I've never been one to dance around issues, so I'm just going to cut to the chase here.
[MCCOY]: Oh, thank God.
[The crowd dies down, in anticipation of Mace's speech.]
[MACE]: As you all know, at End of Days I lost my CAL title to Jack Cross. Since then I've been doing a lot of thinking. I've thought about my career, I've thought about my life, and I've thought about my dedication. It's only now that I realise that something is missing. Me, my heart just isn't in it anymore. Ever since the legendary Blood Feud with Nighthawk I've been lacking that fire, that desire that just burns inside. Ever since then I've just been going through the motions, doing what I thought would be best for you. But to steal a phrase from my good friend Jeff Kushner, now it's MY TIME.
[The arena is silent. No one can believe what they're hearing.]
[PAGE]: Is he saying what I think he's saying?
[MACE]: So End of Days was a very appropriate title, because it was the end of my days. I, Mace, first ever WWA Television champion, last reigning Mid South Heavyweight Champion, and former CAL champion, am hanging up the boots. Thank you all for your undying devotion. I'll never forget you.
[PAGE]: My god, Mace is calling it quits.
[Suddenly a "MACE" chant begins circulating through the crowd. It begins small at first, but grows in volume, until it's at a deafening level. Mace raises the microphone to his lips to speak again, but the chant continues, and he can't be heard over the speakers. He keeps trying to speak calmly, but still the chants of "MACE, MACE, MACE" still fill the arena. Finally Mace has had enough.]
[MACE]: ENOUGH!!
[Everyone dies down quickly.]
[MACE]: Thank you all. It means a lot, but my mind is made up. Next week on Wildfire, I will have my final going away match. I will take on any member of the Darkness. I will strike a final blow for my true friends in the Authority. After that, the rest is history. Thank you.
[With that, Mace throws down the microphone, and walks out. No music, no fanfare, just another growing "MACE" chant. Don't feel sad folks, He couldn't fight this.]
[PAGE]: My God. The days of the Bronx Buster are over.
[The camera cuts to the backstage area, as a camera crew breaks into a dressing room. Standing in the centre of the room are the remaining members of the Authority, Jeff Kushner, Napalm, Adam X, and Alex Constantine. They are all staring at the monitor in the dressing room, a look of shock on everyone's face. Alex Constantine walks over to the monitor and kicks it to the ground. It explodes in a plethora of cathodes and sparks.]
[Fade to a commercial for the History of the CAL DVD, featuring TJ Killingbeck, Sam Carnage, and Lonny Bash.]