Chapter 35

Johnny Cage and Kenshi staggered out of the massive office, the chaos of the explosions and gunfire echoing through the corridors. The building trembled under their feet, dust falling from cracks forming in the ceiling. Their bodies were battered and bruised, but determination fueled their every step. Haroshi could not escape. Not after everything he had done.

The distant sound of voices yelling caught Johnny's attention. Among the chaos, one voice stood out, booming with authority: "FBI! Everyone down!"

Johnny let out a strained groan, running his good hand through his messy hair. "Of course. That's Jax. He's gonna kill me."

Kenshi, struggling to keep pace despite the searing pain in his side, gave Johnny a curious glance. "Jax? How do you know him?"

"It's… a long story," Johnny muttered, his voice filled with exhaustion and a twinge of guilt.

Kenshi pressed. "What did you do?"

Johnny hesitated, then shook his head. "I'll tell you later. Let's focus on stopping Haroshi first, yeah?"

Kenshi huffed but didn't push further. Instead, he gritted his teeth against the sharp pain shooting through his ribs. "We need to hurry," he said, urgency clear in his voice.

"Where the hell could Haroshi even be?" Johnny asked, frustration lacing his words as he limped beside Kenshi, glancing at the shaking walls around them. "This place is a maze."

Kenshi hissed in pain, pressing a hand to his side before answering, "The roof. He must be heading there."

Johnny furrowed his brow, confused. "Why the roof? What's he gonna do, sit there and enjoy the view while the place collapses?"

Kenshi paused mid-step, then turned to Johnny, realization dawning on his face. His voice was sharp, filled with dread. "A helicopter. Haroshi's going to escape by helicopter."

Johnny blinked, the pieces clicking together. "Damn it. Of course he has a chopper," he muttered, clenching his fists despite the pain radiating through his broken hand. "Figures the guy who tortures people for fun has an escape plan."

Kenshi straightened, determination in his bloodied face. "We need to get to the roof. Now."

Johnny nodded, his own resolve hardening. "Let's move."

Despite their injuries, the two men pushed forward as fast as their battered bodies would allow. Kenshi's ancestors whispered in his mind, guiding him through the labyrinth of corridors. Johnny followed closely, his ears attuned to the distant sounds of battle below—the yelling of FBI agents, the gunfire from Haroshi's remaining guards, the occasional explosion rattling the foundation of the building.

Johnny glanced at Kenshi as they limped along. "So, about this Jax thing—"

"Later," Kenshi snapped, cutting him off. "Save your breath."

"Fine," Johnny muttered, wincing as another jolt of pain shot through his ribs. "But if he yells at me, you're stepping in."

Kenshi didn't respond, too focused on the task at hand. His grip tightened on Sento, his knuckles white. They reached a stairwell, and Kenshi didn't hesitate, gripping the railing as he began to climb.

The ascent was brutal. Each step felt like an eternity, every movement a fresh wave of agony for their already tortured bodies. Kenshi's side burned with every step, and Johnny's battered legs wobbled beneath him. But neither of them stopped. They couldn't.

As they climbed, Johnny couldn't help but glance down the spiraling stairs below them, listening to the chaos echoing from the lower levels. "Gotta say, though," he said between ragged breaths, "if Jax is here, this whole place is probably swarming with agents."

Kenshi, his voice strained, replied, "Then we better get to Haroshi before they do."

The final stretch of stairs led to a heavy metal door. Kenshi reached it first, leaning against the wall for support as he caught his breath. Johnny joined him, his chest heaving. He glanced at Kenshi, his lips quirking into a half-smile despite their dire situation.

"Ready to crash Haroshi's grand exit?" Johnny asked.

Kenshi gave a small nod, his grip on Sento firm. "He's not getting away."

With that, Kenshi pushed the door open, and they stepped onto the roof, the cool night air hitting their faces. A helicopter sat on the helipad, its blades already spinning, kicking up a deafening roar and gusts of wind. Haroshi stood near the helicopter, barking orders at his men as they loaded a briefcase and other supplies into the chopper.

Haroshi turned as the door slammed shut behind Johnny and Kenshi. His expression shifted from surprise to a smug grin. "Well, well. Look who made it," he called out, his voice carrying over the noise of the rotors. "I'm almost impressed."

Johnny took a step forward, ignoring the agony in his body. "Yeah, well, don't get too comfortable, pal. You're not going anywhere."

Haroshi laughed, his voice cold and mocking. "You really think you can stop me? In your condition? Please."

Kenshi said nothing, his eyes locked on Haroshi. The faint whispers of his ancestors filled his mind, urging him forward. He raised Sento, the blade gleaming under the harsh lights of the helipad.

Haroshi's grin faded as he motioned to his guards. "Kill them."

As the guards charged, Johnny and Kenshi readied themselves, their battered bodies fueled by sheer willpower. They had come too far to fail now.

The night air exploded with the deafening rattle of gunfire as Haroshi's goons unloaded their weapons at Johnny and Kenshi. The spinning helicopter blades above them roared, kicking up wind and debris as Haroshi barked orders from the chopper.

"Don't let them near the helicopter!" Haroshi shouted, his voice barely audible over the chaos.

Johnny and Kenshi dodged behind cover, narrowly avoiding the hail of bullets. Kenshi pressed his back against a steel support beam, gripping Sento tightly. His breaths were sharp, each inhale sending a stab of pain through his battered ribs. Johnny crouched beside a stack of crates, grimacing as he clutched his side, his free hand holding a piece of debris he had picked up as a makeshift weapon.

Any bright ideas, Kenshi?" Johnny called out, his voice strained but carrying his usual sarcasm.

"Take them down," Kenshi replied simply, his tone grim and focused.

"That's the plan?" Johnny muttered, rolling his eyes. "Fantastic."

Kenshi didn't respond. Instead, he moved swiftly, darting out from cover. Sento flashed in the dim light as he disarmed one of the goons with precision, the man crumpling to the ground. Kenshi moved with deadly efficiency, his ancestors guiding each strike despite the searing pain in his body.

Johnny followed suit, emerging from cover and throwing his makeshift weapon at another goon, the sharp edge hitting its mark. The man cried out, dropping his gun. Johnny rushed forward, delivering a brutal kick that sent the man sprawling.

"Stay down, buddy," Johnny muttered, stepping over the unconscious body.

As the two men worked their way through Haroshi's guards, the helicopter's engine roared to life. Haroshi climbed aboard, a smirk on his face as he glanced back at Johnny and Kenshi. The landing skids lifted slightly off the ground, the helicopter hovering.

"He's getting away!" Johnny shouted.

"Not yet," Kenshi growled, his eyes narrowing.

The last goon fell with a grunt as Kenshi's blade struck true. Without wasting a second, Kenshi sprinted toward the helicopter, Johnny limping behind him. The chopper began to ascend, its blades slicing through the air. Kenshi leaped, grabbing onto the landing skid with one hand while holding Sento in the other. Johnny followed, his body protesting every movement as he jumped and caught the edge of the skid, his legs dangling in the air.

"Kenshi, I hate this plan!" Johnny yelled, struggling to hold on as the helicopter rose higher.

Kenshi didn't reply, his focus on pulling himself up. Haroshi appeared in the open doorway of the helicopter, a gun in his hand. He aimed it at Kenshi, but Kenshi was faster, swinging himself into the chopper and knocking the weapon out of Haroshi's grip. The two men clashed, Haroshi throwing a wild punch that Kenshi deflected with his forearm.

Meanwhile, Johnny grit his teeth and used all his remaining strength to climb into the chopper. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, but he ignored it, finally pulling himself inside. He collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air, before looking up to see Kenshi and Haroshi grappling for the gun.

"Hey, don't start the party without me!" Johnny groaned, pulling himself to his feet.

Haroshi snarled, managing to shove Kenshi back before grabbing the gun. He aimed it at Kenshi again, but Johnny tackled him, the three of them tumbling in a chaotic fight. The gun discharged with a deafening bang, the bullet striking the pilot. He slumped forward as blood sprayed across the controls.

The helicopter lurched violently, alarms blaring as the pilot slumped forward onto the controls. "Damn it!" Johnny shouted, gripping the side of the cabin to steady himself. The chopper spun erratically, the city lights below blurring into streaks of color.

Haroshi grabbed onto a handrail to keep from falling, his face twisting in rage. "You fools!" he shouted. "You'll kill us all!"

"That's the idea!" Johnny shot back, lunging for the controls. The helicopter continued to lose altitude, alarms screaming as it tilted dangerously to one side. Kenshi struggled to stay upright, his hands gripping the sides of the cabin.

Johnny reached the cockpit, shoving the pilot's lifeless body aside. He grabbed the controls, his hands trembling as he tried to stabilize the chopper. "I'm not a pilot, but how hard can this be?" he muttered, sweat dripping down his face.

The helicopter bucked wildly, warning sirens screeching as it descended toward the earth. Kenshi and Haroshi continued their brawl, the confined space forcing them to trade brutal, close-quarters blows. Kenshi ducked a swing from Haroshi and countered with a devastating elbow to his gut, but Haroshi retaliated by slamming Kenshi into the cabin wall.

Johnny cursed as he fought to level the helicopter. "Would you two stop trying to kill each other for five seconds?! We're all about to be pancakes!"

The chopper tilted sharply to the left, sending everyone crashing into the walls. Haroshi grabbed onto a seat for support, his gun slipping from his grasp and clattering across the floor. Kenshi moved to grab it, but the helicopter pitched again, sending the weapon skidding out of reach.

"We're going down!" Johnny shouted, yanking at the controls with everything he had.

The helicopter spun out of control, the city lights below blurring into streaks as the aircraft hurtled toward the ground. Haroshi, bloodied but still defiant, lunged at Kenshi one last time, his hands reaching for Sento. Kenshi dodged the attack and struck Haroshi with the hilt of the blade, sending him reeling back toward the open cabin door.

With a sudden burst of strength, Kenshi drove his shoulder into Haroshi, shoving him toward the edge. Haroshi grabbed onto the doorframe, his grip slipping as the helicopter shook violently.

"Kenshi!" Johnny yelled. "Hold on to something!"

Kenshi grabbed onto the nearest strap just as the helicopter clipped a red wood tree, sending sparks, bark, and leaves flying. Haroshi's fingers slipped from the doorframe, and he fell, his scream lost in the deafening roar of the rotors.

The helicopter careened downward, and Johnny gritted his teeth. "Brace for impact!" he shouted.

The ground rushed up to meet them as the helicopter smashed into the earth, the world exploding in fire and metal.