Masked

Chapter 6

            Eric Bischoff stood in the ring as his music played, anger bubbling inside of him.  Because of Evolution, one of his main superstars was lying in the hospital in critical condition.  But right now he had more important things to do, revenge more personal.  He lifted the microphone to his lips as he spoke.

            "Cut the music," he snapped.  "I'm here to call out--," he paused, not knowing what to call her, "the masked woman."  The only thing he heard was the fan's voices.  Curling his lips back, he said, "Any wrestler who touches her when she's on her way to the ring now or in the ring will be fired.  When she hits the backstage area or the barricade, she's free to anyone."

            For a moment, the arena was silent, and then Kazzar's "Pedal to the Medal" started playing through the speakers.  Eric Bischoff watched as seven women made their way to the ring, no differences between them.  As they slid into the ring, one of them grabbed a microphone as the six surrounded her in a half circle, ready and poised to attack. 

            Eric Bischoff felt a smile play at his face as he looked at the masked woman.  "So what do I call you, anyway?" he asked, a malicious smile growing on his face as he thought about what her reaction would be to what he said next.

            She didn't answer his question, "What did you call me out for?"

            Eric's smile didn't waver.  "You see, everyone has a weakness.  Everyone.  Even you."  She looked at him blankly, no emotion on her face.  "Everyone has ties and feelings that they don't want-or shouldn't need.  But they have them."  He paused, and started pacing leisurely.  "One of them is loyalty."  The woman stiffened.  "You see, last week, Lita, Jeff Hardy, and Rob Van Dam came out.  Well, Jeff and RVD, from what I can tell, came for Lita, and Lita was there for you."  He shook his head, and began again as an image came up on the screen.  "You see that?  That's Lita."

            The fans already knew, and were screaming in outrage.  Lita was on the screen, ropes tying her to a wooden chair, a cloth around her mouth, her left arm in a cast.  On the left there was a hand, holding a sledgehammer loosely. 

            "You see, here's the compromise I've thought of.  Let your mask be removed by a RAW wrestler in the ring by the end of the night, and I'll let Lita go.  If not, I'll give the order for my loyal friends to begin her destruction."

            "You're sick," the masked woman said through gritted teeth. 

            "Am I?" Eric asked.  "Or are you?  You come waltzing through here, not caring what consequences come of what you do.  Because of you Lita will be nursing that arm for another 3 months.  Because of you Kane might be lying on his deathbed."  She didn't say anything.  "Tonight you have a no DQ match with Steven Richards."

            The woman gritted her teeth as Eric left the ring.  She thought quickly, looking up at the image of Lita as she decided. 

            "Oh, Eric?" she said, leaning on the ropes, and cringing at what she was going to do.  "Let me get this straight.  Who ever removes my mask gets a shot at the Undisputed Championship?  Even if it's a woman?" at his nod, she continued, "And this person is going to be a RAW wrestler?" she paused, and a grin slowly spread across her face.  "Wow…  You know, that Undisputed Championship…  Who wouldn't want a chance at that?  Even a female rookie?"  Eric Bischoff's eyes widened as he figured out what she was saying.  He shook his head slowly.  "Well," she fingered her mask.  "Eric, I'd love a shot at the Undisputed Championship.  And you just handed it to be."

            "You-You can't…" Eric stuttered in horror.  She had found a loophole in what he said.  Anger stirred in his veins.  This…woman had been outsmarting him and making a fool of him since day one, and she hadn't paid for anything.  Not one bit! 

            She pushed her fingers under the bottom of the mask.  "Bitch-off, frankly, you don't deserve to be GM of RAW.  If you think for only a second, you can find a way out of whatever you say."  She slowly pulled the mask off her chin.  "This Sunday, at summer slam…"  She pulled the mask over her lips.  "There will be a change to the competitors."  The mask rolled up to the tip of her nose. 

            "NO!" Eric howled, and turned to the image.  "HIT HER!  HURT HER!  NOW!  DO IT NOW!"  The person advanced toward Lita, and the fans booed at the image of Hunter as he brought back the sledgehammer.

            "Like I was saying," the woman halted her progress.  "You are so predictable."  At that moment, the door burst open, and Jeff Hardy and The Hurricane ran in.  "All I had to do was nudge her friends in the right spot."

            Eric's head buzzed in shock.  She'd just upped him twice in one night!  "I'll get you," he said in a shaking voice. 

            "Before or after I win the title at summer slam?" she peeled the mask up to her eyes. 

            Eric clenched his teeth, "You won't make it to summer slam!" he screamed, taking a threatening step forward. 

            "I won't, will I?" she said sarcastically as she ripped off the rest of the mask.

            The fans were as quiet as they had been when Randy unmasked Lita.  The odd silence was quickly replaced by deafening chants and shouts.  Eric's mouth dropped open in shock.  The woman tossed the leather mask to the side and stepped back into the middle of the ring, and nodded toward the six others.  Each of them peeled off their own masks, and Eric froze.  Among them were Kat and Chyna, along with several women he'd rejected contracts for.  Still, his shock remained largely on their leader.

            She smiled at him, tossing her hair back over her shoulders.  "What's wrong Eric?  Kat bite your tongue?"

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