Ammo

Miami, August 14th, 1987. 23:00 Hours

Loud thuds on the doors and windows of Bahama Benny's succeeded in creating more pressure against Scorpion and Reptile's psyches. The two veterans grabbed what weapons and ammo they could from the cellar behind the bar and ran back up the poorly lit stairway to see their venture in flames.

"C'mon! There's no time to waste!" Scorpion yelled at Reptile, the latter Mortal steadily piling clothes into his suitcase.

"I need them!"

"Forget it, it's too late!"

The wooden supports below the ceiling cracked as fire licked the walls and the entirety of the upper floor.

"Bu-"

"No 'buts'," Scorpion interrupted. "We have to go!"

Heavy gunfire homed in on the duo as they sprinted through the bar, Scorpion briefly disappeared and flickered before his comrade, the Yellow Yank was unable to teleport them away.

"Shit!"

"It doesn't matter, through here!" Reptile booted the barricaded entranceway, flinging the obstacles out of their path. One of their aggressors was now lying on the sand below, covered in blood. "Who are these guys?" Reptile asked, panicking.

"How should I kn-" Scorpion started, before being cut off by the rings of ricocheting rifle rounds. He pulled out his pistol and crouched, moving around the side of the bar with haste. He peeped around the corner, only to be met with more gunfire and the blaze of muzzle flashes. Flinching, he bolted back to the entrance where Reptile was unfolding the stock of a SPAS-12 shotgun.

"Go around the side and wait for signal, okay?"

"What's the sig-?" Reptile asked belatedly as he watched a pistol wielding Scorpion go back through the now engulfed bar and dart to the rear, shooting and drop-kicking through a window on to a group of attackers. The heavily armed men fell and groaned in pain until Scorpion shot each of them in them in quick succession. Reptile took that as his cue and navigated around the corner to find the dead men's colleagues looking confused and unprofessional. Reptile made light work of them as he casually slotted this particular group with a few flechette loaded shells.

"Vietnam was useful for some things," the lizard man mused as a fireball shaped man joined him. Scorpion patted out the flames and stood in his now charred clothes. "So, who do you think these guys were?" Reptile wondered.

"I have no idea, but whoever they were, they came fully loaded with gear," Scorpion exclaimed, dropping a rifle he had briefly picked up.

"Who decides to start a war in the middle of Miami?"

"That my friends, would be your former employer, Kurtis Stryker," explained a voice from out of nowhere. The Mortals turned and aimed their weapons at the shadow who stepped out from the bushes. "Good evening, gentlemen."

"Raiden?!" The pair questioned simultaneously.

"Looks like I was a bit late to the party here," said the Briton, lighting up a cigarette casually.

Scorpion paced toward him, Reptile followed in vain and could only watch as his ally got in the face of the self proclaimed 'thunder god.' "Did you not feel the need to help us?"

"You had it covered," Raiden replied nonchalantly, taking another drag of the cigarette and twitching his upper lip.

"We barely made it out of there!"

"That's a lie and you know it."

Scorpion didn't want to agree, but he knew the man was right. "Okay. Fair enough...we managed."

Raiden moved towards the group of soldiers Reptile had dispatched, "See the flag here, on the arm?"

"Yeah?" said Reptile.

"That is Stryker's nation. His flag."

Scorpion ducked to take a better look, "Why would he put himself at risk like that? Acknowledging it's his country that did attacked here?"

"Don't you see? He knew you would kill these men, he simply wanted to send a message."

"I've not seen or heard from him since I was reunited with that mess over there." Scorpion pointed at Reptile, the scaly soldier rolled his slitted eyes.

"And yet he knows you still live, why? Because he believed in you more than any of his other creations, even more than Rain."

"That's horse shit, how did he find us? We've been off the radar for a long time."

Raiden paced on the sound and inhaled the stiff sea air, "He has a team of scientists from Nevada, countless spies and defectors that are loyal to him. Don't you see? He's been planning something!"

"Planning what though?" Reptile began. "We've done nothing to even provoke him. Sure, we want him dead, I think even Smoke would want that still."

"Look, we either think that, A, he wants you both dead and out of his way, or, B, he wants you to join him."

"Like hell are we joining that psychopath. He massacred hundreds of his own people including the creator of this damn serum - or should I say - poison, just to keep himself safe from harm. To keep himself from being ripped apart bit by toxic bit by Elijah himself here."

"Guilty," Reptile admitted.

"So you can count us out of that plan. By the way...it seems pretty damn suspicious that you would appear right now, in the nick of time..."

Raiden laughed, "You, believe I...? Oh no dear boy. If it was me that had set this assault upon you, you wouldn't be here talking to me."

The veterans glanced at one another sand Scorpion turned towards the ocean and asked, "Then how did you find us?"

"Ah, of course. Well, it was quite simple really - Sub Zero's friend is quite adept at computing and managed to track you down through government files and 'hacked' his way into databases until he found a match. Completely over my head but he did wonder why you used your names and not aliases to run this bar."

"We didn't think we'd need it, I thought they would have struck us from the records. MIA. KIA. Dissolution. One or the other."

"I see, how...careless, I should say."

Scorpion scrunched his hands in frustration, "We have been through hell and back for the sake of this goddamned planet and we get nothing in return, so don't you dare say we didn't think of everything."

Raiden raised his palms, "Relax, I know better than most the sacrifices you've made. Be they personal..." Scorpion lowered his head. "...or physical." Reptile rubbed his arms and brushed along the scales. "I have been there every step of the way. I have fought my own demons and conquered them the best I can."

"Wait...You said, 'we' before. Who's we? The British government?" Reptile inquired.

"No, Shao Khan."

"Khan?!" Spluttered Scorpion.

"Yes. Along with Smoke and Sub Zero."

"How on Earth did you manage that?"

"I've got connections. Now then, if you no longer have any belongings to pick up, we'll be going, shall we?" Raiden muttered something into his walkie talkie and a soon enough, a helicopter touched down on the sand, particles flew everywhere as the three of them boarded, Baraka and Kano greeted their fellow experiments as they made way to fly to Peru.

Haven, August 15th, 1700 Hours.

"Sir! Sir, I think I have finally made the breakthrough with the serum!" Shouted a senior scientist as he barrelled through his bosses office door.

"Don't you knock, boy?" Stryker asked coldly as he puffed on his cigar.

"I'm sorry sir, but I believe I've cracked Kabal's original design."

"How?" Stryker was in no mood for disappointments. He had tried various cocktails filled with the gene altering drug and nothing had come of it. It either ended in anger or in a pool of vomit and blood.

"I believe that the original theorem unlocked powers from within DNA specific candidates. A natural selection process if you would - try and test whoever."

"Go on."

The scientist excitedly handed over documents to an uncaring Stryker - he had little patience for busywork. "What I'm saying is, unlike Kabal's seemingly concrete proof that it was only specific to a certain amount of people, I have figured a way for it to unlock potential within almost everyone."

Stryker's ears and eyebrows perked in anticipation, the wrinkles on his face formed into a grin, "Everyone you say?"

"The people we tested it on all responded in some way, be it bad, or good. One hundred percent reacted to it - one woman burst into flames whilst another developed protective spines all over her skin. It still needs work as it seems a little raw."

"Excellent! Excellent work indeed! Does anybody else know about this?" Stryker asked.

"Only my team, sir."

"How many of them do you have?"

"There's four of them, excluding myself."

"Ten champagne glasses then." Stryker declared as he walked over to his liquor cabinet, pulling out a small unopened box.

"Like I said though, respectfully, sir, the product is still raw. It doesn't have a one hundred percent successful conversion rate, just a reaction rate."

"But like you said, they all changed, no?"

"That's true."

"Listen, bring me your finest vial out of the batch, I want to toast it and see it for myself."

The scientist felt proud of his accomplishment, "Thank you, sir."

"No, thank you. Pardon my ignorance...what is your name, son?"

"Darrius. Darrius Quaid, sir."

Stryker stood once again and put his arm around the scientist, "Well, Darrius...you've made me a very happy man. Go and gather your team and be back here in about ten minutes, okay?"

Dr. Quaid nodded and left the room, leaving Stryker alone. Was it finally ready? Was it finally what he had asked for? The general was ageing fast yet his body was still in top condition. He had always wondered if the serum provided immortality regardless of compatibility. Of course, Stryker had killed any test subjects that failed to gain anything from it to know for sure.

The general leaned towards the microphone on his desk and made an announcement, "Could the Grims come to my office immediately. I'll say again - Grims. My office. Now."

He waited two minutes before popping open the bottle of expensive champagne, pouring it into the nine glasses as each member of the Grims stepped through his door: Chameleon, Tremor, Rain then Frost entered at different times, each of them working hard on training the various soldiers in different techniques. Chameleon taught espionage, Tremor trained them in weaponry, Rain lectured (at length) the value of communication whereas Frost was given the task of instructing the soldiers about how to take down a powered individual. Stryker spoke with them as the scientists gathered pace and entered the room, the four of them sitting whilst the Grims handed them a glass before standing out of the way.

"You five, brilliant minded geniuses have possibly given me the greatest gift this blossoming, young nation could have asked for - strength. More useful than the countless weapons, tanks, planes and men and women at our disposal, more threatening than Tremor crushing your car or Rain talking to your wife..." The scientists laughed as Stryker continued. "No, no. You have given me hope that we can take forward our ideals and put them into practice. We can finally compete with the so called 'super powers' and stamp our own mark upon this great earth. No longer will the world fear sending their loved ones to war when we are there to fight it for them. The world's first, foremost and only Private Military Nation is ready to get to work." Stryker cleared his throat and then swallowed the booze in one gulp. "I must thank you for your cooperation. Your contracts have been terminated."

The scientists argued amongst themselves, flabbergasted by what they had just been told. Stryker nodded at the Grims and they moved behind the seated workers. Frost froze her target's head and kicked it clean off. Rain pulled his victim's head back by the hair and drowned her, filling her body with water until it became bloated. Chameleon transformed into the scientist before him and stared him straight in the eye. The scientist whimpered and beads of sweat trickled down his face.

"You always knew that your wife didn't love you." The sweating academic heard his own voice and saw his own lips move before he felt the life choked out of him. Tremor simply rubbed his hands and clapped them together, the now headless body before him evidence of his immense strength. The only person remaining was Darrius Quaid, who trembled and sobbed to himself. Stryker walked over to him.

"Give me the vial."

Darrius simply complied and handed over the serum, what he had left of his soul had now left him.

"Open your mouth."

"S-sir?"

"Open. Your. Fucking. Mouth."

Darrius scanned the room, he desperately searched for a way out before he felt Chameleon grasp his head and force his mouth open. Stryker hung over him, a tiny drop threatened to slip out and fall. Darrius kicked his legs out in defiance, only to have Tremor break them.

"Show some respect," threatened the big man.

"Thank you, Tremor. Now...I'm guessing the rest of this formula is in your safe, correct?"

Darrius Quaid forced out the word, 'Yes' just under fifteen times before the general poured the tube down the scientist's throat. Chameleon let him go and the five of them watched as Quaid fell to the floor in agony - not from the serum, but from his crippled legs. The liquid coursed through the man's veins, he had never felt a sensation such as this.

"N-n-n-no! NO!" He screamed, anxious that the pain leave.

"I liked you, Darrius, I really did. The problem is - I can't have anybody fucking up my plans. For all I know, you've remembered all of this with your big brain of yours and you'd maybe keep it to yourself, sure, but I don't believe you or any man with no ambition would do that. You'd sell it to the highest bidder or the government that wanted it the most and they would take everything from me. People have told me that I am the Devil. Those people are wrong. I am not the Devil, I am not even God. I am above both of them. World War III is just the beginning. I'm thinking we should have us a big change around here, yes indeed! Imagine a world where there is peace because we have control over politics, religion and the wealth. It will be a better world for all."

"Y-yo-you're insane!" Darrius managed to declare. "I thought you-you just wanted m-money?!"

"Wealth is only part of it. Does God care for money? No he does not. So, please, Doctor Quaid. Call me God."

Darrius felt his legs heal rapidly with the effects of the serum now taking its toll. The scientist began to laugh as Stryker smirked, simply watching the senior staff member stand before him.

"I'll kill you now, Stryker..." Darrius claimed, feeling the flow of newly found aptitude grow.

"That's cute," replied Stryker, who nodded to Tremor. The towering man grabbed Quaid's head and ripped it from his body in addition to his spinal cord.

"Well then...let's get to work again." Stryker let the Grims leave as he went to the late Quaid's office to retrieve some samples.

Lin Kuei Sanctuary, Peru, August 16th, 0100 Hours

Helicopter blades whirred to a halt as the vehicle touched down. Raiden stepped out on to the grassy clearing, the Lin Kuei Sanctuary lay embedded in the rock formation before him. Scorpion and Reptile followed, along with Baraka and Kano.

"Pretty lovely place, wouldn't you say, gents?" Raiden said rhetorically.

"So...this is where Sub Zero and Smoke have decided to live?" Scorpion asked.

"Decided is a bit of an obsolete term here, they had to do this," replied the colonel.

"They've had three years extra to train. Or, so they think," Scorpion stated proudly.

Raiden walked on, "Don't get too cocky, they have worked very hard. Besides, there isn't really a 'Mortals' team any more, is there?"

"As long as I'm breathing, there is," Scorpion told the lightning bearer. Reptile smiled to himself.

"That's some good news then."

The five of them entered the sanctuary and were greeted by the Grandmaster, who paid a lot of attention to Reptile and Scorpion. They both stared at the mural of themselves for what felt like forever. The Grandmaster gave them the same instruction he had given Sub Zero just over three years prior - press the panel and reveal a part of themselves they had lost. Scorpion pressed on the wooden button and stepped back, the frame was dragged upwards and the two Mortals identified the remains of Bi-Han. Reptile took a few steps backward as Scorpion froze on the spot. The pair just kept looking and searching every inch of it. The World War II mask and hood, the spine and skull. It sat in a hole in the wall in Peru. It was a timeless reminder of the sacrifices made and of the anger and guilt Scorpion felt before and after the discovery of his wife and daughter's death and the truth of Rain's involvement.

"S-Scorpion?" Reptile asked in concern, stuttering. The leader of the Mortals stopped still and continued to stare. The head of the man he had killed was before his very eyes and he couldn't believe it. "Scorpion, say something!" Reptile cried again.

"I...I-I...don't..."

The Grandmaster put his hand on Reptile's shoulder and led him towards the fiery one. He stood them together and moved before them. "Master Scorpion...we know of your misjudgement. The entire following and cause here knows of your mistake and we pay for your sins alongside you."

Scorpion felt the sorrow replaced by rage. "You...you pay for my sins?! You know NOTHING about me."

"I do not mean to offend you, sir. I am simply telling you of our knowledge."

"Raiden may have given me some of the details but he didn't tell me you have the spine of my ally, did you?" He pointed towards Raiden.

"You had to see it for yourself, Scorpion. I couldn't see it being true myself until they showed me."

The Grandmaster gestured towards the painting, "We - I - was given this by my father. He served alongside you during the Second World War. You knew nothing of him but he knew a great deal about you. After witnessing you in combat for the first time, he would steal records and try and gather information about yourself and the Mortals."

"Your father was clearly a stalker then, wasn't he? What right did he have to take this?!"

"What you say is true, my father was a...peculiar man to say the least. Yet the stories he told me as a young boy astounded me. When he passed away, he had left me something; an heirloom of sorts - something astonishing. He left this skull and spine and heaps of papers and photographs to me. I studied and studied it in my spare time. I travelled the world and discovered this ruin. I believed in the story of the Mortals. I was a photographer during Vietnam. I was one town away from you during your entire campaign there."

"Your life story is irrelevant."

"I have no qualms with you, my master, you are the right and I am the guided."

"I'm no god."

"You are gods amongst men. Masters Scorpion and Reptile. Two of the greatest warriors who have ever lived."

"What about those guys?" Reptile said, pointing to Raiden, Kano and Baraka.

"They are your acolytes. The ones that serve you and are to be served. They guided you along the way."

"This is ridiculous..." Scorpion announced.

"Is it? You are the by-products of the universe! Sent to save us all from annihilation!"

"We're by-products of science. We were regular men who were changed."

The Grandmaster raised his arms, "You were regular men who were ascended to the thrones of the gods! Will you not help us? Are we any more ridiculous than Stryker and his band of malcontent thugs?"

"You're starting to creep up there," Scorpion told the almost regally dressed man.

"All we ask is that you give us a chance. We have beds, food, weaponry, places to meditate and places to train. We have soldiers and warriors that believe in this cause and they believe in you. Will you aid us in defeating the greatest threat to the world since Ermac, The Soulless?"

Scorpion glanced over at Reptile and said, "Okay. Seeing as you put it so...eloquently."

"Blessed are we!" The Grandmaster yelled out, the echo of the church sounded it out around the sanctuary, the sound of trainees cheering rang throughout the ruin as the dull thuds of sparring resumed. "That being said...the issue surrounding Sub Zero the First has, and still is, to be resolved."

The leading Mortal snapped his head to the Grandmaster once more, "I think it is best that he be kept in the dark."

The Grandmaster rested a hand on one of the long, pine benches that the followers congregated on. "It will resolve more than just your conscience. It will also put him at ease about his brother."

"Reptile already told me some of the details, 'Kevin' was having an affair with his dead brother's wife whilst he was getting shot at on the front lines. I made a mistake. An awful mistake and I live with that every single day," Scorpion said, admitting his failures.

"And we will always forgive you," the Grandmaster told the troubled soldier sincerely.

"Where is he?" Scorpion asked after half a minutes silence.

Without saying a word, the Grandmaster led Scorpion into the primitive elevator and left Reptile to his own devices. The Lin Kuei members stood at arms and bowed to him. The lizard man felt an urge to wave them away and proceeded with it. He was now alone with the remains of the first Sub Zero. Reptile walked closer to the carved hole in the rock and knelt down, his head heavy, he closed his eyes and began whispering to himself.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, old friend. I would have stopped Scorp- Henry, from killing you. He didn't mean it, not any more at least. At the time he'd have done anything to get revenge for his wife's death. Anything. I remember when you used to say, 'Oh I bet Stryker's up to something!' You'd joke about it but it was true. Too true. He repents every day, he wishes he could bring you back. If you're up there, you'll know the truth. It's just a shame you're not here alongside us now, we would have had this whole thing wrapped up by now. Your brother's a good guy, despite the adultery thing, but you know that. War changes people and it usually for the worst. I have no idea what is going to happen when we go to take on Stryker and his batch of freaks...oh man, let me tell you, you would HATE Rain! He's such an ass kisser it's unbelievable. But anyway, if I live or die, I'll make sure to come here before that happens and I'll have a conversation with you again. See you soon, friend." Reptile felt tears roll down his face, he wasn't even sure that he could cry any more, yet it felt cathartic - as if a weight had been lifted. He grinned and bared his sharp fangs to nobody but himself.

"Reptile."

Elijah Cash stood up and turned towards the familiar voice, "Smoke."

"I'm sor-"

"You left me with them, Tomas. You left me to be experimented on," Reptile interrupted.

"I-I had to do it. For Deborah. For my family."

Reptile turned and walked towards his squad mate, "Didn't you think I'd need your help? Didn't you think that...that I'd maybe need a helping hand?"

Smoke ran his hands through his gunmetal hair, "Of course. Of course I thought about coming back and saving you from them. I've felt guilty for far too long now."

"It doesn't matter now..." Reptile lied.

"It does. I'm just happy you're safe."

Reptile placed a hand to his pistol holster and sat it down on one of the benches. "How did you find us? How did you know we were still alive?"

"We didn't," Smoke confessed.

"Would you have left us to rot?"

Smoke sat down, "No. I would never let that happen."

"It sure felt like that...Besides, Raiden said he had a computing wizard find us."

Smoke's eyes lit up, "That would be Sub Zero's friend, Kenshi."

"Can he fight?"

Smoke laughed, "I don't think so. He's more into fighting on computer games."

"Kids these days, huh?" They both laughed and shook hands, Reptile had felt hurt along the years by Smoke's actions but he knew he couldn't stay angry. What was done, was done.

Scorpion exited the lift and was introduced to the Grandmaster's son. He introduced himself as 'Sektor'. "Welcome, sir. Master Sub Zero's quarters are this way." The pair walked up two flights of stairs, the moonlight shone brightly down the vast caverns and illuminated the entire sanctuary. "Here we are, sir. I look forward to seeing you again." Scorpion nodded and opened the door to see a meditating Sub Zero.

"Kuai Liang."

Sub Zero stood and walked over to his team leader, "Harry." Scorpion had almost forgotten his real name.

"How has your training been?" Scorpion asked, trying to delay the inevitable.

"I've been feeling fresher and brighter every day. I wake up at four in the morning and go to bed by about nine. An exception has been made tonight though."

"What about home? Where were you living?"

"L.A. I worked on a movie lot as a stuntman. I met some good people up there, Scorpion. A couple of them have moved here to help us."

"Humans? They'll be killed instantly."

Sub Zero kissed his teeth, "They're capable. Martial arts experts and they've been training with weapons for a while now. I was going to bring down my fiancée but I thought it might be a bit too much to handle."

"What? The training?"

"No," Sub Zero laughed, "The fact that I can kill people with ice daggers."

Scorpion explored the room, it was bare, bamboo screens and traditional Japanese art adorned it. On the walls were documents and attack plans drawn up by Kuai Liang himself. Scorpion felt a growing admiration for the man, he had never seen him so focused.

"Tell me, what did you know about your brother's death?" Scorpion asked with a lump in his throat, Sub Zero felt a pang of guilt.

"I...heard he was murdered by that Ermac guy. That was all I was told."

"Look..." began Scorpion, "You have not been told the truth. There were many...complications during that time. Ermac didn't kill your brother."

"Then who did?" Sub Zero begged, his senses seemed to become heightened.

"I did."

Sub Zero stood, his jaw fell and questions flew through his mind, "You...you can't have...? You...he was your friend!"

"Stryker had convinced me that Bi-Han murdered my wife and daughter."

"Don't say that name!"

"I'm telling you the truth."

"Oh! Oh well I feel much better now, thank you!" Sub Zero said with scorn.

"I got angry, I was infuriated and...I attacked him. It got out of hand."

"Out of hand? Out of hand?! You murdered my brother for something he didn't even do!" Sub Zero felt anger not unlike Scorpion had felt that night over forty years ago.

"I was young and stupid. I have done nothing but pay for my sins since it happened. I was so consumed with hatred that I carried it everywhere with me. It wasn't until we discovered Rain had done it on Stryker's orders..."

"So, everyone apart from me knew about this? Typical bullshit as usual!"

"I needed to tell you. I've been keeping it to myself for too long now..." Scorpion stood and waited for a reaction. Anything to tell him that this wasn't a dream. It came though - a thundering left hook from Sub Zero staggered the leader back on his feet. The blows kept coming and Scorpion did nothing to stop his charging. Sub Zero picked up the now bleeding Scorpion and threw him. A super powered body tore through paper doors and the wall to the outside. A huge drop to where the helicopter sat lay in wait below. Sub Zero waited for Scorpion to hit the ground before leaping down. The veteran leader lay flat and unmoving but he was very much alive. An assembly of people, including Smoke, Reptile and Shao Khan's group, gathered and watched as Sub Zero pummelled Scorpion. The yellow clad Mortal felt his mask shatter and fall off his hooded head.

"Are we just going to let him kick his teeth in?" Raiden asked. Smoke and Reptile looked at him with the former saying, "This is good for him. Scorpion knows it too."

Sub Zero felt himself panting and he fell to his knees. He watched as Scorpion's face readjusted bone and skin, regenerating at a high rate. The ice man kept his eyes to the grass and then heard Scorpion saying, "Thank you..." Sub Zero pulled up his mentor and they both walked back to the group which had gathered. The Grandmaster raised his arms and explained the Lin Kuei's next move.

"We shall get our best disciples on the case of Stryker's army. We shall find which war zone they plan to hit and we shall intercept them to the best of our ability. For the Mortals!"

"For the Mortals!" Chanted the group of people.

Author's Note: A much longer chapter with a much faster update this time! Thank you all for reading.

Mr. Havik: The story has altered somewhat from what I originally planned but I will address any questions you, or anybody else has about anything included here. About your Raiden theory - are you sure you're not Hideo Kojima? I like that comparison! Both of them are deadly mercs but they use humour to keep them grounded - keep them human almost. Thank you, I think it's rather difficult to just place a group or cult into an AU story without it feeling forced, so I am more than happy that you like how I've incorporated it. Without giving too much away, there will be a battlefield that sets the scene towards the end. Who knows? Maybe I'll have Stryker destroy the universe? ;)

Obelisk of Light: I'm glad that you believe this story still has legs to stand on, I'm a bad one for maybe overdoing a concept so much that it just collapses in on itself. Your hatred of Stryker is definitely justified, I just hope he doesn't become a caricature of himself! The trademark powers are will crop up into the story soon, mark my words.