:-D I had fun writing THIS chapter - Juliet

Dana's comments

Well, there was a 15 minute recess while the paramedics took care of Athena and got her to the ambulance. Even though court was recessed, nobody was allowed to leave the courtroom. I guess so they could work on Athena without a hundred people, including obviously the media hovering around them in a frenzy. Bret never came back in after Chavo alerted him to what happened, so I guess he went to the hospital with her. Things seemed to calm down a little bit afterwards.

Eric testified third after Russo and Brian Lawler. Vince shouted: "I knew it! You traitorous son of a Bitch!" but behind that didn't react too much. Eric had this smirk on his face as he passed the defense table. I guess he knew Vince would react that way. He followed Russo and the Owen tape was played in court. I wonder how the Hart family was bearing having to watch Russo being paid off for Owen's murder?

Steve Borden testified after Eric. The Brian Pillman tape was played in open court. I tried to tune it out. I'd heard it twice already and, really, twice was two too much to hear a man talk about his own impending death. I could already feel my stomach turning. I turned around and saw Mom and Debra comforting another woman who had completely broken down in the court room. Dad was sitting next to me and also saw it and looked pained seeing the woman crying. I'd have to ask Dad about that later. I don't know how Mom was reacting. Maybe she was just too busy comforting the other woman to register a reaction at the moment. Tatem looked ill. I'm sure the feeling was going around.

I looked across the aisle to Cam. He looked between disbelief and illness. I wonder if he knows about what just happened to Athena. And if he did, did he deny that too? I wonder what his reaction would be if I went up to him and told him the wife of one of his Dad's good buddies just bludgeoned somebody he claimed to be friends with a lead pipe in the bathroom and tried to leave her for dead?

As Borden got off the stand, and out of the courtroom (I'm sure nobody wanted to even look at him at this point considering how long he kept this without turning it over to the authorities), somebody jumped in his path and cold - cocked him. He screamed as Borden went down: "How could you!"

It took a ton of security people to pull him away from Borden. The guy looked to be about David's age, possibly. The judge recessed court for thirty minutes while security dealt with the attacker and got Borden out of the courtroom before somebody else could attack him.

I decided to ask Dad about the woman crying earlier

"Dad, who was that woman Mom and Debra were comforting as the tape was playing?" I asked as everybody spilled out of the courtroom to stretch their legs after a morning of testimony.

Dad gave a mournful look.

"That was Melanie Pillman, Brain's widow," Dad started to explain, "the man that knocked Borden out was her oldest, Zach."

Oy. Well, that explained why the other guy tried to take a shot at Steve Borden. I guess there was something worse than the Hart family seeing that tape of Russo and Vince McMahon.

"What do you think will happen to him?" I asked.

Dad shook his head. "I don't know. Though he probably did what most of us wanted to."

"And one of us did," I muttered vaguely remembering what Austin did before Steve Borden left our hotel the day we found out about the tape. Probably the one silver lining out of Bret slipping about that to Borden and Pohl. If we hadn't brought them to the hotel, Steve Austin wouldn't have gotten some revenge for Borden's procrastination.

We moved through the crowd towards Mom, Debra Austin, and Melanie Pillman, most of the reporters having been sequestered on a different part of the courthouse after Dad's sudden appearance after the prosecution was forced at the judge's request to tell her about ALL the witness that were upcoming in the trial including Steve Austin and Owen Hart. Judge Arspringer decided it would be too much of a madhouse to have them actually in the courtroom with all of the surprise witnesses so she simply moved them out of the main courthouse area and far away from the courtroom where a TV monitor was set up to allow all the reporters and other media to watch the trial. Smart move.

We approached Mom and the other two women in a small corner of the courtroom, where Mrs. Pillman was waiting for news about whether her son would be charged with anything or not. Mom looked halfway between upset and angry, probably at not being told about the tape before it aired. Mrs. Pillman was still crying. Eddy was there as well.

"God, Melanie," Dad said pulling her into a hug. "I wish you hadn't had to hear that I'm so sorry."

"You knew this was coming?" Mom asked, in a hushed tone, probably as to not upset Mrs. Pillman further.

Eddy was the one that answered. "We only found out about it a week ago. Not even the FBI knew about it until Vince got busted last month. Like Chris said, I'm sorry Mel. If I'd known earlier, it would've saved a lot of aggravation.

"Yeah 20 years," Eric muttered. Melanie Pillman looked up sharply at him. "I swear Melanie, I didn't know about it until the rest of us did. Brian and I may have had a falling out but I was as saddened as everybody else when he died. If I'd known about it earlier, I promise, I wouldn't have sat on it like Borden did."

"I tried to get you not to come to day," Debra said softly holding Mrs. Pillman's hand. Suddenly there was a small uproar and Zach Pillman came out of Judge Arspringer's chambers where he was held after hitting Borden. There were a few reporters sticking microphones and tape recorders in his face (I know THAT feeling), but he wasn't in handcuffs or anything, so I guess things didn't go to bad for him. Michael helped shoo away most of the reporters although one seemed to stick with them.

The man had curly blond hair and a bit of a babyface to him along with these blue eyes that seemed to be almost too old for somebody that was David's age. Dad and Eddy looked awestruck or something.

Melanie Pillman went to hug her son. Al Snow had joined us sometime during the conversation and also went to hug the oldest Pillman child.

"Hey Zachary, how are you?" he asked concerned.

"Wishing I could have the last hour back," he replied in somewhat rough voice that sort of reminded me a bit chillingly of how his father sounded on the tape.

Dad moved to hug him next.

"You look just like him." Dad said sounding like he might tear up a bit. "I'm so sorry." I'd have to remember to ask somebody for videos or pictures of Brian Pillman so I have a face to go with the voice and name.

"How did it go in there," Mom asked.

Zachary Pillman shrugged. "Judge said under the circumstances, she wouldn't have me arrested if I promised I wouldn't try to hit or kill anybody else. Well, she said that after I told her that I was the son of the man on the tape," he gave a small sardonic smile.

Al gave a little laugh. "Got your old man's humor too." He looked at the reporter "Dave," he said.

This must've been Dave Meltzer, the editor and owner of the Wrestling Observer newsletter and website. Half the people at OVW swear by him and the other half tend to curse him depending on what he writes in his newsletter and website. I know most of those that hate him are those hoping to go work for Vince.

"Dave," Dad echoed.

"You know, I thought before Monday, I had everything figured out and thought I put a newsletter that would clear several things up next week. Then you," Meltzer pointed at Dad, "walk in, Helmsley loses it, your son is almost shot and today Owen's daughter is attacked by Joanie and you," he pointed at Brian this time, " cold cocked Borden in the courtroom. About the only thing I expected to happen that did go according to what I thought was going to happen was Eric testifying against Vince. Just what the hell is going on around here?"

Dad shrugged. "Maybe a bit of karmic justice?" he answered. Clearly we didn't want to talk about everything in a courtroom that was semi - swarming with a few reporters after what happened this morning. "Surprised Mushnick hasn't shown up yet."

Eddy, who opened a can of soda he'd bought earlier nearly spit it out.

"Oy, I knew I kept forgetting something," he said. "Mushnick got murdered about five years ago. Finally pissed off the wrong person."

Dad was puzzled. "How did he die?"

"Phil was in Australia promoting his latest book, and he tore off on wrestling again on a radio show and he was found stabbed in his hotel room, " Dave Meltzer answered, "Nathan Jones is serving life for it."

That sounded familiar. There was huge press coverage around that time of an NY Times writer and author being murdered in Australia. Mom tried to keep us away from most news as much as possible saying it was nothing but violence. There was a lot of talk about it at school and I heard Uncle Eddy mention it a couple of times when I visited him that summer.

"Did he write for the NY Times?" I asked, speaking up for the first time. Everybody nodded an affirmative on that, so I guess it was the story I was thinking of.

"Did Vince have a hand in it?" I inquired further about it.

Dave, Eddy and Al all shrugged.

"If he did, nobody can prove it," Meltzer said. "Nathan Jones had a record for being a bit of a loose cannon and he had a criminal record in Australia anyways. He worked for Vince for a short time and then quit when the stress got too much for him."

Nathan Jones' name had been vaguely familiar in OVW. When one of the developmental wrestlers tried to quit or anything, some of the guest trainers would say "Don't become another Nathan Jones," and other words to that effect.

Dad had this serious expression on his face. Suddenly there was a big eruption on the otherside of the room and a man with a thick Tennessian accent shouting "What the fucking hell am I being arrested for you slapnuts!" he was led back into the courtroom.

The look on Dave Meltzer's face was absolutely incredulous.

"What tha?" he shook his head, "I'm not sure I going to want to know, why Jarrett's being arrested." Ah, so THAT was Jeff Jarrett.

Debra had a grim satisfaction in her eyes. Of course some of us knew that the 'fun' so to speak wasn't over.

Dad turned to the Pillmans. "Look this day has been tough enough on you guys, Zach, why don't you take your Mom and get out of here before court starts up again,"

Zack Pillman looked like he was about to protest, but Mom intervened.

"Chris is right, Melanie's had a tough day, why don't me and Tatem take you to my house where you can be away from the reporters for a bit."

I kinda figured there were a couple reasons for Mom and Dad doing this: One was because, quite honestly, they had been put through hell today hearing their loved one talking about their impending death with a bunch of friends and strangers. Also, the judge's warning to Zachary Pillman. If he could try and do something like he did to Steve Borden, what would he do when Austin testified once court was in session. Plus I guess after what she'd heard this morning, I'm guessing she didn't want to hear anymore.

While Mom was talking the Pillmans into leaving with her, Dad took Debra Austin aside. "Get Cassidy to go with them. I know she wants to see this, but Athena Hart was already attacked this morning, and I wouldn't put it past Stephanie or Vince to try something with her once they figure out she's here, given everything that they've pulled thus far."

Debra nodded, going to find the youngest of Austin's two daughters.

Zach Pillman finally agreed and together with his mom and sister Brittney, as, well as Cassidy Austin, they left with Mom and Tatem. The baliff came out and annouced that the recess was almost over.

Al slung his arm over Dave Meltzer's shoulder. "Come on, might as well be in the courtroom for these fireworks," he said leading the reporter into the courtroom.

Once we were all seated again, Judge Arspringer slammed her gable again. Unlike Monday, the judge knew what was coming this time and had a lot more police and courtroom bailiffs discreetly around the defense table than when Dad testified. Dad told me about what happened with Hunter on the way back to Mom's house Monday. Another smart move.

"Mr. Olson, call your next witness," she said, knowing what was to come.

"Your honor, we'd like to call Steve Austin to the stand,"

This time the judge pounded her gavel before everybody could erupt. "Show Mr. Austin into the courtroom."

While most everybody was watching Steve Austin walk into the courtroom I was watching the prosecution table. Stephanie looked white as a sheet, while her husband looked like he was just barely restraining himself. I guess he learned from Monday's outburst. Vince didn't say anything unlike when Eric testified, but his face looked red and he looked like he could kill somebody. There was a snap and I looked own to his hands. He'd snapped a pen in half and red ink was flowing out of it and onto his hands. How appropriate.

Somebody however did shout out.

"YOU CAN'T BE HERE!" Jeff Jarrett shouted looking paler than Stephanie and about ready to pass out, "YOUR DEAD! I KNOCKED YOU OFF THAT SCAFFOLD MYSELF! NOBODY COULD'VE SURVIVED THAT!"

He suddenly started clutching his chest with his manacled hands and then dropped to the floor of an apparent heart attack.

This time court was recessed for over an hour.

laughs Karmic justice indeed.

:-D