Chapter 1

Linda was in the General Manager's office, knowing who would be coming through the door any second. Seeing her husband pinned by Steph, hollering "I quit" had been sweet music to her ears. But her years of marriage to Vince had taught her plenty, especially how Vince would try to weasel his way out of an agreement or stipulation. This time though, there would be no getting out of it. The stipulation was clear, except it wasn't for show, this would be for real. It did, however, come at a price. Due to the stress it had put on Steph at having to do such a match, she would be taking several months off from her duties. Linda knew she could assume Vince's position, but a real general manager was needed to run thngs back stage.

Outside the GM's door, Vince and Sable were talking.

"Vince, honey," Sable purred, "I know I can run things back stage." She ran her hands over his chest. "Besides, it really will be you calling the shots. Linda won't even know." She lightly kissed his ear.

Vince gently pushed her away. "You don't know my wife. She's not as dumb as you think. She's known about the two of us for a long time. I can only hope I can somehow convince her to let me run the show backstage." He put his hand on the knob. "You stay here. I don't want to give her any more ammo than she already has."

Vince straightened his coat and entered. It didn't help any to see Linda sitting smugly in Steph's chair. He took a deep breath and exhaled.

Linda wasn't taken in by his demeanor. "Well, Vince, what do you have to say? Steph beat you despite interference by that whore of yours."

Vince pursed his lips. "You've never gotten over the fact of me...."

"Save it, Vince. That part doesn't bother me any more. I've gotten used to that. Now, as for tonight. I'm here to tell you that the match was not for entertaining the crowd. The stipulation that if you lose you step down is for real."

Vince's jaw dropped. "What?"

"That's right, dear. The Board voted in favor of you stepping down as chair. In other words, you've been kicked out. In addition, Sable will not be running things back stage. I was given a vote of confidence by the Board to find a new General Manager to run things back stage, answerable to no one but me, and only to me. You have no say so whatsoever."

Vince became livid. "You can't do that!" he yelled. "I run the company!"

Linda stood up. "You haven't been running the company for quite some time! I and the Board have! You've been spending you're time with some trollop who is only using you." She opened her briefcase and pulled out a 3-page document.

"What's that?"

"It's an agreement, to be signed by you, saying you are stepping down until such a time we see fit to vote you back in. "

Vince snatched up the document and slowly read through the document, looking for any loophole he could find. His chin flinched when he couldn't find any. He picked up a pen and signed his name, slamming the pen on the desk. "There, dammit! Satisifed?"

Linda folded the document and placed it in her briefcase. "Thank you." She walked around the desk and to the door. "Oh, one other thing. Sable is not to be with you. She is an employee of WWE and therefore obligated to fulfill her contract. If she doesn't, well, you know what happens." She opened the door and then turned. "Have a nice vacation, dear, wherever," and walked out.

____________________

Chapter 2

Linda went to walk down the hallway and saw Sable standing across the hall. She shook her head. Sable was coming on to one of the wrestlers. Sable turned and saw Linda watching her, and gave Linda a haughty look. "Go ahead, have your fun, Sable. When the new GM gets here...." She continued down the hallway to the parking lot and got in her waiting limo. She opened her briefcase again, took out a manila folder and opened it. Linda already had a candidate in mind. This particular person, after an extensive investigation, and to her surprise, knew the McMahon family. She read the information further and smiled. "Yes, she will do nicely." Once Sable found out, Linda had no doubts she would run and tell Vince who it was. Oh would he be in for a big surprise.

Vince pounded his fist on the desk. Never had he thought Linda or the Board would do this - go against him. Well, he did have one thing - Sable. She would keep him informed of everything happening. All he needed was the right time.

Sable waited at the door. Vince came out. "I no longer run the company," he told her.

Sable just looked at him. "What? You're kidding? That was only for show, that wasn't real." His non-reply told her everything.

"That witch can't do that!" Sable exclaimed. "She has no right. You run things."

"Well, she and the Board did just that. She had me sign an agreement stating I would step down until such time they would vote me back in."

"When will that be?"

Vince shrugged and shook his head. "She also made it clear that you are under contract and therefore obligated to fulfill it."

"Did she name a general manager?"

"No. The Board has given her a vote of confidence to hire whomever she wants to fill the position."

"That bitch!" Sable stormed down the hallway. All her scheming was now shot to hell. She heard Vince come after her. "Stupid!" she thought. "What good are you now?" Well, she would go along with the outcome. When the new GM arrived, she would make herself very indispensible then drop Vince like a hot potato.

Chapter 3

Paul Heyman sat in his living room smiling as he hung up the phone. Things couldn't have worked out better. Vince was finally out of the way, his spy giving him the news. Hisbrows furrowed thinking of wo Linda was going to hire. Well, who better than he to run things. There was nothing about the business he didn't know. It would only be natural that Linda ask him to take over. He began making plans.

In another living room, another face was smiling as he hung up the phone, his spy having informed him of Vince's ouster. Just like Heyman, he too thought of who Linda was going to hire, and just like Heyman, who better than he to run things. Eric Bischoff sat back in his lounger making his own plans.

Sable laid back on her bed and laughed. It didn't matter which one was hired, she was thinking, she would be expressing her gratitude in a very greatful way.

While each made their plans, Linda was in the process of setting up an interview with her own candidate. Two days before she had received the phone call agreeing to the interview. Linda had given copies to Shane and JR.

Both men had dubious looks on their faces. "Are you sure tis is the rone one, mom?" Shane asked. "Granted she has the background, but...can she handle the egos?"

"I have the utmost confidence she can handle the job," Linda replied.

"I hope so," JR said. "Heyman and Bischoff, from what I've heard, are each so sure they'll get the job they've already told several backstage how they plan to run things."

"Oh really? Well, they're in for a rude awakening," she said. "As will Sable," she thought to herself.

The door opened. "Mrs. McMahon, your appointment is here."

"Fine. Send her in."

Phoenix Terrell had arrived in Stafford barely before her appointment with Linda, going directly from the airport. As she rode in the cab, she thought to the proposition Linda had put before her.

Chapter 4

Phoenix Terrell was a woman in her late 30's, tall, statuesque (due to working with weights), medium length dark hair, preferring to wear denims, boots and blouses rather than the conventional women's dress. Her father, Big Jack Terrell, The Backbreaker, had worked for the elder McMahon and Vince at one time. His signature move, The Screamer, made him one of the most feared wrestlers in his day. It involved pulling back the neck of your opponent while dong a backward hold similar to the Walls of Jericho, which, if done properly, put intense and painful pressure on the spine, causing extreme pain, making the opponent scream in agony and tap out. While she was growing up, her father had taught her the fundamentals of wrestling, plus his signature move, which, in her own wrestling career, she used many times.

When she had turned 18, she entered the wrestling business, wrestling for an independent company for 12 years. Then, for some unknown reason, she called it quits. She cited that she was burned out, but in reality never explained the real reason why. After that, she worked with her father at running the wrestling school he had started shortly after he had left the McMahons.

It had come as a shock to her when Linda arrived and put the proposition before her. She told LInda she had needed time to think about it. She had talked with her two trainers, B and Jade, to ask their opinion. They had told her why not go for it. She returned the call to Linda stating she would accept on one condition, that she be able to watch the matches and watch the people backstage. Linda made the arrangements and for 3 months now had gone everywhere with the shows. Now she would be giving Linda her answer.

She also thought about her father. For several years he never talked about what had happened between him and Vince after that last title match. It wasn't until after his death that she found out while looking through his personal papers of how two-faced Vince really was. Phoenix got up from her chair and followed the secretary into the conference room.

Chapter 5

Linda welcomed Phoenix and introduced Shane and J.R., who upon seeing her, thought something was very familiar about her. Shane have her the once over, noting how she was built, like someone who very much worked out on weights.

"I must apologize for my attire. I came directly from the airport," Phoenix said.

"That's alright," Linda said. "I'll get right to the point. You've had a good while to see what goes on. What do you think?"

"I'm interested," Phoenix replied, seeing the puzzled looks on J.R. and Shane's faces. "You've heard of Big Jack Terrell, known as The Backbreaker. That was my father," she added.

J.R. remembered Big Jack very well. Who couldn't forget that he was one of the most feared wrestlers at one time. Anybody who wrestled him was lucky to be in one piece, especially with that finishing move of his. He wondered if Big Jack ever showed it too her. "I didn't know Big Jack had a daughter?" JR asked.

"My father kept his personal life very private. He purposely kept it that way."

JR went back to the last time he had seen Big Jack. It was the night of a big ppv and Big Jack's title was on the line. For some days before Vince had tried to persuade Big Jack to lose the title to a young wrestler who Vince was trying hard to push. Big Jack had seen the kid wrestle and knew the kid didn't have the talent nor the desire. After he had lost the match, he barged into Vince's office and the two shouted for several minutes at each other, with Big Jack walking out. It wasn't long after that he found out Vince rescended Big Jack's contract. How ironic it is that his daughter would now be working for the organization.

"I remember dad having talked about him," Shane commented.

"I'm sure he didn't have too many nice things to say about him," Phoenix said. "Of course, my father didn't have much to say about Mr. McMahon. In fact, he never spoke of him at all."

"How is Big Jack?" JR asked.

"He's been dead for 8 years now. I took over the school he founded shortly after his, shall we say, exit from the company."

Linda caught the light tone of sarcasm in her last statement and handed the contract to Phoenix. "This is the contract for you to look over and sign. Take it with you and send it back when you've finished."

Phoenix was not one to waste time and began carefully scanning the contract. She took a pen from her pocket and signed on the dotted line. "When do I start?"

"As soon as you have things straightened out as far as the school is concerned."

"That's been taken care of already."

"Okay. We'll see you in a couple of days at The Igloo in Pittsburgh. Welcome aboard."

"Oh, I do have one request. I would prefer not to have it known that I am the daughter of Big Jack."

"No one but the people in this room will know," Linda said.

"Thank you," Phoenix said, and shook everyone's hand and was out the door.

"She didn't waste any time," Shane commented. "I have to say she's not what I expected."

"She's unpretentious and straight forward. It took a long time for me to find someone like that."

"How did you find her?" JR asked.

"I started looking 3 months ago. The Board and I were fed up with the way Vince was doing things, and in a secret vote, decided he needed to step down for a while. While looking through some old personnel files, I noticed Big Jack's name and decided why not get him to come back to run things, not knowing he had died. I found out, through some investigating, that he had a wrestling school. I got the address and went to visit. That's when I met Phoenix."

"Even if Big Jack had been alive, would he have come back, given what went down between him and Vince?" Shane asked.

"We'll never know, but I would like to think he would have just to get revenge once he knew Vince was kicked out," Linda replied.

"Whatever happened that night?" Shane asked.

JR told of how Big Jack and Vince had argued before his last ppv. That Vince had wanted Big Jack to drop the title to some kid Vince was trying to promote. "Big Jack told Vince the kid didn't have any talent and wouldn't last in the business, and made it plain he was not going to job to a snot nosed brat. After a very loud shouting match, with Big Jack walking out, Vince called in the writers and had them change the script, telling them Big Jack was not to be told. He also told the ref what he wanted him to do. After the match that night, Big Jack cornered Vince and the two went at it, shouting all over the place. Finally, Big Jack walked away. It wasn't until a week later that everyone found out he had fired Big Jack, even though Big Jack was still under contract."

"Whatever happened to the kid?"

"The kid quit after that. Vince never could bring himself to admit that Big Jack had been right all along."

"If dad ever finds out...." Shane shook his head.

"What can he do if he does?" Linda smiled.

"Things should get interesting in the next couple of days," Shane said.

"Indeed," Linda said.

Chapter 6

While lInda was making the arrangements for Phoenix's arrival, the locker room was set to explode. For the past month the wrestlers had endured both Bischoff and Heyman. Mark, being the designated head, was doing his best to keep everything upbeat and on an even keel.

"How much more are we going to have to listen to those two ding dongs?" Angle asked.

"Look guys, I don't like it either. We just have to ignore them," Mark said.

"How can you ignore it when they're in your face every day? All we hear "I'm gonna do this" or "I'm gonna do that," Angle spat.

"I for one have had it up to here," Glen said, his hand above his head, "with all the bullshit those two have put out. Those two make a good case for pollution control."

"If Linda picks either one, we'll never hear the end of it," Bradshaw said.

"I don't thinking is going to," Mark said.

"You know something?"

"I know her well enough to say she doesn't care for either one of them, so I would bet she's not going to give the job to either one of them," Mark replied.

"So she has someone else in mind?" Glen asked.

"I'm thinking she's going to hire from outside the company," Mark said.

Jericho groaned. "Hell, we'll be no better off than we are now!"

Sable stood outside the locker. "Good," she sneered. She walked down the hall and left for the hotel. Linda was expected tonight along with the new manager. Sable would dress her sexiest and somehow get "him" alone. By the time she was through with "him", she thought, she would be running things.

Chapter 7

Linda and Phoenix arrived at the arena an hour before the house show and quickly went upstairs to the skybox. Linda had one of the security guards bring in drinks and a small food tray.

"Nervous?" Linda asked.

"Just a little," Phoenix replied, noticing Linda silently giggling. "What's up?"

"I'm picturing those two goofs doing their best to persuade me to pick one of them."

"Oh, Heyman and Bischoff I take it."

Linda nodded. "By now they have to know I've arrived."

Sure enough, security entered, informing Linda that Heyman and Bischoff were already on their way.

"Well, here goes," Linda said. "Why don't you stand behind the divider over there."

"I'll try not to laugh out loud," Phoenix said.

Heyman and Bischoff were busy boasting on the elevator. "She's going to pick me," Heyman said. "I've been here longer than you."

"Like hell!" Bischoff retorted. "I've done more for the company than you, you bald-headed reject from an insane asylum!"

"More like kissed ass more," Heyman sneered.

As the elevator door opened, both men simultaneously hurried to be the first off. "Get out of the way!" Heyman sneered, pushing Bischoff back into the elevator. Bischoff grabbed Heyman's arm and jerked him back. "I'm going to go first!" The two were quite the sight shoving each other out of the way to be the first.

Linda heard them shouting and shook her head in disbelief. Both men burst in the room simultaneously and positioned themselves on each side of her chair. Linda put her hands over her ears to shut out the noise. Phoenix rolled her eyes and peeked from behind the divider, seeing poor Linda besieged by them. Finally, Linda had all she could stand. "SHUT UP!!!" she shouted. Both men became quiet.

"PLEASE GET AWAY FROM ME!" Both men stood in front of her. She took a deep breath. "I was going to be polite and listen, but I've changed my mind. So to save you the trouble of making yourselves even more idiotic that you are already, and to keep my sanity, I am letting you know that neither one of you are fit for the job."

The silence was deafening. Finally Bischoff spoke. "What?!"

"You heard. Neither one of you. Did you two goofs honestly think I would choose either of you, knowing full well ever since you've been here you've been kissing Vince's ass the whole time? My mind was made up some time ago. I have made my choice, which you'll be informed of after the show. Now, GET OUT!"

Stunned, both men left. As soon as the door was closed, Phoenix came out from behind the divider. "I see you didn't bother to hear them out," Phoenix grinned.

"I couldn't stand it. But that's what we've had to endure ever since Vince hired them."

"The shit's gonna fly when they find out."

"Let it." Linda sat back and popped an olive in her mouth.

Chapter 8

Sable waited by the boiler room, hoping that one of them had gotten the job. "It wouldn't surprise me if they both blow it," she thought. The look of disgust on Bischoff's face told her everything. "Well?" she asked.

"No, I didn't," Bischoff said. "Neither did Heyman."

"Doesn't surprise me," Sable sneered. "You two probably said something to mess it up."

"She said, and I quote," Did you two goofs honestly think I would choose you, knowing you've kissed Vince's ass the whole time," he sneered, then took a good look at Sable. "Hmmm, you're looking good."

Sable smiled. "I'm about to introduce myself. I thought maybe the new manager could see what assets I bring and perhaps do a little persuading to make use of my 'services,' so to speak."

"You do have some good assets," and proceeded to run his hands over her.

Sable pushed him away. "Uh Uh Uh" she said. "Later."

Bischoff watched her hips sway provocatively as she walked down the hall to the manager's office.

After the show, wrestlers, writers, and the referees assembled in the dining lounge to wait for Linda's announcement. In the mean time, Phoenix made her way to the ring to watch the crew disassemble and pack. While she had been on the road observing, she had helped the crew and had gotten to know several of them. It was a shock when she told them she would be the new general manager. She also told them that Linda would make the announcement to the rest shortly. After the initial shock had worn off, they smiled and congratulated her. Phoenix said she would talk with them later and left up the ramp to her office.

Sable was busily adjusting her top to show off her "assets" and had purposely kept her back to the door to make the effect more dramatic when she turned around. She heard the knob click and turned. The look on her face spoke volumes. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Who are you?" Phoenix answered back.

"Sable."

"Ohh, yes. The company whore."

Sable chose to ignore the remark for the time being. "What are you doing here?" she asked again. "This is the manager's office."

"Exactly. "I'm Phoenix Terrell, the new manager. And judging from your attire and how it's arranged, I would venture to guess you intended to make yourself available, so to speak."

Sable went to speak, but Phoenix shook her head. "I'm not into that. So if you don't mind, please take you and your services elsewhere."

Sable stormed out, slamming the door behind her as Phoenix smiled. "Linda, you were right about her."

"That bitch!" Sable fumed. She stomped down the hallway, pushing everyone out of her way. Once again her plans had been thwarted.

Chapter 9

"Thank you, first of all, for staying after the show," Linda told the assembled crowd. "Now, as you all know, Vince has stepped down as head of WWE for the present. The Board and I felt it was best for the company overall that he do so until we feel he can once again assume his duties. You also know that Stephanie has taken time off from her job as general manager.

There was a lot of speculation that I would naturally choose either Heyman or Bischoff. Be assured, both were informed that neither one of them were chosen."

Heyman and Bischoff were sitting in the corner and slouched down in their chairs. Both men gritted when comments were heard from several in the room. "Thank God for that! " "Now we don't have to listen to their bullshit anymore." Linda noticed them in the corner and grinned.

"I started looking for Steph's successor three months ago, and I am proud to say, I have found who I feel is the perfect person, and who, just a week ago, agreed to take the position."

Phoenix had slipped in a side door when Linda had started speaking. Linda noticed her and motioned for her to come to the front. "This is the new general manager. I introduce to you, Phoenix Terrell." Phoenix nodded.

"Hey! I recognize her. She worked with the stage crew!" Rey Mysterio said.

"If there is nothing further, you're free to go."

Everyone left out of the lounge and headed to the showers. "You hit it on the head," Bradshaw told Mark. "She did go outside the company."

"Did you see the size of her? She made Ms. McMahon look like a shrimp," Shannon said.

"You should know all about that," Show chuckled.

"Damn, how tall is she?"

"What was her name again?"

"Phoenix Terrell," Glen replied.

"The thing is, does she know anything about the busines?" Jericho asked.

"Give Linda credit. She wouldn't have hired her if she didn't," Mark replied.

"That last name. I've heard it before," Flair said. "But where?"

Part 2

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