Chapter 14 - Armed and Dangerous
Cassie
A few days have passed since I completely lost my shit over Vic and Sareena's revelation. I was so angry at him I was ready to dump him for real this time…but something was telling me that I shouldn't and I'm glad I listened. He had opened up to me on a level I knew he hadn't done with anyone else ever. Sareena had walked up to the pair of us one morning as Vic and I were sparring using light taps. For a fraction of a second I wanted to punch her into next week but I decided to hear her out.
"Cassie, I am sorry I revealed what happened between Vic and I to you," she said. "It should have been him. You need not worry about me attempting to steal him. I can tell he cares deeply about you and you do the same to him." Sareena held out her hand. I stopped sparring with Vic and shook it. Then we exchanged smiles…plus in her smile, I see that she offered to poke fun at Vic from time to time. Oh boy! I'll take you up on that no problem!
"What drew him to you?" I asked.
"His kindness," Sareena answered. "He saw who I really was but helped me instead of attacking me." That…wasn't the answer I was expecting,
"Excuse me?" I asked. Sareena's form shifted into something that made me jump a little in surprise. She had turned into a red horned demon with a glowing orange marking going down her chest. She even had a pointed tail and hooves.
"See?" she said in a deeper and raspier version of her voice before turning back into her other form. I looked over at Vic. He shrugged.
"My sensing ability was insistent that Sareena was friendly. Well, maybe a little too friendly as you know…" Vic said. Both Sareena and I exchanged smirks again.
"He's a good kisser isn't he?" I said. Sareena nodded. Vic turned a dull shade of pink.
"I like how he's grown into that goatee over the years. Before, he looked as if someone drew it on with a marker," Sareena added. I sniggered while Vic rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"I have had better though. But you were one of the good ones," Sareena continued before she gave Vic one more smile and walked off back towards Ashrah and Raiden.
"Good, nice ego booster. Awesome," Vic muttered. I turned to him with a mock angry face. He recoiled. Man, messing with him a little bit is always so fun!
"Was she your best?" I demanded. Vic immediately shook his head.
"Not even close," he said. "When I'm intimate with you, I can just tell you love me. Sareena and I knew that it was just going to be a fling. I know you like it when I -mmph!" I had stopped the cute man's rambling about me with a kiss.
"You're my best," I whispered.
"Really?" he whispered back.
"Let's see. After you there was Zack and Dylan. Zack was a pretentious douche with a nice body but a bad kisser and beyond lazy. Dylan was just an asshole. You tell me," I said.
"Dylan," Vic growled. "That sex offender guy who got arrested at Giuseppe's?!" I nodded. Vic made an angry sounding growl. I calmed him with a gentle grasp of his shoulder. For good measure, I made a Shadow Cassie do the same.
"Did…Did he…" Vic began.
"No," I said truthfully.
"He doesn't know what you like!" Vic stammered. "I do! Your favorite thing is -" Again he was cut off but this time it was by someone clearing their throat. It was Raiden. Vic sort of stared stupidly at him.
"Oh no. Please. Do go on," Raiden said with a smirk.
"What, looking for tips to try and woo Kitana?" Vic said without missing a beat. Raiden turned red.
"DAMMIT FUJIN!" Raiden exclaimed and walked in the direction of Fujin, who I saw was conversing with…
"Daddy?" I asked.
"Yes?" Vic responded. I gave him a look and then gestured towards my dad. Vic turned a little red.
"No doofus, my actual father," I said. Wonder what my dad's doing here though. Maybe he wanted to see me cause I'm his favorite?
My dad looked over in our direction, smiled and joined us.
"Hey Punkin and Mr. Freeze!" he said and gave me a hug.
"Wow, it only took you like ten years to come up with that one," Vic said as my dad gave him a bro hug.
"Oh you know the person who actually said that back in the day. I can't take credit for that one," my dad said. Vic's eyes widened.
"Oh boy…" he said. "Now I remember…" I knew who my dad was referring to. His twin sister. My auntie. One of my favorite people in the whole world! My dad's older brother however…douche. No other word for it. Tried to capitalize on my dad's successful acting and directing career. Don't see him much.
"Vic got it!" my dad said. "What do you say you two? Wanna go pay my little sis a visit at her job? I hear she got promoted recently," I gasped.
"Really?!" I exclaimed. "What's she doing now?!"
"I believe she works directly under…oh boy, can't remember their name BUT it has something to do with tech development. Plus, I heard it through the grapevine that she has also got a new plus one," my dad explained. Again I gasped.
"WHO?!" I shouted happily. I always liked seeing my auntie when she's happy. She was just as fun as my dad and they were on great terms with each other.
"Dunno," my dad answered. "Someone from work I think."
"Why are we going there?" Vic asked.
"Jax had been speaking with one of the techs there and he said he may be able to restore Jacqui's use of her arms," my dad said. Oh right! Jacqui! I haven't kept you informed much have I due to my boyfriend being a colossal dingus. Her wounds had healed well but she was suffering a lot of trauma because of it. Early on, she used to just get freaked out by butter knives. Although there was a silver lining. That paramedic that treated her? Takeda? Oh yeah. They were a thing now. Big time. She told me how their first "date" was him spending all night with her in her hospital room watching bad movies and making fun of them. There ya go Jacq!
"Is Jacqui there now?" Vic asked. My dad nodded.
"She's on her way with her dad now. Fujin told me I could get you two and head over there to see her," my dad said. "Said you guys deserve a break."
"Does Auntie know we're coming?!" I asked excitedly. I wanted to surprise her so bad. She had once been the one to pick me up from school one day when I was like five after my parents had been unavailable to do so. I remember how fast I ran to her that day and gave her the best hug ever. My dad smiled.
"She does not," he said and then turned to Vic. "And she doesn't know her favorite niece in the world has her old boyfriend back either." Vic's eyes widened again. Oh goodie! This was going to be so much fun!
At the Outworld Investigation Agency.
"Let's see," the checkpoint guard said and started to read his list. "Johnny Cage, Cassie Cage and…Victor Harris? Do I know that name?"
"You might," my dad said. "It's common. Now can we go through please or do I have to call Kenshi?" The guard cleared his throat and buzzed the three of us in.
"Man, I always come here when that guy's working," my dad mumbled as we walked down the hallway. "He's such a pain in the ass."
"Things I Say to You on a Daily Basis," a female voice I 100% recognized said from around the corner. Within seconds, my auntie appeared in front of us. She looked pretty much just like me except our hair styles and eye colors were different. Her hair was long and tied into a long ponytail that went down to her shoulder blades. Her eyes weren't blue like mine but rather a light brown. She was wearing green camo pants with brown boots along with a white sleeveless shirt which showed off the tattoo she had on her arm. It was really simple. Just a sword with her name engraved on it. It was the name she went by rather than her maiden name. It was Sonya Blade. I think she preferred that name rather than Sonya Carlton. Just rolls off the tongue better.
"Auntie Sonya!" I said not being able to stop myself. Auntie Sonya recoiled and then realized that I was there along with her twin brother. She was currently drinking some coffee.
"Hi Munchkin!" she said, put her cup of coffee down on a desk nearby and hugged me.
"Munchkin!" Vic said from behind Auntie Sonya. "I forgot about that!" Vic knew for a fact that he wasn't allowed to call me two names. Punkin and Munchkin. Much like how I couldn't call him "sweet boy." He didn't. In fact, he typically didn't call me names like "honey" or "babe" or anything like that. Sometimes it slips out but it's not often. The names he uses the most are "Cass" and "Cass-hole" which was fine with me. I'll do it to him no problem cause I know he likes it.
As I expected, Auntie Sonya became rigid upon hearing Vic's voice. She was also at his funeral and was one of the three people who needed to drag my sobbing ass away from Vic's coffin. The other one I now realize had been Raiden. Auntie Sonya slowly turned to face Vic and I heard her gasp.
"No…no way…Jax was right?" she said to my dad. My dad nodded.
"It's him. Apparently he wasn't at home when it happened," he said. Vic sort of waved at Auntie Sonya before she wrapped him in a hug as well. She had always liked Vic. She was the one I always talked to about my feelings for Vic and what I should do to get him to notice me that way. I did laugh as Vic said something like "Hey SonyaAAAH!" as Auntie Sonya gave him a hug.
After a few seconds, Auntie Sonya let Vic go and turned to me.
"Do I need to beat him up, Munchkin?" she asked. "He disappears for ten years leaving you in a state of despair for a time and then thinks he can steal your heart again?" I shook my head and watched Vic breathe a sigh of relief. Auntie Sonya heard and smirked at him.
"Say Johnny, do you remember your anniversary party at that dance hall?" she said. My dad frowned.
"Yes. Why…oh…oh!" my dad answered excitedly. Vic looked as though he wanted to disintegrate into the ground.
"Oh ho ho! Look at his face! He remembers how he thought I was you Cassie and we shared a slow dance together before he realized who I really was. His face was priceless!" Auntie Sonya recounted. Yes. I do remember that. Another one of my favorite memories. I had been in the middle of talking to my mom when a slow song came on and I went looking for Vic…only to find him dancing with Auntie Sonya instead. I stood on the edge of the dance floor with my parents and watched. Vic's reaction was also adorable. He had done a double take in my direction and panicked while Auntie Sonya pecked his cheek. That memory lives rent free in my head!
"Let's see if he remembers the song," Auntie Sonya said. "If you don't, you can't date my Munchkin anymore." Vic mumbled something to the floor. My dad cupped his hand to his ear.
"I'm sorry, you danced with my sister to which song?" my dad asked. Vic looked at me and I gave him my "you better answer correctly" face. Vic sighed.
"Rascal Flatts. My Wish," he said to Auntie Sonya. She smiled.
"DING DING DING! What do we have for him Johnny?" she exclaimed happily.
"Hold on Hold on. Sonya I believe you told me something else he did," my dad added. Oh really? Vic turned even more red than before. It reminded me of my red Shadow Cassie.
"He sang part of the chorus to me," Auntie Sonya said. "I see why you like him." Vic was holding his head in his hands while I smiled at him. I pulled his hands away from his face and he saw I was smiling at him. Wait, did he think I was mad at him for dancing with my aunt?
"Sweetie, she's my aunt," I whispered. "What, you think that counts as you picking another woman?" He nodded slightly. I lightly patted his cheek which told him that I, of course, wasn't mad at him for this. If anything, he made Auntie Sonya feel like she was young again for a moment.
"You were also so cute in fifth grade, Vic," Auntie Sonya added and even pinched Vic's cheek. "With such a big crush on my Munchkin."
"Gee thanks," Vic muttered. "Say it louder."
"He called me pretty the first time I met him too," I added. Auntie Sonya gasped.
"You did not!" she said excitedly to Vic.
"Yes he did sis," my dad said. "I heard him do it." Vic sort of stared at the wall.
"Don't you think I forgot about what I used to call you too," she said. Vic gulped while I joined in on my Auntie's smirk party. I remembered. It was one of my favorite nicknames for him.
"Please don't," he said softly. Auntie Sonya shrugged.
"Whatever you say…Frankenstein," she said while both my dad and I chuckled.
"Yeah alright, laugh it up Johnny Pee Pants," Vic retorted. My dad immediately stopped laughing and turned to Auntie Sonya.
"You told him!" he exclaimed. "I had one accident when we were kids! ONE!" Auntie Sonya was making a heart with her hands and showing it to my dad.
"Your friend Jacqui's already here, Munchkin, come on, let's go see her!"
In the OIA Lab
The four of us ran into Kenshi and Takeda right outside the entrance to what I assumed was a lab where all the tech these guys used was developed. Takeda looked a little nervous about what was happening to his new girlfriend.
"Hey Ken," my dad said. Kenshi moved his head in our direction.
"Oh good, you're all here," Kenshi answered.
"How's she doing," I asked.
"She's been in there with her dad and the surgeon guy from Australia for about two hours now," Takeda explained. Auntie Sonya raised her eyebrows in concern.
"Kano? He's the on-call doctor today?" she asked. Kenshi nodded.
"You know, I was reluctant to take him in due to his past but he seems to have adjusted to his new role quite well," Kenshi said. Vic narrowed his eyes at this. Oh boy, I sure hope this Kano guy wasn't in league with the cult at one point in his life.
"What kind of past?" my dad asked. Instinctively, I grabbed Vic's hand to stop his bubbling rage.
"Black Dragon. Back when it wasn't a cult but just a cutthroat group of mercs," Auntie Sonya explained. "Kano was the leader before that new guy took the whole operation from him." Vic's other hand clenched.
"Easy there big guy," I whispered. "Relax. Relax."
"Hold…hold on…I heard from the Red Dragon guys that the Black Dragon was founded by Jarek?" Vic said to her.
"The cult part was," Kenshi said. "The Black Dragon itself used to be another PMC but with presumed criminal activity rather than just known like the Red Dragon."
"What happened?" I asked.
"Kano was the leader. Usually going where the money went even if the job was a bit shady. His right hand man and friend was Carlos Kabal, now a police officer in the area. They did this for years, having run-ins with the OIA a few times. Both helping us and running from us. Then a new guy arrived. At first, he followed Kano's orders but started to have ambitions of his own. Plenty of other members of the Black Dragon shared this guy's ambitions and staged a mutiny," Auntie Sonya explained. "During the battle, Kano lost his eye and Kabal was severely burned. He has since recovered thanks to advancements in medical technology. I'm not the biggest fan of him being here but he's given me no reason to suspect any relapses into old habits."
"Sonya…" Vic began. "That…that guy killed my parents. The new guy. Not Kano." Auntie Sonya looked outraged.
"Yes…that makes sense!" Auntie Sonya exclaimed. "I constantly heard about a farm girl whenever I ran into old Black Dragon guys!"
"That's…that's her," Vic said and hid his face. "He also killed my dad." Auntie Sonya walked over and hugged him as if she was his mom. I could tell Vic appreciated it.
"It's alright sweetie," I said and joined them. "You still have us." Vic smiled slightly.
At that moment, the door opened and a middle aged man appeared. His most defining feature was the cybernetic looking eye he had on the right side of his face. I could see two black dragon head tattoos going up the bottom of his neck and I presumed that they were actually just part of the entire tattoos. He had a brown goatee with a touch of gray hairs in there. The same went for the hair on his head. Something tells me that this guy wasn't Auntie Sonya's type. Good. I wanted my auntie to be with someone…that didn't come off so hostile even if he had good intentions now.
"'Ello Sonya," he said in an Australian accent. "Who do we have here?" The man said and gestured to the group of us.
"My twin brother, my niece and her boyfriend," Auntie Sonya explained. "This is Kano." Kano inclined his head.
"Is it done?" Takeda asked frantically. Kano shook his head.
"Then why the fuck are you out here?!" Takeda exclaimed.
"I have to rack a piss mate," Kano said and started to walk towards the bathroom. "She's doing fine. Her dad's in there watching the vitals." I watched as Kano went into the bathroom followed by him going "Ohhhh yeeeeaaaahhhh."
"Please tell me you aren't dating him Auntie," I whispered to Auntie Sonya. She shook her head.
"Not my type," she said and gave a quick wink to Vic. Vic turned red again while my dad and Kenshi sniggered.
"Then who is it?" I asked excitedly.
"One of the lab techs," Auntie Sonya responded. "We've gone out twice so far."
"Are they nice?" I asked, still as excited as before. I loved it when Auntie Sonya was happy.
"Don't worry about me Munchkin," she responded and hugged me. "I'm a big girl. You and I do know how to pick our partners."
"I learned from the best," I said and looked over at Vic who looked as if he had just been hit with some sort of musical idea. He was whispering to himself as he fingered chords on an air guitar.
"You know he sang to me Auntie," I whispered. "Like my own song." Auntie Sonya let out a small gasp.
"He can still date you," she said. "I'll allow it!"
Kano emerged from the rest room with his hands dripping wet.
"Right then, let's finish this," he said and used his boot to open the lab door. Then I heard him go "Ello Jacqui, did you miss me?" The group of us kinda stood around and waited. I watched Vic try and beat my high score on Zuma on his phone for the majority of it. A few times he got pretty close but messed up right at the end.
"Crap," he whispered after about the fifth attempt. Then he saw me watching.
"You're cute when you're all flustered," I whispered back.
"I agree," Auntie Sonya added. Vic jumped again. Before he could embarrass himself even more, the door swung open and Kano and Jax emerged. Kano saw us and gave the air a chef's kiss.
"I amaze myself with my genius sometimes," he said. "She's doing just fine mate. You can go see her now. I gotta talk with the Commander here about potential, well I guess you could call it 'maintenance' on her arms." He and Jax walked away as Kenshi, Takeda and my dad filed into the room. Auntie Sonya hung back with me and Vic. She was watching Kano's retreating form.
"I can never get a good read on that guy…" she muttered then turned to Vic. He recoiled again. I rolled my eyes.
"Vic, she's my aunt," I said. "Relax."
"What? Did he cheat on you?!" Auntie Sonya said and raised her hands. I made her lower them.
"Later, let's see Jacqui," I said. The three of us entered Jacqui's operating room. She was awake and sitting up. She looked about the same since the last time I visited her back in the general hospital except you know for the metal forearms and hands. One of them was holding onto Takeda's hand and Jacqui was softly speaking to him while Kenshi spoke with my dad. Jacqui saw us and waved with her other metal hand.
"Hey guys," she said happily. More happy than usual. Then again, renewed use of your arms would do that to a person. I walked over with Vic.
"How do they feel?" I asked.
"You know, kind of heavy but I have full control of them if that makes sense," she answered. "I feel like I could crush something with them." Instinctively, we watched our boyfriends wince. I smirked at mine.
"Why would I do that to you, that's mean," I whispered into his ear. "I love you too much."
"Right…yeah, love you too," Vic answered. "So Jacq, gonna try to get back on the team or something?" It was Jacqui's turn to wince.
"They…they terminated me soon after the accident," she admitted. I feared that honestly.
"So…what do you intend to do with your life," I asked. Jacqui turned to Takeda who was still holding her other hand.
"I think being a tech and EMT like Takeda sounds right up my alley," she said. Takeda winced and then shot Jacqui a look.
"Hold on a second," Vic said. "I thought you were just an EMT." Takeda shook his head.
"The arms…were…were actually my idea…I'm just not a doctor," he admitted. Jacqui gasped.
"No…no you didn't," she said.
"I saw how miserable you were so I got to work during my nights where I just sat in the ambulance," he said. "Ran them by your dad and Kano and they both believed they would work. In fact….I was just offered a part time tech job here after your dad saw my prototypes for retractable laser whips and a pink energy ring launcher."
"No way," Auntie Sonya said and pulled something out of her pants pocket and slapped it on her wrists. It looked like one of those wrist mounted disc launcher things. But I knew for a fact that it wasn't.
"These were your idea Takeda? I fucking LOVE these things! The lab guys whipped them up for me the other day! I was in the firing range for hours with them!" Auntie Sonya continued. She raised her wrist and scanned the area for a target, spotted my dad with his back to her and gave me a wicked grin.
"Won't hurt him," she whispered and fiddled with something on the side of the device. Then she took aim and fired a pink ring of energy right at my dad. It hit him and caused him to go "Ahh! What the…Sonya!"
"Even I saw that coming," Kenshi added with a chuckle. I turned back to Jacqui and Takeda just in time to see her kiss him. He still looked a little flustered. As did Vic for some reason.
"You alright sweetie," I asked him.
"Yeah…yeah," he said truthfully. "Just…you know, feeling a little inadequate." The entire room heard him say that, even the returning Jax and Kano.
"Bullshit kid," Jax said. "You saved Jacqui from bleeding out before Takeda arrived, remember?"
"You saved me and my teammates a few weeks before that too," Jacqui added.
"You saved me on that race track. Remember? When I realized who Thrash was?" I said and took his hand. Auntie Sonya gasped again.
"He is not," she exclaimed. Vic demonstrated by making the wind blow Auntie Sonya's hair a little. He even formed a neon cat colored orange and guided it over to sit on her shoulder. Auntie Sonya let out a small squeal as she petted the cat.
"You're the son of that farm girl aren't you," Kano asked Vic. "You're the one Jarek is after." Vic nodded. I kept holding onto his hand in case he started to get angry. Kano walked over to us. Up close, I expected him to smell like piss and beer but rather, he smelled like deodorant and slightly burned flesh.
"If you ever get the chance mate, eliminate the tosser would ya?" he said.
"So you can have your clan back," Vic asked instinctively. Kano I believe expected this.
"Mate, that was a long time ago. I did my time, got out clean and decided to work in cybernetics after fashioning this bad boy," Kano said and pointed at his eye. "Kabal and I were some of the better ones. Yeah I helped out some bad people a few times but that's in the past now. Jarek was and still is the problem."
"Right…" Vic said. I squeezed his hand.
"You're a better man than he is, mate. I can feel it. You don't make me wanna bash your head against my metal eye," Kano added. Then he started talking to Jacqui about arm maintenance. I squeezed Vic's hand again and he squeezed it back.
"What's this about you potentially cheating on my Munchkin," Auntie Sonya asked us. My dad heard her.
"Yeah, I wanna hear this," he said and punched his fist into his other hand. Vic gulped.
"I uh…sort of had…" he started.
"When we were broken up, he had a date that lasted late into the night and into the early morning," I finished. Then I had to hold both Auntie Sonya and my dad back.
"Guys, chill. We talked about it." I said. "It's in the past. Neither of us can change it. Much like how I can't change how I went out with other people too." Auntie Sonya and my dad stopped trying to get their hands on Vic.
"Both of you have told me that you like him," I added and grabbed Vic's arm. "He felt terrible about it and admitted guilt before he said I was the only girl he loved." Auntie Sonya held out her finger to Vic.
"I will hold you to that ok Frankenstein," she said. Vic nodded. My dad also seemed to take Auntie Sonya's stance on the situation.
"I trust you because my Punkin trusts you, but I will kick your ass if you hurt her for real. Got it?" my dad said. Vic nodded. Good. Because, like I said, I am never losing this man again. Ever.
Back at Fujin's
Vic, my dad and I returned to Fujin's after spending more of the afternoon with Jacqui. Auntie Sonya decided to accompany us in order to meet Vic's uncle. Fujin and Raiden were out sparing on the front lawn while Nightwolf, Ashrah and Sareena watched with great interest. I watched Auntie Sonya flinch upon seeing Ashrah.
"It's ok Auntie, she's friendly," I whispered as we approached. Ashrah did a double take at my dad before giving him a friendly smile. Nightwolf was the one who spoke to us first.
"Oh hello," she said. "Who is this? Your older sister Cassie?" Auntie Sonya smiled.
"No, but I can see how you could make that assumption. This is my aunt. Sonya," I explained. Sonya shook Nightwolf's hand.
"I am Nightwolf," Nightwolf said politely. "Are you Cassie's mom's sister?"
"No. Johnny's my brother," Auntie Sonya said. Ashrah looked over in surprise.
"She is your twin? You know I have been meaning to ask you, why did you not tell us years ago?" Ashrah asked. My dad shrugged.
"No one really asked. More interested in our douche older brother. But Kuai Liang's older brother makes ours look like Wyatt Earp by comparison," my dad explained. Fujin and Raiden had stopped fighting in order to greet Auntie Sonya.
"Ahh, another ally recruited," Fujin said to Vic. "See? What did I tell you? Many share your goal of eliminating Jarek and his cult." Vic sort of nodded.
"Wow…so your mom had two brothers, Frankenstein?" Auntie Sonya asked. Sareena and Raiden made shocked expressions before smirking at Vic.
"Thanks Sonya," Vic muttered.
"Yes. She thought it best to keep us at a slight distance while Vic was growing up due to his powers," Fujin explained. "I have informed Dante's siblings of Vic's survival years ago as well before you ask."
"Bet you anything Zia was dying to see me," Vic muttered.
"We were there for a lot of the bigger moments. Well, Fujin more so than me," Raiden added. "I happened to witness your first date with him Cassie."
"Really?" I exclaimed. "How?"
"Remember the cotton candy Vic got for you?" Raiden asked and grinned. "I was the man behind you. I just so happened to be taking a walk before visiting Hikari when I saw my nephew with the girl I knew he really really liked." I thought about that day for the millionth time and yes, now that Raiden said it, that was him standing behind us. Vic realized this too.
"That explains the comment of 'blue, nice choice'," Vic recounted.
At that moment, Kimi appeared looking a little worried. She spotted us and walked over.
"Hey bud, have you heard from Kurtis?" she asked then did a double take in Auntie Sonya's direction.
"Don't worry," Auntie Sonya said. "I forgive him too." Kimi smiled at her before turning back to her brother. Vic shook his head and then pulled out his phone.
"Why?" he asked.
"He said…he said he had something important to ask me today," Kimi said, trying to hold in her excitement. I gasped.
"YOU THINK SO?!" I shouted. Kimi nodded.
"Bout fuckin time," Vic muttered. "He's been talking about it for like weeks." Then I watched as his face got illuminated by the light of his phone while it vibrated.
"Oh ho! Speak of the devil!" Vic said and showed the group of us the screen. It read "Big Kurt" along with a picture of Kurtis.
"Lemme put it on speaker," Vic said and tapped the screen. "Yo Kurt, where are you pal? Kimi's lookin for you." But the voice we all heard coming from the other line was not that of Kurtis Stryker, renowned police captain and boyfriend of Kimi Harris.
"Kurtis isn't here right now, can we take a message?" a menacing male voice came through the speaker. Vic's face went from confused to angry in a matter of about three seconds. As did Kimi.
"YOU!" she shouted.
"Kim…" we all heard another voice say faintly followed by a grunt and a cackle. Fujin's anger flared when he heard that cackle. I knew it was Kira. Ashrah had mentioned she had been revived since her initial attack at my dad's house.
"Yes, me. Jarek," the voice of Zayne Jarek responded. "Now see, I know how you and your little girlies sabotaged my operation greatly a few nights ago. That's not very nice. In fact, I am beyond pissed."
"Forgive me if I didn't send over a fucking WHOOPS I'M SORRY BASKET!" Vic shouted back. "WHERE IS HE!"
"He? You mean them right?" Jarek taunted. "Hear that everyone but Kurtis, the hero you worship doesn't give a shit about you, only the cop!" Wait…them? How many more people does he have hostage right now? I started to hear a struggle followed by a woman yelling obscenities. Fujin got even more pissed than before. Vic noticed.
"Let. Suchin go. Now," he growled.
"Oooh, tempting. But that's a pass," Jarek taunted. "Let's see, who else do we have here…you know Stryker?"
"Vic…don't GAHH!" Kurtis said before I think he got punched in the face. Kimi snarled angrily.
"Moving on, please, introduce yourself," Jarek said. A woman's voice answered, a familiar friendly voice that once told me and Vic to speak to her daughter.
"Nightwolf. Will end you," she said before it too was followed by a smack. Nightwolf said "Ina!" before a string of what I believed was curse words in her native language.
"Moving on, please, state your name and business with Mr. Harris," Jarek said. This time…it was Takeda's voice that answered.
"Bad move, kidnapping my mom," he said before he too was punched. Jacqui must be freaking out right now. I pulled out my phone and saw that yep, she was. Multiple messages telling me she couldn't find Takeda anywhere.
"And one more, this one says she's from Outworld! Oh my! The sister of the Empress over there even! This is good! She can tell us where. Onaga. IS!" Jarek growled. A new voice I didn't recognize spoke.
"Empress Mileena will have your head if you even set foot in Outworld!" she said. Raiden's eyes widened in recognition and he turned to an absolutely furious Fujin.
"Yeah ok sure. Whatever," Jarek said. "Now Mr. Harris, you will return my items to me and join us in conquering the realms OR I will be sending you bits and pieces of them. Capeesh?"
"I've got a better idea," Vic snarled. "How about I shove them so far up your ass they tickle the back of your eye sockets."
"Yeah ok," Jarek said. "I'd like to see you try." Then he…laughed? it didn't sound like a laugh to me. It sounded kind of like he had peanut butter stuck on the roof of his mouth. Literally sounded like "Hmmmhhmmhmhmhmmhm."
"I'm feeling generous. I will be going away for the evening. You have until I get back in the morning, ok Vicky Boy?" Jarek said. "Ta ta now!" Then the phone went dead. Vic slowly looked up from the phone to the rest of us.
"What…what do we do," he asked the group of us.
"You take your uncles, sister and Nightwolf with you and you go find them," I ordered.
"But…" Vic started.
"We'll stay here and hold down the fort ok," I said and took his face in my hands. "You come back to me, do you hear me?" He nodded and I kissed him quickly. I pulled away and ran my hand along his face.
"That goes double for the rest of you," I added as Vic ran to join the others. Auntie Sonya and my dad joined me by my side as we watched the others run out of sight.
"This is what you guys are up against?" Auntie Sonya asked. I nodded. She grasped my shoulder.
"Count me right the fuck in," she said and held her hand out. My dad put his hand on top of hers. Ashrah and Sareena followed suit as well as me.
"Team Fujin's House Defense, Assemble!" my dad exclaimed.
Before I joined the rest of them inside Fujin's house, I looked toward the direction Vic had run in. He better come back, if he doesn't I will kick the shit out of these Elder Gods or this Liu Kang guy I keep hearing about.
