Raging Storm

Raging Storm
Chapter 17: Kill the Other Guy
By: Jay Winger

Note: this is set the Sunday after "Chapter 16: Comeback."

To recap: Billy Rose and Brick went to Commissioner Foley to demand a match with Stone Cold -- then a WWF title match with Triple H. Foley agreed to the first, but not to the second, since Rose already had a match set for Fully Loaded. Foley wouldn't say what that match was, however. Rain assured Austin that no matter what happened during his match, it all had a system. Edge, Christian, and Rhino attempted to attack Austin in his room, but they were attacked instead by Zed & Zeta and a third assailant. (The room with Austin's sign on it wasn't really his room -- it was the "Z-" Men's Room.) The Faction then got locked in their own VIP room again by the assailant as Rose and Austin's match begun. Rose had Austin on the mat when Brick (who had accompanied Rose) was attacked from behind by the Z-Men, and he ended up brawling with them and Rain away from the ring to the backstage. Rose and Austin fought some more, the ref eventually being knocked out, and Rose gave Austin Brain Damage. But then the Storm made his return and took Rose apart -- finishing with a top-rope powerslam. Austin made the cover for the win, and then the Storm announced to Rose what his match was on Sunday --him and the Storm, one-on-one, 2-of-3 Fall Street Fight -- and the winning man has to be the Last Man Standing. "See you in three days, jackass," the Storm told the nigh-unconscious Rose.

Teaser: Fully Loaded is here, and the Storm has challenged Billy Rose to a hellacious 2-of-3 Falls Street Fight -- but to win, he has to be the Last Man Standing. Will one of them be that man, or will they end up killing each other?

Rating: R - for violence and profanity

Disclaimer: All things WWF are property of Titan Sports. The characters of Matthew "the Storm" Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, Roger "Zed" Ziger, and Mike "Zeta" Zahn are completely fictional. I do incorporate a few traits from existing WWF wrestlers, but for the most part, they're my creations. The lyrics to Brick's entrance theme and the Storm's were written by myself as well. (For those who are curious, I title Brick's theme "Breaker" and the Storm's "Force of Nature.")

SUNDAY: Fully Loaded, 23 July

The WWF had, as it had at previous Fully Loaded PPVs, booked a Triple Main Event for this pay-per-view -- but it had booked a decent undercard.

In the opening match, Steve Blackman challenged Raven for the Hardcore Championship – but during the match, Haku, Crash, Hardcore Bob Holly, and even Kane got involved. In the end, Blackman came out victorious – though Raven lost his title to Crash, only to regain it seconds later – only to take a kendo stick across the head to give Blackman the win.

Next, Zed & Zeta – the two Z-Men from Baltimore – took on Edge & Christian in a Tag Team title match-up. The Canadian brothers did their usual routine – isolating Zeta and dissecting him, only to get on the short end of the stick as Zed made the tag and took E&C apart with hard moves. Edge went down to a Zetasault and Zed's hard right straight punch, and Christian got pinned after a Z-Slam – thus making Zed & Zeta the new Tag Team Champions.

Next up, the European title was on the line between Rattler, Chris Jericho, and the champion Eddie Guerrero. Although all three men did quite well, Jericho picked up the win after incapacitating Rattler with a missile dropkick, then forcing Guerrero to tap out to the Walls of Jericho, thus becoming the new European Champion.

The Rock went up against Kurt Angle in singles action, but the Olympian lost to his repeated rival.

In the last match before the Triple Main Event, Faction member Rhino put his Intercontinental Championship on the line against Alliance member Test – and Test came out victorious to become the new Intercontinental Champion after hitting a top-rope diving elbow onto a trashcan lid.

The Triple Main Event first had the Ladder Match over Lita between Matt Hardy and Viper (in which the winner had to open the cage containing Lita and kiss her), then the Two-out-of-Three Falls Street Fight (with the additional stipulation that the winner must be the Last Man Standing) between the Storm and Billy Rose, and finally the WWF Championship match between Triple H and Chris Benoit.

* * *

--Taken from the History Package detailing the feud between Billy Rose and the Storm--

(Slow-motion shot of the Storm walking down the entrance ramp)

Male V.O.: The Storm...

The Storm (V.O.): I am a Force of Nature!

(Slow-motion shot of Billy Rose hitting his smug-smirk pose)

Male V.O.: Billy Rose...

Billy Rose (V.O.): I am the Mental Elite!

(Shot of the Storm glaring out of the ring at Billy Rose – then a shot of the Storm staring down Rose in the ring at King of the Ring.)

Male V.O.: A deep-running hatred...

(Medium-quality footage [from CIW] of Billy Rose directing two men to attack the Storm [né Matthew Skinner] – more CIW footage of Rose breaking a glass pitcher across Skinner's head.)

The Storm (V.O.): If you knew what the f--- [TV censor fuzzes the word] that bastard's done in his time, you would've been helping me stomp his ass flat!

(Shots of the Storm attacking Rose in the VIP rooms, ramming his limo with his car, chasing him with ugly-stick in hand – and finally the Storm hitting the Downdraft on Rose in the KOTR finals)

Billy Rose (V.O.): The goddamn son-of-a-bitch has been a cramp in my style since the moment I met him! The son of a bitch has to hold a f---ing [more censoring] grudge!

(Shot of the Storm stomping on Rose when Brick makes his debut and looking scared as the big man approaches)

Male V.O.: An unstoppable faction...

(Clip of Brick giving the Storm the Breaker Chokeslam, then breaking a 2x4 across his back)

Jim Ross: (commentating) Good God Almighty! The Storm's spine has just been broken in half!

Billy Rose: (on clip, to the Storm) Now you are the one who's been broken.

(Clips of Rose, Brick, and the Faction attacking people backstage, and clips of Rose confronting Rain or Zed & Zeta)

Billy Rose (V.O.): I'm here for one reason, and one reason only – be the best damn guy there is. You can get there by being better than anyone else, but to stay there, you gotta play the game better than anyone.

(Clip of Rose conspiring with Vince McMahon to get Rain in a match by herself)

Billy Rose (V.O.): I am the Mental Elite, and you can be damn sure I'll prove it when I break you by my damn self.

(Clip of Zed & Zeta "doing the Good Samaritan thing" by saving Rain from attacks by Rose, Rhino, and Right to Censor)

Male V.O.: A plan for revenge...

Zed (V.O.): Trust us... it all has a system.

(Clips of Zed & Zeta being attacked backstage by Edge, Christian, and Rhino – then of Rose hitting Rain with Brain Damage – then standing over her and speaking into the microphone)

Billy Rose: (on clip) I am smarter than anybody else in the WWF.

(Clip of Rose beating on Triple H and locking him in the Deadly Blossom)

Billy Rose (V.O.): I have outwitted the Cerebral Assassin himself.

(Clip of Rose and the Faction ambushing the Alliance and decimating them)

Billy Rose (V.O.): I completely destroyed the Alliance.

(Clip of Rose and Brick assaulting the Acolytes backstage – and then Brick giving Stone Cold the Breaker Chokeslam)

Billy Rose (V.O.): I took Lone Star apart. I put Stone Cold on the shelf.

(Repeated clips of the Storm taking the Breaker Chokeslam, and then getting a 2x4 broken across his back)

Billy Rose (V.O.): And I broke the Storm.

(Clip of Rose strutting around the ring after hitting Stone Cold with Brain Damage)

Billy Rose (V.O.): And there's not a damn thing you or anybody can do about it!

(From the above clip, the lights go out in the arena, and Rose turns to the OvalTron as we hear: )

The Storm (V.O.): This is your Storm Warning.

(Rose jumping at the pyros and then a shot of the returning Storm walking down the ramp to the ring.)

Michael Cole: (commentating) It's the Storm! The Storm has returned – and he's coming to get him some of Billy Rose!

(Repeated shots of the Storm giving Rose the Downdraft, then setting him up on the top rope for a powerslam)

Cole: (commentating) Storm's taking Rose for a ride!

(Powerslam. Repeated shots of the slam, then of the Storm addressing the fallen Rose)

The Storm: (on clip) Hey, Billy, I'm ba-ack. You wanted to know what your match is gonna be at Fully Loaded? You and me, one-on-one, 2-out-of-3 falls Street Fight – to score the winning fall, you have to be the Last Man Standing.

(Final slow-motion shot of the Storm heading back up the ramp with Stone Cold, sneering back at Rose in the ring, who glowers out.)

The Storm: (on clip) See you on Sunday, jackass.

* * *

The newly-crowned WWF Tag Team Champions grinned to themselves as they headed down the hall toward their commandeered Men's Room (dubbed, once again, the "Z-Men's" Room) after spending some time chatting up the Dudleys. Bubba Ray, D-Von, and Spike were all supportive of Zed & Zeta, though the bigger Dudleys obviously coveted that gold. They were about to go on in, then stopped as they spotted a cameraman. "Get lost," Zed growled, raising his right fist. The cameraman quickly complied.

Zed and Zeta ambled into the locker room and grinned to the two people seated inside on chairs. Matthew Skinner sat with his t-shirt off, his scars exposed, taping up his wrists with Claire's help. He glanced up briefly as the Z-Men tossed their shiny new belts onto their bags, then smirked. "Hey, guys. Nice belts."

"Yeah!" Zeta said, plunking himself down on the sink. "We kicked some righteous ass, man! Those Canuckleheads are gonna rue the day they went up against the Bruisers from Baltimore!"

"Yeah," Zed agreed, seating himself in the third chair, slowly unwrapping the tape from his hands. "Felt almost as good as when I punched out Tony Smiles' teeth back in CIW."

Zeta tilted his head at his partner. "You were the guy that gave Gap-Tooth Tony his namesake?"

"Guys," Skinner said. "While I'm sure you guys wanna celebrate, I gotta focus, okay?"

"Oh, yeah," Zed said. "No doubt. Hell, if you want our help, just say the word--"

"No," Skinner interrupted. "Don't do that. Whatever happens, you and Zait stay here. Claire knows what to do -- as does our other ally."

"Come on, man!" Zeta whined. "You're not the only guy who wants to put some dents in Billy Fuckin Rose's fuckin' face! Let us in on the fun!"

"Sorry, Mike," Skinner said. "I don't want you out there. Remember, it all has a system. You'll figure out what I'm up to in due course."

Claire was quiet throughout all this. After she finished taping Skinner's wrists, she picked up another roll of thick bandage tape. The man called the Storm raised his arms up, and she began to tape up his ribs and back. The Z-Men blinked. "Dude, what're you doing?" Zeta said.

"Insurance," the Texan replied. "Despite 'the system,' I know there's a high risk of injury in this match. Hell, I'd be surprised if I walk out without a new scar somewhere. Doesn't mean I ain't gonna take precautions."

Zeta nodded, then flicked on the monitor set up on the sink next to him. It showed the last few minutes of the Matt Hardy/Viper Ladder Match, and the Z-Men watched eagerly. Skinner nodded his thanks to Claire as he stood up and grabbed his duffel, pulling out a Seek Shelter t-shirt and his fingerless gloves. He put on the shirt, then tugged on the gloves, then sat back down to lace up his boots. He paid little attention to Viper's match as he pulled his pants legs down over his boot-tops, then last removed his sunglasses from the bag and put them on, zipping up the duffel and tossing it aside as he pulled another one out of a stall. He slung it over his shoulder, then turned to face the group.

Zed, Zeta, and Rain all looked at him as his face took on the cold, forbidding look he always wore as Matthew Skinner became the Storm once more. He looked at the monitor as Matt Hardy executed a Twist of Fate on Viper off the ladder, then climbed up to open the cage and kiss Lita. The Storm didn't seem to react as he walked over to the door, then glanced back at Rain, who rose from her chair and left ahead of him. She checked the halls, then nodded. "No cameras, no Faction."

The Storm nodded again and headed out into the halls and made his way to the gorilla position.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for the Two-out-of-Three Falls Street Fight!" Howard Finkel announced. "In this contest, the winning fall is counted only under Last Man Standing rules!"

There was a brief pause, and then the TitanTron lit up with the face of Billy Rose, glaring out while flickering and jerking from side to side, as though on an old piece of film. "How long? How long? -- I said how long? I said how long? I said how long? Until you crack..." The Californian walked out slowly, wearing black pants with crimson trim, as well as a new black t-shirt, which read I am the Mental Elite on the front, and showed a silhouetted pair of people on the back, one of which was receiving the reverse Final Cut with the text I'll Give You Brain Damage. His name was underneath that. "Introducing first, from Los Angeles, California, weighing in at 245 pounds... BILLY ROSE!"

The Californian climbed up on the apron, faced the TitanTron, then raised his arms, and did his smug-smirk to both sides, then turned and vaulted over the ropes, swinging his arms and shaking himself out before smoothing his blond hair back. Rose grimaced a bit and rubbed the back of his neck, where he'd taken the brunt of that top-rope powerslam. He turned back to the big screen. The TitanTron rumbled with thunder, which gradually built as images of dark and ominous clouds flashed on the screen before the image of a silhouetted man in a downpour appeared, the man raising his arms up. Thunder boomed as the screen flashed brightly, and the lights went out.

"This is your Storm Warning." The Storm Warning symbol flashed on the screen with the siren, and then the lightning pyros exploded, the lights coming back to full as the Texan's new rap metal music played. "I'm a Force of Nature, I'm outta control! I live in the lightning, let the thunder roll! I kill the sunshine, bring on the rain! I am the Storm and I bring you the Pain!" The pyros' smoke flickered with the lights behind it as the man himself strode out, his duffel still slung over one shoulder.

"And his opponent, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... he is the King of the Ring... THE STORM!"

The Storm threw his duffel bag to the ground next to the stairs as he climbed and then vaulted over the ropes. He stood opposite Rose, who was being held back by referee Mike Chioda, then made a cutting motion at his throat before thrusting his fist downward. Lightning pyros went off from the overhead light structure, but this time Rose didn't flinch. The Storm stared at his nemesis, then slowly raised his hands to his face and removed his sunglasses, folded them shut, then passed them out to a stagehand.

"This is it, Billy," the Storm growled. "You're gonna die tonight."

Rose didn't say anything as he launched himself at the man he'd once tried to break, shooting him in the face with stiff right hands. The Storm rocked back from them, but as Rose tried to whip him across the ring, he reversed it and caught Rose on the rebound with a Lou Thesz press, then sat astride Rose while he hammered him in the face with one-two punches. Rose finally kicked his knees up and knocked the Storm off of him, then got up and charged in a spear that carried the Storm back into the corner. Rose grunted loudly as he grabbed the ropes and pistoned his shoulder in and out of the Storm's ribs.

The Storm stopped him by bringing his knee up into Rose's face, then hitched himself up to the second rope and dropped down with a double axe handle, which he brought down on Rose's head. He pulled Rose back up and folded his left leg in a short leg scissors, then lifted Rose up and brought his ankle down on his knee. Rose shouted in pain and rolled away, but the Force of Nature stopped him and twisted that same lower leg in a grapevine, then dropped to the mat, wrenching it. Rose scrambled for the ropes, but the Storm dragged him away, punching him in the temple with a closed fist before twisting his legs again in a Figure-Four Leglock, putting the pressure on the left leg.

Rose writhed in pain, shouting in agony, trying to bend forward to reach his legs, but the positioning made it impossible. He tried to grab the ropes, but he was too far away. The Storm grinned maliciously, his blue-gray eyes glinting as he pulled on Rose's leg. The Californian flopped back on his shoulders, then thrust one back up as Chioda began a count. He flopped back again, then got back up as another count was begun. He tried to turn the Storm over, but the Force of Nature rocked him back flat as he attempted the turn. Rose grimaced in pain, then finally managed to make a lunge and grabbed the bottom rope, pulling himself over and leaning against it, still shouting in pain. Chioda warned the Storm to release him, and when he wouldn't, the ref began a five-count. Moments before the five was counted, the Storm disentangled himself.

The Storm backed up and slid out of the ring while Rose limped to his feet, favoring his left leg. The Texan unzipped his duffel bag and drew out his black baseball bat "ugly-stick," set it aside, then looked up as Rose leaned over the ropes to grab at him. The Storm jumped up and hotshotted Rose off the top rope, then scooped up his ugly-stick and slid into the ring. Rose had his back to the Storm, who was crouched, holding the bat ready. The Californian turned, and the Storm ran and clubbed his left shin with the bat as he rolled by. Rose shouted and fell over, clutching at his leg. The Storm got up and came over, stomping on Rose's back, then holding him down with one foot while he swung the bat down into his left ankle again and again.

Rose slowly pulled himself to hands and knees, wincing as he moved his left leg, then glanced up as the Storm came around in front of him, raising the bat to bludgeon his head. The former CIW owner snapped his forearm up into the Storm's gonads, causing the Force of Nature to wince and drop the bat as he clutched his wounded nether region. Rose grabbed the weapon and swung it into the Storm's stomach, getting an oof of surprise, then brought it down into the Storm's back. The Storm grunted and fell over. The Californian stood over him and raised the stick again, but the Storm clipped his legs with a drop toe-hold -- again, on the left leg -- that caught Rose's neck on the second rope. The bat skittered out of the ring on the far side as Rose gagged and clutched his throat.

The Storm rolled out of the ring to search through his duffel bag again. He stopped, looked up at the cheering crowd for a moment as he considered something, then went for plunder under the ring. He pulled out a garbage can and tossed it into the ring, then another. He followed this up by pulling out a pair of trashcan lids and setting them on the apron as he rummaged for more weaponry. He glanced up to see Rose standing over him with a garbage can. He didn't have time to block as Rose swung it down into his head. He crumpled and fell, and Rose stepped out of the ring to smash him with the can again as he got to his knees. Rose's eyes were wild as he raised it to attack the Storm a third time. The Storm, however, clipped Rose's left leg again with a drop toe-hold that took the Californian down into the steel stairs -- his face colliding with the trashcan, which collided with the stairs.

The Storm picked up the now-badly-dented trashcan and swung it down into Rose's legs again. "And the Storm's being very smart, King," J.R. commented on the other side of the ring. "He's working on Rose's left leg, looking ahead to the winning fall, making sure Rose can't stand up."

"Oh, man," Jerry Lawler whined, "come on, Billy, get up!"

The Storm rolled Rose back into the ring as he threw aside the dented can, then climbed up onto the post, leaning back and holding the ropes for balance. Rose wobbled and limped on his feet, turning in a slow circle. The Storm pounced out in a diving crossbody as Rose faced him, the fans screaming, "Reap the Windfall!" But Rose had the move scouted; he sidestepped the attack, and the Storm landed on the second trashcan, flattening it. The Storm groaned and rolled off of it, curling up in a ball.

Rose limped over to the apron and picked up one of the trashcan lids. He turned it in his hands, then looked at the Storm as he got to his feet, still holding his ribs. Rose charged and smashed the lid into his ribs hard, then pivoted to smash it into the Storm's head. He went down, and Rose smacked his spine with the lid a few more times before going toward the ropes. The Storm swung his legs around and once again hit the drop toe-hold on Rose's left leg. Rose fell, and the Storm quickly spun to his feet, stomping down on Rose's right ankle and holding it down, even as he wrapped his arms around his left foot in the Twister Anklelock.

Rose screamed in pain and reached for the ropes, but was too far away. The Storm snarled at him, continuing the pressure on Rose's heavily injured ankle. The Californian scrambled to look for something to use, and managed to grip the trashcan lid he'd dropped. He pushed off the mat a bit, then swung the lid back at the Storm, who had to release Rose to avoid the swing. Rose hobbled toward the ropes to get up, but the Storm didn't let up, pursuing. The "prick bastard," however, cracked him in the side of the head with the lid, then grabbed his arm and kicked at the shoulder as he wrenched it. The Storm grimaced in pain and tried to get up, but Rose slid in and locked in the Deadly Blossom.

Rose laughed as he watched the Storm writhe in pain from the triangle hold variant, then shouted in pain as the Storm used his free hand to grip Rose's left foot and twist it. The Californian's already badly injured ankle sent agony shooting up his leg and he had to let go. The Storm got back up and booted Rose swiftly in the gut as he too got to his feet, then grabbed his head and dropped him in a DDT. The Force of Nature went to look for his ugly-stick, sliding out of the ring to retrieve it. As he stood back up, Rose came at him with a baseball slide kick that knocked the Storm back into the security barricade. The Californian still favored his left foot as he limped over to the Storm, who grunted as Rose hammered him with right hands.

Rose scooped up the Storm's bat again and pounded him in the stomach with it, then the back of the head. The Texan went down, and Rose rolled him back into the ring, then limped up the stairs to climb to the top turnbuckle. Rose pointed out at the dazed Storm and then pounced in a diving elbow, but the Storm rolled away and Rose hit the mat hard. Rose shouted in pain as he twisted his ankle on the landing and grimaced as he tried to put weight on it. Before he could react, the Storm slipped behind him and hooked his arms in a full nelson. Rose was lifted up, and then flipped up before being brought down on the backs of his shoulders and neck in the Downdraft. The Storm made a cover. 1... 2... 3! The fans popped as the Storm stood up, giving Rose's body an Italian arm chop, then his two-fingered salute. "The winner of the fall," Finkel proclaimed: "THE STORM!"

The Storm slid back out of the ring as Rose slowly came to his senses. The Force of Nature threw up the ring apron and dragged out another garbage can, then a fire extinguisher. Rose charged for a tope suicida, but the Storm spotted him. He raised the can into Rose's path and the Californian collided with it head-first, earning a sympathetic groan from the audience. The Storm backed away as Chioda began the ten-count. "One! Two! Three! Four!" Rose was getting to his feet, albeit unsteadily and not without a limp from his injured left ankle. At six, he was back on his feet, and the Storm charged. Rose surprisingly caught him and hit an armdrag that sent the Storm's back into the steel stairs. With a shout of pain, the Storm clutched his back in pain, and Rose quickly took advantage. He picked up the trashcan and slammed it into the Storm's back, then swung the fire extinguisher into the can as it sat on the Storm's back. Rose gained another shout of pain for this, and then he rummaged for more plunder.

The Storm sat up and grabbed the extinguisher as Rose pulled out a kendo stick. The Californian shouted in surprise as a blast of foam caught him square in the eyes, then grunted as the Storm cracked his skull with the extinguisher. Rose staggered back into the post and propped himself there as he tried to clear the stars out of his eyes, and the Storm picked up his duffel bag. He swung it into Rose's ribs, and the "prick bastard" oofed as it hit, gasping for air. He backed up and swung again, but Rose sidestepped, and there was an audible clang as the bag hit the post. Rose picked his kendo stick up again and swung at the Storm's head, and there was a wooden crack as it struck him.

The Storm fell over from the attack, but hit yet another drop toe-hold on Rose as he menaced him with the kendo stick. While Rose cradled his injured ankle, the Storm went over to his duffel and reached inside of it. He pulled out a smaller bag, which was weighted with something quite heavy. The fans murmurred as the Storm grabbed this smaller bag's handles, then swung it down at Rose's leg. The Californian was lucky, only getting grazed, but it still earned a shout of pain from him. Rose crawled back to lie against the steel stairs as he tried to get his breath, his legs splayed. The Storm kicked him in the head, then backed up, zipping open the smaller bag and reaching within to draw out a bowling ball.

The fans popped again as they recognized where the Storm had borrowed this spot from, then cheered as the Storm wound up and rolled the ball squarely into Rose's exposed crotch. Rose's eyes bugged out as he grabbed his bruised gonads, not even making a sound as he whimpered in pain. The Storm stalked over and rolled the ball under the ring as he beat Rose's head against the stairs, then went to pick up his duffel bag. It looked considerably lighter now that the bowling ball was gone, but it was obviously still weighted with something as the Storm swung it down at Rose's head. The Californian dodged again, and there was another clang as the bag struck the stairs.

Rose surged to his feet as he got his second wind and blasted the Storm's head with a double axe handle, then grabbed the dented trashcan and bashed his head with it. Then again, and a third time. He rolled the Storm into the ring and hit a vertical suplex, then pulled him back up for a second. The Storm groggily got to his feet, and Rose grabbed his head as though for a DDT. Rose spun around, looking to give the Storm Brain Damage, but the Force of Nature had it scouted and shoved him into the ropes. The Storm stooped as though for a back body drop, but Rose came back and dove down with another double axe handle to the back of the Storm's head. The Force of Nature staggered, and Rose quickly thrust his head between his thighs and hooked his arms around his waist. He gutwrenched him up to the crucifix position, held him there for a moment, then thrust the Storm up enough to grab his belt and swing him down into the Rose's Thorn powerbomb. He held onto his legs and pressed his feet down on the Storm's arms. 1... 2... 3! The fans jeered as Rose thrust the Storm's legs away and got up. Finkel announced, "The winner of the fall... BILLY ROSE!"

Now both men had scored a fall, so the fans were quite excited to see the last fall, which was now Last Man Standing rules. Rose went looking for more plunder, but as he placed a new trashcan on the apron, the Storm hit his own baseball slide kick to it, knocking it back into Rose's face. The Storm grabbed the can and smashed Rose's legs and chest with it, then tossed it away. He dragged out another trashcan and waited as Rose staggered to his feet. The Storm swung the can down and trapped Rose's body within it, pinning his arms to the sides. Rose turned in a circle as the Storm went back to his duffel bag, reaching within and pulling out a new weapon. The fans gasped as the Storm held aloft none other than a sledgehammer.

Chioda, who by the rules of the match wasn't supposed to do much more than count a ten-count anymore, stepped in front of the Storm and pleaded with him not to use the hammer, but the Storm shoved him aside and raised the sledge heavenward as Rose turned to "face" him. The Storm swung, and there was a sickening thud as the hammer struck the can. Rose crumpled like a marionette with its strings cut. The Storm reversed his hold on the hammer so he held it closer to the head and bashed it into the ribs of the trapped Rose, then dropped the sledge and pulled him free of the can to see what damage he'd done. Rose's face was bloody from a cut opened by that first hammer strike, and he clutched his injured ribs in pain.

The Storm snorted with contempt as his archnemesis while Chioda began a new ten-count. The Force of Nature walked away, toward the other side of the ring, throwing the timekeeper out of his chair and picking it up. He didn't notice Chioda stop his count at five, but did look up at the fans as they clamored in surprise. The Storm blinked and whirled around, raising the chair, but Rose had lunged in a desparate dropkick that sent the chair crashing into the Storm's face. The Californian quickly mounted the Storm and slugged him in the face with a closed fist, then threw him ribs-first into the ring apron. The Storm was getting back up, but then Rose grabbed the glass water pitcher off the commentators' table and smashed it into the Storm's head as he turned around. The fans shouted in surprise and alarm as water, ice, and glass showered the padded floor, and as the Storm fell to his knees and dropped face-first on the floor.

Rose staggered away, still limping, back toward the other side of the ring toward the weapons bag the Storm had brought out with him. Chioda's count stopped at six as the Storm got back up, his own face bloody now from the glass, to follow Rose. The Californian picked up the sledgehammer and hit the Storm in the forehead with it as he approached. The Force of Nature staggered back from the blow, bracing himself against the post to stay upright. Rose swung the hammer again, and the Storm ducked, so the hammer struck the post with a clang. Rose dropped the hammer in surprise, and the Storm bashed him with a one-two punch combo. Rose staggered, then charged and hit a running forearm smash that took the Storm down.

Rose limped away up the ramp, and the fans booed as they realized he was trying to run away. The Storm rolled to his feet as Chioda reached five, then pursued. Chioda lagged behind to stash the hammer under the ring, out of sight, then jogged after them. The Storm screamed, "ROSE!!" as he closed on his enemy, then slugged him across the face as he turned him to face him. Rose staggered away, and the Storm charged to spear him against the steel backdrop of the TitanTron. Rose sidestepped and the Storm plowed into the steel himself.

Rose leaned against the backdrop to catch his breath, blinking blood out of his eyes, then walked around the Storm's body (Chioda was at four) to try and escape under the big screen. He came staggering out a moment later, holding his nose, and then Rain appeared and punched him in the jaw. The Storm was on his knees at the moment, trying to shake the cobwebs out (and shaking drops of blood about as he did so), and looked up to see Rose block Rain's swing and throw her hard into the steel backdrop. As this almost always did, the sight of Rain being attacked galvanized something in the Storm, who got back up (Chioda stopped at eight) and tackled Rose hard. He began unloading a fierce series of right hands into the Californian's face, bloodying it further, then shouted in pain as a heavy boot planted itself in his back.

The Storm turned around to see Brick standing over him. The 7'1" behemoth grabbed him by the throat and dragged him toward the edge of the stage, looking as though he were about to hurl him over the side, but Rain charged with a length of pipe and hit Brick in the back with it. The big man grunted and dropped the Storm, then turned and growled at the Texan woman, who taunted him, then disappeared through the TitanTron. His primary target forgotten, the enraged Brick charged after her.

Rose got back up and saw the Storm getting to his feet. Desparate to escape, the Californian began climbing up the side of the TitanTron. The Storm, not seeing him right away, scowled, his bloody face alight with a feral intensity. "ROSE!!" he screamed again, then turned to see Rose already about ten feet up the `Tron. The Storm growled and began climbing after him, while the fans' cheering continued to increase. Rose stopped briefly to catch his breath and clear some blood out of his eyes, then jerked in surprise as the Storm's hand closed on his ankle. Fortunately, it wasn't his injured one, and Rose was able to kick him away and keep climbing.

Within moments, the two were almost fifty feet up the TitanTron, and now Rose had nowhere else to go. He shrieked in pain as the Storm's fingers closed like a vise on his injured ankle, then oofed as the Storm pulled himself up to slug him in the gut. The Storm pulled himself up below Rose, punched him a few more times, then grabbed Rose's body on his shoulder. He gestured at the floor. "Time to go for a ride, Billy!" he screamed, and then he pulled Rose off the TitanTron and fell with him.

The fans were screaming themselves hoarse as the two plummeted, but Rose retained enough presence of mind to try one last desparate manuever. As his body came parallel to the floor, his arms were about level with the Storm's head. Moving quickly, he pivoted his arm around and drove his elbow into the back of the Storm's head -- mid-air Brain Damage was delivered --

-- and then the two crashed onto the floor.

Rose was groaning in pain, holding his head and neck and elbow, and then shouting in agony as he tried to move his leg. The fans were chanting, "Holy Shit! Holy Shit!" It was by far the most jaw-dropping move they'd seen in the night -- in addition to some of the moves Matt Hardy and Viper had pulled off in their ladder match.

Chioda stood on the edge of the stage, counting up to ten. Rose was in too much pain to get up -- especially with a probably broken ankle, and the Storm, meanwhile, wasn't moving at all. He'd struck the floor almost face-first, and blood was pooling on the floor under his face as he lay face-down, arms and legs splayed on the floor. Chioda reached "Ten!" while both men were still down, then paused for a moment. He called, "Ring the bell!" and jogged back enough to meet Howard Finkel at the bottom of the ramp. He conversed with him for a moment, and then the Fink spoke: "Ladies and gentlemen, the referee has informed me that neither man has been able to answer a ten-count, and so this match has been declared a draw!"

The fans booed slightly, then dropped back into murmurring with concern as referees and EMTs congregated around the two wrestlers. Rose was helped onto a stretcher, still grimacing as he tried to move his leg, his face a bloody mess. They fit a collar around his neck to protect it, then wheeled him out while he shouted his pain to anyone who could hear.

The Storm was pulled up slightly, and his face was almost completely covered with blood -- a true "crimson mask," as it were. His body was almost limp, and he let out a weak moan in pain as they laid him gently on a second stretcher, placing a collar around his neck as well. The fans gasped as they got a look at the Storm, as well as the sizable puddle of blood from where he'd lain.

Rain emerged from the backstage area, her face a mask of worry. Brick was soon to follow, but the referees converged on him and managed to hold him back as Rain accompanied a stretcher-born Storm out of the arena.

* * *

In the Z-Men's Room, the two Baltimore natives blinked with shock. Zed reached forward and switched off the monitor, then looked at his partner. Zeta seemed numb. "Snoogans," Zeta whispered.

"Yeah," Zed said softly. "I take it back -- if this is what Skinner's gonna do to himself, then I don't think I like this 'system' he has."

-more to come-

Next: In the aftermath of Fully Loaded, Billy Rose and Matthew Skinner both recuperate scarce few rooms apart at the same hospital, allowing for some "Quiet Contemplation."

If you have any ideas for who you think the Storm, Rain, Zed & Zeta, Brick or Billy Rose should team up with or go up against, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.