MARKUS X'S POV

Taking off the annoyingly frustrating armor, I found a nearby workbench and began to work on making this suit more... useful.

I started by linking the head of the armor wirelessly with an individual computer in the complex. With the computer, I reprogrammed some of the functions to utilize pressure points on the armor that I would install shortly. This precision nonsense was annoying... I could understand the cyborgs using it, them being highly trained ninja-like assassins and all, but I wasn't a cyborg.

Now came the physical placement of pressure points... I placed a pair in the palms of the suit, both of them wired to utilized the Ice Beam, Cryo Bombs, and Shuriken Thrower. If I held my left fist tighter than my right, the Ice Beam would activate. The right fist fired the Shuriken Thrower, and both fists together would launch a Cryo Bomb. Two small pressure points located on the sides of the index finger were also used: the left was for teleporting, and the right was for self-freezing. I kept one of the poses for the Ice Sprayer, since it was essentially used the same way as the flamethrower on my last suit, but I loosened the restrictions up to where I did not have to perfectly copy it. With that, I merely had to hold my palms out and push them forward a bit to activate the chilling weapon.

With the suit finally set to my liking, I tested it out, moving and shifting in it to make sure that all the components were working the way I wanted it to. Satisfied, I left the room before once again running into Sonya, a very frustrated look on her face.

"What was your point pulling that stunt? You just risked pissing off a huge group of Lin Kuei cyborgs that could probably kick our ass... Why did you think that was a good idea?"

I turned and looked at her, the mask of the icy armor hiding any facial expression. "They might as well know that I'm not Sub-Zero now rather then later."

Rolling her eyes, her arms crossed over her chest, she continued.

"We're sending a team comprised of some of our best soldiers to scout out Outworld and see the state of it after Shao Kahn's defeat. Considering that I could use some time away from dealing with you, I'm sending you and Parsek with them. Who knows, maybe your relationship with Mileena will be useful..."

Nodding, I passed Sonya and headed to the portal. If this was the case, I needed to keep the armor I was wearing...

Already at the portal were Parsek, Cyrax, Neksus, and a brown-haired woman in woodland camo fatigues that fit exceptionally tight on her well-proportioned frame. I stepped towards the group, the helmet's front panels retracted back into the rest of the armor, exposing my face. "So, who did Miss Blade put in charge of this little operation?"

The brunette turned to look at me. "Agent Gemini, nice to meet you. I'll be leading this team into Outworld. Our technicians have set up the portal to send us directly into the Emperor's fortress. From there, Markus and Parsek will go to the throne room to check on Mileena, Cyrax and Neksus will go to the armory and Tower to check on any potential prisoners we may know, and myself and Sonya will investigate to determine if any Black Dragon members are providing assistance to the Outworld armies. Are all of us clear?"

Myself and the other team members nodded, our readiness to complete this mission rather easily revealed.

"Alright then... Doctor Aschwader, open the portal!"

A blonde man with thick scientist glasses and a lab coat turned and eyed Gemini before pulling down on a lever that began to send power to the portal. The purplish glow of energy began to form in the center of the ring before the rift was finally opened, the portal taking several seconds to stabilize as flashes of lightning crossed its event horizon. As my design was originally created for a single person to enter through, we lined up single-file before entering through the unstable purplish device.

As we crossed over, I felt a shiver run down my spine... Whether it was the armor I was wearing or the portal itself I did not know. All I did know, however, was that we were all in a hallway, one I had crossed through many months ago during my time here. Gemini motioned for us to get around her as she again reiterated the plan.

"Do you all remember your orders?"

We nodded as the six of us split up into our groups of two. Myself and Parsek headed to the hallway, the way I remembered from my last appearance here. The karategi-clad warrior turned to look at me as we headed towards the throne room. "So... What's Mileena like?"

In my armor, I facepalmed. I had never gotten a picture of her on my iPhone, so Parsek had no idea what she looked like. "Well... She's smoking hot to say the least. Surprisingly manages to wear very little. She has piercing yellow eyes, almost like a deadly reptile, and is extremely deadly. Before we were a couple, she had a massive maw that was capable of physically tearing anyone she fought into tiny chunks of flesh, but evidently her father "gifted" her with the ability to change her mouth to a normal human one after we hooked up. She's murderous and somewhat psychotic, but a surprisingly good girlfriend. I dunno, maybe we just worked so well together because we were outcasts in our respective realms."

Parsek merely listened as the two of us came to the doors of the throne room. Standing on the left side of them as he stood to the right, I counted on my fingers before dashing through the massive doors, swiftly opening them as we began to step towards the throne.

Unusually enough, Mileena was nowhere to be found as I looked over the group of people in the room. The man on the throne I recognized as one of Shao Kahn's minions from last time, as well as the girl next to him. Others, though, I did not recognize.

There was a fully black, translucent figure with blue eyes, as well as Noob Saibot, though he appeared to be a full silhouette of his former self. Also there was a female ninja dressed in a black and blue leotard. She looked familiar, as did the woman in green next to her. Along with them were two other women: one wearing a yellow and black outfit that I recognized as Tanya, and another dark-haired woman wearing a black leather bodysuit. The tiger-man I had beaten in my final challenge, Kintaro, was also there, with less fur and his hair in a ponytail.

"Well, this is going to be fun."

SONYA'S POV

Walking with Gemini, our weapons at the ready, the two of us glided down the tunnel leading to the underground sewers, the most likely place a Black Dragon camp would be set up at. As we did so, I couldn't help but feel frustration and hatred as we neared the likely hiding spot of Kano. Unfortunately, Gemini could tell this as well.

"Sonya, what's wrong? You seem a bit too... Too tense."

I shrugged. "I suppose having your partner killed by a madman who abused and tortured you, then coming back for vengeance against him is enough worry anyone's ass. I'm just hoping we don't run into any of Kano's goddamn henchmen..."

Evidently, my words were said too soon, as a burst of flame appeared several feet from us. Illuminating the area was a ring of quickly-lit oil that ignited in seconds, the 'burning wall' effect showing that myself and Gemini were surrounded by Black Dragon members who I recognized from a prison break a couple of years ago.

"Tasia? Jarek? No Face? Tremor? I thought Jax killed you all..."

The cutoff halter top-wearing woman merely smiled as she crossed her arms, glad to see us in a situation such as this. "Jax was not as strong as one might think. Besides, he is dead after all..."

Jarek smiled as he looked over us. "And soon, you two ladies will be nothing but little playtoys for myself and the other Black Dragon members."

Tremor pounded his fists together. "But first, we put the beatdown on you..."

"...and make you both hotter than before!" No Face finished his fellow Black Dragon's sentence with a jet of flame.

Gemini and I looked at one another and gave a quick nod before rushing towards a pair of Black Dragons.

Seeing as she was the more agile of the two, I turned towards Tasia and quickly slid into her before pedal kicking up, hitting the warrior in the chest before grabbing her with my legs and slamming her head-first into the ground of the cold and dark tunnel. Incapacitated for the moment, I turned only to feel the slash of a butterfly knife across my shoulder. Crying out, I was kicked in the chest by Kano's student before launching a ball of energy from my wrist-com. This stunned him, but didn't exactly stop Jarek as he lunged at me, pinning my body to the ground as he held up the knife, ready to strike.

Just then, though, both of us heard an explosion. Turning his head, Jarek looked to see what had happened, the opportunity I was waiting for as I pulled out my corded nunchuks and bashed him in the head with them before squeezing his throat with my legs, rendering him unconscious. With my two opponents finished for the time being, I rushed to help Gemini, only to be greeted by a strange sight.

Gemini stood there, her arms crossed as she over viewed the sight before her. On one side was a massive burn mark, human guts and blood strewn about in the explosion of the being that was No Face at one point, and on the other was a pile of large rocks jutting from the ground, inside of which I could hear a very frustrated and highly agitated Tremor.

With a smile, the two of us walked further into the lair of the Black Dragon, hopefully to find Kano and stop this madness...