Chapter 5: Join Us
A good foot taller than Stryker and Kabal, Kintaro watches them with menacing yellow eyes. Both draw their pistols in preparation for an attack. "Spread out. Give em' multiple targets," Stryker quietly tells Kabal. His reaction is quick and calm, but the cop still finds a sinking feeling at the pit of his stomach as he looks up the fearless opponent.
Stryker moves a little from the bridge's edge while Kabal moves a fair distance to his right. His gun is aimed and does not waver, but remains steady. Kabal is very good at what he does in this law business, even if his previous life hadn't been exactly clean. He finger slowly begins to move towards the trigger, as he watches Kintaro. He anticipates a response of aggression and doesn't want to get hurt if he's right. Suddenly the four-armed creature breathes a spray of thick fire. Screaming in horrible agony, Kabal crumbles to the ground desperately trying to stop the burning. Stryker's aches to run for him, but quickly realizes if he does he will far the same fate. His leg muscles tense in anticipation of movement. He forces himself to hold fast: he won't be able to help Kabal if he is suffering the same. The horrible screams of agony from his partner drive a mad sense of urgency into the SWAT officer and he turns to look his opponent dead in the eyes with malice. "Humans," Kintaro spats. "Less ungly when they burn."
Ignoring the bitter retort, Stryker knows that the only way that he will be able to aid Kabal is if he defeats Kintaro. Moving into his kombat stance, he stares down his opponent as casually as he can manage, despite failing terribly. Though, despite his anger, he begins to feel doubt as he watches his large opponent. Kintaro seems amused at the human's arrogance as he flexes his large, muscular four arms before, too, moving into a stance for kombat.
Kintaro breathes fierce flames at his opponent, eyes glowing hellishly with anticipation for the grotesque effects. However, Stryker is wary that this attack might be used first and is ready to parry it. Rolling out of the flame's reach, he jumps forward and kicks Kintaro high in his burly chest. Flying backwards at the brute force, the four-armed creature regains itself with amazing haste for his size.
Kintaro's fighting style is brutal, but slow. Strangely, when the creature does a successful attack, he acts as though an audience views their kombat as he flexes his muscles in an almost taunting and definitely arrogant way. However, Stryker finds this action quite advantageous, as the four-armed man will often become too distracted by his imaginary audience to parry Stryker's move. At a scale disadvantage, Stryker uses the full brunt of his SWAT arsenal. Occasionally he will get an opportunity to use kombating moves, of which he does not waste.
Seeing that he is loosing, Kintaro starts to become agitated. Through his frustration, however, Stryker finds even more of an advantage. Instead of attempting to attack while the Shokan is on the offense, Stryker moves around his attacks. The longer the fight goes the easier the cop as see his opponent's strategy, and he begins to anticipate what Kintora will do next. Stryker moves in to finish the duel.
When the Shokan crashes to the ground unconscious, Stryker murmurs in surprise, "Never knew I had it in me…" Groaning catches the man's attention. Turning Stryker instantly recalls his partner. "Kabal!" Stryker shouts in alarm. Hastily moving to the injured man's side, Stryker reaches out to aid him in some way. His friend moans and barely moves; his clothing and skin are burned horrifically. Fearing that he will do more damage if he touches his skin, Stryker fumbles activates his radio. "Base, Eagle Two!" He calls in.
"Go Eagle Two," comes the static reply.
"I need a medevac now! Current position is on the junction bridge near the subway; Kabal is down. Third-degree burns," Stryker reports in, managing to remain calm.
"Medevac unit routing to you. ETA ten minutes."
"Sit tight, Kabal help's coming," Stryker tells his friend in a calm voice, attempting to soothe him. Their current position is not secure, but will have to suit their situation. Moving Kabal would only worsen his injuries. His whole body is an amass of charcoaling flesh and smells of it pungently. Stryker ignores this. "I'll search for backup... Don't worry, I'll be back," he tell him. Not sure if Kabal can even hear him, Stryker hurries down the street towards the subway, nonetheless. Ten minutes is a long time to wait for help, and he'd seen men easily die in less from burns similar to Kabal's. Before kombating Mileena he was quite certain he saw friendlies moving inside; it is his best change.
As he moves down to the subway, suddenly without the slightest warning, Stryker is lifted into the air. "What the—?" he shouts, in surprise. No one is holding him up. By what means is this? A green aurora that floats around him seems to be the reason behind this, but still does offer a reasonable answer.
Having left his radio on, base replies, "Say again?" Just as suddenly as he is lifted, Stryker is thrown down into the subway. Bouncing painfully off the escalator railing, he lands prone on the platform. Groaning, he struggles sorely to his feet. Fortunately, his SWAT body protection has taken most of the thrashing from the brutal toss, and he is only a little shook-up. As he stands, a black and red clad man floats down to him. "The emperor will have your soul," Ermac says. Though there is only one man before him, it sounds as though many speak. Slightly taken back at this strange opponent, though not to say his last one wasn't usual, Stryker replies in sharp annoyance, "Yeah? Come and get it!"
Ermac's strange telekinesis and prowess with magic are most unusual to Stryker, however, able to adapt quickly, he learns how to parry the moves and when to best time his dodging movements so that he doesn't time them to late… or too soon. He also has an assortment of weaponry at his own disposal. Each has a unique advantage over the other. In the end Stryker's brutish ways and modern weaponry win him the victory over Ermac.
Beaten profusely, Ermac falls unconscious. "I think I'll be keeping my soul," Stryker retorts, looking down at the ninja. The sound of running catches his attention. "I have been searching for you, Kurtis Stryker," comes a voice. Immediately drawing his pistol and aiming it at the man, Stryker replies, "Well, you found me. Who are you?"
"I am Nightwolf. Lord Raiden is gathering Earth's defenders. You are among them."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Stryker asks, lowering his pistol, as he now sees Nightwolf is appearing not to be his enemy.
"Raiden leads Earth's Defenses against the Outworld invaders. He is our best hope for survival."
"Yeah, well," Stryker replies, holstering his pistol, "'Earthrealm Defender' is about ten steps above my pay grade." Nightwolf regards him evenly,
"I see you doubt yourself, even after your victories. Come." Considering the situation for a moment, Stryker finally nods his consent. He follows Nightwolf back to the bridge where Kabal was left.
An outline of charcoal and smoke is all that remains of where is friend once was. "What?" Stryker questions in confusion, "Where is he? Medevac hasn't been here."
"Perhaps he has gone to find help," Nightwolf offers. Stryker shakes his head,
"Naw, he was too banged up. Someone took him."
Mileena runs through the destroyed streets of the Earthrealm city. Frustrating and humiliated with her defeat, she stops to look around. Fuming over the new scratch marks that dot her body, she hisses upon noticing the black streak upon her outfit. "Not a very nice playmate…." she comments to herself. Suddenly a whirling black-green portal appears before her. Shang Tsung walks through. Bowing slightly to show his respect, he says nothing. There is no need for words; he is merely bringing her back to Outworld so that she may accompany her father as he enters Earthrealm.
Shang Tsung notes her appearance with slightly frown, but not much other interest. "I found a playmate… but he's too rough," Mileena says. She giggles to herself, fantasizing over the thought of brutally defeat the SWAT victor.
The characteristic Shao Kahn most enjoys about his new 'daughter' is her unquestioning brutality. Mileena's cruel and merciless, yet strange ways earned her respect and liking from him. The Outworld emperor enjoyed the sight pain and suffering. A sight Mileena quite well enjoyed likewise.
"Princess," Shang Tsung replies gesturing towards the portal and completely ignoring her comment, "Your father awaits." Straightening her outfit and somewhat frazzled hair, Mileena walks into the swirling vortex. She does not fear Shang Tsung's sorcery and has already been through the portal to get to Earthrealm. After all, she was sent to make sure the invasion went as planned, and was then to return to accompany her father.
A shuffling clicking noise can be heard; heavy strained breathing accompanies it. A metal bloody table full of surgical tools and gadgets can be seen. A scalpel, scissors, tweezers, and a strange breathing apparatus are strewn across it. And a mask, a metallic intimating mask sits at the edge of the table. A hand attired with fingerless black leather gloves picks it up. The sound of clicking ensues, then someone taking a deep breath.
A face is seen. The mask mostly covers it, though slights in the sides reveal most ghastly scarring. It is not only the face that is scarred heavily. Where skin is visible through the body's clothing it etches horrifically with mutilations.
The man begins to groan as he awakens. "Easy there, mate. You've had a rough one," comes an accented voice. The man looks around to view most intriguing surrounding. Bodies in clear pods are seen. Some are gutted on tables or in the process of being dissected for some unknown purpose. "Kano?" he questions. Kano chuckles lightly,
"In the flesh." Feeling somewhat disorientating the injured one says,
"I was… on fire…" Kano nods,
"Burned to a crisp, you were. Good thing I found ya." Raising his hand to his face, the man feels the mask. The rough skin can be felt as well. "I'm hideous…" he murmurs.
"Shang Tsung's magic healed the rest of ya. But your lungs? Yeesh."
The man is Kabal. Burned horrifically and barely recognizable, but it is the SWAT officer. "Take it off," Kabal demands.
"Can't. It's permanent," Kano replies casually.
"What?" Kabal questions in a demanding yet surprised disbelieving way.
"No mask, no breathing."
"I'm… a freak!" he exclaims, bitterly spitting out the last word. Moving away from the upset man, Kano opens a black suitcase. He holds up a pair of hookswords. He looks over them, clearly pleased with the unique weaponry. Kabal is heedless to him as he looks at the rest of his new attire. It appears to be his old Black Dragon outfit.
Turning his attention back to Kabal, Kano offers his the weapons. "Go on. Give em' a whirl."
"I don't use those anymore," Kabal firmly responds. Still, his eyes linger on the flashing blades and a desire to grip their hilts to remember them glints in his eyes. "Yeah, you're all proper police now. The Black Dragon ain't the same without ya, mate. You should come back. We're in the money on this war."
"You sold those monsters their firepower."
"Guilty as charged."
"This is your fault!" Kabal exclaims angry getting up.
"What're you on about, eh?" Kano asks, lowering the hookswords. "You're here, ain't ya?"
"I should be dead! Now you're gonna be!"