NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: To everyone who was nice enough to leave a review, a big THANKS! BTW, this next chapter wasn't intended to be in my story; my Taker muse inspired it, and it kinda wrote itself. I'm glad I put it down, because it gives me a chance to further develop things.

Chapter Three

WWF Smackdown Taping

4/27/99

"The WWF returns to network TV tonight, and we're proud to be back! The place is packed, and the fans are pumped up! Hello, everyone! I'm Michael Cole, and beside me at the broadcast table is my colleague, Jimmy Cornette!"

"Michael, it's gonna be a fantastic night! The WWF and network TV – what a combination!"

The crowd quieted down slightly as the ring announcer picked up a microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Vince and Shane McMahon."

Vince and his son, accompanied by security officers, slowly entered the ring, as "No Chance In Hell" played over the loudspeakers.

"He is the former owner of this company," Michael Cole pointed out. "What a horrific few days it has been for him and the rest of his family. As you know, Vince's daughter, Stephanie, was kidnapped at Backlash this past Sunday by The Undertaker, who offered to give her back in exchange for ownership of the WWF. But, according to The Undertaker, Vince failed to live up to his end of the bargain."

Cornette added, "And as all the fans witnessed, Undertaker married Stephanie in that god-forsaken Black Wedding. Now, Vince is reeling, not just over the hostile takeover of his company, but also over the marriage of his little girl, against her will to a man who can only be described as a monster."

"Jimmy, you may wanna watch how you talk about Undertaker, because when he married Stephanie, he gained controlling interest in the WWF. In fact, I'm surprised that Vince and Shane are still employed." Cole paused. "They both look weary and beat down. These past few days, few months really, have been absolutely hellish."

Vince picked up a mike. "Thank you," he said with a brave smile. "I wanna start by saying that I'm pleased that the WWF has come back to network TV. It's a great opportunity for those fans who can't watch the WWF anyplace else. With that said, I have some important things I need to address. I'm very proud of my personal accomplishments, but not so proud of my business ones. I'd like to take this chance tonight to address that."

A loud chant of "A-hole! A-hole!" went up from the crowd.

"I've been that, yes," Vince continued, nodding. "And I am that as well. I know right now that this may be little more than lip service, but hopefully, I can change. In my business life, I've been ruthless and uncaring of others. I've stepped on a lot of toes in the past, and I've probably crushed a few. I've done that in the name of business. And sometimes, I've done that at the expense of my family. So, with that said, my ruthless may have cost me not only my company, but also my family.

"I'm familiar with the saying about the sins of the father. I know that I've committed some atrocities in the past, but I don't know what kind of sin I could've committed that would justify what happened to my daughter Stephanie this past Monday night."

"What happened this past Monday night on RAW can only be described as a tragedy," said Cole.

"Agreed," Cornette nodded. "It was a takeover of the most egregious and sacrilegious kind. Undertaker said that he liked how Vince had planned ahead. Well, Undertaker planned ahead as well, which was demonstrated by those two unidentified Druids locking Shane and the Corporation in their dressing room and attacking Steve Austin when he tried to rush in to save Stephanie. Now Taker has all the power, and Vince finds himself in the unenviable position of being on the outside looking in."

Vince sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. "Undertaker, this pains me to say it, but...congratulations. You've done what nobody else has been able to do. You've beaten me. You've won. You now own the World Wrestling Federation, and I guess in essence, you also own me. But really, that doesn't matter. What matters more to me right now is my daughter, Stephanie.

"Her family—her mom, her brother, and myself—all of us have been worried sick about her. The last time any of us saw her in person was at Backlash. I had the unfortunate opportunity to view a tape of the so-called wedding after it took place, and I was sick. Sick with grief.

"Undertaker, I love my little girl more than anything else in this world. And her family loves her more than anything else in the world. So on behalf of her family, I ask of you—I plead with you—please let me have my daughter back. You can have my company. You can do whatever you want with it, but I beg of you..."

Vince's voice trailed off, and Shane took the mike from his father. "As you all know, my dad and I have not seen eye to eye in recent months. To say that we have clashed on the way this business should be run, well...that's putting mildly. But he and I agree on one thing, and that's the safety and well-being of my little sister. So Undertaker, if there is any shred of compassion in your heart, if you have any decency and mercy in you, then please, please! Bring Stephanie back to us. Please give back my little sister."

Just as those last words were uttered, the lights went out, and a bluish glow filled the arena. Vince and Shane froze in the ring like a pair of deer caught in the headlights as Undertaker's music rumbled through the arena. A murmur filled the crowd as a large figure stepped out onto the entrance ramp. Several others followed after him and took their positions.

The lights brightened up slightly to reveal the Undertaker and his Ministry of Darkness. Taker had a dark smirk on his face, and Paul Bearer looked smug. Shouting, jeers, cheers and applause filled the arena.

"There he is," Cole announced. "The owner of the WWF, accompanied by his right-hand man, Paul Bearer. The others, Farooq, Bradshaw, Mideon, and the 500-pound behemoth known as Viscera. The leader of the Ministry of Darkness, and I dare to say Vince McMahon's son-in-law, The Undertaker."

"I still can't get my head around it," remarked Cornette. "He and his Ministry have single-handedly taken down the most powerful man in sports entertainment. Michael, it's absolutely beyond belief."

Taker picked up his own microphone and began. "Vince, I really was hoping you'd be able to attend my wedding to your little girl. It was a lovely ceremony. You really should've tried harder to be there. But I guess you were otherwise occupied. At least I sent you the video."

Vince clenched his fists. "Undertaker, you sonofabitch! Give me back my daughter!"

Taker shook his head. "Vince, I think you seem to forget your position in this company now. You see, I no longer work for you. You Vince, work for me. And instead of making demands of me, you should be thanking me for letting you keep your jobs. I could have thrown both you and Shane out into the street if I wanted to. But that's no way to treat family. And speaking of which, I think we can do away with the formalities now, Vince. I guess from here on out I'll just call you...Dad."

"Oh, God!" groaned Cornette.

"I think Undertaker's enjoying this." Cole added, as Vince and Shane stared at Taker in shocked silence. "Vince looks like he's going to be sick!"

Vince put his hand on his chest and took a few deep breaths. "Look, Taker...Mark, please! This has gone far enough. You can have the company. Title shots, full control, anything you want. Please, just give me back Stephanie. Let me have my daughter back!"

Taker turned to Bearer and looked like he was conversing with the chunky, smirking manager. He then turned his attention back to Shane and Vince in the ring.

"Dad, you and Shane are in no position to negotiate. But, we're all family now, and I know how important family is to you," he said, the tone in his voice mocking, especially when he spat out the words "dad" and "family." "So, since we should all try to get along now, I'll suggest a little compromise. This coming Monday, on RAW, I'll bring Stephanie to the ring with me, and you will see that I've been taking real good care of her. After all, you wouldn't want your precious little girl married to someone who didn't treat her the way a woman should be treated, right?"

Pale-faced, Vince gulped and nodded.

A smile crawled across Taker's lips like a snake. "Then I guess I'll be seeing you this coming Monday, Dad. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take care of some last-minute details before tonights festivities begin. I wanna make sure I get back in time to spend some quality time with my new bride."

Taker nodded to his Ministry who returned to the backstage single file. When he and Paul were the only ones left on the ramp, he said, "Oh, one more thing, Dad. You'll be happy to know that your little girl saved herself for marriage...and that I was her first."

Taker's music started again, and he and Paul turned to leave.

Vince dropped the microphone he was holding and began to tremble violently. He sagged against Shane for support, and had to be helped from the ring. He looked ready to collapse.

"Oh my God, Jimmy!" exclaimed Cole. "If Vince McMahon could be any more powerless than he was this past Monday night, well, I think we just witnessed it."

"Taker has Vince McMahon by the short hairs," said Cornette. "And there's absolutely nothing he can do about it."

"He's completely devastated," observed Cole. "He just wants Stephanie back, but he's gonna have to wait, like everyone else, until RAW this coming Monday, when he can finally see her."

~~~MOD~~~

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Boy, I'm evil, aren't I? Leaving it on a cliffhanger like this? What I'm trying to do is write these chapters the way you'd see or hear them if you were watching RAW or Smackdown on TV. BTW, I hope Taker didn't sound too over the top. I wrote this exactly how I imagined it!

Also, I have some other works that you're welcome to check out. Just click on my profile and you'll be able to find and read them. I'd love to hear feedback from you all.

REVIEWS = LOVE