The Counter-Invasion
By: Jay Winger

Timeline Note: This chapter picks up the Thursday after the last one.

Teaser: The Storm continues his slow descent into madness as tensions rise between Stone Cold and Chris Jericho. How long can Billy Rose continue to play peacemaker?

Rating: R - for violence and profanity

Disclaimer: All things WWF and WCW are property of WWFE, Inc. All things ECW are property of whomever the frell owns ECW. All things CIW are property of me. The characters of "The Storm" Matthew Skinner, Claire "Rain" Whittaker, Billy Rose, Brad "Brick" Dickerson, the band Cold Steel, et al. are also my property. Please ask before you use them. Viper, Rattler, Soul, Cobra, Python, and all other creations of Boulder are his property and are used with his permission. Lyrics from "Defy You" by Offspring are used without permission.

Previously: Arriving at the arena, Billy Rose is accosted in his dressing room in the dark by the Hellions, who imply that they will return soon, and that he can't stop them. At the top of the show, Shane, Stephanie, and Triple H come out to bitch about their losses last night, while Shane swears that they will now go into "Plan B" to get the WCW Title off of The Storm. Triple H then talked about how he proved he was that damn good against Kurt Angle the previous night before turning his attention to Chris Jericho, the winner of the Rumble. The Game talked about how Jericho had never beaten him, and that he is just a big-talker. He says Jericho has two months to prove otherwise. Jericho then came out and said he can play mind games with the best of them, and that he always manages to get under Triple H's skin. Before long, Stone Cold came out and got in both men's faces. He told Triple H point blank he hated him, then turned to Jericho, dressing him down for back-stabbing him at the end of the Rumble, while giving the "Counter-Invasion" debut of "What?" Just as Jericho and Austin were about to come to blows, Billy Rose came out and said this was just what the Alliance wanted, in-fighting in the WWF. After asking both men if they wanted to go at each other (which they did), Rose pointed out the best way for them to both get what they want is for Austin to become WWF Champion. This prompted Triple H and the McMahon Siblings to quickly retreat. Backstage, Rose met briefly with Vince then spoke with Jenny Black. Test def. Hal Maxim with the Big Boot to cement his defection to the Alliance. Backstage again, The Storm arrived and was immediately confronted by Shane and Stephanie. The Storm promptly denied Shane's order to give Booker T a rematch, citing the fact that he'd defeated Booker three times already. Shane then said he'd defend the title anyway, which The Storm accepted -- right before being Gored by Rhyno out of nowhere. Later on, after being attended to by the trainer, he was attacked by DDP with a 2x4, bloodying him and driving him into a rage. "Feel the Bang? Get ready to feel pain and suffering," was The Storm's growl as he went to the ring to fight DDP to defend his title. DDP def. The Storm via Disqualification, and got literally no offense in as The Storm unleashed his fury on him, nearly knocking him out with a vicious half-nelson snap suplex before taking him outside and brutalizing him on the announce table, busting him open with his title belt. The Storm seemed to come out of a stupor and seemed shocked at his own actions. Elsewhere, meanwhile, the Hellions continue to lurk.

FYI: List of Champions: WWF - Triple H; Intercontinental - Edge; European - Eddie Guerrero; Hardcore - Rob Van Dam; Light-Heavyweight - X-Pac; WWF Tag Team - Dudley Boyz; Women's - Rain; WCW - The Storm; U.S. - Kanyon; Cruiserweight - Billy Kidman; WCW Tag Team - Undertaker & Kane

Chapter 15: Darkness Within

Smackdown: January 30

As the opening pyros died out and the smoke cleared, the fans started cheering again as some techno-rock music played, heralding the arrival of Rain. She walked out in a I am a Force of Nature T-Shirt and dark flare pants. She came down to the ring and held her title in the air. "The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the World Wrestling Federation Women's Championship!" Tony Chimel announced. "Introducing first, representing the WWF, from Dallas, Texas... the World Wrestling Federation Women's Champion... RAIN!"

Upbeat dance music played as Stacy Keibler came down to the ring, accompanied by her WCW diva cohort, Torrie Wilson. "And her opponent, representing the Alliance, from Baltimore, Maryland, being accompanied by Torrie Wilson... STACY KEIBLER!"

Stacy flashed her impressive set of legs to the fans as she entered the ring, smugly strutting in a circle as Rain removed her sunglasses and shook out her arms. Stacy abruptly looked a tad nervous about locking up with a veteran wrestler like Rain, but finally did so. Rain promptly ground in a headlock. Stacy tried to free herself, but the Texan woman had the advantage.

Finally, Stacy managed to shove Rain off with the use of the ropes, only to get knocked down by a shoulder block. Rain ran off the ropes and knocked the WCW diva down again with a forearm. She stomped her in the head a few times to keep her down, then pulled her up and attempted to whip her into the ropes. Stacy responded to this by doing a cartwheel and ending up on her feet, facing Rain. She laughed. Rain stared at her, then charged.

Stacy quickly escaped the ring and ran around it as Rain gave chase. As they reached the other side of the ring, Stacy slid in, distracting the referee, and allowing Torrie -- who had been lying in wait -- to clothesline Rain. The blond woman rolled Rain into the ring for Stacy, who covered for a two-count.

Stacy grabbed her by the hair and started beating her head against the mat, but Rain kicked her knee up into Stacy's back and knocked her into the turnbuckle. Rain pulled her back up, then hitched herself to the second rope, spinning Stacy around to plant her in a Tornado DDT. Rain went for the pin, but Torrie snuck Stacy's foot onto the rope. The referee stopped the count at two when he spotted it, but the Texan woman had seen Torrie. She slid out of the ring and gave chase to Torrie, who fled into the ring and across it, drawing Rain into another ambush, this time by Stacy, who clotheslined her. Stacy covered and again got a two count.

Rain got back up and ducked under a swing by Stacy, hooking her into a Downdraft. As she went for the cover, however, Torrie gave up all pretense of fairness and pulled Rain out of the ring, slapping her in the jaw. The dark-haried woman, of course, was made of sterner stuff than that and decked Torrie with a right hand, but by this point, the referee had called for the bell and disqualified Stacy for outside interference.

Stacy grabbed Rain by the hair and dragged her into the ring through the ropes, throwing her to the mat for some stomping. Rain looked ready to get back up, but then Torrie got back in and joined her cohort. The fans started cheering as Ivory, wearing black as she was no longer a RTC member, ran out. The crowd assumed she was there to help Rain, but she was mistaken. Ivory pushed Stacy and Torrie back as Rain got up unsteadily, but then Ivory grabbed her by the head and slammed her face-first to the canvas in the Poison Ivory.

As Ivory and the WCW divas celebrated, Shane McMahon came out, accompanied by Rhyno and Test. The Boy Wonder directed them into the ring. Rhyno hit a monstrous short-arm clothesline on the defenseless Rain, then held her up to get Test's enormous Boot to the Head. The fans were booing heavily as the six Alliance members raised their hands in victory over Rain's unmoving form.

Then the boos turned to cheers as The Storm came barreling down the ramp, carrying his ugly-stick. The six scattered as he swung the baseball bat viciously, managing to strike Test and send him out of the ring. After the ring was emptied, he turned back to Rain and knelt to check on her. "Claire, come on, baby, talk to me. You okay?"

Then he grew aware of a rising yell from the crowd. With a chill going down his back, he stood and turned around to see Rhyno charging across the ring. The Man-Beast crashed into him with The Gore, folding him in half on top of Rain. The fans shouted and booed heavily as Rhyno stood up, thumping his chest, then raising his arms in the air. "Who's da man?!" he roared as he rolled out of the ring, retreating up the ramp as referees and officials flooded the ring.

Skinner was helped to his feet, clutching his already injured ribs -- which Rhyno had Gored just three days earlier -- as they brought out a gurney for Rain -- who, while breathing, wasn't moving. Everyone's attention was diverted, however, when Shane McMahon's voice was heard. The young WCW Owner had a microphone and stood flanked by Test and Rhyno on the top of the ramp. "Hey, Skinner, don't get too comfortable! Later tonight, you have to defend your title against the newest member of the Alliance -- Test!" The traitorous Canadian smirked and raised his fists in the air. The fans booed as "Brand New Money" started playing, The Storm glaring hatefully up the ramp.

* * *

As the trainers checked on The Storm's injuries, Billy Rose walked into the room. "I just heard what happened. You okay, man?"

"Get the fuck outta here!!" Skinner snapped at him. He winced as the trainers lifted his left arm over his head and leaned him to the right.

"Look, I apologized for what I put you through," the CIW mastermind said, but before he could go on, the Force of Nature cut him off.

"No! You never apologized for what happened in CIW, and you never apologized for what you've done here. And I ain't gonna listen to any damn apology from you," he growled. He sucked in a pained breath as the trainers let him straighten his body out, then begin wrapping his scarred torso in bandages. "So get the fuck outta here."

Rose sighed and shook his head. "Fine. I won't bother to apologize now, then. But I just thought you should know that--"

"I said get the fuck outta here," he muttered.

"Skinner, please, the Hel--"

"GET OUT!" he roared, nearly leaping off the table to go after him. Rose backed out of the doorway, sighed and shook his head before leaving.

* * *

Victor E. was adjusting his wrist tape as he headed down the hallways toward the ring, but as he did so, he came across none other than Viper. The former CIW Champion had a passing amount of respect for the masked Brit, but he wasn't thinking about that as he went up to him. Viper turned to face him. "What do you want?"

"I got some things to say to you," Victor said.

"Well, I don't have anything to say to you, so if you'll excuse me." Viper turned to leave, but the CIWer blocked his path with his arm.

"Stay right there," Victor growled. Viper turned to face him, a scowl on his own face. "Now, I wasn't there, but I understand you had a few words to say to Smoker last Monday night."

"What about it?"

"It wasn't what you said to him so much as what you said to all of us," Victor replied. "And by us, I mean CIW. You called us a bunch of jobbers?"

"Yeah," Viper sneered. "That's what you are, aren't you?"

Victor had a couple of inches in height on the masked wrestler, and here he used it. "Look, you tea-drinking bastard, just because we didn't wrestle in the Big Two or the Great Pretender from Philadelphia doesn't mean we're a bunch of jobbers. The fact is, aside from one or two of us, we've won damn near every one of our matches."

"Is that supposed to impress me?" Viper snapped. "So you won a few matches, big fucking deal."

"Don't get all pissy with me, boy," the Californian said. "You might want to be a bit more grateful to CIW for backing up the Fed, even if it didn't ask for it. We're all on the same side."

"Like I told your fellow jobbers," the British man replied curtly, "I'm not on anybody's side."

"Well at least we picked a side," Victor spat, before turning and stalking down the hall.

* * *

"The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the WCW U.S. Championship!" "Who betta than Kanyon?" Campy music struck up as the fans jeered the annoying Kanyon, who strutted down the ramp in his Alliance MVP T-Shirt. He spun in a circle, gesturing to the gold around his waist as he came to the ring. He pulled the title from his waist and raised it happily in the air before pulling his shirt off. He tossed it out to the fans -- and some smart alleck in the front row threw it back at him. "Introducing first, representing the Alliance, he is the U.S. Champion... KANYON!"

"We... are... ALIVE!" The triumphant horn music started playing as Victor E came out, walking down to ringside wearing his CIW T-Shirt. "And his opponent, representing CIW, from San Diego, California, weighing in at 255 pounds... VICTOR E!" He went along to the side of the ring and picked up Kanyon's T-Shirt, which the fans had thrown back. He pulled off his own T-Shirt, then turned to the fans. He held up Kanyon's shirt to boos, then his own, to cheers. Victor threw the CIW shirt out to the crowd, then held the WCWer's shirt out in front of him. He spat on it, then threw it into his face. Kanyon started to pull it off, but the distraction allowed Victor to pull him from the ring and throw him into the barricade back-first.

The CIWer stepped back, then snap kicked Kanyon in the ribs, crumpling him against the barrier. Victor climbed up onto the apron and shouted to the crowd, "Who betta than Kanyon?" He raised his hands in the air, flashing a V-for-victory sign. "Victor E, baby!" The fans popped as Victor then jumped off the apron with a double sledge to Kanyon's forehead. Finally, the last CIW Champion rolled him into the ring to officially start the match.

Victor continued his assault, putting his focus on the Jersey native's neck and ribs. Michael Cole at ringside speculated that the Californian was softening Kanyon up for the Victory Slam or the Jaws of Defeat. At any rate, Kanyon was increasingly on the defensive, before he managed to grab Victor's tights and throw him face-first into the second turnbuckle. This enabled Kanyon to rally and start showing why he was WCW's "Innovator of Offense." The beating continued until Kanyon climbed to the top, positioning Victor for the super Rocker Drop.

Victor, however, had recovered enough to react to this. He grabbed Kanyon's arm and his leg, then bealed him out into the ring hard. The self-proclaimed MVP convulsed as he hit the mat, while Victor stalked him from behind. Holding his head with one hand, Kanyon backed toward the CIWer, who grabbed him in the pumphandle position before swinging him onto his shoulders. Once up there, Victor positioned him across his back, then turned in a circle before spinning Kanyon out into a flapjack in the Victory Slam. He then turned Kanyon onto his stomach and put him into a deathlock before leaning forward and putting on an STF in the Jaws of Defeat submission. The Alliance member screamed in pain and pounded the mat. The referee called for the bell. "Here is your winner, and the new WCW U.S. Champion... VICTOR E!"

* * *

The Undertaker was walking the halls backstage, his WCW Tag title belt draped over his shoulder with the rest of his gear. He paused as he looked down an interconnecting hall to see Matthew Skinner pacing angrily. His WCW Championship was lying on a stack of shipping pallets as The Storm silently fumed over what had happened to his girlfriend earlier that night.

"We should be very careful," a grave voice said behind `Taker. The Dead Man turned around in surprise to see the hooded figure of Scion perched on a metal crate, watching The Storm. The holy man continued. "Matthew is in a dangerous place right now."

"What the hell you talkin' about?" Taker said. "He's always like that."

Scion shook his head. "No, he isn't. You know he isn't normally this frustrated, this angry. You know what he's going through, Mark."

Taker blinked, then glowered at him. "What in the hell did you just call me?"

"You know what I called you," the mysterious figure replied. "We have met before, in that place between the Light and the Darkness."

Now the Dead Man took a step back to look at Scion more closely. Scion raised his head slightly, throwing more of his face into light. Taker stared at him, then nodded. "I know you. I saw you when I turned back from the Darkside."

Scion nodded gravely. "And you know how dangerous the Darkside is, you, who used to command the Ministry of Darkness, you who were once one of the Darkside's pawns."

"Pawns? Hell, I wasn't any pawn. I was the Lord of Darkness."

"Do not delude yourself," the religious man said curtly. "Darkness bends to no one's will. It lets you believe so as it slowly twists and corrupts your very soul. You were lucky to have escaped its clutches, Undertaker. But Matthew has also fallen prey to the Darkside once before, and he very nearly did not come back."

Now Taker frowned and glanced back at Skinner, who had stopped pacing to polish some of the remaining stains of DDP's blood from his belt. The Dead Man turned back to Scion. "You telling me he rode the Darkside too?"

"More than that," Scion said. "Back in CIW, Billy Rose wanted to have Matthew under his control through any means he could get. He cut a deal with the forces of Darkness to have him subverted. But those who traffic in the shadows cannot be trusted. The Hellions, as they called themselves, instead cut a deal with Matthew, offering him both the CIW Championship and a chance to get at Mr. Rose, if only he would do their bidding. And so he agreed.

"What happened next was a reign of terror that cowed everyone in the company for months before Matthew -- now calling himself Agony -- recaptured the title. The Hellions then presented Mr. Rose his "subverted" Matthew Skinner, but they forgot the deal they had made with Matthew. As soon as he was brought before him, Matthew shook off the Hellions' control and attacked Mr. Rose. Fortunately for all of us, he did not submit to the Darkness ever again, but he courts it now."

Taker felt an involuntary shiver down his spine. "I do know how the Darkside works, Scion," he told the hooded man, "and I know this: after that first subversion, it becomes easier each time. There've been times when I've been tempted to turn to the Darkside for power, and it took everything I got in my cold, dead soul to keep from doing so."

Scion nodded again. "Then you know the conflict raging inside Matthew. He's taken it upon himself to restore honor to the WCW Championship, and the stress of that task he's given himself -- coupled with the fact that the Alliance is doing everything in its power to take it away from him -- is slowly eating away at him. You saw how vicious he was recently. He will do anything he can to hold onto that title, and that may include turning to the Hellions again."

Now Scion finally stood up. He wasn't nearly as tall as Taker, but he seemed to look him eye-to-eye as he spoke again. "Take my word for it, Mark: if Matthew Skinner turns into Agony again, then everyone -- even you, Dead Man -- is in danger."

As Scion turned and started to leave, Taker scoffed slightly. "You can't hurt the dead."

Scion did not even stop. "You're wrong."

* * *

During The Storm's title defense against Test, Shane McMahon was at ringside to try and assure a victory for the Alliance. As a result, every time the Force of Nature managed to get the tall Canadian down for a pinfall, Shane either distracted the ref or snuck Test's foot onto the ropes, or jostled Skinner so the referee broke the count. Making things more complicated was the fact that the referee was Nick Patrick, a man who was biased even when he hadn't been paid off.

The deck was heavily stacked against Matthew Skinner, who was showing that same vicious, sadistic streak he'd shown last Monday. At least, he was doing this when he wasn't getting beaten on by Test. Every so often, the former bodyguard would dump Skinner on the outside for a few shots from Shane-O Mac, who eagerly did so.

Soon, however, Nick Patrick decided to let all unbiased pretenses fly out the window as Shane brought a chair into the ring. Test pulled The Storm to his feet and held him in place for Shane's trademark flying chair shot. Skinner crumpled to the mat, and Test went into the cover. He only got a two-count before The Storm thrust his arm in the air and his shoulder off the mat. Shane and Test stared in disbelief.

The Owner of WCW turned angrily to Patrick and slapped his hands together three times, urging the crooked ref to count faster next time. In their distraction, however, they had taken their eyes off The Storm, who had picked up the steel chair and was on his feet by the ropes. Test saw him first and lunged at him, aiming his massive Boot to the Head. Skinner ducked and sidestepped, causing the traitor to get caught up on the top rope. Before Test had even stopped his forward momentum, The Storm swung the chair up and around, blasting the ex-Motley Crue bodyguard with a sick CRACK!

The Storm turned to see Nick Patrick yelling at him, then pointing at the WCW patch on his shirt. Skinner looked at him coldly, at the patch, then back at him. Then he wordlessly swung the chair up and around. CRACK! Patrick went down like a slab of meat. This left just The Storm and Shane McMahon in the ring. For his part, Shane-O quickly realized the grave danger of his situation. He turned and jumped for the ropes, sliding under them and running around the ring as the enraged Force of Nature gave pursuit.

Soon, Shane was running back around the ring, past the announce table, and making for the entrance ramp. The Storm followed methodically, and as he got close to the ramp, a dark-clad form suddenly lunged out alongside the ramp. It was Rhyno. For the second time that night, he smashed into Matthew Skinner, folding him in half with The Gore. As the Man-Beast stood up, thumping his chest and yelling to the booing crowd, Skinner rolled toward the ring apron. Shane and Rhyno thought nothing of it, that it was just him writhing in pain from his injured ribs.

They were therefore quite surprised when The Storm pulled his ugly-stick out from under the ring. He swung to his feet, a crazed, yet cold, look in his eye as he smashed Shane with it. The former heir to the WWF staggered and backed up the ramp with Rhyno between him and The Storm. Snarling, the Force of Nature rolled into the ring, picking up his title belt where the timekeeper had smartly placed it in the corner, then raised ugly-stick and championship in the air, roaring a challenge at the two retreating Alliance members. The message was clear.

The only way you're getting this Championship back is from my cold, dead fingers. And that is your Storm Warning.

-more to come-

Next: The line in the sand has been drawn. The Alliance wants the WCW Championship back, but The Storm is dead-set on keeping it. How long can The Storm stay sane with the stress he's put on himself? Also, other tensions continue to build, including the violent break-up of a beloved tag team.

If you have any ideas for possible feuds/relationships for any of my characters, drop me a line at jay_winger_2k@hotmail.com.

-=Jay 2K Winger=-
Live and Almost Legal
June 14, 2002