If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check out my P-Tang12!!!
______________________________
(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
...
Henry stepped forward, shaking his head. "I didn't agree with Sandro at all over the last year, hell I even hated the man. But at least when Sandro Zhang and the Undisputed System attacked you, there was a reason behind it. Sandro is a mastermind. He operates on a completely different level. His schemes were calculated. He put you through a table to win a championship, or to secure a contract. The Undisputed System was like a pack of trained wolves."
Henry pointed a massive finger toward the locker room door. "The Nexus? They are wild dogs. They don't care about titles. They don't care about leverage. They just want to break bones and ruin careers. To be honest with you, Sandro and his goons look like tame house pets compared to the raw damage Wade Barrett is encouraging. You rush out there blindly, John, and you're going to end up in a hospital bed."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the locker room. Zack Ryder nodded slowly, rubbing his sore neck. Even guys like Jack Swagger and The Miz exchanged uneasy glances. Mark Henry was right, this wasn't a standard wrestling rivalry. This was a hostile occupation.
At the commentary desk, JBL was practically beaming. "Listen to Mark Henry! The World's Strongest Man is finally speaking the truth! He recognizes the brilliance of the God King! Sandro Zhang was a leader of men, a tactical genius. The Nexus is just a mob."
"But they are a mob that is currently running the show, John," Cole whispered back.
Inside the locker room, Cena looked frustrated, ready to argue back against Henry's logic. But before the franchise player could speak, the squeak of wrestling boots on the concrete floor drew everyone's attention.
Sitting on a metal folding chair in the darkest corner of the room, slowly wrapping white athletic tape around his wrists, was Randy Orton.
The Viper had been uncharacteristically quiet since the Nexus had attacked him a few weeks prior. He methodically tore the end of the tape, pressing it flat against his skin. He didn't look up right away. The locker room held its breath.
Orton slowly stood up. He walked past Mark Henry, his cold, piercing eyes scanning the faces of the roster. He stopped right beside John Cena.
"I can't believe I'm about to say this," Orton began, his voice a low, venomous hiss that commanded absolute silence. "But John is right."
The room visibly reacted. Even Cena looked slightly shocked. John Cena and Randy Orton were bitter, lifelong rivals. Their blood feud had defined an era of WWE programming.
Even when they were forced to team up against Sandro Zhang's golden empire, their partnership had been incredibly brittle, built on a foundation of mutual distrust and constantly on the verge of collapsing.
But tonight, the Viper stood firmly by Cena's side.
"Mark," Orton said, turning his cold gaze to the World's Strongest Man. "I will give credit exactly where credit is due. For a full year, we lived under the absolute tyranny of Sandro and his goons. And you are right. Sandro operates on a level of intellect that most people in this room can't even comprehend. He is a billionaire prodigy with a mind for manipulation."
Orton began to slowly pace, a dark anger simmering just beneath his calm exterior.
"But Wade Barrett? Ryback?" Orton scoffed, a genuine look of disgust flashing across his face. "They aren't masterminds. They are barking hyenas. They are a cheap, desperate knock off of the Undisputed System. Barrett is trying to wear a crown that doesn't belong to him, and he's using a bunch of forgotten rookies as his shield."
Orton stopped, pointing down at the floor of the locker room.
"This is Monday Night RAW," Orton stated, his voice rising in intensity. "This is our house. We built this place with our blood, our sweat, and our surgeries. And you are asking if we should sit here in the dark and let a group of unknown, unproven hyenas dictate our lives? You want to live in fear with the likes of Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel?"
Orton looked back at Cena, giving the franchise player a firm, respectful nod. "I refuse to be chased out of my own locker room. If they want a war, then we give them a war."
The dynamic in the room shifted instantly. Having John Cena give a motivational speech was one thing, but having the cold, ruthless Randy Orton back him up was something else entirely.
The combined star power of the two biggest icons on the brand standing shoulder to shoulder was a powerful catalyst. The fear in the eyes of the mid carders began to recede, replaced by a spark of genuine defiance.
"Look at this!" Cole cheered softly on the broadcast. "Cena and Orton are on the exact same page! We haven't seen them this united ever! Even against Sandro and the Undisputed System, where their partnership broke apart!"
"It shows you exactly how dangerous the Nexus truly is," Lawler added. "It takes a massive threat to bring the Viper and the Franchise together."
Just as the locker room began to rally, a sudden, heavy knock echoed against the metal door.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
The room went dead silent. The spark of defiance instantly morphed into fight or flight adrenaline. Jack Swagger grabbed a steel folding chair. Santino Marella picked up a metal trash can lid. Everyone braced themselves, fully expecting Wade Barrett and his eight soldiers to bust through the hinges.
"Open it," Cena commanded, stepping to the front of the pack, his fists clenched.
A production assistant nervously reached out and turned the handle, pulling the heavy door open.
It wasn't the Nexus.
Standing in the hallway, looking absolutely miserable, was the RAW General Manager, Paul Heyman.
The Advocate was a pathetic sight. A thick, rigid medical brace was strapped tightly around his neck, forcing him to keep his head perfectly still. He was leaning heavily on the shoulders of two massive arena security guards, his face pale and contorted in lingering pain from the brutal Full Nelson he had suffered at the hands of Bobby Lashley earlier in the night.
Heyman looked past Cena and Orton, his bloodshot eyes scanning the dozens of superstars clutching weapons. A look of sheer, overwhelming disappointment washed over his face.
"Put down the chairs," Heyman croaked, his voice barely a whisper due to his crushed vocal cords. He waved a hand weakly, signaling the guards to help him step fully into the locker room.
The superstars slowly lowered their makeshift weapons, confused by the GM's arrival.
"I am looking at some of the most gifted athletes in the world," Heyman wheezed, shaking his head slowly. "And yet, when I was being assaulted in the middle of that ring... when Brock Lesnar was being beaten with steel chairs and kendo sticks... not a single one of you walked down that ramp to help."
Heyman leaned against a set of metal lockers, panting slightly as the security guards stepped back.
"You all stand in here, talking about pride, talking about taking back your house," Heyman rasped, his eyes narrowing with bitter resentment. "But the only men who actually proved they have a spine last week were Drew McIntyre, Jimmy and Jey Uso, and the New Day. Those six men miraculously survived a backstage slaughter, marched out to the ring, and took the fight directly to a nine on six numbers disadvantage. They didn't hide. They fought."
Cena stepped forward, narrowing his eyes. "We aren't hiding, Paul. We are organizing. If you want us to handle the Nexus, just give us the green light. Drop the fines, drop the suspensions, and let us go to work."
Heyman closed his eyes, taking a shallow, painful breath. "I am sick and tired of the Nexus. They have ruined my broadcast, they have assaulted my client, and they have made this place an unsafe working environment. Wade Barrett wants to prove that his army is unstoppable. So, I am going to give him a designated battlefield."
The locker room leaned in, hanging on the GM's every word.
"This Sunday," Heyman announced, wincing as he tried to look up at Cena. "At the Capitol Punishment Pay Per View, we are going to settle this. It will be a massive, sanctioned match. The Nexus, all nine members, will be allowed to compete."
The crowd in the Baltimore arena, watching the segment unfold on the massive TitanTron, let out a huge cheer at the prospect of a massive showdown.
"They will be facing a team representing Monday Night RAW," Heyman continued, his voice straining. "I have already appointed the six men who proved their worth last week. Drew McIntyre, The Usos, and The New Day are officially booked for the match. They earned that right."
Heyman looked around the room, meeting the gaze of the heavy hitters.
"But nine against six is a slaughter," Heyman said softly. "I need three more men. I need three of the absolute best this locker room has to offer to step up, join those six men, and finally put an end to Wade Barrett's little revolution."
The locker room murmured, the weight of the request sinking in. Stepping into a match against nine hungry, violent men who had zero regard for the rules was a massive risk. It was an invitation to a hospital visit.
But there was no hesitation from the front of the pack.
John Cena took a decisive step forward, standing toe to toe with the injured General Manager. A fraction of a second later, Randy Orton stepped up right beside him, his expression cold and unyielding.
"You've got your first two," Cena stated firmly, his voice ringing with absolute certainty. "Randy and I are in."
The Baltimore crowd exploded into a deafening roar of approval!
"Oh my word!" Cole shouted on commentary, his excitement bleeding through the microphone. "John Cena and Randy Orton have just volunteered for the front lines! They are going to join forces with Drew, the Usos, and the New Day at Capitol Punishment!"
"This is massive!" Lawler cheered. "With Cena and Orton anchoring that team, the Nexus is finally going to face some real pushback!"
JBL shook his head, looking completely bewildered. "I never thought I would see the day once again, that the franchise and the Viper, volunteering to fight side by side. The Nexus has forced a miracle."
Inside the locker room, Heyman looked at the two multi-time world champions. A faint, relieved smile touched the corners of his lips. He knew that with Cena and Orton on the marquee, the pay per view buy rates would skyrocket, and the Nexus would finally face legitimate resistance.
"That leaves one spot open," Heyman rasped, looking past them at the rest of the roster.
"We will discuss it with the boys," Orton replied coldly, taking control of the situation. "We will find the ninth man. You'll have the final name on your desk before the end of the night."
Heyman simply nodded his head. He didn't have the energy to argue. He slowly turned around, relying heavily on his security detail to guide him back out into the hallway.
The heavy metal door clicked shut, leaving the locker room in a state of highly charged anticipation. The line had been drawn. The match was officially set.
As the broadcast feed cut back to the commentary desk, Cole was practically vibrating with excitement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the main event for this Sunday has just been blown wide open!" Cole announced, as a massive graphic flashed across the screen. "It will be a monumental Nine on Nine showdown at Capitol Punishment! Wade Barrett, Ryback, and the Nexus will go to war against United States Champion Drew McIntyre, World Tag Team Champions The Usos, The New Day, John Cena, Randy Orton, and a mystery partner yet to be determined!"
"The stakes couldn't be higher, Michael!" Lawler emphasized. "If the Nexus wins on Sunday, they will have definitive proof that they run this company. But if Team RAW can pull together, they might just be able to stamp out this rebellion once and for all."
"They still have to find a ninth man who is crazy enough to step into that meat grinder," JBL pointed out darkly. "And even with Cena and Orton, they are dealing with nine guys who have absolutely nothing to lose. Sunday is going to be a bloodbath."
The fans in Baltimore buzzed with electricity, the fear of the early evening replaced by a fierce, undeniable hype for the upcoming pay per view. The road to Capitol Punishment was paved with chaos, and the entire wrestling world was strapped in for a violent collision.
The rest of Monday Night RAW proceeded under a thick blanket of paranoia. The fans watched the entrance ramp, waiting for the inevitable black shirted invasion, but the arena remained surprisingly clear.
The main event featured John Cena squaring off against Alberto Del Rio in a hard hitting singles contest. Del Rio tried to ground the franchise player with his signature Cross Armbreaker, but Cena's raw strength allowed him to power out, hoist the Mexican aristocrat onto his shoulders, and deliver a thunderous Attitude Adjustment for the 1 2 3.
Cena's hand was raised, but his eyes never stopped darting toward the barricades. The audience held its breath. Yet, the Nexus was nowhere to be seen.
Just as the production crew prepared to fade to black, the massive TitanTron above the stage flared to life. The feed cut to a dimly lit loading dock somewhere deep in the bowels of the arena. Standing in the shadows, grouped together like a military unit, were the nine members of the Nexus. Wade Barrett stood at the forefront, looking perfectly calm.
He adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, a patronizing smile touching his lips. "Did you honestly believe we were going to march down to the ring tonight?" Barrett asked the camera, his voice echoing through the quiet arena. "Did you think we were going to play into your hands and fight a unified locker room on your terms? Please, give us a little more credit than that."
_______________________________
Name: Alessandro Zhang
Age: 21 (2011)
Birthplace: Orlando, Florida, USA
Brand: WWE - RAW
Wrestling Style: Mixed Of All Styles
Faction: The Undisputed System
Championships History: 1x FCW Tag Team Champions, 1x FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion, 1x TNA World Heavyweight Champion, 1x TNA X Division Champion, 1x WWE United States Champion (1st - 376 days), 1x WWE Champion, & 1x World Heavyweight Champion
Other Achievements: 1x Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale Winner, 1x Mr. Money In The Bank, Youngest WWE Champion, PWI Top 500 (No.1) - 2010, & 1x KOTR (2010)
Wrestlemania Record: 2 - 0 Main Event: 1 - 0