Tonight Sarah Michelle Gellar would face her arch nemesis Katie Holmes inside a Steel Cage. But I promised two gimmicks didn't I? The second caveat in this match was that both girls will be wearing heavy collars connected by a length of steel chain. Indeed this would be the first (and probably last) Dog Collar Cage Match in the history of Richard Fannin's fledgling promotion! The genesis of this match was really quite simple; after Sarah returned two weeks ago and stopped Katie from crippling Katherine Heigl, the two had both demanded a match with their rival in which they got to name the stipulation of their choosing.
Normally this would have occupied all of Fannin's attention, but he had spent the last week trying to figure out who or whom had viciously attacked Tiffani Thiessen after her loss to Jessica Biel. Consumed with solving that riddle, he'd told Sarah and Katie they could each name a rule as long as they'd stop bothering him. Both had agreed and Sarah had named the cage while Katie named the Collar. They'd be chained to one another while simultaneously being confined in a 15 foot high steel mesh cage that fit snugly around the apron of the normal ring. The top of the cage was open, so one could climb to the top and dive off if the mood struck, but the match could only be won by pinfall or submission. And while the cage had a door to allow the ref and combatants to enter, once the match started the door would be padlocked shut and wouldn't open again until the match was over. And so the stage has been set for an epic battle. Now all that remains is for the announcer to do his shtick.
Standing outside the cage he begins, "Ladies and gentleman it's time for our man event. Introducing first, she stands at 5 feet 10 inches tall. She is.... Katie Holmes!"
As 'I Got You (Where I Want You)' hit the speakers, Katie moved through the curtain. The tall brunette took no notice of the people at ringside, she simply strode toward the ring, eyes locked on the cage. The astute fan could clearly see the heavy collar already latched around her neck. As was her custom, Katie wore the two piece gray bikini with black pads and boots, all topped off by the battered leather motorcycle jacket. As she reached the cage door she hesitated for only a moment before going inside and approaching the ref who quickly attached one end of the chain to her collar. Ready for battle, she turned to the entryway, awaiting the arrival of her nemesis.
The announcer, cleared his throat and picked up where he left of, "And her opponent…standing 5'3"….they call her 'The Slayer'....Sarah Michelle Gellar!"
'Man in the Box' roars to life and Sarah comes through the curtain in her trademark red leather one piece and high black boots. Her look is completed by a pair of fingerless black gloves. The Slayer moved quickly down the aisle and up the steps through the cage door. Eyes never leaving Katie, she went to the ref and waited patiently for him to attach the collar. Deed done, she stalked to her corner and waited for the bell to ring.
The bell finally rang, and for the longest time there was only the quiet murmur of the crowd and the muffled clinking of the cage as it swayed back and forth ever so slightly. In opposite corners of the ring, Katie and Sarah glared holes through one another, the rivals connected physically by the heavy chain of the dog collar and bound together mentally by an all consuming hatred of the other. On some shared cue, both blonde and brunette stalked forward, coming to face the other in the center of the ring.
Stopping with inches separating them, Sarah looked up into Katie's face and said, "You got past me last time Katie. But there's no way for you to run now. I'm going to hurt you, and I'm going to hurt you bad. I'm not even going to be all righteous and pretend it's payback for all the other girls you hurt. Everything I do tonight is strictly a receipt for what you did to my throat. I hope at the end you've got enough energy to scream an apology for me, because I won't let you go until you beg for my mercy."
Sarah finished her rant, moving a little closer to her nemesis, craning her neck up to face the brunette. Katie took the threats in stride, not wanting to rain on the Slayer's parade….scratch that, OF COURSE she did!….but she'd heard the same threat from everyone she'd faced after she nearly broke Tara Reid in half; it's just that Sarah was being more persistent about it!
Smiling coldly, Katie fired back, "I'm glad you're properly motivated for this Sarah. In fact, I welcome everything you can throw at me. I want you to use every ounce of your hate, anger and cruelty on me in this cage tonight. I want to see and feel the full extent of your wrath. And then, after you've exhausted yourself and you've got nothing left. I'll just be getting started. Then.....then you will begin to find out what real anger and real cruelty can do. I may not end your career tonight Sarah, but I'm going to make DAMN SURE THAT YOU NEVER WANT TO FUCK WITH ME AGAIN!"
The brunette's calm whisper had risen to a furious scream over the last second or two and she pushed in close to the blonde, letting Sarah get a glimpse of the raging fire that burned behind her dark eyes. Suddenly, the brunette seemed to get a hold of herself and she stepped back a few paces as, facing off with the blonde, Katie spread her arms and extended an invitation to the Slayer. "Let's get started. C'mon Sarah, first shot goes to you. You are after all, the embattled heroine, fighting to free the world of a hated and menacing foe. It seems only right that you'd....."
WHACK! Katie's musing never finished because Sarah stepped forward and pounded a fist across the tall brunette's chin. Katie winced at rubbed her jaw for a moment before looking back at the blonde.
"Your turn!" said Sarah rather sarcastically. Katie only smiled as she shot forward and answered back with a fist of her own, the blow catching Sarah hard across the cheek. She staggered back a few steps and was on the verge of regaining her balance when Katie drilled a second and then a third punch into her face. Grabbing hold of Sarah's hair in one hand, Katie fired several short, hard rabbit punches into the smaller blonde's face.
Pulling Sarah in close to face her, Katie hissed, "No more preamble bitch. Time for you to start suffering!"
She drew back her fist for another Haymaker, but Sarah caught the blow coming in. Twisting Katie's arm down hard, the Slayer used her free hand to unload a litany of blows on the brunette's chin. As Katie grunted and tried to defend herself, Sarah grabbed hold of the chain, right below the collar on Katie's neck and yanked her foe in close.
Pulling the brunette low, Sarah hissed, "I couldn't agree more. No more introductory bullshit. Now the violence starts."
Sarah brought up her claws and raked them hard into Katie's face. The tall brunette cried out and brought her own hands up, burying them in Sarah's golden mane. Pulling hard, she managed to get the blonde far enough away to send a knee right into her navel. Sarah gasped for air and doubled over, but Katie solved that quick with a second knee lift to the forehead that knocked the Slayer back upright. Grasping a double handful of her foe's hair from behind, Katie jerked Sarah around simply to disorient her.
Turning sharply, with her captive still in tow, Katie looked at the steel mesh hugging the edge of the ring and said, "Fannin gave us such a nice play to play and here we are not using it. How very rude of me. Let's break this playhouse in shall we Sarah?" Not letting the blonde respond, Katie hauled her toward the ropes and the steel. With very little distance between the cage and the combatants, Katie slammed Sarah headfirst into the mesh and she grinned contentedly at the satisfying rattle it made when's Sarah's head slammed against it. Even more satisfying was the blonde's groan of pain. "Well, this part is up to code!" said Katie rather matter-of-factly. "But let's see how the rest of this holds up." She dragged Sarah forehead first back and forth along that side of the cage, making sure to go slow enough for the blonde to feel every rough link that was grinding against her head. After several seconds of this, Katie pulled her victim away, and yanked her awkwardly back, holding the Slayer prone by the chain around her neck. Still wearing that infuriating smile, Katie said, "I can't believe you're not bleeding yet. Let's see if we can do something about that."
She lunged forward, ready to throw Sarah's face against the steel links yet again. But before her face could connect with the cold metal, Sarah got her leg up, planted her boot on the steel and halted her forward momentum! Before Katie could try again, the quick blonde fired an elbow backwards, catching her tormentor in the chest. Katie's grip was broken and Sarah took the opportunity to grab a hold of her stunned rival's dark locks. Not even saying a word, Sarah ran at top speed toward the opposite side of the ring. When there was no going back, the blonde put on the brakes and hurled Katie forward as hard as she could, sending the brunette face and chest first into the steel. The brunette slammed hard against the cage but she didn't stay there as the ropes rudely thrust her back towards the center where she landed in an undignified heap at Sarah's feet.
Stalking her rival from a few feet away, Sarah hissed, "Looks like this side is built pretty tough too Katie. We'll just have to hope it can stand up to a repeated barrage, 'cuz there's no way I'm even close to done with you yet."
The brunette regained her feet and was just about to turn around and face the blonde but when Sarah saw the whites of her nemesis's eyes, she lunged forward and leapt off her feet; catching Katie in the jaw with a perfect Spinning Heel Kick. The blow cracked loudly off the brunette's chin and she went down again, this time holding her aching jaw. But Sarah wasn't going to let her get up this time. Indeed she had no sooner recovered her balance before she was straddling her foe's waist. Grabbing a hold of the chain in one hand, Sarah wrapped it around her right hand, looping it as many times as she could.
Staring down into Katie's face, Sarah observed, "Well the cage appears to be in good working order; but we still need to test the chain. Let's see how it holds up against your skull shall we?"
Before Katie could answer Sarah began to pound away at her opponent's forehead with sharp brutal punches. Katie cried out and got her hands up, one doing its best to protect her face, while the other sought to claw up the Slayer's features. After about five seconds had elapsed she got lucky and managed to rake her talon's across the Slayer's eyes. The blonde cried out and ceased her assault momentarily, trying to clear her hazy vision. Katie worked this opening to the hilt, grabbing a free length of chain in her hand and slamming it up into the Slayer's temple. That shot dislodged the blonde and Katie rolled over onto her foe taking the mount position. Breathing hard, Katie fired a few more punches to the side of Sarah's face before taking a length of the chain in both hands and pressing it down tightly across the blonde's windpipe.
"Choke, you miserable, hypocritical twat!" Katie hissed as Sarah bucked violently under the brunette.
She increased the pressure on the chain then and Sarah's thrashing increased accordingly, the blonde fighting wildly to avoid being choked out this early in the battle. Fighting against the black spots floating in front of her eyes, Sarah calmed herself as best she could and formed her hand into a straight plane. Seeing the smallest of openings, the Slayer shot her hand up and drove her fingers into Katie's throat, a potentially crippling blow. The blonde's aim was true and Katie fell away instantly, the brunette gagging and retching as she tried to get her breath back. In most cases Sarah would have followed up on her attack but at this point she was just as concerned with getting her breath back so she simply got to her knees and drank in the air as she watched Katie recover. A short time thereafter, both blonde and brunette were on their feet again and ready to engage in the next phase of their war. Regarding Sarah from a few feet away, Katie asked nonchalantly. "Are you having fun?"
"Oodles!" answered the Slayer. Advancing on one another, Sarah changed her tactics a bit, the blonde knowing full well that it would be suicide to try and fight Katie in a straight up brawl. So when Katie drew within range, Sarah unleashed a withering barrage of martial arts kicks on her foe's torso and legs, her shots connecting with crisp slapping sounds. Incredibly the slender brunette seemed to just soak up these blows and she continued to cut the distance between herself and her rival.
When Sarah launched a high Thrust Kick at her chest, Katie grabbed the foot in both hands, holding the Slayer immobile in front of her. Before the blonde could counter Katie pulled her forward and brought her foot up, catching Sarah right in the crotch. The Slayer uttered a high little gasp and fell to her knees, cradling her abused groin.
Standing over her kneeling nemesis, Katie took a deep breath and said, "God I love doing that!" Taking advantage of Sarah's distress, Katie looked to cause even more. Shoving the Slayer onto her back, Katie stood over her and raised an elbow. Taking time to get her aim just right, the brunette leapt into the air and came down with a perfect Elbow Drop across her foe's neck, payback for Sarah's earlier throat thrust. Now it was the blonde's turn to retch and clutch at her bruised esophagus. On her knees beside the gagging Slayer, Katie smiled and began to calmly wrap the chain around her right forearm. After a few seconds she was done and the brunette used her left hand to grab a handful of blonde hair and hold the Slayer down on the mat.
Pressing her chain wrapped forearm down across Sarah's struggling face, Katie said, "If you still have the power to form coherent sentences when this match is over, I really want to know what this feels like. I bet it hurts like a bitch. Feel free to scream anything that comes to mind while it's actually going on. It might make my understanding of it a little clearer."
She smiled again and began to grind the full length of her forearm back and forth across Sarah's face. The blonde did indeed cry out, but with her vision obscured by the chain, she could do little more than thrash and hope that Katie soon tired of this sadistic torment. Well eventually she did tire of it, but not as soon as the Slayer would have liked. And even when it did stop, there was no solace for the blonde as Katie immediately yanked her to her feet again.
Standing beside the Slayer with a grip on her hair, Katie sounded disappointed. "You're still not bleeding Sarah and that bothers me. It means I'm not doing my job correctly. I promised these people I'd make you bleed and I can't renege on my promises. What would my fans think of me then?" Katie laughed evilly as if the thought of pleasing the mob was the funniest thing in the world!
Sarah tried to fight back but she was still groggy from the chain grind Katie had administered and she was in no shape to counter her rival's assault. Going back to a play from earlier, Katie led a stumbling Sarah over to the edge of the cage and presses her face first into it. Pushing as hard as he can, Katie began to pull Sarah back and forth along the steel, intent on shredding the blonde's features against the callous metal. For about thirty seconds, Sarah's cries mix with the roar of the crowd and the clinking, clanking sound of the cage and then Katie's viciousness is rewarded as the blood finally begins to flow from a shallow but ugly cut below Sarah's hairline. Hearing the building frenzy of the audience, Katie knew she'd accomplished her goal! She pulled Sarah back to admire her handiwork; noting the blood with a cold satisfaction.
But then she does something that's "out there"…even for her! Bringing a hand up, she wipes her palm across Sarah's bleeding forehead and then smears the blood along her shoulder and chest in one running, crimson smear.
Wearing Sarah's blood like war paint, Katie gets in Sarah's face and asks, "Are you getting it now? Are you beginning to see just what the hell I'm going to do to you before this is all over? Answer me!" she hissed. But Sarah's only reply was a muttered curse. "Fine!" Kate spat. "You don't see now; but you will."
She grabbed Sarah's arm and whipped her hard into the corner, the chain linking the two together being stretched to its limit. Not taking a breath, Katie charged at Sarah with heartless intent of smashing her not only against the turnbuckles but back against the steel mesh as well. There was perhaps six feet between them when Sarah exploded out of the corner and fired a scathing Superkick at her opponent's jaw. Katie didn't even have time to see the blow coming and she ran full force into the Slayer's outstretched leg. The brunette went down fast and she went down hard, laying curled on her side at the Slayer's feet.
Standing over her, Sarah took a moment to get her breath back and to wipe the blood from her face. Gazing down at her foe, An expression of almost animal hatred crossed the blonde's face and it was frightening to behold. Moving closer to Katie, the blonde kicked her over onto her stomach and pulled her roughly to her hands and knees. Straddling her foe's back, she used her right hand to grab a handful of Katie's hair and her left to grasp several loops of chain.
Pulling Katie's head back, Sarah said, "I'm beginning to see what you're capable of Katie; and I think I'm learning just what I'm capable of too. I hope you don't decide to beg me just yet, because I don't think I'd listen."
Katie tried to respond but the blonde cut her off with a vicious Crossface Punch that took the brunette right in the side of the head. Katie cried out, but her pain fell on deaf ears as Sarah repeated the strike over and over again, callously bashing in her face. Eventually she decided to change tactics and ended her current torture session by jumping up high and coming down ass first across Katie's back, driving the brunette hard into the canvas. Sitting behind her foe, Sarah pulled Katie to a sitting position and looped several coils of chain around her neck. Grabbing the steel in both hands, Sarah pulled back tight and simply tried to choke the life out of her larger opponent. Feeling Katie squirm and thrash against the chain, Sarah's face was a hateful mask.
Leaning in so that her lips brushed against the brunette's ear she whispered, "This is only the beginning Katie. Even if you tap out right now it's not over. I'm going to ruin you tonight. And I'm going to do it with the greatest of pleasure."
On the other end of the pain spectrum, Katie was fighting wildly to get a hand between her throat and the chain that was busy strangling her. After several panicky seconds she was able to do just that and the pressure around her windpipe decreased enough so that she could take a few breaths. Knowing that she needed to escape this situation as quickly as possible, she got her free hand on the mat and pushed off hard, getting to her knees and then to her feet. Turning into the pressure slightly, she was able to fire her free hand into Sarah's unguarded gut, loosening the pressure quite a bit more. She was just about to throw another punch when Sarah grabbed her by the hair and Snap-mared her to the mat.
"You're not going anywhere!" Sarah hissed at her right before she snapped a hard kick directly between the brunette's shoulder blades. Katie gritted her teeth at the pain and tried to stand, but Sarah drilled another kick into her spine that had the brunette rolling on the canvas in agony. She was still in a pretty bad way when Sarah pulled her off the mat and marched her towards the steel. Reaching their destination, she tossed Katie hard into the mesh and held her there, taking the time to detail exactly what it was she had planned for her victim, "You drew first blood Katie. I was hoping to be the one to do that. But since you beat me to it, I guess I'll have to settle for making you bleed in more spectacular fashion. Tell me how this feels you cruel torturing bitch."
Katie only moaned as Sarah backed off, then taking a breath to steady herself, she sprinted forward, charging Katie's back at a dead run. When there was almost no space left between them, Sarah leapt into the air and raised a knee sending in directly into the base of Katie's neck. The brunette's face and chest were smashed painfully against the cage and she was held there momentarily by the force of Sarah's blow. A second later, Sarah moved aside and the brunette fell back, laying spread eagle on the canvas. This time it was the Slayer's turn to take satisfaction at her nemesis's blood, because Katie was indeed busted open, bleeding from her forehead and a split lip.
Pulling Katie up, Sarah slapped her rival hard across the face, just because she could. A dark fury overtaking her, the Slayer slapped the brunette over and over again, the blows coming faster and harder with each second that passed. Finally she seemed to get a hold of herself and she pulled Katie to her feet again, this time letting the brunette stand with no interference. Backing up several steps, Sarah wound a length of the chain around her arm before charging forward, her Clothesline aimed directly at Katie's head. She was almost there when Katie shot an arm up and grasped the chain. In a flash, the brunette yanked the chain forward as hard as she could pulling the blonde off balance. Sarah tried to backpedal but she had no luck as she stumbled toward the waiting brunette. Taking aim, Katie blasted her boot up and caught Sarah right in the face, the taller girl's heel catching the blonde square in the mouth. Sarah's head snapped back and she fell to the mat groaning, trying to shake off the stars blooming behind her eyes. Glad to have a free second, Katie took the time to wipe the blood and hair from her eyes.
Looking down at the wounded Slayer, Katie said, "That was pretty impressive Sarah. I didn't think you had it in you to be that cruel. But as the old saying goes, Anything you can do, I can do better." She smiled as she yanked the blonde to her feet, then scooping the Slayer up, Katie held her with the blonde's stomach on her shoulder and Sarah's head flopping lazily against Katie's chest. "Let's see if this doesn't get a rise out of our jaded audience," Katie said - more to herself than to Sarah.
Charging forward she loped across the ring with Sarah in tow. As they reached the steel boundary, Katie slung Sarah forward, hurling her like a dart headfirst into the steel. Sarah couldn't even get her hands up to try and protect herself, so when the impact came, the Slayer's head and neck took all of it. Without a sound she bounced hard off the ropes and then back into the middle of the ring. Thinking that might have been enough to put the blonde away, Katie went for the first cover of the match. She was only a little angry when the Slayer managed to kick out at "TWO!"
Pulling Sarah to her feet, Katie said, "I knew you had more fight left in ya."
She forced Sarah into a standing Headscissors. Wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist. Katie inverted her foe, holding her in position for a Piledriver. She held this position for several seconds, allowing the blood to rush to Sarah's head before she brought her crashing down. Finally the desire to cause more pain overwhelmed her and she fell backwards, spiking Sarah's head brutally against the mat. Pushing the blonde onto her back, Katie covered her and hooked a leg this time, once again trying to end the contest. But again Sarah managed to kick free at the "TWO" count.
Surprised, Katie put her hands on her hips and told the Slayer, "OK, it's obvious you don't want this to end yet. I don't know why I even tried, it's not like I'm going to stop when they ring the bell anyway. Let's see what else I can come up with."
Standing in front of her, Katie deftly wrapped several coils of chain around Sarah's neck before rudely turning her around. Standing back to back with the smaller blonde, Katie grips the chain tightly and leans forward while simultaneously pulling on the chain. The effect is hideously augmented Hangman which is actually true to it's moniker this time as the hold is literally choking the life out of Sarah. Kicking her feet wildly, the blonde fights for purchase, but Katie has such a height advantage that all she can do is flail helplessly.
The end of the match may have come right then if Katie hadn't grown weary and needed to relax the hold for a second or two. The moment Sarah's feet touched the ground, the Slayer planted her feet and waited for the next violent yank. When it came, she pushed up with all her might and used her added momentum to roll over Katie's back landing right in front of the surprised brunette. The tactic was a visually impressive one but it had a minor flaw in that it left Sarah a bit disoriented. Unfortunately for her Katie wasn't so hindered and she wasted no time in absolutely leveling the recovering Slayer with a hard Clothesline. Sarah went down hard with Katie landing almost on top of her. Grabbing a handful of damp gold hair, Katie pulled Sarah to her feet and stared into her face.
"That was pretty clever Sarah. Not clever enough to save you, but impressive nonetheless. Now if you don't mind I'd like to get back to hurting you. Any thoughts?"
The glaze over Sarah's cleared and she hissed, "If you thought that was clever, you'll probably think this is pure genius!"
Without another word, she dropped low, into a perfect split, her years of gymnastics and martial arts training being put to good use. Before Katie could muster any kind of response, Sarah took a play from her nemesis's handbook and drilled a short, hard punch between Katie's thighs. The tall brunette got a little paler and she only groaned when she fell to the canvas, trying to protect her wounded center. Sarah got to her feet and after a quick breather, stalked over to where Katie was sprawled and heartlessly kicked the brunette onto her stomach.
Acting out her plan, Sarah went to Katie's feet and stood on the brunette's thighs, just above the knee. Bending down, she pulled her captive's lower legs up and locked them inside her calves. The first half of her hold locked, she bent further and grabbed hold of Katie's wrists, one in each hand. Holding her hated foe tightly, Sarah pulled back and fell until she was on her back on the canvas, Katie tied up above her. With the Mexican Surfboard firmly in place, Sarah wrenched the hold as hard as possible and listened to Katie wail. After thirty seconds of tormenting her, Sarah finally asked for Katie's surrender.
"Are you ready to give up Katie? You've got nowhere to go and you know it."
Shaking her head no to ward of the ref, Katie spat, "Fuck you Sarah! You couldn't make me tap last time and you sure as shit aren't going to make me tap now! If memory serves you were the one who got choked out last time we met. It's not going to be any different tonight!"
"It's going to be VERY different, Katie! Tonight you're going to beg for me to let you walk out of here. Hell even let you get stretchered out of here. And I'm not sure if I'm going to let you do that. But I understand if you don't want to tap right now. Though you may regret it when you see what else I've got planned for you!"
Before Katie could respond, Sarah released her captive's arms and pushed her forward, letting her fall face first to the mat where the brunette immediately curled into the fetal position, trying to work some of the kinks out of her neck and back. Getting slowly to her knees, Sarah once again wrapped the chain around her fist. Going over to Katie, Sarah straddled her foe's back and slapped her head lightly to get her attention.
"Get…OFF…me!" Katie said viciously.
"No chance bitch!" Sarah grunted. "I've got a job to finish. I almost tore your arm off during our last battle and I'm not going to be denied this time. So you just sit there and scream all you want. If I do manage to tear you arm loose, I'm sure Rich will do the right thing and call the match off. Although I wish he wouldn't .He seems to genuinely give a shit whether or not you actually wrestle anymore. I can't really see why he cares, maybe he's a better person than me. Or maybe he just doesn't want to pay your bills, who the hell knows. Either way, remind me again why I'm not torturing you right now?"
Katie was about to reply when Sarah drilled her chain-wrapped fist into the point of the brunette's left shoulder. Katie shrieked in agony as Sarah repeated the maneuver over and over again, targeting the joint that had been her focus in the their first encounter and later the target of Katherine Heigl in a match that took place only two weeks prior. Sarah's face was grim as she continued the assault, her face never betraying the inner rage she felt at the woman groaning beneath her. After several dozen punches, the beating began to tire her arm so the blonde switched to a new tactic. Pulling Katie's wounded arm out to the side, Sarah fully extended the arm, gripping it in both hands at the wrist. Shifting her position a bit, she Places her shoulder against Katie's shoulder, the she planted her feet and bridged up, placing incredible pressure on Katie's shoulder and elbow with the Fujiwara Arm Bar. After soaking up the vicious attack on her arm just prior, Katie couldn't help herself when she voiced a pained, desperate shriek. Leaning into the hold even more, Sarah bounced up and down to increase the pressure.
"Give it up Katie!" she demanded "I'm not screwing around this time; I WILL shatter your arm if need be, but I will NOT let go 'til you TAP!"
Her mind temporarily clear, Katie whispered, "Never."
Katie grabbed a handful of chain that had piled near her free hand. Holding it the way a drowning person grabs a lifeline, Katie clenched the chain tightly before bringing it up as hard as she could into the side if Sarah's head. The surprise attack caught the Slayer right in the temple and she immediately released her hold when it connected. Groaning and holding her head, the blonde rolled away and tried to get her bearings back. Several seconds later both women were on their feet and slowly advancing towards one another. Grabbing a length of chain in her hand, Katie brought it up and sent it whistling toward the blonde. Sarah was still a bit quicker on her feet than the brunette and she easily dodged the stinging blow. As Katie prepared for another strike, Sarah planted herself and then launched a devastating Thrust Kick that caught Katie right in the chest.
Unprepared for the strike, Katie fell backwards and lay in the center of the ring, still too injured to mount anything resembling an offense. Sensing that she was close to putting the brunette away, Sarah grabbed Katie by one wrist and ankle before dragging her roughly towards a corner of the ring. Satisfied that she had enough length on the chain to do what she wanted, Sarah stomped on Katie's midsection a few times before climbing to the top turnbuckle, where she intended to flatten her rival with a beautiful 450 Splash.
Well her intentions were pure, her timing left something to be desired because as she was preparing to leap off the top Katie grabbed the chain and yanked hard, pulling Sarah rudely off the top and sending her crashing to the mat below. Hearing Sarah's rough landing was balm for the brunette's soul and she used it as motivation to pull herself up off the mat. Staring at her downed opponent, Katie got up and began to wrap the chain around her forearm yet again. Backing off several paces, she waited patiently for the Slayer to regain her footing. Several seconds later, the blonde obliged her and did Katie one better by turning to face her. As soon as Sarah was facing her, Katie sprinted forward and drilled a huge Running Forearm Shiver into Sarah's face. The force of the blow took Sarah completely off her feet and knocked her into what amounted to an ungainly somersault before she landed hard on her stomach, her vision nothing but a swirling mist of color.
Stalking over to the incapacitated blonde, Katie pants, "You're tougher than I ever expected Sarah. It's going to make destroying you all the much more satisfying. Now get the hell UP!"
She bent down and pulled the Slayer to her feet. Standing before the blonde, Katie initiated her next move. Taking a length of the chain, she wraps it tight around the blonde's waist, pinning her arms to her sides. Sarah struggles against the steel coils but the brunette just wrenches it tighter, causing her to cry out. Satisfied that her nemesis isn't going anywhere, Katie moves in and wraps her arms around Sarah's waist, squeezing hard. A Bear Hug at this stage in the fight would be nothing to sneeze at in a normal match, but add to it the fact that Katie had wrapped her opponent's torso in a steel chain an d the maneuver was absolute hell for whoever was suffering through it. Pulling Sarah off her feet, Katie squeezed her as hard as she could, really relishing the agonized grunts and pants that were coming from the Slayer's lungs.
Shaking her foe back and forth, Katie pushed her face into Sarah's and said, "Time to give up Slayer. Otherwise I'll crush your ribs into so much unrecognizable goo. You've got nothing left little girl and I want you to have to look into my face when you say it. So if you've got any dignity or self respect left, pull your whining face up and admit you're beaten!"
Sarah didn't respond immediately, but it didn't take long either. Pulling her face up to stare into Katie's eyes. Drawing a shuddering breath she replied, "I'll never give you that satisfaction…go screw yourself!"
Incredulous at the Slayer's gall, Katie was preparing a retort when Sarah shot her head forward and bit down hard on the brunette's nose. Katie shrieked at the pain and released the hold, her efforts being drawn towards prying the blonde off her face. Balling her hands into fists, Katie fired a series of hard shots into Sarah's tortured middle than finally got the blonde to cease her insidious gnawing. Incensed beyond rage, Katie screamed her hate at the blonde and swung a wild looping punch at her face. But the Slayer had predicted the blow and she caught Katie's wrist in both hands.
Not giving Katie a moment to recover, Sarah flipped her opponent to the mat and wasted no time in falling to the mat perpendicular to the brunette's trapped arm. Pulling the limb tight, Sarah extended both her legs around the arm and locked them at the ankles. Pausing just a moment to get her breath back, Sarah leaned back as hard as she could, applying sadistic pressure to Katie's elbow with the Cross Arm Breaker. Knowing she didn't need to exert much energy to keep Katie in tremendous pain, Sarah worked the hold methodically, increasing and then decreasing the pressure to get maximum return on her investment.
After holding Katie prone and sobbing for the better part of a minute Sarah says calmly, "I know you can't look into my face right now, but I can hear all the desperation and panic necessary to know that you can't take anymore. Submit right now and I'll let you have this arm back. Otherwise it comes home with me."
Katie fought the pain and turned her head ever so slowly so that she could address Sarah face to face, "How many times do I have to tell you Slayer; you CAN'T make me tap. I will NEVER admit defeat again. If you want to beat me, you're going to have to knock me out. Or cripple me. And I don't think you've got what it takes to do either."
"Suit yourself!" Sarah said, then went back to work on the hold. But this time when she pulled, Katie had a plan. Using her free hand, she pushed into the pressure on her arm as best she could. Ever so slowly she was able to get to a seated position, with Sarah's legs still tearing at her trapped arm. Gritting her teeth against the pain, Katie got her knees under her and then used her good arm to grasp Sarah's clasped wrists. With a tremendous surge of strength, the brunette got her feet under her and pulled up, bringing Sarah bodily up off the mat. The blonde bucked and thrashed, trying to get back on the canvas, but Katie was resolute and the Slayer's slow upward progression continued.
Eventually, the blonde was being held aloft over Katie's head, the brunette's arm still cinched in the vicious joint lock. But before Sarah could disentangle herself, Katie fell to her knees, driving Sarah's head, neck and back into the mat with a desperation Power Bomb. The landing had taken a lot out of Sarah and the counter had taken even more out of Katie. Thus, both stayed down for a good long while as the ref watched over them. After what seemed like an eternity, both women managed to get to their feet and advance towards one another. Their outstretched hands were almost brushing when Katie lunged forward and buried a knee in Sarah's gut.
The blonde doubled over and gasped for air as Katie slid around behind her and grabbed a loop of chain. Pulling Sarah upright, the brunette cinched the chain around her victim's throat and pulled with everything she had left. There was no finesse in the move it was nothing more than a strangle hold, designed to stop the breathing of whatever poor unfortunate it happened to be applied to.
Jerking Sarah back and forth, Katie spoke to her flailing victim, "Struggle all you like bitch. There's no way out for you now. No way to escape something so simple. Don't know why I didn't think of this in the first place." She punctuated her statement with another sadistic jerk on the chain.
Her voice hoarse and raspy from the choking, Sarah managed to gurgle, "There's always.....a way.....out!"
Then she brought her foot crashing down on Katie's unsuspecting toes. The brunette shrieked but didn't let go of her choke, so Sarah repeated the maneuver. The second stomp finally forced Katie to relinquish her grip and she did so grudgingly, backing away to soothe her mangled foot. Sarah on the other hand could do nothing but drop to her knees and gag, so pleased was the blonde just to breathe again. She was still in this position when Katie grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to her feet.
Smashing a jab into Sarah's face, Katie screamed, "JUST QUIT! QUIT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BEAT ME AND YOU KNOW IT!"
She was about to continue when Sarah slashed her talons upward and raked them across her face. Startled and blinded, Katie staggered away and tried to clear her vision. She as still shaking her head when Sarah grabbed her from behind and ran with her full speed toward the steel. With her vision blurry, Katie was unable to get her hands up in front of her and thus when Sarah tossed her forward, she went face first into the mesh with no warning. The tall brunette uttered a single cry before being ricocheted back into the center of the ring where she lay in a undignified tangle of limbs. Standing over her foe, Sarah took a deep breath and wiped more blood from her face.
Looking down at Katie she said, "I promised you a receipt for every heinous thing you've done over the last 8 months and I'm gonna give it to you. Even if I have to destroy myself to do it."
She pulled Katie to her feet and began a monstrous frenzy of kicks, each seeking a different target, the blows slamming into everything Katie couldn't defend. Nothing on the brunette's body was safe as the Slayer tore into her nemesis like a buzz saw through a teddy bear. After a stiff kick behind the ear dropped Katie to the canvas, Sarah dragged her foe into the middle of the ring and went for a cover. Much to her chagrin the brunette was able to kick out just before "THREE!" Not convinced that she couldn't make Katie submit, Sarah went to her opponent's legs and grabbed an ankle in each hand. Pulling the brunette's legs up, Sarah tried to thread her right leg between them, a move that would all but assure she could slap the legendary Sharpshooter on Katie.
But the brunette wasn't stupid and she was well aware of the devastating power of this hold in Sarah's arsenal. Thinking quickly, the brunette pulled her legs in close and then pistoned them out, catching Sarah right in the crotch. The blonde was catapulted back and she hit the mat with a wet thud, able to do nothing but moan and paw weakly at her hurt groin. Still shaking off the effects of Sarah's barrage, Katie got to her feet and limped over to where Sarah was recovering. Without a word the vindictive brunette brought her foot up and then down, catching Sarah right in the gut. But she wasn't through, not by a long shot. Katie rained down stomps on Sarah not focusing on any specific area, just inflicting as much damage as she could to the whole of her rival's frame. The Slayer tried to curl up to escape more punishment, but Katie had none of it, kicking away at the small of her back and her head over and over again. Finally the brutal mugging seemed to tire her out and she paused to catch her breath.
Panting, she bent and looped a coil of chain around her fist while also yanking Sarah to her feet. Standing woozy before the even woozier blonde, she gasped. "I didn't know that it would be something so simple that finally let me beat you, but I guess things very rarely turn out the way you expect them to."
Before Sarah could even mumble, Katie reared back and blasted the Slayer with a chain enhanced Uppercut. The brutal strike caught Sarah under the chin and she was spun around backwards, her knees unhinging as she crumpled to the mat. Letting the chain fall from her hand, Katie knelt beside the unmoving Sarah and muscled her onto her back. Not bothering to hook the leg, she simply draped herself over the blonde and went for the cover. 2.5 seconds later, Sarah decided she wasn't ready to quit yet.
Exhausted and furious, Katie knew there was only one move left in her arsenal that could put Sarah away. Bringing the groggy blonde to her feet, Katie planted a boot in her gut to double her over. Grabbing the kneeling blonde, she forced Sarah into the Powerbomb position. But when she lifted Sarah up she shifted her so that the small of the blonde's back was resting tightly against Katie's uninjured shoulder. As soon as the Slayer was in position Katie jumped high, tucking her legs and landing hard on her knees. The Holmes Wrecker had connected perfectly and Sarah had been bent nearly in half over the brunette's shoulder. Letting Sarah fall limp off her shoulder, Katie pushed again went for the cover, this time hooking both legs. This time Sarah had to wait 2.99 seconds before she decided to kick out.
When the Slayer brought her shoulder up, Katie went mad with anger. Screaming incoherently, Katie almost attacked the ref before she was able to redirect her fury towards the blonde. Pacing over to her victim, Katie pulled her to her feet and grabbed the blonde's right wrist. With another cry or anger, she hurtled the blonde toward the steel, set on simply battering her into submission. But Sarah managed to maintain a shred of her ring sense and she was able to halt herself before she caromed off the mesh. Instead, she grabbed a length of the chain in both hands and bounded back at Katie before springing at the surprised brunette, driving the extended length of steel right across her throat. The blow nearly decapitated Katie and she lay gagging on the mat with Sarah kneeling beside her. Fighting through the haze in her vision, Sarah stumbled to her feet and went to the corner, before slowly climbing to the top turnbuckle.
Locking her eyes on the decimated brunette Sarah whispered, "Get up Katie, I know that wasn't enough to put your stubborn ass down. Get the hell up right now."
Seconds later, Katie obliged her, getting wearily to her feet. She had just turned to face Sarah when the Slayer leapt off the top rope, hurtling at the brunette at an ungodly speed. At the last possible instant, Sarah extended her foot and drilled Katie on the point of her jaw, the top rope Thrust Kick spinning the brunette in a full circle before sending her reeling to the canvas. Sarah pushed Katie onto her back and appeared to be going for the cover, when the blonde pulled away and stood up again.
Standing over her foe she said, "I know you'd kick out, so why bother? I've still got a move or two that should finally put a stake through your miserable heart."
Sarah went to the corner and again ascended to the top rope facing Katie. She paused not a heartbeat before leaping off the top rope and, on her way down, she extended her right leg and dropped her thigh directly across Katie's face, an absolutely sensational Leg Drop!
Katie spasmed once when the Leg Drop connected and then she lay still. Now Sarah was convinced that she'd won and she wasted little time on covering Katie for the three count. But much like she had infuriated the brunette with her resilience, Katie returned the favor, kicking free just before the final count. Cursing under her breath, Sarah pulled the tall girl to her feet and immediately locked her in a Standing Headscissors. The crowd roared as they realized Sarah was going for her finisher, a debilitating Spiral Bomb.
Sarah looked out into the sea of faces and proclaimed, "THIS ENDS NOW!"
She had just bent to wrap her arms around Katie's waist when the brunette dropped to one knee and managed to get launch a fist between Sarah's thighs. The Slayer gasped and collapsed to her knees right in front of the recovering Katie. On her feet again, the exhausted, but supremely vindictive brunette hauled Sarah up and slung her over her shoulder, holding her like a sack of potatoes. Wrapping both arms around the Slayer's waist, Katie muscled her nemesis into position for the perhaps the most devastating Piledriver variant out there, the Tombstone.
Holding's Sarah's inverted frame tightly against her, Katie whispered, "Lights out for you Sarah." She rose up on her toes and fell forward, spiking the top of the blonde's head into the mat with sickening force. Sarah groaned and fell forward, sprawled lifelessly on the mat and looking very much out of it. Katie was kneeling by her head and she knew that if she went for the cover right now the match would be hers. But as great as the Tombstone was, it was something that folks had seen before. She wanted to finish the Slayer in a brand new way, one that would have everyone talking for years to come. Getting slowly to her feet, Katie croaked, "Rise and shine Sarah, it's not time for this to be over just yet."
Then she limped over to the corner with her captive in tow. Reaching the corner, she raised a hand to the collar around her neck and slowly undid the clasp. Ignoring the complaint of the ref, Katie wrapped the chain around her arm over and over again, until there wasn't much slack separating her from the blonde. Satisfied with the situation, she began to climb the turnbuckles, and then the cage itself, letting the chain out slowly behind her to make sure she could get to the top, but still holding enough to carry out her plan. Several seconds later, she reached the top of the 15 foot high monstrosity without as much as a twitch from her blonde victim.
Sitting on one corner of the cage, Katie looked down and said quietly, "No one's ever gonna forget this night Sarah. Least of all you." She began to slowly recoil the chain, pulling Sarah first against and then up the turnbuckles. It became clear that Katie's plan was to simply pull the Slayer up the cage by the chain and hold her there until she choked the remaining fight out of her As her feet left the mat, Sarah began to thrash fighting wildly at Katie's makeshift noose. But she couldn't get any real purchase and Katie continued hauling her in, strangling the life out of her at the same time. In about ten seconds, Katie had pulled Sarah up past the turnbuckles and now the blonde was kicking wildly only a few feet below her sadistically grinning tormentor.
It looked as if Sarah was about to simply go limp, when she suddenly managed to get her arms behind her. Still flailing, she grabbed hold of the cage for dear life and using nothing but upper body strength, began to pull her way upwards, simultaneously getting herself closer to Katie and relieving the pressure on her neck. Katie couldn't believe it, and she tried her best to knock the Slayer back down but she couldn't do too much for fear of slipping from her own precarious perch. Agonizing seconds later, the Slayer had pulled herself even with the brunette and slung one leg over the top of the cage, creating a temporary sanctuary. Two furious sets of eyes locked and for a second there was nothing but silence between the two as Sarah reached up and slowly undid the collar from around her neck. Finally free of the chain, she tossed it down and looked at the brunette.
In a great heaving gasp, Sarah said, "Nice fucking try!"
Exhausted from all the lifting, Katie hissed, "Why won't you just stay down?"
"Because somebody has to make you pay for what you've done." Sarah responded.
"It's not going to be you!!" Katie spat as she launched a punch at Sarah's head.
The Slayer took the punch and responded with one of her own, both ladies now rocking dangerously at the top of the cage. Katie fired back and Sarah reciprocated, the two rivals mindlessly hammering at one another high above the frenzied crowd. Finally Sarah seemed to take control of the contest and she rocked the brunette with several unanswered blows. The last sent Katie flailing back, dangerously close to crashing down into the ring, but she was able to get a hold of Sarah's shoulder at the last second. Holding on with everything she had, Katie fixed Sarah with a glance of unadulterated hate. Sarah returned the look and pulled back her free arm, ready to smash it into Katie's face and send the brunette hurtling to the mat below.
"Go to hell," she whispered.
"Only if you come with me!" Katie sneered as she lunged upwards. In one frantic motion she'd wrapped both arms around the Slayer's shoulders. Before Sarah could protest, Katie pulled back with all her weight, finally unbalancing the 2 gladiators. The blonde and the brunette went hurtling towards the mat and hit with a sickening thud, one right beside the other. At this point if the ref were still conscious he would have called for the bell, but in a stroke of bad luck, he'd been squashed underneath the two women as they fell to earth. He was out like a light and would remain so for the rest of this encounter.
Over the massive, "HOLY SHIT" chants coming from the crowd, Sarah and Katie lay beside each other, eyes closed, breathing short and shallow. After almost 2 minutes, Sarah managed to sit up very slowly and survey the situation around her. The ref was down and Katie was down. It looked like she was the last one left standing but there was no way to know for sure with the ref being down. Deciding she had one last shot to put Katie in her place, the blonde got to her feet before very slowly pulling Katie to her knees. Stumbling forward, she locked on the Stranding Headscissors again and wrapped her arms around Katie's waist. Gripping her victim as tightly as strength would allow, Sarah hoisted the brunette up into position for the Spiral Bomb. With Katie's crotch mere inches from her face, the Slayer began to spin in a slow circle, gradually picking up speed as she went along. After 4 full revolutions, she felt her balance and strength ebbing away and she sat out hard, driving Katie's head, shoulders and back into the mat. The crowd roared at the successful application of the Spiral Bomb, and Sarah roared one word back at them, "COUNT!"
Obeying the command of their heroine, the crown began the final count of the evening. "ONE........TWO.........THR...."
And that's when the lights went out!!! The crowd stopped counting right in the middle of "THREE", seemingly unsure what to do next. Their loud roar was replaced by a curious buzz as they instinctively knew SOMEthing interesting had happened every time the lights went out. Yet, both Sarah and Katie were accounted for, so who knew what the hell was going on! Speaking of Sarah, when the lights cut out, she had kicked Katie away from her and gotten slowly to her feet, unsure of herself in the pitch darkness. Trying to adjust her eyes to the gloom, the Slayer suddenly had the certain feeling that someone else was in the ring with her. Perhaps several someone's. Maintaining her position, she assumed a defensive stance and waited for the lights to return. But after another fifteen seconds of darkness it was apparent that the lights didn't want to come back on.
Quite sure that she wasn't alone in the ring, Sarah was in the middle of saying, "What the hell's going on here?"
Then the speakers spat a burst of static and an eerie but distinctive guitar riff played through the club (the savvy rock fan would have recognized it as a slightly punkified version to the opening of the Rolling Stones Paint It Black.) The blonde was just about to repeat her query when the lights did come back on, seemingly much brighter than before. The sudden return of the light blinded the Slayer and for a few seconds she didn't even see the newcomers.
But as her vision cleared it became obvious that there were 2 women standing behind the now kneeling Katie. As she shook off her confusion, Sarah watched as Katie got to her feet and locked eyes with her. Seeing the question in the blonde's eyes, Katie looked over her shoulder at the women behind her. It was at about that time when Sarah recognized the intruders. They were 2 women Sarah had never faced in the ring, but knew quite a lot about, the phenomenal rookie Erica Durance and an old fan favorite suddenly turned cruel heel, Kristin Kreuk. Both had their eyes locked dead on the two women in front of them, and neither Katie or Sarah seemed quite sure of what to do.
Finding her voice, Sarah croaked, "I don't know what the hell you 2 think you're doing, but you better get out. I have some business to finish here and I'm in no mood for uninvited guests." When the two interlopers remained silent, Sarah took a shuffling step forward and repeated, "I said get OUT N...."
Katie turned her head to face the blonde. A malevolent smile broke out on her face. Very quietly she said, "They are my business Sarah. Say hello to my new friends."
Sarah stopped dead in her tracks. She knew this was a very bad situation. Looking at her nemesis she said flatly, "You're the ones who mugged Tiffani last week??"
Katie smiled again, "Guilty as charged."
Sarah got angry, "So this is how you want it to end between us Katie? A screw job ending where your little goon squad comes in for a 3 on 1 beat down? I thought even you were better than this."
"You don't get it Slayer. This isn't the end. This is just the beginning. The beginning of the end for you, Fannin and everyone else in this stinking promotion." smirked Katie as Kristin and Erica began to advance.
"And your math is off, Slayer." Kristin taunted quietly. She held up one hand, fingers spread. "There are actually FIVE of us."
This revelation hit Sarah like a lightning bolt, and the blonde whirled behind her to face the as of yet unseen threat. She hadn't even turned all the way around when two feet blasted her under the chin and knocked her senseless.
Laying in a pained sprawl for a moment she could only see a hazy blur and hear Katie's voice, "I don't think my other associates need any introduction, as you've had business with them before."
At this point her eyes focused and she saw the two brunettes looming over her. Sarah groaned inwardly as she recognized Ashley Scott and her tag team partner, a woman Sarah had nearly driven into seclusion during the summer, the Dark Angel Jessica Alba. Smirking at the expression on Sarah's face, Jessica bent down and hauled the blonde to her feet.
Going nose to nose with the Slayer, Jessica hissed, "You almost ended my career Sarah! Then you made me into a laughingstock! Well whose laughing now slut? Who's getting slain now, Sarah? Your ass belongs to us!" She slapped Sarah across the face and shoved her roughly to her knees.
Shaking off the blow and the shock of what was happening, Sarah mumbled, "You'll never get away with this."
Katie laughed coldly, "What're you; a goddam TV show? Look around Sarah, we've already gotten away with it. And tonight we're going to send a message to everyone. And you're our sacrificial lamb."
"Fuck you Katie!" Sarah hissed as she lunged up and toward the ring leader of this dark cabal.
But she didn't get two steps before Ashley and Jessica were holding her securely. Katie glared down at Sarah and said, "No Sarah, fuck YOU!"
She backed off and looked at her four followers. Waving a hand dismissively, she said, "She's yours. Do want you want to her. But don't cripple her. I want her to be around to watch as we take this place apart piece by piece."
"No problem boss!" answered Erica as, turning to Jessica she added, "You want first dibs, Angel?"
"Damn straight!" sneered the Dark Angel.
Pulling Sarah into her, the brunette bent her painfully backward, holding her in position for the Future Shock. Grinning wickedly, Jessica cinches a handful of tights and lifts Sarah off the mat, while still holding her head under her arm. The blonde's legs float out uselessly in front of her as she reaches the apex of her upward momentum. As Jessica feels Sarah begin to descend, she pivots her waist and falls to the canvas, driving the full length of Sarah's back into the canvas. The Slayer hits with a sick thud and lays still, all but unconscious. Jessica looks down at her victim and smiles before dragging her to her feet.
"Who's next?" she asked cheerfully.
"ME!" answered Erica.
Jessica just nodded and tossed Sarah toward the big brunette. Erica brought her foot up and planted it Sarah's belly as she stumbled forward, doubling her over. Stepping forward she put her in the standing Headscissors position. Wrapping her arms around Sarah's sweat soaked waist, Erica lifted her up high, until the small of the Slayer's back came to rest on the point of Erica's shoulder. With her hands clasped firmly just below Sarah's breasts, Erica began to spin in a circle, picking up speed until her rotations were of a dizzying speed. Just when it seemed she could keep up this pace no longer, she did two things simultaneously. She flipped Sarah forward and off her shoulder while still gripping her around the chest and she also sat out, landing hard on her butt. The effect of this devastating move was to smash the full length of the blonde's face, chest, stomach and legs into the mat for the second time in as many minutes. This time when Sarah hit, she didn't even shudder, she was out cold. But still Katie's acolytes weren't finished.
Pulling the unresisting weight of the blonde up, Ashley trapped her in a Front Face Lock with her left arm while simultaneously hooking the Slayer's left leg with her right arm, the set up for a Fisherman's suplex. Instead, the Huntress lifted the Slayer directly over her head and held her there for just a second before sitting out and smashing the top of Sarah's head into the mat with a devilishly clever combination Fisherman's Brainbuster and Piledriver, she called it the Fallen Angel. By this point the fans were screaming for someone to stop the assault, but there was no way for the hoard of officials crowding around the cage door to get in. The padlock was still intact and the unconscious referee had the only key.
Pulling the blonde up one last time, Ashley threw Sarah to Kristin and said, "Looks like you're the last K."
"I'll make it a good one!" smiled the green eyed girl, forcing Sarah's head between her legs and wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist.
She lifted the Slayer into position for a traditional Powerbomb, then with Sarah's legs hanging limp on either side of her head, Kristin deviated from the normal course and, instead of slamming the Slayer, she pushed up and out on the blonde's legs sending them trailing out behind her which put Sarah's head much closer to Kristin's hands. As gravity began to pull the blonde down Kristin grabbed Sarah's head in both hands and sat out hard. The Slayer landed face and chest first on the mat, hitting with an ungodly crash, the hapless blonde finally being finished by Kristin's "Beautiful Letdown" finisher. Standing over the carnage they'd created, the 4 brunettes were all smiles as Katie walked between them and stood over the destroyed Slayer.
She was about to say something when a voice from outside the cage called, "Don't touch her again Katie or I swear to God I'll sic the entire roster on your little get together."
Katie looked up with a look of mild disappointment as she saw Richard Fannin at the edge of the cage. The promoter had finally made his way out to the ring when it was obvious the zebras weren't getting the job done. Now the promoter faced off with Katie from the other side of the steel.
"Look girls, the fuzz has arrived," Katie laughed quietly. The others remained silent, watching the confrontation with silent amusement.
"So this is what she was warning me about!" Rich laughed. "I thought she was just being paranoid but it seems I've got my own little insurgency to deal with. What's this all about Katie? If you wanted a title shot you could've just asked for one. Or more promo time or a fucking puppy, I don't know what the hell it is you want, but if you don't stop attacking my talent I'll.."
"YOU WON'T DO SHIT!" Katie roared. "You don't get it Rich and you never will. This is about respect. We never got it from these fans or anyone else in the locker room. We've always been relegated to 2nd tier status, jeered at and ogled over when we win, or mocked and berated when we lose. I'm sick of being treated like a nobody because we wouldn't sink to the depths of some of the other so called stars in this second rate league. Well if these assholes want depravity and violence, they're going to get more than they ever bargained for. The five of us aren't going to rest until we've toppled everyone you and these people hold dear. We're going to run roughshod over this little house you built and if you can't do a damn thing about it! The Darkness has just gone public Richard Fannin, and there's a long night ahead. You better pray for dawn!" She finished her rant and stepped back to join her followers.
Standing next to the cage, Fannin said quietly, "Sarah's not the only one you know. There are others who are going to fight you tooth and nail every step of the way. You're in for a hell of a war Katie!"
Katie looked nonplused, "Gather everyone you can Rich, send them our way and we'll mow them down."
"This isn't over!" Fannin replied.
"You're right!" Katie said. "It's only the beginning. Goodnight Richard Fannin." And if her last words had been a talisman, the lights in the club went out and stayed out for several seconds. When they come on again, Katie and her followers were gone, seemingly vanished into thin air.
Looking around, Fannin shook his head and mumbled, "This is gonna be bad."Then he collected himself and began issuing orders to the horde of officials still crowding the ring. Moments later, they managed to get the door off the cage and the medics were finally able to get in to attend to Sarah. As they hauled the valiant Slayer away on a stretcher, Fannin watched her go and muttered, "Looks like I'd better get an army together."
With that he pushed the refs aside and followed the medics through the curtain, disappearing from view.
The End - of the beginning!