The Counter-Invasion
By: Jay Winger

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

Teaser: The Storm continues his downward spiral as the Alliance continues to pull out all the stops.

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: Rose and Jenny Black came to the ring to tell Shane that they will tolerate no more interference in The Storm's matches, but Shane & Stephanie declare that The Storm will have to defend his WCW Title in the tag team main event anyway -- the title going to whomever gets the pinfall. Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley def. Jenny Black as the referee got distracted by a brawl outside between Brick and Test. Christian cut a promo severing his ties from Edge and challenged him to an IC Title match at No Way Out. Backstage, The Storm locked himself in his dressing room, while the Z-Men ran into The Hurricane & Lance Storm backstage and left the two lying. In the main event, The Storm & Kurt Angle def. Triple H & Rhyno after The Storm pinned Rhyno with his feet on the ropes. During the match, Angle was isolated by HHH and Rhyno, but The Storm broke any pins -- including one made by Angle. He then attacked HHH and Rhyno with his title belt after the match and nearly did the same to Angle.

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. - Victor E; Cruiserweight - Billy Kidman; WCW Tag Team - Undertaker & Kane

Chapter 18: Downward Spirals

Monday: Raw, February 10

After a hot little opener which featured a women's match between Ivory and Dee Meaner (which Ivory won after hitting the Poison Ivory, but Dee got her heat back after the match by hitting Ivory with her stiff savate kick), Triple H came to the ring, which was surrounded by the Alliance roster. His wife and brother-in-law were also in the ring as the WWF Champion and leader of the Alliance held a public meeting. He shifted his title belt to his left shoulder as he spoke. "Look around," he told his comrades. "You're looking at the Alliance, the greatest force this industry has ever seen. The combination of WCW and ECW. We're led by the two children of Vince McMahon himself, by the so-called Mad Scientist of Sports Entertainment, and -- of course, by myself: Triple H -- the Game, the Cerebral Assassin -- the World Wrestling Federation Champion!"

The fans booed as Helmsley said all this. He turned and glared around the ring. "So if we're such a dominant force, why is it that we seem to keep losing matches? The WCW Championship is in the possession of Matthew Skinner, the man who calls himself The Storm, the Force of Nature. Shane-O," he said, turning to the Owner of WCW, "you keep telling me you have this great plan to take that title away from him, yet so far, all I see is Matthew Skinner beating the crap out of everyone you throw at him." A brief cheer from the crowd for that statement. "I know you keep saying that he's going to defend his title against Rhyno at No Way Out, but I don't want there to be any doubt that Rhyno is going to win. I don't want The Storm to make it to No Way Out. I want him removed from the equation."

Shane had a microphone of his own. "Oh, don't worry, Hunter. He won't be part of the equation at all, come No Way Out. The Storm's been broken before, and he'll be broken again -- by the Man-Beast!"

Triple H nodded, then turned to face the people on the outside. "Page, Kanyon, front and center." The two Jersey natives obliged, climbing onto the ring apron. "You two are former WCW Tag Team Champions, right?" Getting nods from both, he went on, "Well I think it's time you traded up and went for a different level. Tonight, you have Zed & Zeta in a tag-team match. I want you two to keep them from getting a rematch at the Dudleys. If you manage to win, you'll make yourselves top contenders, and thus we keep the WWF's Tag Titles in the Alliance." The two former members of the Jersey Triad nodded and jumped off the apron.

The Game paced in the ring. "Those are the specific orders I have for them. Now I have some general orders for all of you. And those are quite simply to kick the ass of anybody from the WWF or CIW that you see. I don't care who they are. I want the Alliance to be a force to be reckoned with, a force to be feared. I don't want you to stop until the WWF and CIW lies at our feet and dies out!"

* * *

Backstage, in their locker room, the Z-Men were warming up. Zed was shadow boxing at the wall, his knuckles coming within millimeters of the bricks, while Zeta stretched his legs and shoulders. Zeta started talking. "Man, once we take care of the Jersey Twosome, we're gonna take back our belts from the Dudleys, those goddamn mother--"

"Zait," Zed warned.

"--loving idiots!" Zeta amended.

"Damn skippy," Zed replied, stopping and popping his knuckles. "Let's go kick some ass."

The duo started toward the ring, but partway there, they ran into The Hurricane. "Halt, dastardly defilers!" the so-called superhero declared, thrusting his hand palm-forward. "You think that I--" he assumed his hurri-pose, "--The Hurricane!--" and back to normal, "--have forgotten the malicious massacre you perpetrated on myself and Citizen Storm last week? You think you can escape without righteous retribution? You think that I am not a true superhero? Wassupwitdat?!"

Zeta rolled his eyes. "Ah, come on, hurri-dweeb, get outta our way. We got a match to go win."

Zed shushed him, looking at The Hurricane. "Hey, Hurri-nuts, whaddaya say we play a little game?" The superhero delusional arched an eyebrow. "It's called the Soft Hitting Contest. Whoever hits the softest wins." The caped cruiserweight nodded. "Okay, then, you can go first."

The Hurricane hesitated, then looked at Zed as he held his arm out for hitting. Then, slowly, the superhero reached a fist out and gently tapped Zed on the bicep. All at once, Zed's strong right fist snapped out and delivered the Jawbuster, knocking The Hurricane unconscious. Zed smirked. "Aw, will you look at that? I lost."

Zeta burst out laughing and slapped a high five with his partner, then left down the hall as Zed smirked over the superhero again before leaving.

* * *

The Z-Men's tag team match against DDP and Kanyon wasn't anything special. In the early going, Zed was in the ring, throwing around whichever Jersey native was in the ring. Then Zed tagged in Zeta, who continued the pummeling until Page managed to rally and isolate the smaller Z-Man. Kanyon took over and again showcased why he was the Innovator of Offense, attacking Zeta with whatever move came to mind.

Then Page came back in and picked up where Kanyon left off, eventually looking for the Diamond Cutter. Zeta managed to counter that into a reverse DDT, then crawled toward Zed as DDP crawled to Kanyon. The tags were made virtually simultaneously, but when the Alliance MVP saw the big former boxer charging him, he begged off, only to get a clothesline. Zed continued the assault, taking down the Jersey Boys with big right hands and clotheslines, body slams and back drops.

Soon enough, Zed nailed the Z-Slam on Kanyon and the Jawbuster on DDP, then tagged in Zeta, who went to the top for a Zetasault. He crashed into Kanyon after the twisting body attack, then hooked the leg for the pin as Zed kicked DDP out of the ring. 1... 2... 3! "Song 2" played as the Z-Men celebrated. They posed on the ropes, then stepped back down just in time to see DDP slide in the ring with a chair.

Zed clobbered him with a right hand, then lifted him into a spinebuster position. Zeta bounced off the ropes, flashed the "Z" hand-sign, then ran forward, leaping up and catching DDP around the neck with a clothesline neckbreaker as the fans chanted "Z-D!" Zed completed the spinebuster as Page came down hard. "Song 2" started back up again as the two left up the ramp.

Zeta grinned at Zed, then pointed at him with both hands. "You the man!"

Zed grinned and pointed back. "No, you the man!" "No, you the man!" "No, you the man!" This continued as they headed toward the back.

* * *

"The following contest is scheduled for one fall."

The lights dimmed as operatic music started. "Christian!" a choir sang. "CHRISTIAN! At last, you are on your oooOOOOWN!" Rock music started up as gold-tinted videos played. Gold sparks rained from the overhead structure and fountained beneath the screen before cutting off, revealing the treacherous Christian posing with his arms outstretched, then gesturing as if conducting an opera. "Introducing first, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at 215 pounds... CHRISTIAN!"

The fans were booing as the "deranged maestro" (to use J.R.'s name for him) came to the ring. He removed his yellow sunglasses and faced the ramp as jazz-like music played for his opponent. "And his opponent, from Austin, Texas, weighing in at 268 pounds... "THE ONE" BILLY GUNN!"

As soon as Gunn hit the ring, Christian pounced on him. He began pummeling on him with right hands, then sent him into the opposite corner, only to have his whip reversed. Gunn caught him with a clothesline, then threw him face-first to the mat and began stomping on him. Finally, the former AssMan sent him into the ropes, but Christian ducked a clothesline, only to get a hiptoss instead. Gunn covered. 1... 2 -- but Christian got a shoulder up.

Billy Gunn continued the assault with right hands, grabbed him by the hair when he tried to escape, then gave him a jackhammer for another two-count. Angrily, the former DX member threw Christian into the corner for one right hand, then a second before arguing with Teddy Long about the closed fists. "The One" then whipped Christian across the ring and followed for an avalanche, only to meet the turnbuckle as the Canadian slipped aside. He quickly grabbed Gunn from behind and gave him a backbreaker back onto his knee before stomping on him. Gunn started to get up, but got a forearm in the back. Christian then scooped him under the arm and dropped him on his knee in a backbreaker before covering. 1... 2... and Gunn got a shoulder up.

Frustrated, Christian smacked him in the face, then choked him on the second rope for a four-count. Another right hand, and then Christian began stomping on him again. He pressed his boot into the back of Billy Gunn's head for a four-count, then got surprised by a punch to the stomach, followed by another, then more. Christian desperately raked Gunn's eyes to stop his momentum. As the larger wrestler covered his face, Christian positioned him in the corner for some right hands. Gunn tried to retaliate, and came off the ropes, but Christian kicked him in the stomach and appeared to be looking for a piledriver before Gunn hit a double-leg takedown. Standing up quickly, Gunn dropped backward and catapulted Christian into the corner.

Both men were slow to get up, and when they got to their feet, the Canadian staggered into a series of right hands from the bigger Texan. Gunn sent him inot the ropes and caught him for a back body drop, then a clothesline and a cover. 1... 2... and Christian squeaked a shoulder up. Angry, Gunn whipped him into the corner and ran after him, only to get an elbow in the face. Christian charged out, but Gunn caught him for a tilt-a-whirl slam. 1... 2... and a shoulder up. By now, "The One" was getting ready to finish it off. He slapped his knee, signalling for the Fame-Asser, then going off the ropes. Christian got up and pulled the referee into his opponent's path, making him stop short. The treacherous Canadian retreated into the corner, then hit a double-leg takedown on Gunn as he moved in for the kill, then put his feet on the second rope for leverage as he held Gunn down for the 1... 2... 3.

Christian's celebration was cut short, however, as Gunn popped back up with a lariat and a right hand before clotheslining him to the outside. The frustrated Gunn lifted Christian up and dropped him on the barricade, then grabbed a handful of hair and dragged him to the steel stairs, setting him up for the One and Only off the steps. Before he could deliver it however, Christian's leg snapped back into Gunn's groin. He turned around, then shoved his opponent into the barricade off the steps, then grabbed a chair from under the ring and clobbered him in the head. Teddy Long futiltely tried to convince Christian to stop as the "deranged maestro" grabbed the timekeeper's chair and placed it on the floor, positioning Gunn's head on top of it. He raised the other chair skyward, then smashed it into the other chair, sandwiching Gunn's skull with the One-Man Conchairto. Christian's rock opera music began playing again as he turned a blank expression to Long and left up the ramp, finally breaking into a smirk as he did so.

* * *

"No, you the man!" Zed and Zeta were still at it as they headed toward their locker room.

"No, you the man!" Zeta protested with a grin.

Zed grinned and raised his hands, extending his forefingers. "That's right, I'm the man." He opened the door to their locker room and was promptly smashed in the face with a steel chair. Zeta stared in shock as The Hurricane dropped the chair, then tried to retreat, only to be met by a double superkick from The Hurricane and Lance Storm.

The Alliance members stood over the fallen Z-Men. "How's that for a soft hit, boys?" Lance sneered before walking off.

"Behold!" The Hurricane declared, standing over Zed. "None shall strike I--" and he hurri-posed, "--The Hurricane!--" and back to normal, "--without facing my hurri-wrath!" He leapt away down the hall, emitting a "Whooosh!" sound effect as he did so.

* * *

Michael Cole looked decidedly nervous as he stood at the interview set with The Storm. He wore his GeT SeT To GeT WReCKeD T-Shirt, a bandage on his forehead, and his title belt on his shoulder. He looked around, peering in both directions, but not looking at Cole as the announcer spoke. "Matthew Skinner, in recent weeks, you've become much more... some might say 'obsessed' with keeping your WCW Championship--"

"Obsessed?" The Storm said, finally turning to look at Cole. "You say I'm obsessed with keeping my title?" He held it up and pointed at it. "See that, Cole? That little nameplate right there, right under that stain that was DDP's blood? Tell me, Cole, what does that nameplate say?"

Cole hesitated, then said, "Matthew Skinner."

"And tell me, Cole, what's my name?"

"...Matthew Skinner."

"So, if my name's on this title, that must mean it belongs to me." The Storm dropped it back on his shoulder. "And if I seem obsessed with keeping it, Michael, that's because Shane McMahon is doing everything he can to try and take it away from me. He puts me in a match every night, he puts it on the line in tag team matches. Hell, tonight, he's putting me in a goddamn handicap match. So excuse me if I have to be a bit more merciless and a lot more aggressive in taking out threats to my title."

He was about to continue, but then out of nowhere, a two-by-four was broken on his back, getting a shout of pain from The Storm. He staggered as Booker T yelled, "Yeah! Get some!" The Force of Nature started to stand back up, but then Test lunged in and delivered his massive Boot to the Head, knocking him down. "See you in the ring later, sucka!" Booker yelled as the two left.

Cole had retreated long ago, but the cameraman lingered as The Storm got up to one knee, holding his face. He checked his palm for blood, then snarled, standing and stretching his neck. "Goddamn bastards..."

* * *

"The following Tag Team Handicap Match is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the WCW Championship!"

"Test. This is a test. Test, test, this is a test." Rock music played as Test came down the ramp to a decent set of boos from the crowd. "Introducing first, representing the Alliance, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at 282 pounds... TEST!" The turncoat hit the ring and climbed up to the second rope, raising his hands in the air.

"Can you dig it, sucka?" Hip hop music started up Booker T came out, wearing black trunks with white designs on the back. He bounced back on one foot, then raised his hands in the air, flame pyros going off behind him on the stage. "And his tag team partner, also representing the Alliance, from Houston, Texas, weighing in at 250 pounds... BOOKER T!"

Booker hit the ring and paced with Test as they faced the ramp. Booker's music was replaced by a rumbling thunder drum-roll. The lights went out with a cymbal crash of lightning, and the voice whispered, "This is your Storm Warning." Cold Steel struck up as lightning pyros exploded at the stage, and The Storm himself walked out through the theatrical smoke. "And their opponent, representing the WWF, from Dallas, Texas, weighing in at 240 pounds... he is the WCW Champion... Matthew Skinner... THE STORM!"

The Storm started down the ramp, but stopped as his music was interrupted by the CIW bumper, following by the opening chords of the Union Underground's "Until You Crack." The fans popped as Billy Rose walked out, smirking a bit. He waited for a moment as the fans started up a few "C-I-W!" chants. He had a microphone. "I think everyone knows by now that I brought CIW in to level the playing field against the Alliance. So therefore, I am hereby making this match a tag team match!"

"Hey, whoa whoa whoa whoa!" Shane McMahon suddenly ran out on the stage, getting in Rose's face. "Who the hell do you think you are? This is a WCW Championship Match! I'm the Owner of WCW! What makes you think you can go ahead and change the match?"

Rose smirked. "Two things, Shane-O. One: I'm the guy that can, has, and will kick your ass again. And two: if you don't want this to be a tag team match, take it up with The Storm's partner." The CIW started up again as he smirked and pointed below the arch. "Break it! (Break it!) Break it! (Break it!)" The fans started yelling louder as Brick emerged, wearing his Do Not Taunt sleeveless shirt.

Shane looked decidedly nervous as Brick walked past him. The young McMahon didn't really want to try talking down the Breaker-Man. The Storm, for his part, was staring up the ramp at Rose and Brick, his expression unreadable. Brick was about halfway down the ramp when Booker and Test double-teamed the WCW Champion from behind. Brick quickly joined the party and pulled Test off of The Storm, smashing him across the face with a massive right hand and then throwing him into the barricade. The Storm reversed a whip by Booker and sent him careening into the steel stairs, then swung him around and rolled him into the ring.

Booker quickly recovered from the attack and started smacking the Force of Nature in the back with his hands before pulling him up and putting him in the corner, where he delivered a knife-edge chop to the chest. The Storm rocked back from the blow, then suddenly snapped back and delivered one of his own. Booker reeled and chopped back. Skinner just absorbed it and fired one right back. Booker chopped, then Skinner, then Booker, then Skinner, who began hitting open-handed slaps to the chest on the backswing. Chop and slap and chop and slap until he drove Booker to the mat.

The Storm grabbed the former five-time WCW Champion's arm and started looking for a hammerlock, but Booker quickly crawled for the ropes. Test stepped in and delivered a stiff kick to the midsection before leaving, giving Booker the time to lunge and tag in his partner proper. Test took over and blocked a fierce swing from The Storm to deliver one of his own, driving the Texan back into the neutral corner. There, he began to deliver right hands and back elbows before finally lifting his foot up and pushing back on his opponent's jaw, choking and stretching him.

Referee Nick Patrick made him stop after a moment, so Test whipped him across and followed behind with a big corner clothesline. He then threw him face-first into the mat and tagged in Booker T, who helped Test stand The Storm upright and double-whip him into the ropes. They caught him on the rebound for a big double back body drop, causing the Force of Nature to crash painfully to the mat. Booker went for a cover. 1... 2... and The Storm kicked out. The Booker-Man pulled him to his feet and whipped him into the ropes for a back elbow, then a stalling kneedrop to the ribs. Another cover, and another two-count.

Booker angrily argued with Patrick, who shrugged helplessly. Booker turned back to The Storm, who suddenly rolled him up for a very slow two-count. The Force of Nature got up and glared at Patrick, who told him to back off and pointed to his WCW patch. The Storm sneered and gestured around his waist, then gave him an Italian arm-chop. He turned back to Booker, who raked him across the eyes before coming off the ropes with a clothesline. "Git up, sucka!" the Booker-Man demanded. When The Storm started to do so, Booker came off the ropes, looking for the Scissor Kick, but Skinner had it scouted. He dodged back and suddenly grabbed Booker in a half-nelson and delivered that vicious snap suplex.

The Storm, however, was also a bit fatigued. He slowly crawled toward Brick, who was anxiously reaching out to make the tag. Nick Patrick, however, was deliberatly not watching when the tag was made, busy watching a mote of dust go by in the other direction. So when Brick got in the ring, Patrick cut him off and indicated that he hadn't seen a tag. Test quickly slipped in and dragged The Storm toward the hostile corner as Brick angrily grabbed Patrick's shirt.

Test hurled The Storm to the outside, where he lay in a heap, starting to get up when all of a sudden Rhyno once again jumped from the crowd and promptly barreled into him at full speed. "GORE! GORE! GORE!" Heyman exulted as the Man-Beast left through the crowd. Test turned back as Brick finally intimidated Nick Patrick into admitting the tag. The Breaker-Man immediately flattened Test with a big clothesline, then a second. Booker ran in and Brick grabbed him in a Sidewalk Slam.

Brick stood up and threw his arms up at Test. "Get up!" he roared, grabbing the turncoat by the throat and delivering a ferocious Breaker Chokeslam. Booker staggered to his feet, and Brick grabbed him by the head and hurled him over the top rope. He descended into the cover on Test. 1... 2--

And out of nowhere, The Storm dropped an elbow on Brick's head, then started smacking him in the back of the head with his fists before kicking him in the jaw, stunning the big man and knocking him back in the corner. Then everyone realized The Storm had brought a steel chair into the ring as well. Nick Patrick tried to reason with him, but that was a wasted effort. The chair came up and down on Test's face, causing his mouth to start bleeding. Booker came up on the apron and got a blistering chairshot to the skull. Down he went. Patrick started calling for the DQ, yelling at The Storm, who whipped around and drove Patrick down to the mat and out of the ring from one vile chairshot.

Brick started to get to his feet in the corner, attracting The Storm's attention. He bashed Brick in the head with the chair, staggering the big man. A second chairshot knocked him back against the turnbuckle. A third chairshot seemed to drive Brick semi-conscious. He grabbed the chair on the fourth swing, but the crazed Force of Nature kicked him in the stomach and then bashed him in the back before braining him again, succeeding in finally knocking him down to the mat.

The fans were clamoring a bit in shock as The Storm angrily hurled the chair to the mat with such force that it bounced through the ropes and clattered against the side of the announce table. He rolled outside and grabbed his title belt, then started alongside the ring toward the back. As the officals came down to check on the carnage in and outside of the ring, The Storm suddenly stopped and turned around. His gaze was fixed on Heyman. The Alliance commentator blinked as the Force of Nature started walking toward him. Heyman started getting nervous and stood up, backing up as far as his chair would allow.

The Storm started to charge toward him with obvious ill intent, but the officials cut him off and started pushing and dragging him away. "My God, The Storm's out of control," J.R. remarked.

"You're damn right he's out of control!" Heyman shouted. "That man should by all rights be locked away in a padded cell! Mark my words, J.R., The Storm is losing his mind!"

-more to come-

Next: The Alliance finally crosses the line and The Storm snaps, going on a rampage that goes straight for the leaders of the Alliance.

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
July 25, 2002