Swords clashed and bullets whistled passed sunny as she ran, puffs of dust erupting from her trainers as she ran towards an old warehouse. All around her, bodies collapsed and blood fell like rain, collecting into ruby red pools on the concrete, reflecting the death throes of the men it once flowed through. Everywhere she looked Maverick soldiers and unknown enemies locked blades as they fought for their lives. Looking behind her, she saw Kevin, Courtney, Hal, George and Boris running with her. As she watched, Boris drew a pistol and pulled the trigger, the bullet finding its mark in the forehead of an enemy, Blood sprayed from the exit wound in the back of his head as Boris continued to run after them.

Hal caught her attention as he and the other ran past her, "Sunny, head for that door" he shouted, gesturing to a small back door, 10 metres away on the side of a grey warehouse. Nodding to show she understood, she altered her course slightly, extending her step to avoid a ruddy pool of congealing blood, her muscles screaming in protest as she surged forward to catch up to her friends. Her ears were full of the shouts of injured and dying men as she ran her vision full of red and grey as the concrete floor was painted red with blood.

"Almost there, almost there" she whispered to herself as she ran, looking up from her tattered trainers, she saw Boris throwing his weight against the door, trying to get it open, whilst Hal attempted the same using the security panel, George was jumping up and down pointing at Sunny whilst talking to Courtney, Kevin looked around nervously, his hands slightly raised as he kept watch.

5 metres away from the door, she heard her friends shout before an icy hand grabbed her arm and she was violently jerked back, she felt a cold hard body behind her as a hand held her wrist down and another grasped her neck

"Got ya, ya little bitch" hot breath tickled her head as the man spoke, pulling her closer as Boris raised his gun towards him.

"None of that now" he said silkily, tightening his grip on Sunny's throat just enough to bruise her skin, his arm shifted, causing a black sleeve to slide down his arm revealing a midnight blue and black cybernetic arm "you know that bullets can barely damage a cyborg, so how about we lower the gun" his voice suddenly turned venomous "drop the gun or I'll take out her damn throat"

Sunny glanced around with tears in her eyes, watching her companions, as they froze, glaring angrily at her captor, her gaze turned to Boris. He looked at her for a long moment before slowly lowering his gun

"Good" the man purred, "that wasn't so hard now was it…HEY!" he yelled as Sunny violently lurched

Forward trying to escape, her plan worked, but not exactly as planned.

She managed to slip from his grasp for just a moment before he grabbed her again. Angrily he threw her to the floor, allowing her first glimpse of the stranger.

He was a large man, dark lank hair covered his eyes from view but Sunny could see the metal plating running along his right cheekbone. A long black trench coat covered his body and in his hand, he held a machete, the cold blade glistened in the weak light, but what caught her attention was the bold embroidery on his coat. His left shoulder bore an image of a snarling panther head, deep purple in colour, white teeth bared and eyes as red as the blood being spilled

"Damn it, you're more trouble than you're worth" the man snarled, he raised his sword above his head and bared his teeth "You die girl!"

Sunny could hear the shouting of her friends, but all she could see was the blade, the bright cold steel glinted in the pale light as it arced gracefully through the air.

There was something beautiful about that blade as it cut through the air, as sunny watched the machete plunged towards her.

She closed her eyes and waited for the blow...

Which never came...

Opening her eyes she saw the soldier, the blade which had a moment ago been clutched tightly in his grasp slowly fell to the floor with a clang, sunny stared up in confused horror as the mans hands rose, shaking, to his chest. As she watched, the end of a blade pieced through his chest with a sickening crunched, his body jerking as the rest of the blade soon followed, he clutched at the sword as electricity pulsed through the metal before it was violently removed.

The soldier fell to his knees, real and synthetic white blood seeped from the wound, spraying onto Sunny's trousers and pooling to the ground around him as he clasped at his chest. A black clawed foot appeared in Sunny's vision, kicking the dying man onto his side, she heard a sword being sheathed and looked up at the man who had saved her.

"Raiden" she gasped, lurching to her feet and bursting into tears as she slammed into him, wrapping her arms tightly around his metal frame in a hug

"Hey, its ok, you're alright, I'm here" he said, hugging her tightly.

Raiden picked her up and carried her over to the group as they stood, staring next to the warehouse door

"Raiden, just in time, like always" said Boris, chuckling slightly as he wiped his hand across his brow. Raiden placed Sunny down and launched a kick at the metal door, throwing it off its hinges.

"Quick, inside" he said, standing to the side and ushering them in.

Sunny did not move. "Where have you..." she began

"I'll tell you inside" he took her shoulder and gently pushed her into the warehouse, looking round carefully before following them into the building.

Raiden POV

A thin shard of light shone through a small window into the room, the golden rays reflecting of small particles dust in the air, causing them to shimmer as they floated idly.

Raiden diverted his attention away from the sight and towards the small congregation of his friends when he heard a voice.

Boris coughed slightly "so, Raiden. Where did you go?" he asked

Raiden thought for a moment, his blue eye quickly flitting to each person in the group, finally resting on sunny. She stared back at him as if willing him to answer. He sighed and returned his gaze to Boris

"I went to scout out the area" he said defensively "I wanted to see what we were up against, how many there were, that sort of thing"

Boris' eyes narrowed slightly "We could have used you with us, Tovarich"

Raiden stared back, his eye growing slightly colder, he could see the others shifting awkwardly, uncomfortable with the way the conversation was heading.

Raiden growled slightly "I had you covered"

"I did not see you covering us Tovarich" Boris crossed his arms and glanced back at Kevin who shifted awkwardly under the look and tightened his grip on Courtney.

"I didn't say it was me covering you" Raiden cocked his head. Boris looked over his shoulder whilst sunny gasped in delight as Blade wolf emerged from a dark corner.

Kevin and Courtney followed Sunny as she ran forward to hug the wolf, clapping Raiden on the shoulder as they walked past. Boris sighed and looked at Raiden. "I am sorry da?" he put a hand on his friends shoulder "I was just a little worried"

Raiden nodded, the look in his crystal blue eye softening. He looked around before asking, "Where's George?"

The Russian grinned a little, glad the argument was over before gesturing over his shoulder "he want into that store room to see if there was anything useful"

As they spoke, the boy emerged from the room, lured by the noise and grinned madly when he saw Raiden and wolf

"COWABUNGA" he shouted when he saw them. Everyone turned and laughed as he jumped up and down on the spot he race towards Raiden, who had joined the group with Blade wolf and skidded to a halt in front of him. "Me knew you'd get dem skunts," he laughed, punching the cyborgs arm and instantly regretting it, causing another bout of laughter as he cradled his hand.

Raiden shook his head and snorted "kids" he thought to himself. He looked over at Sunny and found that, although she was talking with George, her eyes were fixed on him.

"She's got something to tell me" he realised, he went to take a step forward when he stopped, his eye narrowed as he tilted his head to the side, listening. On the floor, BladeWolfs reaction was almost identical, the tip of his steel tail twitching as he listened intently.

Their reactions did not go unnoticed.

"What is it?" asked Kevin, his face screwed up as he listened. He looked at Courtney, who shook her head

"I don't hear anything," she said, curiously, looking towards the two machines.

Raidens piercing, ice blue eye locked with BladeWolfs red ones. He nodded once. Instantly Wolf was on his feet rounding the humans up together.

"What's happening?" asked Sunny

"Something's coming," growled Wolf as he nudged the group towards a small back door

"Wait, what about Raiden," cried Sunny

Raiden glanced back at her "It'll be alright" was what he wanted to say, but he did not want to lie to her

"It's only soldiers...probably" he smiled at her before shooing her along "I'll be with you in a minute"

As his companions disappeared into the back room, he silently drew his sword and crept towards the small window. Peering out he saw a group of soldiers and 5 geckos prowling towards the warehouse, armed and ready.

"shit"