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"Damn it..." the angry voice muttered, and Adam looked up abruptly from Rey on the stretcher to a very displeased-looking Stephanie McMahon.

The General Manager pushed her way past a couple of EMTs to approach the stretcher. One look at Mysterio, and the obvious pain on the young man's now unmasked face was enough for her. She looked up into Adam's face, and the blond man didn't miss for one second just how angry the GM was.

"Matt Hardy is going to pay dearly for this..." the brunette said between clenched teeth. "He's going to have to learn that I call the shots around here - and that he cannot - all capital letters - pull this kind of shit on my show!"

Despite his worry for Rey, the blond man couldn't help but feel both surprised and impressed. It was a rare occasion when Stephanie cursed. Consequently, the woman meant business - that much was more than obvious.

Turning to Terry Taylor, who was on hand for the SmackDown brand, she spoke again.

"Find me Matthew Hardy and bring him to my office ASAP..."

As the man formerly known as The Red Rooster hurried off to comply with the request, the GM looked down at the cruiserweight.

"Hang in there, Rey..." she said in a soft voice, concern and sympathy etched on her face.

Suddenly, another female voice called out, and Adam and Stephanie looked up simultaneously as two forms rushed into the room.

"Oh, my God!" Dawn Marie cried, her face looking even more concerned than Stephanie's. "Rey!" She ran right up to the stretcher.

Adam felt Amy nudge at his side, and he put an arm around her, as though protectively. The redhead winced as her gaze traveled from her boyfriend to her injured friend.

"Oh, God...Rey, I am so sorry for what he did to you..." Amy began. "I never..."

"Wait a minute...Why are you apologizing for what that bastard did?" the tall blond man interrupted.

Tears sprang to the high-flying diva's eyes as she met his gaze.

"B-because he...he was my boyfriend..."

"'Was' being the operative word, Amy..." This time it was Stephanie who spoke. "It's not your fault - you are not, nor have you ever been, responsible for the actions of Matt Hardy..."

"But..." The redhead stumbled over her words as she felt a single tear slip down her cheek. "But it is my fault - don't you all see? If it weren't for me, he never would have attacked Rey!"

"Baby, now you're being irrational..." Adam said gently. Tenderly, he turned his girlfriend so that they were fully facing one another. Then, reaching for her hand, which felt so small in his own, he spoke again. "This was not your fault...Matt Hardy is a sick, sadistic, pathetic jerk who gets off on hurting other people - and that goes for his bitch Torrie, too..."

"Listen to the man..." Mysterio suddenly put in, and they all gazed down at him. Despite the excrutiating pain he felt, the small Latino felt he had to get this out. "He's one-hundred percent right..."

Dawn Marie winced and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Well, this is not going to go unanswered..." the General Manager promised.

As though on cue, Taylor suddenly returned. The expression on his face appeared to be one of puzzlement - definitely not a good sign.

"Matt Hardy is nowhere to be found," he told the brunette, whose eyes widened slightly at the news. "And neither is his girlfriend, Torrie Wilson..."

"Oh, is that so? Well-"

"Excuse me, Stephanie..." Adam interrupted, and the brunette shifted her gaze to him. "Once Matt grows some balls and decided to turn up again - I would love the opportunity to teach him a lesson..."

"You got it," the GM replied. "How's next week, SmackDown? I'll give you any type of match you want, Adam..."

An almost evil grin slowly spread across the blond man's face.

"I say that's just perfect..."