Part Two
NOTE: Now in canon, Johnny and Sonya divorced due to Sonya being unable to open up emotionally to Johnny, spending too much time at her job and not with her family. Sonya admits this in the MKX Comics when she and Johnny are chasing after Cassie and Jacqui following their kidnapping, and Johnny accuses her of this in the game itself. Here, seeing as how Sonya is no longer a part of S-F, that is no longer the case. She and Johnny are still married.
For shits and giggles, there are several cameos from other video games, simply because I was bored. Just note that the characters are used only.
Fifteen years later.
The Black Lotus Society – a criminal enterprise that has risen following the destruction of the Black Dragon, with their influence in Earthrealm and Outworld, given that their origins came from both realms.
The Black Lotus was ran by 'The Council.' The Council consisted of its leader, simply known as 'Number One,' and his nine adviser-generals, each given the codename of the eight planets in the solar system. The person who was to become Number One was voted in from the adviser-generals to serve as the leader of the organization for a term of twelve years. When the term was up, the leader would then step down and take the place of the adviser-general who succeeded him.
The Black Lotus stayed away from drugs and guns, but other than that, they had their hands full in organized crime. What set them apart was their strict code of conduct. For the poor and oppressed, they were looked upon as a Robin Hood-esque entity, as they give away their stolen wealth to the poor. But for the rich and corrupt, they were their worse nightmare.
They were harmless enough, not to be detected by any law enforcement entity, but should you kill any one of their numbers, then the Black Lotus will target the offending party's family.
It was a lesson that Captain Drew Blake – now Secretary Blake – found out the hard way, as the Black Lotus saw both men as a threat.
The Black Lotus had kidnapped his family while they were on vacation in Europe in response for a black-ops operation he had green-lighted in order to weed out the remnants of the Red Dragon. Blake himself could not attend, due to his being at several high-level meetings. The black-ops operation had left three Black Lotus members – a family – dead, slain by Blake's men. It had been an accidental killing, but it was something that the Black Lotus could not let slide.
As it turned out, the Black Lotus already had both the elder and younger Blake on their radar due to the corruption surrounding them. While General Blake was no longer in the military, he was acting as a kingmaker towards his son, with the goal of seeing him inside the Oval Office, to act as the power behind the throne, so to speak.
That was something that the Black Lotus could not stand.
In an unknown location, a meeting was taking place.
Ten figures – six men and four women – stood at a round table. On the hardwood surface, was the image of a lotus, the color of midnight, in full bloom. Their faces were concealed in masks of various design; one wore a Lucha Libre mask, another wore a simple balaclava, while another one wore a similar balaclava with a skull pattern, while two of the females had masks that looked at home at a masquerade ball.
As one, The Council recited the words that were the motto of the Black Lotus: "Praised to be the Order that has been brought forth from the very edge of Chaos."
As one, they sat down. Number One, identified by his skull mask, spoke first. "This meeting is now in session."
"I have a status report in regards to Secretary Blake," Lady Venus said, her face concealed by an intricate masquerade ball mask of black-and-gold. She spoke in a British accent. "He has paid the ransom of $50 million for the safe return of his wife and family."
"And has the package been sent to him?" Number One asked.
"It has, Number One," Venus replied. "He should be getting it within the next several days."
"And what of the family?"
"Kept in separated cells, and healthy," Brother Jupiter reported, wearing a ski mask, his English laced with his Colombian accent. "The daughter is pregnant, so we have her undergoing mandatory checkups to ensure that her and the child are healthy. Sadly, the husband has died from his injuries in trying to protect his family."
Number One nodded. "Anything else?"
Mother Earth – a woman wearing a Chinese-style mask, an obvious reference to her origin, if not the uniform of the Hong Kong Police Force gave her away – cleared her throat. "We intercepted a call between Thomas Mueller and Sonya Blade of Strategic Logistics and Solutions."
That was another hot topic within the Black Lotus. Strategic Solutions and Logistics was considered to be one the rising private military firms out on the American West Coast. Of course, with their rise in the mercenary world, that got the attention of the Black Lotus. Its members numbered close to two hundred, its members from all over the world, with various military backgrounds, such as the French Foreign Legion, British MI-6, Russian Special Forces, the GSP-9 of Germany, and Mossad of Israel. There were even rumors going on about the organization having alliances with the Shirai Ryu and the Lin Kuei.
Strategic Solutions specialized in logistics, close-quarter and combat training, and security services. On top of that, they only attacked if they were attacked first. The Council knew that Strategic Solutions had contracts in Britain, Germany, China, and Japan, just to name a few. The organization had a reputation built on honor and fairness, and only accepted jobs from those of good moral standing, something that even the Black Lotus can appreciate.
However, no one knew who ran the organization. The person in question was simply known as 'The Director.' The Black Lotus' spy within the organization had came up with nothing. Once the identity of The Director was known, could the Black Lotus determine if they were friend or foe.
"Play the call," Number One ordered.
Earth nodded and patched the recorded call through.
"Mr. Mueller, Sonya Blade. To what I owe the honor of your call?"
"Ah, Frau Doktor. A pleasure as always. I was hoping to have words with der Direktor and offer my congratulations in your training my security detail."
"The Director is very busy, Mr. Mueller, and is constantly on the move. I will make sure that the Director receive your message."
"My message also confers onto you, Frau Doktor, as it had been you who had oversaw their training."
"Flattery only works with my husband, Mr. Mueller. But I appreciate the praise."
"You're welcome."
"There is a saying that I like: 'a sword keeps another in its sheath.' Sometimes, Mr. Mueller, the threat of violence alone is a deterrent. By taking a life, others can be preserved. It's the code that the samurai once lived by."
"An analyst with a knack for philosophy. You are full of surprises, Frau Doktor."
A gesture from Number One, and Mother Earth ended the call. "Bring up her profile," he ordered.
The computer whiz, Lady Neptune, her face concealed by a Japanese Kabuki mask, brought up her profile. Seconds later, Sonya's profile was up, along with two pictures of her; the first was her old Army photo, the current was from her Strategic Solutions file, having been sent to them by their mole.
Neptune read off Sonya's stats. "Sonya Adrianne Blade. Forty-three years old. Born in Austin Texas. Parents and twin brother deceased. Married to Johnny Cage, born John Carlton. Mother to identical twins; Cassandra and Roxanna, ages seventeen. Was a rising star in the military until her dismissal orchestrated by Secretary Blake and his father. The dismissal was later overturned by former President Spencer. Has connections alongside her husband with the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu. Earned a doctorate in History, and was working as an assistant professor before signing on to Brookhaven University as a Professor of History, where she's been teaching for the last eight years."
Elder Jupiter, a man in a Guy Fakwes mask, leaned forward. "Hmm...She's been working for Strategic Solutions ever since its founding. Any suspicion as to her being The Director?"
"No. She's a part-time employee there," Neptune replied. "We have narrowed it down to several prospects who have been at the organization just as long as she has: Clark Flagg, ex-Special Forces, and interestingly enough, Sonya's former subordinate back in the Army. Karena LesProux, ex-French Special Forces and former mercenary – she's an interesting one, she killed her abusive husband in self-defense when he assaulted their children. Would have been at home with us, but Strategic Solutions got to her first."
"Anyone else?" Number One asked.
"Dr. Miranda Lawson," Neptune replied. "Australian expatriate. Her husband is Adam Shepherd, 15-year vet with the Marines, also a member of Strategic Solutions. We can rule out Shepherd, as he is a career soldier. Last, is Marissa Ronson. Ex-Secret Intelligence Service, her expertise being demolitions. But back to Dr. Blade. I find her to be quite a fascinating study. She works part-time with Strategic Solutions as an analyst and consultant, but she is considered to be the most dangerous out of the bunch, as she, along with her husband and several of their allies wiped out the Black Dragon six months after her dismissal."
The Council and Number One shuddered mentally as they remembered the carnage wrought upon by Sonya, her husband and their allies. What had happened to Kano and his lieutenants for lack of a better term, brutal. No longer bound by the rules that forced her to restrain herself, Sonya and her allies had terminated the Black Dragon with extreme prejudice.
"Anything else on Dr. Blade?" Number One asked.
"Well, there is a possibility that Blake may reach out to Dr. Blade in order to help him get his family back," Neptune said.
At that, Brother Saturn scoffed under his balaclava. "Blake was one of the men responsible for her dismissal," he said in Russian-accented English. "There is no way that she would help Blake. And we made our point clear that those who try and rescue Blake's family will pay the price."
"Contact our mole in Strategic Solutions and have her keep an eye on our prospects," Number One said. "If anything develops, then she is to contact us immediately. Anything else?"
Silence.
"Alright then. Meeting adjourned."
Brookhaven University – Los Angeles, California
Brookhaven University was a private university located in the northern part of Los Angeles. It was farly new, having been built ten years earlier. It had also developed a reputation of being one of the best public colleges both to work and to attend.
It was also where Sonya Blade had been teaching for the past eight years.
Johnny had joked that she traded in her commission for a doctorate. But he couldn't be any more prouder of his wife. She did attend college at his expense, after all. Normally, it would take six years to earn a doctorate. Sonya did it in three.
It had been fifteen years since Sonya had traded in the military life for that of a civilian. It had been hard at first, as the Army life was all that she knew. She was a military brat who alongside her twin brother, the late Daniel Blade, idolized their father, Major Herman Blade. While she was a civilian, she could not be entirely free of her former life. It had given her a purpose. But an end was just a beginning in disguise, as Sonya reinvented herself.
At the moment, Dr. Sonya A. Blade had her History class mesmerized with her lecture on Sun Tzu and The Art of War. The lecture was a two-parter, the first being on the famous Chinese military genius, while the second lecture would be on Niccolo Machiavelli, the Italian statesman and author of The Prince.
Marriage and motherhood had mellowed Sonya out a great deal. She was still the hardass that Johnny fell in love with. Forty-three years old and she can pass for thirty. Either she was aging gracefully or it was repeated exposure to the Jinsei, Sonya couldn't tell what it was. Her hair was much longer now to the point that she kept it tied in a single braid. Her attire was semi-casual, a Japanese weekend sweater-blouse combination, the sweater black while the blouse was white, a dark pair of skinny jeans and a pair of sneakers. Johnny called her casual outfit her 'Professor Blade' uniform. On her face, was a pair of square-rimmed reading glasses. Sonya had perfect vision, but the glasses made her more distinguished.
Johnny had said that the eyeglasses made her look more sexy.
She had made a name for herself, not as the wife of Johnny Cage, but as a respected professor. She had also made a name for herself as a consultant and analyst for Strategic Solutions and Logistics. But here, she was Dr. Blade.
Her teaching assistant was a woman named Elena. Elena, was in truth, Sonya's assistant with Strategic Solutions. The teaching assistant was her cover.
"King Ho Lu of the Kingdom of Wu had heard of Sun Tzu's military prowess and wanted a demonstration of what Sun Tzu was teaching in his military treatise. Rather than use his own men, the King produced his concubines, one hundred and eighty in total. Sun Tzu divided them into two companies, ninety each, with the King's two favorite concubines in charge of both companies. He gave the women swords and explained to them a set of drills that he wished for them to accomplish."
"Why use the king's harem and not soldiers?" a student asked.
"Sun Tzu believed that military training is all valid regardless of whom you apply it to," Sonya replied. "So much so that even a harem cam be trained as a fighting force. Back to the story. Sun Tzu made his directions clear, then gave the women the order of 'Left Face.' The concubines burst out laughing instead. But Sun Tzu kept his cool."
As Sonya continued her lecture, the door to the classroom quietly opened and her husband quietly stepped inside the room. Forty-six years old, but he could pass for a man in his thirties. His attire was a stark contrast as to what Sonya was wearing; a dark blue long-sleeved shirt with a low-cut v-neck, the top buttons undone, part of his tattoo visible, the sleeves rolled to his elbows, a pair of gray pants and a pair of black work boots. The sleeveless hooded jacket he had left inside Sonya's SUV. A pair of fingerless gloves completed the outfit (i.e., his default MKX costume). The shades, surprisingly enough, were absent.
From the look of things, he had come to Brookhaven straight from the studio. And from the look of things, Sonya didn't notice him as she continued her lecture. Her assistant noticed him, however, but said nothing.
"Sun Tzu addressed the King, saying that 'if the command are not clear or distinct, then the general is to blame,'" continued Sonya. "Sun Tzu then gave the order of 'Right Face.' The concubines once again erupted into laughter."
"Ain't looking too good for the old boy," a second student shot out.
Sonya smiled and the students had a chuckle. Then she quieted them down. "Okay, back to the story. Sun Tzu turned back to Ho Lu. 'If my orders are not clear or distinct, then the general is to blame. However, if the both the orders and the generals have been clear and distinct, then it's not the fault of the general, but rather the fault of the general's officers.'"
Sonya's voice dropped to a more sinister tone. "There was one way that Sun Tzu can convince the concubines that he is deadly serious. He took the lead concubines' swords and made them both shorter by the height of their heads."
The first student winced, as did several others. "Ouch."
Sonya nodded. "Yeah. For Sun Tzu, war is a matter of life and death. As a war veteran myself, I personally agree with this thought. This is the key principle of his teachings. And once understood, everyone from the leader to the individual soldier will be motivated to win. Sun Tzu commissions two more officers from the concubines. After what had happened to the first two concubines, the women now followed his orders without hesitation."
The bell rang, signaling the end of the class. "Okay, for your homework assignment, read the first three chapters of the Art of War. Tomorrow, we will discuss Niccolo Machiavelli and The Prince," Sonya called out as the class piled out of the classroom.
Sonya began to power down her laptop, while Elena began to pack her teaching materials. As she continued to pack, Sonya took the time to reflect on the past fifteen years. If she was still in the Army, then she would have been a Colonel by now. But now, she had no regrets in leaving the Army, albeit not on her own terms.
While Sonya enjoyed the perks of being a university teacher, she knew that she couldn't get the Army life out of her system completely. She got up at dawn to train, even going as far as to drag her husband along for the ride. Sonya Blade was the order to Johnny Cage's chaotic life.
But despite being out of the Army and no longer a part of S-F, there were still risks, both domestic and from other realms that reared its ugly head.
The first was Kano.
Sonya had suspected that Kano was simply biding his time before he would come when she and Johnny would lest expect it, and settle their rivalry once and for all. So rather than wait for him to attack, she did what he tried to do to her, leading to the end of her military career.
She led Kano into a trap.
As it turned out, the confidential informant who had gave Sonya the information in regards to the ill-fated raid that led to her dismissal was on the Black Dragon's payroll. He had been been given the information in regards to a little holiday that Johnny and Sonya were taking to San Francisco.
As Johnny and Sonya had suspected, Kano had taken the bait. Kano and his four lieutenants – Jarek, Tasia, No-Name and Tremor – had arrived at the location of Johnny's vacation home in the dead of night. Sonya knew Kano's modus operandi very well when it came to his style of performing home invasions: beat down the men, rape the women while forcing the men to watch as their loved ones get violated, then kill all inside.
Kano had arrived, hoping to fuck Sonya to death, while forcing Johnny to watch. He had thought that without the backing of S-F, that Sonya would be easy prey.
He didn't take into consideration that without having to follow the rules and regulations of S-F, that Sonya can and will kill him without consequence. Or that Sonya and Johnny were not without allies.
So Kano and his lieutenants were very surprised upon seeing that Sonya and Johnny were waiting for them, but also Jax, Hanzo Hasashi, Kuai Liang, and Kenshi Takahashi. Six against four.
As Kano and the others would find out, this was not kombat. This was an extermination, plain and simple. No mercy was shown, and no quarter given.
Even Raiden, the god of thunder and lightning, had seen Kano as a serious threat. After all, he did sell Earthrealm weapons to Shao Kahn during his failed invasion, and thus, decided that he was too bug of a threat to let live, and had given Sonya and the others their blessings in dealing with Kano. To ensure that their souls would not go to Quan Chi following their deaths, he made sure that their souls would be obliterated instead.
The lodge and its surrounding area had looked liked a war zone. Tremor had been slain by Jax; his arms ripped off and his head smashed in. Kenshi had proven to be the better swordsman than Tasia, as her throat was slashed so deep that she was nearly decapitated. Hanzo and Kuai had double-teamed Jarek, stabbing him repeatedly before Scorpion sliced his face off with his katana.
Then, there was Kano himself. Sonya and Johnny double-teamed him. Then Jax joined in. Despite his knives and the occasional laser blast, Kano stood no chance. Of course, even after having his leg broken and one hand rendered useless, he tried to beg for his life. Sonya's response was to drive her booted foot into Kano's throat, snapping his neck, and killing him.
The police was called. Johnny and Sonya's alibi was that Kano and his buddies had crashed a high-stakes poker game between the couple, Jax, Hanzo and Kuai Liang. Kenshi was the lodge's caretaker. Given Sonya and Jax's history with the Black Dragon, no charges were filed, as Kano's death and those of his cohorts were ruled as justifiable homicide.
With Kano dead and the Black Dragon destroyed, Sonya and the others had returned home.
Kuai Liang had returned to the Lin Kuei Temple and after destroying the Cyber Lin Kuei, began to rebuild the Lin Kuei, turning it into a force for good. One of his newest recruits was Sareena, the former Netherrealm wraith, now human, thanks to the Elder Gods, as payment for her aid against Shinnok and Quan Chi during the Netherrealm War.
Not only was she Kuai Liang's second-in-command, she was also his wife, the pair married three years after Kano's demise. Their son had inherited Kuai Liang's ability to freeze, and shared Bi-Han's name to honor his fallen elder brother.
Hanzo Hasashi had returned to Japan to rebuild the Shirai Ryu. When Kenshi came to Hanzo requesting asylum for himself, his lover and his son, Hanzo agreed, on the condition that he himself trains his son. Suchin and Kenshi agreed. The pair would marry months later. Takeda would come to see Hanzo as an uncle. Kenshi's wife served as the Shirai Ryu representative at Strategic Solutions.
As for Hanzo, the redeemed specter found love himself, when he was certain that he would be doomed to spend the rest of his life alone. But while away on a trip to Osaka, he met a woman. Hotaru Akizuki was a master judoka and kendoka, and like Hanzo, her life was marred by tragedy. Her husband and daughter were slain by the Yakuza, and she had taken her revenge on those responsible. A woman after his own heart.
Hanzo had remarried, and the pair had a daughter, named Aya, followed by a son, who carried Hanzo's name.
As for the Red Dragon, when word reached of the Black Dragon's downfall, Daegon was annoyed that the infidels did not fall by his hand, but he was impressed that Sonya and the others had done the deed. In a surprising gesture, Daegon decided to leave those responsible alone...for the time being.
That changed a year ago, with the Blood Code Incident.
Even now, the whole fiasco had left a bad taste in Sonya's mouth. Havik and the Red Dragon had been tasked by Quan Chi in an attempt to steal Shinnok's amulet – the source of the fallen Elder God's power, which also doubled as his prison. While Daegon and the Red Dragon kidnapped Cassie, Roxy and Jacqui to use as bait, Havik collected the Kamidogu – cursed daggers Raiden had used to seal away the amulet – and used the Blood Code – cursed blood magik supplied by Quan Chi to corrupt them.
Johnny had been away in Seido when Kenshi arrived with word of his childrens' abduction and Hanzo's near maiming at the hands of Havik. Sonya and Jax had already went on ahead to Shang Tsung's Island, leaving Johnny behind. After Hanzo was healed by the Jinsei, the irate actor had joined forces with Kenshi, Subzero and Takeda, along with Kotal Kahn's lieutenants – Queen Sheeva of the Shokan, Kintaro, D'Vorah, Ferra and Torr, and Erron Black, and made their way to Shang Tsung's Island.
There, Johnny found his wife, daughters and niece having been corrupted by the Blood Code alongside Jax, Kotal Kahn, Mileena and Raiden, and Havik in possession of that damned amulet. Takeda was tasked with fighting the twins and Jacqui alongside Kenshi, while Johnny had his hands full with Jax and Sonya. Subzero and Scorpion fought Mileena and the Outworlders fought Kotal Kahn and Raiden.
In the battle, Kintaro had been held down by the girls, allowing Sonya to rip his head clean off his shoulders. Meanwhile, Havik had been beaten into submission by a furious Hanzo. Fortunately, after Havik had been beaten senseless, the Blood Code had worn off, freeing Raiden and the others of its corruption.
With Havik spilling his guts (right before Hanzo himself spilling Havik's guts), two things were certain. First, the unspoken truce between the Red Dragon and the Cage Family was over. Second, Quan Chi had to answer for his crimes.
An alliance was formed between the Earthrealmers and Kotal Kahn. Daegon had made the fatal mistake that had cost Kano his life over a decade earlier. He underestimated the Cage family and their allies. He thought that he was safe in Outworld.
He was wrong.
Backed by Kotal Kahn and his lieutenants looking for payback, along with the surviving members of the Shirai Ryu, Subzero and the Lin Kuei, Jax, and two squads of hard-hitting veterans of the Lin Kuei, they attacked the Red Dragon stronghold in the Crimson Forests of Outworld.
The sneak attack had caught Daegon off-guard. Even more surprising was that Goro had aligned himself with the Red Dragon in an attempt to revive the Dragon King, Onaga. While Sheeva was hesitant to attack the former heir to the Shokan throne, Kotal Kahn held no compunctions. Just as Sonya had done to Kintato whilst under the Blood Code, Goro was made shorter by the height of his head.
Just as it had been with Kano and the Black Dragon, it was not a battle. It was an extermination.
During the battle, Kenshi and Takeda came across Daegon's twin brother, Taven, imprisoned in a stalagmite, and two massive dragons, Caro and Orin, who were Daegon and Taven's guardian dragons. As it turns out, not only did Daegon had murdered Taven's parents, but also wounded Suchin, and imprisoned Taven. Taven joined the fight, and got his pound of flesh from his traitorous twin brother, as did Johnny, Sonya, Jax and Kenshi.
Just as Kano had done, Daegon pleaded for mercy. He was given none. Soon, his head joined Havik's own. The Red Dragon was no more. Next, came a trip to the Netherrealm. Only this time, Raiden's chosen and Kotal Kahn himself made the journey.
They encountered Quan Chi, and the fallen champions – Liu Kang, Kitana, Kung Lao, Sindel, Kabal, Smoke/Enenra, and Kurtis Stryker. There, Raiden delivered his ultimatum: surrender Quan Chi, or face obliteration – meaning that if they die as revenants, then their souls are obliterated. To back up his claim, Johnny tossed out the heads of Daegon and Havik, the latter still alive.
Much to Raiden and the other kombatants' surprise, Liu and Kitana surrendered Quan Chi, much to the latter's shock and horror. After making sure that the architect behind the Blood Code Incident was in fact the real deal, they brought Quan Chi back to Earthrealm for summary execution. As Hanzo had the most grievances with Quan Chi, he was the one who executed the necromancer...after they had beaten him within an inch of his life.
With Quan Chi out of the picture, the kombatants had spent the day at Raiden's Sky Temple to purge the evil taint from their bodies. But there was the problem of Shinnok's amulet. It was then decided that it would be sealed and warded. For one year, the kombatants would be responsible for guarding it. Now, it was Sonya and Johnny's turn. The amulet was hidden inside Johnny and Sonya's home.
The deaths of Daegon and Quan Chi, not to mention the destruction of the Red Dragon had an unforeseen consequence. First, was the reemergence of Edenia, having separated from Outworld. Even more surprising was the fact that Kitana was its Queen, and Liu Kang was her Consort.
As it turned out, Kitana had been planning on escaping the Netherrealm for quite some time. But as long as Quan Chi was still alive, they would still be enslaved to his will. So Quan Chi had to go, which is why they were so willing to hand him over to Raiden and the others without a fight.
With Quan Chi dead, Kitana had used the Netherrealm's black magic she learned in secret to restore her and Liu back to life, and purged from the corrupted influence of the necromancer. Aside from the pair, Nightwolf, Stryker and Kabal were also revived. Only Sindel and Enera remained to rule as Emperor and Empress of Netherrealm, as they had been too corrupt to return to the land of the living. Rather than return to Earthrealm, as they were still sore with Raiden, Nightwolf remained in Edenia, while Stryker and Kabal made their home in Seido.
Kotal Kahn, however, did not take the news of Edenia separating from Outworld well. In the ensuing fight, the Emperor of Outworld was forced to retreat from Liu and Kitana's onslaught. Since then, Edenia had adopted an isolationist policy towards Earthrealm and Outworld, despite Raiden's attempts at detente with Edenia. Kitana did invite Taven to come and live in Edenia, along with the dragons. Taven had accepted the offer.
As long as Edenia didn't threaten Earthrealm, Sonya and Johnny didn't care what Liu and the others did. Goes to show that there were still old wounds from the Netherrealm War. It also didn't help when Liu insulted their and Jax's children, calling them "pathetic children of idiot parents."
It took Kenshi, Raiden, Hanzo and Subzero to restrain said parents from re-killing the presumptuous former monk.
It also sent an unspoken message to Liu and Kitana once they found out about the Red Dragon's extermination: screw with our kids at your own risk.
"Dr. Blade."
Sonya was brought out from her thoughts by her assistant. "Yes? What is it?" she asked.
Elena pointed to Johnny, who was now approaching them. "You have a visitor," she said.
As Johnny approached, Sonya was giving her husband a rather cross look (which was one look away from the patented Blade death glare, so Johnny says). Johnny looked amused.
"Sun Tzu, huh? I was more of a Machiavelli man myself," Johnny said. "Caught the end of your lecture. Who'd knew that I'd be such an influence on you when it comes to being dramatic?"
"Bad influence, you mean," Sonya replied, still giving her husband the stink eye, but her voice couldn't completely hide her amusement. "You are such an ass, Johnny."
Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "Eh, you still love it."
When Elena opened her mouth, Sonya's head snapped in her direction. "Not a word out of you."
"What?" replied her assistant with an innocent smile. "I just said that your husband is kinda hot..."
"Elena. Drop it," ordered Sonya.
"While I am flattered that you think I'm hot," interjected Johnny, moving over to wrap one arm around Sonya's waist, pulling her close, "Dr. Blade is and always will be my number one leading lady."
"What are you doing here?" Sonya asked, pulling away from her husband's embrace.
"You mean, I can't stop by and visit my brilliant, sexy wife? I'm hurt, darlin.' I really am," Johnny replied as if insulted. When Sonya rolled her eyes, Johnny told her, "I had my agent drop me off here. My car's in the shop, remember?"
"Oh. Right." She picked up her laptop case. "You're driving."
After saying her goodbyes to Elena, Sonya walked past her husband and out of the room.
Johnny watched her leave. "Still the spitfire after all these years. Gotta admire her drive," he mused.
'It's not the drive you're admiring," Elena noted in a dry tone.
Johnny turned to Sonya's assistant and grinned. "True. She still has a cute butt."
Elena shook her head as Johnny exited the classroom, following his wife.
"You know, you're pretty good with them. Your students, I mean," Johnny said as he maneuvered his wife's SUV along the busy streets of downtown Los Angeles.
Sonya turned to her husband and smiled. "I know. You can say that you influence me with your penchant for the dramatic. You're still an ass, though."
"And you still love it, after all these years."
Between the both of them, Johnny Cage had changed most of all, Sonya realized. He was still cocky and full of swagger, but he was also older and wiser. Like Sonya, being a father had mellowed him out. He still continued to act, but had branched out from doing martial arts movies. While Johnny managed to find the perfect balance between being Raiden's chosen warrior, his acting and being a family man, Sonya had found it difficult at first.
Honestly, Sonya didn't miss her old life. Well, not that much. Looking back, had she remained in the Army, she and Johnny would had probably divorced over her old lifestyle, as she had the habit of disappearing in her work, and not spending time with her family.
Sonya had to admit that her husband was right about being kicked out of the Army was a blessing in disguise. It helped her to put things in perspective, to show her what was most important, what was worth fighting for. With her job as a professor and working with Strategic Solutions as an analyst and consultant, Sonya managed to find her balance, her center. It was another thing that her husband had taken credit for. Fortunately, he didn't lord it over her.
They had been together for seventeen years. Hollywood's golden couple. Even Jax was surprised at the fact that they've been together for that long. In truth, no one else could stand the other like they did. When they had married, it had been a courtroom wedding. This year, they renewed their vows at a beachside ceremony attended by friends and family. After that, was a two-week getaway to Hawaii.
This was going to be a very busy week for the Cage family. For starters, Jax's birthday was coming up, which meant that Cassie and Roxy were out with Jacqui trying to find a birthday gift for their dad. Later on that week, Raiden wanted to meet with his chosen warriors in regards to Edenia and his former champion.
But the main topic on Sonya's mind was the Black Lotus. Speaking of which...
"Do you know that Strategic Solutions is on the radar of the Black Lotus?" Sonya asked as they stopped at a traffic light.
"First, it was the C.I.A. Then it was the F.B.I.," Johnny mused. "Didn't you do some consultant work for the Feds in the past?"
"About a year before the Blood Code fiasco," Sonya replied.
"Why the Black Lotus' interest in Strategic Solutions?" her husband asked. "I thought they had the whole 'Robin Hood' schtick going for them."
"I should ask Elena the next time I see her," Sonya replied. "She's Black Lotus."
Johnny was surprised. "A mole? You sure?"
"Positive. You know Suchin is the Shirai Ryu's liaison to Strategic Solutions, right?"
Johnny nodded. Suchin Takahashi was Kenshi's Thai-born wife, and mother to Takeda Takahashi, who was also Hanzo's apprentice. Suchin was a bit hotheaded, but a good woman, and Takeda showed great promise.
He also showed great interest in Jacqui Briggs, much to Jax's dismay and Johnny's amusement. Then again, he wouldn't have chased Takeda over the farm had he showed interest in either Cassie or Roxy.
Sonya would probably have done that.
"So let me guess. Kenshi read her mind?"
The former major shook her head. "No. Takeda did. Remember a few months back when Suchin and Takeda came here to check out some prospects for the Shirai Ryu?" When Johnny nodded, Sonya continued with the story. "I had a feeling about Elena, which is one of the reasons why I had her close to me. Takeda confirmed it when he read her mind."
"So Elena's Black Lotus. What now?"
"Now? We do nothing," Sonya replied. "The Black Lotus are no Black Dragon. However, both the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu are watching their every move. They're more concerned with being heroes to the oppressed and downtrodden. The company's contacts with the F.B.I. and N.S.A. are watching them. When they become a threat, we'll know."
"To change the subject," Johnny said as they entered Venice Beach, "Cassie and Jacqui are planning on joining the military. Personally, I have no problem with it, but Cass wanted to get your blessings. She doesn't plan on making it a career, but she and Jacqui want to do a tour before signing on for Strategic Solutions."
"And Roxy?"
"She wants to follow in my footsteps, remember? She's been doing acting classes since middle school and I've been taking her on the set of my movies."
"I guess I'll talk with Cassie about it when she gets back home," Sonya said. Part of her wanted to tell her daughter no, due to the circumstances which had led to her being kicked out of the military. But another part of her has seen the potential that Cassie had. One that can be beneficial to the family and to the company in the long run.
'Yeah,' Sonya thought. 'I'll talk with Cass later on.'
Meanwhile, at the Blake Residence, Washington, D.C.
Drew Blake looked at the package that he had found on his doorstep earlier that day. Two pomegranates, one intact, the other crushed, its seeds and meaty pulp exposed, and smelling a bit ripe. He had expected his daughter and her husband to be released upon paying the Black Lotus their ransom, but had gotten this package instead.
"I told you that those Black Lotus scum would not honor their end of the deal," his father said as he stood at the mini-bar, pouring himself a tumbler, oddly calm while his son was frantic. "You should have let me handle the retrieval."
Blake scoffed. "Oh, just as you convinced me to green-light the black-ops operation that got us in this mess in the first place."
General Blake downed the drink one gulp. "Mind your tone with me, boy. You wouldn't be in your current station had it not been for my influence."
That much was indeed true. Despite being forced to retire from the Army to avoid prosecution on corruption charges, Brad Blake still wielded power and influence. And in the fifteen years, his influence grew. Sonya had been right about Blake not being able to hack it in Special Forces during its existence. Which is why he forced her out of the Army in order to pave the way for his son to take command...in his name.
But all one hundred and forty-nine members of S-F had turned in their patches, and resigned, leaving General Blake and his son with nothing. While General Blake was forced to retire, his son was left unscathed. Which was perfect for the elder Blake, as he decided to play kingmaker to his son. He wanted to see his son become General, but instead changed goals.
Thanks to him, Captain Blake was now Secretary Blake. But that wasn't Brad Blake's goal. His ultimate goal was to see Secretary Blake become President Blake.
"What I have done was for the best interests of our family," General Blake said. "I've worked too hard and far too long not to see some upstart think they can fuck with us and get away with it. Sooner or later, I'll be dead, and you will have to carry our our legacy. But I will die content with the fact that a Blake is in the Oval Office. The family name is all that will live on aside from our legacy."
"How very Lannister-esque," his son dryly noted. "In case you forgotten, if we send anyone to try and rescue them, then the Black Lotus will not only kill my wife, your granddaughter and her husband, but they will declare war on the party responsible for trying to save them."
"They could be bluffing," his father noted.
"The Black Lotus do not bluff," Blake replied. "They've carried out their threats in the past. Crooked businessmen, drug cartels, mob bosses. Their connections have connections."
"So humor me," General Blake said, annoyed. "Who do you have in mind? Who is crazy enough to come and aid us when all we have are enemies at every turn?"
"Strategic Solutions and Logistics," his son replied.
General Blake knew the name, and of their reputation. And much to Blake's dismay, some of those members were also from the now-defunct Special Forces. As a slap to their faces, the insignia of Strategic Solutions was also the old Special Forces insignia.
However, no one knew who ran the organization. The person in question was merely known as 'The Director.' Blake suspected that both Colonel Flagg and his British counterpart, Colonel Marissa Ronson were just the faces of the outfit, and that they take their orders from The Director.
"Only problem is that they are very picky about their clientele," General Blake said. "They only accept contracts from those of good moral standing, and not from those who are corrupt."
"And we're not corrupt?" Blake shot back.
"Corrupt? I call it 'good business,'" his father insisted. "On top of that, the spies we had sent in do not know who is running the show."
Blake walked over to his desk and pulled out a manilla folder. A dossier. "We already got our foot in the door," he said as he walked over to his father and handed him the dossier. "It all depends on whether or not she wants to play ball."
General Blake looked at the name on the dossier, and his eyes narrowed even further. The name, scribbled in his son's handwriting, was BLADE, SONYA A.
The elder Blake looked at his son as if he had lost his mind. "You're joking, right? You want to go to Sonya Blade, of all people, for help?"
"She works part-time as a consultant and an analyst for Strategic Solutions," Blake explained. "She's been there since the company's founding, which means that she is probably connected to The Director."
"We have nothing to offer her," General Blake said as he looked through the file. "Her dismissal was changed to an honorable discharge." He looked at the photo of Sonya and her husband, taken earlier in the year when they renewed their wedding vows. Even he had to admit that Sonya looked absolutely radiant in her wedding dress, hair done up, while Johnny was in a tuxedo (sans jacket). The photo was of the couple dancing (think Heath Ledger and Kate Hudson in The Four Feathers).
"From a disgraced officer to respected university professor," Blake said. "She's also a mother, in case you forgotten. Her daughters and niece were kidnapped by the Red Dragon not too long ago. She, along with her husband and their allies, not only rescued all three, but proceeded to destroy the Red Dragon for their offense. I'm hoping to appeal to that motherly instinct."
"I know. But we're out of options," his son said. "I'm hoping that Sonya can allow me to have a sit-down with The Director. I'm hoping that whoever the Director is that they can negotiate with the Black Lotus on our behalf."
General Blake closed the file. "You think she'd go for it?"
"I hope so," his son replied. "I leave for L.A. tomorrow. Hopefully, she's still not pissed about what we had done to her. It's been fifteen years."
'I wouldn't hold my breath,' General Blake said. Unknown to his son, he had personally kept some information from him.
Particular, the discovered location of where his son's wife, daughter and son-in-law were being held. All he needed to do was to call in a favor owed to him to a less-than-ethical mercenary outfit to perform the task of not only freeing his family, but to deliver the message to the Black Lotus that fucking with the Blakes was a bad move.
General Blake stood up and walked back over to the mini-bar to fix another tumbler. His son, in the meantime, had left the room.
"What I do, I do for the family," General Blake mused to himself before downing the drink in one go. He reached for the phone and dialed a number.
Little did he know that this decision would ultimately seal the fate of his daughter-in-law and her family.