Friends in Dark Places



Goddess shook her head in disgust at the Bossman's actions. She may be evil when it came to
people, but for some reason she couldn't stand to see animals hurt. She shuddered slightly.
Bossman had always been ruthless, but murdering Pepper was the last straw. She couldn't
accept this.

"That Bossman has got to pay," she said to herself out loud. She sat in silence for a few
minutes, deep in thought. She had thought of a few ideas, some were really good, but the last
one was REALLY good, she decided. "That's it!" she cried excitedly. "That's just what I'll
do." Goddess jumped out her chair, smirking. She had a plan and she knew nothing was going
to go wrong. She could feel it.

~~~Sunday Night Heat~~~

The Bossman made his entrance to more than the usual boos and chants of the crowd. He
grinned evilly as he headed to the ring, where X-Pac was already waiting. The degenerate
looked sick, with the recent massacre of the poor dog still on everyone's mind.

The Cobb County native stood outside of the ring, twirling his nightstick and looking at X-Pac
menacingly. X-Pac just looked back with angered filled eyes, upset at Bossman's actions.
Bossman ran into the ring and was immediately beaten down momentarily by the degenerate.

He got back up and gave X-Pac a vicious body slam. He then pulled him up to attack, but X-Pac
caught him in the face with a Spinning Heel Kick. He started to drag Bossman to the corner to
do a Bronco Buster...but was punched hard in the face.

A few seconds later, Goddess races down to the ring and grabs the nightstick. "Bossman,
over here!" she yells. She pauses a minute before she throws it- right into X-Pac's waiting
hand. The referee is trying to get her to leave, and he doesn't notice that X-Pac used the
nightstick. He turns around and counts the pin. This was clearly an accident... wasn't it?

The crowd erupts in cheers as X-Pac's music starts again and he exits the ring, crotch
chopping and sticking his tongue out. A few moments later, Bossman sits up, furious at what
just happened. How could that little skinny punk beat me?!? he wonders. He glares at the
Goddess, who for some strange reason has a huge grin on her face. She notices him staring,
turns around and exits to the back.

~~~RAW, the next night~~~

Once again, Bossman's got a match, this time against Test. The two of them glare at each
other, not forgetting arguments and feuds from their days together in the
Corporation/Corporate Ministry.

Bossman attacks Test with punches and the bell rings, signaling the start of the match. The
two exchange blows until Test is knocked down. He groans in pain as he struggles to get up.
Ashlee is ringside, of course, slapping on the mat and cheering him on along with the rest of
the audience. He delivers a devastating boot to the face on Bossman and the big man goes
down. Test puts him in a sleeper and naturally, on the 3rd count, Bossman raises his arms and
elbows Test in the stomach.

"Well, look who it is!" The King cries happily as Goddess makes her way down to ringside. She
immediately starts yelling in Ashlee's face and shoves her. Ashlee jumps up and shoves her
back. Bossman looks up and frowns. What the hell is SHE doing here? he thinks, distracted.
Test picks him up and puts the former prison security guard into his Pump Handle Slam and
gets the three-count, much to the audience's delight. Bossman sits up and glares at Goddess,
determined to get to the bottom of this.

Ashlee runs into the ring and grabs Test's arm, raising it in victory. They both the leave,
smiling. Goddess watches them go, then turns to Bossman, who's giving her an odd look. She
grins at him and waves. Goddess then proceeds to exit ringside, leaving a mad Bossman
sitting in the ring.

I don't believe this, he thinks angrily. What the hell is she doing, interfering in my
matches? If she does it one more time, she's gonna pay! Bossman exits the ring. He jogs
backstage and searches for Shane.

After a few minutes of searching, he finally spots Shane sitting down watching the program
on a mini TV. Out of breath, he tells Shane in between gasps, "We got a problem."

Shane looks up, startled. "What? What are you talking about??"

"It's that little brat of Mark's," Bossman says angrily. "She's been causing me to lose
matches as of late-"

Shane frowns. "I don't know what to say," he mutters. "Well, you'd better talk some sense
into her...or else Goddess is gonna be paying hard time for all she's done recently."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll try to talk to her. Don't know if it'll work though.." Shane looks back at the
TV. He looks at Bossman and waves him away. "Go now. I gotta watch for my cue and I have
to make sure I don't miss it!" Bossman mumbles and leaves. I doubt he'll ever do anything,
so I think I’ll go talk to her myself.. and if she doesn't listen, heh, we know what'll happen!
 

Goddess had be walking around backstage with a smile on her face. Maybe she couldn't bring
back Pepper, but she COULD let Al know that someone else cared about the little dog... as
she turned a corner, she bumped into Bossman. Well, if it isn't the murderer himself she
thinks. "Yes?" Goddess asks coolly. "Can I help you?"

"As a matter of fact, yes you can. You've been interfering in my matches and making me lose
on purpose, haven't you??" he questions, his eyes hard and cold.

Goddess looks him straight in the face. "No. I was trying to make Test lose tonight but I see
you screwed it up."

"ME?" Bossman laughs bitterly. "No, missy, I think you've got that backwards."

Goddess shakes her head. "You lost that match by yourself, and you can't put the blame
anywhere else." She turns to go but feels the nightstick pressed against her throat.

"You'll tell me why you're doing this... or else."

Goddess tries to spit some words out, but ends up choking instead. Bossman presses the
stick harder against her throat. "Well?? Do you have a reason or am I going to have to choke
you out right here?" Goddess wheezes, but no words come out. Bossman is just about the
apply more pressure when he feels a hand grab his shoulder and pull him back. He looks up to
see Mark glaring at him.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Bossman?"

Bossman releases Goddess and glares at Mark. "She's been interfering in my matches!" he
growled. "And I don't know why, but some way or another we're gonna get to the bottom of
this!"

Bossman stomps off, muttering obscenities. Mark looks at Goddess and just laughs. "You
okay??"

She rubs her throat. "Yeah.. I'm all right. Thanks Mark." She smiles at him and walks away.
Who would've ever thought that stupid Bossman could catch on?? Thank God that match for
his Hardcore title is next week. I can get this over and done with... she informs herself.

~~~The Night of the Unforgiven Pay-Per-View~~~

Bossman paced around the locker room. There had been no sign of Goddess or Mark, and that
was good. Mark's match was a title match anyway, so even if they DID get here late it would
be long after the Hardcore Title match. He smirked evilly. If Al didn't know pain and
suffering, he would know it tonight.

**********

Meanwhile, Al Snow sat in the back of his locker room and felt both angry and depressed at
the same time. First Head, then Pepper...he tried to hold back a sob that threatened to
escape. He refused to cry- tonight was a night for vengeance. "This one's for you, bud," he
whispered, going to the ring.

The crowd goes silent, waiting to the next match's opponents to enter. Suddenly, "What does
everybody want?" fills the arena. Everybody jumps on their feet and cheers. Al runs into the
ring and stands there, facing the ramp, waiting for Bossman.

The unwelcome music of the Bossman starts up. He swings the nightstick around for a
moment, then lunges at his opponent. Al quickly gets the advantage as he kicks Bossman, who
had slid under the bottom rope in his haste to attack.

Al low blows Bossman and runs outside the ring. He looks under the mat and grabs a cookie
sheet and broom out. Quickly, he runs into the ring with the broom and sheet. He cracks
Bossman in the face with the cookie sheet and breaks the broomstick over the Bossman's
back.

Bossman slowly staggers to his feet, pain causing him to stand up unsteadily. He hits Al in the
stomach and body slams him- right onto a chair that had been lying there.

Al seems to be in serious pain, and Bossman knows it. He goes to grab a table under the ring
and sets it up in the ring. Bossman checks on Al, and sees he still hasn't gotten up yet. He
smirks, knowing he still has time. He successfully sets up the table and grabs Al by the hair,
standing him up. He picks him up, ready to slam him, when, suddenly, he hears shoes scuffling
in the ring. He turns around and sees Goddess standing behind him, with a huge grin on her
face. And in her hands, she's holding Head. Bossman looks at Head, then Goddess, and back
again. Before he can react she takes Head and smashes it right into Bossman's skull, causing
him to fall and Al to fall onto him.

The audience gasps in unison. It was questionable as to whether Goddess' interference in the
last few matches was intentionally done to hurt Bossman, but now it was crystal clear. Still,
what reason did she have to turn against a fellow Corporate Ministry member? That question
remained unanswered as the referee gave Al the Hardcore Championship. Goddess dropped
Head into Al's other hand and walked off, smiling. She didn't notice Bossman sitting up a few
minutes later, or the look of pure hatred on his face.

Goddess skips backstage, humming and grinning from ear to ear. Bossman immediately gets
up and quickly follows her. I'll get her this time, and there's nothing Mark can do about it,
Bossman thinks to himself. He quickens up his pace. Goddess didn't realize she was being
followed until it was too late. She felt a sharp pain in the back of her head and everything
went black.

************

"Jen?" Al knelt down in the hospital room, gripping her hand tightly. "C'mon, Jen, wake up,"
he whispered urgently. That horrible Bossman had done a hell of a job beating her up.
Goddess, the evil sidekick of The Undertaker and Shane McMahon, was now lying in a hospital
bed, badly beaten and bruised.

At last her eyes opened and she glanced around. "Wh-where am I?" she asks groggily.

"You're in the hospital." Al informs her. She tries to sit up, but to her, everything hurts. "No,
don't try to move. Just lay down nice and still, okay?" Al orders her.

She sighs. "All right, it hurts too much anyway." She studies the room more, then finally looks
back at Al who's studying her with sad eyes. "So, what exactly happened Al? Last thing I
remember was walking backstage after your match and then.. everything went black." she
explains.

He sighs unhappily. "Well, Bossman hit you from behind. He just snapped and started
attacking you. By the time I reached you, you were pretty badly hurt. Mark and the others
got there first and chased Bossman off...I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner."

"That's okay," Goddess says, both yawning and wincing in pain. Al gives her a funny look.

"But why, Jen? Why did you do it?"

"Pepper," Goddess replied simply. "Bossman was wrong to do what he did, and it was time for
some revenge." Al smiles. "So, even dark people have hearts?" he asks, surprised by how
much Goddess had cared about the little Chihuahua. "Well," Goddess says slowly, actually
smiling, "Let's just say it was what Pepper wanted."