From Assassins to Mercenaries

Chapter One: Shanghaied!

Ken couldn't believe it. He was on his way to a war in North Africa he had nothing to do with. Beside him, a rather miserable looking blond sat, bemoaning his situation. How had he gotten himself into this mess? Furthermore, was there any way out?

"Hey, you all right?" Ken asked. The blond looked at him, giving him a look that told it all.

"No. My best friend betrayed me, I'm being forced to leave my home, and I can't tell my fiancee where I'm going. I may never see her again." The blond said, sadly.

"Damn, I know how you must feel. I've been betrayed by someone I'd thought to be a friend too. What's your name?" Ken asked.

"Kazama Shin." The blond replied, after a moment.

"Hidaka Ken, pleased to meet you. At least you're not alone in the betrayal department." Ken said.

"Yeah." Shin said, as he lapsed into gloomy silence. Ken sighed and sat back; at least the sides of the vehicle were padded. He thought back to when he'd signed what he'd thought to be a second chance to get into the J-League. He'd no sooner signed the paper when he'd been whisked away into an armored truck and driven off to who knows where.

"Do you know how to fly a jet?" Shin asked, his voice so quiet, Ken had to strain his ears to hear him.

"No, not really. But I suppose I'm going to have to learn if I'm going to get home alive." Ken said.

"Do you have anyone at home to return to?" Shin asked, again.

"No. My family's all gone. I did have some friends in Tokyo, but they disappeared months ago and haven't been heard from since. But I don't want to die, if that's what you're trying to get at." Ken said, as he leaned forward a little bit and stared a hole into the side of the truck.

"I don't want to die, either." Shin murmured, tiredly, as he settled his head back and drifted into exhausted slumber.

"Poor guy. It's pasts like his that made Weiss what it was." Ken thought, as he took Shin's example and went to sleep. Hours later, they were both rudely awakened by some soldiers who stomped into the truck, hoisted them to their feet, and roughly escorted them to a waiting plane. From there, it was another five hours in a small dark holding area. The end of the journey came when Ken felt the bump of the plane's landing gear meeting the runway.

"Hey, Shin. I think we're there, wherever there is." Ken muttered, as the same soldiers from before appeared and started opening the door. Shin quietly sat up and allowed himself to be hauled to his feet, his expression listless and miserable. Ken followed, ignoring the soldiers behind him and taking in his new surroundings.

"Oh hell………….they've landed us in the middle of the desert!" Ken muttered, as he listened to Shin make a similar remark.

"This is gonna be your home for the next three years, you two. Welcome to Area 88." One of the soldiers sneered, watching as one man came out of the base and walked up to Ken and Shin, his long black hair blowing wildly in the desert wind.