"Major Briggs, it's good to see you back on the mission." The General addressed the Major.
The air hanger was a fine structure of steel. Near half the size of a football field, it was big enough to fit the two Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters. Under construction from a previous mission. The Major with the pilot of one which was being worked on at the furthest end of the hanger, closer to the entrance where a new attack helicopter was ready to lift off just outside.
Major Briggs turned to the General and saluted her. She was glad to be back, but no human emotion to show until she was allowed to be at ease.
Formality aside, Jacqui Briggs accepted Sonya Blade's hand to shake in congratulations of her rank upgrade and return to the base.
"Once she's fixed up, she'll get back to it, like all of us." Jacqui pointed to the dentation along the helicopter's right side that lead severely bent blades above. It looked like they had crumpled like paper.
"You're lucky to be here. Not a lot of people survive a mission to the Netherrealm." Sonya assured her.
"Just glad to be here, General."
"Then let's get to the point, we have a tip from our informant that the Red Dragon has set up base in Montreal. We leave tonight." She added, "you're on that mission. We leave at O' fourteen-hundred hours."
"That's right now."
"Exactly."
With no prep and little to say, she followed in line behind the general to the helicopter that waited for them. From this base, they'd reach another in Canada. After two hours in the sky, at landing, Jacqui and Sonya were greeted by other military personnel and a long familiar face to the General.
Kenshi, adorned in black and leather, a black cloth around his eyes, he still wore the blade Sento at his hip and now, a son at the other.
Takeda, not unlike his father, but appeared more like Master Hanzo to Sonya than his own father. Jacquie remembered on the way that Sonya had mentioned Takeda was a member of the Shirai Ryu. She couldn't fathom the idea, but was interested to see how they performed in battle. As long as it helped the mission, that's all she cared to learn of them.
Together, they would be lifted to the next point, a vacant business sky scraper ten blocks from where the informant claimed the Red Dragon had set up camp. What they would be getting into, they had no certainty of, but once all their personnel had gathered to plan, a table was set, and the game would begin.
Sonya made the presentation. She moved the pieces on the board, and she was the only one to speak freely. Kenshi, Takeda, and Jacqui would be the only ones of the Special Forces to enter the building, the rest were U.S. and Canadian forces. The Initiative, as it were, to keep things controlled.
"Five years ago we found out the Black Dragon had been absorbed by the Red Dragon. Kabal, with help of Daegon and Mavado were able to free the imprisoned Black Dragon clan." Sonya added, "since then it seems they've been able to continue the Lin Kuei's original research for a cybernetics program. How far they've gotten with that is not known yet."
On the wall flashed an image of a man with a cigar in his mouth, and metal arms. He flashed a smug grin to the camera, like he were there himself to assure Jacqui that all would be well. This part she knew like the back of her hand. The vampire Nitara had captured Jax and the two have not been seen or heard from since.
Ten Years
She cursed under her breath and waited for the image to pass before she'd look again.
Through the exposition of the mission that had lost her father, she did her best to be studious, but the words were uttered time and time again. They were like childhood books to her now, horrid stories for sleepless nights. Finally, a new face emerged on the screen, Daegon.
"Half-God, son of Argus, Daegon is looking to activate Blaze and bring about Armageddon of the realms. It's our mission to capture him and stop this."
A question was posed.
"Speak."
"What of the other brothers?" Jacqui had known of Rain and Taven, but not how their piece of the puzzle connected to all of this as it related to the mission. "Should they not be behind bars as well?"
"Rain is beyond the jurisdiction of the United States Government. Though considered individual 1, decided by the GOP to be executed on site for his involvement in Armageddon, he is currently under the protection of Fujin, God of Wind, Protector of Earthrealm." She explained, "that means his fate now rests with a higher power. The GOP does not recognize Fujin as a god of Earth, but opinion isn't reality."
"That, and they are currently in Tibet, where the United States still has no jurisdiction."
"Not unless we invade." Jacqui suggested.
"That's not on the table." Sonya shot it down.
"Taven?" Takeda remembered.
"Same as Rain, but Taven hasn't been seen or heard of until just a few days ago." Sonya reminded, "under the protection of another God. Raiden. God of Thunder, and Protector of Earthrealm."
"Considered an enemy of the United States as well." Kenshi scoffed.
"Precisely. Unless you're Jesus, and even then, the United States has no love for a higher power beyond its government." Sonya added, "and that's where we come in."
"Please let it be violent." Jacqui begged, the memories of her father plastered throughout the walls of her skull and the distraction would be welcomed.
"Very." Sonya assured.
A notification popped on each of their phones, save for Kenshi. On them the plans downloaded and shared via a private service established to the Special Forces. No messaging, only messages, and this one laid out the outline of the building, head count of those expected to be inside, but no knowing where.
"Mavado, Kabal, No-Face, Kira, Hsu Hao, Daegon and more are expected in here."
"We have the right information?" Kenshi pondered.
"Nearly every big player of the Red Dragon in one spot?" Takeda added.
"They're looking to establish a new base in Earthrealm. Our informant got the digs. We can trust them."
"If you are sure of it, then I am." Jacqui tucked the phone away and kept her eyes on the prize. Sonya looked back, nodded and assured her.
Ten years ago, the black dragon tore her from her father. Today, she'd have the opportunity to get Kabal, the only of them to have escaped that night. Wherever the masked sadist would be, information on her father's whereabouts could follow.
She squeezed tightly to her chest the thought, the wish that Nitara was among them.
"We ready?" Sonya called in the forces, there was no prep and this was a rhetorical question.
In seconds, Cyrax manifested beside the General and next to him, the entity known as Ermac. This would be there means of entry without a single member of the Dragon able to see them coming.
"Let's get him." Jacqui was.