The small band of warriors headed out. They knew that by now Macmahon would be fuming. He had lost one of his routes to destroying the Ministry of Darkness. And his displeasure was soon made known from the shouts coming from his office, shouts directed at one person, Chyna. "How could you do it? How could you let my ticket to victory slip through your fingers! That little bitch was the only way I could have gotten the Undertaker to surrender and disban the Ministry, but you let her get away. And that disturbs me Chyna. You're supposed to be this "ninth wonder of the world" and yet a mere girl slips right through your fingers."

"I'm sorry. I was overwhelmed." Chyna said hoping that Macmahon would believe her, but this day, she would not be so lucky. "Oh, I'm sure you were. I must admit though, you certainly did a good job of beating yourself up." Macmahon sneered and produced a video tape. Chyna went pale, now knowing Macmahon knew her true purpose of joining the Corporation. "Working with those degenerates all along...I'm truly disapointed in you Chyna. I thought you had vision. I guess I was wrong."

Before Chyna could say anything she was grabbed by Test and the Bossman. Kane, not wanting to see Chyna hurt, went for them, only to be bashed across the back of the head by Paul Wight and taken prisoner himself. "The both of you are such disapointments. The things I could have made you both into. Well, I guess now I see you both aren't worth the effort. Test, Bossman, Shamrock, take these two traitors and lock them up. I'll decide to what to do with them later." Macmahon sneered. "Bastard! The Undertaker will make you pay! He'll stop you!" Chyna shouted. "I'm so sure he will. Get them out of here. Then we need to get down to business."

The Ministry headed for Titan Towers. Chris rode with Taker as they went to prepare for the battle they had hoped would never come, not knowing the danger that Chyna and Kane were in. The journey did not take long yet seemed to take forever. A battle was about to be fought, war ready to break out. No one knew what would come of this. They knew only that it had to be done.

Titan Towers, the strong hold of Macmahon, and the Minstry had finally reached it. Taker looked up knowing his boss was in there, now his mortal enemy. He worried about Chris being involved in this, but worried more bout her being alone at the mansion. He looked at her as she stared out the window. "Chris, I have to ask something of you right now. I'm going to instruct the brood and Midian to guard you. If something happens to me, then you are to turn, go with them, and run away from this place...as fast as you can. Go back to the mansion, get Nightstar and ride, ride as fast as you can as far as you can. Promise me you'll do that."

"I can't leave your side. I'm not ready to lose you. If anything were to happen to you..."

"Chris please, I made a vow to your mother that I would protect you no matter what. And I mean to keep that vow. Now promise me you will do as I say. If anything happens to me, or anyone other members promise me you will run out of here as fast as you can. And don't look back. You're survival is what's important here." Taker said looking seriously into Chris's eyes. She nodded, but knew deep in her heart she was prepared to give up her life to save Taker's. He meant that much to her. She loved him enough to give up her own life. She loved him that much.

The band of soldiers and their lady pulled up to Titan Towers. Taker looked up as he and Chris got out of the car and waited for the rest of the Ministry to follow up to them. "Acolytes, Brood, Midian, Paul, I want to get Kane out of there with minimal injury and no bloodshed. And above all, you all are to guard Chris with your life. She's the most important life here worth saving besides Kane. I do not wish for there to be loss of life, but if death is what they want, then we shall give it to them. Brood, Midian, if anything happens to me or anyone else, you take Chris and see to it she gets out alive. Get her back to the mansion and then get her to her family. Chris, if something happens and we don't make it, then you run. You know what I told you to do if anything happens to me."

"Yes." Chris said. She kept silent her vow that she had made. If she had to, if she so chose it, he could not stop her from protecting him with her life. She loved him too much to let him die. "All right then, let's go up there and end this battle; once and for all." Taker said. Then he, Chris, and the Ministry made their way inside Titan, and then, to Macmahon and his corporation. They walked to the elevator knowing Macmahon was waiting on the top floor of the building. They stepped into the elevator and made the acsent to their destination. There, Macmahon and the Corporation were waiting for them. Taker and the Ministry walked through the doors, and there stood the enemies, Macmahon and the Corporation. The abcense of Kane and Chyna made Taker's blood run cold. He knew that this was not a good sign. "Well, I see you got your lady love back; old friend."

"Don't talk to me that way Macmahon. You're no friend of mine. Where are Kane and Chyna? I know you're hiding them somewhere in this building." Taker growled. Macmahon looked with a defiant sneer. "Well, actually I'm not hiding them at all. Mr Wight, Bossman, Test...bring Kane and Chyna out." As Macmahon spoke, Taker and Chris looked on in fear as they say Kane dragged out by Paul Wight, and Chyna dragged kicking and yelling by Test and Bossman. "Now, dead man...you have a choice. You can disband this ministry of yours and leave this company never to come back, or, you can watch your *little* brother and his only friend here get their heads air conditioned. What's it gonna be?" Macmahon asked pulling a gun out of his top desk drawer and pointing it first at Kane. "Taker! Don't do it! He'll kill us anyway! The man's scum!" Chyna yelled. "Shut up bitch!" Macmahon shouted and struck Chyna in the face. Kane suddenly regaining consciousness saw Macmahon strike Chyna. He elbowed Wight to the chest and went to attack Bossman and Test. Chyna too began to struggle kicking Macmahon in the gut causing him to fall backwards dropping the gun. "Midian, Paul, keep Chris safe. Acolytes, Brood, follow me!" Taker shouted as he and his soldiers joined in the fight. Unaware that Macmahon's secret weapon, the very man who have let himself be recruited into the ministry for the sole purpose of spying on Taker picked up the gun when no one was paying attention to it.

Taker grabbed the Bossman and hoisted him up by the throat. The brood where busy with Test, Shamrock and the Rock, while the Acolytes and Kane held Wight at bay. And Chyna squared off with Vince's son Shane. "You're mine you spoiled little brat!" She barked and procceeded to give him a very hard low blow. Paul and Midian did their best to keep Chris out of harm's way, but they could not surround her from all corners. Mable lumbered over to where Paul and Midian guarded Chris. They both had a feeling they were about to go down with their lives until Taker noticed Mable and where he was headed. He threw the bossman down violently and headed towards Mable. "Get away from them you bastard!" Taker yelled.

Chris, Paul and Midian where backed in a corner, while Mable stood on the right of it, and Taker across from him. He saw that Mable had the gun and was well aware that he would use it. There was nothing he could do. All in the situation were at a stand still. One move, and the gun could be used on Paul, Midian or Chris. Then, Chris looked in terror as Mable pointed the gun at Taker. "Dead man, I'm gonna make sure you get dead and stay dead!" Mable roared and pulled the trigger. In one moment, all seem to go in slow motion. The fight raging behind Taker, Paul and Midian found themselves shoved to the ground. The loud bang of the gun brought everything to a standstill. There was absolute silence. Taker looked at his chest to see that blood was on it. Thinking he had been shot, he was ready to fall, only to discover there was no wound on his chest, and that the blood was not his. He looked down. There lay Chris in a pool of her own blood. All was absolutely still and silent, until a shrill scream broke the silence. "NO!!!!" Taker screamed and fell to his knees. Midian and Paul got up to find Chris lying motionless on the floor. "Chris! Chris!" Taker yelled trying to get her to respond to him. He gathered her limp body into his arms holding her as tightly as possible. "No, No, you can't, you can't leave me. You can't leave me."

Chris' eyes opened wearily, her voice, faint, fading. "Taker....I.....love......y...you." Chris whispered faintly, then she went silent. Her face became ashen. Taker looked down at her, tears begininning to stream from his eyes in what seemed to be torrents. "No, No Chris you can't. You can't leave me. I won't let you! I won't let you leave! Chris, Chris!" Taker cried shaking his fallen love in vein. Then, Chyna and Kane rushed over to him. "Taker, let us take her to the hospital. It's only five minutes away. We might be able to save her." Chyna said. "Please...she's my life. I promised her mother I would protect her. Please, please I beg of you save her. Save her."

"We're gonna do all we can. Kane, take her and let's get her to the hospital." Chyna instructed. Taker was relunctant to let Chris out of his embrace. But he knew that if there was any chance of saving her life, he had to let her go. "Be careful with her...she's...so fragile, her heart is." Taker sobbed watching his younger brother and Chyna carry Chris off. He heard a sarchastic cough. He turned around to see Vince, a defiant smile upon his face. "Well, I guess you are going to be preoccupied, too preoccupied to deal with me... or my men. So why don't you just give up? Why don't you just admit defeat before you lose anyone else. I told you, you can't take my company away from me. You can't win. You'll never win. Now, take your minions, and get out of MY office. And don't come back."

"You bastard!" Midian shouted. "NO! You get back before I pull you back." Taker growled. "But we can't just,"

"You heard me! Now take the Brood and the Acolytes, and get the hell out of here. I have somewhere else I need to go. Paul, see to it they get back to the mansion." Taker said as tears still ran from his eyes. He got up and looked at Mable, even through his greif, the flames of hatred burned deep in his dark soul. This was the last straw. They would pay, he thought. They will all pay.

Part 22 Regret and Redemption

Taker took the truck he had driven and rushed to the hospital. He found Kane and Chyna in the waiting room. He went up to them determined to find out how Chris was. "Tell me, now. Is she alive?" Taker demanded. "She....she's alive, but in a coma. The bullet hit very close to a major artery in her heart. She stopped breathing. They have her on life support right now. To tell you the honest truth, the doctors don't expect her to survive."

"What room?"

"109, two stories up and to the left. I don't know if she will be able to hear you or see you or even know who you are." Chyna explained. For a moment, Taker looked at Kane. "You...you tried...you tried to save her. Brother, I...I know I have caused you a lot of pain. And I know Chris tried to reconcile me and you. I want you to come back to your family. Come home, Kane. Please, if you will not do it for me, then do it for Chris. She wants us to be a family again." Taker said trying to hold back his tears of sorrow. Then Chyna walked up to Kane. "Kane, listen to me. You don't belong in the Corporation. But you wouldn't fit into D-X either. There is only one place you truly belong, and that is with your brother and father in the MOD. "I don't expect you to forgive me for what I've done Kane. I can't expect you to do that and I won't. But we are family, blood. And we need each other. I need you. You're my brother. I drove you away, now I'm begging you to come home. Please, brother, come home." Taker said almost pleading. Kane looked away from him for a moment. It was not easy to forgive all that had happened between them. "Taker, go to Chris. Spend what time you can with her. It may bring her out of her coma." Chyna said. Taker turned to leave, then he turned to Kane. "I'm not asking you to do this for me Kane. I only ask because this is what Chris would have wanted." He replied saddly and went to see his fallen love.

Kane watched his brother walk away and then looked at Chyna. "Kane, your brother has done some terrible things. He's wronged you, but he himself has suffered much in his life. He may be losing the one person who loved him no matter what he has done. Kane, I'm not asking you to waltz up to him and say all is forgiven. It will take a long time to heal the wounds between you. But I am asking that you go to him. He needs someone to be there for him, perhaps to pull him back before he goes completely over the edge. Kane, he's your brother. He needs you. Please, go be with him. Go home to your family Kane. They need you." Chyna plead. Kane looked at her and then lumbered off in the direction his brother went. There Kane found the Undertaker by Chris' bedside, tears streaming from his eyes. He stroked Chris' hair and held her hand praying that she would show some sign of life, but at the moment, there was nothing, only silence. "Chris, please, please honey you have to fight this. You have got to fight this. You're the only person in the world who has ever dared to love me, even after all the terrible pain I've caused, you were still there. You have possibly sacrificed your life so that I may have mine. I should the one lying there in that bed, not you Chris...not you. Please, please Dear God, don't take her away. Please, don't take her away from me!"

Kane saw the sorrow and pain in his older brother's eyes. The tears that fell were full of bitterness and heartache. He watched his brother gather Chris' motionless body into his arms, cradling her. Kane walked into the room. Taker so caught up in his greif he did not notice Kane behind him. He could feel his brother's heart breaking. "I swear to you Chris, I'll make him pay. I'll make his whole damn corporation pay for what they've done to you. I will not let this crime go unpunished." He sobbed bitterly. Then, he heard a voice speak behind him. "Brother..." Kane said through his vocal device. "We will fight them....together."

Taker stood up and faced his brother for the first time since the ministry had been formed. "I cannot ask you to forgive me for all that I've done."

"I....forgive....you....big brother." Kane rasped then, to Taker's shock and amazement, Kane took off his mask. There, Kane stood face to face at last with his brother. It was the first time Taker had seen his younger brother's face in over 20 years. For one moment, all was still. As if the brothers stood in a time warp. Kane, his scarred face now out for the world to see, and Taker now looking at that face for the first time in two decades. "Kane, I...,I'm...sorry."

Kane said nothing. He procceeded to put his arms around his brother and for the first time since they were children, they hugged like true blood brothers. Then, as they reunited, someone else too came around. "ohhhh...." A faint voice sighed. Taker turned around and there lay Chris, with her eyes opened. "Taker?"

Her question was answered with a desperate and somewhat restricting embrace. The big guy in black was a bit too overwhelmed by his joy of seeing his loved one back to life. He suddenly realized he was hugging her too tightly when she began to groan in pain. "Chris....thought I'd lost you girl! Thought I'd lost you." He said crying now out of joy instead of sorrow. "You're gonna be ok honey. You're gonna pull through this. Don't ever do this to me again. I am not worth you sacrificing your life. I'm not worth it."

"If you weren't worth it, would I be here now?" Chris asked wearily. "What worth would I be if you died?"

Chris looked up to see Kane standing behind his brother. "Kane...." She said. "We have begun a reconciliation. My baby brother and I are on our way to being a family again. All I want you to do right now is rest. Regain your strength. We have a wedding to think about now you know."

Part 23 Vengence