Chapter 25

All Taker could do was stare at the TV, his fists clenched at his sides so tightly his knuckles were turning white and his fingernails had broken skin, completely unaware he was doing it. One part of him knew he should go turn off the goddamn monitor, knowing this wasn't going to be anything good for him and the other part of him couldn't even move, trying to process how the HELL she had gotten HERE without him knowing. Taker had paid that fucking institution not only for her care, but also for information on her mental health status.

Adam could not for the life of him keep himself from sneaking a sideways look at the Undertaker, elbowing Jay when he seen the expression on the big man's face. Shit was about to go DOWN.

Vince went into his usual rant about how he was the boss and nobody compared to his wealth, basically blowing smoke up the fan's asses. Then he turned to the fragile woman standing in front of him, Ryan Shamrock, who hadn't been seen on television since she was one of the Undertaker's sacrificial lambs in order to try getting what he wanted from Vince. In the process, he had destroyed the woman's mental health and forced her into an institution eventually.

"So I'm sure all of you are wondering why Ryan is here with us tonight, after not being seen for over two years and there is a perfectly logical explanation. She is here to help someone see the light. So Lavani, I am ordering you to come out here right now because we have some things to discuss with you."

Before Taker could stop her, Lavani bolted out of the dressing room, knowing not only was HER secret out about knowing who Ryan Shamrock was, but her curiosity was burning. That and she wanted to rip Vince a new verbal asshole. She didn't wait for the music to start and simply walked out, standing at the top of the ramp, microphone in hand.

"Ryan, what is this all about? What are you doing here?"

Ryan stared at Lavani out of wide, haunted eyes, looking like she would rather be anywhere except in the middle of a World Wrestling Federation ring. Taking a deep breath, she summoned her courage and momentarily closed her eyes, trying to compose herself, trying to order her thoughts so they would make sense when she finally did spoke. After a moment, her eyes opened with timid determination, accepting the microphone Vince held out to her.

"Lavani, I came back," She stopped to clear her voice, aware even with the microphone it wasn't carrying very well because of how softly she was speaking. "I came back to finally tell the world the truth, to tell you the truth, and I hope you'll hear me out because...because, it has to do with-" Ryan began stuttering over the simple word 'Undertaker', finally managing to spit it out. "Undertaker and...what happened...And it has to do with you too."

The look in Ryan's eyes, even with how far the ring was from the ramp, legitimately scared Lavani and it showed in her eyes that were mixed with confusion. What the hell did Ryan mean it had to do with her? Ryan was abducted by Taker and his Ministry, not seen for a week and came back only to be forced to stay in a boiler room, watching her brother get beaten down by the Ministry.

Lavani remembered that and could still hear her screams for them to stop, for her brother. Frowning, Lavani slowly began making her way down the ramp, ignoring the bewildered crowd, who felt the same way she did. She stepped through the bottom ring rope, with help from Shane, and ignored the McMahons as her toffee eyes locked on Ryan's.

"What do you mean this has to do with me? I don't understand..."

Somehow, Lavani had a feeling she was about to and also knew she wasn't going to like what Ryan was going to say. Taking another deep breath, Ryan used her free hand to brush tears from her eyes, knowing Lavani was confused right now. She would clear up the confusion, as best she could at least, but it was just so hard to know where to start. Finally, she decided at the beginning.

"He, the U-undert-taker, when he took me for that week... it was supposed to be as a message to Vince..." Ryan said slowly, looking at her ex-employer, a hint of coldness creeping into her eyes for the briefest of moments. "Everyone thought the message was about Stephanie, but it wasn't...Stephanie wasn't the one Undertaker originally wanted..." Ryan took a deep breath, knowing she would have to come back to that in a moment, but right now, she had to at least cover the basics of what her week had been like, wanting Lavani to truly know who the monster she thought she was safe with was.

"I know, you told me."

Lavani slowly looked over at Vince, eyes narrowing slightly. She remembered that night very well, Lavani paid attention, though she pretended like she hadn't. Taker had come out to the ring and promised Vince that there would be a sacrifice. Then about halfway through the show, the Ministry had attacked Ken Shamrock and taken him out of the arena, abducting him for the evening.

Nobody understood the Ministry's motives, chalking it up to Undertaker's way of getting rid of Vince's Corporation members one by one. But such was not the case. It turned out that Undertaker had his Ministry attack Ken because they wanted to use Ryan for the sacrifice, effectively sending Vince and Stephanie a clear message that was both terrifying and sexual regarding having her for his own.

"Go on, Ryan, I'm listening."

While the world had perceived that message aimed at Vince in regards to his only daughter, his precious baby girl, it had been a message to Vince regarding his refusal to let the Undertaker have Lavani. He had wanted her, for reasons known only to him, for his Black Wedding. Vince had adamantly refused and Ryan's abduction had been the result. Her abduction, the torture and horrors inflicted upon her had all been a message to Vince. The message being: I will destroy everything and everyone, with no regard for anything. Vince had still refused, and practically offered up Stephanie.

"He kept me locked away that entire week...and the only people I saw were...him and his Ministry...They..." Ryan began faltering in earnest now, eyes growing wide as she began remembering the ordeal she had tried so hard to forget. The ordeal that had sent her to a mental hospital more than once. "He let them hurt me, Lavani. HE hurt me. Physically and..."

She shook her head, knowing most people outside of the WWF discounted the Undertaker's penchant for mind games. However, that was probably the best weapon in his arsenal. His ability to get into a person's mind and twist it so badly the person couldn't tell one reality from the next.

"He damaged me, in body, in mind...and soul."

Frowning, Lavani could tell everything Ryan said was the complete truth and hadn't expected to hear anything less. She knew the Ministry had to of tortured her both physically and mentally, Taker included. Lavani had accepted that and figured since it didn't happen to her, she had no reason to despise him the way Ryan did.

If it had happened to her...Lavani would've never agreed to work for him, but it didn't. How she could fall in love with someone who would torment and abuse her friend was beyond Lavani's comprehension. She simply went with the first excuse and that was she couldn't help who she fell in love with, no matter what Taker did in his past.

"I'm sorry that you had a horrible experience, Ryan." Lavani placed a hand on Ryan's shoulder, all the sympathy she could muster up swimming through her toffee eyes. "I really am and, forgive me if I sound a little pushy because that's not my intention, but what does your ordeal and experience with the Ministry have to do with me?"

"Because it was you he wanted, Lavani." Ryan whispered, unable to comprehend how Lavani could be so...cold about this.

She had seen the sympathy but also knew that Lavani had firmly stashed the 'past in the past', and she just didn't get it. Just because the Undertaker hadn't hurt her did not mean he wouldn't, and Ryan knew he would. That was simply who he was, the man destroyed everything he touched and he generally did it intentionally.

"He didn't want Stephanie, Lavani, he wanted you. He took me to send a message to Vince, to show Vince that he was serious...that no one would be safe if he didn't get what he wanted. WHO he wanted."

Ryan knew the only reason that the Undertaker had eventually backed off and accepted Stephanie as a poor substitute was because of money, some under the table deal, and his own personal reasons. Ryan was now beginning to think had been him deciding to bide his time and wait. And if that were true, then his patience had paid off because now...he had Lavani.

"I-I don't understand..." Now Lavani's voice trembled slightly, unable to hold back the tremor and slowly looked over at Vince. "What is she talking about? What do you mean he wanted me?"

"Just as she said, Lavani. Do you remember when I approached you those months ago backstage to try telling you something? That was it."

"He was trying to warn you before you decided to...go with the Undertaker."

Lavani suddenly couldn't breathe, couldn't think, the confusion turning to fear as her hand gripped the microphone tightly. "H-He wanted...me." She suddenly thought back to how terrified Stephanie had been and her eyes nearly shot open, feeling her stomach clench violently. "He wanted me." She repeated, wanting to make sure she'd heard them correctly. "So...what happened to you was...because of me?"

Now Lavani felt sick and felt the microphone slip from her grasp, the sound of it hitting the mat echoing around them. How could she be so blind to the truth? Ryan had suffered because of her...because Vince refused to subject her to the Undertaker. All this time Lavani thought Taker wanted Stephanie to gain control of the World Wrestling Federation, but that wasn't the case at all. She suddenly picked up the microphone and turned her attention to Vince, getting one final surge of denial, the only piece she had left, tears already sliding down her cheeks.

"If...If this is all true and he...truly wanted me, then how the hell would using ME gain him control of your company?" Lavani remembered the documents Undertaker wanted because she had to personally fly in a helicopter from Hartford to Stamford, Connecticut to retrieve them and go back to Hartford before Raw began so Vince had what Undertaker wanted. "ANSWER ME!"

Vince cleared his throat, looking more than just a bit awkward and a tad nervous, reaching up to adjust his tie before taking the microphone back from Ryan. "Now Lavani," He began, ignoring the 'asshole' chant from the crowd, who had already decided he had screwed up. "He had my daughter...and when I found out what happened to Ryan...what really happened to her, it...Stephanie is my DAUGHTER, I couldn't let that-"

Even Ryan was looking at Vince curiously, this was something she didn't know.

"Those documents I sent you to get, they weren't...ownership rights to the World Wrestling Federation." Vince said finally, holding out a hand in a pleading gesture. "What I sent you to get was...your contract."

"My...contract." This was irony at its finest and Lavani felt extremely ill, her face growing pale white. "So...instead of giving him what he wanted, you let him hurt...one of my best friends AND your daughter...until you found out just WHAT happened to Ryan." She summarized, watching Vince nod almost solemnly and wanted to beat the hell out of him as more tears fell. "You cold hearted son of a bitch."

It turned out that Vince ended up joining Undertaker to form the Corporate Ministry right after the Black Wedding, only everyone thought it was Shane's idea. Undertaker kept speaking of a Higher Power, someone even greater than him, and it turned out to be Vince. He had tricked everyone into thinking he was against the Corporate Ministry and wanted his son's heart on a platter for what happened to Stephanie. Only...HE was the one who used his only daughter, his flesh and blood, to try to screw Steve out of the WWF championship. Lavani never did look at those documents Vince sent her to get either and now she was regretting it because, had she known what would've happened to Ryan and Stephanie, she would've offered to go to him willingly.

"He violated and destroyed lives...because he wanted my contract that you refused to relinquish AND HE ENDED UP GETTING WHAT HE WANTED ANYWAY!" Lavani screamed, throwing the microphone at him and wanted to run as far away from this place as possible, shaking her head repeatedly. "No..."

Vince stumbled backwards, having dropped his microphone and was now clasping his undoubtedly broken and gushing blood nose, tears filling his eyes.

All Ryan could do was stare at him, contempt in her own tear filled eyes.

Shane was staying the hell out of this one. Most of this he had already known, this tidbit...he hadn't. To be honest, he was torn on it. Stephanie WAS his sister, but...He simply shook his head, pulling a handkerchief from his back pocket.

And the man at the center of all the trouble had arrived, his music causing everyone to freeze as he walked out onto the stage. Undertaker folded his arms over his chest and simply stared down into the ring, green eyes pure acidic.

Lavani and Ryan's heads both snapped to stare back at him up the ramp, both swallowing hard, Ryan more than Lavani. So many emotions swirled through her toffee eyes, so many thoughts in her mind, all reverting back to that night Undertaker used Ryan to send a message to Vince...regarding her. This was all about her. If Undertaker had her contract back then, NONE of this would've happened. He never would've gone after Ryan, he never would've forced Stephanie to nearly marry him.

"I'm sorry Ryan." Lavani whispered, walking over to stand beside her friend, who was trembling violently against her. "I promise I won't let him hurt you again. I don't care what I have to do." She ignored Ryan's shock-filled eyes and suddenly turned around, nailing Vince with as much force as hard as she could right in his balls, hoping they lodged in his throat.

Shane didn't do anything, knowing his father deserved everything he got and more for putting all these women through hell.

When Taker started moving slowly down the ramp, Lavani did the only thing she could think of and that was run for the hills with Ryan. She grabbed Ryan's hand and jumped out of the ring, backtracking over the barricade through the crowd. The look that Taker shot her would forever haunt Lavani as long as she lived, though she did stick around long enough with Ryan to witness Taker demolish Vince in the ring. Shane had been smart and exited when they had, not going to his father's aid for once.

Shane was definitely the smartest of the McMahon's, other than Linda, the boy had obviously inherited HER brains. Vince was nothing but a lump on the ring, bleeding and broken. And most likely, he would never refer to himself as the genetic jackhammer ever again because Lavani had probably broken his jackhammer. When Taker had finished, he scanned the direction Lavani and Ryan had bolted, spotting them standing on the steps that led up through the seats. Giving Ryan the briefest of looks before locking eyes with Lavani, Taker took one slow step towards the ropes.

With a broken heart, Lavani could only let more tears fall as Ryan pulled her away backstage, not believing what she'd found out tonight...on national television in front of the world. Vince was really an evil bastard, forcing Ryan to say all of that and revealing all of the dirty secrets that were kept for the past almost two years. Lavani could barely see and didn't speak as Ryan lead her out of the arena, not even stopping to retrieve her bags and clipboard from Taker's dressing room. Eventually she would have to face him, but right now Lavani had to space herself from him to mull things over, rationalize why he would do despicable things because of her.