Welcome To the Jungle
ONE WEEK BEFORE WRESTLEMANIA
Vince McMahon and Eric Bischoff were sitting in their office, watching a replay of The Rock's stunning return from the previous week. As Rock said, "Finally…The Rock has come back to Monday Night Raw!" Vince sneered and said to Eric,
"Well, we'll see about that!"
IN THE RING
Vince McMahon, sans his Corporation enforcers, scowled at the audience as he waited for their boos to die down. "Last week, I said that I was still in charge in spite of my wife Linda's decision to hire Roddy Piper as co-General Manager." The crowd cheered Roddy's name, which Vince did his best to ignore. "And, since I still own half of this company, I decided to do a little hiring of my own. Ladies and gentlemen, meet my new Executive Assistant-Paul Hyman!"
The crowd voiced its disapproval as the owner of ECW came down the ramp. "Thank you, Mr. McMahon!" he said as he shook the Chairman's hand. "And let me assure you, sir, that I will do everything in my power to keep both Roddy Piper and the N.W.O. in line!"
"I know, Paul. That's why I hired you. In fact, I've got an assignment for you starting right now. And that is to tell Roddy Piper that he's going to sign a match tonight, between John Cena…and The Big Show!"
"That's a great idea, Mr. McMahon!" Paul said, but the words were barely out of his mouth before The Rock's theme music played. Vince fumed as Hyman looked scared while The People's Champion came to the ring and gave them The People's Eyebrow as he addressed the crowd.
"As I said last week…Finally, the Rock has come back to Monday Night Raw!" He grinned as Hyman tried to protest while Vince held him back. The Rock turned to face them. "Vince McMahon! Paul Hyman! You two come out here, in the People's Ring, you run your mouths off about making matches and this and that, and you don't even consider inviting the Rock to see what he thinks?"
"What you think?" Hyman glared at the Rock. "Well, do you want to know what I think?"
"IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK!" The Rock shouted. "There's only one thing you need to know-The Rock has got John Cena's back. The Rock has got Hogan's and Triple H's back. The Rock has Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin's back." He looked straight at Vince. "And The Rock sees something on your back, too, Vince. The Rock sees a target, and The Rock sees himself laying the smackdown on your candy ass!"
Vince was outraged. "Now just a damn minute! I don't care if you are with the N.W.O., nobody talks to Vincent Kennedy McMahon that way!"
Much to Vince's chagrin, The Rock looked amused instead of intimidated. "Oh, really? Maybe that's because you're used to having only gutless pieces of crap like Eric Bischoff and Paul Hyman around. Or that overgrown freak show Kane, or The People's Chump, Kurt Angle. But the Rock's not like that. The Rock doesn't have to kiss anybody's ass. The Rock kicks ass, and if you two don't learn to know your role and shut your mouth, The Rock is going to show you what he thinks of the two biggest jackasses on God's green Earth!"
The Rock's words hit Vince with the force with which they were intended. "Okay, Rock-have it your way. But we'll see who gets the last laugh." With that, he and Paul quickly left the ring. As they did so, The Rock bade them farewell with his trademark signature:
"If you smell….what The Rock is cooking!"
RODDY PIPER'S OFFICE
"Oh, hi, Eric! Come on in! What can I do for you?" Roddy had been enjoying The Rock's speech when Eric entered.
"Cut the crap, Piper!" Eric jabbed a finger at Piper. "What was the big idea, bringing The Rock back?"
"Don't look at me, Eric. The Rock's a free man; he can do what he wants. But as long as you're here, there is something I need for you to take care of."
"Take care of?" Eric's eyes widened in disbelief. "I'm the General Manager, not some low-paid flunky."
"You're Co-General Manager, pal. That means we both have equal responsibility. I need you to deliver a message to Paul Hyman. You tell him that Linda hired me, and that I answer to her, not him. And if he's got a problem with that, he can come and see me. Got it."
For a moment Eric looked like he might protest, but instead he kept his mouth shut and stormed out. Piper grinned as he watched him go. "That's a good boy!"
IN THE BACK AREA
Hogan, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, John Cena, and Stone Cold were making their way into the building. Hogan frowned as they were confronted by Paul Hyman.
"What do you want, you little weasel?" Hogan demanded.
Paul just grinned. "You thought you could pull a fast one on me, sending the Rock out into the ring. Just remember one thing-they don't call me the Evil Genius for nothing!"
"Evil Genius?" Stone Cold laughed. "You're more like the Evil Jackass if you ask me. Now get the hell out of the way, you stupid bastard. We got some business to take care of."
Paul stepped aside, and watched them go with contempt. "Just you wait," he called after them. "I may have a little surprise of my own for you."
THE N.W.O. LOCKER ROOM
"Okay, guys, Vince is still up to his old tricks. He wouldn't bring Paul Hyman in unless he was really desperate and wanted somebody smarter than him to do his dirty work for him." Hogan and Triple H nodded at each other.
"Well, maybe Paul is smarter than Vince, maybe not. Somehow I have the feeling Eric Bischoff might not be too pleased with having to work with both Paul and Piper at the same time." Shawn Michaels said as he finished lacing his boots.
"Hell, son, Eric Bischoff's an even bigger jackass than the two of them put together. That stupid bastard can't even drink a damn beer right. Piper doesn't have a damn thing to worry about."
"Maybe not-but I'll bet we can find a way to make Eric worry about him," John Cena suggested.
Triple H grinned. "I think I like the sound of that," he said.
VINCE AND ERIC'S OFFICE
"Damn that Piper!" Eric fumed as he paced around the floor.
"Will you forget about him?" Vince and Mick Foley were sitting on the couch. "Mick, I think it's time you showed Triple H a taste of what he can expect at Wrestlemania."
Foley grinned. "I just hope he remembers the hell I put him through the last time we went at it. He may be the Cerebral Assassin, but I'm a hardcore legend!"
"Who the hell cares about Triple H?" Eric said. "Piper's the real problem."
Vince frowned. "Eric, are you all right? If you've got a problem with Piper, take it up with him. We've got bigger fish to fry."
"Okay, I will!" Eric left the office.
Vince shook his head. "Okay, Mick, now where were we…"
IN THE HALLWAY
"Piper…Piper…God I hate him!" Eric muttered to himself as he walked towards Piper's office. Suddenly, John Cena stopped him.
"Out of my way, Cena! I need to see Piper!"
"Calm down, Eric. If you want Piper, he's waiting for you…right down there." Cena pointed down the hallway.
"Oh he is, is he?" Eric stormed past Cena. "Piper! Piper, are you there? I've got a few words to say to you!"
"And I've got a few words to say to you, ya son of a bitch!" Eric froze as he heard Stone Cold's voice behind him. He had no time to react as Stone Cold grabbed him and delivered a Stunner that sent Eric sprawling onto the floor.
"You still can't drink a beer, ya dumb bastard," Stone Cold said with contempt as he looked down at the unconscious Bischoff.
IN THE RING
Triple H and Mick Foley were going after each other in the hardcore match that Vince had arranged. Foley had trash cans, metal signs, chairs and everything else but the kitchen sink. Triple H, however, had the sledgehammer. That was all he needed as he sent Mick down on the mat. As he was about to deliver the Pedigree, however, Kurt Angle and Kane came running down to the ring. Paul Hyman was behind them, giving directions. As they ganged up on the Game, The Rock appeared behind an oblivious Hyman. By the time Hyman knew The Rock was there, Stone Cold had dome to the ring and helped Triple H fight off Angle and Kane. Suddenly, Paul found himself all alone as The Rock dragged him into the ring, where Stone Cold gave him a Stunner, Triple H gave him a Pedigree, and The Rock gave him the People's Elbow. As a semi-conscious Hyman crawled back up the ramp, Hogan, Michaels and Cena joined the others in the ring.
"That's just a taste of what's coming to you at Wrestlemania, dudes!" Hogan said as they faced Hyman, Angle, Kane, Foley and Vince, who stood in the entrance way and glared back. "The N.W.O. isn't a corporation, brothers. We're a team!"
"And we will kick your sorry asses all over the damn Wrestlemania arena!" Stone Cold added.
"So while you go home and cry over what the N.W.O. is going to do, the New World Order is going to get ready to lay the smackdown on all your candy asses!" The others surrounded him as the Rock called out, "If you smell…what the N.W.O. is cooking!"
TBC!
