"Where the hell am I?" Johnny's voice echoed into the night as he looked off the side of the pit. The bottom was covered in spikes and miscellaneous bits of meat. The stench of death floated up to the actor who wanted to hurl. Johnny had realized his circumstances may be a bit more serious just as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped with a shriek as he turned to see a familiar blonde behind him.
"What the hell are you doing, Cage?" Asked Sonya as she stood confidently, and unamused.
"Don't scare me like that!" Said Johnny who was clearly startled. She stood unfazed waiting for his answer. "I was just looking for that redhead, but then I figured I'd get a cell signal up here. Tried calling my agent." He finished.
"You should get back to the others. It's too dangerous for you to be walking around here by yourself." Said Sonya to which Johnny chuckled.
"I think I'll be alright, but if you wanna try to break my wrist again.." began Johnny.
"I think about it every time you open your mouth, Cage."
"Yeah, I'm sure." He laughed before once again trying his cell. "Nothing. Are you getting anything on that radio of yours, or is it just for show?" Asked Johnny.
"Of course it's real. Why would I have a fake radio?" Asked Sonya.
"Figured it was part of your costume." Stated Johnny as he leaned over the ledge of the pit trying to hold on to a single bar of service.
"Costume?" She questioned. "I'm special forces, my equipment isn't part of a costume." She stated firmly.
"Wait, you're actual military? that explains the very real flamethrower from earlier." replied Johnny. "This tournament is some bloodsport rip off? To the death and all that?"
"What? Nobody filled you in on the details? She asked, genuinely surprised by the actor's confusion. "Raiden didn't approach you?" She questioned further.
"The tall guy with the straw hat? Yeah, I met him after my fight." Johnny answered while still trying to get a signal on his cell. Sonya was a little more confused by his answer as he turned away from her again trying to fight his phone. She was about to question the actor further when a very familiar voice caught the duo's attention.
"Well, ain't this a sight. Aye Jerek?" Said Kano as the two thugs appeared. "We can kill two birds with one stone here and now."
"Cage, leave now!" Sonya demanded much to his confusion. He quickly noticed she reached for her pistol, but didn't draw it. She had begun to breathe heavily and her eyes were laser focused on the men. Johnny could tell something was off. Not to mention the duo seemed like a pair of stock villains from the discount section.
"Hello, Love." Said Kano as he approached from the other side of the pit. His grin said everything Johnny needed to know. This guy was bad news, and the fact that he and his friend were armed to the teeth didn't put Johnny at ease.
"Ka..Kano…" She Stuttered as the grip on her weapon tightened. Johnny recalled the man from the pier and remembered she was looking for him. However, this Jerek guy was new.
"You won't kill me Sonya. You couldn't before and you can't now." Kano stated. Sonya didn't move an inch. Instead a tear rushed down her cheek as she took a step away. Johnny was really worried now, but still more confused. This definitely wasn't some weird act, was it?
"Don't cry, Love. I'll make it quick for old times sake." Stated Kano as he reached for his knives.
"Pretty sure the lady wants to be left alone, dirtbag." Stated Johnny aggressively as he stepped between her and the mercs.. He quickly noted she was hyperventilating with a couple tears. Something was off in the woman and Johnny already had a scuffle with Kano. He had more than enough information to go at it with Kano.
"I'll be with you in a tick, Hollywood. Gotta pay you back on the pier." Replied Kano. Before Kano could move at Sonya Johnny hit Kano across the face.
"I said back off!" Said Johnny as stepped further towards the mercenaries, ready to fight.
"You wanna die first, Hollywood? Fine by me." He said before rushing the actor. Johnny Cage quickly shot into a shadow kick that took Kano by surprise and sent him flying to the other side of the bridge.
"You know fans think my moves are all wire work and specially effects. Truth is… I am the special effects." Said the actor confidently as the green energy subsided. Kano was clearly shocked by the sudden reveal of power as well as Jerek, and Sonya who now questioned if she was hallucinating.
Jerek rushed next, but Johnny easily caught him and brought his head down into Johnny's knee before a sidekick put Jerek on the ground.
Johnny Cage took advantage of Kano's shock with a second shadow kick that connected successfully. Kano was sent sliding across the floor of the bridge one again before returning to his feet with his knives out. He threw one at the actor, but Johnny flashed his quick reflexes by catching the knife before it hit. Kano was quick to tackle Cage to the ground with the two rolling around wrestling for an upper hand over one another. Meanwhile Jerek rolled in pain holding his cracked skull.
Sonya watched in shock as she came to the realization that Johnny was defending her. Not only was he defending her, but he had some crazy abilities. She couldn't even lift a finger against Kano, and Johnny had wiped the floor with Jerek, and was toe to toe with Kano fearlessly. Special forces kept tabs on all known meta humans, and Johnny Cage certainly wasn't on the list. Meanwhile, Cage was fighting for his life against the merc. Kano was more than happy to get another shot at Cage after their scuffle at the docks. He got atop of Cage and tried driving the knife down on the actor with Johnny trying to hold it back. He was losing his strength as the knife got closer to his chest and that's when Sonya finally reacted.
A burst of energy and she stretched her arm out to fire her ring blasters that connected directly with Kano's face. The energy attack knocked him off the actor and sent him stumbling back. Johnny Cage shot up to his feet and lined up a sliding shadow uppercut with Kano stunned. The blow sent Kano an easy ten feet into the air before he came crashing down to the ground unconscious.
"You just got Caged!" He exclaimed as he threw a fist out of excitement. Kano was beaten with Jerek unconscious as well. The actor turned his attention back to Sonya who was breathing extremely heavily even though she'd been out of the action completely. "Hey, you alright there, beautiful?" Asked Cage.
"Yes." She answered sternly as her senses came back. "Thanks to you, Cage." She said, looking away from Kano's unconscious body."
"No problem." Answered Cage with a grin. His wounds from both fights didn't show in the slightest. "You sure you're okay. You really seem kinda out of it?"
"Yeah, sorry I um.." began Sonya, still unable to explain what actually happened to her.
"Like I said, no problem. You don't gotta explain anything. Plus he almost had me there. In the end you saved my ass." Said Johnny.
"What were those abilities, Cage?" She asked genuinely curious.
"Been able to do that since I was a kid. Studio always saves thousands on special effects." Explained Cage. "Pretty much everyone I know has seen it."
Sonya mentally slapped herself realizing that if Johnny could go unnoticed so easily from the government, so could other meta humans. She had assumed they'd known of most people with special abilities. Apparently not the case if Johnny wasn't even really trying to hide it.
"Listen Cage, I didn't mean.." She began before being cut off by Johnny.
"It's fine. I…." He paused. "Who was that guy?"
"Kano, black dragon mercenary, very bad guy. Been trying to bring him down for years." Explained Sonya.
"So you can explain what's going on then, right?" Asked Johnny.
"I know more than you, maybe, but less than I should." Answered Sonya.
"So you know about this threat to the world stuff that Liu keeps talking about? Shao Dahn or whatever."
"No idea what you're talking about. I knew this place would be dangerous, but it's getting pretty crazy. Even for me." Answered Sonya.
"Well it's not all bad at least this asshole is…. Hey! Where?" Asked Johnny in a sudden turn as he noticed Kano had slipped away from the pit somehow.
"Don't worry about it, just get back to the others. I'll handle Kano." Stated Sonya.
"Are you out of your mind? No offense, but you look like you've seen a ghost. I'm honestly surprised you haven't covered me in puke yet." Rambled the actor.
"You really know how to flatter a girl, Cage."
"Johnny." He corrected as the duo shook hands. "All I'm saying is a good night's sleep would probably help."