Disclaimer: I own none of the characters of this story. They are owned by the WWE or themselves. No profit is being made from this story. It's purely for fun!
A/N: Ok, I think I've teased you enough with the last cliffhanger but if you think that was something, you haven't seen anything yet;-) Thanks for reading and if you would, please review. Thanks!
"Did you just say 'McMahon'?" Show asked quietly. He hoped that he had heard him incorrectly. He prayed that he heard him incorrectly. That was the one name that Show hoped to never hear again.
"Yes, actually he seemed like a pretty good guy," Chris said with a slight smile on his face as he thought of his former boss. "I mean, he was young but a good guy. I can't think of one bad thing to say about him. He was honest and straight forward; you don't get much better than that."
"Shane?" Show asked with a slight hesitation in his voice. Immediately a thousand questions popped in his head to ask but now wasn't the time or the place. All he could do was hope that Shane had been doing well these past few years.
"Yes, do you know him?" Chris asked with a wide smile on his face. He had noticed the look of recognition on Show's face. He knew Shane, he could tell by the look on his face. The only thing that he didn't know was how he knew him.
"Yes, I've met him once," Show said with an amused expression on his face. "He seemed to a good guy." He had to be more careful. He couldn't let this stranger know exactly what all he knew. Stephanie had to be protected at all costs.
Benoit noticed the look on Show's face and smiled a small smile. Very seldom did the big man show emotion around anybody let alone strangers. There was something about this Chris Jericho that just couldn't be explained and Benoit wasn't sure that he needed an explanation. Chris couldn't seem to stand Hunter, which made him a 'good guy' in his book.
"Is he still living with his father?" Show asked politely trying to get information without bringing suspicion on himself. It was all he could do to ask just one question and not the dozens that were on his mind. He was trying awfully hard not to let his emotions rule over the common sense that he had left.
"No, and I wouldn't ask him about that man if I were you," Chris said shuddering at the memory of his last conversation concerning Shane and his father.
"Shane, what is wrong with you? That man is your father," Chris said wishing he knew what was going on in his boss's head. He wished he had a father and Shane was turning his back on his. He didn't understand it at all. He would give anything to have had a father growing up, anything.
Shane's anger flashed in his eyes and he grabbed Chris by the collar throwing him against the wall. He put his nose to Chris's nose and said, "That man has done nothing but cause misery and pain to everything he touches! He damn near killed my mother from her heart breaking over what kind of man her husband had become. Then he forced me to hide my baby sister out of town, just to keep her safe from him, her own father! He can rot in hell for all I care!"
Shane pushed Chris away from him horrified at what he had done. The guilt on his face was evident for Chris to see. "I'm sorry Chris, I didn't mean that towards you."
"I hope not boss," Chris said still puzzled. In the whole time that he had known Shane, he had never seen him this upset and it bothered him.
"You don't understand," Shane said taking his hand and rubbing his head. "My father is an evil man and I want nothing to do with him. He never cared about us: not my mother, my sister, nor myself. All he has ever cared about is power and money. Nothing else in the world matters to him."
"Word had it that they made up," Show said with a nonchalant look. He had to keep the conversation going as long as he could. If Chris could just 'accidentally' give him some information, he just might let him know what was going on with the family.
"Whoever said that doesn't know Shane very well," Chris said with a snort. "I don't see him forgiving his father for what he did to his mother or sister."
At the mention of Stephanie, Show put on his best poker face. There was no need to let Chris know that Shane's sister was running the saloon. There wasn't any need to let Stephanie know that Chris knew her brother. Suddenly, life just got more complicated for Show and he had no clue as to how to deal with it.
"If you don't mind, I'm going to call it a night," Chris said with a quiet look on his face. He knew that Show was trying to find out information about Shane. He also knew that Show knew a lot more than he was letting on. "I'll talk to you guys tomorrow."
Chris turned and walked down the steps oblivious to the stares that he was receiving from Show and Benoit. Show turned to look at Benoit and said, "We need to come up with a plan and soon. We've got to keep Stephanie protected."
"At all costs, my friend," Benoit said with a serious look on his face. "At all costs."
Chris finally made his way back to the hotel. He walked in and quietly got to his room. He quickly lit his lantern and set it back on the table. After pulling his boots off, he laid down on the bed staring at the ceiling recalling his last conversation with his employer.
"Look, I know things are going to be crazy where you are going but we've got to stop my father," Shane said handing Chris a bag of gold. "Once you get into town, send word to me that you are there."
"Who am I looking for?" Chris asked wondering why his boss was being so secretive.
Shane looked at the only man that he considered his friend and took a deep breath. "You're looking for a man named Hunter. Trust me, where you are going, he'll be easy to find."
"What do I do when I find him?" Chris asked.
"Watch him, see what he is doing. I know he and my father are connected but I don't know exactly how. That's where you will come in," Shane said walking up to the window and looking out. "Whatever you do, don't let him know that you know me. It will ruin everything that I've worked so hard for."
"What are you working so hard for?" Chris asked.
"For the safety and protection of my mother and baby sister and to destroy my father, once and for all," Shane said with a cold hard gleam in his eyes.
Suddenly Chris's head was filled with the image of Shane and Stephanie side by side. He knew that Shane's sister was named Stephanie but he never thought that would be 'his' Stephanie from the saloon. In his mind, with them side by side, he saw the family resemblance without a shadow of a doubt. Stephanie was Shane's baby sister.
"You didn't tell me that your sister was beautiful boss. You didn't tell me a lot of things," Chris muttered to himself lost in his own thoughts. He closed his eyes but knew sleep wouldn't come. He also knew that he couldn't do this job alone. His mind flashed to Show and Benoit; he had a feeling that those two knew a lot more than they let on.
He finally sat up in bed and put his shoes back on. There was no need in trying to sleep now; he had way too much on his mind. He blew out his lantern, quietly exited the hotel, and headed up the street back towards the saloon. There were too many questions and not enough answers. He had to get some answers and fast. Time was running out.
Show and Benoit were still standing outside when Chris walked up the street. Benoit held his hand up to stop Show from talking. Show turned around and couldn't hide the surprised look on his face when he saw Chris walking up the steps.
"Fellas, I think we need to talk," Chris said with a wry grin.
"I would have to agree with you," Show said with a nod of his head and a gleam in his eyes.
"Is there somewhere where we can talk in private?" Chris asked.
"Follow me," Show said walking down the steps that led to the saloon.
Chris and Benoit followed Show quietly into the night. Show turned around the corner of the saloon, walked a few feet, and then unlocked a door. He had to bend down little to walk in but once inside was able to stand at his full height. Chris and Benoit stood outside the door while Show lit a lantern. "Come on in guys, it's not much but it is home."
Chris and Benoit walked slowly into the room quietly looking around. It looked like it used to be a storage room of sorts. There were a couple of chairs, a larger than normal table, and a huge bed in the corner. Show sat down in a chair and indicated for the men to do the same.
"I take it that you've figured out a few things in the last little bit," Show said looking at Chris.
"Yes, I think that I have," Chris said with a wry grin. "I also think that we are all working towards the same goal."
"Look, how do we know that we can trust you?" Benoit asked. "You are a stranger that's been in town less then 24 hours."
"You don't. Look, I've come a long way to do what I have to do. We can either work together or not. It doesn't matter to me one way or the other. I've spent my entire life by myself so I'm used to be a loner," Chris said with a shrug of his shoulders.
Show closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His gut was never wrong and his gut was telling him that this man was legit. However, that didn't stop Show from issuing a warning to Chris. "I'll tell you right now, you hurt Stephanie and I'll kill you with my bare hands. Is that understood?"
"Yes and if you interfere with my mission, well, let's face it; I'm not going to be able to kill you with my bare hands but I will shoot you," Chris said the hard look in his eyes coming out.
"What exactly are you here to do?" Benoit asked intrigued.
"To get information about Hunter and help bring him down," Chris said.
"For Shane?" Show asked.
"Yes," Chris said.
"Does he suspect that his father has ties to Hunter?" Benoit asked.
"Yes," Chris said. He leaned up in the chair with his elbows resting on his knees. "Shane wants Vince out his life and the rest of his family's life. He knows that Vince has been giving Hunter money but he doesn't know what for. That is what I'm here to find out."
"So you don't know what the connection is between Vince and Hunter is?" Show asked his concern evident in his eyes.
"Not yet but I will. I'm going over there some time tomorrow to apply for a job on the ranch. He will hire me, if nothing else, to find out more about me," Chris said with confidence. He knew the kind of man Hunter was and knew he would jump at the chance to get to know the 'stranger' in town better.
"You've got a point. He was very interested in you tonight," Show said rubbing his chin.
"Too interested," Chris said quietly. "He is the type of man that likes to control everything and everybody. Too bad for him, I'm not the kind of man that can be controlled."
"What else do you know?" Show asked.
"Not much more than that at this point. The less you know, the better off you are. I will tell you that I know exactly who Stephanie is," Chris said quietly.
"I meant what I said earlier, if you hurt that girl, I will kill you with my bare hands," Show said with the truth burning in his eyes. He wouldn't hesitate to do it if it meant keeping Stephanie safe. He wanted Chris to know that.
"Look, all I'm asking is to watch my back and let me know what you hear. I also don't want anybody else to know that I know Shane. I honestly don't think that Shane knows that she is here," Chris said.
"You can trust us," Benoit said with a serious look on his face. "I know first hand what Hunter is capable of. I would love to be part of the plan that took him down."