Title: The Road Less Traveled (12/?)
Author: Esquirella
Rating: R (for violence)
Disclaimer: I own the Rio character and have written other stories with
her. I own all non-WWE characters. But I do not own the wrestlers who
appear below and/or in previous/upcoming installments.
Synopsis: This is a long one. Basically, Drew rubs Jeff's nose in Rio's
phone call; and Shannon tells Jeff about his plans to find his attacker.
Not a good day for Jeff, I'm afraid.
Distribution: Please ask first. More than likely, I will agree.
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Andrew hit Jeff with the ring bell as scripted without seriously injuring him. When everyone was backstage, Jeff slapped him on the back to let him know everything was cool.
"Good match, man," Jeff said. "And thanks."
"For what?" Andrew asked.
"For talkin' t' th' writers fo' me," Jeff said, smiling. "I kno' what ya did."
Andrew grinned. "How did you know it was me?"
"Jay tol' me," Jeff said, laughing. "He said I should watch m' back, tho'. Like ya might still be pissed at me fo' th' Rio stuff."
Andrew grimaced. "I was a little annoyed at first," he said. "But I really did just think it would be a good angle for all of us."
"Well, I jus' wanted t' let ya kno' I 'ppreciate it."
"No problem, man," Andrew said. "Besides, Rio wouldn't have been happy with me if anything bad happened to either one of us tonight."
"Oh really?" Jeff asked. "An' how d'ya kno' that?"
"She called me before we went on and told me so," Andrew said, clapping Jeff's shoulder. He then strolled away with a wide grin on his face, leaving a stunned Jeff in his wake.
--------------------------------------
Rio was stretching in a small room backstage at the next Warrior Series arena when she heard the voices of people approaching the door. She quickly flicked off the light and hid herself behind a small dresser.
The door opened and two figures stepped into the room. The taller one turned the light on and peered at his reflection in the mirror. The shorter, red headed man threw himself into a chair and immediately began to rant.
"I can't believe Henry chewed us out," Sinbad spat, tugging at his boot. "He shoulda been after that bitch Rio. Nuthin' woulda happened to us if she hadn't been there!"
"I guess we'll just have to find another opportunity with those WWE punks when she's not around," Grendel answered while running a brush through his dark brown locks.
"Yeah," Sinbad said. "Hey! Remember that little blonde guy you got a couple months ago?"
"Oh yeah. What was his name? It was like a girl's . . ."
"I think it was Shannon."
"Yeah, that's right. Shannon. Pretty for a guy," Grendel chuckled. "Can't wait for his return. I need to give him his final lesson."
"I hear he's on TV again," Sinbad laughed. "Shouldn't be too long before he's back on the Indy circuit. You know how bad those cruiserweight boys crave action."
"Cool," Grendel said, rubbing his hands together. "Good think McMahon keeps 'em hungry. It will be my pleasure to end his illustrious career."
"And Rio never goes to those things."
"I don't think she knows about the bonus system."
"She probably wouldn't waste her time on it anyway," Sinbad growled. "She's too busy trying to get Henry to give her a title shot."
"Good luck on that one," Grendel laughed.
"Yeah, anyway, after you do the blonde kid, Henry will give us a bonus," Sinbad reminded him.
"How much for a cruiserweight, though?"
"It's still WWE."
"Yeah," Grendel said. "Main events, here we come!"
The two men slapped palms and left the room.
Rio stepped out from behind the dresser, frowning deeply beneath her silver mask. This newest development displeased her greatly. How long had Henry been encouraging this? And who was this Shannon? Didn't Jeff have a friend named Shannon? Shit!
--------------------------------------
Jeff just entered his hotel room when his cell phone rang. He quickly pulled it out and pressed the answer button. Maybe it was Rio.
"'Lo?" he asked hopefully.
"Hey, Jeff!"
It wasn't Rio, Jeff thought sadly. Still, Shannon was his best friend, so he didn't want to hurt his feelings by sounding less than enthusiastic about hearing from him.
"Shanny!" Jeff exclaimed. "How's bein' back in th' fold, boy?"
"Boy, y'self," Shannon grumbled teasingly. "It's cool. How's tricks wit' ya?"
"Couldn' be betta! Drew got m' into 'is storyline."
"That's great, Jeff!" Shannon said. "It's about time ya got into a storyline. Don' kno' WHAT the writers have been thinkin' till now."
"Matt treatin' ya ok?"
Shannon snickered. "As well as Matt can be 'xpected to."
"He tell ya t' check up on me?" Jeff asked, amused.
"He tol' me 'bout that silver girl yo' afta," Shannon said. "Wan' to talk about it?"
"I guess ya wan' me to," Jeff sighed.
"Wha's goin' on, big bro?" Shannon asked softly.
Jeff smiled at the nickname. He and Shannon had always been as close as brothers, though he'd never say so in front of his biological brother. He was almost certain it would hurt Matt's feelings to know he shared as close a bond as they had with someone else.
"Nuthin' t' tell," he finally said. "She's stuck on Drew anyway."
"Drew? Tha's not what Matt thinks."
"Well, she called 'im tonight befor' th' match," Jeff said.
"He tell ya that?"
"How else would I kno?"
"Okay," Shannon said, trying to placate his friend. "Don' get yo' tights inna bunch."
Jeff laughed again. Shannon always could cheer him up. "Sorry, Shanny."
"What is it about her tha's gotcha in a twist?"
"I dunno," Jeff admitted. "She fights like nobody I've eva seen. She also saved our asses in th' club. Matt tell ya that?"
"He mentioned she was there."
"She pulled a giant freak off his throat!"
"No kiddin'?" Shannon asked. "He neva mentioned THAT!"
"I'm not surprised," Jeff chuckled.
"Well, keep me updated," Shannon ordered.
"I always do," Jeff assured him.
"Hey, I'm headin' back t' th' Indy's in a couple a weeks," Shannon said excitedly.
"Ya think ya should do that?" Jeff asked worriedly. "That guy hasn't been caught yet."
"Tha's the POINT, man," Shannon snarled. "I wan' 'im, Jeff. I wan' 'im BAD!"
Jeff shook his head slowly. "Shanny, man, please think about this."
"I have, Jeff," Shannon said firmly. "I've thought about it fo' two whole months."
Jeff heard the conviction in his friend's voice. He knew he would get nowhere if he tried to talk him out of his plan. So he did the only thing he could think of.
"Awright, lil bro," he said. "If this is what ya think ya need t' do . . ."
"This is what I'm gonna do," Shannon confirmed.
"Then I'm goin' back wit' ya," Jeff said just as forcefully.
"No ya ain't!" Shannon exploded. "Yo' wit' RAW. Yo' schedule won' allow it."
"I think I can swing it," Jeff said, unmoved. "An' if ya try to stop me, I'll jus' follow ya anyway."
"Mo' stubborn than eva, I see," Shannon relented. "Fine. I'll expect ya there then."
"You kno' it," Jeff returned.
"Thanks, Jeff."
"Anytime," Jeff grinned. "Now get som' sleep. Ya gonna need it fo' yo' match tomorrow."
"I ain't as old as you yet, old man!" Shannon laughed. "'Night, Jeff."
"Later, Shanny."
Jeff hung up the phone and fell back on the bed. He was debating whether to call it an early night or go out for a while to check out the night life, when his phone rang again. He reached for it.
"Whadja fo'get this time, Shanny?" he asked absently.
"Jeff?" Rio said softly on the other end of the line. "We need to talk."
--------------------------------------
Andrew hit Jeff with the ring bell as scripted without seriously injuring him. When everyone was backstage, Jeff slapped him on the back to let him know everything was cool.
"Good match, man," Jeff said. "And thanks."
"For what?" Andrew asked.
"For talkin' t' th' writers fo' me," Jeff said, smiling. "I kno' what ya did."
Andrew grinned. "How did you know it was me?"
"Jay tol' me," Jeff said, laughing. "He said I should watch m' back, tho'. Like ya might still be pissed at me fo' th' Rio stuff."
Andrew grimaced. "I was a little annoyed at first," he said. "But I really did just think it would be a good angle for all of us."
"Well, I jus' wanted t' let ya kno' I 'ppreciate it."
"No problem, man," Andrew said. "Besides, Rio wouldn't have been happy with me if anything bad happened to either one of us tonight."
"Oh really?" Jeff asked. "An' how d'ya kno' that?"
"She called me before we went on and told me so," Andrew said, clapping Jeff's shoulder. He then strolled away with a wide grin on his face, leaving a stunned Jeff in his wake.
--------------------------------------
Rio was stretching in a small room backstage at the next Warrior Series arena when she heard the voices of people approaching the door. She quickly flicked off the light and hid herself behind a small dresser.
The door opened and two figures stepped into the room. The taller one turned the light on and peered at his reflection in the mirror. The shorter, red headed man threw himself into a chair and immediately began to rant.
"I can't believe Henry chewed us out," Sinbad spat, tugging at his boot. "He shoulda been after that bitch Rio. Nuthin' woulda happened to us if she hadn't been there!"
"I guess we'll just have to find another opportunity with those WWE punks when she's not around," Grendel answered while running a brush through his dark brown locks.
"Yeah," Sinbad said. "Hey! Remember that little blonde guy you got a couple months ago?"
"Oh yeah. What was his name? It was like a girl's . . ."
"I think it was Shannon."
"Yeah, that's right. Shannon. Pretty for a guy," Grendel chuckled. "Can't wait for his return. I need to give him his final lesson."
"I hear he's on TV again," Sinbad laughed. "Shouldn't be too long before he's back on the Indy circuit. You know how bad those cruiserweight boys crave action."
"Cool," Grendel said, rubbing his hands together. "Good think McMahon keeps 'em hungry. It will be my pleasure to end his illustrious career."
"And Rio never goes to those things."
"I don't think she knows about the bonus system."
"She probably wouldn't waste her time on it anyway," Sinbad growled. "She's too busy trying to get Henry to give her a title shot."
"Good luck on that one," Grendel laughed.
"Yeah, anyway, after you do the blonde kid, Henry will give us a bonus," Sinbad reminded him.
"How much for a cruiserweight, though?"
"It's still WWE."
"Yeah," Grendel said. "Main events, here we come!"
The two men slapped palms and left the room.
Rio stepped out from behind the dresser, frowning deeply beneath her silver mask. This newest development displeased her greatly. How long had Henry been encouraging this? And who was this Shannon? Didn't Jeff have a friend named Shannon? Shit!
--------------------------------------
Jeff just entered his hotel room when his cell phone rang. He quickly pulled it out and pressed the answer button. Maybe it was Rio.
"'Lo?" he asked hopefully.
"Hey, Jeff!"
It wasn't Rio, Jeff thought sadly. Still, Shannon was his best friend, so he didn't want to hurt his feelings by sounding less than enthusiastic about hearing from him.
"Shanny!" Jeff exclaimed. "How's bein' back in th' fold, boy?"
"Boy, y'self," Shannon grumbled teasingly. "It's cool. How's tricks wit' ya?"
"Couldn' be betta! Drew got m' into 'is storyline."
"That's great, Jeff!" Shannon said. "It's about time ya got into a storyline. Don' kno' WHAT the writers have been thinkin' till now."
"Matt treatin' ya ok?"
Shannon snickered. "As well as Matt can be 'xpected to."
"He tell ya t' check up on me?" Jeff asked, amused.
"He tol' me 'bout that silver girl yo' afta," Shannon said. "Wan' to talk about it?"
"I guess ya wan' me to," Jeff sighed.
"Wha's goin' on, big bro?" Shannon asked softly.
Jeff smiled at the nickname. He and Shannon had always been as close as brothers, though he'd never say so in front of his biological brother. He was almost certain it would hurt Matt's feelings to know he shared as close a bond as they had with someone else.
"Nuthin' t' tell," he finally said. "She's stuck on Drew anyway."
"Drew? Tha's not what Matt thinks."
"Well, she called 'im tonight befor' th' match," Jeff said.
"He tell ya that?"
"How else would I kno?"
"Okay," Shannon said, trying to placate his friend. "Don' get yo' tights inna bunch."
Jeff laughed again. Shannon always could cheer him up. "Sorry, Shanny."
"What is it about her tha's gotcha in a twist?"
"I dunno," Jeff admitted. "She fights like nobody I've eva seen. She also saved our asses in th' club. Matt tell ya that?"
"He mentioned she was there."
"She pulled a giant freak off his throat!"
"No kiddin'?" Shannon asked. "He neva mentioned THAT!"
"I'm not surprised," Jeff chuckled.
"Well, keep me updated," Shannon ordered.
"I always do," Jeff assured him.
"Hey, I'm headin' back t' th' Indy's in a couple a weeks," Shannon said excitedly.
"Ya think ya should do that?" Jeff asked worriedly. "That guy hasn't been caught yet."
"Tha's the POINT, man," Shannon snarled. "I wan' 'im, Jeff. I wan' 'im BAD!"
Jeff shook his head slowly. "Shanny, man, please think about this."
"I have, Jeff," Shannon said firmly. "I've thought about it fo' two whole months."
Jeff heard the conviction in his friend's voice. He knew he would get nowhere if he tried to talk him out of his plan. So he did the only thing he could think of.
"Awright, lil bro," he said. "If this is what ya think ya need t' do . . ."
"This is what I'm gonna do," Shannon confirmed.
"Then I'm goin' back wit' ya," Jeff said just as forcefully.
"No ya ain't!" Shannon exploded. "Yo' wit' RAW. Yo' schedule won' allow it."
"I think I can swing it," Jeff said, unmoved. "An' if ya try to stop me, I'll jus' follow ya anyway."
"Mo' stubborn than eva, I see," Shannon relented. "Fine. I'll expect ya there then."
"You kno' it," Jeff returned.
"Thanks, Jeff."
"Anytime," Jeff grinned. "Now get som' sleep. Ya gonna need it fo' yo' match tomorrow."
"I ain't as old as you yet, old man!" Shannon laughed. "'Night, Jeff."
"Later, Shanny."
Jeff hung up the phone and fell back on the bed. He was debating whether to call it an early night or go out for a while to check out the night life, when his phone rang again. He reached for it.
"Whadja fo'get this time, Shanny?" he asked absently.
"Jeff?" Rio said softly on the other end of the line. "We need to talk."