Round Of Champions

Chapter 9

The Midnight Hike

Late that night both teams starting packing their backpacks with what they needed for their hike. "Alright we have flashlights, extra batteries, flare guns, a compass, and plenty of water. Luckily we all ate a big dinner so we shouldn't get hungry but we have snacks just in case." Chris told them packing two backpacks. "Well this is it guys, let's go!"Taker told them as they left their cabins.

Team TNA

"Alright guys we have everything we need for this hike, now we have to win this guys." Kurt told them packing some water bottles. They all nodded as they headed out the door.

Nether team knew what was in store for them, and that this was gonna be a hike that no one would forget.

As they got the edge of the forest, they noticed that Hank was missing and that there was only CJ and Samuel. "Okay gentleman, to tonight is the midnight hike which is part of the tournament. Now you and your team will have to navigate through this forest, and reach the other end which is on the south end of this island. On your way throughout the forest, you have to retrieve 12 flags, a blue flag for Team TNA and a red flag for Team WWE. Find all the flags and bring to the finish line by the docks, Hank will be waiting for you there. First team to make it out before sunrise wins." Samuel told them. "Oh and before I forget since Team WWE are one guy short, Team TNA you will have to choose someone to sit this one out!" CJ told them.

They all looked at each other and nodded, "Okay I'll sit out!" Eric told them. Kurt nodded as they watched Eric go back to their cabins. "Okay then you will start at the whistle! Ready and go!" Samuel shouted as he blew his whistle.

Both teams ran in opposite directions into the forest. Team WWE stuck together as they walked further into the forest, "Wow it's amazing that you didn't get more lost when you were out here Paul!" Chris told him. Paul nodded as they walked through the forest further, Rey spotted a red flag. "Hey guys I found the first flag!" Rey yelled grabbing the flag and putting in his bag. "One down, 11 to go!" Mark told them as he took lead. They all nodded as they followed Taker further into the forest.

Meanwhile Team TNA walked for awhile until Kurt noticed someone was missing. They had found the first flag, but now had lost Jeff Hardy. "Hey guys where's Jeff?" Kurt asked them. They shrugged their shoulders and kept walking. "Guys wait we can't finish this game until we find him, remember we all have to show up at the docks." Kurt told them. "Look Kurt he'll show up, now come on the longer we stand here and talk the further we get behind." James told him bumping into his shoulder walking ahead. "Fine you guys can go, but I'm gonna find Jeff before something happens to him." Kurt told them walking away from his team. Rob stopped and turned around, "Hey Kurt wait up, I'm coming with you!" He shouted running to catch up with him. Kurt turned to face him, "You don't have to come if you don't want to!" Kurt told him. "Of course I want I come now let's go, the quicker we find Jeff the quicker we will catch up with the team. Kurt nodded as the went back into a different direction, to find Jeff Hardy.

In the middle of the forest Jeff was being dragged through trees by his hair. "Ahhh let me go!" Jeff yelled. "Shut up! You ugly rainbow freak!" The figure yelled at him. They went further into the forest until the figure reached an old cabin. He pulled Jeff up the stairs and threw him inside, then he dragged him threw Jeff into a basement where there were three cages. He threw Jeff into one of the cages and left locking the door behind him.

Back outside Team WWE were still trying to see through all the trees and bushes. "I don't believe this we've only found three flags so far. We still have a long way to go!" Mark told them frustrate, drinking some water. They had stop to rest, it had been two hours since they started and they weren't making much progress. "I know but at least we're in the lead even if we lose this game, we're so far ahead, Team TNA will have to win the next two rounds just to catch up!" Chris told him. Mark nodded as he poured some water on his head, "Hey isn't that my gimmick?" Paul asked smiling. Mark smiled back, "Yeah but I just took because that's what I do!" Mark told him. Paul nodded as he put his water back in his bag, "Come on let's go!" he told them now taking the lead.

On the other side of the forest, Kurt and Rob were still looking for Jeff. "Jeff, Jeff! Jeff, Jeff!" Kurt yelled waving the flashlight in front of them. They got nothing in response until they heard someone screaming, "What the hell was that?" Rob asked looking around them. "I don't know but I think we should go check it out!" Kurt told him. Rob nodded as he followed Kurt to where the scream was coming from.

Meanwhile Paul and the others also heard the scream. "Did you guys hear that?" Chris asked them as he stopped walking. They all nodded, "Yeah we did but who was that?" Rey asked. "I have no idea, should we go check it out?" Paul asked them. They looked at each other and nodded, "Yeah I think we should, somebody could be hurt!" Taker told him. Paul nodded, "Alright let's go!" Paul told them as they ran towards the scream.

Team WWE and Kurt and Rob arrived at the cabin at the same time. "What are y'all doing here?" Kurt asked them. "We came to check out that scream!" John told him as they stared each other down. "Okay guys let's just see who it was!" Shawn told them realizing some tension between them. They all nodded as they walked into the cabin.

The cabin was old and clammy, there were sheets covering the furniture and spider webs everywhere. "Wow no one has lived here for years!" Randy told them. They all nodded as they looked around for any sign of human life, as they were searching Chris heard someone yelling for help. "Somebody help me! Please anybody help me!" he yelled. "Hey did you guys hear that?" Chris asked them from the kitchen. "Yeah it sounded like Jeff!" Kurt told him. "But here is he?" Rob asked. "Jeff!" Paul yelled. "Guys is that you? I'm in the basement!" Jeff yelled.

"Sounds like he's in the basement!" Paul told them running ahead of them. The others followed him, "Jeff!" Kurt yelled running up to the cage. "What happen?" He asked trying to open the cage. "I got separated from you guys and some punk dragged me here and left!" Jeff told him. "Did you see what he looked like?" Rob asked. Jeff shook his head, "It was kinda hard to see anything considering it was pitch black and he was dragging me by my hair!" Jeff told him sarcastically. "Alright let's just get you out of here!" Paul told him helping Kurt and Rob open the cage. Jeff sighed in frustration, "It's locked and that crazy punk has the key." Jeff told them. "Look you guys better finish this game or before he comes back." He finished. "Jeff we can't leave you here!" Kurt told him. "Yes you can, you have to, now get out of here go!" Jeff told them. Kurt was hesitate at first then he nodded, "Okay, we're going but I'm coming back for you understood!" Kurt told him. Jeff nodded, "Okay!" He told him as he watched them leave.

As they left the cabin, all of them realized it was almost sunrise. "Why did you guys come?" Kurt asked them. "Hey just because you guys are TNA now, doesn't mean we don't still care about you. Besides we're still friends right?" Taker asked them. Kurt and Rob looked at each other and then nodded. "Cool and since we're still friends, we have to tell you something." Chris told them.

"What is it?" Kurt asked concerned. Paul took a deep breath and told them everything including what really happened to JoMo. "That's why we have to get off this island alive!" Shawn told them. Kurt and Rob just looked at them in shock, "Are you crazy?" Kurt asked them. Taker shook his head, "We wouldn't make this up and you know it. We're telling the truth!" Taker told them.

Kurt took a deep breath, "So you mean this whole trip was a set up?" He asked rubbing his head. They all nodded, "Yeah and the only way to survive is that we work together!" Rey told them. Kurt and Rob nodded, "Okay we believe you, but getting the rest of the team to agree is gonna be really hard considering that none of them like you accept for Sting." Rob told them.

"That's okay, we don't like them either accept for Sting." Chris told them. As they left the cabin, they l decided to go in different directions so no one would suspect anything, Team WWE found their final flag but didn't win the game.

As they arrived at the docks, Team TNA were celebrating their big win. "They wouldn't be so happy if they knew why we were really here!" Shawn whispered to them. They all nodded in agreement, as they walked towards the other team. "Well there you guys are, thought you had gotten lost!" Hank told them. "Yeah we did but we're here now." Paul told him. Hank smiled, "Very well, your team gets 50 points for finding all the flags. Now you all can go back to your cabins and relax for the rest of the day!" He told them leaving.

When Hank left Kurt came over to them with his team so Paul and the others could tell them what was going on. "Is this some kind of a joke?" James asked them. Paul just ignored him, "Look you don't have to believe us but it's true. We're being set up and one of your teammates who is also our friend is trapped inside of a cage in the basement of an old cabin. If we don't get to him soon, it might be to late!" Paul told him. James just snarled at him, "Well if you ask me I think you're making all of this up, because we finally beat you losers and this is just the beginning of your losing streak." James told him getting in Paul's face.

Paul stepped back, "Look you better back up, we're telling you the truth!" Paul told him. "Whatever, if we're in danger why don't you just leave!" James told him. Paul shook his head, "You know what forget it, come on guys these losers don't want to believe us, that's fine with me." Paul told them. They all nodded as they headed towards their cabins.

Kurt and Rob started to follow them but Bobby stopped them, "Where are you two going?" He asked them. "We're following them!" Kurt told him. Bobby shook his head, "I don't think so boys, you're not part of WWE anymore, you're one of us now." Bobby told them.

Kurt pushed Bobby out of the way, "Those guys helped us find Jeff because they still care, they're our friends. If you can't deal with that, then that's to damn bad!" Kurt told him as he and Rob started walking off. Bobby got pissed off and tackled Rob to the ground. He started punching him in the face until he was bleeding. Kurt saw this and tried to pull him off but AJ and James held him back. "Let me go, Sting do something!" Kurt yelled at the icon. Sting shook his head, "Sorry Kurt but Dixie wants that trophy, and neither you or Rob is gonna mess that up for us." He told him walking away. Kurt just stood in shock as he was forced to watch Rob get beat up by their own coworkers.

When they finished Rob was left a bloody mess. Kurt helped him to their cabin, and got him cleaned up. Since their teammates couldn't be trusted Kurt and Rob went to the only people they could trust, Team WWE.

They walked towards their cabins and started to knock until Taker opened the door. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked letting them inside. "Hey Shawn grab the first aid kit!" Taker told him. Shawn nodded as he grabbed the kit from his bag and handed it to Taker.

"Rob what happen?" Shawn asked him. "Our teammates beat me up and they forced Kurt to watch!" He told them wincing as Taker tried to clean the cuts on his forehead.

Paul and Chris walked into the cabin to get some water, when they saw Kurt and Rob. "Hey guys! What happen to you?" Chris asked getting some water and throwing one to Paul. "I really wish people would stop asking me that, I got beat up!" He told him. "What your mean your own team did this? Where the hell was sting?" Paul asked. "Sting was there watching all of this, it's like they're obsessed with winning this thing. All because Dixie Carter wants that stupid trophy!" Kurt told them. Paul just shook his head, "I don't believe this Vince just told us win or lose just have fun and be careful." He told them. Shawn nodded in agreement, "That's right!"

"What do we do now?" Kurt asked. Team WWE looked at each other, "We go back and get Jeff, then next week we compete against each other, and finally expose Hank for who he really is." Taker told them. Everyone nodded, but no realized that Samuel was listening outside behind the cabin.

He ran back to Hank's office and told him what Team WWE was planning along with Kurt and Rob.