Rating: *MA/NA-17* (Okay, not for the early parts, but there will be swearing and violence in the future.)
Summary: A family divided. A life in danger. A hero appears.
Type of fic: Story
Disclaimer: All recognisable entities are not mine.
Author�s notes: Um...just something that doesn�t make too much sense. This is what I get for having watched Enrique�s Hero video clip one too many times!
***
the escape
�I�ll see you tonight, Steph,� Vince said as she passed him on the way out.
Stephanie resisted the urge to say some kind of goodbye lest something in her voice give her true feelings away. Instead, as usual, she just acknowledged him with a simple flick of the wrist.
�And remember, this dinner is very important to me. Don�t be late,� Vince warned.
�Don�t worry, sir,� we�ll get back in plenty of time,� Big Daddy Cool, otherwise known as BDC, said gravely as he escorted her out of the house.
It looked as if it was going to be the NWO who were going to be accompanying her shopping. It was supposed to have been Chris, Christian and Storm. Trying not too panic, Stephanie stopped and stared as Razor Ramon opened the back of the limousine for her. She turned back to her father, who had followed them outside the house. �I thought-�
�The NWO will be with you today, Stephanie,� Vince informed her. �The others are occupied elsewhere.� He turned and went back into the house.
�But-�
�Come on, Steph,� The Kid said with a grin. �We�d love to help you shop, wouldn�t we guys?�
She ignored the suggestive tone in his voice as she concentrated on not going insane. The plan had rested solely on the fact that it had been Chris�s �team� who were to be with her for the day.
�Hey, chica, you don�t look too good,� Razor said, breaking into her hyperventilation. �You need to stop breathing so fast or something.�
It wasn�t fair! Chris was-
�Hello, Ms McMahon,� a very familiar voice greeted from her left.
Stephanie whirled to face Chris, an involuntary smile lighting up her face. �Hi, Chr- Jericho.�
Chris nodded at her, unsmiling. �You have a good day shopping, Ms McMahon. I�ll see you later.�
In other words - �the plan is still on�.
Her heart started to race. �Alright.� When Chris frowned at her, Stephanie realised that she was wearing a stupid grin. She quickly ducked her head, practically diving into the back seat of the limo.
BDC slid in beside her. �You and Jericho seem quite�chummy.�
She shrugged noncommittally. �What? You�ve never seen me smile at the hired thugs before?�
�I�ve never seen you smile at me like that before,� The Kid smirked as he sat across from her.
Stephanie continued to ignore him, turning her attention to the window as Razor finally got behind the wheel and slowly started pulling away.
�I wonder what your fianc� thinks about this closeness between you and Jericho?� BDC asked, a hint of menace in his voice.
Stephanie turned and glared at him. �And what business is that of yours?�
BDC stared right back at her, saying nothing. She knew he and Hunter had been good friends for many years.
�Hey, whatever turns you guys on,� The Kid laughed. �The more the merrier, I always say.�
BDC looked away. �Not that anyone ever listens,� he said, smirking at the smaller man.
She turned her gaze back to out the window, beginning to mentally count down the minutes until her escape.
*
Chris hadn�t wanted it to come to this, but he knew he had no other choice. He waited patiently until Stephanie had put the plan in motion - get away from the babysitters for a couple of minutes. He could see the figures in the back seat, talking animatedly, possibly arguing.
Finally, Stephanie emerged from the limo, then turned back to face the NWO. �I�ll only be a minute,� she said to them, loud enough for Chris to hear.
He grimly pressed his lips together. This was going to be the most dangers part of the plan. He quickly screwed the silencer onto the barrel of his pistol, making sure it was well hidden beneath his coat and his finger resting on the trigger.
Chris climbed out of the car, hurried across the street, pulled the limo door open, and jumped in, surveying the situation as he did so. Window partition down and Razor easily within sight. The Kid just in front of him. BDC right beside him. All of them looking at Chris with surprise.
He smiled without humour, slamming the door shut behind him. �Hey, guys.� He lifted the gun, and in quick succession squeezed off three silent shots, all bullets fortunately hitting their intended targets. Chris closed his eyes and slowly counted backwards from twenty, forcing his thoughts and racing heart to slow down.
Stephanie.
He quickly hid the weapon and got out of the limo, looking around to see if anyone would notice him. The few people walking along the footpath seemed to be too busy with their own thoughts. Chris knew he had to get to Stephanie before she returned and saw the bodies. He wasn�t too certain on how she would react, and he hated the thought of having to expose her to it.
Chris slowly made his way towards the jewellery store Stephanie had entered earlier, but luckily he did not have to enter the store as he saw her walk out. He faked a double take, mostly for the benefit of those who might be watching. He knew that Vince sometimes sent out a second team to protect Stephanie. �Samantha? Sam Carlton?�
Stephanie looked at him with a frown. �Do I know you?�
Chris grinned, pleased that his disguise worked very well. �It�s me, Charlie Jones, from high school. Remember our freshman year? We�d planned on running away together.�
Her face lit up. �Oh! Charlie Jones!�
He nodded. �It�s been awhile, hasn�t it? Why don�t we catch up over lunch?�
�I would love to, but�� She trailed off, her eyes flicking towards the limo.
Chris shook his head ever so slightly. �It�s okay. I have my car.�
Her smile dimmed a little as she understood what he was telling her. �Okay. Well, lead the way.�
They made idle talk as they crossed the street, but once they were both in the car they dropped all pretences.
�They�re dead,� Stephanie said quietly.
�Yes.� He could feel her looking at him as he started the engine and pulled into traffic. He glanced worriedly at her. �Are you okay?�
She nodded with a slight smile. �Yeah, I�m fine.� She took a deep breath. �I mean, it�s not like I don�t know what the family business is all about��
Chris drove in silence for a few moments, and then Stephanie quietly spoke.
�I�m�I�m free.�
Despite what he had done just minutes ago, a surge of happiness flowed through him at the awe and relieved wonder in her voice. However, he tried to control his emotions. �It�s not over yet, Steph.�
�I know.�
�We need to get rid of this car, find a new one, and then get out of the city.�
Stephanie was quiet for a moment. �Can you believe this is the first time I�ve ever gone anywhere without my father knowing about it?�
Chris said nothing, unable to imagine the kind of affluent but restrictive life she had been forced to lead. What was the use of money and power when you didn�t have freedom?
*
�We�ll have to be continually on the move, otherwise Vince will find us and catch us.�
�But we�ll need rest. We�ll need to stop, right? For food and sleep?�
�Don�t worry. We�ll be stopping and resting along the way. However, the places we�ll be staying at aren�t quite what you�re used to.�
�I don�t care.�
Silence.
�How far away are we from my brother?
�We�ll head south for a couple of days, then we�ll catch a plane ride out west. It shouldn�t take us any longer than three or four days.�
Silence. Then, �Chris?�
�Yeah?�
�Thank you. For getting me out.�
�Anytime, Stephanie.�
*
The water stained green striped wallpaper peeling, the weak light casting eerie shadows throughout the room, the cigarette burnt blue carpet - the very image of �cheap motel room�. Not to mention the flashing red neon casting a reddish tint on everything, the loud TVs on one side of the room and the noisy lovemaking on the other.
Stephanie couldn�t help looking around with wonder. It was all so new to her. �Chris, I can�t believe this place,� she whispered as he locked the door.
�I know it�s -�
�I love it!�
Chris looked at her sceptically. �Really?�
She grinned. �Well, not exactly. I just- I can�t believe I�m actually in a motel room.�
He laughed. �It�s an experience, huh?�
�Yeah. Now, I�m just waiting for-� She broke off as two cockroaches scurried across the floor right in front of her and disappear behind a door she assumed led to the bathroom. �And there they go.�
�We better hope they don�t invite any friends over tonight,� Chris said. �Wouldn�t want them crawling all over the walls.�
Stephanie looked at him apprehensively. �They wouldn�t, you know, crawl all over you while you were sleeping�would they?� He just grinned at her, and she shuddered at the thought. �Oh, they better not.�
*
Stephanie had drifted to sleep close to two hours ago, but Chris had been unable to do the same and he was unsure of the reason why. It couldn�t be the chair, as it was surprisingly comfortable, and it wasn�t their noisy and unliveable surroundings, as he�d had to survive much worse conditions.
Actually, he did know. The reason was in the room, sleeping.
Stephanie.
In the gloom he could just trace her outline on the bed. He�d been watching her for close to two hours, still unable to believe that all this was happening. He and Stephanie on the run from Vince McMahon.
With a sigh, Chris shifted positions. He bumped his head painfully against the table beside him, and swore.
�Chris?� The voice floated in the darkness from the direction of the bed.
His head snapped towards Stephanie in surprise. �Sorry. I didn�t mean to wake you.�
He watched as she sat up and moved around on the bed, presumably to make herself comfortable as she shuffled backwards and leaned against the headboard. She then reached over and turned on the bedside lamp. The room was filled with pale yellow light, and he could finally see her features. She smiled wanly at him. �It�s okay. I couldn�t really sleep anyway.�
�What�s wrong? I know the bed-�
�It�s not the bed,� she interrupted gently. �I guess I�m still a little anxious from everything that�s happened today.�
Still, he was concerned. �What are you thinking about?�
�Two things, actually. I�m thinking about what Vince is doing right now, and how close he is to finding us. And I�m thinking about Shane. I haven�t seen him in so long, and I�m hoping I�ll recognise him when I see him again.�
Chris couldn�t help grinning. �Oh, you can�t miss Shane. He�s the guy who walks around with a constant frown on his face. I�m actually wondering if I�ll recognise him when we show up, considering the large smile he�ll have on his face.�
Stephanie laughed, and he found himself breathless at her beauty in the muted glow of the lamp. �Chris, can I ask you something?�
�Of course.�
�What is it exactly that Shane does for a living? I mean, people just don�t give white collar jobs to the son of a crime boss, do they?�
Chris could hear the hopeful tone in her voice, and he was glad that he wouldn�t have to lie to her. �No, they don�t. Shane is the proprietor of a protection agency.�
�You mean, like bodyguards?�
�Yes.�
�I- Oh.�
�It�s one of the best in the area, if not the best. He has good people who work for him.�
�You�re one of them?�
�I�m one of them,� Chris said proudly.
There was silence. Then, �May I ask you how you met Shane?�
A small smile curved his lips as Chris remembered. �He saved my life.�
�Really? No, I mean-� Stephanie broke off, looking away. �I�m sorry. I didn�t mean to sound too disbelieving.�
�It�s okay. I guess it did sound kind of dramatic.�
She turned back to him, smiling shyly. �I�d like to hear about it. I mean, only if you�re okay with it.�
Chris was silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He didn�t mind talking about it, but it was certainly a very personal matter. �It happened about six years ago. At the time I was depressed. Everything in my life was gone and nothing mattered anymore. Not even my own life.�
�Chris, if this -�
�No, it�s okay,� he interrupted. However he averted her eyes as he stared down at the dirty blue carpet. �I had crossed the road without looking. Shane had been turning the corner at that same moment, and he hit me.�
�Oh, no!� Stephanie gasped, sounding upset. �But I thought you said he saved your life?�
Chris smiled at the irony of it, still unable to look at her. �He did. Maybe it was the guilt, but your brother went out of his way to help me and get to know me. He paid for all hospital expenses, which was fortunately not very much, and then he offered me a job.�
�That sounds like Shane. When I was little I remember that he always took time to play with me, even if it was with my dolls. And he was always helping me, taking blame for something that I did because he knew that he wouldn�t get into as much trouble if it had been him. Shane had truly been the apple in our father�s eyes.� She paused. �I guess that�s why Vince took it hard when Shane walked away so easily like he did, and that�s why he turned me into a prisoner.�
Chris said nothing, feeling his heart constrict at the sadness in her voice. More than ever, he was happy to have been part of her finally breaking free of her father�s ironhanded grip.
Stephanie cleared her throat suddenly. �I am glad to hear that Shane is doing quite well though, from the sound of things.�
He smiled again. �He�s doing really great. He handpicks all of his employees and he makes sure that each one is more than sufficiently trained.�
Once again silence reigned for several minutes. Then, �How did you get involved in this situation with me?�
Chris hesitated in answering her, unsure of how to reply without making either of them uncomfortable. He didn�t want to lie to her, nor did he want to tell her everything. �When Shane first offered me a job, I refused. But we became friends, and I told him about my murdered parents and younger sister.�
�Oh, god� Chris, I�m so sorry.�
He heard genuine sympathy in her voice, and was grateful for it. He looked up and found her looking at him, her blue eyes troubled. He smiled gently at her. �And he told me about you.�
A look of surprise came over her face. �Me?�
�Yes, and about how he wanted to get you out but wasn�t sure how he could do it. So, to repay him for all the kindness he showed to me, I offered to help him get you out.�
Stephanie said nothing, her face set in a thoughtful frown. Chris wondered what she was thinking about as the silence stretched, but he waited for her to speak first. He was unsure of how to proceed with his story.
Finally, she asked, �Why would you do something like that? Surely Shane would have stressed the risks of you coming in liked you did. If Vince had known that you were working for Shane, he would have had no reluctance in having you killed.�
�The main reason I did it was that Shane saved my life, and I wanted to do something in return. I had lost my family to crime violence, but Shane still had hope for you. So I said I would help him. I wanted to turn that hope into reality.� Chris looked away from her, knowing that if he didn�t he would drown.
�Thank you, Chris.� Her whisper floated across the gloomy room and settled over him like a warm zephyr.
He swallowed hard before replying, �Your welcome, Stephanie.�
end escape.
