TITLE:
My Enemy's EnemyAUTHOR:
BellerophonEMAIL:
bellerophon_666@hotmail.comCATEGORY:
WWFDISCLAIMER:
I don't own these characters, nor do I claim to.DISTRIBUTION:
Anyone can have this story as long as they ask first.RATING:
Probably RSUMMARY:
What could've happened during the whole Alliance debacle.AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This doesn't follow any particular time line, I've kinda taken artistic license and made a whole lot of stuff up. But hey, it's fiction so I'm allowed. It should become clear what's going on as the story progress's. Team Xtreme are still together, E&C have broken up, Jericho hasn't been the Undisputed Champion and the whole alliance thing is still going on. Make sense? Don't worry, I'm sure it will sooner or later. Thanks to everyone who offered to beta for me when I asked and also to those of you who have helped me with finding out a whole lot of stuff I didn't know.CHAPTER 1
The woman ran from the hotel, long brown hair streaming behind her. Knocking people out of her way, she snagged a cab and threw her lone bag in the seat, yelling directions as she looked over her shoulder. Three burly men were shouldering people aside as they tried to reach her, although they seemed to be moving a lot slower than necessary. They made it to the cab just as it pulled away from the curb. The woman smiled and mockingly gave them the finger. The three men glowered at her before winking, one waving good bye, another mouthing 'good-luck'. Out of all four of the people involved, none noticed the tear slipping slowly down the woman's face. It slipped down so quickly that even she didn't notice it pass.
The three men watched the car over their shoulders as it grew smaller and smaller. The tallest looked at the others. "Hunter's going to have our hides for this."
"She knows everything. If she manages to get to McMahon, all their plans are ruined and the Alliance will be screwed." One of the others muttered.
The first man scowled. "I still don't like this. One of us should've gone. Not Steph, man. She's not going to be able to stop them going after her. She won't be able to protect herself."
The three men stood together. One sighed, the soft noise belying his cocky, arrogant exterior. "We don't know everything, not like she does."
"Dude, Vince'll make sure she gets protection. Fuck, he'll probably hire the APA for what she knows. She's totally gonna be his top priority, if only because he can't afford to let them get her," Christian tried to reassure Test.
"You're right." Rob shrugged, slipping easily back into his easy going mood. "It's only until Vince can get his end sorted out and we can go look after her ourselves. Right, Test?" He looked up when there was no reply. "…Test?"
"Tell Hunter I've gone for food." Test ignored the question and flagged a cab down, jumping in before the others could stop him. Neither missed the look of apprehension and stress on his face. Rob and Christian stared at the leaving cab in surprise. "Dude, Triple H doesn't suspect anything, does he?" Christian turned to face Rob. "Test has been a total spaz-bomb lately. He's acting suspect."
"I know. He's just worried about Steph. I think he feels bad about what's happened with her. He's probably following her now to make sure she gets there alright." Rob shrugged and walked away from the curb, Christian following behind. Rob didn't mind the Canadian wrestler, even though he was especially weird sometimes, and even though he did have a sore spot over his brother. Christian could be a flake to the extreme, but it didn't mean he wasn't smart too. He was also one of the few people Rob kind of trusted in the Alliance and was slowly becoming a good friend. "Come on, we better get back and tell Hunter she 'got away'."
The two men walked into the hotel and out of sight.
* * * * * *
"Oh my God?"
"Is that….?"
"What the hell…….why is she here?"
Stephanie strolled along the back corridors of the arena looking calm and in control. Arrogant. She ignored the half whispers and muttered comments. It doesn't matter what they say about me. They're nobodies, nothings. I'm the Billion Dollar princess. I'm Stephanie McMahon Helms…..Stephanie McMahon. I'll do whatever the hell I want! She walked past Trish Stratus who reached out and grabbed her arm.
"Stephanie, hi, um…what are you doing here?" Trish asked.
"Ever the intelligent one, aren't you? Do you honestly think I would tell you," Stephanie paused, looked Trish over and laughed, "you why I am here? Please." She pushed past her and kept walking. She smirked at Trish's spluttering behind her. Turning a corner, she reached the office she had to go to. Taking a deep breath, she ran her fingers through her hair and knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Stephanie heard her father yell and almost lost her courage. I could run away. Hide in Mexico. I like tacos. Mexican guys are cute. But she was already slowly opening the door. She could hear her father finishing a meeting with someone, someone who's voice sounded distinctly familiar. Oh no, not now. So help me God, if he says one thing, I am going to slap him. She pushed the door wide open and walked in.
Vince looked up and immediately frowned. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"
At Vince's antagonistic tone, Jericho had looked over his shoulder. For a split second , he had looked surprised but it was immediately replaced with a smirk. He opened his mouth to speak, which Stephanie took as her cue. She held her hand in front of his face and, noticing the chair he was on had wheels, smiled sweetly and pushed the chair and him out the door. She was just closing the door when he found his store of insults and began yelling, "Did someone kick you off your favourite corner, Princess? Hey, watch the goods!"
Stephanie ignored it, shut the door and turned to face her father. Courage, he can't stand cowards. Be brave. She sat on the desk and smiled at him. "Daddy, I have some information I think you'll be very interested in."
He raised an eyebrow before leaning over his desk. "You expect me to listen to you?" Stephanie nodded, amazed she had managed to remain composed, when inside her torso it felt like her stomach was liquifying. "You have two minutes to convince me not to have you thrown out on your ass."
Stephanie glared at Vince. Only the fact that she needed his help prevented her from releasing a torrent of verbal abuse followed by her storming out. Pretend you have no pride……no pride……no pride……say the words…. Putting a contrite emotion on her face, Steph glanced down at the table, knowing she looked innocent and young. She looked up through her eyelashes. Vince wasn't buying it. Stephanie knew she had to raise the stakes if her father was going to give her the time of day. She began to allow her lower lip to tremble and quiver.
"Forget the waterworks, sit down and get to the point!" Vince snapped. Stephanie rolled her eyes and sat in a chair across the desk from him. "Now, I now we've had our problems in the past, what with you being cruel and controlling my whole life, and me trying to put you out of business, but as of about an hour ago, we have one thing in common……" She paused for effect before continuing. "….We both want my husband out of our lives."
Vince narrowed his eyes and smirked. "So you've finally come to your senses about Triple H. Congratulations. Have a wonderful divorce. Why are you coming to me?"
"Because…..Because Hunter is playing us both for idiots." Stephanie stated calmly. She had rehearsed her speech the whole way here and she'd be damned if she was going to cry. "Because he's bought ECW out from underneath me. Because he's got wrestlers on the inside of WWF. Because he's going to take control of the WWF unless someone can stop him." Stephanie looked her father straight in the eye. "Because no one treats Stephanie McMahon the way he has and gets away with it."
She watched, hard faced, as her father stared back at her. She felt, as she always had when he looked at her like that, like he was reading all her thoughts, stripping her soul bare. Stephanie raised her chin and waited to see what Vince would decide to do. Anxiety twisted her insides as he considered what she had said. Stephanie could feel her hands trembling in her lap, knowing that her father was her only real hope. And he was the only person who would be able to keep her safe from Hunter and his men. If that meant sharing information, then she was prepared to do so. Not only that, she would be able to keep the WWF from Hunter's hands. She would be able to get the guys stuck in the Alliance contracts at WWF. Not forgetting, either, the ever-important revenge on Hunter.
"What do you mean, he's got wrestlers on the inside! In my Federation!" Stephanie blinked in surprise, having drifted off. Apparently her father had made a decision. "Don't think for a minute that I have forgotten what you've tried to do to me. I will never forget, you ungrateful backstabbing traitor."
Stephanie frowned at Vince's remarks. She knew what her father wanted to hear, what he expected to hear. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I was wrong for doing what I did. I was so angry, I just didn't think. And now I'm in this horrible mess." Stephanie stared into the eyes of her father, hating him for making her say these things, yet somehow happy and relieved that they would no longer be on opposite sides. Hunter had treated her the same way as most men did, letting her have her way up on her pedestal, but not her father. Vince had always treated her like gold but he had challenged her too. Hunter turned out to be…..disappointing. And now he was finally challenging her, but somehow she didn't appreciate him buying her business out from under her. "I need your help. I can't do this without you. I can't go back to Hunter, he knows that I know. He's….he's sending people after me. If I do this, I want a guarantee of protection."
"So that's the deal is it? You tell me what you know, and I keep you safe." Vince mused.
"No. I know who the insiders in the WWF are. That's very precious info. IF I tell you, I want protection, all my stock options and senior privileges at WWF back AND contracts for some of the wrestlers in the Alliance. Wrestlers of my choice." Stephanie bargained. Truth be told, she had been almost looking forward to this part. If there was anything she loved, it was the wheeling-dealing that played a major part of the business.
"You're joking right? I'm supposed to trust you to bring your own men in just after you've tried to put me out of business. Do I look like a moron? Is that why you're asking for that?"
"I 'm not asking you. I'm telling you. I'm risking a lot coming here. My guys have risked a lot to keep me safe. I told them they would have jobs. So no jobs for them means no information for you." Stephanie spelled it out for him. She wouldn't change her mind. It wasn't like she was fantastic, close friends with those men. She owed them, that was all. And if she could get people like Test, RVD and Christian back in the WWF, it meant that she wouldn't be alone. Just another bonus.
Vince was shaking his head. "Stephanie, you've asked a lot of me in the past. But this?" He heaved a sigh. Stephanie couldn't decide whether he was going to say yes or no. "I can't believe I'm going to agree to this…..you've got a deal." Stephanie squealed and jumped out of her chair and into his arms for a long hug. "Thank you, Daddy. You won't regret this, I promise. We'll get rid of Hunter and my guys will come here and everything will be fantastic!"
"I'm waiting with baited breath." Vince replied sarcastically. "Now. Let's get down to business. Who are the bastards playing the WWF for fools?"
*************
"Did someone kick you off your favourite corner, Princess?" A doorknob to the shoulder. "Hey! Watch the goods!" The door slammed in his face. Chris rolled his eyes and stood up, rubbing his now bruised shoulder. He turned around to face the smirking faces of Matt and Jeff Hardy. "Eh. Guess who's favourite royalty is here for a visit?"
"If it's King Edge then where is he? I'm not at all in the mood to deal with the ego trip. Maybe we can avoid contact." Matt half-joked, referring to Edge's recent win of 'King Of The Ring'.
"Yeah, well, not quite. But you're not the only one avoiding him. Even Christian didn't want to be around him any more." Chris laughed. "And you know you're not doing well if Christian doesn't anything to do with you."
"Christian's an ass-wipe. Who're you talking 'bout, anyway?" Matt asked, mock punching Chris. "Can I take a guess and say Vince's little girl has come crawling back?"
"Oh my god, give the man a prize! She just kicked me out of my meeting with Vince. Well, actually she rolled me out on a chair. How'd you know?" Chris picked up his bag and started walking to the door, the Hardys following him.
"We happened to overhear you yelling another golden comeback of the sort you generally direct at Stephanie. This one? Not your best, man." Matt pushed the door open and they continued into the Hardy's locker room.
"I agree. Judges gave you an 8.3 for feeling but only a 2.6 for creativity. We've come to expect better from you." Jeff sat down and pulled a candy bar out from his own bag. He took a bite and continued, "So what's the billion dollar bitch doing here? Isn't she like one of the leaders of the Alliance?"
"That's what I want to know. And I'm sure we'll find out in the usual melodramatic, grandiose way the McMahon's always reveal their little plans." Chris shrugged and looked around. "Where's Smoochy?"
"Lita's havin' a shower. You know, if she hears you call her that again, she's gonna kick your ass." Matt laughed, "No wait, she's done that already."
"Please, bruised me, maybe. But there was no ass-kicking." Chris sat across from Jeff and pulled the candy bay from his hands. He broke a piece from it and handed it back to the indignant Hardy. "Get your own candy, Jericho. I've been craving this all day."
"Touchy. So we're waiting for the Diva and then we're going back to the hotel?"
"Mmm-hmm. Don't count on getting there any time soon. Lita's not exactly known for short showers." Matt picked up a stray book and started reading. Jeff was pulling out his notebook and pencil. Chris sighed. Boredom seemed imminent.
**************
"What do you mean?! You said you knew who the double crossers were! What are you trying to tell me!?" Stephanie winced. Maybe she should've told her father that she wasn't actually aware of the insiders in WWF names. "Don't worry, Dad. I'll know in the next few days. It's okay, calm down."
Vince was glaring at her. Stephanie decided perhaps something was required to calm him down. "I can tell you which wrestlers are definitely loyal to the WWF," she offered.
"Well, that will have to do, won't it. Okay, spill." Vince demanded.
"I know this for sure because Hunter had a list of wrestlers from the WWF and notes about them, like what he thought of them. Some of the notes were pretty indicative of who's loyalties lay where. Okay, the APA are loyal. In fact, Hunter was very nasty about what he said about them. Er…Edge is. And so are those stupid Hardys and their bitch girl." Stephanie frowned at the thought of Lita. "How many is that? Five?…..no, six. There was one more……..Oh, ugh. How could I forget? That loser Jericho."
"So out of all the wrestlers in the WWF, we can only be sure that those seven are still loyal to us? That's just……pathetic." Vince was looking decidedly unhappy.
"I don't know about the others. Some of them, I couldn't find notes. Others, the notes didn't say much. Most of them I doubt are with Hunter. But I can't be sure." Stephanie tried to think of the notes and what was written but she couldn't tell anything about the other wrestlers.
"And who are these fantastic wrestlers who want to join the WWF? I'm guessing they're your insiders?" Vince narrowed his eyes. "Tell me who they are."
Stephanie shook her head straight away. "No dice. Until I'm sure that we're safe from the Alliance, you don't find out who they are."
"Fine. I can deal with that later. Those seven are probably still all here. I'm calling a meeting." Vince picked up the phone from his desk and dialled out. "Find me Jericho, the Hardys, Edge and the APA. Tell them to get their asses here pronto," He ordered down the phone, and looked at Stephanie. "Let's get this show on the road."
****************
"400 lbs….making an Edge and Christian sandwich."
JR (mmmmm…..Edge and Christian sandwich…..yummalicious)So what is going to happen? I have no idea. This is definitely heading into the direction of a Stephanie/Jericho fic. Yeah, baby, those two are meant for each other. Tune in next week when I continue this wacky little adventure into the world of the WWF. Little teaser for anyone who happens to be reading this mishmash of a story : One unlucky person finds out someone else knows about their betrayal. Could I be any more vague? Read the next chapter and find out……
