Guile, Ryu and Cody ran full speed, past the explosions right beside them, past the sight and the scream of injured soldiers crying for help, nothing but raw determination driving them. There was nothing they could do for the fallen, only infiltrate the base, destroy Bison, and prevent any of this from ever happening again.
The morning sun was red, representing the amount of blood spilled in the field today. Cody took notice of that fact. It was as if the gods themselves were against the Street Fighters today, like all this was planned out, like it was their fate. If that was true, if today was a fateful day for them, what did everyone have planned out for them? Would Maki make it through the fight with Shadow Lady? Who was waiting for the three of them around the corner? Cody didn't know what he was thinking, but it was sure deeper than any of this regular thoughts. Must've been the stress.
"The infantry have cleared a path for us into the base," Guile said, running ahead. "Ryu, look out behind us, I'll take the front. Cody, look to the sides and make sure there aren't any enemies closing in."
The group slowed down from a dash, to a jog, and finally to a cautious walk as they entered the destroyed entrance hall of the base. The current room they were in was huge, about the size of an airplane hangar. Its floors, walls and ceilings were made of panels of metal. The source of bluish light in the room came from fixtures lining the edges of the floor and from bulbs hanging on the walls all around the room. The air was slightly colder here because they were actually inside the base of Mount Fuji. Military vehicles were parked in rows towards the back while tool sheds and workshops lined the side walls. The air was heavy inside and dead quiet, save for the sound of distant screams and gunfire.
"You're finally here," a deep voice growled. Cody, Guile and Ryu shot quick looks towards the direction the voice came from, seeing the silhouette of a man, light glinting off his broad shoulders and his bald head.
"Coward," Guile said, "show your face!" The man stepped into the light where instantly, his features were illuminated.
"Sagat!" Ryu cried out in surprise. "So you're still working with Shadowlaw. I didn't know a Muay Thai champion could sink to this level."
"I'm no longer a champion, Ryu," Sagat said grimly. "I was defeated by you, remember?"
"And you use that excuse to justify your allegiance with Shadowlaw?"
"I'll do whatever it takes to fight you again," Sagat spat.
Guile stepped in front of Ryu, cutting him off from Sagat. "We have no time for settling petty rivalry scores right now," he said. "We are in the middle of a war. So if you're going to fight Ryu, you're fighting me as well."
"And me too," Cody said, stepping in.
"Foolish street fighter," Sagat said, grinning, "never knowing what you'll get yourselves into. Shadow!!"
A darker form dropped down from high above, seemingly out of nowhere, and jumped onto Cody feet first, knocking him onto the ground. Cody landed fast and hard, feeling his body painfully absorb the shock. Shadow wasted no time in kicking his adversary when he was down.
"NO!" Guile screamed, jumping for Shadow. "You want a good fight? How about taking on somebody who isn't injured for a change? You goddamn Shadowlaw fuck." Guile jumped onto Shadow's back, wrapping his powerful arms around his neck, hoping to choke the daylights out of him.
But Guile didn't feel warmth upon contact. Whoever this was, his skin was cold as ice, and harder than rock. Shadow reached behind him, grabbing a hold of Guile's green tank top and threw him onto the ground.
As Guile's back hit the cold floor right alongside Cody's injured body, he looked up at the face of their enemy. It was dark, and would have been shrouded in mystery if Guile hadn't already recognized it. "Charlie!" he screamed. "Charlie, what are you doing here?"
Shadow responded coldly, in a voice that was identical to that of Charlie Nash, but with the personality of a robot. "Charlie no longer exists. There is only Shadow." Shadow then brought his foot up above Guile's face, but Guile was quicker, rolling to the side just as Shadow's foot smashed a dent into the metal floor.
While Guile was keeping Shadow busy, Cody took note of the opportunity and tried getting up, ignoring the pain that shot itself up and down his stomach, ribs and back. Shadow possessed inhuman strength. Cody had never been taken down by a few kicks before. Or maybe it was because of the damage he suffered back at the Osaka Dome. He didn't know and right now, he didn't care. He had to do something about Shadow. Cody glanced to his right and caught sight of a rusty chain lying on the ground. It was about six feet in length, longer than enough to be used as a weapon.
Cody got up as quickly as he could, biting his lip to endure the pain, trying not to make any sound that could get Shadow's attention. He hobbled over to the chain one foot at a time. He took it into his hands, wrapping each end of the chain around one of his wrists, leaving about two feet of unwrapped chain between his hands. Summoning all his strength, taking a breath to get ready for the pain his body was about to endure, he dashed towards Shadow, who was holding Guile by his shirt up against a wall with his back turned to Cody. The Metro City hero rushed forward and slipped the chain over Shadow's head and pulled back so that it crushed his throat against the back of his neck. Cody showed no mercy, straining the muscles in this arms and back, hoping to snap Shadow's neck if he pulled hard enough.
"Be careful, Cody!" Guile ordered, confused by his own words. Guile didn't know what he wanted at this point. True, Shadow was one powerful enemy, but somewhere behind that brainwashed mind of his, there was Charlie, Guile's best friend. Would killing Shadow mean killing Charlie as well? Was there a way to turn him back to normal? If there was, Guile didn't want to waste it. "Don't hurt him too much!"
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Cody cried, straining from the effort he was using against Shadow trying to choke him. "This guy wouldn't waste a second in killing us."
"That's cause he's been brainwashed," Guile tried explaining. "He's really on our side." Cody was about to respond when Shadow shot his leg forward, catching Guile in the jaw, knocking him backwards onto the floor.
Shadow grasped the chain Cody pressed around his neck and pulled against it, snapping it in two. He then turned around to face Cody, who tried to swallow the forming lump in his throat. The expression of surprise on his face was priceless. Shadow grabbed him by the neck and threw his body effortlessly, sending him sailing through the air, landing painfully beside Guile.
"You still don't want me to hurt this guy?" he coughed.
* * *
As soon as the fight between Shadow, Guile and Cody broke out, Ryu was about to join them, about to help his friends. But he was stopped by Sagat's massive frame. Ryu cursed himself mentally for being so careless, having turned his back on an enemy. But thankfully for him, that wasn't how Sagat saw it. Sagat saw himself as a Muay Thai champion before a lowly criminal. He would never fight an adversary when their backs were turned to him. Ryu had to give him that much credit for the honor the Muay Thai champion portrayed.
"I believe you owe me a fight," Sagat said.
"You are not ready," Ryu replied. "Your heart is filled with selfish thoughts. You are angry, vengeful. Those aren't the signs of a warrior who's prepared to fight. They are the signs of a rabid animal."
"Very well, Ryu. Have it your way. If this isn't our final rematch as warriors, then it is our fight as enemies. I will not let you through to Master Bison before you face me."
"You really have destroyed your own reputation, Sagat," Ryu said. "Do you know how many lives are at stake if we do not stop Bison? Or do you just care about how much he pays you?" Sagat remained silent. "Very well then," Ryu continued, "you needn't say anymore. You've made your choice. Now fight me."
* * *
"Your spirit is indestructible," Bison said, rubbing his chin. Kenny turned away and walked towards a giant glass window, overlooking the battle that raged below. The security of the head office, where Bison resided during working hours, was safe for now from the trigger happy military infantry. Fortunately, Shadowlaw's army was equally trained and far more ruthless. They were putting up a decent fight, although Bison himself was unsure of how long it would last. It didn't matter anyway. Bison had his own escape route. The escape planes were already powering up. By the time the military made its way into the office, Bison would be long gone. As for Sagat and the others, he couldn't care less.
"I will not let myself work as a slave for you," Kenny said, gazing out the window. Bison looked at the boy, who had undergone the same transformation as Chun Li and Charlie had. The Shadow Chip, implanted in his back had fully kicked in, enhancing his intelligence and fighting ability and knowledge, although his body still remained a child's body. Kenny was finally adapting to the technology. Perhaps he could be used in the upcoming battle …
"After the military comes," Bison said, "you may not have much of a choice. They will find you, and they will think you're one of us. They will kill you."
"Just like you tried to kill me earlier," Kenny spat bitterly. He turned to face Bison again and began walking towards him, with anger and hate burning deep in his eyes. "I don't know why I don't just …" Bison stepped right up to the boy, his body twice as large as Kenny's.
"Don't be foolish, child. There is nothing you can do to me, even with the technology inside you. You may have the skills, but that tiny body of yours possesses no strength, strength that is necessary to make an effective Shadow Soldier." Bison knew there was only a half truth to that statement. While it was true that Kenny's body possessed little strength when compared to Charlie or Chun Li, his intelligence and fighting skill could more than make up for that setback. But the point was to anger Kenny, convince him to join the ranks of Shadowlaw, for this battle anyway. It would be a waste to leave such a piece of work to the dogs, to go down without a decent fight. Even Bison valued honor at least that much.
Kenny jumped up into the air and flipped upside down, gripping Bison's shoulders with his hands. Using his gained momentum, Kenny did a 180 turn and dug his foot into the small of Bison's back. Still keeping his grip on the dictator, he let his body fall, flipping Bison helplessly into the air like a play toy. But Bison managed to catch himself in midair, teleporting to safety on the ground.
Bison put his hands together, letting a purple flame encase them in some kind of protective barrier. The flames then spread through his whole body as he launched his body parallel to the ground, straight at Kenny. The flames engulfed his entire body as he began spinning faster and faster, heading towards the boy at great speed. "Psycho Crusher!!"
Kenny dodged just in time, but the flames still burnt the skin on his shoulder. He jumped into the air and placed his palms in front of his body, letting an array of fireballs erupt from his hands towards Bison, who was just recovering from his Psycho Crusher move, the perfect counterattack. The fireballs smashed into Bison, exploding upon contacting his chest, face and abdomen. While Bison was still stunned, Kenny landed, raced towards him at inhuman speed and jumped again, kicking his legs forward and seizing Bison's head between his feet. Kenny then twisted his body while maintaining his grip with his feet, smashing Bison head first into the ground while Kenny himself landed without a sound.
Bison struggled to get up, his weak, injured limbs failing him. He couldn't believe it - he was just defeated by a mere child. Bison himself, the leader of a worldwide crime organization, the most feared man in the world, had been defeated by a boy. Then again, this child was equipped with the Shadow technology … but all the technology did was enhanced his performance. If Kenny already had such potential within him … Bison cursed himself for being so foolish. He'd let a perfect Shadow soldier slip out of his grasp! There was only one hope now, it was to use Kenny against the intruding street fighters.
"Kenny, hold on a minute!" Bison said, raising his hands as if he was getting ready to surrender. The boy stopped in his tracks towards Bison, paying close attention to the fallen man. "You've got this all wrong. You're attacking the wrong man!"
"The last time I checked, Bison," Kenny said coldly, "it was you who tried to kill me. Now that I've accepted the Shadow technology, now that I've got the upper hand, you dare beg for mercy? What kind of a man are you?"
"I was mistaken," Bison admitted. "I was unaware of your potential. But … but now that you've displayed it, there are so many things you can do for Shadowlaw! You are important."
"I don't want to work for Shadowlaw!" Kenny screamed in anger.
"But your father did. And he was a valuable worker. Surely we can find a place for you here as well. You will be well paid and well taken care of, just like your father."
"My father …" Kenny's voice trailed off. It had been so long since he'd seen his parents. Although the Shadow technology had enhanced his intelligence, the childlike yearn for his parents still remained. Kenny missed them. All he knew was that they were dead. Cranky tried to hide the information from him, but all along, at the back of Kenny's mind, he knew they were dead no matter how much he didn't want to admit to it. "He's dead. If you think I'm going to work for the organization that murdered my father …"
Bison's eyes began to glow an eerie blue. Fire burned in his hands as he stared hypnotically at Kenny, forcing the boy under the mind control abilities of the psycho power. "It worked on Cammy. It worked on Chun Li and Charlie. It will work on you too, boy. You can't escape your destiny. You are a Shadow soldier."
Kenny struggled, holding his head in pain. He could feel Bison's mind prying into his with some unspeakable power, one that wasn't physical … but psychic. Kenny screamed, trying hoping to lessen the pain but it only got worse. It felt like his head was about to split apart. And suddenly, as quickly as the pain had come, it left, and he collapsed to the floor, unconscious before his body hit the ground.
* * *
"Bushin Goraiha!" Maki screamed as she battered Shadow Lady with a flurry of well aimed punches. The cast that enveloped her left arm was useful in adding extra damage. In her right arm, Maki held a thick forked stick about the length of her forearm. She grasped one of the arms of the fork in her hand, while the rest of the stick remained parallel to her arm, using it as if it were a tonfa or a night stick. As she finished pummeling Shadow Lady with her devastating punches, Maki performed a jumping axe kick, throwing her adversary into the air, and onto the ground.
Shadow Lady hit hard, but softened the impact with a roll and got back up again. Now it was her turn to show the Bushin kunoichi a thing or two about fighting. She made a dash for Maki, who prepared to counter with a right hook. But just before Shadow Lady reached her, she stopped short, letting a surge of electricity run through and around her body. Maki followed through with the punch, throwing her entire body behind it. As a result, Maki got caught in the field of electricity and was momentarily stunned, giving Shadow Lady enough time to follow up her attack. She clasped her palms together, concentrating a massive amount of chi between them, and threw it towards Maki, enveloping her in a deadly beam of chi. "Big Bang Laser!!" Shadow Lady cried, proudly announcing the name of her attack.
The attack only lasted for a few seconds, but to Maki, it felt like an eternity inside a scorching oven. She fell to the ground, clutching her arm although it was her entire body that hurt. Shadow Lady approached her with slow, menacing steps, her hips swaying gracefully as she went.
"Have you anything else to throw at me?" she asked. Maki didn't say anything. "This is why you should stay away from Shadowlaw. Meddling in our affairs has serious repercussions."
"Why, Chun Li?" Maki asked. "Why are you doing this? Don't you realize what you're saying?"
"Not Chun Li …"
"You hate Shadowlaw, for goodness sakes! You were the last person I'd expected to be fighting in their ranks." Maki took notice of Shadow Lady hiding her hands behind her back. She was preparing some kind of attack, but Maki wanted to remain to appear oblivious so she kept on talking. "What could possibly make you go against everything you believe in?"
Shadow Lady's action was quick … too quick, catching Maki slightly off guard. She shot her palms forward as Maki watched in horror seeing Shadow Lady's palms weld together to form a gigantic drill - and it was heading straight for her!
Maki ducked just in time, the drill slicing off a few strands from her head. For a counter, Maki shot her legs forward, catching Shadow Lady in the ankles, temporarily stunning her. Maki followed up by seizing her opponent by the waist, flipping over, and throwing her upside down, head first into the ground. Maki collapsed from the effort, tired, hurt and in pain. She breathed heavily, trying to get some air in her exhausted body.
Again, Shadow Lady recovered, this time with the burning rage showing in her eyes. "Your time ends here," she said, and charged forward with monster wall of dark chi surrounding her body.
* * *
"Tiger Uppercut!!" Sagat shrieked as his huge body climbed into the air, his fist slicing across Ryu's chest. Ryu felt the painful impact of Sagat's fist against his entire torso and face, knocking the senses out of the Shotokan warrior. Ryu's body was disoriented in midair for only a few moments, when he expertly kicked his legs from under his flailing his body and performed his Hurricane Kick move, catching his balance once again. At the same time, Sagat attempted following up his Tiger Uppercut with crushing knee dash towards Ryu, but was caught up in his Hurricane Kick.
Ryu twirled his body powerfully, gracefully, and mercilessly, battering Sagat over and over again with a deadly barrage of well placed kicks. Sagat's body fell backwards, spinning from the momentum of Ryu's kicks. The Muay Thai champion landed on the cold floor of the Shadowlaw hangar with a dull thud. Sagat's body strained to get up again, staring at Ryu with an intense hatred.
"I've told you before," Ryu began, "you're not ready for a real fight as a warrior yet. Your judgment is too clouded by anger."
"And I've already told you that I'm not facing you as a warrior, Ryu. I am Sagat, second in command of the Shadowlaw ranks. I am facing you as your enemy."
"That's why you have been defeated. You are no longer thinking or fighting like a warrior."
"Out of the way, Sagat," a third voice said just as a silhouette appeared behind him. "Obviously, Ryu is too much of a warrior to face. Leave the job to someone more qualified."
Sagat snorted. "Hahaha! And who would that more qualified individual be? You, Kenny?" Kenny's much smaller form appeared beside Sagat's, who outsized him by at least three fold. "Don't insult me, boy."
"You're not the one with the Shadow technology implanted inside you," Kenny said.
"Kenny, no!" Ryu said. "You haven't let the Shadow technology control you!" But Ryu's words lost meaning as they came from his mouth. He could see that Kenny was no longer himself. Kenny wasn't that orphaned child forced to live on the streets. He wasn't the same boy that begged Ryu to take him to McDonald's, or who went out into the cold winter night in search of Ryu just to bring him a coat. No, the boy who stood in front of him now looked like Kenny, but he was anything but. Just as Ryu fought the Satsui no Hadou, Kenny fought the Shadow technology, but Kenny had lost and was now standing there, watching him in silence. But it was Ryu's disappointment in the boy, the anger that exploded at the back of his mind, the blood boiling in his veins, and his body that collapsed from the surge of the Satsui no Hadou, that made Ryu realize he was about to lose his battle too.