Chapter Twenty Four

Chris Benoit put his hand on the door of the locker room he was sharing with Adam, but stopped when he heard the sounds inside. It sounded like someone was getting the crap beat out of them. Just as he was about to rush inside he heard Adam's voice and the words he spoke stopped him. "Oh God Hunter please more. Harder… hit me harder… make it bleed." Chris frowned and pushed the door open just enough so that he could see Hunter naked and towering over Adam who lay on the floor with welts covering his chest, and an expression on his face that could only be described as pure joy.

"Hey Benny!" Chris heard and jumping put his hand over Jericho's mouth and pulled him to stand next to the doorway. Chris waited listening until he heard Hunter throw whatever he was hitting Adam with. "Not now, later… after the show." Chris put his finger on Jericho's mouth then pulled him to the doorway and kneeling down opened it just enough again so that they could peek in. This time they saw Hunter sitting on a bench still naked with Adam knelt at his feet rubbing his cheek on Hunter's thigh. "That woman is an idiot Hunter. She has no clue what she's doing pissing you off." Chris and Jericho listened as Hunter chuckled evilly and both me couldn't resist shivering. "Yes well when all is said and done she will be gone and I will still be here. She has no clue what she is messing with."

Jericho shivered again and standing pulled Chris away and down the hall not speaking until they were safely around the corner and our of ear shot. "What the fuck was that?" Chris shrugged frowning as he tried to consider all of the implication. Jericho sighed and ran a hand through his blonde waves. "Did you hear the news?" Chris frowned and looked up shaking his head.

Jericho jerked his head back towards where Hunter was. "He's a twin! His real name is Michael. Angel that new chick brought the real Paul with her today. Randy and Dave made a deal to protect him if she'd help Dave with… somethin'." Chris frowned and stroked his chin then shook his head. "Things around here get more and more confusing every day. I was just gonna get ready before my meeting with Angel, but looks like I'm goin' like this." Chris looked down at his workout pants and t-shirt. Jericho shrugged and slapped Chris' shoulder. "Don't sweat it man. Just try not to act like a jackass again and you should be fine." Chris sighed and glaring at Jericho went in search of the new boss as Jericho turned his head to look frowning at general direction of Hunter and Adam. Then trotting off he decided his lover Jay should know what was going on.

Angel sat in her makeshift office looking over notes with Scotty and Paul as Randy, Dave, and Sean chatted about Hunter and what he could do next. Hearing a knock on her door Angel looked at the time on her laptop and smiled. "Come in Chris." The door opened and Chris Benoit walked in and she noticed that he immediately took in who was in the room with her. "Guys can you give Chris and I a moment? Chris, do you mind if Paul stays?" As the other men stood and left, Chris shook his head carefully as he studied the man who looked so much like the man he'd just seen naked and yet at the same time looked so different he didn't know how anyone could possibly mistake the two. Taking a seat on one of the chairs Chris turned his gaze from Paul with difficulty to Angel waiting for her to speak.

Angel had seen Chris studying Paul and wondered what he was thinking. She wished she understood the Canadian better, but unfortunately Kevin had made that impossible. "Thank you for coming Chris. The reason I wanted Paul to stay is because he is going to be helping me with storylines and such things from now on. He is the one that hurt his leg and before that had been responsible for most of the storyline ideas. Since his injury though Michael or Hunter as we call him has taken over and the current situation is the result of that."

Chris again nodded carefully turning his eyes to Paul once more weighing his words before he spoke. "I am willing to give him a chance." Angel nodded smiling and Paul took a deep breath before speaking. "I appreciate that. I know that Hunter has… done wrong by you. You should have gotten that belt long ago, but… you were… too big of a threat. You remind him too much of Bret and he knows how powerful Bret was." Paul bit his lip before continuing. "I… I'm not my brother. He doesn't… see the big picture. I have some… ideas for you if you'd like to look over them and tell me what you think. Shawn and I… worked them out." Chris frowned at the mention of Shawn's name. "Shawn?"

Paul blushed and Angel patted his hand smiling softly. "Paul and Shawn are lovers. They've been together for years. Shawn is one of the few people that has known about them being twins." Chris nodded once again then turned his eyes back to Angel. "Seems things are not what they'd appeared to be. I… heard what Kevin did. How are you?" Angel sighed and shrugged. "Miraculously I was not seriously hurt and the fear… I've long ago grown used to Kevin's…" Angel sighed waving a hand in the air. "I'm ok and I thank you for your concern. I know because of Kevin we have not always gotten along, but I want to change that."

Now it was Chris' turn to sigh as he briefly bowed his head. "I misjudged you. I am sorry." Angel smiled and shook her head. "All that doesn't matter now. All I want is for us to be able to work together now and hopefully get to know each other so that you can see I hold nothing but the highest respect for you Chris, which… which is why I called you in here." Chris looked at her nodding shortly. "You're taking the belt." Angel nodded slowly then quickly spoke as if trying to defend herself. "It's NOT because I think you don't deserve it, Chris. I was THRILLED when they put it on you and I think you have been a wonderful champion and would love to see you have it again in the future but…"

Chris shrugged his shoulders looking her in the eye. "It's time for a change. I've had it a long time now. The fans need something new. Who are you putting it on?" Angel took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders worried about the reaction she was going to get. "Randy." Chris nodded slowly as he thought about the choice. "He gonna feud with Hunter?" Angel nodded and Chris stroked his chin thinking then looked at her once more. "It works. Hunter is the bad guy. A feud with Randy would be a natural progression because in order for Randy to get it he'll have to leave Evolution although I assume that means at some time Hunter will have to be getting the belt back."

Angel shrugged carefully and eyed Chris. "Well on the surface I would have no other choice. According to our plans when Randy leaves he'll be taking Dave with him. Evolution will be breaking up. Randy will feud with Hunter, but after him I want to get the belt onto either Batista or Christian, but in order to do that I will have to get the belt onto a veteran that can play a downright nasty heel. Right now that is Hunter." Chris eyed Angel and curved his lips into a half smile. "I can play heel." Angel gasped and giggled slapping Paul's leg. "Pauly, why didn't we think about that?" Chris and Paul laughed shaking their heads at her as Paul looked at Chris. "That's in the stuff we'll go over. I have a couple ideas but I wanna know which one you like best."

Chris nodded and remembering the scene he watched earlier sighed. "I would say that we could go to my dressing room and discuss it, but right now it's occupied by Adam and his lover." When Angel and Paul looked at him confused Chris made a face before saying, "Hunter." Angel groaned and ran a hand over her face. "God this day is just getting worse and worse." Chris nodded then moved to sit next to Paul so that he could hear the new ideas.

Read chapter Twenty Five of ?? of Monster in the Shadows