[Rowan Chance]

I stand in the middle of the ring after a brief, but intense match, the crowd cheering me on. My olive skin is sweaty and strands of hair matted to my face. As the loser limps back to the dressing room, Gordon climbs into the ring for an interview.

Gordon says, "Rowan Chance, congratulations on another successful match."

I nod. "Thanks, Gordo." I catch my breath. "But you know, victories like this... they aren't what's on my mind. What's on my mind is Countdown. They've been running rough shod all over the Fed. Putting people out. Sending them to the hospital. I've seen people being carried out on stretchers. Hell, after my run-in with them, they carried out me on a stretcher. So, you can understand if I'm a bit distracted right now."

Gordon nods and says, "I can understand that. Some people backstage say that this has become a personal issue with you. Especially regarding one particular member of Countdown."

I drop my head a little. "Some people may say that. But what's between Punky and me is between Punky and me. Countdown is what I'm focusing on now."

Rowan looks from Gordon directly into the camera. "Punky. You and I have a past. There's no doubt about that. But you'd better listen to me right now. Your new friends are not going to save you from the pain you've got coming to you. What you did to me... both in front of this camera and these people and backstage... You used to mean someth--"

I stop. I lower my eyes again. I turn away from Gordon for a moment. Then, I turn back.

"What I've got in mind for Countdown isn't pretty. It isn't nice. It doesn't stop at physical violence. I am going to reach into each one of their souls and pull them out with bloody fingers."

I pause, then look at Gordon again. "Each one of them. One-by-one. Two-on-one. Doesn't matter to me."

Gordon asks, "Rowan, these are dangerous women. You shouldn't go after them alone."

I smile. "Sun Tzu says one man can defeat ten men if he has a strategy. And I have a strategy. I know what Callie wants. She wants control. She wants everyone to know--not just think, but to know--that she's the best. That she's in charge. And that's how you hurt her, Gordon. That's how you beat her.

"And as for Punky..." I grin. "I know every single one of your buttons. And I'm gonna push them. So hard. By the time you get in the ring with me... like Master Sun says... you'll already be defeated."

I look at the camera again. "Callie. Punky. I know you're back there... in your personal little dressing room. Doing... whatever it is you do. Just know this."

I pause, my glare darkening.

"I have a plan. You don't know when... you don't know how... but when it happens... you'll know... you fucked with the wrong woman."

[RedEnforcer]

(Damn, Rowan...shit just got real...Outstanding promo!)

[Rowan Chance]

Something like this.....and I'm not in it! What is this??

Then again, I have been late for many things so that could explain it!

(Points at earlier ambush)

Be careful what you wish for Alice.

[ThePurpleVixen]

Those beautiful keytar notes of "The Final Countdown" ring out over the arena and the crowd drops right into a fierce, raging cascade of fury.  How quickly they turn!  You destroy a few of their beloved favorites and interrupt a match or two and destroy one beloved commissioner and all of the sudden these fans can't stand the sight of you.  I come through the curtains, wearing my new Countdown drag - the sleeves-torn black tee shirt with the antique watch on the front under a white leather vest, hung with golden zippers and dangles and buckles, and chained across my flat belly with the long chain of a gold watch in the front left pocket.  I have a white micro-skirt printed with black skulls over black boyshorts, white and black striped stockings and purple Doc martens.    Black shiny elbowpads with white skulls on them, and white leather gloves complete the look as I toss my purple punkytails - with dyed black tips to add that touch of evil - back over my shoulders.  I splay my hands, beckoning with both hands, welcoming the sweet rage of the crowd who just watched me and Gemma likely end the career of Alouette Ronseur last week with the powerbomb/Backstabber combo.

After a suitable time letting the hatred of the crowd roil to a boiling point and with Rowan glaring hotly at me from the ring, I grin and bring a wireless mic to my glossy black lips.

"Rowan, baby.  Sweetness.  Pumpkin pie.  Light of my life.  Song of my heart.  After all we've shared ... after all those sweet dark nothings we've gasped in silky warm sheets ... after all we've meant to each other ..."

I purr each word as I walk down the aisle, hips rolling and skirt fluttering around my thighs.

"... I'm AMAZED that I still haven't managed to break your fucking back."

Oh, they hate that.  Especially when the producer I sweetly threatened to feminize with a switchblade runs the footage of Gemma and I hitting the Et Tu Brute (I came up with that name.  It was the best backstab in history, after all) on Rowan a few weeks back, over and over and over as I move down to the ring. Their hatred rains down like ash in Pompeii.

"Rowan, my sweet turtledove, make no mistake.  I know EXACTLY who I'm fucking with.  I know better than anyone else in that locker room who I'm fucking with.  I know your rage. I know your pride.  I know how you break."

I walk up the steps, taking my time, each clomp of my Docs heavy and deliberate.  My dark eyes, shadowed and traced in showgirl gold, are glittering on you with nefarious amusement.

"And I promised Callista and Gemma that I would let them see how sweet it is when you shatter.  You're not going to work your way through us like the levels of a video game.  You're going to be twisted, bent, and hammered into the shape we want until you ... finally ...

... BREAK."

I slither between the top and middle ropes, coming to face you as the announcer wisely scuttles out of the way.  Standing close to you, I breathe you in, savoring your sweat and the heat of you after a battle.  I run my pierced tongue slowly over my black lips, tasting you.

"Time's ticking away, Rowan."

I hear a disturbance growing in the crowd.

"In fact, it's almost up."

I grin, infuriatingly.  I know who's coming through the crowd.

The Countdown never goes to ONE.

[Callista]

5 minutes earlier

"Whatever we were doing" in our locker room was WORK. I was scouting talent, considering possible expansion, while Megan was updating our video package. Sound boring? Maybe, but being the best takes a lot of hours of work, and not just in the gym or in the ring.

Being the best also means you don't let little gnats like the one in the ring pull your card and get away with it. "Megan," I said, frowning as Rowan began to talk. I got no response, so looked over at the purple-haired woman and noted she had on big studio headphones. Annoyed, I tossed a pen at the back of her head.

"Bitch!" Megan said, pulling the headphones off. "What the fuck?" I pointed at the telly and Megan said, "Oh."

I pulled a plain black hoodie out of my duffel bag, putting it on, then pulling out black sunglasses and a mag-lite. Tucking the torch up my sleeve, I say, "Megan, you go out the front door and keep her attention. Gemma, you're on tech duty. Give me a blackout 10 seconds after Megan goes through the ropes," before jogging through the backstage area, heading through the secured doors, nodding to the man standing guard, before putting on the glasses and pulling up the hood, moving through the crowd.

I had to content myself with a fast walk at that point, letting long legs cover ground as I went around the throngs of fans in the concession and merch area, heading down the stairs towards the ring. Right on time.

Or, at least, I WAS right on time, until a fat bloke, his fat wife, and their surely diabetic children all decided that a face-off between Megan and Rowan was a good time to stuff their fat faces, and I had my way blocked by a half-ton of beef. Seeing Megan stepping through the ropes, and me still nearly halfway down the aisle from the guardrail, I had to just knock the fatlings out of my way, running down the aisle, knocking another fan who was standing in the aisle back into his seat, to get into position.

The blackout hit just as I reached the barrier. I hopped over it, let the mag-lite slide out of my sleeve and into my right hand, triggering the button once to get my bearings, triggering it again to turn it off, and rolling through the ropes. When the lights came back on, Punky and Rowan were facing each other, Rowan having dropped back into a fighting stance, Punky still standing her ground, an absolutely wicked smile on her face. Rowan paused at that face, turning around just in time to catch the barrel of my mag-lite smashing into her cheek.

[Rowan Chance]

The lights go out. Perfect opportunity for an ambush.

Just how stupid do they think I am? If Megan thinks this will catch me off guard, this Callista has got her seriously brain washed. That would explain a lot.

I keep my eyes on Punky, but I keep my wits at my back. I don't know who it will be, but I'm hoping it's Callista. Getting my hands on that bitch will make this ambush worth it. I'm getting taken down, one way or another... but Callista under my hands... That is worth it.

The lights come on and Punky's smiling at me like I'm a sucker. There's nowhere to run. Might as well get my licks in before I take 'em.

I spin around to see my heart's desire. It's Callista. I smile. She tries to hit me with that flashlight. I grab it just an eyelash away from my cheek. So I send an underhanded chop at her throat, just under her chin. A trick I learned in Japan under Mutah's cruel tuitalege.

If I do it right, her throat will be crushed and she'll be choking to death in the center of the ring. If I miss by an inch, she'll still be stunned long enough to deal with Punky.

That is, if I can turn around fast enough to catch whatever pain she's sending my way right now.

I'm Germany caught between Russia and France. It's a no-win scenario. But maybe--just maybe--I can burn down Paris before I have to deal with Moscow's wrath.

[Callista]

(Bitch how dare you compare me to the French )

[Callista]

My brow raises as Rowan catches my flashlight, smiles, and lashes out at me with a chop.

I catch her wrist in my left hand, stopping it just short of my throat, taking a moment to say, "Bitch, you think you're the only one that's been to Japan?" and holding fast to her wrist, knowing that we are The Countdown. And Time. Is. Up.

[ThePurpleVixen]

Rowan whirls around and to her credit, she catches Callista's swing of the Maglite and deftly thrusts a chop at her.  It's a beautiful, fluid display of brutality - and it's easy to see why I fell so hard for Rowan. Of course, if she had ever asked me, I could've told her how trying to take out Calli with a punch or a chop goes.  Callista Quinn catches most strikes like the Bulletproof Monk catches bullets.  Calli blocks Rowan's thrust and tightens her wrist, and her eyes flash mercilessly.

I don't go for anything flashy, because I don't have to.  The Countdown ticks down relentlessly - the hands of the clock don't need to do moonsaults.

I simply step behind Rowan, left hand clapping on my hated lover's shoulder and tightening on her trapezius as I piston my right fist into her kidney three times, from behind, quick brutal efficient shots driven from the elbow like jackhammers.  All we need to do is get her soft so we can make another demonstration of her.  My left arm slithers around her neck, looking to lock in a sleeper with a tight crush of my long biceps, my firm body pressing close as a kiss behind the Black Widow's body as I look to lock her right arm as well, trying to cinch Rowan up so Calli can deliver some wisdom to her.

"Tick tock tick tock tick tock ..." I singsong, mad as a dormouse.

[Rowan Chance]

Callista catches my wrist and I feel the surprise fill the bottom of my belly.

Damn, that was fast.

The pressure around my wrist pinches down like an iron clamp.

Damn, she's strong. Stronger than I...

Three quick kidney punches make all the strength flee from my legs. I feel my body fall against Megan's and the back of my neck falls over her shoulder. Her hands are all over me as hope floods from my mind.

Callista... Too strong. Too fast. Stronger and faster than any woman I've...

I gasp, feeling helpless in Punky's arms. Holding me up like a sacrifice to an angry goddess.

I thought I could take her. But she's...

Oh, Megan. Now I understand.

I summon all the strength and defiance I can and stare Callista Quinn in the eyes.

"Do it," I whisper through my teeth.

I've suffered pain before. It's empowered me. Enraptured me. Given me the strength I needed to survive.

"You can't hurt me."

[Callista]

Megan moves quickly, cinching in a sleeperhold and pulling Rowan's right hand back away from me. I let go of that wrist and immediately shoot my left hand around behind Rowan's head, bushing Megan's lips with the tips of my fingers before taking hold of the far end of the mag-lite in that hand. I step forward, the soft cotton of my hoodie yielding just a touch as it's pressed against Rowan's body by the firm, slim body inside of it, twisting on the light to turn Rowan's left hand up and back, locking her other arm in place, the shaft of the torch now pressed up against the back of Rowan's head.

Smiling as I lock icy blue eyes onto Rowan's, I say softly, "Hurting you isn't the point. The play's the thing." I bend at the waist and knees, keeping my feet on the ground but lowering my center of gravity, using that lock on Rowan's arm and head to pull her throat tight against Megan's bicep.

[Rowan Chance]

I feel my throat pressing down against Megan's arm. My face starts turning red. My eyes bulge. But they don't flinch. In fact, a smile spreads across my face. My body shudders -- just a little.

This isn't torture. This is...

A dark laugh trembles in my throat.

Then, I lift my almost numb legs in impossible angels. Punky has seen this. She's felt it. Pulled the life right out of her. Left her unconscious like so many others.

All the others. The hold nobody has ever broken. Nobody has ever escaped.

My legs lift up, twisting around Callie's neck. I twist my arm in her grip, pulling it toward me, locking it in.

The Widow's Web. I can hear the announcer shouting, "out of nowhere!"

And as I choke on Punky's arm, I pull Callie's throat down across my leg.

"Choke on this..." My voice whispers as if made of broken glass.

[RedEnforcer]

I'm watching in the back on the monitor and I do not like what I'm seeing. I know Rowan is one of the targets for our crew, but I don't like the constant jumping.  Don't get me wrong, I'll cheat all I can get away with in a one on one, but group warfare, really not my thing which is why Countdown was the first group I "joined" in my 13 year career.  I see the lights go out and come back up and the beat down is on. Rowan looks like she can handle herself, but soon she's trapped. I start stirring in my chair as I watch. Rowan and I have a bitter history, but even enemies should be treated with some respect when they are as talented as she. 


Then I feel a strong hand on my shoulder. "Now now. Don't even think about it." Gemma. The reason I'm with Countdown. I immediately ease up.  Her hand squeezes my shoulder, gently but firmly. "I know you and Rowan have a...special history. But remember, you're with us now. With me."  I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding.  Times like these, wearing a mask is a bitch, but appreciated because it hides my facial expressions better than I could.  I've fought both Rowan and Gemma. Both are amazing women. But now they're aligned against each other.

When I heard Gemma approaching Rowan to stop Callista, I was all for it. Callista in my dealings with her has been cold, calculating and very proper. It's not the monstrous evil you see around you, no a more well dressed and upper class seductive evil.  She even thinks she's doing what's best for wrestling which makes her a bit of a true believer and more dangerous.  I don't know what sway she has on Gemma and Punky, but it's strong. And here I am smack dab in the middle of it. 

Gemma can almost read my mind, I'm sure as her other hand goes to my other shoulder. Her lips so close to my ear. My eyes shut and as she speaks, my body trembles, her breath so warm and inviting with promises of much more.  "I know you don't like this. Just understand, it's necessary. Callista...Callista is necessary. Things have gotten a bit crazy, but they'll be fixed soon. If they wouldn't fight so hard, they wouldn't hurt so much.  I need you with me. Are you with me?"

I watch on the screen as Rowan does her best to fight off both attackers. My teeth grind. One side of me railing against the injustice. Another wondering why I even care about a rival like Rowan. A third reminding me that Gemma is right here and she needs me and reminds me of our past encounters.  I settle in my seat....for now.

"I'm with you."

[Callista]

I shudder a bit as a pair of long legs go around me and start to squeeze the breath out of me. I clearly underestimated Rowan's flexibility, never mind her resolve, even if I suspect it's less simple stubbornness driving her on than that madness I saw in her house.

Looking upward, my lips curl, part in grimace, part in a bitter smile. I tilt my head slightly, the closest I can do to acknowledge the cleverness in this current position. Figuring Megan can hold the sleeper unaided, I twist my wrists, bending yours and freeing the mag-lite from your grasp. I grab your wrist with my right hand to keep it in place, while taking the torch with my left.

There's been a lot of speculation about my motives for creating the Countdown, but however complex they may or may not be, our methods have not been complex. They have been simple, brutal, and effective. It is this thinking which picks my next move for me.

Not tarrying, I drop my left arm to my side before lifting it up back quickly, swinging the maglite in an uppercutting arc ending right in between Rowan's legs.

[Emily Layne]

Few minutes later in Emily's locker room

I'm sitting on my chair lookin up the monitor, I intently followed Rowan match, I follow her since long time and always admired her way to wrestle.
Me and Rowan don't have much in common in our way to stay in the ring, still I always been amazed by her attitude and stuff.

I hear her words after match, my mind goes to what happened in the ring only few weeks ago when The Countdown showed up its real nature.
Nothing changed meanwhile, things got even worse and what is happening now its only a confirm.

The Final Countdown plays in the arena and Punky shows in the ramp in her Countdown outfit.

Something is happening, once again, this time anyone know that.
The lights go down, everything seems like the last time and Callista is in the ring.
Rowan is now alone. Punky behind her trapping the black widow in a sleeper hold.

I get up from my chair, my right hand is holding a diet coke can and as soon the two start to attack Rowan I harden the grip, squeezing the can between my palm and fingers.

A voice behind me says

"Go,now..." I don't turn my face back, I am not alone in the room.
Without any further hesitations I open the door and slam it close.
I run through the corridors of the backstage and move toward the stage.
No one sees me, my music doesn't even starts to play.

I'm wearing black spandex plant which follow the curves of my legs, black lace boots and a black sleeveless tank top, hair free to fly as I run.

I make my way through the ramp, it looks like no one is seeing me, the crowd eyes are all in the ring, tryin to encourage Rowan to fight back against the two evil ones.

This is not the time to plan, this is not the time to think about what to do and what not to do, its time to finally have our way!

I slide under the bottom rope in the same moment Callie hits Rowan with the heavy maglite between her legs, something already seen by this people. Finally the audience sees me, welcoming my presence with a loud roar which gets the attention of Megan and Callista.
I am quick in my movements, Punky releases the sleeper hold and turns to face me.
The freak purple bitch has a long history with Rowan, I cant tell the same for me and her.
I would prefer to go after Callie for what she did to me last time but as I already said,this is not the time to plan.
I don't even care what may happen to Rowan as her body isn't anymore trapped between Meg arms.

Punky is the first one on my way and then Punky it is!
I run into her full force and full speed, like a sprinter in a 100 meters race, my arm is open wide like I'm about to hit a clothesline but at the last second I retreat my arm and lower my upperbody to SLAM my right shoulder against her toned mid section in a huge and sudden SPEAR that brings her down on her ass and back with a big thud.

I stumble forward after the impact, not wanting to give any chance to recover and jump over Meg body, my knee down on her ribs,keeping her down while my left hand goes to her hair, I cock my right in a tight fist and pound down at her face!

The crowd seems crazy, wildly cheering me on in this unexpected assault!