this chapter is really intense...you might wet urself.

...just a warning

Chapter 8

Sleuthing With a Blindfold

"How are you feeling Steph?" Triple H asked. Stephanie looked up at him from her hospital bed.

"Dizzy and sick to my stomach." She complained, " I've got a match tonight against Sable and I can't even stand up straight." Triple H shook his head.

"There's no way you're wrestling tonight, you could get another concussion." He said gravely. Stephanie sighed.

"Why do you care if I get a concussion tonight? You didn't care when we were married." She accused. Triple H grabbed her hand.

"Because, I…care about…you." He said softly. Stephanie smiled a little when Melanie walked into the hospital room.

"Hey Steph, I came as soon as I…oh." She said, seeing Triple H holding Stephanie's hand. He quickly released her hand and got up.

"I uh, I've gotta get ready for tomorrow night, ya know with Raw and everything…um, I'll call you?" He said quickly. Stephanie nodded as he left the room.

Melanie placed the large bouquet of flowers beside Stephanie's bed and looked out the window. The hospital was nice enough, with several acres of land behind the building. It was located on top of a cliff that overlooked the Pacific Ocean. Melanie watched as several patients walked along the pathways that zigzagged though out the entire area. A few were in wheelchairs, getting around with the assistance of an aid, others were slowly walking on their own, carefully placing one foot in front of the other. Mel sighed.

"Nice place to be sick huh?" Melanie said to Stephanie who cautiously sat up.

"The best. My dad put me here…said I should get comfortable since apparently, I'm going to be here a lot. " She said sarcastically. Melanie nodded.

"What did he mean by that?" She asked. Stephanie shrugged. Melanie spoke again.

"Yes, well you're father is an…interesting guy." She said softly. Stephanie looked at her.

"Why do you say that?" She asked. Melanie looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "What's up?" Stephanie asked.

"Doesn't Vince have an open door policy?" Melanie inquired. Stephanie nodded.

"Yeah, just so he can slam the door in your face, why?" Melanie sighed and looked around the room once more.

"His office door has been closed since last night when he called Brock to his office after he shoved you." She said quietly, "Don't you think that with the pay per view Vengeance tonight, he'd leave his door open for any last minute questions, comments or concerns?" Stephanie shrugged.

"You think something's going on?" She asked. Mel shrugged.

"I don't know what to think. Both Kurt and Brock have been acting very strange lately. I think they're both worried about their match tonight. Plus with Big Show in the picture, I don't know what's going to happen." Stephanie nodded.

"Well Mel, you need to talk to them. Especially Brock." She said. Melanie raised an eyebrow.

"Why especially Brock?" She asked. Stephanie sharply pointed to her head which had a bloodstained band aid wrapped around it.

"Duh?" She said quickly, "You're boyfriend beat the hell outta me! I know you don't want to hear it, but-" Melanie interrupted her

"That's right, I really don't wanna hear it Steph." She said quietly. Stephanie groaned.

"Then start with Kurt. I'd go talk to him, see what's going on. Maybe there's something he knows that you don't." Stephanie whispered. Melanie shook her head.

"No way. Brock and Kurt are practically family, they tell me everything." She said confidently. Stephanie sat back in her bed and crossed her arms.

"Everything?"

Melanie quickly walked through the arena's backstage area. The plane ride to Denver Colorado was brutal enough, and she didn't wanna waste a moment in finding out the truth to what was going on with the men in her life. Mel spotted Mr. McMahon's office and charged towards it she was about to open the door when she heard voices coming from inside.

" …Have no idea what I overcame to get where I am now." A mans voice stated softly but aggressively. Melanie squatted down and placed the side of her head against the door of the chairman's office.

" Listen, all want is a little gratification here. I must win tonight. It's the only way I can redeem myself…" The man's voice trailed off. Melanie struggled to listen, but could hardly make sense of the conversation, much less who's voice it belonged to. She pressed her ear harder against the door as the next voice came loud and clear.

" Don't you worry. If things don't go as planned tonight, there's always another chance. I will guarantee you another match as long as I have…your allegiance." The second voice said firmly. Melanie recognized it right away as the voice of Vince McMahon. She gasped. The two men immediately stopped speaking. Melanie quickly placed her hand over her mouth. Her pulse quickened as she heard footsteps coming closer and closer to her position. She could run away, but that could create more commotion. She couldn't risk it, especially if Vince McMahon and the first voice weren't sure they heard anything at all. Besides, she had to know what was going on and who was in the room with the boss.

Melanie, still crouched down on her knees, lightly stepped back away from the door as it slowly opened. She looked up and spotted an eye peering through the small space between the door and its frame. It searched the premise and blinked only once. The eye, seemingly satisfied, retreated back into the room and quickly shut the door. Mr. McMahon cleared his throat.

"We should meet at another time…I'm not quite sure we're alone." He said so softly that Melanie could scarcely hear him. That was her cue. It was time to go. Melanie quickly rose to her feet, but just before she could finish her first few strides, her cell phone popped out of her pocket.

"Shit." Melanie said under her breath. She turned to go back for it. She could not leave any traces behind that would suggest she had been there, especially her cell, which contains everything from her name to her phone number. Just before she reached her phone, the door swung open. Melanie hastily searched for a hole to crawl into, a box to hide behind…anything to be out of sight. She pressed her body up against the wall behind the door and held her breath as it opened all the way. The door stopped a few centimeters from her body.

Vince McMahon walked out of his room, completely unaware that Melanie was hiding behind the door. She exhaled and sprinted towards her dressing room.

Oh God, oh God, oh my fricken God. Was all she could think about as she slowed her pace to a jog. She replayed the conversation in her head over and over. Who could the other voice be? And what was he negotiating with McMahon? And why? Melanie slowly stopped and found herself in front of the General Manager's office. She didn't bother knocking and opened the door to find Stephanie and Triple H making out on the desk.

"Stephanie! I have something to…wow!" Melanie said as Steph and Triple H separated.

"Mel! Hey, hi…uh. Don't you ever knock anymore?" Stephanie said quickly. Triple H tucked in his shirt and quickly left the room, leaving a blushing Stephanie alone with Melanie.

"What the hell was that?" Melanie asked after closing the door. Stephanie shrugged.

"Nothing, we were just, talking. Uh, you wanted to say something?" She said. Melanie, still gasping for air from her encounter leaned against the desk.

'Oh no, you're not changing the subject. But…yes, there is something I have to tell you." She said. Melanie retold her story about Vince McMahon's meeting with the mystery man. Stephanie listened intently.

"…and I have no clue as to who the other guy is! He was speaking so softly I could barely hear him. But whatever they were talking about, it has something to do with tonight. Melanie said, a little out of breath. She and Steph sat down on the couch nearby.

"This definitely has something to do with the main event Melanie, it has to," Stephanie said after Melanie finished, "The only other titles on the line tonight are the USA, Women's and Tag Team titles. So our suspects are Big Show, Kurt Angle and…" Melanie sighed.

"And Brock. Steph, I don't know about this. Brock would never cheat to regain his title." Stephanie leaned closer to Melanie.

"Mel, it makes perfect sense though. You said it yourself that he was feeling insecure about his match, he's got the odds stacked against him. Plus with Angle 100 now, maybe he didn't think he could win it on his own," Stephanie said, lowering her voice, "I wouldn't be surprised if he's got the whole match rigged tonight." Melanie ran her fingers through her hair.

"That's ridiculous." She said. Stephanie sighed.

"Think about it ok? Didn't the man inside seem desperate? You know Brock would do anything to win." Melanie shook her head.

"No, I don't believe it."

"You have to Mel."

"No I don't Steph, I don't. Maybe I should go and talk to him." Melanie said as she got up and walked towards the door.

" No way Mel, if I'm right, I'm not leaving you alone with him!" Stephanie said. Melanie stormed out of the room and headed in the direction of Brock Lesnar's dressing room.

dum dum DUM!