GOODBYE, KAT!

SMACKDOWN, MARCH 1ST, 2001

With Al Snow campaigning heavily for the commissioner’s job, Blackman invited Hardcore Holly to help train Angel on Thursday morning. His style was slightly less verbal than Al’s, but not too different and she was enjoying the new input.

As usual, Chris Benoit arrived to collect her when he session was over.

"See you guys later, and thanks," Angel said, kissing an uncomfortable Steve Blackman on the cheek and giving an equally apprehensive Hardcore Holly a big hug.

"Bye Angel," they chorused, watching her leave.

Hardcore turned to Blackman with a frown. "The girl’s a Radical now?"

Blackman shrugged. "I guess so."

"And that doesn’t bother you?"

"Bob, the only thing that’ll bother me is if she tries to screw me over. It’s up to her to choose who she associates with."

Hardcore nodded. "That’s a fair enough point."

"Still," Blackman mused, clearing the hardcore debris from the ring. "Things have been different around here since she turned."

Hardcore frowned. "How do you mean?"

Blackman shrugged. "I’m the type of guy who doesn’t say much, right? I mostly just observe. So here’s what I’ve noticed. Since Sunday, almost everyone she was close to has gone strange in some way."

"Strange?" Hardcore repeated. "Strange how?"

"Okay, Hardys fighting Hollys for instance. You must have seen Matt giving your cousin Crash a piece of his mind."

"Seen it? I haven’t heard the end of it. I had to hit him with a chair just to get him to shut up."

Blackman nodded. "Angel wouldn’t have let that happen before."

"Maybe, but you and me are still getting along."

"For now," Blackman replied ominously. "I seem to remember a certain shot to the head about a week ago I still haven’t repaid."

Hardcore shrugged sheepishly. "But enough about us. Who else is strange?"

"Al’s started hanging out with midgets again."

"Oh, he has?" Hardcore asked with a pained expression. "I thought that was some gimmick he thought up for Raw."

"Yeah, I thought he was over it, too. But you can’t even talk to him without tripping over one or two of them. I feel like I’m The Lethal Cheddar again."

Hardcore cringed. "Al’s always been strange, though. You can’t blame Angel for that."

"No, but that isn’t even the strangest. The Kat joined Right To Censor. Now admit it, that’s the last thing you would have expected."

Hardcore frowned at him. "You mean you haven’t heard?"

"What?" Blackman asked.

"About the Kat and those RTC jerks."

"No, what happened?"

Hardcore broke into a grin. "If you think the world’s gone mad, this should definitely ease your mind."

* * * *

"Sit down. And this time, don’t even think about moving."

Angel sighed and sat next to Malenko. Why Benoit insisted she spend the whole day with him was beyond her, but that was the deal. If he wanted her by his side, she had to be there. Comparatively speaking, she was making good money for doing very little. She had been valet for only two matches, without cheering or helping or anything, and yet she’d been paid for six, plus the extra ten bucks to shut her mouth. If only she got to see her cousin and friends once in a while. She hadn’t seen any of them since Monday – hanging out with the Hollys, K-Kwik and Too Cool, and taking care of Benoit’s various demands had put paid to that. She looked around the room at the other diners. Lita, Matt and Jeff were nowhere to be seen. In her direct field of vision, however, were those familiar white shirts and black ties. There were only three of them today – Ivory, Bull and the Goodfather, huddled together and deep in conversation. Usually the whole crew traveled together, especially if they were talking like that. Something was wrong, She could just feel it.

At that moment Eddie appeared and dumped his food on the table, sitting antagonistically next to Angel.

"Hello, putacita. Where is your boyfriend, huh? I can’t see him with you."

"Watch out, Eddie," Malenko warned. "Chris’ll be back soon."

Eddie frowned at him. "I know that, Dean. You think I’m stupid or something, huh? The putacita is here, of course Chris is around somewhere. I just wanna talk, anyway. Why don’t you ever talk to me, ‘cita, huh?"

Angel ignored him and Eddie followed her gaze.

"Maybe you’re thinking you’d rather be in Right To Censor than the Radicalz, huh? Is that what you’re thinking, ‘cita? ‘Cause that’s just fine with me. Why are you looking at ‘em so much, eh? What is so special over there that you can’t even look at Latino Heat when he’s talking just for you?"

"It’s what’s not over there, you nimrod," Angel murmured.

"Oh, so she does talk. So, what’s missing over there, huh? I see suits, I see ties. So, what’s missing?"

Angel finally relented. "The Kat. The Kat’s not there."

"Oh, the Kat," Eddie smiled. "Of course. Putas and putas. They care about each other, you know. Hanging around in a little group, being putas all together. Surely if you’re so close to the other putacita, you know why she’s not there."

Angel frowned. Did Eddie know something? "Where is she?"

Eddie shook his head. "No, ‘cita. You gotta ask me nice. You gotta say, ‘Eddie, I know you’re the greatest. Only you have Latino Heat and you’re the only one…’"

"Tell me!" Angel snapped.

"Okay, okay," Eddie replied. "Don’t be getting your panties all entwined. She was just being a puta, of course."

Angel slammed her head into her hands. "Eddie, you’re the damn puta. Now, tell me what happened to her."

"I told you, ‘cita. Your friend, the Kat, she was acting like a number one prize winning, enorme putacita, just like you, huh?"

"Eddie, say it in English. I want to hear it too," Malenko told him.

"I don’t know what ‘puta’ means," Terri chipped in. "But I heard she got it on with Val Venis and he let her go."

Angel was stunned. "Is that true?" she demanded, staring at Eddie.

"True, true, yes it’s true. She’s a puta, just like I said."

"Well, where is she?"

"Where? ‘Cita, she ain’t never coming back round here. The others would destroy her if she even so much as tried."

"Eddie, what the hell are you doing here?" Benoit was back.

Eddie put his hands in the air. "Easy, essa. I’m just eating like everyone else and having myself a nice little chat with your woman. Is that okay?"

"No, it’s not okay. Get out of here. I don’t want to see you."

Eddie frowned. "What is this, huh? Is it about Monday? I swear, my brother…"

"Either you move or I’ll move you," Benoit warned.

Eddie got to his feet. "You wanna try it, huh, essa?"

In a second, they were separated by Saturn and Malenko.

"Maybe you should go, Eddie," Saturn advised. "We’ll get Chris to cool down."

Eddie shrugged him away. "Yeah, like in a cold shower. I guess I’ll see you later, essa." He gave Benoit a long hard look, picked up his food and walked away.

Benoit sat down silently and was about to set out Angel’s meal when he noticed she had her head down and face covered.

"What’s wrong with her? What did Eddie do?"

"Nothing. He didn’t do anything," Malenko replied.

Benoit reached out and shook her. "What’s wrong with you? Look at me. I told you to look at me!"

Angel still didn’t move so he grabbed her by the hair and wrenched her face away from her hands. "You crying? You don’t cry. Radicalz don’t cry."

"I’m not a Radical," Angel snapped, glaring at him.

"Not if you cry like that, you’re not. Why the hell are you crying, little girl?"

"I don’t know, okay?" Angel scowled.

"You don’t know? You better work it out, then."

Angel jumped to her feet and left the table. "Don’t worry, I’ll be back," she called over her shoulder. "You still own me."

"Get back here! Sit down and eat your food!"

"Screw you," Angel spat, continuing on her way.

Benoit was flabbergasted. "Who did that?" he demanded. "Why was she crying?"

The other three looked equally bewildered.

"Eddie just told her about the Kat, then she started weeping like a little baby," Malenko said.

"The Kat," Benoit repeated. "Who’s she? She’s no one, that’s who. Why would she make anyone cry?"

"Beats me," Saturn shrugged. "I think they were friends or something."

"Friends," Benoit mused. Perhaps that was it. He had been trying for weeks now to get at her but despite countless threats, mindgames and a vicious pedigree, she wasn’t even close to cracking. Frankly, he was getting frustrated. It was costing him a lot of money, too. But on the day he broke her he could finally look back, because it would all be worth it. Despite all his efforts, despite all his money he got nothing, while someone as worthless as the Kat could reduce her to tears just like that. Maybe he was going about it the wrong way. He’d known from the start she was different. If intimidation wouldn’t work on her, could something as trivial as friendship? It was worth exploring. He still stood by his original goal. The girl with kaleidoscope eyes would fear him, just like all the others. Despite the fact that he paid her, she was wrong. He didn’t own her. But that would come in time. It had to. She would never prove him wrong.

* * * *

Angel sat on a bench in the Radicalz locker room with tears streaming down her face. She hadn’t known quite where to go when she she’d left the catering area and decided that, with at least four Radicalz casing her every move, this was probably the safest place. The last thing she wanted was more trouble for Lita and the Hardyz.

As she’d told Benoit, she really didn’t know why she was crying, other than the fact that she’d been victim to a deluge of emotions she couldn’t control, all of them to do with the Kat. There was grief and sadness, for the fact that Kat was gone, she hadn’t gotten to say goodbye and she probably wouldn’t see her again. There was resentment and jealousy because Kat had found the strength when it mattered to escape her personal hell, while it seemed Angel’s was barely beginning. And there was guilt that she could even feel that way about a person who had shown her unending kindness for no other reason than that was how she was. It was all too much for Angel and when she’d started crying, she’d found herself unable to stop.

Suddenly she heard footsteps and looked up warily. Perhaps it was Eddie. That thought made her rethink her rationalization for coming back here.

"Angel?"

"Jeff! What are you doing here?"

Jeff stepped apprehensively towards her. "I don’t know. I was walking with Matt and Lita when I suddenly said, ‘I’ll catch up, there’s something I’ve gotta do’ and then I heard crying and I found you. Weird, huh?" He looked around and his mood darkened noticeably. "Anyway, I could ask you the same question. Isn’t this the Radicalz locker room?"

Angel nodded miserably.

"Well, why are you here?" Jeff asked, puzzled. "I don’t see you for days and you’re hanging out with Chris Benoit now?"

"No, Jeff, no," Angel replied as the tears started falling again.

Jeff’s face fell and he sat beside her, wrapping her up in his arms. "I don’t understand, ‘Gel," he admitted. "What’s going on? How many times do you have to valet for Benoit before he’ll let you be?"

Angel’s whole body shook with sobs as the reality of the situation hit her. Until now she’d been deluded into thinking she could fix it, that she could get away.

"As many as he wants," she whispered.

"Oh God," Jeff breathed. "What have you done?"

"I had to do it, Jeff. I had to. I needed the last signature. Jericho wouldn’t, the Rock wouldn’t, Essa wouldn’t. It was too late. Vince was calling security and then Benoit was there and…and he said he’d do it. I had to agree. I had to…"

"Shh," Jeff murmured, pressing a finger to her lips. "We’ll work it out. It’s okay. We’ll think of something."

They sat in silence for a while, holding each other as Angel’s breathing returned to normal.

"Did you…did you hear about the Kat, Jeff?"

He nodded. "She got away. I’m glad for her."

"I’m going to miss her," Angel admitted.

"It’s better this way," Jeff told her. "She’ll be much happier. She’s probably dancing in some high class strip joint as we speak."

"There are high class strip joints?" Angel asked.

Jeff shrugged. "Sure. This is America."

Angel started laughing and Jeff broke into a grin. "There’s that smile. I was thinking you’d lost it."

"It’s hard to find, sometimes," Angel admitted.

Jeff shook his head worriedly. "What do they do? Do they hurt you?"

Angel shook her head.

"What then? ‘Cause I never see you anymore. What was the deal about?"

"I have to…" She broke off and took a deep breath. "Benoit owns me. I have to do whatever he tells me."

Jeff frowned. "He doesn’t make you…?"

Angel shook her head. "No. Not that, but just about everything else. If he wants me by his side, I have to be there."

"And if you don’t do what he says?"

"He’d tell Vince I backed out on the deal and I’d be kicked out."

Jeff shook his head. "The deal’s between you and Benoit. Vince wouldn’t care. All he was concerned with was you coming through in the deal you made with him."

Angel frowned but said nothing.

"Come with me, Angel," Jeff implored her. "Come back with me, Matt and Lita. We miss you."

"I miss you too, but I can’t," Angel sighed.

"Why not? Who’s going to stop you? We’re willing to fight for you. I’m ready to take on all the Radicalz by myself if that’s what it takes to get you back."

Angel shook her head. "It’s not them stopping me. It’s me."

Jeff drew back, confused.

"I made the deal, Jeff. I can’t break it."

"Of course you can."

"No, I can’t," Angel insisted. "No matter how hard it is, this is the path I chose, so I have to keep going."

"But Kat left. You can too."

"No. If I leave it will be like the Kat. I’ll never be able to come back."

"Why not?" Jeff asked impatiently.

Angel took a deep breath. How could she make him see? "The reason I’m still here is to fight the hypocrites, cheats, assholes and jerks. If I turn my back on the choice I made, how am I any different to any of them? If that’s who I’ll be, I might as well just go home."

"You are different, Angel. You’re so important to me, and Matt and Lita, too. Just, come with me. You’ll be okay, I swear it."

"No!" Angel cried as the tears started again. "I can’t, Jeff. I have to stay. And it’s so hard, it really is, because I hate him, I hate him so much."

"Okay," Jeff said. "Then how does the deal end? It’s no use being trapped forever."

"He has to attack me," Angel said quietly.

"What?" Jeff cried.

"I have another plan," Angel rushed on. "I’m trying to make him let me go. I’m trying to break up the Radicalz. I have to pit myself against the other four and make him choose me. It’s kind of working. They all hate me and Benoit’s furious at Eddie, but…" She paused. "I don’t know if I can keep doing it. Something’s going to snap and I don’t know if I’ll be strong enough."

Jeff held her tightly and wiped away her tears. He decided to try one more time. "Then come with me. I want you back with us. Matt and Lita, they’re always together now and I have no one. I can’t…I just can’t stop thinking about you, Angel, I really can’t and…"

Angel stared at him, confused. "What do you mean, Jeff?"

Jeff stared deep in her eyes and swallowed. It was now or never. "I mean…Angel, here’s what I mean." With his hands still on her face, he slowly leaned in and kissed her.

* * * *

"X-Pac again," Benoit muttered as the Radicalz walked down the hallway. "At least I won’t have Eddie screwing up this time."

They reached the locker room and he opened the door, then stopped in his tracks.

Malenko peered around him. "Oh, what’s this?"

Benoit raised his hand and silence him. The Hardy boy had just started to kiss her and she was frozen. In fear? In disgust? Benoit’s smirk just began to appear but then she moved her hands slowly up his back to his shoulders, where she held him tight, and it disappeared. As did his stillness. He leaped over to them and tore Jeff away with one hand, swinging the other for a punch in the face.

"Get off her! You get the hell off her, okay?" He slammed a startled Jeff into the wall and began punching and kicking him.

Angel was also startled, by the kiss and by the sudden lack of it, but she only took one look at what was happening before she sprang into action.

"Benoit, let him go! Stop it! Leave him alone, you bastard."

She grabbed for her sticks, then leaped through the air. She landed right on Benoit’s back and anchored herself by hooking her legs around his waist. He tried to shrug her off but her grip was too tight. Breathing deeply, she looped her arms over his head and, using both hands, wrenched her sticks back into his neck. Benoit coughed and immediately stepped back from Jeff, trying in vain to swat her away.

Angel just leaned back and forced the sticks more tightly into his neck. "I’m going to kill you," she hissed. "I’m going to kill you."

But she didn’t have the chance. Both Saturn and Malenko grabbed her and dragged her away, causing the sticks to fall to the ground with a clatter. Suddenly free, Benoit gasped for air as Saturn and Malenko held Angel.

"Get the stick, Terri!" Saturn shouted.

Terri grinned and picked up a stick. With Angel struggling against the two men, Terri wound up and prepared to swing, only to be grabbed by the throat and slammed against the wall.

"Let her go!" Benoit screamed, tightening his grip on Terri’s neck. "Let her go or I kill the bitch."

Malenko and Saturn looked at each other.

"Chris?" Malenko started.

"DO IT!" Benoit boomed.

Malenko and Saturn grabbed Angel’s shoulders and shoved her into Jeff as Benoit lowered Terri to the ground and released her. Grabbing at her throat, she raced to Saturn’s side, then the three Radicalz stared at Benoit accusingly.

"What the hell’s wrong with you, Chris?" Saturn asked, holding Terri tight.

"I meant what I said," Benoit scowled. "You don’t touch her." He picked up both sticks and stood over Angel. "Get up. Get up!"

Angel looked up from Jeff and glared at Benoit. "You son of a bitch. He wasn’t doing anything wrong."

Benoit was unmoved. "I told you in the beginning that if anyone so much as touched you, I would make sure they were sorry. He touched you, now he’s very, very sorry."

"You son of a bitch," Angel repeated before turning back to her friend. "Come on, Jeff. Let’s go and get you some help."

"Where do you think you’re going?" Benoit demanded.

"I’m taking him to the trainer’s room."

"You don’t leave this room without me."

Angel narrowed her eyes at him. "If you’re coming you have to help me carry him. Otherwise you leave us the hell alone."

"Can you talk to me like that?" Benoit asked.

Angel shrugged indifferently. "You know what, asshole? Tonight I talk to you however I damn well please."

* * * *

Benoit let Angel stay with Jeff only for as long as it took to make sure he was okay. When they returned to the locker room, Eddie was there. Benoit stepped up to him.

"What the hell are you doing here? I told you to stay away."

"I know," Eddie replied quietly. "But I was wanting a chance to explain myself."

"Well, go ahead, essa. I’m listening."

"I know Monday night you think it was my fault. It wasn’t my fault. Tonight, I promise I’ll be there for you, my brother."

"Okay," Benoit replied. "Now I have something to say so you better listen." He looked down at Eddie and kicked a bag menacingly. "Look at me when I’m talking to you."

Eddie slowly got to his feet. "I’m looking at you, okay, essa?"

Benoit glared at him. "I don’t trust you right now, Eddie. So I don’t want you anywhere near my match. Don’t come near me, don’t even watch my match on TV. You got me, essa?" he asked mockingly. "Well? You got me?"

Malenko stepped between them. "Okay, Chris. He hears you. He’ll be staying back here with us."

Benoit nodded. "Good. Let’s keep it that way. You," he said, turning to Angel. "It’s time to go."

* * * *

X-Pac and his friend Justin Credible had arrived and Benoit had just sent Angel to his corner, when some music played over the PA system.

"Latino Heat!"

Eddie stepped onto the stage and down the ramp, his every move watched by Benoit. Eddie walked straight past Angel, not acknowledging her or her employer, and took a seat at the announce table. He began pleading his innocence as the other three Radicalz also appeared. Malenko stepped up to Eddie.

"What are you doing? Chris told you not to come out here."

"I’m here to support him, man," Eddie replied as Benoit stepped from the ring and approached him. "I’m on your side, essa."

Angel watched them as she was joined in Benoit’s corner by Perry and Terri. Benoit climbed back into the ring as Eddie kept justifying himself.

"I’m a Radical, man. I’ll bleed for you guys. I’ll die for you, man."

Michael Cole and JR continued to ask the tough questions as Eddie gave variations on the same answer. He was a Radical. He was in for the team, forever.

Suddenly, Eddie got up. Terri distracted the ref as he climbed into the ring and shoved X-Pac into Benoit. Benoit locked on the crossface and X-Pac tapped out as Eddie exited the ring, as if he’d never been there at all. Benoit didn’t release X-Pac and Justin Credible jumped on him, but Malenko and Saturn pulled him away and played slap ping-pong with him as Benoit called Angel into the ring.

Watched by the other Radicalz, Eddie started up the ramp, looking back periodically to see if they were following. After a while they did just that and the six of them returned to the locker room. It was an uneasy truce, but it was a truce nonetheless and it meant Angel had lost much of the ground she’d made. She scowled as Benoit pulled her along by the arm. She’d just have to try that little bit harder to piss them all off.