Luckily for the assembled multitude, their curiosity appeared to be on the verge of being sated because just at that moment Jordana Brewster pushed through the curtain and stalked her way towards the ring. Those expecting to see the Jordana of a typical evening were disappointed to note that she headed to the squared circle with none of her usual swagger and strut; tonight she moved fast and steady, it would have been obvious to even the dimmest of individuals that she was a woman with something important on her mind. Reaching the edge of the ring, Jordana forwent the pleasantries of the steps and simply slid lithely under the bottom rope before popping to her feet and making a beeline for the mystified Announcer.

Without so much as a word, she snatched the microphone from his hand and dismissed him with an acidic glance. Tapping the top to make sure the mic was live, Jordana rudely brushed some hair from her face and stared out at the crowd for a moment. Apparently finding her voice, she took a deep breath and started, “There’s something I need to make clear right now. For the last few weeks, ever since my match with Alyson, that locker room and all you people have been whispering behind my back. Asking questions like, “Who’d you get out of the ring so fast Jordana? Did you know what was going to go down? Are you in league with the Hood Jordana? Or even better, and I love this last one…. Why are you doing this Jordana Brewster, why are you wearing the hood?” She spat out the word ‘hood’ like it had been dripped in some vile poison.

Pacing around the ring, she was silent for another moment and then continued, “For the most part, these questions are utterly ridiculous and insulting as well. But in the interest on clearing my name, I’m going to do you all you idiots a public service and answer them now. First off, I got out of the ring fast because I’d just been dropped right on my head and had no urge to stay around and celebrate with the girl who had put me there. Secondly, I didn’t KNOW anything was coming, but if the last few weeks have been any indication it would be cripplingly stupid of anyone to hang out in the ring once the lights went out. Not being cripplingly stupid, I made a hasty retreat and was nearly all the way up the ramp before the first lights even came back on. There’s no mystery there, she who fights and runs away lives to fight another day.”

She shook her head angrily, visibly infuriated that she had been put on trial by her peers and the fans without ever having her say, so now she was having her say, and god help anyone who tried to cut her mic or pull her out of the ring before she was done. Reaching the most salient point of her rant, Jordana brought the microphone back to her lips and finished, “And last but definitely not least…. And I want everyone within the sound of my voice to stop whatever they’re doing and pay very close attention because if anyone asks me about this after tonight, I swear to God I will bash their brains in; I HAVE NEVER AT ANY TIME, BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOOD OR KNOWN WHO SHE IS. AND I HAVE CERTAINLY NEVER WORN THE HOOD. IF THAT COWARDLY BITCH EVER INTERFERES IN ONE OF MY MATCHES AGAIN, WIN OR LOSE, SHE’S GOING TO END UP SPATTERED ALL OVER THIS RING COURTESY OR YOURS TRULY.”

Taking a ragged panting breath, she paused for several seconds then asked quietly, “Have I made myself clear?”

Getting nothing but the buzz from the audience, Jordana tossed the mic down and exited the ring. She’d made it about three steps before the lights went out. Suddenly the crowd was doing more than buzzing, they were roaring in surprise wondering if this was going to be another appearance by the mystery woman. Their question was answered rather definitively when the speakers peeled off the opening to Paint it Black, only to immediately segue into Vermillion. When the blood red spotlights came on, Jordana was still in the ring and the Hood was standing right behind her. Jordana cursed the fact that she hadn’t taken her own advice and whirled on her heel, looking to surprise the interloper, but the Hood sensed the attack coming and stepped back, easily avoiding the brunette’s wild swing. With Jordana off balance, the mystery woman planted a boot in her gut and doubled her over. In the same fluid motion, the hooded woman scooped Jordana up, holding her parallel across her shoulders in the beginnings of a Torture Rack.

But instead of merely locking in the Rack, the Interloper pushed up on Jordana’s butt and sent the brunette flipping off her shoulders to be driven chest first into mat, the same Inverted Death Valley Driver she had used in many of her previous attacks. Standing over the unconscious form of the woman who’d just called her out, the Hood easily picked Jordana up and tossed her through the middle ropes, leaving her in a battered pile on the floor. (This time there was no question of what happened to her as everyone saw a few zebras rush in and pull her to safety).

Having disposed of the brunette, the interloper shifted her gaze to the entryway and lifted her arms out to her sides, the eerie reproduction of Katie Holmes’ signal that she’d used since day one. The speakers spat static and the toneless yet obviously female voice demanded, “KATIE COME HOME!”

In the next moment, she lowered her arms and the crowd prepared for the lights to go dark yet again, but instead, the red lights were replaced by the more typical house lights, leaving the hood in perfectly normal illumination for the first time since her arrival. If a cloaked figure can show surprise, the Hood did exactly that, this interruption had obviously not been on her agenda. She had just started towards one side of the ring, perhaps ready to make her exit when the speakers spat static again and sent the haunting opening chord of Got You (Where I Want You) through the club.

If the mob had been mesmerized before, now they were positively in a frenzy as Katie Holmes pushed through the curtain and watched the Hood from the top of the ramp. Clad in black leather pants, a midnight blue tank top and the always-present motorcycle jacket, Katie locked eyes with her unknown tormentor from across the arena and just waited. For several seconds the Hood did nothing and then, very slowly, she raised both arms out to her sides, replicating the cross gesture a second time that night.

Nodding once, Katie raised her mic to her lips and said, “Come home? Be careful what you wish for…you just might get it.”

She dropped the microphone without a second glance and shrugged the jacket from her shoulders. With the crowd’s roars ringing in her ears, Holmes exploded forward in a dead run, intent on wrapping her hands around the throat of whoever it was that had been tormenting her for weeks. In an instant she was under the bottom rope and back on her feet, charging the mystery woman who hadn’t retreated an inch since Katie started her charge.

Growling low in her throat, the tall brunette hurled herself at the Hood only to have the other woman step back at the last second, leaving Katie clawing at the air in front of her shadowed face. Moving faster than the eye could follow; the interloper whipped her hands up and flicked them together. Katie had only a split second to see what was coming and turn her head to the side, thus avoiding an injury that could have ended her career. In front of the startled crowd, a bloom of intense red fire exploded from the Hood’s hands and almost directly in Katie’s face. Blinded by the sudden glare, Kate swung wildly at her nemesis but the Hood dodged these blows easily and simply floored her opponent with a short brutal kick between Katie’s legs. The taller girl shrieked her agony and collapsed to her knees before falling onto her side. Still blinded by the devilish light, Katie only saw haze when she tried to open her eyes to face her attacker.

Holmes was still trying to make out the Hood’s outline when the cloaked girl made it much easier by straddling the brunette’s waist and leaning right down into her face. Smirking because she knew Holmes couldn’t possibly make out her face, the Hood grabbed the squirming brunette by the throat and whispered in her own voice, “You really think I wasn’t prepared for this? I’m willing to let you keep breathing because HE wants you back, but if you ever try something that stupid again, I’ll break your neck without hesitation. You’re going to come back to the Darkness Katie Holmes, but you’re going to do it on our terms. And if my little speech hasn’t persuaded you of that fact, perhaps this will.”

The Hood’s words were still hanging over Katie when she felt the crazy bitch push off her and scramble away (in the chaos that was soon to follow, no one saw where she went after leaving the ring). Pushing up on her haunches, Katie rubbed at her eyes for several seconds and was in the process of getting up when someone tapped her on the head. Katie’s face went pale as she realized what was coming but she was far too late to dodge and less than a second later, she was showered with another gout of liquid crimson pouring from the rafters. Sputtering and gagging as the foul smelling stuff poured over her, Katie waited for the last of the Red Rain to stop and then got her feet under her very slowly.

Her vision finally clearing, Holmes looked down at herself and then out at the mystified crowd and, not caring that she didn’t have a mic, she drew a deep breath and screamed at the top of her lungs, “I’LL FIND YOU! DO YOU HEAR ME! I’LL FIND YOU!”

Spent, she lowered her head and trudged to the edge of the ring and made her exit, leaving the maintenance crew to clean up the mess in the ring before any more of the night’s scheduled activities could begin.

******

A couple hours to the north of Denver lay a small, pleasant little Colorado town by the name of Ferndale. Now this town really wasn’t known for all that much, it was just a rather pleasant out of the way place for those seeking peace and quiet whether they be the occasional tourist or the citizenry themselves. And let’s be honest, given the rather hectic pace of today’s typical existence a place like Ferndale was a positive Godsend for folks that couldn’t deal with another day of the rat race or the seemingly non-stop schedule that was an apparent requisite to survive and thrive in some of it larger neighbors. But as peaceful as the town was, every now and then there was a small but noticeable rumble among the residents wishing for something a little more exciting to bring even a temporary dash of excitement to the sedate little community. Well, in early March it appeared that this excitement-craving segment of the populace was going to get its wish. A small but rather upscale combination of restaurant and nightclub was going to be opening in the heart of Ferndale’s downtown and despite the new establishment’s odd name (who in the world called their place THE WICKER MAN, they wondered) a vast majority of the town was expectantly waiting for the place to have it’s grand opening celebration.

Of course, if you’re still reading at this point, you’re probably well aware that The Wicker Man was the most recent brainchild of one Richard Fannin and you’re probably also well aware that the eccentric promoter had booked an impressive card for the inaugural show at his brand new facility and despite a rather unpleasant incident about half way through the card (I won’t go into it again, if you were here you saw it and your nameless narrator has no urge to revisit said nastiness) things were going swimmingly and now it was time for the night’s Main Event. A high profile rematch that would see Katherine Heigl pitted against Jessica Biel; it was a pairing that had captured the fans attention from the very beginning and the first crowd at the Wicker Man counted themselves lucky to get to see these Amazons collide in person. OK, I’ve been talking too long and the Announcer is all ready to do his shtick. So without any further adieu, let’s go the ring shall we?

Bringing the mic to his lips the Announcer pauses for a beat before saying, “Ladies and Gentlemen, it is time for tonight’s Main Event! Introducing first, she stands at 5 feet 9 inches, they call her Katherine the Great, allow me to introduce…. Katherine Heigl!”

Marilyn Manson’s cover of Sweet Dreams hits the speakers as Kat strides through the curtain. Surveying her loyal subjects from the top of the ramp, Kat breaks her pose and makes her way toward the ring, slapping hands and smiling at her fans the entire way. For her second encounter with Jessica, she’s wearing her typical two-piece powder blue bikini with matching boots and pads. Her long blonde hair hangs loose on her shoulders and she climbs the steel steps and makes her way through the ropes. Climbing the ropes in her corner, Kat flexes her biceps for the roaring fans, flashing a confidant grin before hopping back the canvas, acing the ramp to await the arrival of her latest nemesis.

“And introducing her opponent, she stands at 5 feet 8 inches tall, she is Jessica Biel!”

Slither hits the speakers as Jessica makes her way through the curtain and stalks quickly toward the ring. As of late, Jessica’s taken wearing a teal two-piece bikini with matching pads, boots and wristbands. Her blonde mane hangs loose on her toned shoulders, looking just as ready for battle as the rest of her. Reaching the edge of the ring, Biel hops up on the apron and stands there a moment before slipping under the middle rope. Going to her corner, Jess raises both arms overhead as she awaits the bell.

The bell rang loudly and the second encounter between Katherine Heigl and Jessica Biel was officially on. For the two women in the ring, there was nothing but the task at hand. The roar of the crowd didn’t matter, the bizarre events of earlier in the evening didn’t matter, and even the threat of another appearance by the mysterious Hood didn’t matter. For Jess and Kat, all the mattered was the girl standing on the opposite side of the squared circle and just how she was going to tear her limb from limb.

Taking a deep breath, Heigl exhaled slowly, and then rolled her shoulders. Stepping out of her corner she strode briskly out of her corner and headed for middle ring, confidant that she wouldn’t be along there for very long. In this assertion she was correct because at the very moment the blonde was working through her last minute jitters, Jessica Biel was shifting her weight from foot to foot, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet trying to work out any kinks that might be lurking in her otherwise flawless frame. Finding nothing out of place, Jess nodded to herself and stalked out of the corner just as Katherine was doing the same. Making sure her eyes never left the blonde’s, Jess made a beeline for her opponent.

Forgoing anything resembling tact, Biel went nose to nose with her powerful rival, blatantly chesting into Heigl while she stared her down. Returning Kat’s sinister stare with equal venom, Jessica’s lips barely registered movement as she whispered, “I’m so glad you came back for more Kat. You got up too fast for me to have any fun last time. This time, I’m gonna leave you laying. You’ll start your long horizontal stay in the middle of the ring, but you’ll finish it up in a hospital bed. But I’m getting ahead of myself, first I’m gonna grind ya down. Then I’m gonna smother you out. And there’s nothing you can do to prevent it… Kitty.”

Still locked in the tense stare down with the determined blonde, Kat’s eyes narrowed for a moment and then she fired back, “You won’t beat me back to back Jessica Biel. I took the best you could throw at me last time and it was still just barely enough to keep me down for the three. Tonight ends differently. You’re gonna stay down for a lot longer than a three count, and I guarantee right now that you won’t draw an unobstructed breath until you beg me to lift my tits off your face.”

Pausing for a moment she stepped forward, chesting even more forcefully into her nemesis, then raising both hands over her head, she curled her fingers towards Jessica and asked, “Are you ready to kneel at my feet Jesse?”

The powerful blonde seethed at the implication and she wasted no time in accepting Kat’s challenge. Slowly bringing her palms level with Kat’s, she laced fingers with the blonde and locked in the test of strength. As she started to pour her considerable power into the hold, Biel hissed malevolently, “I kneel to no one, especially not a douche-bag bitch like you.”

Returning the pressure Biel put into the hold with some of her own, Heigl sneered back, “You don’t get it, I’m not giving you the option. That’s what’s going to make it so fun.”

Then the pair of rivals was silent as they both focused all their concentration on shattering the stalemate and enforcing her physical will upon the other. But their impasse continued for quite a while, though none in attendance would have said this was a bad thing; the beauties pushed and strained against one another, arms quivering tensely over their heads, legs planted solidly behind, chests pressed tightly together, sculpted backsides nearly thrumming as each threw everything she had into overwhelming the other’s considerable defenses.

Just when it seemed the situation was destined to remain unchanged, Katherine shifted her weight to allow herself a breath. Instantly, Jessica rose up on her toes and shoved down hard. The sudden movement caught Kat off guard and the blonde snarled under her breath as Biel forced a wobble to shudder through her previously steady thighs. Katherine gritted her teeth and tried to push back up, but now Biel had height on her side and she worked the advantage to the hilt. The blonde pushed down even harder and slowly forced Heigl first to one knee and then the other. The toned blonde couldn’t stand being forced to kneel before her hated rival but try as she might to regain her vertical base, Jessica held her firm. As Katherine knelt unwilling before her, Jess decided it was time to raise the stakes.

Squeezing down even tighter on Katherine’s hands, Biel looked into her foe’s frowning face and taunted, “How’re you gonna smother me from down there Kat? You gonna beg me and pray I decide to just fall over and let you put those flabby knockers of yours in my face? Well dream on bitch, I’m gonna break your wrists and then the rest of you can go on the scrap heap too.”

She ended her threat by twisting violently on Kat’s wrists, forcing a small but noticeable hiss of pain from the other blonde. Right then and there, Kat Heigl vowed that she was going to make Jessica Biel beg for mercy even if she had to break every bone in her body to do so. Using the burning ache in her arms and shoulders as motivation, Kat loosened up for a split second and then shoved up violently, trying to regain her footing. The sudden burst of strength threw Jessica off her game and the blonde was unable to keep Kat from regaining her vertical base.

Moments later they were face to face again and the blonde smiled smugly into Jessica’s angry countenance as she purred, “I told you ya weren‘t strong enough to keep me down.” Before Jess could get a word in, Kat shoved down with all her might and now Biel was the one who found herself sinking to her knees. Relishing the reversal of their position, Kat twisted Jessica’s wrists sharply, making the other blonde wince. Noting with some satisfaction the proximity of Jessica’s face to her thinly veiled crotch, Katherine chided, “Give it up right now Jessica. Give up, then pucker up and kiss my stomach. If you do, I promise the smother won’t last more than three minutes tops.”

She thrust her abs forward, putting the smooth plank of her tummy mere inches from Jessica’s snarling features.

Inwardly boiling at this galling twist of fate, Jess found her voice and snarled, “NOT… ON… YOUR… LIFE…CUNT!”

With an explosive roar of anger, Biel surged off her knees and regained her vertical base, again returning the Test to its original stalemate. Taking less than a second to smile savagely into Kat’s face, Jess took a half step back then hurtled forward and smashed chest first into Katherine. The blonde gasped as the impact knocked the wind out of her and weakened her grip on her rival. Winded, she staggered back a step only to have Jess repeat the chest ramming maneuver three more times, each breast squashing collision driving her closer and closer to the ropes. After a fifth application of this brutally simple maneuver, Kat felt the cables pressing roughly into her back and she was slightly relieved to know she could soon force Jess to break the hold.

But before Heigl could demand release, Jessica gave it willingly; only to immediately grab her right wrist in both hands. Again leaning all her weight into the other blonde, Jess got her lips against Kat’s ear and sneered, “Fuck you Kat Heigl; fuck you and anybody who thinks you ever had a chance of beating me!”

Again, Biel didn’t give her opponent time to respond; he took a step back and whipped Kat across the ring, watching with a discerning eye as the other blonde bounced off the ropes and charged back towards her. Backing into the ropes for a moment, Jess shot forward a few paces and then launched herself into the air, aiming the point of her shoulder directly at Katherine’s ample cleavage. The Flying Shoulder Block connected with a meaty ‘THUD’ and Jessica Biel accomplished what very few could claim. She knocked Katherine Heigl off her feet with one blow. The tackle knocked the wind out of Kat and she rolled to her side, quickly curling into a loose ball as she tried to force the wind back into her lungs.

Scrambling to her feet, Jess wasn’t about to let Kat have any recovery time and she proved as much by leaning down and burying both hands in Kat’s golden locks. With a vicious yank, Biel hoisted Heigl to her feet and yanked her from side to side, just because she could. Releasing her grip, Jessica dropped into a brawling stance and proceeded to go to town on Kat’s rack with a wicked series of jabs and uppercuts that had the normally stoic blonde crying out in agony. Laughing haughtily as Kat slumped forward in a sloppy clinch if only to stop the assault on her jugs, Jessica smirked, “All right, you don’t want to brawl, that’s fine by me. There are plenty of ways to prove my absolute superiority over your sorry ass.”

Not wasting another breath, Biel bent down and slipped an arm between Kat’s legs and rudely cupped her butt. She slung her free arm over the other blonde’s shoulder and hoisted her into the air, bringing her up into the stall position for a traditional Body Slam. Striding arrogantly towards one corner of the ring, Jess pinched and kneaded Kat’s defenseless rear while she yelled to the mob, “BET YOU’VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE TREAT KAT THIS SHABBILY BEFORE HAVE YA? WELL KEEP WATCHING, CUZ THIS AIN’T NOTHING COMPARED TO HOW SHABBY I’M GONNA TREAT HER LATER ON!”

As the crowd urged her on, Jessica suddenly took three loping steps forward and then tossed Kat out in front of her, sending the other big blonde soaring through the air in a beautiful arc that ended when she slammed into the mat damn near on the other side of the ring. Licking her lips like someone about to enjoy a decadent dessert, Jessica primly adjusted her teal bottoms and then sauntered across the squared circle so that she was standing at Kat’s side, just by her head. Knowing the downed blonde was still preoccupied with the pain in her back, Biel prepared to give her a new pain to worry about.

Crouching down slightly, Jess leapt upwards in a perfect high jump, at the apex of which she extended both gloriously toned legs out in front of her. Less than a second later, gravity reclaimed her and she came crashing down thigh first on Kat’s face, completing a textbook Leg Drop. Grinning arrogantly as Kat groaned and twisted with the impact, Jess stayed planted on her haunches, putting both boots in Katherine’s side before arrogantly kicking her over onto her stomach. Satisfied with Kat’s position, Jess got to her feet and then positioned herself so that she was standing with one leg on either side of Kat’s waist.

Looking down at her stunned opposition, Biel put both hands on her hips and said coldly, “I’m going to break your back!”

Jess bent over and grabbed hold of Kat’s wrists, one in each hand, then she planted her right foot directly between the other blonde’s shoulders. Tightening her grip, Jessica pulled up hard, stretching out Kat’s arms full length and put intense pressure on her victim’s shoulders with the Surfboard.

Stomping down hard on Kat’s back, Biel jiggled her grip on Kat’s wrists and demands, “Give up bitch! Give it up or I’ll tear your arms off and beat you with em! Betcha won’t be nearly as intimidating as an amputee!”

She stomped down again, taking the time to grind the heel of her boot deep into the base of Kat’s neck. Growling in anger and pain as Jessica tortured her, Katherine was defiant, even when faced with the risk of great bodily harm.

Flipping some hair from her face, Kat sneered back, “No way am I giving up Biel! All you’re doing is helping me work up a nice sweat which will make tit smothering you all the more pleasurable!”

Infuriated with the insinuation, Biel wrenched back even harder on the hold and snarled, “You just don’t get it do you?” Trying to make Kat understand, Jess planted her boot against the back of the blonde’s head and then stamped down hard, releasing her grip on Kat’s wrists as she did so. Kat’s face took an extremely short but extremely unpleasant trip to the mat and her whole body shuddered, as she was driven cheek first into the canvas. Looking to clarify her previous statement, Biel leaned down and hauled Kat to her feet again. Grabbing Heigl by the straps of her top, Jess slammed her back against the ropes and spread her arms out to the sides.

Running her hands over the just beginning to sweat swell of Kat’s chest, Jessica lightly squeezed her captive’s rack and whispered, “Don’t you see Kat? I’m not afraid of these. I’ve got nothing to fear from these because they’re attached to you, and I’ve already beaten you. Why should I be worried about your pathetic, overrated TITS?”

Her soft whisper became a roaring scream as Jessica clamped down tight, pinching and mauling Katherine’s breasts through the flimsy material of her bikini top. Working like a woman on a mission, Biel did as much damage as fast as she could in a short time; tearing, twisting, kneading and outright abusing Kat’s undefended boobs while her blonde victim could merely sob in pained indignation and push ineffectually at her hips or shoulders. Trying her best to stifle another quaking sob, Kat opened her eyes and she understood with utter clarity what must be done. Not thinking, only acting, Kat whipped her left hand up and thrust her thumb into Jessica’s eye, drawing a startled yelp of protest from the preoccupied blonde.

As Biel staggered away trying to protect her face, Kat cleared the cobwebs and muttered, “I’ll tear your head off for that you smarmy bitch.”

Quite content to start small, Heigl pushed out of the ropes and shot a foot up, aiming right for Jessica’s navel. But if Kat was hoping to drive the wind from her foe, she was sorely disappointed when Biel shot her hands out and gripped her by the ankle.

Blowing a loose strand of hair from her face, Jessica looked smug at her awkwardly balanced foe at taunted, “Getting desperate aren’t you, whore? Well prepare for that to turn into full-blown panic, cuz it’ll soon be painfully clear that YOU CAN’T BEAT ME!”

Simultaneous with her last word, Jess hauled Kat towards and released her ankle, only to immediately wrap both arms around the other blonde’s hips. With no discernible effort, Jessica rose up on her toes and then dropped to one knee, slamming the posted joint deep between Kat’s thighs with an eye watering Inverted Atomic Drop. Kat’s mouth dropped open in a silent scream and again she felt herself falling forward only to be caught in Jessica’s arms once again. Whirling her dazed adversary around, Biel grabbed a callous handful of hair and bent Kat backwards, neatly tucking Kat’s chin into the crook of her armpit to secure an Inverted Face Lock.

Reaching forward with a free hand, Jess cinched up a handful of tights. Prepped and ready to deliver her next move, she looked out at the mob and called, “Won’t be long now! I feel a Biel Bomb coming in fasTTTEERRGGHHH!”

The last word trailed off in a bleary shout of pain as Kat’s right arm shot up and cracked Biel across the jaw, stunning her. Knowing she had to make her escape before Jess’ head cleared, Kat yanked herself free and easily slipped behind the other blonde. Grinning wickedly, Kat brought her arm up and then whistling down, delivering several hard-hearted forearm smashes to the back of Jessica’s head and shoulders. As her foe started to slump forward, Kat shot a hand out and grabbed her by the tights.

Holding this position for a second, Kat smiled again and purred, “Oh no you don’t!”

Reeling the other blonde in, Katherine bent Jessica over and paused to catch her breath. Then Katherine reached her right arm through Jessica’s legs and grabbed the blonde’s dangling left wrist, yanking it back tightly between Jessica’s thighs. At the same time Katherine hooked Jessica’s right arm with her left and pulled it back hard, twisting the brunette awkwardly. Kat held this position for several seconds, taking the time to pull up hard on the hand holding Jessica’s wrist, ramming the blonde’s own forearm into her crotch.

Sneering as Jess moaned in indignation, Kat chided, “Oh come on Jess, I figured a slut like you is always reaching down there for something, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Breaking her reprieve, she pulled up with both hands, bringing Jessica off her feet and up, positioning her stomach down on Katherine’s shoulder. In the blink of an eye, Katherine shifted her grip so that one arm was slipped over Jessica’s back while the other held the blonde’s head in place. The second her grip was secure, Katherine rose up on her toes, then slammed herself forward and down, driving Jessica violently to the mat with the Pump Handle Slam. Biel hit the canvas with an unmelodious THUD and lay spread-eagled on the mat as Katherine rose to her feet, the suddenly dominant blonde soaking in the admiring cheers of her followers.

Taking a second to catch her breath, Kat stood at Jessica’s head and looked down at her dazed foe with a malevolent smirk. Adjusting her top she sneered, “You seem to think I can only hurt you with my tits. Well Jessie baby, I’m about to prove that every part of Kat Heigl is capable of inflicting punishment and torture on your pathetic frame.”

In the next instant she dropped into a crouch of her own before leaving her feet in a high leap. Bringing her legs up, Kat came down rump first across Jessica’s tits, mashing them painfully and causing the breathless blonde’s body to jackknife violently all in one fell swoop. Momentarily forgetting her promise to make Jessica suffer, Kat stayed seated on Jessica’s chest while the ref came in to administer the first count of the match. He’d just gotten to ‘TWO’ when Jessica shoved Kat off of her and broke up the pin.

Sitting nonplused next to her gasping rival, Kat turned a cold sneer to Jessica and then shoved her over onto her belly. Crawling up beside the other blonde, Katherine reached out and secured a tight grasp on Jessica’s right wrist and pulled her arm out full length, holding it pinned against the mat. Still glaring a hole through the back of Jessica’s skull, Kat found her voice and said, “You wanted to torture my tits didn’t you Jess? Well you’re gonna have to do it with one hand from now on because I am going to totally destroy this arm tonight. Your gonna wake up tomorrow with my tit sweat on your lips and a nasty Heigl Hangover on your mind.”

Setting about proving her point, Kat rose up on one knee and then dropped down, slamming the bony joint into Jessica’s elbow. Biel cried out in pain, but this only spurred on the other blonde and she rose up and dropped down again and again, slamming the smooth hard curve of knee into Jessica’s elbow and shoulder nearly a dozen times before she finally tied of the game and released her prey’s battered limb. Free of the blinding torture, Jessica rolled away from Kat and pulled her injured limb in tight across her chest, trying to protect it from further harm. This proved to be a rather pointless endeavor because seconds later, Katherine stalked over and grabbed the wrist of her injured arm. With a mighty tug, Kat yanked Jessica to her feet, the simple maneuver drawing another cry of pain from the other blonde as more pressure was put on her shoulder and elbow.

Holding her wobbly-legged foe steady, Kat maintained her grip on Jessica’s arm while she addressed her in an insincere tone of voice. “What’s the matter Jess is your puny little arm hurting? Well let’s get it out of the way then.”

Pulling Biel into her, Kat quickly folded up the injured limb and forced it around behind her foe’s back. Keeping her grip tight, Kat worked the Hammerlock with one hand while she threaded the other between Jessica’s legs. Grabbing a rude handful of blonde buttocks, Kat scooped Jess up for a Body Slam and held her prone. With the Hammerlock still in place, Katherine the Great rose up on her toes and tossed Jessica to the mat, noting with no small satisfaction that the other blonde landed with all of her weight on top of the pinned limb. Jessica tried and mostly failed to bite back the pained scream that rose in her throat as lightning again raced up the full length of her arm. Trying her best to blot out the pain, she got her knees under her and was in the process of getting to her feet when Heigl drove her boot right into Jessica’s shoulder and sent her flopping back to the canvas.

An ugly snarl on her pretty face, Kat grabbed hold of Jess’ arm and spat, “I didn’t say you could get up bitch.”

Continuing her calculated destruction of Jessica’s right arm, Katherine pulled the trembling limb out as far as it would go and then proceeded to deliver several brutally stiff kicks to Jessica’s shoulder and armpit. Biel tried to wriggle free from these wicked blows, but Kat held tight and added to her opponent’s agony by mixing in a few shots to the breasts and belly. After an especially hard shot seemed to take most of the fight out of her mewling nemesis, Kat pulled back for one final punt before shooting her foot forward and fetching Jess one final shot, this time under the chin. Jessica’s teeth clacked together hard, but that was the only noise she made before sprawling face first onto the mat and laying very still. Tossing the brutalized arm down with a look of disgust, Kat ran a hand through her hair and wiped some of the sweat off her brow as she decided her next move. Watching the tender way Jessica was trying to cradle her tortured arm, Kat got a brilliant idea and decided to put it to the test.

Reaching down, she grabbed a double handful of Jessica’s damp hair and hauled her to her feet. Looking the other blonde in the eye, Kat said matter-of-factly, “Just so you understand, even if you submit to another move, it’s not going to stop me from ramming your face in my tits. You may want to keep that in mind if some misguided part of you thinks I may offer you a way out. Trust me, I’m not that generous.”

Sore and aching, Biel still hated hearing the condescending tone in her nemesis’ voice. Raising her head to look Kat in the eye she spat, “You stick your tits in my face and I’ll bite them off. Just something for YOU to keep in mind, you pathetic bitch.”

Shaking her head in disdain, Kat fired back, “You’re the only one looking pathetic at the moment Jessie.” Not waiting to see if Biel wanted to continue the conversation, Kat curled one hand into a vicious claw and latched it onto Jessica’s injured right shoulder. Enjoying the shiver that ran through Jessica’s body, Kat clamped down hard, digging long, steely fingers deep into the muscle of the already tenderized joint. The inferno in her shoulder caused Jessica’s often-steady legs to tremble and she dropped to one knee as she tried in vain to pry Kat’s Shoulder Claw off of her. Unfortunately for Biel, by devoting both hands to this task she left herself wide open for another attack and Kat wasn’t above helping herself to several undefended shots at Jessica’s tummy, the machine gun shots sounding ‘PIK PAK PEK’ on the smooth but sweating planes of her abdomen.

Keeping up the brisk barrage of shots, and the steady pressure on the Shoulder Claw, Katherine could feel Jessica’s strength ebbing away and she knew in her heart that it would only take a few more big moves to reduce the formerly proud blonde to a sobbing, bawling heap. Driving a final punch deep into Jessica’s abs, Kat pulled back her punching arm and folded it up before driving a scintillating forearm right across the bridge of Jessica’s nose. Feeling the shot connect perfectly, Kat tightened down on the Claw a final time and actually used the hold to pull a spaghetti legged Jessica Bile to her feet. With the other blonde still seeing stars, Katherine released her grip and stepped forward again threading a hand through Jessica’s thighs while the other arm looped over her victim’s shoulder. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Kat scooped Jessica up, holding her victim perpendicular across her chest. Turning around, Kat kept a solid grip on Jessica’s shoulder and butt as she displayed her captive to the audience.

Pinching Jess’ rump arrogantly, Kat shouted, “I know I should just work over her arm some more, but I just wouldn’t feel right if every inch of Jessica Biel wasn’t in terrible pain by the time this fight is over.”

Listening to the mob urge her on, Katherine rose up on her toes and then dropped to one knee, slamming Jessica’s ribs painfully into her knee. Holding the position for only a moment, Katherine stood up again and administered a second Rib Breaker, this one even more violent than the first. Not satisfied with a pair, Kat lifted her opposition up a third time and again dropped to one knee, completing the trifecta. When the third Rib Breaker connected, Kat bounced up and down hard, forcing her knee to dig deeper into Jessica’s side. Satisfied with the blonde’s woozy groan of pain, Katherine shoved Jessica off her knee, letting her go rolling across the mat, to come to rest in a sticky, sweaty pile of limbs.

Rising easily to her full height, Kat looked over at Jessica and knew she was in total control of the match. Jessica Biel was little more than putty in her hands right now and she could do whatever the hell she wanted as long as her new toy held her interest. With that rather cruel thought in mind, Heigl adjusted her sky blue briefs and checked her elbow pads for a moment before she sauntered over to Jess and placed one foot on the side of her rival’s face.

Pressing down ever so slightly, Kat sneered, “I always KNEW you were an overrated hack. Now I’ve proved it. Just a few tugs on your arm and all that tough girl attitude goes away. You make me sick Jessica and that makes me want to hurt you even more.”

Not getting anything in the way of a cogent response, she hauled Jessica to her feet and laced fingers with Jessica’s right hand. Clamping down tight, Kat stepped away and easily twisted the arm in a wide circle, torquing the wrenched limb with a simple Arm Wringer. What came afterwards was not so simple however.

Maintaining her grip on Jess’ arm, Kat stepped forward and wedged her free hand into Jess’ right armpit. Squeezing both holds tight, Kat sneered in Jessica’s face and taunted, “I thought you might like a bird’s eye view of me kicking your ass Jessie. Tell me if you like the vantage point.”

The words were just out of her mouth when she bent her knees and lifted up hard. In a breathtaking display of strength, Katherine hoisted Jessica well over three feet off the canvas and held her aloft by her arm and shoulder, adding the weight of gravity to the already insidious pressure of the Arm Wringer. Grinning in part from Jessica’s pained wails and also from the startled buzz of the audience, Kat maintained the hold for several more seconds, only releasing lowering her prey when Jessica’s weight started to wear on her. Never one to give her opponent any breathing room, as soon as Jess’s feet hit the mat, Katherine whipped her towards the buckles as hard as she could.

Waiting long enough to watch Jess slam hard into the turnbuckles, Heigl dropped into a low crouch and then sprinted forward, before leaving her feet in a gorgeous leap, that ended when she absolutely crushed her body against Jessica’s with an Avalanche Splash. Breathing hotly into Jessica’s perspiration slicked face, Kat ground her breasts slowly back and forth across Jessica’s own assets and cooed, “Soon baby. Very soon now.”

Peeling away from Jessica, Heigl let the other blonde take to staggering steps out of the corner before she grabbed her by the wrist again. With another slight planting of her feet, Katherine whipped Jessica back across the squared circle, slamming her hard into the opposite corner. Changing her attack this time, Kat charged forward but kept one foot planted as she brought the other up and aimed it directly at the point of Jessica’s jaw. Alas, the kick was destined to go down in the record book as a gorgeous miss because at the last possible moment, Jessica pulled to the side leaving Kat’s foot flying through empty space. Things got worse for Katherine a moment later when she got her kicking leg hung uptight across the top rope, the suddenly wincing blonde finding herself in the very unenviable position of straddling the top rope without a very easy way to pull free.

She was trying to escape this predicament when Jessica Biel stalked up behind her and drove several vicious reprisal shots directly into Kat’s kidney’s causing her to yell her agony for all the club to hear. Hitting a final punch with her uninjured left hand, Jess stood right beside Heigl and hissed nastily, “Looks like you’re hung up with nowhere to go you big dumb bitch. Hold on tight, maybe I can get you off of there.”

With the cruel gleam of retribution in her eye, Jessica reached out and grabbed the rope directly in front of and behind her foe. Ignoring the pain coursing through her right arm, Jessica pulled the rope up and down over and over, taking great satisfaction at the way Kat sobbed as the thinly wrapped cable dug into her most sensitive of regions. After several more seconds of this unpleasant ride, Jess stepped back to survey her handiwork.

Putting her hands on her hips she muttered, “Well that didn’t work. Maybe this will.”

Jess moved in front of Katherine and took a few steps back. Bringing her left arm up, Biel exploded forward in a blur of motion, her extended forearm catching Heigl square across the chest. Jess had been correct, her tactic did extricate Kat from the ropes, but one would be hard pressed to call her backwards tumble over the top rope and face plant landing on the outside of the ring an improvement.” Looking down at the wreckage of her rival with feigned disinterest, Jess smiled and turned to her fans. Ignoring the pain it caused her, she flexed a double biceps pose and yelled, “No matter what that bitch does to me, she can’t do enough to keep me down!”

Revitalized by their cheers, Jess broke her pose and rolled under the bottom rope to the floor. As her feet were touching down, Kat was just starting to roll over onto her belly and get to her knees. Remembering the way Heigl had tried to demolish her arm, Biel wasn’t about to allow her nemesis any mercy. Stalking forward, she grabbed a huge handful of Katherine’s hair and hauled her to her feet.

Gazing furiously into the other blonde’s pain lidded eyes, Jessica threatened, “You tried to cripple me but couldn’t get the job done. I’ll make sure that I don’t make the same mistake.”

Not caring for Kat’s grumbled response, Jess grabbed her foe’s wrists in both hands and whipped her hard towards the steel barricade that separated the ring from the fans in the front row. Seconds later there was a tremendous CLANG as Kat rammed back first into the unbending steel. Watching the collision carefully, Jess realized that Kat was hung up in the perfect position and she decided to pile on the retribution.

Looking past Kat, she motioned to the fans and called, “Move out of the way!”

Trusting the fans to do the right thing, Jess dropped into a crouch and sprinted forward much faster than anyone who had taken her kind of punishment had any right to. Still that didn’t stop Jess from lowering her good left shoulder and damn near running through Kat with a Spear that folded the other blonde if half for the few seconds it took to send her sprawling over the barricade and into the front row. Breathing hard, Jessica got slowly to her feet and leaned over the barricade, securing a loose grip on Kat’s sweat soaked locks before pulling her up and yanking her back over the barricade.

Running both hands through her hair, Jess gazed out at the mob and asked, “Think I can still lift her?” They responded with a resounding ‘YES’ and Jess nodded, “So do I!”

Turning her attention back to Kat, Jess pulled the decimated blonde to her feet and got right in her face. Going nose to nose with Heigl, Jess’s face twisted into a furious scowl and she spat, “Even with one arm, I’ve still got more than enough to break your face. Don’t believe me? SIT, WATCH, LEARN.”

Jessica gripped Kat by the neck while she reached her other hand down between the blonde’s thighs and slowly muscled Kat off her feet over her head in an awesome example of a Military Press. Gritting her teeth as Kat’s weight started to bear down on her, Jessica found her voice and shouted, “Let’s wipe that smug look off her face! Hell, lets just wipe everything off her face!”

Jessica walked the full length of one side of the ring before stopping a few feet away from the steel steps. Catching her breath, Jessica pushed up and tossed Kat free, letting the big blonde fall free of her grip only to go face first into the unforgiving surface of the steps. Kat’s head snapped back as her lips and nose were mashed wickedly against the steel but aside from a very small groan, she made no more noise as she crumpled limp across the steps. Resting against the apron, Jessica rolled her bad arm in several slow circles; trying as best she could to work some feeling (that wasn’t blinding agony) back into the extremity. Beginning to feel a little better, Biel glared smugly at the deliciously prone expanse of Kat Kat’s back and struck her a light, taunting kick in the butt. Coming up behind the other blonde, Jess grabbed Kat by the bottoms and the bra strap before pulling her free of the steps and leaning back a bit.

Tugging Kat’s bottoms up in a crowd-pleasing wedgie, Jess exclaimed, “Nap time’s over Kitty! Time to wake up and come back to the sad reality you find yourself in.”

Hearing the Katherine made no real attempt to reply, Jess hiked up the wedgie once more and then tossed her prey forward, rolling her under the bottom rope and back into the squared circle. Watching Kat’s very slow recovery, Biel climbed up onto the apron and then worked her way up the turnbuckles, never once taking her eyes off Kat. Arriving at her destination on the top rope, Jess crouched down and waited patiently as Kat got off of her hands and knees, only to turn and face the opposite direction from where Biel was perched. Smiling sadistically, Biel whistled a few attention getting notes, the sound of someone calling a pet to dinner.

This did the trick and Kat lurched around in a drunken stumble, both hands coming up in a brawling stance as she sought to engage her foe yet again. Sadly, her preparations proved entirely inadequate as Jessica launched herself into the air and came flying towards Kat with the point of her left shoulder. Before Kat’s eyes could even get wide, Jessica’s augmented Shoulder Block struck her square in the chest and knocked her off her feet, sending her rolling head over heels the full length of the ring. Scrambling to her feet after the tackle connected, Biel ignored the ache in her good shoulder; if there was any pain she was willing to live with, it was the kind brought on by hurting Kat. Rolling her shoulders again, Jess ceased her reverie and hurried over to where Katherine lay splayed on her side, curled into a loose ball and crossing both hands across her chest.

Shaking her head ‘no’ Jess bent down and grabbed Heigl by the ankle and wrist, Beginning to drag her foe towards the middle of the ring, Biel taunted, “No getting your wussy arms or legs under the rope when I try to pin you Kitty. You’re not getting up off the mat until I decide I want you too.”

With a final drag, she was satisfied with their placement and she dropped Kat’s limbs, leaving the big blonde on her back in the middle of the canvas. In the same instant, Jess dropped to her knees and draped her body across Kat’s chest, going for the cover. Taking the time to hook both legs, Jess leaned back with all her strength and waited while the ref made his count. The zebra was well past TWO and on the way to THREE when Kat bucked Jessica off her, at least temporarily ending Jessica’s quest to keep her on the canvas.

Growling under her breath, Jessica smacked the mat in frustration before getting to her feet and stalking over to Kat’s ankles. Bending down, she grabbed each foot and proceeded to tuck the ankle under her armpits, looking for all the world like she was about to attempt a Boston Crab. Instead, she twisted and maneuvered Kat around so that Kat’s neck was resting on the edge of the apron, lined up directly below the bottom rope. Looking down at her incapacitated rival, Jess chided, “You pride yourself on being a smother expert, but I bet I can how you a few techniques that are just as good for oxygen deprivation. Not as fun perhaps, but still quite effective. Tell me what you think of it… if you can.”

The words were barely out of her mouth when she fell back fast, propelling Kat up and driving her throat first across the lowermost cable in a diabolical modification of the Hot Shot. Kat’s hands immediately flew to her windpipe and she started rolling around madly, gagging and retching as she tried to protect her injured windpipe. Pushing up to a sitting position, Jess watched Katherine’s agony with a smug smile and then got to her feet. Cutting the distance between her and the breathless blonde, Jessica quickly leaned down and hauled Heigl to her feet. Standing behind and slightly to the right of her still gagging victim, the blonde snaked one hand between Kat’s legs while the other threaded its way around her captive’s chin.

Ignoring the loud twinge in her right shoulder, Jessica lifted Katherine off the mat, draping the bigger girl parallel across her shoulders, trapped in the legendary Torture Rack. Wrenching the hold as hard as she could, Jessica stalked around the ring while Kat struggled frantically to get free of the debilitating hold. Bouncing up and down on her toes, Jessica prepared to hit Kat with one of her favorite maneuvers. Calling upon her reserves, Jess found her voice and yelled “Time to make sure this Kat never comes back!!” When the crowd roared, she bent her knees slightly and then pushed up, twisting her torso hard to the right. In the same moment she released her grip on Kat’s legs, sensing rather than feeling the blonde’s lower half go sailing out behind her. With Kat’s chin still in her grasp and the rest of the blonde stretched out limply behind her, Jessica sat out hard, landing on the mat with a sweaty SLAP. Unfortunately, Kat’s return to the canvas wasn’t nearly so pleasant!

Jessica had just connected with her Torture Rack/Elevated Neckbreaker combination and the devastated blonde smashed hard into the mat, her neck and shoulders taking the brunt of the move’s devastating impact. Knowing Kat’s skull couldn’t take all the abuse she was heaping on it, Biel muscled the other blonde onto her back and went for the cover again, only bothering to hook the far leg this time. Well it might have turned out to be more profitable if she’d taken the time to tie up both legs because Kat still managed to kick free a half second before ’THREE!’

Unable to comprehend the fact that Kat was still in the fight despite the damage she’d done to her on the outside, Jess sank both hands into Kat’s hair and hauled her to her feet. Standing very close to her larger foe, Jessica shot her left hand out and locked it tight around Kat’s throat. Watching with cold fascination as Katherine’s eyes went wide, Jess used her right hand to grab hold of the blonde’s waistband. Squeezing down tighter on both grips, Jess leaned into Katherine’s face and spat, “I only need one good arm and a few more seconds to put you down for good Kitty Enjoy the fucking ride.”

Taking a breath, Jess bent her knees and then lifted violently upward, hauling Kat off her feet and into the air for the Choke Slam. In a sad turn of events for Jessica Biel, it turned out that Kat only needed a few seconds to change the course of the match as well. At the apex of Jessica’s one handed lift, Kat shot an arm out and managed to wrap it around Jessica’s head, pulling her into an awkward but effective Front Face Lock. Knowing she only had one shot at this, Kat wrenched free of Jess’ grip and yanked backwards, falling to the mat on her back while simultaneously pulling Jessica off her feet. The canvas came up to meet both of them equally fast, but Kat landed rather smoothly on her back and Jess landed directly on her forehead. Kat’s out of nowhere application of the DDT stood Biel on her head for a moment until physics took over and she crumbled back to the canvas, landing hard on her chest and belly.

Still lying on her back, Kat took several deep breaths and tried to fight down the rebellion of aches and pains that was coursing through her body. Getting the better of the situation after a few moments, Heigl rolled to one knee and then pushed to her feet, standing triumphant over the ruins of Jessica Biel. Finding her voice after a few more ragged breaths, Kat snarled, “You wanna talk torture Jessie? Well listen very carefully. I’m going to take that busted arm of yours and twist it all the way to the snapping point and if you don’t submit in a very vocal fashion, I’ll twist it well beyond the snapping point.

Not giving her foe a chance to offer a response, Kat pulled Biel to her feet and stood beside her. Drawing Jessica‘s vulnerable right arm across her chest, Kat held the limb tight and then fell backward, nailing a beautiful Single Arm DDT with the whole of Jessica’s chest, face and shoulder taking the impact. The blow sent a bolt of pain through the Jessica’s already tender arm and she rolled over onto her back, clutching tightly at the injured extremity while trying to bite back loud sobs. Feeling rejuvenated thanks to the newest round of attacks on her most hated of adversaries, Katherine wiped some sweat off her brow with her forearm and got to her knees. Settling her attention on Jess, she reached out and helped herself to a handful of hair and a pair of taunting smacks to each of Jessica’s cheeks. If the injured blonde had been more aware, the taunting maneuver would have drawn a loud cry of protest, but she was still too caught up in the agony in her shoulder to pay too much attention to Kat.

Slightly disappointed with the lack of response, Kat hauled both of them to their feet and wasted no time pulling Jessica in close to face her. Standing belly to belly with the other blonde, Kat reached forward and snagged Jess around the elbows of both arms, pinning both limbs tightly between her own arms and her torso.

Locking her hands behind Jessica’s back, Kat rested her forehead against her victim’s back and smirked. “I bet you didn’t know there was a Suplex out there that could help me dislocate your shoulders or snap your elbows. Well, if I may borrow a phrase, SIT, WATCH, LEARN.”

Taking less than a second to savor the angry expression that welled up on Jessica’s face, Kat pulled up and fell back, releasing her grip on Jessica’s limbs as the other blonde soared over her head and then crashed back down to the canvas, eating a rough landing thanks to Kat’s application of the seldom seen but very effective Inverted Tiger Suplex.

Recovering fast from the hard-hitting move, Kat sat on her haunches for a moment before getting to her feet once more. Sauntering over to where Jessica was stretched out, she bent down and pulled the other blonde to her feet by the straps of her top. Ignoring the urge to waste time by taunting Biel again, Kat simply drove a wicked Knee Lift into Jessica’s crotch, doubling the other girl over in instant agony. Content with her victim’s condition, Katherine pulled Jessica up a little and bent her over, locking in the Front Face Lock from a more traditional position this time. Her eyes blazing, Heigl brought her free arm up and then smashing down, driving a clubbing forearm shot into Jessica’s back.

Not satisfied with one blow, she repeated the process, drilling shot after shot into the sweating, helpless plank of Jessica’s back. After her last clubbing shot drove Biel to her knees, Kat changed tactics, grabbing hold of a handful of Jessica’s tights. Pulling the blonde to her feet, Katherine hoisted her overhead, holding the blonde inverted above her. Knowing she wouldn’t have long before the fatigue of battle forced her to complete the Suplex, Kat still managed to hold on long enough to taunt, “You been using the ropes to do a lot of damage to me honey. It’s only fair that I get to return the favor.”

Making good on her promise, she took three shambling steps forward and then tossed Jess down face first, dropping her adversary gut first across the top rope. The air was driven from Jessica’s lungs in a single heaving blast and she could do nothing more than lie limp across the top cable and pray that Kat would give her a moment’s peace. Of course, that was never going to happen and Heigl proved as much by situating herself to Jessica’s right and then sprinting forward to boot Jess directly in her hurt shoulder with a callous punt. Jessica screamed piercingly and then flopped forward over the rope, landing on the canvas in pain drenched sprawl.

Shaking off the tingle in her toes, Kat turned back to Jessica shoved her onto her belly. Standing with one foot on either side of Jessica’s waist, Kat knelt down and pulled Jess to her hands and knees. When Jessica was in position, Katherine straddled her opponent’s back and slipped her hands under Jessica’s chin. Savoring the moment before Jess would start to scream, Kat pulled back and sat down simultaneously, locking in her painful version of the Camel Clutch. Biel writhed in the debilitating hold as Kat wrenched her neck back and bounced up and down, her blue clad ass grinding and sliding painfully into Jessica’s stretched lower back.

After a pained groan from her arch-rival, Katherine leaned her head down and spoke into Jessica’s ear, “Hiya Jess. Ya know, I just realized I haven’t clawed your tits nearly enough during this fight. That’s going to change right now.”

Her malevolent threat finished, Katherine released Jessica’s chin and reached down, taking hold of the other blonde’s defenseless breasts. Katherine clawed the hanging globes relentlessly, slapping clawing and prying the pliant flesh while she fed off the shouts of encouragement from the audience. Shifting her focus a bit, she put special focus on Jessica’s nipples, slowly twisting and pinching the flesh between her skillful fingers, doing everything she could possibly imagine to hasten Jessica’s submission.

Tears filling her eyes as Kat continued to dismantle her chest, Jess somehow willed herself to look up and survey the situation. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she found the ropes were only a few tantalizing feet away. Doing her best to ignore the nearly crippling pain that Kat was inflicting, Jessica let out a low, determined grunt and managed to wrench her good arm off Kat’s thigh and stretch it out in front of her. Calling on reserves she didn’t have to use all that often, Biel let loose another growl, this one louder and angrier as she willed herself to pull closer to the ropes. After a final desperate surge forward, her grasping fingers touched the lowest cable and she held on for dear life, knowing she had earned a break from Katherine’s torture.

Still maintaining the Clutch, Kat was thoroughly irked that Jess had been able to find freedom in the ropes. Ignoring the drone of the official, Kat increased her clawing of Jessica’s boobs as she leaned into the other blonde’s ear and hissed, “The ropes won’t save you after the bell creampuff!”

She concluded by pinching down on Jessica’s nipples a final time before releasing the hold and backing away. Pacing back and forth like a… well, like a big cat, Kat Heigl allowed Jessica Biel a grand total of five seconds to get herself together before she waded back into the fray. Grabbing a double handful of Jessica’s sweat soaked hair, Kat tried to yank it out of Jessica’s scalp as she marched her towards the corner. Throwing her captive into the buckles back first, Kat leaned heavily against her, forcing smoldering eye contact with the other blonde.

Their lips almost brushing, Kat smiled coyly and said, “The idiot official is only gonna let me keep this up for a few seconds, but that may be all I need. I can tell when a girl’s hanging by a thread, and you are doing just that Biel. All you need is a little more prodding and you’ll be BEGGING to end this match.”

Ignoring Jessica’s groans of protest, Kat reached out with both hands and grabbed her foe’s right wrist. Pulling the injured limb out to Jessica’s side, Kat threaded it under the top rope and then folded it up tight, making sure the crook of Jessica’s elbow was scissored against the cable. Releasing one half of her grip, Kat went back to work on Jessica’s tits, pinching the trapped blonde’s assets sadistically, even as she pushed up hard on the captive arm, threatening to snap it off at the elbow.

Jess howled in agony, trying her best to extricate herself from the brutal submissions with absolutely no luck. Fearing her traitorous mouth would scream ‘I quit’ before the zebra could force a break, Jess bit down on her bottom lip to keep from voicing her surrender. Opening her eyes a very little, Jess realized that Kat was focused solely on her holds and not paying all that much attention to anything her victim was doing. Understanding that this could be her last chance to win the match, Jess brought up her free hand and without thinking, drove it forward, jabbing a thumb into Kat’s eye.

Totally unprepared for the desperate cheap shot, Heigl screeched in anger and surprise before she released both holds and staggered back, trying to clear her impaired vision. For her part, Jessica’s mind was screaming at her to lunge forward and pound the other blonde into the mat, but her body just wasn’t getting the signals. Resigning herself to another period of rest. After several seconds, she felt good enough to push free of the buckles and stalk towards her foe. She had just extended both talons toward Katherine’s head, when Heigl stepped back and drilled a hard jab right into Jess’ right armpit. Jessica’s legs turned to water and she couldn’t hold back a moan of anguish as she lost her footing and stumbled into Kat’s clutches.

Holding her nemesis in a loose Bear Hug, Kat panted, “There I go underestimating your ability to fight like a desperate whole again. That’s the last time I’ll make that mistake.” With Jessica still off balance, Kat spun around behind her and cinched on a Full Nelson. Lacing her fingers tight, Kat bent her knees and was preparing to lift Jess up in a Full Nelson slam when Jess’ boot slammed back and kicked her right between the thighs! This time it was Katherine who couldn’t stifle her scream as she released the hold and staggered back, both hands wedged between her legs in a failed attempt to nurse the pain away. She’d made it less than four steps when Jess caught up with her and applied a Full Nelson on her.

Shaking the hold back and forth, Jessica’s voice dripped acid as she said, “I fight like a desperate whore? IF memory serves, you were the first one to go to the trunks. You’re the desperate, no class whore Kat. I’m just willing to stoop to your level in order to win. And speaking of winning, let’s put you down for good.”

Springing into action, Jess placed her left leg in front of Katherine’s right leg before shoving forward with all her strength. Heigl was taken off her feet and driven unceremoniously into the canvas, a victim of Jessica’s patented Full Nelson Facebuster. Releasing her grip on the Nelson, Jess rolled Kat over and went for the cover. The surprise counter put Kat on the canvas for two and a half, but it didn’t quite have the strength to keep her down for the full THREE!

Scowling with frustration, Jessica rose to her knees and gave Kat some incentive to do the same with a quick, violent twist of the floored blonde’s left nipple. Smiling maliciously as Kat groaned and pulled away, Jess shifted her attention to Kat’s roots and grabbed a huge handful before helping her adversary to her feet. Setting her footing, Jessica was about to haul off and slap the taste out of Kat’s mouth when her intended target came alive in her hands clipped her hard across the jaw. Jess cursed and staggered back, shaking her head from side to side in an attempt to clear her head. She accomplished this task with relatively little effort and she looked up just in time to see Kat’s fist come roaring towards her chest; Heigl was trying to end the fight with an extremely basic, yet extremely effective Hear Punch.

Jessica’s eyes went wide, but she kept her cool just long enough to step aside and spin around behind her foe. Setting her feet, she pulled her left arm out behind her and waited impatiently as Kat lurched around to face her. As soon as Jessica saw the whites of Kat’s eyes she pounced, shooting her hand forward to grip Kat around the throat. Before she even understood what was happening, Kat was lifted high into the air, one hand around her neck, the other rudely grabbing at her hip to keep her free. Not even bothering to make a comment, Jessica simply hurled Kat down to the mat hitting the canvas with a sickening ’THUD’ as Jess connected on her second Choke Slam attempt. Roaring with bloodlust, Jessica saluted her fans with an almost primal gesture before she returned her attention to the moaning wreckage that was Katherine Heigl. Stalking forward, she pulled the taller girl to her feet and immediately bent her over to apply a Standing Headscissors.

Squeezing Kat’s head with her thighs, Jess slapped at the blonde’s shiny back and sneered, “You don’t have a lot left do ya Kat? I might not even have to hit the Biel Bomb, though I probably will just because it’s so much fun to drive you through the ring. In fact it’s so fun, I want to do it again, right now.” Speaking no more, she bent down and reached under Kat’s middle, but instead of simply wrapping her arms around the other blonde’s waist, she reached across her prey’s torso and grabbed Kat’s right wrist with her right hand, and her left wrist with her left arm. Grip secure, she pulled up tight, crossing Kat’s arms firmly across her chest. Taking a breath to steady her frayed nerves, Jessica bent her knees and suddenly lifted Heigl off her feet, pulling the dazed blonde up and into position for a Powerbomb in one deliciously smooth arc. Not daring to let this play out any longer than she had to, Jess held Kat aloft for a split second and then drove her back down into the mat, nearly folding Katherine in two as the Cross-Arm Powerbomb connected. Resting on one knee and still holding Kat’s wrists, Jess bore down with all her remaining strength going into the pin. Fully aware that Kat’s shoulders were going to be down, the ref had already dropped to one knee and started to count as soon as the slam connected.

Raising his arm, he slapped the mat, “ONE… TWO… THR NO!”

Kat bucked hard to the side and was able to escape defeat at the last possible second. At this point, Jessica would have normally given into frustration but this time, she kept her cool. Biel KNEW that Katherine was running on fumes and all she had to do was keep grinding her down This time, Kat Heigl was going to stay down long after Jess put her on the mat for the ’THREE.’

Sighing heavily, Jess knelt down and brought Kat up with a tug of her hair and a weary sounding, “On your feet Kitty!”

Without any further preamble, Jessica gripped Kat by the shoulder with her good arm while the injured right arm went to the dazed blonde’s crotch. Setting her feet, Biel groaned with the effort and lifted Kat right over her head with the second Military Press of the evening. Holding Katherine high over her head, Jess shoved her foe’s body up into the air, letting Kat leave her clutches to come falling back down toward the canvas. Acting very fast, Jess twisted to the side as Kat descended and caught the other blonde across her left shoulder, holding her like a helpless sack of potatoes. In the blink of an eye, Jess rose up on her toes and drove herself forward and down, turning the free fall of the Military Press into a ring shaking Over the Shoulder Power Slam. Lying sprawled atop her foe, Jess was too tired to even hook the leg as the ref knelt to make his count. He got as far as two and half, but again the ‘THREE’ was denied as Kat rolled to her side and kept the fight going, at least for a few more minutes.

Lying aching and sore on the mat, Jessica Biel and Kat Heigl both knew that they didn’t have much more left to give. If they couldn’t pick themselves off the mat, their nemesis would do it for them and at this juncture Kat and Jess didn’t know if they could muster any kind of defense. With that thought burning in their heads as a kind of mantra, both battle weary blondes pushed off the canvas and rose on unsteady legs, preparing for the final battle in this war. In the contest to see who could regain their vertical base first, Jessica won by a second or two and she used every bit of this lead to help give her the advantage. Stalking forward on legs that felt like lead, Jessica booted Kat in the belly and bent down fast, trying to scoop up the other blonde under one arm so she could drop her back to the canvas with a Sidewalk Slam.

Biel had just pulled Katherine’s feet off the mat when Heigl balled a fist up and smashed Jess in the back of the head as hard as she could. Jessica let out a watery little moan and relinquished her grip, letting Kat regain her footing on the mat. Beyond the points of taunts and barbs by now, Kat slipped behind her dazed arch-rival and applied the Full Nelson for a second time. On this attempt there was absolutely no hesitation on Kat’s part. She hauled Jessica off her feet without a word and then slammed her down back first, melding Jessica’s spine to the canvas with the Full Nelson Slam. Seeing Jess stretched out at her feet, Kat understood that she had to finish the other blonde off, but she couldn’t seem to move as fast as she wanted to. Everything she did seemed to take place underwater, and it took her a good ten seconds to even kneel down and pull Jessica to her feet.

Using Jess as a leaning post more than she’d care to admit, Kat grabbed her around the shoulders and hissed, “You’ve… got nothing… nothing left.”

Jessica’s face turned towards the sound of her voice and the other blonde replied, “I’ve got this.” She was still saying ‘this’ when she pulled her left arm back and drilled a hard punch into Kat’s belly, doubling her over. Moving as quickly as she could, Jessica wedged Kat’s head between her thighs and wrapped her arms around the other blonde’s waist. With another breathless moan of exertion, Jessica lifted Katherine up and onto her the point of her shoulder. Securing her grip, Biel squeezed as tight as she could while simultaneously rising up on her heels and dropping back down, bending Kat’s spine in an diabolically inverted U shape that was the hallmark of a perfectly applied Canadian Backbreaker. Holding Kat over her shoulder, Jessica tried to add more bounce to the hold, knowing that to do so would all but guarantee her the win. But the battle with Kat had taken too much out of her and she had to settle for little more than a gentle rocking motion. Squeezing as tight as she could, Biel opened her mouth to fire off a wicked parting shot, but all that came out was, “Give up!”

Wildly shaking her head ‘no’ to the ref’s question of submission and in an own attempt to deny the pain in her back, Kat thought, “If you submit now, Jessica Biel is going to lord it over you forever. Is that what you want?”

Opening her eyes the tiniest bit, Kat growled, “Hell no!”

Putting everything that she had left into a last desperate gambit, Kat reached an arm back to Jessica’s face and raked it viciously. The claw caught Biel off guard and she let out a pained shriek as she released the hold and let Kat wriggle down her back. Watching Jess retreat, Kat was perfectly aware that if she didn’t press her attack, she would simply pass out and she’d fought far too hard to let that happen. Stalking after Jess, she gripped the other blonde by her right wrist and whirled her around only to greet her with a boot to the gut.

Stepping forward, she applied a Standing Headscissors of her own and then hoisted Jess onto the point of her shoulder, in position for a Canadian Backbreaker, or Kat’s preferred finisher, the Heigl Hangover. But Kat surprised both the ref and the audience when she didn’t opt for either of these moves. Aiming towards one of the corners, Kat tightened her grip and said, “You’re not gonna get up from this Jessie.” Then she was in motion, charging towards the corner in a drunken run that had everyone holding their breath to see just what the hell it was she was up to. At the last moment, Kat’s plan became clear as she put the brakes on fast and tossed Jess forward and off her shoulder. Biel flew through the air like a lawn dart but her flight was ended prematurely when the back of her head and shoulders collided full force with the top turnbuckle. Jess let out a high, pained cry and then she was slumping down into the corner, the insidious Turnbuckle Bomb having drained the last of her reserves.

With her vision fading, Kat leaned down and pulled Jessica’s motionless body up and out of the corner. Switching positions with her captive, Kat slapped on the Standing Headscissors a second time and hauled Jess up into position once more. With the point of Jess’ back resting on her shoulder, the blonde held her position for only a moment before taking two steps forward, then driving Jessica down and forward while simultaneously dropping to one knee. The blonde’s shredded right shoulder slammed full force into Kat’s bent knee, and everyone knew from the boneless way Jess flopped to the mat that the Heigl Hangover had finally ended this fight. Kneeling beside her rival, Kat didn’t so much cover Jessica as she did fall forward on top of her. Regardless of style, Jessica’s shoulders were on the mat, so the ref knelt and counted, “ONE… TWO… THREE!”

The crowd leapt to their feet in support of the triumphant blonde, though the same could not be said of Kat herself. She’d already been announced the winner and her theme music was well into the first chorus before she even managed to peel herself off of Jessica and get to her feet.

Listening silently as the crowd roared their approval, all of Kat’s aches and pains started to melt away and in a matter of seconds she felt much more capable of dishing out the kind of punishment she had been longing to heap on Jessica Biel for the past few months. Raising both hands high over her head, she drew in a breath and screamed, “TIME TO FINISH THIS PRETENDER ONCE AND FOR ALL!”

The mob’s cries rose several decibels as Kat reached behind her back to untie her top. As Kat’s fingers worked quickly to undo the knot, she heard a rather stealthy shuffle of movement behind her and stopped dead. Anger flooding her face, Kat dropped her hands and whirled around to confront the source of the noise. If Kat had looked angry before, she was looked outright homicidal now. She buried both hands in her matted hair and tugged hard, growling ‘Noooo.” hoping that the pain and her verbal denial would change the sight that greeted her.

But neither tactic worked and Katherine Heigl was forced to admit that Jessica Biel was somehow already on her feet and staring a hole through her rival. Smiling a rather pained grin, Jessica said, “OK, so you kept me down for the ‘THREE’ and a little longer. Too bad you were so wasted ya couldn’t try anything before we both got our wind back. Looks like we’re still even Kitty.”

Katherine shook her head in violent disagreement and spat, “Not a chance.” She stalked forward and chested right into the other blonde. Nose to nose, chest to chest with her gallingly tenacious foe, Kat found her voice again and hissed, “It doesn’t end like this. If it’s the last fucking thing I ever do, one of us is going to leave this ring on her back and I swear it won’t be me.”

Jessica’s smile dropped away like a worn out veil and her reply was just as venomous as her rival’s. “All right then bitch, you’re so eager to put me on my back, let’s see you do it! C’mon big girl, there’s nothing holding you back now; take your best shot because the second you do I’m gonna pound you into the canvas.”

Her eyes glowing murder, Kat whispered, “I’m gonna break you Biel.” She pulled back and was preparing to deliver the stiffest punch of her career when the lights in The Wicker Man went out.

In the blackness, the crowd buzzed in anticipation. The Hood had already made an appearance earlier on in the night, was she here for an encore? Seconds later the question was answered with a resounding ‘YES’ as Paint It Black was cut off by Vermilion and the eerie red light illuminated the club. In the ring, Jessica and Katherine glared hatefully at each other for a moment. Speaking first, Kat said, “Is this your idea of a joke Biel?”

Jessica snorted and answered, “I never needed anything this elaborate for an entrance. What about you Kat? Is it your ugly mug hiding under that hood?”

Heigl seemed on the verge of giving her reply when a whispered voice from the ramp said, “Ladies, if you’d both be so kind as to direct your attention towards the sound of my voice, all your questions will be answered.” As one, Jessica and Kat turned towards the ramp and saw the Hood watching them from a safe distance. Seeing that she’d gotten the blonde’s attention, the interloper continued, “Thank you. I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m out here, and since I’m not one to play games, I’ll tell you immediately. My original plan was to come out here and offer the winner of this match the chance to join me, but since there really wasn’t a decisive ending here, I’m willing to offer you both the same ultimatum. Put aside your petty differences and join me as the core of a beautiful new Darkness… or burn. The choice is yours.” She lowered the mic then, waiting to see how Kat and Jessica would respond.

Glancing at one another for a moment, Heigl and Biel appeared to be on the same page for once, if only briefly. Taking a step towards the Hood, Katherine said loudly, “Under any other circumstances, I wouldn’t speak for Jessica, but I think we’re both in agreement when I say you can take your ultimatum and stick it up your sneaky, backstabbing ass!”

There was a roar from the crowd and Jessica had to fight to be heard over them as she added, “And I don’t know about Kitty here, but I’d be willing to put aside my differences just long enough to take you down. I’d hate to deny Katie the pleasure of kicking your ass, but when we get done with you, there won’t be enough left to make hurting you any fun.” She dropped into a low crouch beside Kat and the two blonde Amazons began to advance towards the edge of the ring.

Watching the pair advance on her, the Hood brought the mic to her shadowed lips and said simply, “You’ve made your choice. You’d better pray that you destroy one another before I come looking for you.”

Without another word, she dropped the mic and suddenly brought her arms high overhead. In the same instant there was a blinding reddish white flash of around the ring as four identical gouts of fire streaked up from the ring-posts. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the unearthly fire raced along every rope, momentarily turning the squared circle into something out of a pyromaniac’s fantasy.

Caught in the middle of all this, Katherine and Jessica stumbled back to the center of the ring, watching the whole spectacle very carefully. Then almost as suddenly as it had begun, the fire died out and the red light died away, leaving the only blackness and a slightly smoky smell in its wake. When the lights came back up, the Hood was gone and Jessica and Kat were alone in the ring. Looking from the steaming ropes to each other, Kat said, “That doesn’t change anything. You and I still have unfinished business and I mean to see it through to the end.”

Jess nodded coolly and replied. “As do I. Don’t worry Kat, I’m not going to run from you. Next time we meet, we’ll settle this issue… no matter what the cost.”

This seemed to satisfy the other blonde and she took several steps back before slipping through the blackened ropes to the floor below. As she started to walk up the ramp, Kat looked over her shoulder and called back, “Get healthy Jessica. I want you at 110 before I take you to 0.”

Watching her rival limp up the ramp, Jess had a grim expression on her face as she muttered, “You should heed your own advice Katherine. Otherwise you won’t stand a chance the next time we tangle.” Then the last of her adrenaline seemed to run out and the exhausted blonde staggered towards the ropes and rolled to the floor before heading back up the ramp to her locker room.
******
EPILOGUE:


Sitting silently in the locker room she shared with partner Katie Holmes, Sarah Michelle Gellar was lost in thought as she mulled over several things; not the least of which was her upcoming World Championship match against Charlize Theron. But as important as that match was to the Slayer, to tell the truth it was her partner and the mysterious Hood that were at the fore of her thoughts this evening. The Slayer still wasn’t sure if she trusted or even liked Katie Holmes, but the tall brunette had been a good (albeit reluctant) partner over these last few months and Sarah wanted to repay her in kind. She knew there was going to be a war fought with the mysterious girl, and part of her yearned to be at the fore of that fight, but that same part knew this was Katie’s fight and it would be her partner who got to bring the Hood to justice. These thoughts were still fluttering around her head when Katie stepped out of the steaming shower down at the other end of the room and walked slowly towards her. Clad in nothing but her towel, it was obvious that the pale brunette was still dealing with the aftereffects of the Hood’s fiery attack, not to mention the low blow and bloodbath. Letting Katie take a seat on the bench beside her, Sarah raised an eyebrow and asked, “Feeling any better?”

Katie smiled thinly and replied, “Clean at least. I walked right into that bitch’s trap tonight and paid for it! Only good thing that came out of it was that she actually spoke to me for a second… in her real voice.”

This piqued Sarah’s curiosity. “Did you recognize her?”

Katie shook her head ‘no.’ She was whispering and I was dealing with having a fireball go off in my face; I could have been anyone on the roster and I wouldn’t have recognized her given my state.”

“Well what did she say to you?” Sarah hated to pry, but she believed Katie needed to speak to someone about this; otherwise she might just do exactly what the Hood wanted her to do. And if Sarah was sure of one thing, it was that she didn’t ever want to throw down with the Katie Holmes of the Darkness if she could possibly avoid it.

Looking grim, Holmes answered, “Not much, but enough to have me worried. She said she was willing to let me keep breathing because HE wanted me back. I knew she wasn’t working alone. The first time that bitch appeared out of the shadows, I KNEW there was someone pulling her strings and she just confirmed it. Bet he won’t be happy she told me that.”

Sarah sounded confused and angry at the same time. “Wait, let me make sure I’m clear on this. You say that someone’s been controlling the Hood from the very beginning and on top of that, you know who it is? Didn’t you think this was a bit of information that Fannin and the rest of the office types might like to know? Didn’t you think I’d like to know? Or Alyson or Jordana or any of the others she‘s fucked with?”

Katie’s face twisted in a scowl, she obviously wasn’t comfortable talking about this just yet. Glaring defiantly at the Slayer she said, “I have my suspicions, but just how I came to have them was by… well, unconventional means, let’s put it that way.”

Not willing to let Katie keep the vague flowing Sarah chided, “Unconventional how? Like the voice in your head told you?” The blonde had meant it as a joke but Katie looked up at her so quickly and with such burning anger that the Slayer was taken aback.

Snarling quietly, Katie said, “I knew you wouldn’t understand.” She pushed up off the seat to leave, but Sarah grabbed her by the wrist.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend. If you don’t want to tell me yet, I won’t push you on it. But as your partner and as your fri…” Sarah paused there tilted her head, looking equally surprised and confused.

Still standing with the blonde’s hand on her wrist Katie prompted, “As your?” Sarah looked back at her and said, “I was going to say friend. As your friend. I thought you and I were going to be at each others throats forever after all the shit we put the other through, but… well, I guess you are my friend these days.”

Katie’s dark eyes flashed something quick and unreadable, then her usual veneer of stoic indifference returned. Sitting back down, she pulled her arm free of Sarah’s grip and stared at the floor for several seconds. When she looked back up, the brunette said, “I think the Hood’s a redhead. She may be a brunette, but my gut tells me she’s a redhead. When she got in my face, I’d swear there was red under the cowl.”

Choosing her words carefully, Sarah said, “I don’t want to rain on your parade, but she had just blasted you with a big red fireball. I’m guessing that everything was looking pretty red at this point.”

Katie nodded dismally. “Don’t you think that hasn’t crossed my mind? But I saw red a second before she set the flash-bang off. It may be a false lead, but it’s the only one I’ve got for the moment so I’m sticking with it.”

Leaning back on her bench, Sarah rolled her shoulders and said, “OK, let’s just say for now that she’s a redhead and on the roster. Who’s that give us? Off the top of my head I can think of a few: Laura Prepon, Alyson of course, Lindsay’s a natural redhead, but she’s been dipping into the peroxide bottle as of late. Who else is there?”

Katie’s response was immediate. “Rachel McAdams.”

Now Sarah looked really surprised. “Rachel? She’s gotta be one of the nicest girls on the roster. A little intense maybe, but she doesn’t strike me as being the kind for a double life and besides what’s she got against you?”

“Nothing as far as I can tell, but none of the others fit. Laura’s been documented as being seen at the time of the attacks; there’s no way a girl like Lindsay Lohan could flatten me out with a chair and Alyson, well we saw what happened to her. How is she by the way?”

Sarah smiled sadly and said, “Still a little jumpy, but she’s coming around. Just needs a little more time is all.” She collected herself and then added, “But that still doesn’t explain why you suspect Rachel.”

Katie sighed and looked up at the ceiling. She was holding this pose when she muttered, “Because Pickman’s obsessed with her.”

This sounded like a total non sequitur to Sarah. Leaning forward she asked, “The artist? What the hell does he have to do with any of this? All he’s done so far is draw sketches and make a few paintings.”

Katie leveled her gaze back on the Slayer and answered, “He showed up a week after the Hood did, the night I got my ass laid out in the Sixth Circle. All of the paintings he’s done since then feature the color red predominantly; conversely all the Hood’s little stunts so far have something to do with red; the lights, the blood, the fire, the flash-bang. Even the music she comes out to… Vermilion which any artist can tell you is just another shade of red. And finally, Pickman’s done nearly two dozen sketches of Rachel, a redhead and someone just the right size and strength to be the Hood. I can’t prove it yet, but my instincts are pointing to her and my instincts are very rarely wrong. So Slayer, do you think I’m crazy?”

Sarah thought about it for a moment and replied, “No. But I think you’re working on a lot of coincidences here. And I still don’t get the Pickman connection. Have you ever thought that the poor dope just might want a date and he’s too nervous to ask her the normal way? I will say this though; you tend to get a little more taciturn and grim even for you when he’s around. What is it about the guy that you see, or at least think you see that the rest of us are blind to?”

Katie shook her head; when she replied her voice was almost a whisper. “You’ll think I’m insane.”

Sarah leaned forward and placed hand on the brunette’s thigh. “Let’s pretend I won’t.”

Katie was silent for several more seconds and when she looked up at Sarah, the Slayer was shocked to see just how frightened her eyes were. “Do you remember during Darkfall when I talked about hearing the ‘voice’ of the Darkness? The voice that showed me how to get started in the first place.” Sarah nodded. “Well that wasn’t just shtick for the promo, there was a voice inside my head telling me what to do, urging me on.”

“It was just you Katie, you were really messed up that summer if you don’t mind me saying so.”

Katie frowned and her face tensed up in grimace, like she was remembering something painful. “You don’t have to remind me Slayer I was there. The thing is, the voice of the Darkness wasn’t mine. It was a man’s voice. For the longest time I thought that voice was just my imagination, creating illusions to help feed the anger and disgust I felt towards you and the others back then. But on the evening of the Sixth Circle Match, I met the man behind that voice. You met him too.”

The import of those last four words sent a chill down Sarah’s spine despite the warmth of the locker room. Fighting hard to keep the quiver out of her voice, Sarah said, “Tell me everything you know.”

For a moment it looked as if Katie was going to remain silent, but then the floodgates opened and the whole story started to pour out. She talked almost nonstop for the next three hours and by the time she was done; Sarah was convinced that Katie wasn’t crazy. Perhaps more importantly, she was quite certain that something very strange was happening and they needed to put a stop to it. But the Slayer had no idea how they were going to accomplish such a task.