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Lita had definite plans for the evening's RAW house show. As she'd discussed with Trish not long ago, she was going to try and appeal to Stone Cold Steve Austin. One ace in her favor was that the Rattlesnake certainly didn't see eye-to-eye with Bischoff.
She became distracted at the sudden ringing of her cell phone. To her pleasant surprise, the caller ID showed that the person trying to reach her was someone she hadn't seen in awhile but with whom she'd had regular contact.
"Hi, Edge!" she sang happily into the cellular device, a smile coming to her face despite her current situation.
"Hey, Lita," the blond man replied from the other end. "Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner - I had a lot of appointments last week and things were hectic."
"Don't be silly," she said. "We spoke two days ago...It's not like I was just sitting around, waiting for the phone to ring!"
"I know you're not the type of girl to do that, Red...But anyway, you sounded sort of funny in the message you left me yesterday. What's going on?"
Lita sighed and ran her free hand through her long red hair.
"Oh, that...Bischoff is forcing me to join Evolution."
"What? In hell's name, why?" Edge asked incredulously. Evolution didn't exactly seem to be the type of guys who would welcome a woman into their fold - not even one as tough as nails as the redhead.
"Who knows? And it's not only me he's ordering to do this, but Victoria, too."
"Victoria the psycho? Hell no!" the blond man shouted. He definitely didn't like the idea of the raven-haired diva being anywhere near Lita. Even if the two of them were forced into being 'allies,' no one could force a friendship between the two.
"None other..." the redhead said with resignation. "I was actually just about to go speak to Stone Cold about this. Hopefully he can get me out of this mess."
"I hope so, too. Listen, Li - I'd better let you go take care of that now." And I'll see you next week."
"Next week?"
"Yeah," Edge said, unable to keep a smile from coming to his handsome face. "Stephanie agreed to make a trade deal with Steve so I can come to RAW - effective next Monday."
"Really?!" the redhead asked, excitement coursing through her. She was so pleasantly surprised by the news that she stood up from the chair upon which she'd been sitting.
"Yes, really..." Edge said. He could pretty much hear the lovely smile in her voice. He too was grinning by now at the anticipation of finally coming to work with the RAW roster, but more importantly, getting to see Lita all the time again. It had been far too long since he'd gotten to do that.
"That's awesome, Edge!" the diva exclaimed. "We'll have to celebrate next week."
"Definitely...All right, Red. I'll let you go take care of your business now. Hope Steve can clear up all the madness for you."
"Thanks. Goodnight, Edge..."
"Goodnight, Lita..."
Once she hung up and placed her cell phone in her bag, the redhead was off to find Stone Cold Steve Austin. Although she'd been so thrilled at hearing Edge's news, she couldn't help feeling nervous about speaking to the Rattlesnake. What if he couldn't do anything to overturn Eric Bischoff's decision, as she feared? Damn it, she had no reason to be involved with any one of the individuals this angle would force her to hang around. It would be just as bad to her as it had been the The Kat to join Right To Censor two years earlier. And, just like that storyline, it made no sense.
"Steve?" Lita stuck her head in the doorway tentatively, rapping lightly with her knuckles.
"Lita...Come on in, girl," the beer-guzzling man said as he looked up at her. "What can I do for you?"
The redheaded diva entered the room, her hands clasped before her.
"I wanted to talk to you...By any chance, do you know what Bischoff has in store for me?"
"Ah...you mean the Evolution thing?"
"Right...Steve, please don't let him make me join with them!"
Stone Cold shook his head helplessly.
"I'm real sorry, Lita, but it's outta my hands."
The diva looked at him, crestfallen. She'd had a bad feeling that he was going to
say something like that... And damn it, if there was nothing Austin could do, there
was sure as hell nothing she could do, either.