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 Thirteen

"So what all did you tell him?"

"Enough for him to know where she is."

"And that would be?"

"My apartment."

"You think he knows where that is?"

"He's sneaky, I wouldn't put it past him."

I really wouldn't put it past the sorcerer to use untold means to find out where I lived. He was acting particularly interested in me, but then when I mentioned Mileena he got up and left. I knew that had to be a bad sign. I just wish this had occurred to me sooner. It's been two days since that conversation so who knows what all he accomplished.

"This way," Kung Lao stated.

He, Liu, and I had set out to find and confront the 'gracious host' as soon as we realized what was going on. So far, though, he was making himself scarce. We had checked the arena and around the palace, as well as the outskirts of the Fortress. He was nowhere to be found. Jax was the first person I called on that same day, and he'd told me that he'd be by my apartment to check things out and see if Mileena was okay. I had also called OIA and told them to be on the lookout for anything suspicious; foreign entities, unauthorized portal use, interdimensional rifts.

So far, neither one of them had gotten back to me.

I had gotten fed up after these two days at having yielded no results, so I took it upon myself to seek out the Emperor of Outworld. Kung Lao was the one who said he'd seen the host and was leading us to him. Just like any other time, he didn't look at all pleased to see the three of us. Especially me. He stood in the study of his palace, hunched over some thick stack of paperwork. All over the paper he had to write, so I assume he was filling out logs of some sort. I could sympathise with him there; those things were the devil's handiwork, indeed.

"Don't you pests ever knock?" He griped.

I don't think he realized yet that the doors to the study were wide open.

"Forgive us for the intrusion," Kung Lao began civilly, "But there is something amiss and we'd like your assistance."

Ermac dropped his writing utensil and then sat down in his chair with his legs wide open. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at each of us in turn. We had his attention, but who knew for how long?

I said, "Shang Tsung impersonated Liu Kang and garnered information from me. I think he's using that information to attack someone we know."

"Sounds tragic," Ermac drawled, "But that's not our problem. Leave."

"Wait," Liu Kang stated quickly, "Can you just tell us where he is?"

"No."

I rolled my eyes. Ermac was being his usual obstinate self but if there was one thing I knew he hated, it was dealing with others. I tucked my hand in the crook of Liu's arm and guided him back.

"No, no, it's alright Liu." I soothed, "We'll leave the emperor to his work. Come on, Kung Lao."

"You'd do well to heed the lieutenant," Ermac advised.

The two monks exchanged a glance and I winked at them so they'd take the hint that I was up to something. That's when they started walking towards the exit with me. Just as I got to the door, I stopped and looked over my shoulder.

"Just a heads up, though," I called, "OIA will be here to launch a thorough investigation on the sorcerer.

Ermac's luminescent eyes bore into mine, trying to gauge whether or not I was bluffing.

I said, "Our agents will be here, turning things upside down to get to the bottom of this situation. And there won't be anything you can do to stop them; legally, that is. Any action against us would call for even more intervention."

Now the host was extending an aura most foul and malevolent. I could imagine he didn't like being manipulated in this way, but it was a taste of his own medicine. I knew that he hated OIA with a special sort of passion. He didn't like us encroaching on his territory and he really wouldn't enjoy the paperwork involved. So that left him but one choice; help us out.

Or I could slay the lot of you

His deep voice reminded me of this inside my head and I winced.

That's true, but we wouldn't make it easy for you. We might even best you.

Ermac sneered at that.

Wouldn't it be better for everyone in the long run for you to just help us out? We just want to know where he is.

.

.

.

Don't ever do this again

His warning was the last of our telepathic conversation and for that I was glad. Just because I was flexible and adaptive when it came to dealing with otherworldly beings and customs didn't mean that this didn't freak me out. I could feel the host detract from my mind and I was relieved.

"He left for his island a few days ago," Ermac stated.

I frowned, "Do you know why he left? Was he alone?"

"That's enough, Lieutenant." He barked, "You ask too many question."

"Alright, okay." I placated, then added cheekily, "Thanks for your cooperation."

"Just get out."

One of these days I would push the host too far.

Liu Kang had another match to attend so it was Kung Lao and I headed to the sorcerer's island. While we were on our way, by way of a borrowed-not-stolen boat, my cell phone went off. I answered it immediately and heard Jax on the other line.

"I'mma' be real frank with you, Sonya." He said.

That's when I knew he had bad news. I sat up straight on the narrow bench and put the phone on loud-speaker mode so that Kung Lao could hear from his place across from me.

"Go ahead," I prompted.

He said, "I went to your apartment and the place looked real jacked up. There was a dent in the front door, a hole in one of your walls, your bedroom door was broken down and the dressers in your room were busted: the place looked ransacked."

I sucked in a breath, "And Mileena?"

"She wasn't there." He stated curtly. "We did find a lot of evidence. There was one of her sai's by the kitchen table, the other one was in your bedroom. And all over the carpet was this nasty, sticky green shit."

I cringed, "Tell me you brought samples into the lab."

"You know I did. I had your landlord check surveillance and we got a face but no name on the person who came to your place two days ago. We can't be sure because there was no footage of either of them leaving, but we're pretty certain the guy took her. Not without a damn good fight, by the looks of things."

"I see. Be sure to get the police on the case, too. Kung Lao and I are going to confront Shang Tsung now."

"Good luck with that, Sonya." He said, "And be careful."

"Alright." I told him before hanging up.

I'm always careful.

That's what I used to say, a long time ago. Back when the only person I trusted in this world and any other was myself and I never let my guard down. Fierce Sonya, scared of nothing and always up to the challenge. Where had she gone? Something tells me that if she were here, this would never have happened. I'd gotten lax over time without even knowing it. Somewhere down the line I'd lost my touch and a friend had paid the price.

It was time to get back on the ball.

"What did you do to her?"

"Beg your pardon?"

Shang Tsung had looked surprised to see Kung Lao and I but I paid his shock no mind. I needed answers. He insisted on playing the part of being none the wiser, though.

"Mileena," I stated tersely, "Where is she? What did you do with her?"

Shang Tsung said nothing.

On the beach near the jagged black boulders we'd docked our ship and stepped onto the deceptively sugar-white sand; this same sand had been coated in fresh blood on numerous occasions. Just like its owner, it was attractive at first glance, but sinister once you got to know its true history.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." Shang Tsung claimed.

I rolled my eyes and said, "Cut the bullshit. She's missing, someone broke into my apartment the same day you impersonated Liu."

Now that I couldn't totally prove but he didn't have to know that. Sometimes I had to stretch the truth to bring someone out from behind that veil of lies. If he's done it, and I really think he has, then that should let him know he's been caught.

He smirked. "You believe I've taken her?"

"Wouldn't be here if I didn't." I remarked.

"I don't see how I could've done that," He drawled, "when I've been on my island all this time."

"Yeah, right; you're a sorcerer. You could make that happen." I replied.

"And why did you leave the tournament in the first place?" Kung Lao asked.

Shang said, "I'm making renovations. Not that it's any of your business."

"Our business is what you've done with Mileena," I snapped. "So tell us where she is!"

"You'll not get the answers you seek here, Miss Blade." He answered evasively.

I narrowed my eyes and stepped closer to him with my hands balled at my waist.

"If you've hurt her, I will personally hunt you down and make you pay." I spoke in a tight, low voice.

Shang only smiled cryptically at me and said, "We'll see."

Then he brushed past me and Kung Lao and disappeared into the Living Forest. I folded my arms and tapped my foot restlessly. So that was a good for nothing interrogation. He denied everything. I still think he's got her.

"He's behind this kidnapping." Kung Lao spoke to me.

"I know." I said, "So we have to find out where he's taken her."

"Right."

"Either he's lying and he left the tournament and broke into my apartment himself, or he got someone to do it for him." I reasoned.

"Since we've got no clues from him," Kung Lao said, "we can start looking for this supposed person. They could lead us directly to Mileena."

"Sounds like a plan." I nodded.

Kung Lao said, "But there's one more thing we should consider."

"What's that?"

"Nightwolf: what are we going to tell him?"

"...I don't know yet." I admitted.

I felt like this was my fault. I was the one who'd left her alone at my apartment and now this happened. Nightwolf had a lot on his agenda as chief and now I had to let him know that the woman he loved was in peril yet again.

"There he is," I muttered to myself.

Here in the arena, there was a match going on. It was late and everybody was hyped up so I could barely see or hear anything, but I'd found the host among the spectators. Truth was, he never missed a match, even though Shang Tsung was the one running things.

I made my way through the throng of belligerent warriors and approached the host. I guess he was really into the match because I had to tap on his shoulder to get his attention. He gripped my wrist so tightly I winced and then turned to me. When he saw who I was, he flung my wrist to the side and scowled.

"You almost lost that hand," He told me.

I rubbed my wrist and said, "I don't mean to bother you again but"

"Then don't."

"But this is urgent." I continued.

He hadn't shooed me away by physical means yet so I kept going.

"Mileena's been kidnapped and I'm almost sure it was Shang Tsung who did it. He may be holding her here, or on his island, or somewhere else in Outworld."

"We hope you don't expect us to give a damn about any of this." He cut in frankly.

"No, I don't." I snapped, then took a breath.

I wasn't going to lose my temper around Ermac. No matter how much of an ass he was.

"I didn't come to you for help." I told him. "I came because I want your permission, as emperor, to drop out of the tournament."

"Absolutely not." He replied brusquely.

"Ermac, I need to do this! I have to investigate what happened to Mileena. Liu Kang or Kung Lao can take my place."

There was a long pause where Ermac kept his eyes on the match. He didn't even act like he'd heard me or acknowledge that I was still there next to him.

No.

That's what I thought I'd hear. But as the seconds progressed, I began to doubt that he'd ever even answer me. Out of nervousness, I spoke again.

"If it's the money you're worried about, there was more than enough in that chest." I pointed out.

"You're not helping your case, lieutenant." Ermac smirked.

I was just glad he spoke again.

"So will you allow this?" I asked.

He waved his hand noncommittally and said, "Whatever. But this means you forfeit; those monks can't take on your fights."

I smiled in relief.

And then I left before he changed his mind. Now came the hard part; breaking the news to Nightwolf.

A/N: Thank you for reading! Unless you guys are adamant, I'll be taking a hiatus from this story.

~DymondGold~