Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mortal Kombat; it belongs to its creators Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel and their crew.
Chapter Eleven
From all the crap fate has dealt me over time, I've learned not to question when good things come my way or when stuff runs smoothly. Ermac's uncanny lenience as of late was one such blessing. I don't know what possessed him to give me a break but I was immensely thankful. Maybe one of those souls had given him the unction, or maybe he just didn't want to be bothered with me. No, it still doesn't make sense. If he really wanted to win, he would've taken that opportunity to hold us back because God knows it'd be nearly impossible to get a slot in the tournament in time. But here I am breaking my own rule: I said I wouldn't question this stroke of luck.
"You have reached the voicemail box for..."
I sighed and clicked the red button on my cell phone to disconnect my latest call. I would've left a message explaining why I was calling, but this particular person almost never checks their inbox. On my list of contacts to get in touch with, I crossed their name off. Fifteen calls was enough to let me know they weren't available. I think my good fortune was starting to wear off because even though the list I'd made was getting shorter, I was still no closer to getting the money than I was when I started making calls a few hours ago.
Maybe it was time I took a break.
Right as I thought that, there was a knock on the door. I frowned. I wasn't expecting visitors, and my neighbors and co-workers had long since stopped dropping by to congratulate me. So who could this be? I didn't recognize the knock pattern as they rapped at the door again. This person knocked slow and softly, as if they were tired or timid or something. I stood from my place at the table and stepped over to the door cautiously. In the eyehole, I saw who it was; Mileena. She looked like someone had kicked her puppy. Only she doesn't have a puppy; well the point is, she looked really depressed.
And wet.
I opened the door and beheld her damp, downtrodden appearance. She gazed at me and I saw that she had no bags this time. She had nothing at all, just the clothes on her back and her dejected disposition.
"Hey." She greeted flatly.
"...Hey there." I replied slowly.
I stepped aside and let her in. It was windy outside but not raining whatsoever, so I assumed Arizona had caught a shower sometime before she left. About that.
"Did Nightwolf drop you off?" I asked her as she crossed over to my living room.
"No." She replied quietly.
I shut and locked the door, then put my hands on my hips and regarded my friend. Her shoulders sagged as she trudged over to my couch and plopped her wet self down onto it. I sighed. This must have something to do with that argument I overheard, er, walked in on. It looked like they'd resolved things the other night, but apparently I was wrong.
"Does he even know you're gone?" I asked.
Mileena curled up on her side and shook her head into the couch cushion. She had on what looked like pajamas, or what passed for some for her: a pair of fabric shorts and a black t-shirt she'd probably gotten from me. I would make her move to preserve my furniture, but the girl was wet and probably cold and looked miserable. And her eyes; she'd been crying.
"He doesn't know I'm gone. Doesn't care either." She muttered.
I rolled my eyes and said, "Now you know that's not true. Nightwolf's crazy about you."
Mileena only shrugged.
"So how did you get down here?" I inquired.
"I convinced the Prick to help me out." She answered vaguely.
How she did that was a mystery to me. She really was pretty down. Even her voice had changed, it was all soft and dead. I couldn't fathom how things had gotten so bad between them. I mean, with the way Nightwolf cared about Mileena and all. His love for her was intense, so that couldn't be the problem. Mileena was probably feeling neglected, what with the chief being gone all the time. That was the gist of their argument anyway.
I went to the table and grabbed my cell. That made Mileena perk her head up and widen her eyes.
"What are you doing?" She frowned.
"Using my phone."
"You're calling him, aren't you?"
The phone was already on its third ring.
"I have to let him know where you are. He'll be worried sick once he realizes you're gone."
Mileena laid back down and huffed, "Well that's gonna take a while."
"I highly doubt that." I remarked.
Nightwolf had, in fact, noticed Mileena was missing, but Tvari had already explained the situation to him. He told me he'd give her some space and let her be the one to call him this time. The man sounded heartbroken but I had no words to console him. He did try so hard to please her, to make her happy and at the same time do what he needed to as chief. I couldn't imagine how he felt right now but I could sympathize.
And this is why I'm glad I'm single
"Come on, sweetie," I said gently, "If you're gonna sleep, go to the bed. This couch will ruin your back."
Mileena had been dozing off while I was on the phone and I could see why; it was extremely late. Had I really been working for that long? The taut muscles in my lower back and the fact that my bottom was numb told me that I'd once again gotten caught up in my work. It was time I went to bed as well.
By the time I bathed and made it to there, Mileena was asleep. I would've gone too but I couldn't help but observe her. She had to be the most exceptionally unique person I'd ever known, and to an OIA agent and former service-woman, that was saying a hell of a lot. I had come to care greatly for her and so did many others. From exhaustion and a rush of sentimentality, I ran the back of my hand across her forehead and moved her hair out of her face. Then I got some much-needed rest.
18 missed calls in the last eight minutes?
That wasn't any kind of record for me, I'd seen a whole lot more than that before on my phone but still; it was pretty impressive. And I didn't have to guess at who it could be. There was only one person who was that persistent: my C.O. Usually he didn't do things like that, but when he did I knew he had something important to tell me. I wasn't surprised at missing the calls either because, like my arm, my cell phone was buried under Mileena's body. The girl was clingy in her sleep. She had herself tucked right up into my side and had draped one of her own arms around my middle. Is this what Nightwolf has to deal with?
I smirked, But I'm sure he probably appreciates her clinginess a whole lot more than I do.
From her limbs I untangled my own and got out of bed. Before I could make it to the dresser to pick out some clothes for today, Jax was at it again. This time I answered, albeit after a yawn.
"What's the sitch?" I spoke clearly.
Now that I was out from under those comfy sheets, I was becoming more lucid.
"A letter came for you today," Jax stated, "One from China addressed specifically to 'Miss Blade at OIA'."
I muttered, "Interesting."
"I left it on your desk, but if you need me to I can drop it off for you." He offered.
As if he could see I shook my head and said, "Nah, that's okay."
"You sure? I'm still here at HQ, it ain't a problem."
"No, I need to get out this apartment." I insisted, "Some fresh air will do me good."
And some stimulation should do my muscles some good; that's the last time I ever sit in a chair in front of my laptop for that long...never mind, who am I really kidding?
"Alright then." My partner conceded, "You found any ways to bring in that money?"
I grimaced at the question.
"No, not yet. You?"
"Nope," He admitted, "But when I do, you'll be the first to know 'bout it."
I sighed but replied, "Alright then."
Even after I'd dressed and strapped on a light amount of gear for the day, Mileena was still not awake. Sprawled out on the bed with the sheets bunched around her slim legs she was, with her hair all over her head. Some of it got caught in her mouth so she frowned up and swatted at her face before turning over and going right back to sleep.
I figured I'd leave her alone for now.
OIA was quiet now in this early hour of the day. In a little while, though, it'd be bustling with agents so I appreciated the calmness while it lasted. My office was something of a sanctuary for me. It was small and simplistic but neat, and besides, I hardly spent much time here compared to on missions so I didn't need it to be especially big. I glanced at the stack of old crates of files and other junk that had become obsolete and realized I was supposed to have thrown those through the shredder by now. I'll get around to it, I guess.
Or maybe not since that's what I always say...
"It's been a while since you've been in here, eh?"
Behind me at the door was a friend of mine, the pilot Rodriguez. He had a warm smile on his face.
"Yeah it has been," I noted as I shrugged out of my jacket.
When I hung it smartly over the back of my suede office chair, something fell out of it: a piece of tan parchment. I crouched down and unfolded it, then remembered exactly where it came from. The other day when I was signing up Kung Lao and Liu Kang, there was a stack of flyers at the end of the table. Out of habit I must've stuck one in my jacket pocket. I hadn't read so I figured now was a good time. Who knows? There might be something useful on there.
Rodriguez asked, "What ya' got there?"
"Looks like an ad." I murmured.
The Brotherhood of the Shadow, of whom I've heard but not directly ever dealt with, was offering a reward for the demigod Rain; 15,000 gold koins dead, triple that amount alive. There was no explanation for why they wanted him so badly, so I didn't really know what I'd be getting into. The money sounded good, but I didn't know if I wanted to take that risk just yet. Maybe as a last resort I'd jump on that deal.
The letter that Jax had called me about was as he'd said it'd be; right there on my desk, away from the two boxes of incoming and outgoing paperwork. I held the smooth, creamy white envelope in both hands and noted how it felt a bit chilled, like it had been in a fridge or something.
"Hey, uh," Rodriguez started, "Since this whole 'Kano fiasco' has calmed down, you think you have a bit more free time?"
My eyes roved over the fancy wax seal on the envelope while he spoke. Unthinkingly, I replied.
"Not really. I've been into some other stuff so..." I trailed, turning over the letter again.
I did look up to see Rodriguez shrug his shoulders and nod to himself, then wipe his hands over his dark pants. He gave me another winning smile but it reeked of 'letdown' with a hint of sadness.
"Ah, okay. I understand." He told me, "I'll see you around, then."
And after he'd gone, I realized what that was about. Rodriguez was a bit younger than me, yes, but he might have a crush on me. The question about my free time: perhaps he was looking to go on a date or something? I don't know for sure but I had a hunch. The boy always had a smile for me and sometimes that made me wonder if he truly was interested. Oh well. I couldn't worry about that at a time like this. I glanced back at the envelope.
Except for my name and OIA's corporate address, there was nothing else written on its crisp surface to let me know who'd sent it. But the thing was, there weren't many people in China that OIA and I especially sent correspondence with.
"Time to stop speculating and read," I said resolutely.
So that's what I did. And the more I read, the better the day started to look. It turns out this letter was from the infamous Lin Kuei, though I should probably use a kinder word to describe them now that Kuai Liang and Tomas Vrbada were GrandMasters. Apparently they were greatly grieved by the state of 'earthly affairs', namely the upcoming merger, and were sorry that they couldn't be of much help in terms of sending warriors rushing in. However, they both wanted me to know that they'd heard of out latest plight and were moved by it. Therefore, they were pleased to inform me that they had more than enough funds in the Lin Kuei treasure to get the both of the monks into the tournament. They said that this was the least they could do for the good of Earthrealm and that a few representatives from the clan would be arriving in three to five business days to handle the transaction process.
I re-read the letter and smiled widely. Finally things were going right for a change. Maybe now, we might have a fighting chance at defending our home, despite the odds.
Liu Kang didn't know how things would work out or if all would be well ever again but Earth was in trouble and that was the only thing that mattered to him. He had taken a vow, well, within himself he'd vowed to protect this land he called home and never let it fall under siege again. To do that, he'd need to be at his best. Again, he didn't know how he'd be getting into the tournament as of yet, but on his end he'd make sure he was at his prime. Every single day he'd been either meditating or doing what he was doing now; sparring with some of the most elite warriors Edenia had to offer.
They were good and through his constant practice with them, he'd begun to feel more prepared for what was to come. He still couldn't believe there was another tournament right around the corner.
This is the last thing we all need, he thought to himself, and the stakes are just as high this time as they were with Kahn; no matter how much Ermac and Shang Tsung are trying to downplay things.
He knew better, and so did the others in their tight-knit alliance. Speaking of such friends, Liu wished his best one was here with him now to train. There was nobody more compatible in terms of sparring than Kung Lao. And besides, he missed the Shaolin.
But Kung Lao's been a bit busy as of late, Liu thought wryly, what with those letters he's been writing back and forth with Jade. I can't really blame him for that, though. Jade is a remarkable woman.
One such remarkable woman caught his eyes as he was in the middle of springing a counter attack on his opponent. Those eyes of hers were impossible to miss and even harder to pull away from. She was giving him that look, the very same one she gave him when they first met on Shang's island and the same that she continued to give him whenever she wanted something from him. Most times she just wanted to talk. So like always, Liu stopped in his work and indulged her.
"Done already, Your Majesty?" his opponent asked.
This fighter was one of many acquaintances Liu had made here in his new home. As for a response, the monk only smirked and nodded, then bowed his farewell while the fighter did the same. Then he was off to find the princess; she could be elusive when she wanted to be.
She had disappeared around one of the stone columns at the other end of the courtyard Liu was training in. Now he couldn't see any trace of her anymore. At that column he stood, hands folded, waiting for a sign. His waiting paid off: faint wisps of her perfume and a flash of silky black hair alerted him to her presence. She was taking off again down another path that led to the palace. From there he stayed on her trail, darting around corridors and hanging onto those few visions he caught of her. It was no surprise to him when he found himself standing in the doorway of a very familiar room. It was a spare, empty space that he and she had renovated into a private dojo of sorts. Various weapons lined the walls and the floor was thickly padded. Other than that, there wasn't much else to the room, but it was a comfortable place for them to relax and talk and sometimes wear themselves out during their spare time.
"This is what you want?" Liu asked quietly and with a slow smile.
Across from him his princess nodded. She was dressed in that bodysuit OIA had given her. She did seem to be fond of it during training, but not quite so fond of it as Liu was. He could tell, though, that something was on her mind and that a fight would be her means of getting it off her chest, so he dropped into a loose stance and waited for her to make a move.
Kitana came at him quickly with a windmill swoop of her arms and then switched to those fast-as-lightening kicks.
She is really tense, Liu noted, but about what? The tournament?
"You don't have to worry," He told her calmly.
Liu had dodged all but one of Kitana's kicks; the last one he deflected to the side to knock her off-balance. The princess recovered smoothly and flipped her hair, which was done back in a braid, over her shoulder.
She told him, "I'm not worried, I'm just wondering if you're ready for all this again."
Her anxiety over the matter caused her to slip up and nearly lose her footing when Liu started driving her backwards with his rapid fists.
"I'm always ready to fight for Earthrealm, Kitana." Liu admitted, "This is my life; I accepted my role in the scheme of things long ago."
The two of them landed a few hits but then broke apart once more. Liu stalked around Kitana, looking for an opening while she tried to get all her nervousness out. She didn't relish seeing Liu Kang hurt but when they'd infiltrated Chi's base, he had been brought down really badly. She knew all about sacrifice and the importance of the 'greater good', but she loved Liu Kang and wasn't too eager to see him thrust right in the middle of all the action once again.
"Look," Liu commanded, "Kitana, look at me."
He stopped moving around her so that she had no excuse not to focus on his solemn dark eyes. He smiled warmly at her and reached forward to stroke the side of her face.
"I've faced both Ermac and Shang Tsung before. And from what I've heard, Shang isn't even competing."
"From what you've heard," she remarked skeptically.
He shrugged, "The only thing you should concern yourself with is holding things down here in Edenia. You're a fine ruler, Kitana, and your people do need you. I'll be okay."
Kitana sighed and dropped her arms. "I really want to believe that, Liu, but-"
Liu Kang took advantage of her relaxed guard and swept his foot behind her legs. She almost fell for that but she stepped around him instead and used her momentum to push her hands into the center of his back. Liu fell to the floor but immediately rolled onto his back and tried to leap to his feet once more. He was impeded by the princess dropping herself down right in his lap.
"I want to believe that but..." She trailed again.
Rather than let her gain the upper hand for long, he flipped himself on top and hooked his leg around one of hers.
"Then just believe it, Kitana." He whispered, "You worry too much."
She found that the breath had completely left her by this point and relaxed against the cool mat floor. Liu could see that he'd won, for now at least, and kissed her gently. She let herself get lost in that kiss because she needed to get away for a moment. The stress that had built up so fast, what with the recent turn of events, was being melted away by that warm, skillful tongue of his.
"And anyway," He continued to drawl between kisses, "Nothing can keep me away from you, Kitana. You know that."
"I know," She affirmed softly.
Liu suddenly stood and scooped her up with him. She laughed softly in her bridal-style position and held onto him as he carried her from the training room down the hall.
"Where are we going?" Kitana asked.
The Shaolin smirked. When he answered, his voice was lower, huskier, and gave her chills. The good kind.
"You'll see when we get there, Princess."
Okay, I was seriously starting to wonder about Mileena. Nightwolf has been calling my cell phone for her but she's refused to talk to him. I was getting tired of smoothing things over with him, letting him know that she was either in the bathroom or in bed or outside somewhere. Each time he called, he got more adamant. I finally had to let him know that she just wasn't ready to speak with him. He had taken the news quite well, even though he'd sounded like a man depressed. For a girl who was so in love with the shaman, she'd been neglecting and avoiding his attention for about three days now. I could tell that she missed him and he obviously missed her, so why was this happening? Why was she doing this?
I guess love is something I'll never fully understand.
Anyway, she and I were at OIA again, in one of the meeting rooms on the upper floors of the facility. We were waiting for the ambassadors from the Lin Kuei to show up. It was still about ten minutes ahead of the scheduled time, though, so it wasn't a problem to be sitting here idly at the long oak table. I glanced next to where I sat at the head and saw how sunken into the cushy leather chair Mileena was. She had been miserable since she arrived and that storm cloud over her head had yet to go away.
"Miss Blade? Your uh, guests are here."
Two young men I didn't expect to see stepped into the meeting room with the unnerved secretary from a floor down in tow. The both of them, Kuai and Tomas, looked vastly different in their red and black GrandMaster robes. They were also lightly armed compared to how much weapons and gear they usually had on them. Still, their ensemble made them appear fierce and intimidating.
I guess that's what freaked out the secretary
"We've come as promised, Miss Blade." Kuai stated proudly.
I nodded and added, "In the flesh, I see."
The two shared a look.
Tomas told me, "We realized that we couldn't be too cautious; these are desperate times."
"Smoke is right," Kuai acceded, "The best way to ensure the funds got to you untampered with was to make the trip ourselves."
Between them they carried two chests. Upon setting them onto the table and lifting them open, glittering wealth was revealed to us. I bit the side of my lip at the sight of it; I'd not seen this many koins in...well, too long to remember. The chests were compartmentalized with jade, silver, sapphire, and gold koins and I was sure there was more than enough to cover Liu and Kung Lao.
"Thanks again for this," I spoke heart-feltedly.
Both men bowed.
"I hate to be short," Smoke began, "But Kuai and I have to get back to the clan now."
"No, I totally understand."
After they left, I was still in awe of this latest happening. If things kept working out in our favor like this, saving Earth wouldn't be so hard.
"You know, Ermac didn't think we'd get the money in time." I relayed to Mileena.
She rose from her seat and strode over to me. Leaning on my shoulder, she surveyed the money through hooded eyes.
"I'd like to see the look on his face now," She muttered. "I wish I could compete."
"Nightwolf wouldn't like that," I remarked.
She pouted her mouth but didn't comment on that.
From OIA we traveled to Kahn's Fortress in Outworld, which was quickly becoming so unrecognizable that we'd soon have to call it Ermac's Fortress after a while. The two of us carried the heavy chests up to his palace and paid him for the two fighters we were entering. Ermac didn't look too happy to see that we'd actually done, garnered the koins that is, but he accepted it nonetheless. In fact, he kept the change and kicked us out. No matter. So long as Kung Lao and Liu were officially in the running.
A/N: Thanks for reading!
Don't forget to review!
~DymondGold~