[Sitting at a glass top table with a ceramic hand as the foot is MCW's newest signee, 'The Judge' Joseph Justice. The study of this four bedroom house, a purchase that Justice made late last year, that he was dying to get to live in, but now things are a bit different. Sitting across from him is a man that we will learn more about later.]
[The two men are studying a chess board. A few pieces have been snagged by each man and are off to the side. The man sitting across from Justice has just moved a piece, and Joseph is looking at the move in an odd way.]
“Good move.”
[Dry and labored.]
[Justice spies the pieces on the chess board. He runs his index finger along the edge of the smoked glass. His lips perk into a smile.]
“Thought and preparation went into that. I must admire that.”
[Joseph rolls his tongue around his mouth and runs the tip over his bottom front teeth. His index finger makes its way to the top of a pawn.]
“The weight of this situation causes me to focus on the matter at hand.”
OCM: [callous] So, are you going to talk all day or are you going to make a move.
[The camera pans its hundred and eighty degrees and sitting opposite to Justice is a man dressed in a black tee shirt. The ebony skin is smooth and flawless. The black tangled locks of hair are pulled back in a rubber band. Dark brown eyes study Justice carefully.]
[Justice lets out a coarse chuckle.]
“Everything in due time.”
Man: That’s one of your main problems, Joe. Everything doesn’t fit into the scope of due time. Time is one of the few things we never get back, once it’s gone... it’s gone.
[Joseph’s eyes move from the pieces to his opponent.]
“Anything done in haste is liable to be flawed. Timing is everything, and my friend, that you will always admit because I learned it from you, Charles.”
[The man we now know as Charles bites on his bottom lip. Joseph has touched on something that Charles didn’t believe he would recall.]
Charles: The martial arts are one thing. This is a game of chess.
[Joseph laughs.]
“Why do anything half hearted. Now that is a waste of time.”
Charles: [frustrated] Dammit, Joseph, move a piece... any piece.
“Curbing ones temper is something else that you taught me. What kind of teacher have you become Charles? Do as I say and not as I do. Very hypocritical of you.”
Charles: When has a game of chess turned into some great deliberate revolution.
“Not a revolution, but I want to use each piece to it’s full potential. There are so many that will never realize their full potential. Simply because they rushed into a situation they were never prepared for.”
[Charles has been studying Justice, focusing on every word. He knows that there is more going on that is separating the two of them.]
Charles: I see he’s got you rattled.
[Justice's brow wrinkles.]
Charles: [stoic] The brawling alcoholic…
[Joseph's face relaxes, a sheepish smile on his face.]
“Laughable, at the most.”
Charles: Well, then what is it. We’ve played chess countless times and you’ve never taken this long to move one piece. Considering that my move was the tenth move of the game, this isn’t rocket science.
“I’m not taking anything for granted. That’s the first mistake most people make. The first is often the premise to their demise.”
[Charles leans over the board and taps Justice on the forehead with his index finger.]
Charles: A ****ING CHESS GAME Joe!
[The camel’s hump was just broken.]
Charles: Radical culture shock. Times haven’t been the greatest and you are taking things to an extreme that they don’t have to be taken to.
“Charles. Look down at the board if you will.”
[Charles looks down. Shame begins to sink in.]
“Since when were you able to move the bishop horizontally?”
[Charles moves his piece back to its previous position. Justice taps on his bottom lip with his index finger.]
“See, like Kenny Hardwood did against Drunken Tiger, you rushed into that move. Only difference is, you were corrected. For you the only backlash from your action is your piece being moved back and a bit of humiliation. For him, well there won’t be any piece for him to move back, but there will be more than a bit of humiliation if he chooses to underestimate me.”
[Joseph moves his knight into place and leans back and studies the board. The smile on his face is one of confidence. Charles goes to move a piece, gives Joseph a glance and then ponders his move. Joseph begins to laugh at his indecision.]
[End.]
