______________________________________________________
Lita watched the TV monitor anxiously as she sat in the locker room. She couldn't believe what had happened to Christian. And what was Edge thinking? How was he going to take on two opponents by himself?
Several minutes later, her boyfriend was in the ring, on the mic, announcing how he was going to fight the match alone - and that he was going to "totally bring home the gold."
The redhead bit her lip, her face taking on a concerned look. She hoped the blond man knew what he was doing.
As Edge's opponents entered the ring a moment later, the Canadian eyed them almost warily, a questioning look on his face - as though he were trying to be certain that they were who they were supposed to be - or who he thought they were.
Lita frowned as she kept her eyes on the TV screen. There was something odd about these Conquistadors - aside from the obvious fact that they were not Edge and Christian this time.
She squinted at their antics as they made it to their corner, noticing how one of them was doing a really corny robot-like dance. The redhead couldn't help but be reminded of Jeff - the younger Hardy brother sometimes tended to dance like that...
Upon that thought, Lita recalled how, a few minutes earlier, Matt and Jeff had left her alone here, claiming they had something important to discuss with Commissioner Foley - and that they'd be back in a little while. She'd actually felt relieved over that, as she would much prefer to be alone while watching the match her boyfriend would be competing in. She didn't have much of a poker face, and the last thing she wanted was for the Hardys, who knew her so well, to read the truth in her expression as she watched him.
The match began, and for awhile, it was almost all Edge. The tall blond man had to be feeling pretty confident as he effortlessly knocked the gold-clad men around the ring. It seemed as though the Canadian was going to do what he'd said he would after all. Until...
Apparently, all the games were over, as the Conquistadors suddenly whipped Edge into the corner. One of them dropped on all fours to the canvas, and...
Oh, Christ! Lita thought with horror, her eyes gone wide. These Conquistadors were the Hardys! They'd lied to her about going to speak with Foley! Then, sure enough, as though to confirm what she suddenly knew, the one that was obviously Jeff executed the Poetry in Motion. A Twist of Fate by Matt followed by a Swanton Bomb by Jeff later, and it was over.
The Women's champion was, by now, holding both hands up to her head, not only in shock, but in dismay as well. What in hell was Edge going to think? At the very least, she was certain he would think she'd known about this, that Matt and Jeff were going to pull a stunt like this. Shit... What a huge mess...
*
Christian's face was a combined mask of pain and confusion as he stepped into the ring following Edge's defeat. He was still holding his injured shoulder as he neared his tag team partner. He'd been watching the match backstage and was shocked by the turn of events during it.
"What the fuck was that?!"
Edge got to his feet and eyed the other man almost sheepishly. At the same time, the gold-clad pair, now at the top of the entry ramp, suddenly removed their masks...
It was those damn Hardys!
Should've known, the tall blond man thought bitterly. He was totally in shock over the fact that, somehow, the two North Carolinian brothers had gotten wind of the plans he and Christian had made for this night, for this match...
And then, Commissioner Mick Foley's music blared throughout the arena, and the man suddenly appeared, a microphone in hand.
"Wait a minute..." the former Mankind, Dude Love and Cactus Jack said as he regarded the Hardy Boyz, who he was standing between. "How can you guys be the Conquistadors when you just faced the Conquistadors last night at No Mercy?"
Edge and Christian exchanged glances, then looked fearfully at the Commish as he ordered some footage to be played on the TitanTron.
It was a scene from earlier in the night, when the two blond Canadians had taken part in the 'interview' with the Conquistadors - that is, the two men they'd hired to masquerade as them for the match. They'd quickly sent away Michael Cole, but what they hadn't realized was that, after the skinny announcer had left, the cameras had continued to roll.
"I have to admit, we looked a lot better than you in those gold outfits last night when we defeated the Hardys."
Edge cringed at the sound of his own voice, specifically at what he'd said. As Foley next said, they were busted.
And then, the blond man thought for a moment that the Commissioner was going to do the right thing as he spoke again.
"...I'm going to grant you guys your title victory from last night..."
The Canadians high-fived one another, but their joy was short-lived.
"Unfortunately, it will go down in the annuls as one of the shortest title reigns in WWF history."
Edge couldn't believe his ears - and then, to his further disbelief, that toolshed Foley announced that the Hardys were the new Tag Team champions. Damn... They were so screwed...
What a night it had been...
A few minutes later, as he walked backstage with Christian, the tall blond man clenched his hands into fists, his face contorting with anger. In his mind, there was only one way the Hardys could possibly have known what he and Christian had been up to.
Or, more specifically, one person had to be responsible...