---
Location: Monday Night RAW – Tag Team Main Event & Backstage
Focus: The Shield is scheduled to team up in a six-man tag. But cracks are showing. Meanwhile, Charlotte and AJ begin circling closer to Roman, each with their own intentions. The Authority watches from the shadows.
---
[Scene: RAW – Announced Main Event]
Michael Cole (voice-over): "Tonight's explosive main event: The Shield reunites to take on Randy Orton and The Usos in a six-man tag match!"
JBL: "Randy's Authority-adjacent now… I don't like where this is going."
---
[Backstage – Pre-Match Tension]
The Shield's locker room is quiet.
Roman stands, arms folded, leaned against the locker wall.
Dean paces, muttering to himself.
Seth tapes his wrists—calm on the surface, but avoiding eye contact.
Dean (grinning): "Feels just like old times, huh?"
Roman (flat): "Not if we're walking into a setup."
Seth finally looks up.
Seth: "It's just a match."
Roman (low): "You sure about that?"
The silence is heavy. Seth nods... but too quickly.
---
[Ringside – Entrances]
The Shield's music hits.
They walk through the crowd like ghosts from the past. Roman in the middle. Dean's jaw twitching. Seth's eyes scanning.
Michael Cole: "That music used to mean war. Now it means… tension."
The Usos enter next, hyped and defiant.
Then Orton walks out to Voices—slow, sinister, eyes locked on Roman.
---
[Match Begins – Roman & Jey Uso Start]
Bell rings.
Roman and Jey circle. Lock up. Roman overpowers him early—throws Jey into the corner.
Roman (to Jey): "You really wanna do this, Uso?"
Jey shoves him. Roman hits back harder.
Shoulder tackle—Jey hits the mat.
Tag to Jimmy.
Jimmy tries to fly—springboard crossbody—Roman catches him mid-air, slams him into the mat. Crowd pops.
---
[Mid-Match Breakdown – Roman Tags in Seth]
Roman tags Seth with a hard slap on the chest.
Seth glares—but takes it. He leaps into the ring, lights up with speed—dropkicks Jimmy, flips into a Pele-style knee to Jey on the apron. Vintage Rollins.
But then—
Orton tags in.
Seth charges—Orton ducks—powerslam! Crowd pops.
Orton stomps—head, arms, ribs.
Tag to Jey—double superkick!
Seth drops.
---
[Hot Tag – Roman Unleashed]
Seth crawls. Reaches—Roman stretches—
Tag!
Roman explodes into the ring.
Clothesline! Uppercut! Samoan Drop to Orton!
Drive-By to Jey!
Crowd's on fire.
Roman screams, fist cocked—
Spear to Jimmy— but Orton pulls him out!
Chaos outside.
Roman and Orton brawl into the timekeeper's area.
Dean hits Dirty Deeds on Jimmy in the ring.
1…2…3!
---
[Post-Match Chaos]
Roman returns to the ring, panting. Seth is up.
They win—but there's no celebration.
Seth (flat): "You trying to make me look weak?"
Roman (cold): "You do that yourself."
Dean steps between them—again.
Dean: "You two need to figure this out before someone dies."
---
[Backstage – After RAW]
Triple H watches from the shadows.
Randy Orton walks up, nodding.
Triple H: "It's almost time. But not yet. Let him think it's all falling apart on his own."
They both look at Seth from a monitor—standing apart from Roman and Dean, taping his fists tighter than usual.
---
[Later That Night – Training Gym]
Roman is back at the rooftop gym. Hitting the heavy bag in silence.
Sweat drips from his temples. Eyes dark. Mind heavier.
Voice: "You were built for more than just tag teams."
He turns. Charlotte Flair walks into view, wearing a sleek athletic jacket.
Charlotte: "You carry them. You carry everything. Why?"
Roman doesn't answer. Just breathes.
Charlotte: "You don't need them. But you might need me."
She steps closer. His eyes drop to hers—but he doesn't touch her.
Roman (quiet): "I don't need anyone."
Charlotte (smiling): "That's what makes you worthy."
---
[Scene Cut – Elsewhere Backstage]
AJ Lee watches from the hallway shadows, arms folded, chewing gum thoughtfully.
AJ (to herself): "Queen wants the King. Cute."
She smiles slowly. Darkly.
AJ: "But I already wrote the ending."
---
To Be Continued…
Coming Up in Chapter 10:
Seth gets offered a private meeting with Triple H.
Roman gets pushed into a solo match against Batista.
Charlotte and AJ continue their cold war—each taking a different angle on Roman.
Dean starts noticing everything... and starts getting suspicious.
End of chapter 9..