Macmahon walked around in his office. He felt assured thinking he was rid of the Undertaker's attempt to overthrow him and his corporation. Then, an ominous wind began to blow. Macmahon's office went completely black. It was midnight, the witching hour. Macmahon became nervous. The corporation was outside, but he was in. He walked to the door and tried to open it, only to find it would not budge. "No...no, it can't be. It can't be."
"Oh yes it can Vince. You've overstepped the line for the last time. You threatened her life, and then you tried to take her life." Growled the sinister voice of the Undertaker. "No, no, it was Mable. Mable picked up the gun, he pulled the trigger. He's the one you want." Macmahon said cowering in a corner. "Oh don't worry. Mable will be dealt his justice, all in due time. I will deal with him, just as now, I will deal with you." Taker growled in a tone laiden with vengence and hatred. "No, you won't get me. The Corporation's outside. They'll bust down this door, and then they'll bust your ass!" Vince shouted, then he heard sounds...sounds he didn't want to hear. "Go ahead Vince, open the door. Nothing to stop you now."
Vince opened the door, only to find to his horror the members of his corporation lying motionless on the floor, and the members of the ministry, now flanked by Kane surrounding them. "As you can see Mr. Macmahon, I have dealt with your corporation. Acolytes, did you find him?"
"No, he got away from us. He can't get far though. He's hiding somewhere. You want us to go after him?" Bradshaw asked. "No. I want you and the others to watch over them and keep Mr. Macmahon company while I search for him. I'm going to deal with him myself." Taker answered and then turned to Macmahon. "You sent him off didn't you? Where did you tell him to go?" The Dark Lord growled. "I don't know, and even if I did I wouldn't tell you." Macmahon scowled. "Oh you will tell me. In fact, I've changed my mind. You're not staying here Vince. You're going to come with me. You're going to help me find him, or, you can be the next wretched soul lying on the sacrifical alter." Taker hissed, his voice full of pure hatred. "All right...all right..I'll help you find him. Just put me down, don't hurt me."
"Believe me, I'd go way beyond hurting you." Taker growled. "Now show me where he is."
"All right, all right...You win, I'll show you where he is. Just don't hurt me..." Vince said sneaking his hand into a desk drawer. He pulled out a hunting knife that Patterson has left in his office several weeks before. "I'll show you where he is....after I send you to hell!" Macmahon screamed and suddenly plundged the knife into Taker's shoulder. Most men would have screamed in agony, but all Taker did was glare intensely at Macmahon as he pulled the knife out of his shoulder blade. Then, in the midst of the fracus, Paul Wight regained consciouness and began attacking the Ministry. Though he was only one against 8, he was huge, strong and very ill tempered. One by one he fought the ministry back. While Taker was distracted with pulling the knife out of his shoulder, Macmahon took the opportunity to run out of his office. Wight sheilded Macmahon from harm as the rest of the corporation came to their senses. Then the battle was on. Macmahon dashed from the battle taking his son Shane with him, calling to the corporation to retreat and join them. The corporation beat off the Ministry and then joined up with their employers. Midian saw Taker cringing in pain and saw the blood running from the wound the knife had made. "Come on, our lord is hurt!"
"I'm all right, it's not deep. Damn him!" Taker yelled. "Damn them all to hell! I am going to find Mable one way or the other! If I have to rip this city apart, I'll find him." Taker growled. "He could still be in the building." Midian replied. "No. He's run off with the rest of the corporation. He's one of Macmahon's biggest assets. He would have had a place for them to go and Mable would have known the location. But how do we find them?"
"I found this in the stables. It's some kind of tracing device...my guess is Macmahon's henchmen used it when they kidnapped Chris. One of the kidnappers must have dropped it in the struggle." Midian said. "Good. Good. We can turn this on, and the next time Macmahon tries to contact someone, we will know exactly where he is."
The ministry headed back to the mansion. Taker however, made a detour by the hospital. He wanted to see Chris and make sure she was improving. He walked into her room to see her sound asleep. He walked over to her side and sat down beside her on her bed. She was peaceful, like a sleeping child. He saw the place on her chest that had been stitched and patched. He thought about how close she had come to dying. How close he had come to losing perhaps the only light his dark soul ever had. "Chris, I almost lost you. Please, don't leave me. Don't ever leave without me. You're too precious to loose. I should be the one lying in that bed, not you. That bullet was meant for me, and you took it. You...loved me that much. You nearly lost your life for me. The one person in this whole ministry I didn't want sacrificed...and you sacrificed yourself. And not because you had to, but because you value my life that much. You...love me that much. No one, no one has ever given me that kind of love. No matter what I did or said, even when you got angry with me; in the end, you're always there. Always willing to be by my side. I promise you...I promise you that sacrifice you made will not be forgotten. I will make them pay Chris. I will make them pay for your agony. For every moment you felt pain, I will make them scream. I will make them suffer. Yours is one life this world cannot afford to lose. When I formed the ministry I did so because I felt there was no good left in the world. I felt hope had died. Innocence had died. That no one ever truly loved anymore. But you proved me wrong Chris. You showed me that no matter how bad, how evil I tried to be...you were there. You didn't judge me, you didn't leave me. You just...loved me." A tear fell from one green eye. It fell on Chris' cheek.
Taker leaned over Chris and kissed her softly. "All I want is for you to get out of this place and come home. I just want you to get well again." He sighed. Then he got up and as he turned to leave, he looked back at Chris' sleeping form. "I love you."
Taker returned to the mansion. A look of purpose and fury in his green eyes. Midian and the others saw him practically stomping across the floor. "I want him...I want Mable. I don't care bout the rest of them...just give me Mable and Macmahon. I don't care how you have to do it, just bring those two lowlives to me. And I want them brought to me alive. There's going to be two sacrifices tonight. They tried to take Chris' life, now they have to pay for it."
The others wondered about Taker's judgement and state of mind..but dared not question his orders. They simply bowed to him and went in search of their prey. Taker walked into the master chamber. "A soul for a soul Mable...you tried to take hers...now I WILL take yours as I should have done in the beginning." Taker growled and looked at the alter. This time there would be no compassion, no mercy, no pity, no...remorse. He would stay there in the master chamber and wait. And then, he thought to himself, the true horror would begin. "Chris, I can only pray that you forgive me for what I'm about to do. But I will not let this go unpunished. Please, forgive me for the suffering I'm about to inflict on those two wretched, condemned souls. Forgive me my love, for this must be done."
Macmahon paced about in the arena. He was certain that he had gotten the Undertaker out of his hair once and for all, but then began to think of the rage he may have incurred in the Dark Lord. "No. He won't. He was too distraught. He cares too much bout his girlfriend to come after me. He wouldn't dare." Macmahon sneered to himself trying to regain his confidence. "Guess again Macmahon..." a voice hissed. "Take him!" Gangrel yelled. "What...NO!!!!" Vince screamed in horror as two pairs of arms reached out and grabbed him.
"AHHHHH!" Macmahon screamed as he woke up in a cold sweat. "Oh God...a nightmare. Only a nightmare." He said still shaking as he lay in his hotel room. He heard Shane run into his room. "Pops! You ok?" Shane asked. "I'm fine son. It was just a bad dream. Go back to bed. We got a busy day tomorrow." Vince replied and went back to sleep. He was unaware that the nightmare he had was about to become very, very real. The Brood has somehow managed to sneak in the back of the hotel. They found Shane Macmahon about to go for a midnight stroll as he was too nervous to go back to sleep. That is when the brood saw their chance. As soon as Shane rounded the bend and was about to walk out the door, three pairs of arms suddenly grabbed him.
"Where is he boy?" Gangrel hissed wickedly. "You're not going near my father. I won't tell you where he is!" Shane barked. "On the contrary, we know he's here in the hotel. And if you don't think that we won't rip your head off cause you're his son, you have another think coming."
"Make it easy on yourself Shane. Tell us where Vince is." Said Midian who stepped out of the shadows. "We don't want to hurt you, but if needs be we will do whatever is neccessary. Your father has angered our lord, and now Macamhon must answer to him."
"Look, if you want to take it out on someone, take it out on Mable. He's the one who picked up the gun and pulled the trigger." Shane plead. "We'll deal with him. His suffering will be most horrifying of all. The Lord of Darkness will not be denied. We'll find him, if we have to tear up every room in this hotel. And we know your sister is here with you Shane. We'd hate to have to barge into her room." Gangrel threatened. "No. Leave her alone. Leave our family alone!"
"Then tell us where he is." Said Edge. "No! You'll have to kill me first." Shane shouted. "Please, you would do anything to save your miserable hide...or do you not remember how you cried like a baby when we brought you before the Undertaker. Last chance, where is he?"
"HEY!" Shouted the Bossman. "The Ministry! Get them!"
"Take them down!" Farooq shouted as he and the rest of the Ministry rushed for the Corporation. Rights and lefts were exchanged as the two factions battled with each other. So engrossed in the battle were they that no one saw Shane run off with Midian fast on his trail. Shane, not thinking, ran back up to the floor where his father slept. "Dad! It's them! The Ministry is here!" Shane yelled. Vince heard the shouts of his son and opened the door to find Shane unconscious on the ground, and Midian standing over him. "Come with me, and the rest of your family will go unharmed. Just do as you're told, and they live."
"You won't take me or my family. The corporation is probably taking the Ministry down as we speak. Besides, there's only one of you before me. "Guess again Vinnie." Said a familiar voice. There was Triple H, X-Pac, the outlaws and Chyna. "You're going down Vince. Whatever it is Taker wants with you, we're not gonna stop him. Believe me, there's plenty we could do to your little brat son. And as for the corporation, well, let's just say the Ministry got a little help."
"Make this easy on yourself Vince. Make this easy on your family." Midian said. Before anyone could say anymore, they heard a roar from out of nowhere. There came Mable lumbering towards Midian and D-X. Just as he was about to rush at them, he felt a hard blow across his neck. He went down hard, and above him stood Kane. "Good work Kane. Now we have them both. Now, Mr. Macmahon, come with us and no one else will get hurt. Kane, Acolytes, get him up and get him out to the van."
"NEVER!" Macmahon shouted and rushed at Midian. But his attempt was thrawted by Chyna, who gave him a low blow. "That was for me and D-X you bastard!" Chyna shouted. "Get him out of here quickly. Enough suspicion has already been aroused." Midian commanded. The Brood picked Macmahon's body up and carried him out to the back where the rest of the Ministry waited. They threw him in the back of the van with Mable. Before anyone could do anything, the Ministry drove off with their victims in hand, and took them back to the mansion where a vengeful Undertaker waited for them.
"Let go of me you brutes! I demand you unhand me! You'll not get away with this! I promise you!" Vince shouted as he and Mable were forced into the master room. "Be silent!" Farooq shouted. "Kneel before the Lord of Darkness!" Bradshaw commanded. "Vince, Mable, so glad you could make it." Growled the voice of the Undertaker who stood in his Ministry cloak. His eyes had the look of hell within them as he stared down into the eyes of his victims. "You both had the gall to invade my house, threaten the one I love, and then, try to take her life. You Macmahon, were so content to use me as your personal hit man. I was the one who took out anyone who didn't conform to your standards! You thought you could use me to build up your kingdom and then just throw me away. Then, you see fit to use my brother the same way. No, I will not see what happened to me happen to him. No Vince, death doesn't just go away. When you summon the Reaper into this world, he cannot leave it empty handed. I sacrificed those whom were beneath you, now, you are the one who will be sacrificed...because you are beneath me. And you Mable...I shall see to it your fate will be nothing but pain and suffering. You tried to destroy me, but as you have now found out, you cannot destroy that which does not wish to perish. You betrayed me, and I do not take kindly to betrayal. Then, you fired the gun that nearly took Chris' life. Clearly, niether of you can be forgiven. Midian, prepare the alter. First you Macmahon, and then you Mable."
"Kane, Kane please, talk to him. You can reason with him! Don't let him do this!" Vince plead, but Kane turned a deaf ear to him. "You won't get away with this dead man! You won't get away with this!" Mable roared. "Don't beg Mable. You brought this down upon yourself. You signed your death warrant when you shot her."
Chris lay in her hospital bed, the pain in her chest had steadily decreased as the bullet wound began to heal. She closed her eyes and began to feel something in her heart. She could feel Taker's anger towards Mable and Vince. She sensed that a sacrifice was about to take place. But there was nothing she could do to stop it, or could she.
"An eye for an eye, a life for a life. Macmahon, I just want you to know, I am going to enjoy every moment of the horror you're about to go through. You will never hurt anyone else ever again. Midian, hand me the dagger."
Chris opened her eyes and began to sense what Taker was about to do. She could see him raising the dagger above his head, ready to bring it down into Macmahon's chest. "NO,NO! Don't do this!"
Vince shouted. "Too late Vince. You sealed your fate when you tried to take her away from me." Taker said without an ounce of compassion. "Don't worry, I'll see that your remains are sent back to your family. I can't promise they'll recognize you though..." Taker hissed with an evil laugh. He raised the dagger and began chanting the incantation he had used so many times before. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he prepared to bring the dagger down. Chris opened her mind...and with it she called to him..."Taker....no...don't!"
The dagger was a heartbeat away from coming down on Macmahon when Taker suddenly stopped. "Don't....if you do this, you'll be no better than they are." Chris thought to her beloved. Hearing her words, he stopped, and realized if he did this, everything Chris had done would be undermined. Her sacrifice would be profained...and that, he could not do. He would not demean what she had done for him. He dropped the knife. The rest of the ministry looked on in astonishment as their lord stood silent, his eyes wide and his mouth open. Then, he regained his senses. "No...I'm not gonna kill you Macmahon. If I did, I'd be no better than you or Mable. Chris nearly gave her life for me. I will not profane her sacrifice by performing this one. Midian, go call the police. I might not take your lives...but I will take your freedom. I will see to it that you both never hurt anyone again!"
Macmahon reached down as Taker looked away and picked up the knife from the floor. In seconds Taker felt a peircing pain in his left thigh...Macmahon had stabbed him with the dagger. "Lord!" Midian screamed. The ministry rushed over to where the Undertaker now fell in pain. "They're getting away!" Edge shouted. "Leave them! Let them go." Taker commanded. "But lord,"
"Let them go Midian. There will be another day. Right now, I need the bleeding to be stopped in this wound...damn that bastard." Taker growled. "Take the knife and cut a strip off the robe so I can wrap the wound."
"Yes lord."
**to be cont**
Part 25 Hope
Part 26 The Dark Lords Rage
Part 27 Turn Around