Mortal Kombat: Redemption
A Mortal Kombat Three-Part Fanfiction
By Snafu the Great

DISCLAIMER: Mortal Kombat belongs to Netherrealm Studios. This story was inspired by the Love Hina fanfic Love Hina: A Different Path Taken by Zombie Boy, in which Keitaro becomes a mercenary and inherits the Hinata Inn. So I decided to give it a shot with my own twist.

CANON DIVERGEANCE! Aside from Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage, Kitana, Jax and Nightwolf survive Sindel's rampage in Mortal Kombat 9, as it had been a dying Kurtis Stryker who had slain Sindel with his remaining grenades, blowing both her and himself up in the process. It is because of this small change, that Jax is now in command of the Special Forces, and Johnny and Sonya's marriage is more stable...for the most part. But it did go through a rough patch in regards to their daughter, Cassandra. This story details an alternative retelling as to how Cassandra joined S-F.

Part One

Note: The Customs Scene here was inspired by Crying Freeman. You can probably guess where I got Cassie's alias from. I also tossed in references from MK: Legacy and Star Trek.

San Francisco International Airport – San Francisco, California

The name of the passport read Catherine Montilyet. French in origin. The customs officer looked at the picture, then at the woman standing before him. She looked to be in her early twenties, with shoulder-length red hair and green eyes. Eyes that were concealed by an expensive pair of oversized sunglasses. Her manner of dress was a simple woman's business suit; the jacket and pants black while the shirt was red (think Vice's new KOF uniform). A pair of heels completed the outfit.

She had came with two items; her travel bag and a suitcase, of which the latter was now open. The customs officer removed the cotton cloth that covered its contents. What greeted him was the sight of clay.

"What is this?" the custom officer asked.

"It is clay," the woman replied, her English laced with her French accent.

The officer cocked an eyebrow. "You're bringing clay into the country?"

The woman nodded as she regarded her cargo. "Oui. I am a potter. And good pots are from made of good clay. Like most potters, I make my own. The trick is to find the right mud, dry it, and lump it into small pieces. When that is done, you then sift it." She removed her glasses, allowing the officer to look into her green eyes. "The objective is to increase the claytal quality, so that the end result is good plasticity and a high refraction."

She looked at the clay and trailed her hand along the material. "I've heard that some people store their clay for up to twenty years, if not more." She looked back up at the officer and gave him a dazzling smile as she moved in for the kill. "Tell me, Monseiur...would I be breaking that record at this counter?"

"Is there a problem here?" the second officer asked, an older man, having finished searching her travel bag.

The first officer shook his head as he placed the cloth back over the clay and snapped the case shut. "No problem," he said as he handed the woman back her passport. "Enjoy your visit, Miss Montilyet."

The woman placed her sunglasses back on her face and retrieved her luggage. "Merci beaucoup. Bonne journée," the woman said.

Unknown to her, the second customs officer picked up a phone and dialed a number. Minutes later, there was an answer. "General Briggs."

"General. It's Lewis," the false customs officer said. "She's here."

"Good. I'll notify Colonel Blade. That will be all."

Meanwhile...

Catherine Montilyet walked at a brisk pace through baggage claim. As she headed to one of the baggage carousels, a woman fell into step beside her, shorter than she was, with spiky short dark hair and brown eyes. "Welcome to San Francisco, Miss Montilyet," the woman greeted.

"Clay," Catherine growled, the French accent now gone. "You sent me to England for a suitcase of potter's clay, Lynn? Seriously?"

"Oh, suck it up, Cage," Lynn replied. "I'm paying you for the job. And it was easy, right?"

Cassandra Montilyet – or rather, Cassandra Cage – snorted. "Nothing is every easy, Lynn. Things are too hot right now. S-F is still trying to track me down, and then there's the Shirai Ryu. I'm surprised the Lin Kuei hasn't come for me."

Her handler grinned. "And whose fault is that, Specialist Cage? Need I remind you that you brought that upon yourself when you ghosted Kano and his buddies."

"Not like I had a choice. Had they found out that Catherine Montilyet and Cassandra Cage were the same person, then my family would be in even more danger."

"Didn't know you still cared," Lynn replied.

"Dad and Jacqui? Definitely," Cassie said. "Uncle Jax? Maybe. Sonya...?" Her expression darkened as she retrieved her small suitcase.

"You still blame your mother for what happened?"

"She sold me out, Lynn. Sold me out for a goddamned promotion. I was kicked out of the Army because of that. And then she turns around and tells the world that she's sorry and she wants to make up? I call bullshit."

"At least now your discharge is changed from dishonorable to general under honorable conditions," Lynn pointed out. "It also gives you a chance to return to the Army."

"If it meant dealing with her, no thanks," Cassie said.

"But being a mercenary isn't too healthy for you either, Cass," Lynn said. "Sooner or later, you're gonna have to deal with your past."

"'Private contractor,' I told you. So what, you're my conscience now?"

"Nope. Just your handler, whom you pay handsomely for my services in keeping you amused and fed. And the coin you pay me is not too shabby either. And you know I do a good job, unlike my predecessor."

Cassie nodded. Had you asked the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade what she would be doing in three years, 'mercenary' wasn't what Cassie had in mind. Although she preferred the term, 'private contractor.' The cover of her going on a worldwide tour was a cover for her to move around more effectively without drawing any attention to herself.

But Cassandra wasn't always a mercenary. She had been a soldier, having decided to follow in her mother's footsteps and to pursue a military career. She had enlisted at seventeen, and was rapidly working her way through the ranks, without help from her mother. There was talk of her attending O.C.S.

Then, when she was nineteen, she had been dishonorably discharged for assaulting a superior officer. When she was court-martialed, her mother had promised to be by her side. But when Cassie saw Sonya with the rank of Brigadier General on the day of the verdict, she knew almost instantly that her mother had sold her out. The last time she had saw Sonya, her mother had to be taken to the hospital following Cassie breaking her jaw.

Her previous handler was Barton Torrance, who once worked alongside Cassie with the PMC when she first started as a mercenary. They had come to odds over her taking not only riskier assignments, but assassination gigs as well. That was where Cassie drew the line. No wet-work, despite how high they paid. Fortunately, Torrance did not know her true identity as Cassie Cage.

So Torrance decided to sell her out to S-F in exchange for a big payday. Led by General Jackson Briggs and Colonel Sonya Blade, two teams of S-F stormed the hotel where Cassie had been staying, hoping to capture the infamous mercenary. Cassie had been at the hotel's indoor swimming pool when she was caught off guard by two Spec Ops soldiers kicking her door in, pointing guns at her when she was wearing nothing but a towel.

Sonya and Jax had been alerted to Cassie's presence (unknown to the both of them that both Cassie and Catherine Montilyet were one in the same) by the soldiers she had beaten down. After all, only two people knew the Shadow Kick, Sonya's husband being the other one. The entire hotel was locked down, but the bionic-armed general and the blonde colonel had underestimated Cassie's resolve. Cassie had dragged the unconscious man inside her room, and stripped him of his uniform, donned it and made her escape, down the stairs and out of a service entrance.

By the time Jax and Sonya had found the bound and stripped man inside her hotel room, Cassie was in the wind. Fortunately, she always was packed, as she was always on the move.

Cassie was in her own words, 'a glorified drifter with a huge bank account and a set of skills.'

If there was one thing that pissed Cassie off to no end, betrayal was number two on that list. The Blood Code was number one. Torrance was surprised to find out that not only Cassie had escaped the snatch teams, but she was also at his doorstep.

Torrance tried to explain his actions, but Cassie wasn't hearing none of it. She proceeded to beat him within an inch of his life.

The last she heard of Torrance, he was still eating his food through a straw.

That's when she ran into Lynn Carter, a former Army comrade now living in San Francisco, working as a potter. She still had ties to the military, and Cassie offered her the job of being her handler. So far, Lynn had done an excellent job.

But deep down, Cassie knew that her days were numbered. Sooner or later, someone will find out that Catherine Montilyet and Cassandra Cage were one in the same. And if it was one of the more unsavory elements, then they would threaten her parents' lives in exchange for her cooperation.

"I knew you would be pissed, seeing as how you wanted to start your little vacation," Lynn said as she produced an envelope, thick with cash, "which is why I added a little bonus for your services."

Cassie accepted the envelope, while she handed Lynn the suitcase of clay. "I'll be in South Lake Tahoe if you need me," Cassie said.

"A pleasure as always, Specialist Cage," Lynn said, nodding as she and Cassie parted ways.

'I'm not a Specialist,' Cassie thought darkly as she exited the airport and walked towards the parking garage, where her car was parked. 'Not anymore.'

Following her dishonorable discharge, she had been staying with her Aunt Rebecca, her father's sister. However, as Cassie knew, having a dishonorable discharge was tantamount to a felony. Her father's influence could only take her so far.

So after three days of fighting in L.A.'s underground fight clubs, one morning, as Rebecca and her family slept, she left her cellphone on the table, a letter addressed to her father, walked out of the house, and disappeared.

Her travels took her first to the Lakota shaman and Raiden's right-hand man. Her father had always spoken highly of Nightwolf, and he was instrumental in purging the effects of the Blood Code from herself, Jacqui and Raiden. He was the first teacher who helped her purge the darkness from within her soul, but was unable to help her with the warrior bloodline she had inherited from Johnny.

So after six months of training, Nightwolf had sent her to Outworld, where she receive instruction under the Royal Consort of Outworld's Empress, the former Champion of Mortal Kombat himself, Liu Kang. Kitana had led the attack on Shang Tsung's Island, backed by Jax, her father, and Sonya. Apparently, Kitana Kahn had taken offense to Reiko's attempts in becoming a Blood God, which meant that Outworld would be at risk.

At the time, both Cassie and Jacqui were under the Blood Code's influence. Mileena, Kitana and their parents had been captured and were being drained of their blood in order for Reiko to consume and become the Blood God. But the ceremony was brought to a halt by Liu Kang's arrival, along with backup of his own. In the end, Cassie and Jacqui were freed of the Blood Code, and Kitana made peace with Mileena, offering her sister/clone a place in her court. Mileena accepted the offer.

Liu had seen the anger and rage in Cassie. The same that he himself had towards Raiden that had led him to Outworld. So he became her second teacher. The former Shaolin Monk taught her how to control her anger, to focus it. Cassie was a quick study. While Liu taught her how to control her emotions, Kitana had taught Cassie the art of stealth, of which the former princess and assassin had plenty of experience of. She also gave Cassie advice in regards to Sonya, should they meet again under more neutral circumstances.

But the nightmares of Cassie and the Blood Code intensified. So Liu and Kitana had taken her to Shang Tsung's Island, which led to Kitana rendering Cassie unconscious with a spell, forcing her to fight her past self in order to face her demons and put her nightmares to rest. That proved to be a successful trip.

After six more months of training, Cassie's final leg of her journey was to the Realm of Order, Seido. Her father had spoke of his own past experiences in the Realm of Order, training under the Seidan Guard Commander, Hotaru. Cassie sought him out for her own training in regards to the warrior bloodline she had inherited from her father. Not only did she would spend her 20th birthday in Seido, but she learned more about not only her inborn powers, but of the origins of the warrior cult behind them.

Suffice to say, the Seidan training Hotaru had put Cassie through made basic training look like a square dance. When she returned to Nightwolf's home following her year-and-a-half long journey, she was in bed for a week. While she recovered, Nightwolf told her of what has happened in her absence. As it turned out, the officer she had assaulted which led to her court-martial was the son of a powerful Senator, Damien Perry, who sat on the Armed Forces Committee.

The blanks were starting to fill in for Cassie when Sonya held a press conference explaining her actions and incriminating Senator Perry as the catalyst behind her daughter's court-martial and dishonorable discharge. She accepted the deal under the condition that Cassie was to be given a general discharge. Perry broke that deal when he used his influence to have Cassie dishonorably discharged, and bought Sonya's silence with the increase in rank.

That opened the floodgates for Perry to be charged for a number of federal crimes, as he was already being investigated, including covering up several sexual assaults done by his son, who was now spending the rest of his life at the Naval Consolidated Brig, while his father was spending his life at a federal prison.

Cassie wasn't convinced. Both times, her mother had chosen her career in an act of self-preservation. But still, it has been three years since she has spoken with her parents. Or her dad, at least. But now, she could at least rest and recover for the next couple of weeks before the next job.

It wasn't Special Forces, but working as a freelance mercenary had its perks. She had worked with a PMC, but they wouldn't give her the time of day, always subjecting her to menial tasks. Then she kills Kano and his lieutenants and now job offers were coming out of the woodwork from both sides of the law. She was credited with killing Kano and Kira, but it had been the Red Dragon who had destroyed the infidel organization.

Unknown to both parties, it had been Cassie who had manipulated the Dragons in trying to kill each other. She had framed the Red Dragon for the deaths of Tasia and Jarek (when in truth they died by her hand), knowing Kano would retaliate. She was also responsible for killing Tremor, but like the other two, the Red Dragon took the blame.

Cassie approached her ride – a black Dodge Charger Police Pursuit Car. She had bought it at a police auction and had it customized for her tastes. Reinforced suspension, bulletproof chassis, and safety glass. She even kept the police cruiser's safety bumper, as she thought it looked cool.

Once her suitcases were squared away, she was behind the wheel. She took a moment to remove her wig, revealing her short blonde hair (think Anya Strond's hairstyle), and tossed that in the bag. The contacts were next, the green eyes revealing to be brown, just like her father's. The contacts were placed in a case and Cassie stored them away inside her bag.

The car turned over, the engine roaring to life, and was soon on her way for several weeks of rest and relaxation.

Cassie did not notice the woman on her phone as she drove past. She saw her board the flight from London, but thought nothing else of it.

"Yes...notify the Grandmaster. She's here. She's on her way to South Lake Tahoe."

At the same time, at the Special Forces Training And Research Base El Toro - Orange County, California.

There wasn't much that could shock General Jackson Briggs. He was one of Raiden's chosen warriors, and the superior officer to Colonel Sonya Blade, who was married to Johnny Cage, the Hollywood action star, and Raiden's chosen champion.

But as he looked at the photos that had been given to him by Sonya and Johnny, shocked was an understatement. The aforementioned colonel and her action star husband sat in chairs on the other end of his desk, Sonya's expression was, while Johnny had his poker face. It had to be serious, as Johnny wasn't wearing his glasses.

The photos had been delivered to them three days earlier by the Lin Kuei grandmaster himself, Subzero, and his chief lieutenant, Frost. Johnny had his suspicions over the identity of the mercenary, which was why he had called in a favor to Subzero. Instead of trying to capture Montilyet, they were to monitor and track her. It had been following a three-way brawl between Takeda Takahashi, Frost and Cassie herself was her identity confirmed.

Johnny and Sonya knew of the bitter rivalry between their daughter and the female cryomancer, going back to shortly before the Blood Code event.

Jax had been away when Subzero visited the couple. Since then, the pieces fell into place for Sonya. They were not looking for Catherine Montilyet. They were looking for Cassandra Cage.

[Flashback]

Three days earlier, at the Griffith Observatory...

Johnny knew that Sonya would be pissed at him, but he had to be sure. If his inquiry into Catherine Montilyet turned out to be nothing but smoke and mirrors, then nothing would come of it.

But when Johnny heard the name, his interest grew. After all, Montilyet was not a French name. Johnny knew this, as he used the name for his main character in 'Ninja Mime.' So he had a meeting arranged with Subzero and called in the debt the Lin Kuei grandmaster owed to him for warning him about the Lin Kuei's intentions during the Outworld Tournament.

Subzero's task? Monitor and positively identity Catherine Montilyet. Which led to this meeting tonight.

Kuai Liang was surprised to see that Sonya had accompanied the film star. He could almost see the fallout from this meeting, as Johnny kept this secret from his wife. But he can understand why he had done this. After all, he was also privy of the events leading to Cassie Cage's discharge, and Sonya's near-fall from grace.

Johnny let out a low whistle as he looked Subzero over. The master cryomancer was clad in a dark business suit, a closed manilla envelope in his hands. "Looking good, Kuai," he greeted.

Subzero inclined his head. "Johnny." He looked at Sonya. "You brought her along?"

"She's gonna find out sooner or later," Johnny replied, shrugging his shoulders. "So what do you got for me?"

"It appears that your concerns about Miss Montilyet were correct," Subzero said.

"Knew it," Johnny said, but kept his composure.

"Montilyet? Catherine Montilyet?" Sonya turned to her husband. "Johnny? Why are you interest in her?"

"It's a mutual interest, babe," Johnny replied. "She's our daughter."

"What did I tell you about calling me...wait, what?" Sonya's mind went back to what Johnny had said, the ever-familiar reprimand forgotten. "Go back. What did you just say?"

"Montilyet is not a French name, let alone a word," Johnny explained. "Catherine Montilyet is Cassandra Cage."

Sonya's eyes widened in shock. Then it turned to anger. "You knew?!"

"I suspected," Johnny replied calmly, shrugging his shoulders. "Montilyet was the name of my character from 'Ninja Mime.' I had to know for sure."

"You had the Lin Kuei tail our daughter?!" Sonya screeched in fury. "You knew and you didn't tell me?!"

Sonya's anger immediately evaporated with Johnny's response. "Remind me again as to why S-F has the Shirai Ryu on speed-dial, let alone why did you have them try and snatch our daughter on two separate occasions?"

With Sonya effectively silenced, Johnny turned back to a slightly amused Subzero. "My apprentice, Frost, had confirmed her identity. Kenshi's son led the snatch team from the Shirai Ryu. I'm certain that Hanzou knows that Montilyet is your daughter. Cassandra had confirmed her identity to Frost. Then they fought in a three-way battle. I have to say, your daughter is vicious in kombat."

"We taught her well. Do you have her whereabouts now?"

"She's in London," the cryomancer replied. "She should be back in the States within the next couple of days." He then handed over the folder to Johnny. "This is what we were able to find on your daughter. She's been very busy these past couple of years."

Johnny noticed that the folder had some weight to it. Almost like one of his scripts.

"You are aware of the demise of Kano and several of his lieutenants?" Subzero asked. When they nodded, he continued. "I had a spy within the organization. It was Cassie herself who killed them."

Now Johnny was surprised. "Cassie did that?"

Subzero motioned to the folder in Johnny's hands. "Everything you need to know is inside. Your daughter has been quite busy these past couple of years."

"When she comes back, let me know, okay?"

Subzero nodded. "I will. Once your daughter is back, then the debt will be paid."

Johnny nodded. "Thanks again."

[End Flashback]

Johnny and Sonya didn't get no sleep that night, as they sat at the table going through the notes, documents and photographs, as they made a profile on their daughter and her exploits in the past couple of years. They knew that Cassie was still alive, as she updated her social media page with pictures of her travels.

It had been Johnny who had suggested that Cassie's world tour was a cover for her job as a mercenary. When he began to put the pieces together, matching various photos with the dates of Cassie's contracts, Sonya was impressed. Even after 20 years of marriage, her husband can still surprise her when the occasion called for it.

It also coincided what Nightwolf and Liu had told him, not to mention Commander Hotaru when he visited Seido.

Suffice to say, Johnny and Sonya were shocked as to what Cassie had been up to for the past three years. Their only daughter, a mercenary, one of the best. She was like a chameleon, disguising her voice with various accents and changing her appearance with minor prosthetics, wigs and contact lenses so that her clients would keep guessing. Some reports say that she was French, others say that she was Italian, Czech, British, Spanish, even Russian.

But what shocked the action star and his military wife was that Cassandra Carlton Cage was the perpetrator of the Black Dragon's fall. But the reports that Subzero had given them had all but verified it. Cassie had done what Sonya and Jax had failed to do in over twenty years. She killed Kano, and brought down the Black Dragon. She was the silent partner, and her role was only known to the Lin Kuei and the Shirai Ryu grandmaster, Hanzo Hasashi.

Despite getting her hands dirty with killing Kano and his lieutenants, not to mention the fifty Black Dragon mooks inside the Black Dragon's hideout, Cassie did no assassination jobs, much to Sonya's relief.

Her expertise was mostly protection and undercover work and the occasional retrieval. Her work ethic was professional, and the clients got their money's worth.

Right now, Jax was looking at the photos. He did not get to the reports just yet.

Johnny's phone vibrated in his pocket. He quickly retrieved it and opened the screen. A text message from a private number.

Cassandra Cage is in San Francisco. On her way to South Lake Tahoe.

Johnny nudged Sonya and showed her the message. She nodded and turned back to Jax.

Jax had hated the Black Dragon as much as Sonya and Johnny. But even he was appalled by the extreme violence that had befallen Kano's lieutenants.

The first picture was that of the charred remains of a woman, still holding a ninjato in her hand, her body smashed into the chassis of a car. A smaller, second picture confirmed her identity to be Tasia, the resident swordswoman and kunoichi of the Black Dragon. If the gas explosion didn't kill her, then the fall onto the car from the fifth floor certainly did. The reports stated that Tasia had been led into a trap involving a ruptured gas line from a stove and a lit candle. Crude, but effective.

The second photo was that of a man. From the stains of blood on his kneecaps, they had been shot out. The coup de grace was the bullet to the head. Reports read that there was bubble gum stuck inside the head wound, a final indignity. The man was Jarek, Kano's protegee and right-hand man. Jarek had been wanted for over 20 murders. He would not be missed.

Cassie had framed the Red Dragon by placing a tattered piece of cloth containing the Red Dragon insignia next to Jarek's body, along with a message written in Chinese. As Jarek was Kano's No.2 guy and potential successor, Kano would not take his and Tasia's deaths lying down.

That reignited the war between the two rival organizations. And Cassie sat back and watched as the carnage unfolded. She watched as the Black Dragon's numbers were thinned down, while the Red Dragon also suffered severe losses.

Jax and Sonya had heard reports from Kenshi that the Red Dragon and the Black Dragon were now in a full-fledged war. Fortunately, the war was far out of population centers, mostly aimed at their respective strongholds out in such places as Afghanistan, Iran and western China.

The third photo was that of a muscular hooded man wearing a mask. Tremor, the Black Dragon's muscle who can rival Jax when it came to strength. His head had been obliterated from a grenade. This was taken in Buenos Aires. The reports read that Tremor was ambuhsed by a Red Dragon assault squad. Tremor had killed them all, but was unaware that Cassie had been in hiding with a bazooka. Never let it be known that Cassie Cage didn't play fair.

Cassie had missed, the grenade detonating behind Tremor as it had impacted an overturned car. But it was a blessing in disguise. The force of the explosion had destroyed an arm and a leg. Cassie finished him off by jamming a live grenade down his throat, which blew his head into bloody chunks.

The fourth photo was that of a buxom redhead. Kira, the Black Dragon's weapons merchant. She had been worked over pretty good, Jax realized. The report said that her cervix and vulva had been violently ruptured from being punched down below. The picture showed that Kira's skull had been fractured, the bloody holes where her eyes once were showed that they had been blown out. Overkill, but like Jarek, Kira wouldn't be missed.

But it was the final photo that had shocked Jax most of all. A bound man, with a mangled face-plate, looking in remarkable shape for a guy pushing sixty, hanged from his wrists from a length of chain over an overhead beam, the glowing red eye having been shorted out, a gaping, bloodied hole in the back of his head.

Kano, the leader of the Black Dragon.

According to the mole within the Black Dragon, they had been successful in capturing Catherine Montilyet following Jarek and Tasia's deaths, but she had escaped. The deaths of Kira and Tremor followed shortly thereafter. According to the report, Kano himself was led into a trap, and had taken several bullets in the spine, robbing him the use of his legs. The scalpel sticking out of his artificial eye had shorted out his faceplate.

Then he had been strung up by his hands, paralyzed from the waist down.

Kano did not die easily. As Johnny and Sonya found out, Cassie had tortured him over the course of two hours. Like her parents, she had no love for the Black Dragon, as they kidnapped her and Jacqui years earlier. Kano was known to torture his victims for information. But this, Jax realized, was personal. First, she had used his torso as a punching bag, breaking the bones in his ribcage and rupturing his internal organs. But it wasn't the broken ribs or the internal bleeding that had killed him.

The second photo showed how Kano had died. His ribcage was open from the back, and his lungs had been pulled out. Kano was given a 'blood eagle,' meaning that she had used his knives to sever his ribs near the spine and opened them, allowing her to pull out Kano's lungs. Even with his cybernetics, it took Kano fifteen minutes to die. By that time, death would have been a blessing.

The shotgun blast which had obliterated the back of his head was considered overkill.

Jax looked up from the photos. "How did you get these?" he asked.

"The Grandmaster himself delivered them to us," Johnny replied, now serious. "I had my own suspicions, so I called the Lin Kuei for assistance."

The bionic-armed general looked at the action star. He still disliked Johnny for knocking Sonya up over twenty years earlier, but he did right by marrying her. Over the years, his attitude towards Johnny had cooled. "What's your stake in this, Cage?" Jax asked. "Catherine Montilyet has nothing to do with you. Why are you so interested in her?"

"Cassandra Montilyet is our daughter," Sonya deadpanned.

Now Jax was surprised. He looked at the photos. Then he looked at the couple. "Cassie did this?" he asked, flabbergasted.

Johnny nodded. "It seems that our warrior princess has picked up some nasty habits in the past couple of years since The Incident," he said, while Sonya closed her eyes in shame.

Sonya had been on the fast track for Brigadier General when Cassie was court-martialed. But Secretary Perry had forced her hand when he had summoned her to his office with an ultimatum: choose your daughter and not only will she spend 20 years in military prison, but her military career, along with Jax and Jacqui's would be ruined along with Johnny's acting career, or do nothing and accept Cassie's discharge. To add insult to injury, Perry had fast-tracked Sonya's promotion to Brigadier General, as a reminder that he owned her. For Sonya, that single golden star was her badge of shame.

For Cassie, to be betrayed by her mother was the final straw. Sonya ended up with a broken jaw. Johnny had been away filming on location when The Incident went down. But Sonya had been trying to make amends, to seek redemption in her missing daughter's eyes.

When Perry's son was arrested for raping a federal agent, Sonya and Johnny took action. They held a press conference calling out Secretary Perry and Sonya had revealed the circumstances surrounding Cassie's discharge. That led to Perry being investigated. Cassie's case was reopened, and she was exonerated, the dishonorable discharged changed into a general discharge under honorable conditions. In the end, Perry was in jail and Cassie's name had been cleared, and Sonya had taken a voluntary demotion back to Colonel.

"The Lin Kuei's mole within the Black Dragon has all but confirmed that Cassie was the one responsible for...that," confirmed Sonya. She looked at the photo of Kano's corpse, still in disbelief. "She killed Kano."

"She also was the architect behind the war between the Black and Red Dragons," Sonya explained. "She knew that she couldn't take Kano and his gang head-on. So she framed the Red Dragon for Jarek and Tasia's deaths, knowing that Kano would retaliate. It also confirms what Kenshi and Hanzo has told us in regards to the war between the two."

"Who'd have thought that Cassie and Montilyet would be the same person, let alone a mercenary?" Jax mused. Then his phone began to ring. He picked up his cell and answered it. "General Briggs."

"General. It's Lewis. She's here."

"Good. I'll notify Colonel Blade. That will be all." Jax ended the call. "Cassie just arrived in San Francisco from London."

"We know," Sonya said. "Johnny had the Lin Kuei tail her. And we know where she's going."

"Where?"

"The lakehouse at South Lake Tahoe. The one I bought for Rebecca? Cassie loved going there."

Jax nodded. He turned to Sonya. "Sonya, I want Charlie and Delta Teams on standby. We leave within the hour. Cassandra Cage is a high-value target."

"No."

The general and the colonel turned to the action star. "Excuse me?" Jax said.

"I said no." Johnny repeated. "You are not going to send armed soldiers after my daughter again, not to mention that Becky would kill me if the place got trashed..."

"...who is a former soldier-turned-mercenary," Jax reminded him. "A highly-trained and dangerous mercenary, one who has killed Kano and his lieutenants."

"Did you hear me, Briggs? That's. My. Daughter. You're not going to send a snatch squad after her. You failed the last time. This is just my problem as it is yours and Sonya's."

"Not my call. You can thank Secretary Blake for that."

"S-F had their shot, Briggs," Johnny replied, the tension rising between the two men. "Now, it's my turn. You send two snatch teams on her doorstep, you'll spook her. Just like what had happened in Seattle. Imagine what would happen if she finds out that you sent two more teams of Spec Ops on her doorstep. Imagine the carnage if Sonya is there with them, or if she ends up fighting you. You do this, and we lose her for good. If the both of you want Cassie back in the military, and in S-F, then we do this my way."

"It's not your way, Cage. It's my way or else."

"Would you do the same to Jacqui had the roles been reversed?"

Now Jax was pissed. He rose from his seat. "Don't you dare bring my daughter into this, Cage..."

"Enough! Both of you!" Sonya shouted.

Both men giving the other the stink eye, Jax and Johnny stood down.

Sonya sighed. "He's right."

Jax had a look that would be considered smug, until Sonya pointed to her husband. "I meant him."

Now Jax was shocked. Sonya was backing her husband?

But Sonya continued on. "Cassie will be on her guard, probably has been since Seattle. As much as I hate to admit, Johnny is the best chance we got." She turned to her husband. "What do you have in mind?"

"Sometimes the most difficult of problems requires a practical solution," Johnny replied, rising to his feet. "I'll go and talk to her."

Sonya was on her feet. "I'm coming with you."

Johnny turned to his wife. "No. You stay here. I'm going alone."

"Why? She's my daughter, too, Johnny," argued Sonya.

"And you're not exactly her favorite person at the moment, hon," Johnny said. "Cass is a lot like you when it comes to holding a grudge. Three years is a long time, and people change. Cassie is an unknown. You read her file. It reads like one of my movie scripts, and half of the stuff she's done I wouldn't have dreamed of. On top of that, she's killed a large number of Black Dragons, not to mention she did Kano and his buddies in."

"But..."

When it looked like that Sonya was going to argue, Johnny placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sonya...I know you want to make things right with Cassie, but if you come, then she will say no right off the bat. Cass still resents you for what you have done. Just imagine what kind of damage she can do to you if you're there."

He turned to Jax. "Like it or not, I'm your best chance. I already got one foot in the door because I'm her father. That's all I need for her to listen to me. But we do this my way. I go alone. No backup, no snatch squads."

Jax and Sonya took a moment to ponder Johnny's words. He did have a point. The Shirai Ryu and everyone else had failed, meaning that Cassie would be on her guard.

Sonya closed her eyes and sighed. She knew that her husband was right. She really hated those moments when her husband was actually right. At least he didn't lord it over her.

"You're not going alone, Cage," Jax said.

"I'm doing this alone," Johnny insisted. "This is not negotiable."

"It's okay, Jax," Sonya said. "Let him do this."

Jax sighed. "Fine. If you find Cassie, then tell her not only there's a spot open for her in S-F if she's interested. Since we can't pay her a mercenary's wage, Secretary Blake has authorized me to offer a commission for her."

"And if she says no?"

"Then we'll leave it at that. I won't pursue. You have my word."

Sonya grasped her husband's arm. "Bring Cassie home, Johnny."

Johnny smiled. "I will, babe." With a peck on the lips, Johnny was out the door.

The following day...

It had been a lazy day for Cassandra Cage. She rose at dawn, jogged along the trail, returned to her retreat, trained, cleaned and reloaded her pistols, ordered takeout Chinese, and lounged around the house. She checked her phone. No messages from Lynn, which was fine, as she needed a break from her job.

The lakehouse belonged to her aunt, Rebecca Carlton. Her father had bought it for her after losing a bet with her favorite aunt. It was her sanctuary, her private hideaway. It was here that she was not Catherine Montilyet, mercenary extraordinaire, but rather Cassie.

She loved being a 'private contractor,' but even she knew that she could not do this forever. Sooner or later, she would slip up. She had more than enough money saved up to retire. But she would probably go nuts not doing anything.

As she stood on the outdoor patio, looking out on the lake, Cassie was considering her options. With Kano dead and the Black Dragon destroyed, she could breathe a bit easier. Acting was out of the question, as it did not interest her, despite having incorporated it into her line of work. She could go to college, get a degree, but she found conventional work dull. She even flirted with the idea of going back to Seido or Outworld. As much as she hated to admit, she enjoyed the military life more than anything.

Cassie frowned. Even now, thinking about General – no, Colonel Blade left a bad taste in her mouth.

It was here, on the outdoor patio, was where her father had found her.

Cassie knew that it would only be a matter of time before S-F would try their luck again in trying getting to her. S-F had failed. After that, the Shirai Ryu failed in their task twice. And before that...well, she lost count after the first fifteen attempts. Fortunately, if it did came to blows, all Cassie left were bruised egos. Leaving behind dead bodies tend to cause problems.

She had prepared for every scenario. She just didn't expect her father to show up.

Cassie said nothing as her father approached her from behind. She still said nothing as he stood beside her. She did glance at him. Aside from his hair starting to go gray from the sides, he looked the same. She turned back to the lake, just as her father looked at her, and grinned.

"Thought you'd might be here," Johnny said.

"If it had to be someone who would finally track me down, I'm actually relieved that it was you," Cassie said. "How did you know?"

"Catherine Montilyet," her father replied. "When I heard the name, I got curious. I thought you hated 'Ninja Mime.'"

"I do, and just about everyone else. The French love it, though. Don't know why I chose Montilyet as my alias. It just stuck. How did you find me?"

"Ever wondered why the Lin Kuei apart from Frost didn't try to capture you?" Johnny asked. When Cassie looked at him, he explained. "Subzero owed me a favor in the past. I called it in, and had him tail you. It was after your little three-way-brawl between you and Kenshi's boy did he confirm your identity."

Cassie nodded. She had a contract in Japan after fleeing Seattle, working security for a Japanese-American businessman. Of course by that time. It had been sheer dumb luck that Cassie had encountered Frost while she was on leave. A fight ensued, which drew the attention of Takeda, who was also nearby. The one-on-one fight escalated into a three-way-brawl, one which Cassie had won.

"You've been busy for the past couple of years, Punkin."

Cassie smiled wryly. "I'm a little too old for Punkin, Dad." Her expression fell. "You didn't come here to chit-chat, Dad."

"Actually, that's part of the reason why I'm here."

"You're alone?"

Johnny nodded. "Yeah. Had to drive eight hours to get here. Jax and I almost came to blows over you. He wanted to try and send another snatch squad after you again. I said no."

"Even now, you're still protecting me. So Uncle Jax and Sonya know about me?"

Johnny couldn't help but to frown slightly as to how she addressed Sonya. Not 'Mom,' or 'Momma,' The way she said Sonya's name was as if she saw her as nothing more than a genetic donor, and not a mother.

"They do," he replied. "You mind if we continue this conversation inside?"

Inside the living room, Johnny settled in the armchair, while Cassie returned from the kitchen, bottled water in her hands. She tossed one to her father and sat down on the love seat.

"I haven't heard from you in a long time," Johnny said as he took a sip of water.

"You were worried about me?"

"Of course. You may be an adult, but you're still my daughter. Especially after I found out that it was you who provoked the Black Dragon into going after the Red Dragon."

"You disapprove?"

Johnny shook his head. "Sonya and Jax were restricted by the law. You weren't. I also think that you went after them for kidnapping both you and Jacqui, right?"

Cassie nodded. It had been Havik, the Cleric of Chaos, who had ordered both her and Jacqui to be kidnapped. Then they were taken to Shang Tsung's Island, where they had been corrupted by the Blood Code, and used as bait to lure their parents to the island in an attempt to make Reiko a god.

It was because of that incident which led Cassie and Jacqui to join the military. But it also left in Cassie a deep hatred towards the Black Dragon.

"The Red Dragon offered me a place within their organization. Not me, but Montilyet. I refused. I guess due to me killing Kano, they left me alone for the most part. Could be out of respect or fear for doing Kano in. They don't know that it was me who set them up for killing Jarek and Tasia."

"The Lin Kuei do. They had a mole inside the Black Dragon."

"Were you serious in saying that Uncle Jax was going to send two more snatch squads after me?"

Johnny nodded. "Yeah.

I convinced both him and Sonya that I would be the better choice. That, and your Aunt Rebecca would kill me if this place got trashed."

Cassie chuckled. "She does have a temper on her," admitted the younger Cage. "Guess that's why she's my favorite aunt."

"She's your only aunt."

Cassie laughed. Then she sighed. "I'm sorry, Dad, but I had to leave. I was so filled with rage..."

"I know. I saw your handiwork on your mother. She had to get her jaw rewired."

Cassie closed her eyes. "I never had any problems with my anger in the past...before the Blood Code. Nightwolf was a great help in purging the darkness out of me."

"I know. He told me. Of course, this is after you left for Outworld. Liu told me that he mentored you in the art of kombat when he came to visit the Shaolin Temples here."

Cassie nodded. "Both him and Kitana. Then I went to Seido, as I remembered you telling me about that trip."

"Sonya was pissed when she found out I had the Lin Kuei tail you. But then again, she did have the Shirai Ryu to try and capture you."

Cassie held up two fingers. "Twice. First time, it was just Takeda. The second time, Scorpion had came along with him, along with a squad of Shirai Ryu. Rather than get my ass handed to me by a former specter, I did the next best thing. I ran. Good thing I learned parkour while I was in Paris."

"Yeah, Sonya told me about that too. She said that Hanzou was actually impressed with how you managed to escape."

"And how is Colonel Blade?" Cassie asked, Johnny noticing the disgust in her voice as she pronounced her mother's rank with sarcasm.

"She's doing well. It was rough for a while. So you know about what has happened since you were away? About how you were cleared of all charges?"

"I saw the press conference," Cassie said. "I saw how the top brass accepted her request and busted her back down to Colonel." Cassie scoffed. "Now she decides to be selfless. Even now, she was only thinking about herself."

"There were mitigating circumstances as to why Sonya chose her job over you," Johnny said. "One of them was to keep you from spending time at the bed-and-breakfast down in Miramar."

"The Naval Consolidated Brig? Still not convinced, Dad."

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "If I told you the reason why Sonya did what she did, you would not believe me. It would be best if she told you herself." Johnny leaned back in his chair. "She's been suffering, Cass. We all have. Your mom's a fighter, but that decision to save you has haunted her every single day."

"..." Cassie remained silent.

"We almost divorced over it. We had been separated for a while once I found out. Even kicked her out of the house," Johnny continued. He sighed. "Sonya's rep had taken a major hit because of what has happened. Turns out that Sonya had her own problems. Problems that even I did not know about. That woman can fight her way out of anything, but her biggest enemy was the bottle."

Now this surprised Cassie. "Mom's a drunk?"

Johnny nodded. "She hid it well. Even from me. She started drinking more after I had kicked her out. So much more that her job performance was starting to suffer. That's when Jax and I decided enough was enough. Say what you want about me and the tinman, but we tend to agree on certain things when either you or Sonya is involved. Probably the only thing we agreed on in years. He suspended Sonya for six months and I helped her get back on track. We reconciled, and she moved back in. She's been sober now for almost three years."

"And you?"

"Tai Chi," Johnny replied.

"Figures. You still act?"

"I'm on break. Been working as a consultant with S-F. Secretary Blake has asked me to put together a team consisting of Special Forces, Shaolin, and Shirai Ryu. We asked the Snowman if he could send a representative of the Lin Kuei, but he declined. In truth, the orders came from a higher authority."

"Old Sparky himself?"

Johnny nodded.

"Who else is on the team?"

"One other person, so far. Lieutenant Briggs."

Now Cassie was surprised. "Jacqui's a lieutenant?"

Johnny nodded. "Just finished O.C.S. She'll be at El Toro tomorrow."

"And you want me on the team?" his daughter surmised.

Again, Johnny nodded.

Cassie sighed. "Why me, Dad?"

"Because I want people I know I can trust. While Jacqui's view of me is mixed, she still respects Sonya. Even though I can still hold my own in kombat, I'm not getting any younger. I'll be 53 this year, Sonya's almost 50, and I seriously think that Kitana's not gonna tell us the secrets of Edenian longevity any time soon, unless Shang Tsung has a book about it lying around somewhere...Sooner or later, us older folks are gonna have to retire, and your generation will have to step up and take our place."

"I'm a mercenary, Dad. I doubt that S-F would want me on their payroll," Cassie noted with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Last time I checked, the U.S. military frowns down on such a thing."

"But Jax would. You've been cleared to come back to the military. Sonya saw to that. He's given me an offer to extend to you, but you'd be better hearing it from Jax himself."

"You want me to come with you to El Toro?"

"Yeah. Come with me, Cass, and hear Jax out."

"I would have to see Sonya again, would I?"

"It's inevitable. She is your mother."

"A real mother would have not sold me out in order to get promoted," Cassie spat out. "I...I can't forgive her, Dad."

"Be that as it may, Sonya did what she did to protect not only you, but myself, Jax and Jacqui as well." When Cassie demanded an explanation, Johnny refused to answer. "Like I said, it's not in my place to say anything. You want answers, then you need to speak with Miss Military."

"Why can't you tell me, Dad?"

"Cassie. Actor, remember?"

"Oh, Right."

"But I am impressed with how you used what I taught you to keep whoever is after you off your scent. Sure you don't want to be an actor if this doesn't pan out?"

"Positive, Dad."

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "Ah, worth a shot."

"Do I have to?" Cassie whined.

"Yes, you do. She knows that by trying to keep you safe, she fucked up. All I ask is that you don't kill her. You can fight her, just don't kill her. She's trying to make amends, Cassie. Can't do that if she's dead."

"Why me, Dad?"

Johnny took a moment before he answered. "Because you're a lot like me. And whether you want to admit it or not, you're a lot like your mother as well. I don't like to fail and neither does Sonya. And you don't like to fail either. You want a shot at redemption, Jax is offering it. You've been redeemed in the public's eyes thanks to Sonya. Now it's time to show the world your worth. There's a flood coming, Cass. We're offering you a place on the ark."

When Cassie still looked unconvinced, Johnny leaned forward in his seat, and removed his shades. His brown eyes bore into his daughter's azure orbs. "Before you were born, your mother, Jax, Nightwolf, Kenshi, and myself saved Earthrealm from an angry former Elder God and his devils. I want you to do better. No...I dare you to do better."

Cassie had a lot to think about.

She was in bed, but sleep evaded her. All she did was look at the ceiling fan as it spun slowly. Her father was downstairs, stretched out on the couch. Cassie had suspected that he was down there just so she would not try to run.

So for the past hour, she was staring at the ceiling fan.

She got out of the bed and looked out the window. No one was outside. Her dad's car was parked next to hers. She walked over to the dresser's mirror and looked at her reflection. Most people say that she looked liked her mother when she was in her twenties, but her attitude was all Johnny. Jax complained about it all the time. Twenty-three years old, and she had made a name for herself as a mercenary.

But what the world didn't know was that Catherine Montilyet was a fake, a persona, a mask. At times, she had difficulty separating the two.

She did not want to admit it, but her father's words have struck a chord within her. As she was the daughter of Johnny Cage, she was his number one fan, which meant she knew the lines of his movies by heart. She could tell when he was lying, which was rare, as his policy was brutal honesty.

But here she was, given the opportunity to return to the military, but to join S-F. But that meant facing Sonya Blade.

Her mind drifted back to a memory, back when she was in Outworld, as a guest of Liu Kang. Like now, sleep had evaded her, and she decided to walk the corridors of the Royal Palace, stopping until she reached the courtyard.

It was here, that Empress Kitana, Kahnum of Outworld, found her.

[Flashback]

"Trouble sleeping, Cassandra?"

Kitana's voice brought Cassie out of her reverie. Cassie looked up from the fountain. Clad in a robe, her long hair done up in a bun, Kitana Kahn approached her guest.

"Nightmares, Your Grace," Cassie replied. "The Blood Code. I still remember fighting my mother. But this time..." She looked at her hands. "I'm strangling her, choking the life out of her, while Jacqui caves my father's head in."

Kitana could sympathize with the younger woman, as she too was part of the Blood Code event. Cassie and Jacqui had been brainwashed by Reiko and used as bait to lure their parents to Shang Tsung's Island. Kitana had decided to come along to help, while Mileena was seeking vengeance for Reiko's betrayal. Liu had been called away to Earthrealm.

The champions of Mortal Kombat had arrived on Shang Tsung's Island, where they were greeted by Reiko, Skarlet, a small group of Black Dragon soldiers, and a brainwashed Cassie and Jacqui. The battle was slowly turning in their favor when Raiden and Havik appeared, the former having been corrupted by the Blood Code, and incapacitated all with a lightning blast.

A portion of their blood had been taken from their bodies and given to Reiko for him to consume in order for him to become the Blood God. It was at this time, however, a very irate Liu Kang, Kenshi Takakashi and his son, Takeda, Nightwolf, and a revived Hanzo Hasashi crashed the ceremony, freed the incapacitated champions, and took the fight to Havik and his allies.

In the end, Nightwolf freed both Cassie and Jacqui from the Blood Code and purged the corruption from their bodies, Liu Kang had knocked Raiden out Kitana and Mileena took turns turning Reiko's head into a red stain; Kitana with her bladed fans and Mileena wielding her sais. When their respective weapons broke from overuse, they took turns smashing Reiko's head in with Shao Kahn's Wrath Hammer. Skarlet was put down by Hanzo, who had immolated her, tapping into the power he had as Scorpion, while Havik – who took sadistic pleasure in telling Jax, Sonya and Johnny about how their daughters called for their parents as he tortured them both – was being beaten down by said parents – Johnny's body enshrouded in his green shadow energy – who were then joined by their even more irate children.

The Blood God Cult had pleaded for mercy. None was given. Reiko's head had been smashed in for the fifteenth time. This time, it would not regenerate, as the Blood Code had burned itself out of his body. Kitana remembered Havik pleading for his life. Then Mileena had handed the elder kombatants Kahn's Wrath Hammer to her parents and Jacqui's dad, who proceeded to play Whack-A-Cleric with Havik's skull.

The event also drove a permanent wedge between Liu and Raiden. There would be no hope for reconciliation between the thunder god and the former Shaolin monk, according to Liu. It also earned Raiden's Sonya's resentment due to the Blood Code corrupting him as well. Only Johnny was on speaking terms with Raiden, seeing as how he is Raiden's chosen champion.

"I told you once before, no need for ceremony when we're like this," Kitana said. "Kitana is fine." She sat down beside her. "Liu told me about what has happened between you and Sonya. You believe that she has betrayed you."

"She has. She chose her job over me."

"I once thought that way," the Outworld empress replied. "Eons ago. I was but a child when Shao Kahn invaded Edenia. I thought that he was my father, and I thought that my mother betrayed both Kahn and me when she committed suicide. It was only in the days before Kahn invaded Earthrealm, did I discover the truth. By that time, Quan Chi had revived her and twisted her mind with his sorcery."

Cassie nodded. "I know the story, of how Sindel came close to killing everyone. Of how Stryker killed her and himself in the process."

"Part of me blames Stryker for what he had done. I believed that my mother could have been saved," Kitana continued. "I've made many mistakes in my long life, Cassandra. Your mother loves you. If anything, heed my advice. Don't forsake your mother like I did."

"I...I can't."

Kitana placed a hand on her shoulder. "I have given Mileena a second chance, Cassandra. Now she is a Princess of Outworld and serves as Captain of my Guard. I even pardoned Syzoth, and he serves as my spymaster. No one is beyond redemption, Cassandra Cage. Not your mother...not even you. Remember that."

[End Flashback]

BEEP.

Cassie turned to her phone. Activating it, there was a text message from Lynn.

Cass. Got a gig in the Czech Republic for you. Government official's the client. The coin is good. Let me know if you are interested.

Cassie looked at the message. Then she looked at her reflection once again, her father's words in her mind.

'You see this person staring back at you? This is your greatest opponent, both in kombat and in life. Sooner or later, you will have to face yourself.'

Cassie picked up the phone and fired back a text message.

Papa Cage dropped by. S-F wants to talk. Uncle Jax is offering me a place back in the Army. Suspecting there's a commission involved.

After a moment, Lynn responded.

You're thinking about going, aren't you?

Cassie responded with another text: Yeah.

Lynn: You do realize that by heading back, you'll be dealing with You-Know-Who, right?

Cassie: I know. She knows who I am. Dad found out from the Lin Kuei. It's inevitable that I will have to confront her.

Lynn: Good luck, Cass.

Cassie sighed. 'I'm gonna need it,' she thought as she placed the phone back down and got into bed. This time, she fell asleep.