Chapter 5

The next day, Chris, Riley, Vince McMahon, and Chris's lawyer Kyle Grubbs sat in Vince McMahon's office.

"So, Mr. Grubbs, I understand you've looked over the contract that the company prepared for Riley," Vince McMahon said.

"Please, the formalities are unnecessary. Just call me Kyle," Kyle Grubbs said. "And yes, I have looked over the contract many times in the time that I've had it."

"Have you found any discrepancies or whatnot?" Riley wanted to know.

"None at all. Everything checks out perfectly," Kyle said. "You could sign it right now."

"Here's a pen," Vince said. He handed Riley a pen, an expensive one plated with real gold. "Ready to sign on that dotted line?"

"More than ready," Riley said. He flipped through the pages of the contract, and when he got to the last page, he signed his name with a grand flourish on the dotted line.

"Awesome!" Chris said when Riley passed the contract to Vince.

"I am so ready to get in the ring," Riley said excitedly. "I can't wait to be thrown into a storyline, no matter how small or insignificant it is."

"Small? Insignificant? I don't think so," Vince said. "We have big plans for you, young man."

"Big plans?" Riley could barely sit still in his seat. "All those years of training and wrestling are really starting to pay off."

"Huge. You know who my daughter Stephanie is, right?" Vince asked.

"I've... Um... I've seen her around," Riley replied, glancing at Chris, whose eyebrows were suddenly raising at the mention of her name.

"I'm going to put you in a storyline with her," Vince said. "In a feud against 'The Masterpiece' Chris Masters and Trish Stratus."

"What's Stephanie's role going to be in this storyline?" Chris asked curiously. He had a bad feeling about this already.

"She'll most likely be his business manager," Vince replied. He looked at Chris. "Since you're familiar with having Stephanie as a business manager, maybe you could give your brother a few pointers."

"Pointers?" Chris asked. "What exactly do you mean, Vince?"

"Help Riley here figure Steph out," Vince explained. "You know as well as I do that Steph is a puzzle with innumerable pieces."

"Yeah, that's true," Chris conceded. "She's a mystery."

"So you're gonna help me solve the mystery that is Stephanie McMahon?" Riley asked his brother, with Chris's own trademark smirk on his face.

"I don't have a choice," Chris answered in a flat tone.

"Well then I think we're done here," Vince said. He shook all of their hands, then watched them leave. As soon as they were all gone, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Yeah?" Paul Levesque answered.

"Paul? It's Vince."

"Hey, Vince, what's up?"

"Our plan is in action. I just put Steph in a storyline with Riley Irvine... Riley 'Jericho' or 'RJ' as the fans will come to know him."

"How does that benefit the cause?"

"It'll drive Chris and Steph apart and destroy their fragile friendship, putting her in this romantic storyline with Chris's brother..." Vince grinned. "You know things will get crazy between Chris and Riley because of that horrible temper Chris has when it comes to Steph."

"So when she's at her most vulnerable point, I just swoop in and take her back?"

"Exactly," Vince answered, leaning back in his chair. "Paul, I truly believe that you're the only man for my daughter."

"I believe that as well. It's just a question of making her believe it," Paul replied with a heavy sigh. "Now, I have to go."

"Do your thing, work your charm. But wait until the right time," Vince warned. "You don't want to do it too fast or people will get suspicious."

"I have this under control. I'm the Cerebral Assassin, remember?" Paul reminded him. "I love your daughter, and I'll stop at nothing to get her back."

"That's the spirit," Vince said, but by then he was talking to a dial tone.