10:

I laced up my shoes and checked the old clock on the wall. It was 3 A.M. I didn't seem to think the time was strange. Instead, I thought to myself that it was almost time for my match on RAW. I stood up and walked out to the hallway to find Wade and Nexus, thinking that they would be looking for me. I was certain that the match I was about to have was very important, and the crowd would be disappointed if they didn't see me win.

Who was my opponent? I couldn't seem to remember. I saw another clock and double checked the time. It said 5 A.M. Again, I didn't see it as odd. I kept walking, finding the hallway to be extraordinarily long and dark. I finally came upon a door and opened it, walking in to find The Nexus with their backs to me, standing around something and talking amongst themselves.

I didn't see Wade, so I asked, "Where's Barrett?"

No one acknowledged me. Slater turned to Otunga and said, "I can't believe Wade has this."

McGillicutty shook his head and replied, "No way did he get them so easily."

Otunga argued, "It's totally legit. He took them from Cena like a fat man taking a cake."

The Nexus laughed. I became confused, asking, "What are you guys talking about?"

They still ignored me, so I walked around to see what they were all looking at. I caught sight of an oversized jar sitting in the middle of what looked like a TLC table. When I came close, I saw that there were two round objects inside the jar. I leaned in closely to see them better, and it suddenly dawned on me what they were.

Gabriel said it aloud, "Wade actually cut off Cena's balls and put them in a jar."

I woke up with a start out of the dream. The bright sunlight hurt my eyes and my injury hurt like hell and made it hard to move. It took me a few seconds to realize that I was still in the back of Randy's truck, and he was standing beside it shaking me awake. I squinted to see him and asked, "What's up?"

He had a look of deep concern on his face as he replied, "We've got to go."

:-:

Randy didn't speak as we packed up and left the lake. He kept his focus on the road, and I checked his speed several times, noticing that he kept inching higher and higher as we drove. My injury felt worse than ever, and I kept shifting in my seat to find a comfortable position. Finally, Randy asked me, "What's the matter? Did I hurt you last night?"

"No, I'm just sore. It's always worse in the morning, you know that," I lied, shifting in my seat again.

Randy narrowed his eyes at me like he didn't believe a word I said, but he dropped it. I could tell he was agitated, and his speed suggested that he wasn't worried about breaking the law to get to where we were going, so I asked, "What's going on? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Randy clenched his jaw and breathed through his nose. I could tell he was making a strong effort to hold in his rage. I asked again, "What? Tell me!"

"Vince called this morning. Wade's filing a formal complaint against me," Randy said.

"For the RKO in the parking lot? I didn't think he'd bring that up because it would make him look stupid," I replied.

Randy shook his head, explaining, "It isn't that. Turns out Wade's been talking to Vince and the RAW General Manager about a lot of things, but he's been leaving out important parts and spinning his own version of things. He told Vince and the RAW G. M. about your abduction in Manchester, but he left out the part that I was actively involved in your rescue, and instead told them that I may have been involved in a plot to leave you stranded."

I listened intently as Randy continued, "He told them that I've been trying to get rid of you to get back at Wade and to thwart Wade's chances at the WWE Championship come Survivor Series. He told them I've been drugging you, and that's why you've been acting strangely lately and you've been avoiding the other wrestlers."

"That's bullshit. No one is going to believe it," I argued.

Randy sighed and said, "There's more."

I waited, and he reluctantly told me, "Wade told them that I've been beating on you. He told them about your injury as proof of my abuse. He also told them that...I raped you."

"What the fuck? There's no way that will stick! Wade is going to look like an ass when I tell them what's going on!" I shouted.

Randy replied somberly, "It's not up to you, John. They think you've been drugged so they won't believe that you're coherent enough to explain what really happened. They'll see your injury and a rape kit will come out positive because of what we did last night."

I was completely stunned. Wade had somehow managed to turn everything upside down. Randy's efforts to save me from Wade's wrath now sounded like efforts to abuse and violate me.

He was also trying to take away my first time with Randy, and I wasn't about to let that fucking happen.

I shook my head violently, saying, "No, no, it is not going to go down like this. I will do whatever it takes! I will lie, cheat and steal to make sure that Wade Barrett does not do a damn thing to fuck up our lives or the memory of last night!"

Randy looked at me with surprise, asking, "You're bringing Eddie's mantra into this?"

I pointed out, "He brought down some of the most villainous wrestlers in the industry. The man obviously knew what he was talking about!"

Randy smiled and replied, "You're right, but that was in the ring. Our villain is real, and he's playing dirty to get what he wants."

I was out of ideas. I shifted in my seat again, and Randy asked me thickly, "Did I hurt you last night?"

I stared out the window and watched the wheat fields we were passing as I answered, "Any pain you gave me last night was damn well worth it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Randy didn't reply, but I noticed he had a smirk on his face for the rest of our drive.

:-:

We reached the next arena in the early afternoon. As soon as Randy and I got out of his truck, we were surrounded by a security team. They escorted us through a back entrance and a series of abandoned hallways, leading us into a room where Vince McMahon himself was waiting for us. He was holding a smart phone, probably to communicate with the RAW G. M. Vince focused on Randy first, explaining in a calm but assertive tone, "Now Randy, there are two men in the room across the hall that would like to ask you a few questions. I would suggest cooperating with them completely."

"Absolutely," Randy said, turning to leave.

He gave me a deliberate look before he left. It inspired me to keep my hopes up. The security team left with Randy and Vince motioned for me to sit. I did my best to block out any pain I was feeling from my injury as I sat down and Vince took the seat across from me, looking me over for signs that Wade's story was true. Finally, he asked seriously, "How are you feeling, John?"

I responded by explaining, "This is all a big mistake, Vince. Randy is my best friend and he's been helping me during this tough time. I don't know what Wade has told you, but it's all lies."

Sighing, Vince replied, "It doesn't matter who said what. The accusation has been made and I am legally bound to investigate it for the safety of the wrestlers and this company. Now there are medical experts in the next room who would like to photograph any injuries that you might have, and they're going to ask you to submit to a rape kit as part of the investigation-"

"No! I won't do it!" I stood up and shouted.

Vince stood up with me, arguing, "I know that this is a lot to take in, John, but it has to be done. If you won't submit to testing, I could easily tell them to do it anyway because you may be under the influence of drugs and you're not coherent enough to make the decision for yourself."

I balled my hands into fists and stated, "Do you have any idea what I've been through since I had to join Nexus? Wade has done nothing but make my life a living hell, and now you're telling me that I have to go through a battery of tests because of some shit pile of lies that he made up?"

Vince waited while I paced the room for a minute, then he responded, "I know that things have been crazy between you and Wade; I understand that, but you don't understand that this goes above my head."

I looked at Vince with surprise as he continued, "I own this company, and I can control the people working with it to an extent, but Wade has a way of shifting the uncontrolled portion in a way that could cause a lot more problems than it would solve."

I couldn't believe Vince was telling me this. He breathed a sigh of relief, like it had been weighing on him for a while and he was glad to tell someone. Then he went back to the main point again, asking, "Could you please cooperate with me? People's careers are at stake. Their whole lives could be ruined by the outcome of this accusation."

He was talking about Randy. I let out a groan of frustration, then I asked, "If I go back to Wade right now and continue being his assistant without trouble, will he withdraw his complaint and end this investigation?"

Vince studied me curiously. I told him, "Call Wade and ask him if he'll take the deal. I'm pretty sure he will."

:-:

Within minutes, I was released. Wade was waiting for me in the hallway, but I saw no sign of Randy. I became suspicious, asking, "Where's Randy?"

Wade smiled wryly and replied, "He wasn' so easy to spring. He'll be on his way soon enough."

I wasn't so sure about that, but Wade put his arm around my shoulders and led me away, taking me to the other side of the arena, where The Nexus and CM Punk were waiting for us. As soon as I walked in, Slater glared at me and said, "Looks like Randy's bitch is here."

I started for him, but Wade held me back, pointing at Slater as he stated, "Oi! Tha' accusation has since been withdrawn!"

Slater blushed sheepishly and looked away. It became clear to me that at least The Nexus and Punk knew about the story Wade told Vince and the G. M. What wasn't yet clear to me was who else had heard it.

Smiling broadly, Wade explained, "Now, I have some business to attend to, an' while I'm gone, I'd like all of you to bring Cena up to speed on wha' he's missed so far."

My stomach felt tight. I knew that this was going to end badly for me. Wade turned on his heel and walked away, saying to me before he left, "Glad to have you back, John."

As soon as Wade went out the door, I was going to be on the floor.

He closed the door and left me to my own defenses. Everyone but Gabriel and Punk took on predatory looks and slowly started to surround me. Slater shouted at me, "Do you know how much shit we've had to take because of you, Cena?"

"I was on laundry duty all week! Wade made me shine his boots and get him coffee at night," Otunga added.

McGillicutty stated furiously, "All Wade kept asking me was, 'Where's Cena? I wan' Cena!' Go an' find Cena!'"

Harris flanked my right side, adding, "Wade made me talk to Randy in Manchester. When I asked Randy if I could talk to you, he shoved me into the wall and bruised my ribs!"

Slater pointed at me and hissed, "Fuck you and fuck Randy Orton for making our lives miserable!"

Otunga added angrily, "We know that Wade's story about what Randy did to you is a lie, but since no one else knows the truth, we're going to make sure that Randy doesn't bounce back anytime soon."

"You fucking assholes!" I started for them.

They took me down like a pack of starving dogs over a bone. As always, they beat me in places where the bruises wouldn't be noticeable. Slater took one swift kick to my backside, and I cried out so loudly, the guys all stepped back with surprise, then they launched into me a second time, finding a new place to inspire my pain.

It didn't take long before the pain overwhelmed me, and I knew I was going to pass out. I thought I heard Punk shout something like, "Guys, stop!"

The Nexus fell away from me, and I used what was left of my energy to lift my head up. I saw Gabriel coming toward me with a slight smile on his unshaven face, and I thought for a moment that he was going to try to help me up.

Then he brought his boot up and let it drop into my temple, knocking me unconscious.