Disclaimer: I own nothing. Many thanks to my reviewers, its incredible to get such a response about this small story which I wrote purely because it had to be written. I'm glad others are enjoying the journey too
A WAITING GAME
Sting's eyes bored into the woman who stood before them. She was encased in tight black pants and a black backless top, her hair raven-black flowed down past her shoulders to nearly her waist. She had her arms wrapped around herself and she was shaking almost violently. Her eyes were unsteadily focusing on each person in the room. Darkness, mania, psychosis and pure strength swirled around her like a particularly strong perfume. He wondered what her true name was, the one that was given to her as part of the gathering, the dark children who knew their true purpose like he and his gathering did. Then it came to him.
"Hex Priestess" he said firmly "why have you called us here tonight?"
Victoria turned her head to look at him
"Bischoff is saying things I can't solve" she muttered almost incoherently "I know you're the ones, the ones who can s-s-solve this"
Suddenly she stopped shaking and stared straight ahead. Something crackled in the air and a translucent image appeared before the group. Victoria clutched her head, her mouth open in a high-pitched scream that the others flinched at before finally slowing into heavy exhausted breathing. The image began to move as though it were a movie screen. It was Bischoff's office and the General Manager himself was stood taking a cell-phone call before the members of Evolution filed in.
"I'm glad you could all make it gentlemen" Bischoff began "I trust the locker rooms were up to standard"
"As always" confirmed Randy with a smirk "just right for a legend killer such as myself"
"How are the plans going?" Triple H, always business first, asked
"Its getting complex paper wise but I think I have a good grip on it" Bischoff replied "it won't be long before everything is prepared"
"Keep us posted" Flair instructed as he handed a fat envelope from the inside of his suit jacket to the grinning GM "and we'll make it worth your while"
With that the members of Evolution disappeared from the office and the image slowly melted away. Everyone looked at Victoria as she gasped for air, one arm around her stomach. Slowly she shook her head as though she'd been given a hard knock and was trying to silence the ringing and then stood up straight. She smiled and Sting noticed all the shaking and disorientated eye contact was gone.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Dark Warrior" she said, holding out a hand to shake "I'm fully prepared to do whatever it takes to bring Bischoff down"
"What happened just now?" Sting asked, keeping his eyes on her "what was the image we saw? Something you created in your mind or something that really happened?"
Victoria looked at him quizzically and for the first time seemed to notice the others present in the room as well. She nodded to each of them
"My powers do that to me Warrior" she said at last "when I first came here, they took me over completely and I couldn't stop shaking, I was overtaken with psychosis but eventually I was able to get them just about under control so I don't shake so much anymore"
"What do your powers do?" asked Undertaker
"Visions" Victoria answered, looking straight at the Undertaker "visions of things that are happening right now, I see them and if I want I can project them like I just did, that was for your benefit, I thought you might find that meeting useful"
"You have a split personality" spoke up Raven "interesting"
"Not so much split as different" corrected Victoria, glancing at him "the powers affect me and give me visions and when they're over, it goes back to the way it was before"
Sting nodded slowly, taking her in. She was a definite part of the gathering; darkness was a permanent part of her that he could determine easily. She was also very much alone, a characteristic trait of those who walked in the darkness unless you were Raven who drew people to him like iron shavings to a magnet
"These are the rest of the gathering, most of whom you are acquainted with" he said at last "Desperado, Shadows and Walker of the Night"
Victoria looked at each on intently then she nodded satisfied
"Yes, I see them" she murmured "have you any idea of how you're going to stop Bischoff?"
"That's what we are here to decide" Undertaker spoke up
"Kill him and bury the body" Raven suggested with a comical smirk causing Beulah to roll her eyes
"I think we're in need of something a little more practical" she replied
"Evolution need to be taken care of also" Undertaker said "they are pouring money and ego into this as well, if we cut off the source then we can stop the problem"
"But what exactly are they planning to do?" asked Beulah
Victoria sighed and shook her head
"I don't know, I've been trying to get to the bottom of it but there's no one talking backstage" she replied, raking a hand through her shimmering hair "Bischoff's planning something, something big, its going to choke the company and maybe even reach out to the indie organisations as well, the ones who survive how they can"
Sting watched Raven's eyes fill with fire. He survived off the indies, it was how he made his money and fuelled the darkness inside of him. The indies were what counted for him and all the people who had followed him, drawn to his mysterious personality and darkness within. The indies were his life's blood which kept him going and if Bischoff and Evolution's choke hold got into the indies then they'd have a very pissed off Raven to answer to. Beulah would not take it lightly either. The indies kept their friends from ECW in the business they loved with the same fans who supported them all those years continuing to help them. The indies could not die otherwise they would die with it, their powers fading into the ground.
"If Bischoff's power even touches the indies, you will find him with his heart ripped out within a week" Raven said quietly and seriously "he cannot be allowed to continued in that manner"
"Evolution need to be dealt with as well" Beulah put in "I think Desperado's right, they are the source so we need to cut them off while we still can"
"What do you suggest?" asked Sting
"We know they have a weakness for women" put in Victoria "if Shadows is willing, I can get her in on one of their evenings out, maybe she can pick their pockets"
"And if they try anything, I can knock them out" Beulah added "if you guys are too worried, you can tail me all night"
Sting nodded. The last comment was directed firmly at Raven who nodded, his emotions neatly packed away behind his icy eyes. It was a good suggestion. The girls could get closer since they were seen as less of a problem by the womanising Evolution. Fools. The mind games could begin that night. He could feel the Powers prickling at his mind, trying to tell him something. His prophecy was going to be fulfilled once more. The fire inside of him smouldered fiercely at the thought, justice would soon be dealt.
"We can begin to pay Bischoff some visits" he said slowly "Priestess, visit his office, ask him for a match, gather paperwork, any information will be useful at this time"
"It's done" she replied with a nod
"We need to find an empty locker room" Sting addressed the rest of the room "do you share this with anyone else?"
"It used to be with Molly and Gail but no, no one shares with me now"
"Then we will set up base here, Desperado, I need you to begin scouring the backstage area, walk around and see what you can dig up exactly, no one will question your presence" Sting issued, leaning on his bat "the rest will begin to think of ways we can extract information, once we have a clear idea of what Bischoff and Evolution are doing then we can begin to destroy them"
A WAITING GAME
Sting's eyes bored into the woman who stood before them. She was encased in tight black pants and a black backless top, her hair raven-black flowed down past her shoulders to nearly her waist. She had her arms wrapped around herself and she was shaking almost violently. Her eyes were unsteadily focusing on each person in the room. Darkness, mania, psychosis and pure strength swirled around her like a particularly strong perfume. He wondered what her true name was, the one that was given to her as part of the gathering, the dark children who knew their true purpose like he and his gathering did. Then it came to him.
"Hex Priestess" he said firmly "why have you called us here tonight?"
Victoria turned her head to look at him
"Bischoff is saying things I can't solve" she muttered almost incoherently "I know you're the ones, the ones who can s-s-solve this"
Suddenly she stopped shaking and stared straight ahead. Something crackled in the air and a translucent image appeared before the group. Victoria clutched her head, her mouth open in a high-pitched scream that the others flinched at before finally slowing into heavy exhausted breathing. The image began to move as though it were a movie screen. It was Bischoff's office and the General Manager himself was stood taking a cell-phone call before the members of Evolution filed in.
"I'm glad you could all make it gentlemen" Bischoff began "I trust the locker rooms were up to standard"
"As always" confirmed Randy with a smirk "just right for a legend killer such as myself"
"How are the plans going?" Triple H, always business first, asked
"Its getting complex paper wise but I think I have a good grip on it" Bischoff replied "it won't be long before everything is prepared"
"Keep us posted" Flair instructed as he handed a fat envelope from the inside of his suit jacket to the grinning GM "and we'll make it worth your while"
With that the members of Evolution disappeared from the office and the image slowly melted away. Everyone looked at Victoria as she gasped for air, one arm around her stomach. Slowly she shook her head as though she'd been given a hard knock and was trying to silence the ringing and then stood up straight. She smiled and Sting noticed all the shaking and disorientated eye contact was gone.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Dark Warrior" she said, holding out a hand to shake "I'm fully prepared to do whatever it takes to bring Bischoff down"
"What happened just now?" Sting asked, keeping his eyes on her "what was the image we saw? Something you created in your mind or something that really happened?"
Victoria looked at him quizzically and for the first time seemed to notice the others present in the room as well. She nodded to each of them
"My powers do that to me Warrior" she said at last "when I first came here, they took me over completely and I couldn't stop shaking, I was overtaken with psychosis but eventually I was able to get them just about under control so I don't shake so much anymore"
"What do your powers do?" asked Undertaker
"Visions" Victoria answered, looking straight at the Undertaker "visions of things that are happening right now, I see them and if I want I can project them like I just did, that was for your benefit, I thought you might find that meeting useful"
"You have a split personality" spoke up Raven "interesting"
"Not so much split as different" corrected Victoria, glancing at him "the powers affect me and give me visions and when they're over, it goes back to the way it was before"
Sting nodded slowly, taking her in. She was a definite part of the gathering; darkness was a permanent part of her that he could determine easily. She was also very much alone, a characteristic trait of those who walked in the darkness unless you were Raven who drew people to him like iron shavings to a magnet
"These are the rest of the gathering, most of whom you are acquainted with" he said at last "Desperado, Shadows and Walker of the Night"
Victoria looked at each on intently then she nodded satisfied
"Yes, I see them" she murmured "have you any idea of how you're going to stop Bischoff?"
"That's what we are here to decide" Undertaker spoke up
"Kill him and bury the body" Raven suggested with a comical smirk causing Beulah to roll her eyes
"I think we're in need of something a little more practical" she replied
"Evolution need to be taken care of also" Undertaker said "they are pouring money and ego into this as well, if we cut off the source then we can stop the problem"
"But what exactly are they planning to do?" asked Beulah
Victoria sighed and shook her head
"I don't know, I've been trying to get to the bottom of it but there's no one talking backstage" she replied, raking a hand through her shimmering hair "Bischoff's planning something, something big, its going to choke the company and maybe even reach out to the indie organisations as well, the ones who survive how they can"
Sting watched Raven's eyes fill with fire. He survived off the indies, it was how he made his money and fuelled the darkness inside of him. The indies were what counted for him and all the people who had followed him, drawn to his mysterious personality and darkness within. The indies were his life's blood which kept him going and if Bischoff and Evolution's choke hold got into the indies then they'd have a very pissed off Raven to answer to. Beulah would not take it lightly either. The indies kept their friends from ECW in the business they loved with the same fans who supported them all those years continuing to help them. The indies could not die otherwise they would die with it, their powers fading into the ground.
"If Bischoff's power even touches the indies, you will find him with his heart ripped out within a week" Raven said quietly and seriously "he cannot be allowed to continued in that manner"
"Evolution need to be dealt with as well" Beulah put in "I think Desperado's right, they are the source so we need to cut them off while we still can"
"What do you suggest?" asked Sting
"We know they have a weakness for women" put in Victoria "if Shadows is willing, I can get her in on one of their evenings out, maybe she can pick their pockets"
"And if they try anything, I can knock them out" Beulah added "if you guys are too worried, you can tail me all night"
Sting nodded. The last comment was directed firmly at Raven who nodded, his emotions neatly packed away behind his icy eyes. It was a good suggestion. The girls could get closer since they were seen as less of a problem by the womanising Evolution. Fools. The mind games could begin that night. He could feel the Powers prickling at his mind, trying to tell him something. His prophecy was going to be fulfilled once more. The fire inside of him smouldered fiercely at the thought, justice would soon be dealt.
"We can begin to pay Bischoff some visits" he said slowly "Priestess, visit his office, ask him for a match, gather paperwork, any information will be useful at this time"
"It's done" she replied with a nod
"We need to find an empty locker room" Sting addressed the rest of the room "do you share this with anyone else?"
"It used to be with Molly and Gail but no, no one shares with me now"
"Then we will set up base here, Desperado, I need you to begin scouring the backstage area, walk around and see what you can dig up exactly, no one will question your presence" Sting issued, leaning on his bat "the rest will begin to think of ways we can extract information, once we have a clear idea of what Bischoff and Evolution are doing then we can begin to destroy them"