Chapter V: Running Interference

"Rob, I'm back," Samia hollered when she didn't see Rob as she came into the dressing room door. "Matt said 'yes,' that he would be glad to…" She trailed off when she noticed the room was a disaster and he stalked out of the bathroom, continuing to turn the room upside down. "What's wrong?"

"The belt's gone. Did you do anything with it?" RVD asked as if he was inquiring about their travel arrangements, his back to her. He stopped digging through his bags a second time to look at her, putting his hands on hips.

"No, we came in and I left to go talk to Matt and Lita," she replied, recounting the events on her hand. "Then…No, I came straight back. This is the first time I've been here since we arrived."

"Someone must've come in while I was in Vince's office and took it. I know they did," he adamantly stated, more to himself than to her. "Will you help me look for it… please." Samia nodded and then put the room back in order as she carefully searched for the belt. Nothing turned up.

"Don't worry," she said, trying to comfort him when she really wanted to throw something through the wall in frustration. "It's got to be around here somewhere. I was going to go get us something to drink after I came back to check on things. Let me poke around and see what I can find out," she offered with a wink but it was lost on his anger…or so she thought. Rob noticed and he smiled to himself when she disappeared out the door.

Samia took some time asking around to their friends but no one had heard or seen anything. With waterbottles tucked under one arm, she turned the corner to come back to the room and caught sight of X-Pac knocking on RVD's door, dropping Rob's belt, and hightailing it. She yelled and then threw a waterbottle at him but was too late. He was already gone.

RVD heard her scream and jerked the door open. She was standing back up from where she picked up the belt. He took it from her and found 'nWo' spray painted in black across it. When he gave her an accusing look, she replied, "It was X-Pac. I swear to god. He went that way." She pointed in the direction that he had disappeared. Van Dam shoved the belt back at her and was off like lightning in search of X-Pac. Samia tossed it on the couch, slammed the door behind her, and quickly followed.

Rob found the smallest member of the nWo about to enter the faction's dressing room. He didn't think he had been seen, so he had stopped to smell the roses—or, more like, what perfume the divas were wearing. Thinking about the serious trouble he was about to get in, Samia wanted to scream at RVD to stop. He jerked X-Pac around by his ample black hair and leveled him with a punch. X-Pac came back with a Russian leg sweep, sending RVD down to the hard floor.

"I may not be able to interfere in matches," Samia muttered to herself, "but, by god, you can't stop me out here." She folded a chair, preparing to lay a shot across X-Pac's back. He was staggering from a drop kick to the face by RVD and didn't see Samia coming. Thinking homerun, she swung with all her might. The chair stopped in mid-air and was jerked from her hands, sending her off balance. Righting herself, she turned to see Shawn Michaels tossing her chair aside. The Big Show pulled X-Pac up into a bear hug and Samia ran to place herself between RVD and Michaels. She hoped that HBK wouldn't do anything to her to get to him. Rob tried to push around her but she turned to place her hands on his chest. "Let it go! He's not worth it. Take him in the ring." RVD backed off, glaring at his opponents, and then began stalking down the hall, tossing anything that got in his path.

"Really, Shawn?" she angrily asked, turning to glare at Michaels. Big Show dropped an irate X-Pac and they both headed back into the dressing room without a word or a second glance at her. Triple H met them at the door.

"What's all the ruckus about?" Hunter asked.

"Beats me," Shawn replied with a shrug of his shoulder.

"Yeah, right," Samia sarcastically spat, stepping closer.

Shawn stuck his head in the dressing room. "X-Pac! What did you do?" The aforementioned yelled back, explaining everything.

Shawn turned back to Samia, holding out his hands apologetically and giving her a pout. "Sorry, can't help you there. It was all the Kid's doing. Can't blame the rest of us. Honestly."

"I don't know why I believe you, but I do. Don't prove me otherwise," she responded, pointing her finger accusingly at him.

She turned to go and heard Shawn giving X-Pac a high five. "Good job. Next time, let us know about it, okay?" he said with a laugh. Samia shook her head in disgust and headed in RVD's direction, following his path of destruction.

Van Dam stormed into McMahon's office and he didn't waste time with pleasantries. "I want X-Pac in a match tonight! If I don't get him, there will be hell to pay, McMahon!" he shouted, striding across the room.

Vince jumped up from his chair to try and calm him for fear of what he would do. "Alright, alright. You can have him. I'll put you in after Bubba Ray's match." Van Dam unfolded his arms off his chest and nodded. "However," the chairman added to placate him, "the title won't be on the line. Deal?" Plus, a title match of that caliber would need more than an hour to build up and sell—more like two weeks.

"Even better," he said with a snort and a half grin.

Samia had barely been able to catch up with him in his rampage and made it into the office as he turned to go. He put his arm around her waist to escort her out. "I'm through here. It's all cool. Let's go." She could tell in his demeanor that he had gotten the match and he was ready to open up a "can." The valet dutifully followed behind him to help him prepare for the match, trying hard not to think about his arm around her waist.

As the challenger, Rob headed to the ring first. Samia knew quite well that RVD was easily capable of beating X-Pac, but how capable would he be of leaving the ring of his own free will after the nWo was done with him was another question. She remained in the ring while X-Pac entered with Michaels and Triple H. The woman wasn't going to back down from them just because Shawn had been "harassing" her. Rob obviously didn't look like he was backing down either but his was for another reason altogether.

X-Pac wasted no time in starting on trash talking to RVD but Michaels just looked behind RVD and yelled above the crowd to Samia, "Fancy meeting you here, Angel. Come here often?"

She rolled her eyes and ordered, "Stay out of this. You hear me? This is not your match."

"Only if you go out with me tonight," he replied with a sensuous grin. She only glared at him as she climbed out of the ring.

Samia intently watched the match from Rob's corner. It seemed to be just a normal, everyday match for Rob and for herself, until Triple H and HBK split up and headed around the ring towards her from either side. She had seen them conspiring in the corner but assumed it was about the match. She glanced around her but the only avenue of escape was through the crowd and, to her, that was no option. No one in the nWo had ever attempted or threatened to hurt her, so once again she decided to stand her ground. Michaels sidled up to her on her left side and Triple H on the right.

Helmsley spoke first. "I don't think we've had the pleasure." He held out his hand and formally introduced himself. "Hunter Hearst Helmsley."

She returned the handshake. "Samia Carlsen," she said at first but then jerked her hand out of his. "I don't think so." Shawn and Hunter both looked back at her in mock defensiveness. "The both of y'all think y'all are so slick."

"Angel, we don't think, we know," Shawn replied, lounging across the apron.

"Stop by our dressing room, let's talk since we've never had the chance," Hunter said, putting a hand across hers that was supporting herself on the mat. She tried not to melt at his touch and put out another hand to steady herself.

"I don't want to sound too rude, but, no, Shawn, I won't go out with you, and, no, Mr. Helmsley, I won't stop by your dressing room. If you don't mind, you are distracting Rob and myself from this match."

"Whatever, chick," Triple H replied, "but you know where we're at if you wanna find us." With that, the two of them sauntered back over to the opposite corner. Within minutes and without incident, the match was over and a victorious RVD and his valet made their way back to Rob's dressing room.

TBC…

Author's Notes: A big thanks to those who are reading and especially to those who have reviewed: LeelooJinn, JohnnyDeppFan, Shadow, Sparks, and Latisha C!