It wasn't a surprise that General Sonya Blade contacted Sub-Zero on behalf of her agency. After the loss of their portals (not to mention the loss or near loss of several of their agents) due to the manipulations of the Red Dragon, the Outworld Investigation Agency became very interested in the activities of the outlaw group. If anyone knew more about the Red Dragon than the OIA, it was the Lin Kuei. This time, however, it was the OIA passing on new information, and it was not good news.
The general was visibly agitated, something even the slow relay of the videophone couldn't hide. "They're amassing power, Sub-Zero," she told the Lin Kuei master, "And its not a slow steady rise like they're trying to rebuild. They couldn't hope to keep this many people on their payroll for any length of time and make a profit. As far as we can tell, they're going to strike, and soon."
"The fact their stockpiling weapons isn't exactly news, you know we've been tracking what's going into their headquarters," Sub-Zero replied.
"Yes, but it looks like they're going to make their move now."
"That's not the most useful information, if no one knows what they're planning to attack. Or was that a less than subtle hint that you'd like me to send out some more spies?"
Sonya sighed loudly. "There isn't any time, we think they're headed your way."
"Think?" It was Sub-Zero's turn to be agitated. The Lin Kuei would fight tooth and nail to defend their home, but many of the new recruits were not only very young, but barely trained. "Is this a guess, or do you have something to go on? How would they have found out our location?"
There was a long silence. Finally Sonya took a deep breath and said, "I didn't want to be the one to tell you this, but I'm assuming you aren't aware of it. One of our agents saw Frost in the Red Dragon's Hong Kong headquarters."
Sub-Zero's body language was as unreadable as ever, but inside he was having what one American cartoon would have deemed "a cow". One of the Lin Kuei's greatest fears was having one of their own defect and leak information. Traditionally such a threat was resolved through an assassination, but that course of action hardly fit the new goals of the clan. This is going to be one hell of a mess, he thought to himself.
"Are you positive it was her?" Sub-Zero interrupted Sonya's next sentence.
"Absolutely, we had a live video feed. Jax, Cyrax, and I separately identified her, and the computer gave a ninety percent match.
"What was she doing?"
"We don't know, we only got a glimpse of her."
"Damn," Sub-Zero swore quietly. He could feel a headache building behind his eyes. There was not telling what information his wayward student had told the Red Dragon. Even the little she did know could provide them with information for a direct assault. He closed his eyes for a moment. "I need to discuss this with the other masters."
"I understand," Sonya nodded, though he couldn't see. "Contact me directly if you want our files on the Red Dragon."
---
"I knew that girl was bad news when she showed up on our doorstep," Smoke hissed. "She's probably been working for Mavado from the beginning.
"Don't you think they would have set someone with more experience?" Sub- Zero was pacing rapidly back and forth. Smoke was his closet friend, but right now he wanted to deck the cyborg.
"No. She was exactly what you were looking for; young, smart, she had the kori powers, and she was in need of guidance. They knew you and your damn, soft heart." Smoke realized he had gone too far when he was interrupted by an outburst from the normally reserved ice-ninja.
"If it weren't for my 'damn, soft heart' you and Cyrax would have been scrap metal, assuming Scorpion hadn't killed me in the second tournament," the Lin Kuei master had completely lost his cool.
"Fair enough, but that doesn't mean you weren't wrong about someone this time."
"I feel like I'm being manipulated again," Sub-Zero growled. "There's something wrong with this whole situation."
"I've been saying that for month," Smoke mumbled.
"What the hell am I going to tell the clan?" The ice ninja buried his face in his hands. No doubt there were many in the clan who were suspicious of his student's conspicuous absence.
The awkward silence that followed was finally broken by Smoke. "Tell them the truth. Tell them she tried to kill you and steal the medallion. Tell them she's run off and betrayed the clan." He shrugged," What else could you say?"
They'll want to kill her," Sub-Zero said quietly. "There are too many who believe the changes I have made here have been for the worse." He stopped pacing and leaned on the windowsill, looking out. He wasn't pleased with the behavior of his student, but death wasn't the punishment he wanted to dole out for going against that clan. He'd been on the receiving end of a decree like that himself, and he hadn't considered it very fair then either.
"Those very same people will challenge you for the Medallion the moment they sense weakness," Smoke tried to reason with his friend.
"You're right, of course," the headache was returning again, and his hands went to his temples. There has to be another solution, he reasoned.
Smoke recognized the thoughtful look on his friend's face and remained silent. Both Lin Kuei knew just how precarious the perch at the head of the clan was, and when a grandmaster fell from grace, his associates often went with him.
"I'll handle this mess myself," Sub-Zero smoke suddenly, startling his friend.
"Well, I certainly wasn't going to be the messenger," replied the cyborg.
"I'm going to talk to Sonya, the OIA seem eager to make a move," Sub- Zero was now speaking more to himself than to Smoke. "If we can slip the Red Dragon bad information, we can divide their front.."
"The clan would never support a war," Smoke interrupted. The various factions within the clan were too divided to support much of anything, truth be told.
"Who said anything about the clan?" he barely even glanced at Smoke as he resumed pacing. He was trained to go on solitary missions after all.
"And how are you going to explain your involvement?" Smoke was desperately searching for something to convince the grand master of how bad an idea he thought this was.
"Sonya called in a favor; she asked for me personally," the ice-ninja was on a roll, and he knew it. "I can blame Frost's disappearance on her working with the OIA too." He smiled slightly to himself, This may work out all right after all.
"You crazy bastard! You can't actually believe you're going to get away with this."
"My brother took on five gods and came out on top; I think I can handle whatever the clan throws at me."
Smoke stared at him in amazement for a few moments before asking. "If you don't live through this, can I have your porno collection?
---
"You're going to what?" Sonya looked flabbergasted. "That's suicide."
"I'd rather go by battle than by political maneuverings." Sonya looked confused, so Sub-Zero continued. "If the clan finds out Frost betrayed us, she's dead and my position is weakened. If the opposition within the clan thinks I had anything to do with this mess, they'll kill me too. I'm skating on very thin ice, no pun intended."
"How on Earth are you going to explain taking a day trip to visit Frost at Mavado's house?" Sonya was still staring at him like he'd just told her he was madly in love with Jax.
"You."
"Me?"
"Yes. You called in a favor and asked me to do a little information gathering. If anyone asks where Frost is, she was working as a mole." This was the part of the plan most likely to fail. It was rare that students would be sent on such an important mission without their sifus to supervise.
"Won't they know Mavado saw you with Frost while we were dealing with the Deadly Alliance?" Sonya was looking for holes in his story, which Sub- Zero didn't mind. The best and brightest of the Lin Kuei would be doing the same thing.
"They only know what I've told them." It was something he was immensely grateful for. But then Sonya said something that caught him completely off guard.
"They don't know about Frost trying to steal the medallion then?"
The words hung in the air for a few moments before Sub-Zero managed to process them. "How did you find out about that?"
"Raiden told me, so we could keep an eye out for the little bitch."
"Who else knows?" He was quite alarmed now. Not only was that 'classified information,' but it was embarrassing as well. "When did you find out?"
"Whoa! It's not like I go around gossiping. Raiden told me two weeks ago. He said he was afraid she might do something stupid," Sonya went on the defensive.
"Who else did Raiden tell?"
"I don't know. Its not like he's prone to telling us all his entire plan at once."
Sub-Zero tried another angle, "Who else did you tell?"
"No one. What are you getting at?"
"Too many lives are on the line here. Between me misjudging Frost and the Red Dragon, there are more than enough reasons for infighting in the clan. No one can know about any of this."
"Isn't that what you ninja folks do best?" Sonya tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace.
"I'm more worried about leaks on your end. The Red Dragon must be spying on you too."
"Look, if anyone leaks any info I'll kill them myself. You just have to do this quickly, before the Red Dragon knows we're on to them."
---
Raiden was drinking tea in Sub-Zero's sitting room when the ninja awoke. "You really think you're going to live through a trip to Mavado's humble abode?" the thunder god asked with no preamble.
"I certainly don't plan to die," was the vague answer.
"What's going to happen to the clan if you don't return?"
"I'm going to return."
Raiden gave him a look that implied the opposite, but remained silent.
"Look my brother took on all four guardians-"
"Your brother is dead," Raiden said flatly. "It would be a shame to lose you to overconfidence too."
"Fine, then what do you want me to do?" Sub-Zero was getting annoyed with everyone telling him that his plan was poorly thought out, without providing a better idea of their own.
"I'm not here to demand for you do anything," Raiden explained. "I just want you to think."
"I'm done thinking about this!" Sub-Zero exploded. "I'm done thinking, because something needs to be done about this right now!"
"Yes, but are you the one to do it?"
"Who else is going to sort this out?"
Raiden just stared at him with a knowing smile until the cold realization sunk in.
"I think she's proven herself less than capable of dealing with clam matters," Sub-Zero said through clenched teeth.
"I thought you were a big believer in second chances," Raiden said with an infuriating smirk.
"Maybe I thought wrong."
"I don't think you have a choice in this matter. If you leave, the clan will fall apart, whether or not you return in once piece."
"I should never have tried to teach Frost," Sub-Zero sighed.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Obi-Wan," Raiden patted him on the back.
"What did you just call me?"
"Never mind, there are more important matters requiring your attention. Look!" Raiden pointed out the window and the rapidly darkening sky, "It has begun."