Part 2 – Escape the City
After finishing eating, Bruce picked up the plates, and placed them in the sink.
"So where do we sleep," Cassie asked, "Or are we sharing the couch?"
"Check the cabinets." Bruce said.
Cassie walked over to one of the cabinets, and opened it to reveal a fold-down bed.
"Any rules on which bed?" Jacqui asked.
"Negative ghost rider," Bruce said as he walked over to the fifth cabinet, and pulled a pair of sweat pants and a pair of underwear, "There are four of you, four beds, decide who gets what, and who uses the bathroom at what time."
Bruce walked over to the counter, and removed his gloves which revealed his left hand was robotic, as he removed his shirt it was revealed his entire left arm from an inch below his elbow down was bionic, he gripped the arm, and removed it by giving it a ninety degree twist to the right.
He then pulled off his boots to reveal his right leg was also bionic, he twisted it ninety degrees to the left, and pulled it out of his pants leg.
The prosthetic would have reached up almost to his waist, whatever caused this, if it was involuntary came very close to taking out his baby-maker.
Cassie looked on as Bruce hopped over to the bathroom, three scars on his back: one bullet wound, a patch of scarred skin from a burn, and a stab scar.
"He's pretty hot isn't he?" Jacqui asked.
"Jacqui!" Cassie exclaimed.
"Come on," Jacqui said, "You two are about the same age, and he is ripped."
Cassie looked at Bruce one more time before he disappeared behind the wall, Jacqui was right, he was hot, if eight abs were possible, Cassie though he could have it, no doubt by the amount of exercise he got, running from armed rebels must be a good workout.
Once Cassie heard the shower turn off, she turned to see Bruce hop out of the bathroom in his sweat pants and a tank top, using the counter to walk, and then jumped toward the couch only to undershoot and land on the floor.
"Oh dear," Cassie said as she walked over to Bruce, and hold out her hand, Bruce accepted her hand, and sat back against the couch, "You need a cane?"
Bruce chuckled, "Funny," he said, "Thanks by the way."
Bruce pounded on the back of the couch which sprung open into a bed, "This is where you sleep?" Cassie asked.
"Yep," Bruce said as he hopped around to take a seat on the edge of the mattress, and then sit back against the back of the couch, "It reminds me of what I have back home."
"You're not exactly what I expected." Cassie said.
"Who'd you expect," Bruce said as he leaned back, and closed his eyes, "Some battle-hardened Iraq War Veteran the same age as your father, carrying an M16 with two magazines duck-tapped side-to-side jungle-style and an M203? Or a seven-foot tall man dual-wielding two AA-12s with thirty-two round drum magazines, smoking a cigar?"
"A little extreme," Cassie said, "But I was expecting someone about my dad's age carrying a Vietnam-era 1911, the M16 with the M203 is actually pretty accurate, but I certainly didn't expect you to be this young."
"A lot of people don't." Bruce said.
"Good night Mr. Silverstone." Cassie said.
"Cassie," Bruce said, "Just call me Bruce."
"Certainly," Cassie said, "Bruce."
After a quick shower, Cassie walked out in her athletic shorts and tank top to see Bruce was fast asleep, still sitting up.
Jacqui was fast asleep in the first bed, Takeda was just getting into her bed, and Kung was also asleep.
"The entire class put to sleep," Cassie said, "Surprised it took this long."
As Cassie laid back on her bed, it took her fifteen minutes to go to sleep.
She dreamed about being back at home, her parents back together, married and happy.
She was awoken by the sound of a gun cocking, she awoke, grabbed her Glock 17L out of her holster, and aimed it toward the sound of the click, and saw Bruce had set his bionic arm and leg back in and was loading a lever-action rifle.
"Morning." Bruce said.
"You're already up?" Cassie asked as she put away her gun.
"Yep," Bruce said as he loaded the last bullet into his rifle, "I got my seven hours," he then flipped the lever shut, "It's all you need."
Cassie sat up, and looked at the rifle Bruce was preparing as he engaged the safety on the rifle, "A lever-action?" Cassie asked.
"It's a reliable rifle," Bruce said as he pulled out a dual-zoom scope, and attached it to the rail on the top of his rifle, "I trust this one with my life."
"What're you putting on that rifle?" Cassie asked.
"Several things," Bruce said as he slid a flashlight onto the left-side rail, a laser-pointer on the right-side rail, and an XL200 grenade launcher on the under-side rail.
"A grenade launcher," Cassie said, "You compensating?"
"Wouldn't you like to find out," Bruce said as he walked over to Cassie, and leaned in about four inches from her face, "Little Cage," he then walked over to the weapon rack, "Get them up, we move in twenty."
Cassie walked over to the kitchen, picked up two pots, and banged them together, "Let's move," she exclaimed, "Let's move! Get up, its late!"
The team awoke to see Cassie hold the pots, "What time is it?" Jacqui asked.
"About five in the morning," Cassie said, "We got our seven hours. We have to move soon!"
While the team was getting dressed, Bruce started packing up the guns he had stored into a duffle-bag.
"Which way are we going," Jacqui asked, "I'm not going back through that sewer."
"You don't have to," Bruce said as he walked over to the entrance to the bathroom, "Come on."
Cassie, Jacqui, Takeda, and Kung walked over to the bathroom to see Bruce standing in the tub.
Bruce motioned his way, Jacqui, Takeda, and Kung looked at Cassie who shrugged, "I guess we have to trust him." She said.
Cassie walked over to the tub, and as she stepped in, the rest of her team followed her.
"Now what?" Jacqui asked.
Bruce raised his rifle, and tapped the butt-stock against the jet-massager button.
After her removed the rifle from the button, the tub started to sink into the ground, and went down what felt like six floors.
The tub stopped moving when they arrived at a small door, "Rides over children," Bruce said, "Let's move."
The five exited the tub through the door, and entered a large corridor which Bruce locked behind them as the exited.
"You're not going to clean the place?" Cassie asked.
"No need," Bruce said as he raised his rifle to his shoulder, "Place is a bunker," he switched the safety off on his rifle, and looked toward the street, "Let's move, it's a twenty minute walk to the station."
As the team moved through the streets, Cassie noticed Bruce's eyes were darting around the entire area.
"You expecting your fangirls," Cassie asked as she walked next to Bruce.
"I can see your father's personality," Bruce said, "Most of the rebel snipers have been trained in Urban Warfare. Don't expect an early warning."
"You mean from you?" Cassie asked.
"Bet you say that to all the boys." Bruce said.
"No fair." Cassie said.
It was then that a single shot hit the ground not an inch from Cassie's boot.
Bruce aimed toward where the shot came from, and fired once before cycling the rifle.
The five dove into cover as Cassie checked herself, "You good?" Jacqui asked.
"Yea," Cassie said, "I'm fine."
"Good," Bruce said, "Shot came from across the street, six floors up."
"Need some cover?" Jacqui asked.
"All I need is one shot." Bruce said.
Bruce simply flipped the second scope on his rifle up, and nodded.
"SUPPRESSING," Cassie said as she and the team stood up and emptied their magazines.
Once their clips were empty, they jolted back into cover before Bruce sprang into action.
The sniper focused his sights back on Bruce as Bruce pulled the trigger.
The bullet tore the sniper's sights to bits, and took a chunk out the side of his head.
"Clear," Bruce said, "Let's move."
"I can see why your mother sent us to find him," Jacqui said as she stood up, and followed Cassie.
The five arrived at the train station with twenty minutes to spare, "So, how we doing on time Veteran?" Kung asked.
"We got about twenty minutes of waiting," Bruce said as they entered a small warehouse, "We got time to kill."
Bruce sat against the wall, and placed his rifle down next to him as he messed with his bionic leg.
"So," Cassie asked, "When did you decide to follow in Uncle Jax's footsteps?"
"The leg and the arm," Bruce asked, "You can thank the pretty boy from Australia."
"Kano?" Cassie asked.
"Yep," Bruce said, "While the arm was voluntary, the leg wasn't. Me and Kano have faced off six times, he's won three times, and I've won three times."
"I take it he one the last time?" Cassie asked.
"Yes," Bruce said, "Our last fight went on for three hours. In the end, he cheated, six .357 magnum revolver rounds to the upper-thigh, all in the bone. Split the femur in half two ways so they couldn't repair it so they just removed it. I kind of liked it, reminds me of what I signed up for."
"To kill America's enemies?" Jacqui asked.
"No," Bruce said, "To protect Earth's civilians."
"Did someobe say kill," an Australian Accent said from outside the building.
"That better not be who I think it is," Bruce said as he and the team walked over to the window holding his rifle to see Kano standing outside carrying an AK-12 with a 50-round drum-clip, a Trinity Force Assault 1-4x28 Variable scope, and an M320 grenade launcher.
"Kano," Cassie said, "What's he doing here?"
"Can't you tell," Bruce asked, "He's been selling weapons to both sides, now he's here to collect his money, and decided to deal another blow to your mother and uncle."
"By taking me out?" Cassie asked.
"Nope," Bruce said, "All of us."
"Exactly right Big Bruce," Kano said, "You miss me?"
"Very much," Bruce said, "I've been waiting for this for a long time."
"Not as much as I have," Kano said as he raised the rifle to his hip.
The five dove into cover as Kano opened up full auto on the side of the building, he shattered several windows, and then set off a grenade which destroyed the remaining windows.
Kano smiled, and laughed, "Looks like Junior Cage didn't make it." He said.
The door to the warehouse opened, and all five soldiers stepped out, "You missed us again, pretty boy." Bruce said.
Kano dropped the magazine on his rifle, and as he was reaching for another, Bruce fired first, the bullet knocked the magazine Kano was about to load into his rifle out of his hand.
Kano looked up as Bruce flipped the lever until the bullets in his rifle were gone.
"Like the old days," Kano said as he placed his AK-12 down.
Bruce handed his Cassie his rifle and bullets, "Yes," Bruce said as he walked over to a small row of crates.
Bruce removed the jacket he was wearing to reveal his TRU-SPEC ACU Combat Shirt.
Kano simply tore off his elbow-length button-up white shirt to reveal his cybernetic enhancements, including his artificial heart.
Holstered at Kano's hip was a custom-engraved .50 AE Desert Eagle with an attached muzzle-break, laser-sight, nine-round magazine, pistol-scope, and flashlight.
The pistol was out of Kano's holster in one second, but he fired the first round before he could even get it to Bruce's leg, the bullet missed Bruce completely, and struck the building to his left.
Bruce pulled out his 1911, and fired back: the bullet missed Kano by one inch.
Bruce and Kano ran at each other still firing, before several rebels came running into the yard with their weapons drawn.
Takeda, Jacqui, Kung, and Cassie took cover behind several barrels, and fired at the rebels as Bruce and Kano ran out of ammo, and went after each other with their fists.
Kano came at Bruce with an underhand left jab, Bruce simply blocked the shot with his wrist, and got him in the jaw with his elbow.
As Kano spun around, he kicked Bruce back against a set of crates, and then donkey-kicked him through them.
Kano jumped to his feet as Bruce did the same, he then hit the slide-release on his gun, and slid it into his holster.
Kano did the same, "You haven't lost your touch soldier." He said.
"Neither have you," Bruce said as he stepped out of the destroyed wood crate.
Kano charged, and grabbed Bruce around the waist who kneed Kano in the chest, then lifted him off the ground, and body-slammed him into the dirt before forcing Kano into a choke-hold.
Kano simply pushed up violently, and threw Bruce off his back, he then turned around, backhanded Bruce across the face, and kicked him back against another set of boxes.
Kano charged at Bruce, and threw a swift jab with his right fist only to have Bruce duck under which caused Kano to destroy the crate with his fist, and then as he punched the second crate, Bruce ducked out of the way, and delivered a heavy fist to Kano's junk which caused him to kneel over in pain.
As Bruce kicked Kano back, the train arrived, and Cassie was so busy using Bruce's rifle to fight a rebel she didn't notice.
The rebel had an AK-74 with a bayonet which he was using as a spear, Cassie blocked the first shot, swung the rifle around using the lever, and bunted the rebel across the face, before grabbing the rifle using both hands, knocked him backwards, and the fired one round through his chest.
As the rebel fell back, Cassie looked toward the tracks to see the train had arrived, "The train's here, let's go!" She exclaimed.
As the team ran toward the box cars, Kano pushed Bruce against the side of the warehouse.
Bruce kicked Kano back, grabbed a pipe of steel, and swung it as hard as he could at Kano's head, the first strike nailed Kano on his cybernetic-eye, causing blood to trickle out of the area where the eye met the skin, the second came after Bruce switched the metal to the other hand, nailing the cybernetic man across the jaw, and sending him stumbling backwards.
The next two blows came across both sides of Kano's jaw, Kano spat blood, and then looked up once more as Bruce delivered a devastating upper-cut with the pipe, and sent Kano flying against a set of boxes which shattered when he landed on them.
Bruce pulled out his 1911, ejected the spent magazine, loaded a fresh magazine, and pulled back on the slide, chambering the .45 round.
"What are you going to do kill me," Kano asked, "Come one man! You can't do that!"
"You're wrong," Bruce said, "I can, it's just a matter of pulling the trigger," Bruce then aimed the gun at Kano's junk, "Luckily for you, I don't want to," Bruce emptied the magazine into Kano's right leg, "Goodbye Kano," Bruce turned around, and ran over to pick up his jacket before running after the train.
He then ran alongside the moving train as Cassie urged him on, "Come on," she exclaimed, "Run! Run!"
Bruce eventually made it to where he could throw his jacket inside and grab hold of the edge of the train, but as he tried to pull himself in, he tripped, and was dragged along before he looked up and saw Takeda extend a hand to him, "Thanks," Bruce said as he grabbed his hand, and was pulled into the train with the four others.
"No problem," Takeda said, "You ok?"
"Yea," Bruce said as he tossed his jacket aside, "The old man certainly hasn't lost his touch."
"Where does this train go?" Jacqui asked.
"I showed you," Bruce said, "It goes from Indonesia to Beijing. Right now we're heading to Bejing."
"It'll take days to reach there!" Jacqui exclaimed.
"Not where we're going," Bruce said, "The train slows down several miles outside of Hanoi in Vietnam. I have extraction waiting there."
That night, Jacqui asked, "Where are we going to sleep?"
Bruce pulled out several bundles, and rolled them out across the floor, "And he packed sleeping bags," Cassie said, "Why am I not surprised?"
That night, Cassie awoke when the train went over a bump, she looked over, and saw Bruce sitting on the edge of the train as they went through the countryside.
"Evening." Bruce said.
"You like this?" Cassie asked.
"The night sky," Bruce said, "The country side, it all reminds me of home."
"Louisiana?" Cassie asked.
"That was my first home," Bruce said, "I was born in a hospital in Louisiana when humanity pushed the NetherRealm forces out of America. When I was old enough to travel, my mother moved us back to my family's house in Illinois. I was born in New Orleans, but I was raised in Chicago."
"Beautiful city," Cassie said as she sat down across from Bruce.
"Yea," Bruce said, "I envy your family Cassie."
"My parents are divorced." Cassie said.
"Yes," Bruce said, "But at least you know both of your parents."
"Your father?" Cassie asked.
"Medal of Honor, postmortem," Bruce said, "Serbia. He was the reason I joined the military."
"And the reason for the Special Forces position?" Cassie asked.
"Thought the military wasn't enough," Bruce said, "I wanted to see if I was good enough."
"You men and your secrets." Cassie said.
"I'm sure you've date a lot of men like me," Bruce said, "Very secretive, reserved, to themselves."
"Not really," Cassie said, "My dad's never really approved of any of my boyfriends, and they all turned out to be jerks anyway. Just after me for this," Cassie motioned toward her body.
"Assholes," Bruce said, "Never liked men like that, scum of the earth."
"Most of those boys now are lawyers, doctors, or wannabe businessmen," Cassie said, "I'm just content being a soldier."
It was then that a rock flew by them, they both looked to the side, and Jacqui was sitting up in her sleeping bag, "It's late," she said, "Either go to bed, or sleep on the roof!"
"Indeed," Bruce said as he looked at Cassie, "Good night."
"Good night," Cassie said as she walked back over to her sleeping bag.
The next morning, Cassie awoke to someone shaking her sleeping bag, "Wake up," the voice the body above her belonged to said, she was still tired so as she blinked, she thought she saw Bruce standing over her, "Cassie, wake up."
"Bruce?" She asked.
As her vision cleared, she saw it was Takeda kneeling over her, "No," he said, "Its me."
"Sorry," Cassie said as she sat up, "I couldn't see clearly."
"It's alright ma'am," Takeda said as he helped Cassie to her feet, "The train's nearing the bend, it's time to go."
Cassie looked over to see Bruce standing near the edge of the door, "My, my, my, sleeping beauty finally awake," he said, "Sleep well?"
"Very," Cassie said as she walked over to the edge of the box-car.
"Hold on," Bruce said as he looked down the train to see where they were, "Jump in three, two," Bruce threw the bag full of weapons out the side of the train, and looked back, "One," he jumped backwards, tucking in his arms, and landing on his back to break his fall.
"Your orders ma'am?" Kung asked.
"You heard the Veteran," Cassie said as she jumped out the side of the cart.
Jacqui followed, then Takeda, and finally Kung.
As Cassie stood up, she walked over to help her friends up, when she looked around to find Bruce, she saw him walking into a rice-field, "Bruce?" She asked.
"Wait right there," Bruce said, "I'll be right back."
Bruce then disappeared into the cornfields, and as the train disappeared around the bend, "Well there goes our ride," Jacqui said, "Now what?"
Five minutes later, they got their answer as Bruce came driving up in a 2017 Range Rover Evoque Autobiography painted Metallic Lorie Blue, a Panoramic roof with power blinds painted Fuji White, and toughened glass.
Bruce stepped out, and motioned them toward his car, "This way please," Bruce said, "Last bus to Hanoi leaving in five minutes."
"Nice wheels," Cassie said as she walked up to the car.
"Thanks," Bruce said as he hit a button on his keys which opened the trunk, "Please place all bags in the luggage compartment, and all weapons in the weapon bag."
After placing their things in the trunk, and their weapons in Bruce's weapon bag, the four climbed into the Evoque, the interior roof lining was Ivory Morzine, the seats were Oxford Leather with Perforated Mid-Section Dark Cherry/Ivory, and the wood finish was Figured Macassar Wood.
As Takeda, Jacqui, and Kung sat in the back, Cassie climbed into the front passenger seat, and Bruce jumped into the driver's seat.
"How much did this cost you?" Jacqui asked.
"About sixty six thousand." Bruce said.
Cassie whistled, "That's more than I make." She said.
"Comes with the job," Bruce said as his car picked up a call to his phone from a number in Burma, "Talk to me," he said as he hit the answer button on the steering-wheel.
"Mr. Silverstone," a male voice said in a heavy Burmese accent.
"General," Bruce said, "Hello."
"You kept your word about the rebel leader." The General said.
"I told you not to doubt me." Bruce said.
"And I did," The General said, "And you proved me wrong. The money has been transferred to your account, twenty five million dollars, U.S. as promised."
"Much appreciated General," Bruce said, "Until next time."
As the phone disconnected, Cassie looked over at Bruce, and asked, "Twenty five million?"
"The arrangement was for fifty million," Bruce said, "The job always entails half now, and the rest upon completion."
"Interesting terms." Takeda said.
"Very," Bruce said, "Very."
Several hours later, the team arrived in Hanoi, and pulled up to a small shop near the Red River.
Upon stepping out, Bruce walked around to the back of the car, opened the trunk, and ushered the group to follow him.
"Mr. Silverstone sir," a young Vietnamese male said as he walked up to Bruce.
"Johnny," Bruce said as he handed him the keys to his car, "You know what to do."
Johnny walked over to the car, and drove it away from the street, "Where's he going with our transportation?" Kung asked.
"Just focus," Bruce said as he walked up to a small Vietnamese woman.
The small woman said something in Vietnamese the team didn't understand, and Bruce replied back in the same language, the woman walked around to small curtain, and pulled it open.
"Come in," a Vietnamese accent said in English.
Bruce, Cassie, Jacqui, Takeda, and Kung entered the back of the shop to see several racks of weapons, mostly left over Soviet-bloc AKs and Makarovs, there were a few 50s Uzis, several M16A1s, and almost no modern weapons save for a few G36s and Glocks.
The man standing against the back wall was someone Cassie knew well, Wei Tang, one of the biggest arms dealers in South East Asia.
"Mr. Silverstone sir," Wei said, "Good to see you again. How was Burma?"
"Very nice," Bruce said as he swung the bag off his shoulder, placed it in front of Wei, unzipped it, and pulled out his rifle, "Alright boys and girls, get everything out of that bag that's not yours."
Cassie removed her Mac-10, Jack pulled out her MP7, and Takeda and Kung pulled out their SCAR, and Benelli M4.
"All guns are back," Wei said as he looked in the bag, "You kept your promise."
"I told you not to doubt me," Bruce said, "The tickets."
Wei reached under his desk, and pulled out several plane tickets to New York, and handed them to Bruce along with his passport.
"Until next time," Bruce said as he bowed to Wei who bowed back, as they walked out, Bruce placed the weapons into his duffle bag, his rifle into a rifle-case, and turned to Cassie, "Might want to call your mom, and ask where we can leave these."
Cassie pulled out her phone, and called central command, "Code in." the operator said.
"Access code: Beauty Queen," Cassie said, "Get me General Blade."
"Blade here," Sonya said over the other line.
"Hey mom." Cassie said.
"There you are," Sonya exclaimed, "Your father and I have been worried sick."
"We're fine," Cassie said, "We have our cousin, but we had to escape into Vietnam, and we need a place to leave the package."
"Vietnam," Sonya asked, "I have an asset in-country. He'll pick up the weapons, just leave them at the bus-terminal in the center of the city in Locker D-6, passcode is Black Panther."
"Ok mom," Cassie said, "See you in Washington," as she hung up, she looked at Bruce, "We need to go to the city's bus-terminal."
"We need to catch a bus anyway," Bruce said as he started walking, "It's a long walk, so let's go."
After dropping the guns off at the bus-station, the five soldiers caught a bus to Noi Bai International Airport.
While on the flight to New York, Bruce asked, "Your mother ask why she sent you Cassie?"
"No," Cassie said, "I didn't ask. I just do as I'm told, and don't ask questions."
"Not surprising," Bruce said, "You were trained by your mother and father, and your mother trained me. She instils a sense of honor in you so you don't question her orders. And you have no reason to."
"She a great military leader." Cassie said.
"I know," Bruce said, "One of the reason I didn't want to leave was I liked working for your mother and uncle."
"Why did you leave?" Cassie asked.
"I'll tell you," Bruce said, "Soon, but just not today."
It's off to New York, what do you think will happen between Cassie and Bruce…