Chapter 42

He bungee jumped from the rafters and slowly lowered himself to stand right in front of Rajani, releasing the cord he was attached too. "Thank god I made it in time."

"W-What are you doing here?"

"He just saved your ass, Raja."

Turning, Rajani blinked at the sight of Stephanie and slowly looked down at Kane, swallowing incredibly hard. "What the hell is going on? How did you know I was...?"

"Taker told me. You didn't actually think you could sneak out of his house without him knowing, did you?"

Blood bubbled from Kane's mouth as his hand automatically moved to the wound on his chest. He drew his fingertips away, staring at the red coating them almost dully, his eyes blinking slowly before managing to raise his head up to stare into Alex's face. "Always...wondered...about...you..." He drawled in a slow dull muted tone of voice before falling face first to the warehouse floor.

"Everyone usually does." Alex sighed, stepping around Rajani in order to pull her away from the hopefully dying man on the floor. "Do you always wander off with strange evil men?"

"I-I didn't 'wander off' with him. I met him here." Rajani corrected, not amused with any of this and could feel tears sting the back of her eyes as Stephanie approached her. "I had no choice. He made me come here to find out the truth and everything regarding Cena. I had to do something."

"Raja, Kane never stopped working for John. Taker bugged your phone with Alex's help and overheard your entire conversation. Unbeknownst to Kane, Alex bugged his phone too, which is how we found out that they were still in cahoots. Taker has had you followed ever since leaving the road to come to Dallas for protection."

Rajani couldn't believe what she heard, slowly turning to stare into Alex's eyes. "Are you a spy or something?"

Alex smirked, no humor in his eyes. "Or something."

"We can discuss the specifics of Alex later, we need to figure out what we're doing." Stephanie said briskly, seriously tempted to give the hopefully lifeless Kane a swift kick, but blood started pooling out around him and she wasn't ruining her expensive designer shoes with his filthy blood. "Alex?"

"Working on it Stephanie. Why don't you take Raja outside for fresh air while I handle this? She looks ready to go into shock."

All Rajani could do was go with Stephanie, trying to wrap her mind around everything that just happened as they walked out of the warehouse. Once the fresh air hit her, Rajani's knees buckled and she fell to the ground in a heap, silent tears sliding down her face. She still clutched the tape recorder, but nothing mattered currently. All she was trying to do was get John out of her life and it ended up nearly backfiring on her if it wasn't for the bugged phones. Stephanie crouched down besides Rajani, gently wrapping her arms around her friend's trembling shoulders and pulled her up away from the dirt.

"Calm down, Raja." She soothed, wondering if she should mention Taker was on his way. "We're getting him out of your life, honey." By him, obviously she meant John Cena. A tapped phone with their evidence, along with the tape recording, Cena was going to prison.

Rajani just nodded, but didn't believe it. Then her head snapped up when something suddenly dawned on her. "You said Taker was the one who sent you. That means..."

Her eyes shut tightly when the roar of a motorcycle suddenly enveloped her whole and all Rajani could do was stay on her knees beside Stephanie, knowing Taker had to be livid with her for running off right into harm's way by meeting Kane. Taker was more than livid. He had checked the recordings after waking up and discovering Rajani left, he immediately called Stephanie who had said something about the potential metrosexual Alex that he didn't really understand at the time. She had made him vow to wait at least an hour before setting off after Rajani, to give Alex 'time'. Well...the hour was up and the Deadman had arrived.

"Mark, she's in shock and yelling at her won't help matters right now. She's distraught and needs your comfort. You can talk to her about what happened here later." Stephanie stated, standing in front of Rajani so Taker couldn't get near her because she was truly afraid of what he might do.

"Okay, he's taken care of. Didn't kill him, but he's going to be out of commission for quite a while." Alex announced, walking out wiping his hands on a special cloth that took Kane's blood off instantly. "The ambulance will be called within an hour, long after we're all gone."

Taker almost backhanded Stephanie to hell and back for opening her fat mouth before he had even thought about opening his. He wasn't livid with Rajani, he knew what a foolhardy woman she was. God love her, but she had more balls than brains. He was livid with KANE for doing this to her, for being...this way, everything Taker thought he wasn't.

"Move." He ordered in a tone that made her automatically slink the side whether she registered it or not. When she opened her mouth, he shot her a dark look, bending down to scoop Rajani up into his arms, cradling her against him. "He's not dead?"

"No, the bullet missed his heart barely. Stephanie didn't want me to kill him. She just wanted him out of the way to where he could no longer do Cena's bidding." Alex explained indifferently, watching as Rajani instantly snuggled up against him. "The important thing is she's safe and sound, no harm done. Kane did get a little...physical, but he didn't harm her or else I would've shot his ass sooner."

"Mark," Rajani finally spoke, using his birth name and watched those murderous green eyes lock on hers, cupping his face tenderly in her hand. "Leave him alone. He can't hurt me, you or anyone else ever again. That's what matters. You going in there to finish the job won't solve anything and it definitely won't stop Cena. We have to focus on him. Forget Kane for now, okay? Please?"

For her sake, Taker forced himself to nod. For now he would forget Kane, but once Cena was taken care of, he would be paying whatever hospital Kane was stuck in a visit to make sure the traitorous psychotic bastard never left it. He wasn't going to risk the behemoth coming back for Rajani for anything. Money, revenge, not a damn thing.

"You alright, darlin'?" He asked softly, bending down until his forehead rested against hers.

Rajani nodded, relishing the feeling of Taker holding her because she honestly thought she wouldn't leave this warehouse alive. If it hadn't been for Alex, she wouldn't have, not with Kane's last words to her. John was one step ahead always...Well he didn't see this coming, that was for damn sure.

"We need to get out of here." She said, opening her eyes as panic began swirling in her eyes. "Before Alex shot Kane, he told me that John was always one step ahead and that the only way to stop him was to kill him. John could be around here right now watching us and we don't know it yet."

"That's...creepy. Alex?"

"It's possible, I scouted the location about a mile out in a perimeter, but there's always the chance he arrived afterwards." Alex said after a moment, automatically scanning the surrounding area with his eyes. The idea of the dumb muscle head actually getting another one over them...He frowned. "You realize you can't take her home."

"He's right." Stephanie agreed, stepping forward once again and finding her courage. "You two are coming to stay at my place."

"In Connecticut?"

"No, a secluded place that nobody knows about except Paul and I. We go there when we need to get away for a few days." Running a company, especially a billion dollar company, wasn't an easy feat by any means. "We'll send Alex along with you for protection. Don't give me that look, Mark. You know it's what's best for both of you right now."

"Before I go anywhere with Mr. Metrosexual and Packs a Gun in His Purse..."

Alex smiled humorlessly. "It's a man bag, and don't you forget it."

"Whatever. Just what the hell are you?"

"Stephanie's gopher, let's go grab your stuff and hit the road."

"Princess, since when do you hire gun packing gophers?"

"It's all the rage, Deadman, now go."

An hour later, they were on a private jet headed for a destination unknown with Stephanie and Alex. Rajani was a bundle of nerves and refused to let go of Taker's hand, staring out the window in thought. She handed the tape recorder over to Stephanie to give to the authorities, so there was no way John could get his hands on it. Taker confiscated her cell phone too and made it known he wasn't letting her out of his sight again, for any reason. Rajani felt so guilty for running off to meet Kane without Taker, but at the time, those had been his terms and she'd been desperate for the truth. Taker thought he had done really good in not pointing out that she had been a foolish woman that had gone against what she knew he would tell her. But then again, Taker had gotten so used to the role of her protector that he was aware enough to know that he was overbearing when it came to that aspect.

"Does Paul know about this?"

"Are you kidding me? He'd fucking call in the army and try getting a rocket launcher just to blow Cena up." Stephanie shook her head. "As far as he knows, I'm in Texas offering you solid support."

Alex didn't bother telling her that Paul had been looking into 'protection' items. Even though Paul and Rajani didn't see eye to eye on many things, they did have a mutual respect for each other. So hearing that Paul would've defended her made Rajani feel a little better about this entire situation. She leaned her head against Taker's shoulder, not sure what to say to him. She loved him so much and was heartbroken when she thought he didn't want her the way she wanted him. Then she found out too late and was currently married to a psychopath that didn't know what the word 'NO' meant. Rajani was scared for her life and hoped John was stopped soon. As if reading her mind, Taker nuzzled the top of Rajani's head.

"He'll be stopped darlin'." He reassured her. "Nobody's said anything to Dwayne, have they?"

"Not yet, but he did call me earlier to find out the progress on what was happening with Cena. So he's growing impatient."

"We can't tell him, Stephanie." Rajani stated, not pulling away from Taker because it felt too nice to move an inch, snuggling as close to him as she could since he pulled the armrest up to wrap his arm around her. "He'll freak out and go bonkers and probably try to kill Cena himself."

"She has a point. Best to leave Mr. Hollywood out of this for now, boss."

"Yeah, I don't see Dwayne leaving himself outta this." Taker said flatly. "Unless you convince him she's better off without his damn 'help'."

"I'll get Paul on it...Maybe..."

Stephanie rubbed her temples, not even wanting to consider what came next. Were they just going to play a waiting game? How long? She had kids...and she then frowned.

"Cena won't...won't go after our families, will he?"

"You're an idiot." John said flatly, staring down at an unconscious Glen Jacobs. He was dressed in scrubs and a facial mask, people were rather easy to fool, especially ones not in on the loop. He had read Kane's chart and shook his head again. "Moron, serves you right." He put the chart back and walked out of the room, not even getting a second look from the nurse at the corner station.