Notes: The cellphone will be important later actually. But not of real importance now. The signing thing I don't know whether Stevie did that. I'm taking my creative license out for this one.
Starting to Lose Control
In Fargo North Dakota at the Fargo Sports Arena Raven's Nest was in a private locker room. Matt was in a far corner staring blankly ahead. Raven was sitting perched on a chair talking to Kanyon. Benoit and Dreamer were having a quiet conversation. Stevie was stretching getting ready for his tag match with Kanyon against Jeff Hardy and Perry Saturn. Victoria was combing her hair. Kidman and Torrie were back in Utah. Meanie was off looking for Nova. Or so he said.
Meanie walked down the halls trying to look inconspicuous. He reached the door he was looking for. He quickly looked around before pushing a piece of paper under the door. Then he continued walking. He found Nova where he said he'd be standing near the entrance. They quickly greeted each other and then headed over to the locker room. He knocked on it and Kanyon opened it.
Raven looked up at them. "Come on in." He said. "What made you want to rejoin the group Nova?"
Nova had been practicing what he'd answer to this question and easily answered, "I just want to be back in the group. I'm going nowhere in WWE and I thought this would be the best place to be."
Raven stared at him as if trying to read him. "Okay fine you are a member. On a trial basis though. Don't think I forgot about the stunt that was pulled in Philadelphia." He looked at his watch. "Almost time for the show to start. We're going to the ring when it starts."
***
In another locker room, the Coalition was changing. Perry was the one who noticed the note lying in front of their door. He picked it up and quickly scanned it. "This is odd."
"What is?" Jeff asked.
"It's a note telling us what the Nest is going to do tonight." Perry said. "They are going to the ring at the start of the show. And that Benoit won't be at ringside during the tag match."
"Who sent it?" Shane asked.
"It doesn't say." Perry answered looking at the letter closely. "It's not signed."
"Do we know if it's true though?" Eddy asked. "What if this is someone's idea of a joke."
"Guess we'll have to wait and see." Arn said. "Show starts in five minutes."
They waited to see if the note was right and sure enough Raven's Nest came out at the start of the show. They took what seemed to be their normal spots in the ring.
"What do you think Arn?" Dallas asked. "Should we go out there?"
"I think we should just stay here and watch because if that's true I think I have an idea. Shane this involves you."
***
Chris Benoit stood backstage watching the tag match between Kanyon/Richards Vs Guerrero/Hardy. Raven had told him to stay in the back and watch. If the Coalition interfered then he was to come to ringside. He was pacing while waiting. Someone grabbed him by the arm and he struggled turning around and saw that Shane Douglas was dragging he. He stopped struggling wondering what Douglas was doing backstage at a WWE show. He started struggling again when he saw where they were going.
***
Shane pulled Chris into the locker room. He quickly locked the door. He was glad to see that Jeff Hardy wasn't in the room. He didn't think Jeff would be much help in the matter.
"Anyone see you?" Dean asked. Shane shook his head. "Okay Chris what's going on?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Chris said folding his arms across his body.
"Working for Raven. What's he using to make you stay? What did he blackmail you with?" Perry asked.
"He didn't blackmail me with anything. Raven's my friend."
DDP frowned. He had fought both of them in matches in WCW. That didn't sound right to him. "Since when?"
Confusion etched across Benoit's face as if he was trying to think of something but shook his head and didn't answer.
Perry and Dean exchanged looks. Something wasn't right.
"Well you don't have to go back." Arn said.
"Why wouldn't I? You planning to hold me here?" Chris asked trying to unlock the door.
"No of course not." Shane said. "We are trying to help you."
"News flash Douglas. I don't need help. Now let me out of here." He pushed Douglas out of the way and struggled with the door.
"Let him out." Arn said with a sigh. There was no other choice.
Chris ran back to the locker room ready to tell Raven what happened. They were coming into the locker room just as he came closer. He saw that Richards was limping a bit. But didn't really care. "Douglas is here." He told Raven. "They pulled me into their locker room."
"You okay?" Raven asked. He was slightly worried that the Coalition may have gotten through to Chris but then again if they had Chris wouldn't be in the locker room. Chris nodded. "We'll make them pay." He said. "They'll pay big time."
Starting to Lose Control
In Fargo North Dakota at the Fargo Sports Arena Raven's Nest was in a private locker room. Matt was in a far corner staring blankly ahead. Raven was sitting perched on a chair talking to Kanyon. Benoit and Dreamer were having a quiet conversation. Stevie was stretching getting ready for his tag match with Kanyon against Jeff Hardy and Perry Saturn. Victoria was combing her hair. Kidman and Torrie were back in Utah. Meanie was off looking for Nova. Or so he said.
Meanie walked down the halls trying to look inconspicuous. He reached the door he was looking for. He quickly looked around before pushing a piece of paper under the door. Then he continued walking. He found Nova where he said he'd be standing near the entrance. They quickly greeted each other and then headed over to the locker room. He knocked on it and Kanyon opened it.
Raven looked up at them. "Come on in." He said. "What made you want to rejoin the group Nova?"
Nova had been practicing what he'd answer to this question and easily answered, "I just want to be back in the group. I'm going nowhere in WWE and I thought this would be the best place to be."
Raven stared at him as if trying to read him. "Okay fine you are a member. On a trial basis though. Don't think I forgot about the stunt that was pulled in Philadelphia." He looked at his watch. "Almost time for the show to start. We're going to the ring when it starts."
***
In another locker room, the Coalition was changing. Perry was the one who noticed the note lying in front of their door. He picked it up and quickly scanned it. "This is odd."
"What is?" Jeff asked.
"It's a note telling us what the Nest is going to do tonight." Perry said. "They are going to the ring at the start of the show. And that Benoit won't be at ringside during the tag match."
"Who sent it?" Shane asked.
"It doesn't say." Perry answered looking at the letter closely. "It's not signed."
"Do we know if it's true though?" Eddy asked. "What if this is someone's idea of a joke."
"Guess we'll have to wait and see." Arn said. "Show starts in five minutes."
They waited to see if the note was right and sure enough Raven's Nest came out at the start of the show. They took what seemed to be their normal spots in the ring.
"What do you think Arn?" Dallas asked. "Should we go out there?"
"I think we should just stay here and watch because if that's true I think I have an idea. Shane this involves you."
***
Chris Benoit stood backstage watching the tag match between Kanyon/Richards Vs Guerrero/Hardy. Raven had told him to stay in the back and watch. If the Coalition interfered then he was to come to ringside. He was pacing while waiting. Someone grabbed him by the arm and he struggled turning around and saw that Shane Douglas was dragging he. He stopped struggling wondering what Douglas was doing backstage at a WWE show. He started struggling again when he saw where they were going.
***
Shane pulled Chris into the locker room. He quickly locked the door. He was glad to see that Jeff Hardy wasn't in the room. He didn't think Jeff would be much help in the matter.
"Anyone see you?" Dean asked. Shane shook his head. "Okay Chris what's going on?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Chris said folding his arms across his body.
"Working for Raven. What's he using to make you stay? What did he blackmail you with?" Perry asked.
"He didn't blackmail me with anything. Raven's my friend."
DDP frowned. He had fought both of them in matches in WCW. That didn't sound right to him. "Since when?"
Confusion etched across Benoit's face as if he was trying to think of something but shook his head and didn't answer.
Perry and Dean exchanged looks. Something wasn't right.
"Well you don't have to go back." Arn said.
"Why wouldn't I? You planning to hold me here?" Chris asked trying to unlock the door.
"No of course not." Shane said. "We are trying to help you."
"News flash Douglas. I don't need help. Now let me out of here." He pushed Douglas out of the way and struggled with the door.
"Let him out." Arn said with a sigh. There was no other choice.
Chris ran back to the locker room ready to tell Raven what happened. They were coming into the locker room just as he came closer. He saw that Richards was limping a bit. But didn't really care. "Douglas is here." He told Raven. "They pulled me into their locker room."
"You okay?" Raven asked. He was slightly worried that the Coalition may have gotten through to Chris but then again if they had Chris wouldn't be in the locker room. Chris nodded. "We'll make them pay." He said. "They'll pay big time."