17Part Three
[Flashback]
Fort Charles, three years earlier...
Sonya Blade found her daughter inside her dorm room packing, throwing clothes into a duffel bag. The court-martial had been the most humiliating moment in not only her life, but also that of her daughter. The military trial originally was slated in Cassie's favor. But the judges had been replaced at the last moment, replaced with those in Perry's pocket.
Even worse, Perry had given her the rank of Brigadier General, with the order to wear it during the trial, or he would see to it that Cassie would be in prison for the next twenty years, and both the Cage and Briggs families disgraced.
Somehow, Cassie knew. Cassie knew that she had sold her out.
Cassie had been found guilty, and instead of the general discharge promised, she was given a dishonorable discharge, her rank ripped from her uniform, and was given six hours to vacate from the base, lest she was thrown into jail.
"Cassie, please, let me explain..." Sonya began, placing one hand on Cassie's shoulder. Instead, Cassie shrugged it off as it had burned her and continued to pack.
"'Explain?'" Cassie repeated. "You don't have to explain anything. That rank on your uniform and your silence was all the explanation I need!"
"It wasn't supposed to be like this, Cassie!" Sonya defended. "I was trying to protect you!"
Cassie spun on her mother. Sonya could see the tears in her eyes, yet the eyes themselves were angry. "Protect me?! No! You were covering your own ass, Blade!" Cassie knew that her mother was in the running for the promotion to Brigadier General. "You promised me that you would have my back during the trial!"
Cassie went back to packing. "You promised. You lied." She spun on Sonya again, fist chambered back as if she was going to strike. "Don't...touch me!"
Sonya backed off. "It wasn't supposed to be like this," she said. "You were supposed to be given a general discharge, not a dishonorable one." Cassie stopped packing. Sonya did not notice that her daughter's hand was balling into a fist. "It wasn't part of the deal that I made to keep you out of prison."
Cassie heard enough. Sonya didn't see the blow coming. But she felt it as Cassie's fist impacted her jaw. Cassie had been fast in her rage, and Sonya didn't have time to react. She knew that her jaw was broken.
Sonya scrambled away from her daughter, allowing her to finish packing. "Stay the hell away from me, or I'll break more than just your jaw," Cassie threatened.
Sonya could do nothing but hold her broken jaw as Cassie finished packing. She grabbed her bag, and stormed past Sonya, never to be seen for three long years.
[End Flashback]
When Sonya's jaw was rewired and after it had healed, she had stormed into Secretary Perry's office, demanding why he had changed the deal in regards to her daughter. Perry was smug, comfortable in his superiority that he had protected his 'investment,' and said so to her face. As for breaking his end of the deal, he merely said that he 'altered the deal to ensure compliance on her end,' and as a reminder to know who was boss.
Unknown to Perry, Sonya had came prepared this time around. Her watch was in fact, a hidden camera, which she used to record the conversation between herself and Perry. This critical piece of evidence was the nail in the coffin one year later, during Perry's criminal trial. It would also lead to Cassie's case being reopened and her daughter cleared of all charges, and her discharged changed. But the coup de grace would be the court martial of the corrupt officers who served as Cassie's judges during her trial, as Sonya took great pleasure in ripping off their ranks before the men had been served their dismissal notices.
But it had been a hollow victory. Cassie was still missing.
Now, three years later, Sonya finds out that not only Cassie has resurfaced, but was also a mercenary. A mercenary who was also the architect behind the Black Dragon's fall.
It was Saturday, but Sonya decided to head into the office, leaving Johnny in bed. He would arrive on the base an hour after her. This time, Johnny left her alone when asked to by her, allowing herself some time to think and reflect.
Sonya could admit that in trying to protect her daughter, she had burned bridges with her. Sonya was trying to make amends, but Cassie was stubborn. Cassie trusted her father without question. The same can't be said for her.
She had done what Johnny had asked, and given Cassie her space. But now, even Sonya had enough of Cassie's attitude towards her. She didn't care that she was a mercenary or that she led the Black Dragon to its demise. In spite of everything, Cassandra Cage was still her daughter.
A quick check with the MPs casing Cassie's temporary residence had confirmed that Cassie was inside the base's workout room with Jax, Jacqui and her father. She thought about having the MPs bring Cassie to her office, but that idea was vetoed almost right away. As much as she hated the idea, she had to confront Cassie. Despite the fact that it would give her the moral high ground, she was not looking forward to this confrontation.
Cassie was definitely her daughter, Sonya realized. Hot-tempered and she can hold on to a grudge. Kano and the Black Dragon could attest to that, had they still lived.
There was no way around it. She had to talk to her daughter, whether said daughter was willing or not.
Inside the workout center...
Johnny Cage and Jackson Briggs stood on the sidelines as their respective daughters faced off on the mat, Jacqui wearing a tanktop and combat fatigues, while Cassie was in a blue workout top that showed off her flat stomach, black workout pants with her name emblazoned on the sides in white, and tennis shoes. Rather than her gloves, Cassie's hands were taped, her short hair pulled back in a ponytail.
Despite the abdominal pain, Cassie had an amused look as Jacqui pulled out a pair of armored gauntlets from a workout bag. They were about the length of her forearm, Cassie guessed. "So...trying to be like Uncle Jax?" Cassie asked.
Jacqui slipped the gauntlets on and activated them. "Funny. Sure you're ready for this, Princess?"
Cassie's grin widened. "Sure as your name's 'Bitch-Face.'"
"See, now I gotta hurt ya, Cage," Jacqui replied.
The two girls assumed a fighting stance; Jacqui in her standard kickboxer's stance, while Cassie moved into a basic boxing stance.
It wasn't like her usual stance, Jax and Johnny realized, but something basic. Then again, Cassie had proven to be unpredictable.
As Jacqui inched closer, Cassie didn't move. Then she lowered her fists, that annoying smile still on her face.
Jacqui fired off a punch, one which Cassie calmly dodged. This was followed by Cassie blocking and dodging several more punched, of which Cassie then responded by throwing several jabs, followed by a forearm which Jacqui blocked. Cassie hopped back to avoid the uppercut from the female Briggs' gauntlet-powered fist, but stumbled back several steps from a powerful kick to the side.
"First blood goes to you, Briggs," Cassie noted.
Jacqui smirked and moved in. This time, Cassie went on the offensive, forcing Jacqui to block and parry her attacks. Cassie knew that Jacqui was tough. She was the former kickboxing champion in the Junior Olympics. She could have participated in this year's Clympics, but chose officer's school instead.
"Still using one style," Cassie said. "I told you once before, Briggs...you don't have Uncle Jax's arms..." Cassie then went into the splits to avoid the roundhouse to the head. As Jacqui spun around, Cassie had already recovered, and was already in the air, the green after-images making clear of Cassie's next move.
Both feet were planted into Jacqui's chest, knocking her on her ass.
"...but I got the Shadow Kick," Cassie finished as she performed a kip-up, landing on her feet.
"More like Shadow Dropkick," Jax muttered.
Jacqui had been on the receiving end of the Shadow Kick twice in the past; the first from Cassie and the second from her dad whilst under the Blood Code. Both times it had hurt like bloody blazes. Now, Cassie had used both feet this time around and it sure as hell stung.
Jacqui got back to her feet. "You know, we don't have to fight. We could do each other's hair," Cassie noted.
"Wouldn't be as fun, Little Miss Mercenary," Jacqui replied, grinning back. Then her expression fell as she notice the newcomer entering the workout room. "Uh-oh..."
"Cassie."
Almost immediately, Cassie's good mood soured upon hearing Sonya's voice. Jacqui took that moment to make herself scare by moving to the sidelines, where she stood in between her and Cassie's dad.
Johnny recognized the look in her eyes, as did Jax. Gone was the hesitant Sonya from yesterday. This was Sonya Blade, one of Raiden's chosen, survivor of two inter-realm wars, and all-around hardass. The woman that Johnny fell in love with.
"This isn't gonna end well," Johnny muttered to Jax.
"For once, this one agrees," Jax muttered back.
Cassie turned around, as Sonya marched towards her with a purpose. "What do you want now, Sonya?" she asked, arms folded.
"We need to talk," Sonya replied.
"Too bad. I got nothing to say to you," Cassie shot back.
"I don't want you to talk. I want you to lock it up, and listen."
"Even worse. I'm not in a listening mood either. Looks like it's not your day, Sonya," her estranged daughter said and brushed past her. At least she tried.
"Cassandra Carlton Cage!"
Johnny, Jax and Jacqui winced. Sonya wasn't in the mood for Cassie's bullshit. They knew this because the blonde colonel addressed Cassie using her full name. Usually when Sonya did that, she was pissed at the offending party. Usually it was Johnny.
Cassie spun around. From the intense, angry look on her face, she was not in the mood for Sonya's bullshit either. Part of her wanted to listen to what Sonya had to say, but her volatile emotions had overrode her better judgement. "What now?! Haven't you done enough damage to my life?!"
"I was trying to protect you!"
"'Protect me?!' You sold me out for a goddamned promotion! No price was high enough for your goddamned ambition! Not even me! I was kicked out of the Army! You yourself signed the order!"
"I didn't want the promotion! Perry forced it upon me when I had to choose between you and our family! He would have destroyed all of us, everything we've worked for! I had no choice!"
"Everyone has a choice, Sonya," Cassie said in a cold tone. "You chose the wrong one."
"You're right. I did choose the wrong one as an officer. I chose it as a mother."
"It was a bad call," Cassie shot back. "Why can't you just leave me alone? What do you want from me?"
Sonya calmed down. "I want you back...home. With your family. With me. I want to be forgiven...more than anything."
Cassie's voice was even colder than it was the previous day. "That's not going to happen, Sonya. Not now. Not ever."
It was as if she had been stabbed in the stomach. Sonya was taken aback by Cassie's cruel words. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Cassandra," she said in a subdued tone. She turned around and was about to walk away when Cassie stopped her.
"Sonya."
Sonya stopped in mid-step. But she did not turn around.
"You want me to stay? You want me in S-F?" Cassie asked.
"Yes. I do."
"Prove it, Colonel," Cassie said, one hand slowly balling into a fist. "You and me. Right here, right now."
From the sidelines, Jax and Jacqui looked at Cassie as if she had lost her mind. Cassie was challenging Sonya to a fight. Johnny wasn't surprised. He knew it would come to this. He just didn't know just how violent this was going to get.
Sonya slowly spun around. Cassie was challenging her to a fight? "Excuse me?"
"You heard me, Sonya," Cassie replied. "Fight me. Right now. I win, I leave. You win, I stay."
After staring down her daughter, Sonya gave her answer. "No. I'm not fighting you Cass..."
WHAM.
The right cross to the side of the face was one that Sonya did not see coming. But she felt it, and it was indeed painful, and it knocked her down, her cap flying off her head. At least she didn't punch the left side of her jaw, which is what Cassie had broken the last time.
"I wasn't asking, Sonya," Cassie said. "I'm telling you."
Sonya saw the intensity in her daughter's eyes as she spat the blood from her mouth. They were her eyes, full of fire, determination...and rage. They were her eyes, Sonya realized. Despite having the brown coloring of her father, Cassie had her eyes.
"We have a score to settle," Cassie said, stalking forward, while Sonya was scrambling backwards. "And you better come at me with the intent to kill. Cause if you don't, then I will kill you."
With a yell, Cassie lunged, foot raised to stomp Sonya's skull in. Sonya rolled out of the way and was back on her feet as the foot came down where her head was moments earlier. Sonya scrambled to her feet, barely able to swat aside a front snap kick from her daughter, followed by several punches to the face in rapid succession. Cassie blocked Sonya's own fist to the face, followed by the elbow to her midsection.
Sonya then blocked another hard punch aimed at her face, and countered with a strike of her own. Cassie sidestepped, then ducked to avoid Sonya's backhand. When Cassie threw another punch, Sonya grabbed the arm and twisted it behind her daughter's back. Acting by reflex, Cassie performed a vertical axe kick, catching Sonya in the face, and forcing Sonya to break the hold.
Sonya raised one leg up to avoid the low kick to her shin. Then she lashed out, the side kick catching Cassie in the same spot that Jacqui had done earlier. Now Sonya was fighting back, bringing over thirty years' experience of martial arts to the forefront. If Cassie wanted a fight, then she would give her one, Sonya concluded.
A quick jab from Cassie caused Sonya to stagger, and she was forced to backpedal from Cassie's punches. Sonya quickly moved within Cassie's defenses, and threw her to the ground. Cassie was back on her feet, but went low and drove her elbow into the back of Sonya's leg. The blonde colonel cried out and fell to one knee. Cassie was knocked back when Sonya kicked her square in the chest.
Both women quickly got back to a vertical base, and were engaged in a fierce battle of close-quarters-kombat, with neither gaining a clear advantage. Both Johnny and Sonya had trained Cassie to become dangerous. It had almost came back to haunt them during the Blood Code event, and now, it was coming back to haunt Sonya in spades. With Kano's demise, Sonya knew that Cassie was not only even more dangerous, but also deadly.
Cassie was fast, and unpredictable. One of the fighting styles that Sonya had taught Cassie was Taekwondo, the same style Sonya herself used, combined with her military training. Cassie had spent time in South Korea, learning from the masters, making her style even more dangerous.
But Cassie also knew Karate, which was her father's style. And in the years she was out, she had picked up some new tricks.
However, so did Sonya.
Cassie fired off another punch...
...only for Sonya to pull out a small line of wire from her wrist gauntlet and wrap it around Cassie's wrist. Cassie found herself being flung to the ground, where she landed hard on her side. That made the abdominal pain even worse. Sonya reached down and grabbed a handful of Cassie's hair, pulling her back to her feet. But Sonya was forced to release Cassie when she tried to backhand her.
After dodging several of Sonya's swings, Cassie nailed her in a punch to the torso. Sonya ducked under another of Cassie's wild swing, and blocked another snap kick from her daughter, who responded by blocking Sonya's own kick to the head. Sonya ducked under Cassie's roundhouse kick, but was caught by the right cross to the face. That left Sonya open for a barrage of kicks; the first to her stomach, the second to her back, the third right in her face, with the final kick knocking Sonya to the ground.
"Get up, Blade!" Cassie snarled. "We're not done yet!"
Sonya scrambled to her feet and aimed her gauntlet at her daughter, and fired a ball of pink energy. Cassie countered the move with one that everyone recognized - the Green Fireball. Johnny's time in Seido had made him even more powerful. Cassie's time in Seido made her even more dangerous, as Hotaru helped her unlock her superpowered abilities that came with being descended from her father's warrior bloodline.
Both energies collided, cancelling the other out. But before Sonya could react, Cassie fired off a second Green Fireball, forcing Sonya to raise her hands to block the move. It wasn't as strong as her husband's but it did sting...not to mention it also rendered her wrist gauntlets useless.
Cassie's fist bounced off Sonya's skull, forcing her back. That was followed by a quick backhand, and a double power punch to the sternum. The hard kick to the sternum had slammed Sonya into a wall. When Cassie tried to kick her head off, Sonya rolled out of the way, reversing their positions.
But Cassie was just as fast still. She blocked her mother's own fist to the face and landed several more blows to the torso, followed by an elbow to the face. Sonya swung again, but Cassie went low spinning so that her back was towards Sonya. She then elbowed the blonde colonel in the stomach and snapped her own head back, headbutting Sonya in the face, causing the older woman to stagger backwards.
Cassie was back on her feet, and threw two more punches, of which Sonya parried, then countered with an elbow, of which Cassie ducked under. Sonya spun around but Cassie closed in the distance, and grabbed her, slamming her head into the wall. As Sonya was stunned, Cassie went on the offensive. Hard elbow to the face, followed by another quick backhand-double power punch combination. Sonya shook out the cobwebs and tried for a roundhouse. Cassie ducked under it and was in the air, performing a leaping spinning back kick with her left leg.
Predictably, Sonya ducked under the attack.
But as she was rising, and while Cassie was falling, the latter's right leg lashed out, smashing Sonya in the face, knocking her down.
Cassie landed on her back, but quickly flipped to her feet. However, as she rushed in, Sonya's leg lashed out, striking behind Cassie's kneecaps, causing her to stumble. That gave Sonya an opening. She hopped to her feet, dove into a handstand, and ensnared Cassie with her legs.
Cassie found herself being flung across the mat. The pain in her abdomen was starting to become unbearable, but she ignored it. There was no way in hell that Sonya was going to win. Not this time.
As the fight between the two intensified, Jax and Jacqui were looking worried, while Johnny was concerned. "Should we stop them?" Jacqui asked.
"No."
Jax and Jacqui looked at the action star as if he had lost his mind.
"They won't sit down and talk it over," Johnny said, arms folded. "They have too much pride in themselves for that. Not even I could get those two in a room together. This is the only way."
"They're gonna kill each other, with the way things are going!" Jacqui hissed, remembering what Cassie had said before the match started.
"Cassie may be many things, but she won't kill Sonya," Johnny defended. "Beating her within an inch of her life? Most definitely."
For Sonya, it was the longest three minutes of her life. Cassie had nailed her with several good shots, but Sonya fought back.
It was as if she was fighting Cassie whilst under the Blood Code. While Liu dealt with Raiden and Kitana and Mileena fought Reiko, it had been Sonya who squared off against Cassie, while Jax fought his daughter. Cassie had no qualms about killing her mother, and seeing how Cassie had killed Kano, Sonya had to assume that Cassie was a threat. The leaping axe kick which had dislocated her shoulder proven that.
Cassie decided to end the match, as it was clearly in her favor. She faked her mother out as if she was going to throw another fireball. Sonya took the bait, and jumped. This time, however, Cassie jumped at a 45-degree angle, her body coated with the green energy, her foot extended outward.
The blow caught Sonya in the jaw and she was sent falling back to the mat. This time, however, Cassie wasn't going to let her get back up. She jumped on Sonya, pinning her to the ground. Blow after blow rained down on Sonya, curtesy of Cassie's fists, rocking her head to the side with each swing.
"STOP! I YIELD!"
Cassie's fist stopped short of caving in her mother's nose.
"I yield," Sonya whispered, her body sore, tears in her eyes. "I give up. You win."
The match was over. Cassie had won.
Cassie released Sonya and stood at her full height, looking down at the fallen colonel. Then Cassie fell to one knee, coughing blood, some of it splattering on Sonya before vomiting violently. Then she keeled over.
"Oh, God, Cassie!" Sonya shouted, horrified.
Johnny was there in an instant. Torn between checking on his wife and daughter, Sonya made the decision for him. "I'll be fine. Help her!"
Johnny picked up the wounded Cassie. A small trail of blood ran from her lip down to her chin. "Daddy...I don't feel so good," Cassie moaned out, right before her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she slipped into unconsciousness.
"Shit. She's burning up!" Johnny cursed. He bolted out of the workout room, his daughter in his arms.
El Toro Medical Center, minutes later...
"How is she?" Johnny asked the doctor.
"Your daughter is stabilized for the time being," the base doctor replied. "Her appendix had burst during the fight with Colonel Blade, but it had been ruptured prior to that. Your daughter is suffering from an extreme case of peritonitis, but it was fortunate that you got her here in time."
Johnny nodded. He had literally ran with his ailing daughter in his arms to the hospital, which was two blocks from the workout center.
"We've managed to drain the pus from her abdomen and put her on our strongest antibiotics and painkillers," the doctor continued. "Had you not reacted as fast as you did, she would have died."
"How long are we talking?" Jax asked, having left Sonya and overhearing Cassie's diagnosis. "How long will she be out?"
"For Miss Cage, I'd give her a month in recovery, two just to be safe, General."
Jax nodded. "Okay. I want her moved to a private room. No one is to disturb he unless its her parents, Lieutenant Briggs, or myself."
"How's Sonya?" Johnny asked.
"Broken nose, dislocated shoulder, and a concussion," Jax replied. "Jacqui's with her. She's distraught over what she had did."
"All right. Take me to her."
In an examination room, Sonya Blade was catatonic. Her blank stare could easily be mistaken for the thousand-yard-stare. Her body felt numb, and it wasn't from the painkillers she had taken so that her arm could be popped back into its socket.
"How is she?" Jacqui asked as Jax and Johnny entered the room.
"Her appendix had burst during the fight," Johnny explained. "But it had been ruptured before the fight with Sonya."
"She was complaining about pain in her side. Said it was her ribs," Jacqui said.
"She's suffering from peritonitis, but I managed to get her here in time," Johnny reported. "Doc's got her doped up on enough antibiotics and painkillers to drop a rhino. She's gonna be out for a month. She'll live. She's a Cage. She's been through worse."
"She wanted the fight..."
Jax, Johnny and Jacqui turned to Sonya.
"She wanted the fight. I didn't know. How was I supposed to know. I hurt my daughter. I hurt my baby..." she sobbed, breaking down.
Johnny was by her side, holding her. "Unless you were the one who cracked her ribs beforehand or ruptured her appendix, you're blameless."
"But she's hurt, Johnny. She's hurt because of me," Sonya whispered. "Cassie's hurt because of me..."
"She'll be okay, Sonya," her husband whispered.
"Take me to her, Johnny. Please."
In the hospital, there were several private rooms designed to either give the patient privacy, or to place them under heavy guard.
Fortunately, Cassie Cage was in the former category.
Per to Jax's orders, she was moved into a private hospital room, located on the hospital's top floor. A room with a single bed, several chairs, and a bathroom. In the bed, on her back, was Cassie herself, hands at her sides, her skin pale, her ribs bandaged, her eye blackened and swollen.
No one was allowed to enter her room. But some rules did not apply to those who were immortal.
Such is the case of Raiden, the God of Lightning and Thunder, Protector of Earthrealm.
The thunder god emerged from an arc of lightning, facing the window. He turned around, and looked upon Cassie's unconscious form on the bed, battered and bruised from the fight with her mother. For a long moment, he regarded the daughter of his chosen champion and his wife. Raiden had witnessed the fight between Cassie and Sonya from the Sky Temple alongside Fujin, and decided to intervene.
Sonya held a high degree of animosity towards him in the aftermath of the Blood Code Incident, even going as far as to say that Earthrealm would be better off without Raiden as protector. Raiden would probably had done the same thing had he been in Sonya's place. After all, he too, succumbed to the Blood Code and was instrumental in their capture.
As for Liu and Hanzo, they looked at him as if he was a bug to be stepped on. Raiden had made many mistakes in the days following the final Mortal Kombat tournament over 20 years earlier. Mistakes which led to several deaths, and both Kitana and Liu's resentment.
While he could do nothing with Liu, as he was in Outworld, and Scorpion refused to speak to him, maybe he could try and repair some of the damage that he had inadvertently caused in the past. Starting with Cassandra Cage.
He was so caught up in his reverie that he did not hear the door open. But he did hear Sonya's voice. Earlier, it had been full of remorse. Now, there was nothing but anger.
"Raiden?! What the hell are you doing here?!"
Raiden looked up. Aside from a now-angry Sonya Blade, Johnny stood on her left, while Jax and Jacqui stood on her right. Sonya had been crying, as her eyes were red and puffy, but still showed resentment. Raiden said nothing as he placed one hand on Cassie's head, the other on her torso. Blue lightning arched from his body, traveled down his arms and into his hands, where it had spread throughout Cassie's body. The bruises on Cassie's body began to fade, her battered body being repaired, the color returning to her flesh.
He was healing her, Sonya and the others realized.
When Raiden was finished, Cassie looked as if she had not went pound-for-pound with her mother in a brutal fight. Then, without a word of farewell, he teleported out of the room in an arc of lightning.
"Guess you're not the only one trying to make amends," Johnny said.
Sonya said nothing. She instead walked over to her daughter, still unconscious, and gently stroked her hair. She did not say the words out loud, but rather, in her mind.
'Thank you.'
Three days had passed since the fight, and Cassie was still out like a light.
It was to be expected, as Johnny himself slept like a rock for three days after Raiden healed him of his mortal injuries twenty years earlier. A meditative sleep, Johnny explained. Since then, Johnny, Jacqui, and Sonya had kept vigil at her side.
The doctors were baffled. Just hours earlier, Cassie had near-life threatening injuries, and now, her recovery was nothing short of miraculous, but was still out cold.
When asked about it, Jax replied that it was 'classified,' but the doctors decided to keep her in the hospital for observation regardless.
Cassie was dreaming.
She was dreaming about the Blood Code Incident, in which Liu had led his own team to Shang Tsung's Island. She was dreaming about the final moments which led to Havik's demise.
[End Flashback]
Shang Tsung's Island, Shang Tsung's Throne Room.
Reiko was dead. His body was slumped on Shang's throne, the head obliterated from repeated shots from Shao Kahn's Wrath Hammer, wielded by Kitana and Mileena. Skarlet was dead as well, reduced to a mass of charred blood due to the hellfire Scorpion wielded. Raiden had been beaten within an inch of his life by Liu Kang, and was purged of the Blood Code.
Only Havik remained, and he was getting the crap beaten out of him by Cassie and Jacqui's respective parents. The Cleric of Chaos was knocked on his ass, thanks to Sonya. This was after she had broken his leg, crippling him.
"I remember you saying that you tortured Cassie and Jacqui," Sonya hissed. "That you said they called out for us as you tortured them. Then you had them corrupted under that damned Blood Code!"
Johnny turned to his wife. "He said that?" he asked, pointing to Havik. When Sonya nodded, the green shadow energy enveloped him slowly turned to red. "He's past getting Caged. He's a dead man."
"Seconded," Jax said.
Havik raised one hand in a placating gesture. "Wait! Wait! Perhaps I was out of line when I said that, okay? I was just joking! I'd never hurt a hair on their precious heads!"
Sonya turned to Cassie and Jacqui. "Did he torture the both of you?"
The girls nodded, glaring at the doomed cleric.
"Please...spare me," Havik pleaded. "I'm a Cleric of Chaos. It's what I do. I spread disorder and anarchy. People get hurt in the process. It's all a matter of Chaos."
"You made it personal when you involved my daughter and my niece," Sonya rebuked.
"Okay...maybe I didn't think this through when I gave the order to kidnap Cassie and Jacqui." Now his back was to the wall. "Let me go, please? I'll return to the Realm of Chaos. You'll never see me again."
"No." Kitana then stepped in between the Earthrealmers, stained with Reiko's blood. "You used their children as bait so you can make Reiko into a God. You dare to use their parents' blood – and mine – for the task. As Kahnum of Outworld, do I order your execution. Sentence to be carried out immediately."
She turned to Johnny and the others. "He's all yours."
Jax was ready to get his pound of flesh from Havik when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Mileena standing behind him. In her hand, was the Wrath Hammer, the head smeared with Reiko's blood, which she now shoved into Jax's hands.
"Um...thanks?" Jax said, puzzled.
That changed when Mileena nodded her head in Havik's direction, and gave the bionic-armed man a feral grin. Even with her new lips, it was scary.
Jax nodded in understanding. "Oh. Thanks."
Havik's screams echoed throughout the throne room as the trio of pissed-off parents played Whack-A-Cleric with Havik's head. The Blood Code revived him repeatedly as Sonya, Jax and Johnny took turns in caving Havik's head in with the oversized hammer. Then Cassie and Jacqui joined in the execution of the architect of the Blood Code.
Fifteen minutes, over twenty resurrections, and about three dozen hammer strikes to the skull later, Havik was dead.
With Havik dead, Mileena decided to make her exit. But Kitana calling out her name stopped her. She turned and faced the one she once thought was her sister.
"What will you do now?" Kitana asked as she approached the hybrid. "Where will you go?"
"I have no army," Mileena replied. "Baraka is dead, as Reiko saw to that by exposing him to the Blood Code. I have no reason to fight you anymore. You are Kahunum of Outworld."
"You're right. I am Kahnum. And just as I have the power to mete out justice, I can do the same when it comes to showing mercy. You may be a construct born from the Flesh Pits, but you do have royal blood in your veins. My blood."
"Are you offering me mercy?" Mileena asked, obviously insulted.
"No. I'm offering you amnesty. Recognize me as Empress of Outworld, and I will pardon you. Not only that, but will I make you Captain of the Guard, and I will recognize you not as my clone, but as my sister, and a Princess of Outworld. Despite how you were created, you are the closest thing I have as family." She extended her hands. "Will you accept my terms?"
Mileena looked at Kitana's extended hands. Then back at the woman herself, as if she was considerinf the offer. She then took her hand, palm facing upward, and with one clawed fingernail, slid it across her palm. A blood oath. "I, Mileena, do recognize you as Empress of Outworld. I will raise arms in your defense. This, I vow with my blood."
She accepted Kitana's strip of cloth she had tore off from her pants, allowing Mileena to wrap the wound with it. Only then, did Mileena take Kitana's hands into her own.
Kitana smiled. Mileena returned the gesture. Despite the teeth in her sides, the smile was genuine. "Sister," Mileena said.
"Sister," Kitana responded, embracing the hybrid. Mileena returned the embrace.
[End Flashback]
Groaning, Cassie woke up. She was still in the hospital bed, having been brought there by her father. Speaking of her father, he was in a chair, sleeping uncomfortably, arms folded. Sonya was nowhere in sight.
In her arrogance in fighting her mother, she had forgotten about her previous injuries, the ones that she had piled up in her years as a mercenary. The fight with Sonya had been the breaking point, and she paid for it. The doctors had told her that she needed to rest. But she was always on the move, trying to stay one step ahead of the various snatch squads out to get her.
But now, she felt no pain. All she felt was a slight tingling, electric, sensation. She suspected that it was Raiden who had healed her injuries. But she still felt drained, both physically and emotionally. She had won the match against Sonya.
So why does she still feel like crap?
The answer then came to her. She had treated her own mother like crap when all she wanted was for her to listen. Cassie had thought that Sonya had burned bridges with her, but in truth, Cassie had done that on her own.
The door to the room began to open. Almost by reflex, Cassie turned on her side, her back facing the door.
Sonya entered the room. Not wanting to disturb Johnny, she silently closed the door behind her. Walking on padded feet to the bed, she pulled up a chair and sat down. Sonya knew that Cassie was awake. When you raise a child, you tend to learn their habits. Many a time while growing up, Cassie faked to be sleep hours past her bedtime, and Sonya had reprimanded her for that.
She had fallen asleep in her office, and had a nightmare that she had killed Cassie during the match. Then Quan Chi had claimed her soul, transforming her into a revanant.
"I have found a new family," the undead Cassie said as she flanked Sindel and Stryker. "We are bonded in death. Just as you will be soon."
Then, Cassie had beaten Sonya to near-death. Then, she snapped Sonya's neck, the last thing Sonya heard was Quan Chi's laughter in her ears.
Sonya had woken up in a cold sweat. She thought she had broken several traffic laws in trying to get to the hospital. But once she got there, she was relieved to see that Cassie was still alive.
After a moment, she began to speak.
"It was never my intention to hurt you. I was trying to protect you. When Secretary Perry found out that it had been you who had assaulted his son, I was summoned to his office. I planned on supporting you throughout your court-martial. But he threatened me, saying that he would ruin not only you, but your father, Jax, Jacqui and myself. He made me choose between their careers and you spending 20 years in military prison, or accept his demands. Perry had done it before, ruining people and destroying families, even driving some of them to suicide. Plenty of times, and he was more than willing to do it again."
"..." Cassie was silent.
"I wanted to retire as General, but not like this. He pulled some strings to give me the rank, a silent reminder of how he owned me," Sonya said, wiping away a tear. "I saw the rank as a badge of shame. You were supposed to get a general discharge. But he lied. He used his influence to get you dishonorably discharged. The judges at your trial were in his pockets."
Sonya looked at Johnny, who was still fast asleep. "Your father...I had never seen him so angry in his entire life. Not even when he was fighting Shinnok. He kicked me out of the house. It was only while I was in rehab for my drinking did I tell him the truth. He wanted to kill Perry himself, and damn the consequences. The last time I saw him so angry was during the Blood Code."
Johnny coughed, and mumbled something in his sleep, but did not wake up.
"When Perry's son was arrested and tried for raping a federal agent, Johnny convinced me to act. When I confronted Perry after my jaw healed, I had a hidden camera on my person. He incriminated himself by gloating over how he ensured my compliance by changing your discharge, and if I said anything, then our family would pay the price. As for the press conference, it was your father's idea. As it turned out, Perry was already being investigated for corruption charges. The conference led to a closed-door meeting with the Joint Chiefs. I managed to get your case reopened, and your conviction purged. I also asked that I was to be demoted back to Colonel. I'll probably retire with the rank, but I earned it. In the end, justice was served. Perry's son was sent to military prison for the rest of his life, and his father is serving 30 years in federal prison. The men who had ordered your discharge were given their dismissal papers."
Sonya sighed. "I was hard on you when you were growing up. I missed out on your growing up because of my job. I admit that." Sonya looked at Johnny. "Your father could have divorced me because of my job, but he has the patience of a saint when he is not pissing me off. You won the match, so there's nothing that is holding you here. I know I wasn't 'Mom of the Year...' but I do care, even if I rarely show it. In spite of everything, I'm proud of you, Cassandra. Always has been, and I always will. For what it's worth...I'm sorry."
Having said her piece, Sonya stood up and left, leaving Cassie alone with her thoughts.
When Johnny woke up the following morning, Cassie was gone.
She had snuck out of the hospital and made it back to where she had been staying, and packed her belongings. Then she took his car and drove off the base. When Johnny and Sonya raced back to their home in Venice Beach, Cassie's car was missing.
Once again, Cassandra Cage was in the wind.
Special Forces Training and Research Base, El Toro - the following day.
Sonya Blade had spent the previous day in Cassie's old bedroom, crying her eyes out. All Johnny could do was console and support her. Now, she had a job to do. Colonel Blade was in uniform, her billed cap with the Special Forces insignia covering her eyes, her arms folded. She had buried her emotions back down after spending most of the day a complete wreck.
She and Johnny had arrived together, as Jax requested their presence on the base. With Cassie's departure - and refusal - Jax had to fill in the spot that she was supposed to take. Aside from Jacqui, Hanzo Hasahi had requested that his student, Takeda Takahashi - Kenshi's son - join their team, while the Shaolin sent their own representative: Kung Jin, of the famous Kung family, his cousin being the late Kung Lao.
They would arrive on the base by the end of the month.
Jax Briggs was seated behind his desk, going over some papers when Sonya and Johnny entered his office, closing the door behind them. "Sonya. Cage. You made it. Good." He looked at Sonya. "How you're holding up?"
"I'll manage," Sonya replied. Her shoulders then slumped, the facade broken. "I told her everything, Jax. I told her everything, and she left."
Behind them, the door opened. Almost by reflex, Johnny turned his head to see who had came in. He assumed that it was Jacqui, but he was only partially right. "Uh...I wouldn't be so sure of that, babe," he said.
Sonya was about to reprimand her husband for using that particular term of endearment when she saw him looking at something. When she followed his line of sight, her eyes widened in shock.
Standing next to Jacqueline Briggs, was Cassandra Cage. While Jacqui was still in uniform, Cassie was in her full disguise as Catherine Montilyet; the black business suit and red blouse, and the heels which made her taller than her mother. The oversized sunglasses and wig she had on earlier was gone, revealing her short blonde hair.
"I'd like to introduce to you our fourth member," Jax said, a smile on his face.
Sonya saw that while Cassie no longer looked at her with the intense hatred from the past couple of days, but her look was guarded. For the moment, Cassie ignored her parents and stood before Jax.
"I take it that you took care of everything?" Jax asked as Jacqui stepped to the side.
"It's done," Cassie replied.
Jax turned to the shocked couple. "I brought the both of you here to act as witnesses when she takes her officer's oath. Forgive me, but this is going to be quick." He stood up. "Cassandra Cage, attention on deck!"
Cassie snapped to attention; standing rigid as a board, hands at her sides, the fingers curled, feet at a perfect 45-degree angle.
"Raise your right hand," Jax ordered. Cassie complied, and raised her hand. "Do you, Cassandra Carlton Cage, solemnly swear that you will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that you will bear true faith and allegiance of the same; and that you take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that you will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of which you are about to enter?"
"I swear, as an office of the United States military," Cassie replied calmly.
"Congratulations, Lieutenant Cage," Jax said, smiling. "At ease." Cassie relaxed as Jax turned to Johnny and Sonya. "She's free until tomorrow. Until then, you're dismissed."
While Jacqui ran off to perform an errand, Johnny and Sonya had taken Cassie back to Sonya's office. Johnny sat on the couch, while Sonya faced her daughter, who still looked cautious. Cautious, mixed with...regret?
Sonya swallowed audibly. "I thought you left," she said.
"I was tempted to," Cassie replied. "Almost did."
"What made you change your mind?" Sonya asked.
"I had...a lot of time to think about what you said. The truth, I mean, about why you did what you did, and what you have done to clear my name," Cassie said. "I thought that you did what you did just to cover your own ass. And Dad said that you've been trying to make amends, not to mention that you've been suffering as much as I have. Only difference was that I thought I was making a career out of being a merc, but I was running from my own past."
Cassie cleared her throat before continuing. "The morning I left, I went back to the house. Jacqui was there. I had her call Uncle Jax."
[Flashback]
Jacqui Briggs was jarred awake from her place on the couch. She looked up and saw Cassie, in hospital scrubs and a doctor's coat, close the door behind her. "Cassie?"
"You're still here?" Cassie said.
"Yeah. Dad said I can stay here." She then frowned. "You snuck out of the hospital, didn't you?"
"Yeah. I did."
"So you plan on running again?" Jacqui asked, arms folded.
"Shut up, Briggs, and get your dad ont the phone," Cassie ordered.
"What?"
"Jacqui. Phone. Uncle Jax. Now."
Jacqui complied. Watching Cassie, she picked up her phone, scrolled through the contacts, and found her father's number. After several rings, Jax's sleepy voice came on the other end through the speaker. "Jacqui? It's six in the morning. What is it?"
"Uncle Jax?"
"Cassie? You're awake? Does your parents know?"
"No. Dad was still asleep when I left. Sonya doesn't know either." Before Jax could say anything, Cassie had cut him off. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but...is the offer still on the table?"
Jacqui's eyes widened, as she knew what Cassie was talking about.
That single question had brought what Jax was going to say to a halt. He quickly recovered. "You plan on staying, Cass?"
"Yeah. Is the commission still available?"
"It is," Jax confirmed.
Cassie took a deep breath. Once she says the following words, then there would be no going back. "I accept the deal," she said. "On one condition."
"Name it."
"Twelve hours. Give me 12 hours to settle all affairs as Montilyet. Close out a couple of accounts, pay off my handler, pick up a couple of packages, that sort of thing."
"How do I know that you're not going to try and run?"
"I said that I accepted the commission, Uncle Jax. But if you want a show of faith on my end, I'll take Jacqui with me."
Jacqui looked at her friend. "What?"
"You heard her, Jacqui," her father seconded. "Accompany Cassie. You have twelve hours." With that, the call ended.
[End Flashback]
"I had two bank accounts as Catherine Montilyet," Cassie explained. "I had to fly to New York to close the both of them out. One of the checks I made out to my handler in San Francisco."
[Cut to a scene in which Lynn is laughing her ass off at the cashier's check sent to her via FedEx. The check is worth $15 million. Aside from the check, there is a note from Cassie. The note reads, Your services are no longer required. I believe the severance pay is most generous. Spread the word. Montilyet is now retired. Good luck. Cassie.]
"So Catherine Montilyet...?" Johnny prodded.
"Officially retired and living a peaceful life in Montreal under an alias," confirmed Cassie.
Sonya then asked the question that she was dreading. But she had to know. "So where do I stand with you? Do you still hate me?"
"I never hated you, Sonya. I was just...angry. Liu tried to help me in trying to control my emotions. It just boiled over."
Good. That means there was hope. Sonya then asked, "Does this mean that I'm forgiven?"
Cassie chose her words carefully. "You screwed up big time, Sonya."
"...I know."
"But I wasn't any better," admitted Cassie. "Kitana once told me that no one is beyond redemption. Not even you...or me. If she was able to forgive Mileena...then yeah. I suppose I can forgive you." Cassie then raised a hand, silencing Sonya's reply. "But...that does not mean you're off the hook completely. You still need to earn back my trust, both as a C.O., and as a parent."
The blonde colonel sighed. "I know. I thought I was protecting you from Perry, but I failed. I failed as a mother and as your commanding officer. Getting your dad's trust back was easy. I knew that you would be much harder. You can hold a grudge, like me. Even worse than me in most cases. The fight we had showed that."
"Goes to show that I am your daughter," Cassie replied. "Since we're clearing the air, I was hoping that you would forgive me as well."
Sonya looked up. "For what?" she asked, puzzled.
"...a lot of things. Mainly for being such a hothead. For not listening to you when you tried to explain why you did it. And for breaking your jaw."
Sonya nodded. "Apology accepted."
There was a silence between the two. "So...where does that leave us?" Cassie asked.
Sonya thought for a moment before replying. "I guess we'll take a page out of your father's playbook and improvise. We'll make it up as we go along."
Cassie nodded. "You're right. We do have a lot of catching up to do, Sonya."
"About that...on the clock, I'm Colonel Blade. Off the clock...I was hoping you would start calling me Mom again." She extended her hand. "Deal, Lieutenant?"
Cassie didn't shake her mother's hand. She instead pulled her into an embrace. "Deal, Colonel."
Sonya was shocked at first. But then she slowly returned the embrace, holding her daughter, truly holding her for the first time in years.
Johnny, in the meantime, pulled out his smartphone, selected the camera app, and after making sure that the flash was off, snapped a picture of his wife and daughter, making sure that the camera was on silent, so they could not hear the click. Jax and Jacqui would definitely want to see this later on after Cassie gets settled in.
The actor and patriarch of the Cage family stood up and walked over to his wife and daughter. Cassie released her mother and gave her father a hug as well. Johnny returned the hug, a huge smile on his face.
"Thank you for not giving up on me," Cassie whispered.
"Wouldn't be much of a dad if I didn't," Johnny replied.
Sonya, in the meantime, took Johnny's smartphone and snapped a picture on it. For the second time within a week, tears began to fall from her face. Only this time, these tears were one of joy.
South Lake Tahoe, California - two days later...
For the second time in a week, Cassie found herself back at the lakehouse where he father had found her. Only this time, rather than hiding out, she was there with family and friends. A party, welcoming her back home and celebrating her return to the army and commission.
It had been Cassie who suggested the lakehouse, as it was a much better place for her family to throw a party. Johnny and Sonya agreed to the request.
Following Cassie accepting and later becoming an officer in the Army, Cassie had to submit her dissertation to Jax and Sonya in regards to her career as a mercenary, as well as her masterminding the Black Dragon's fall. After that, said newly-minted lieutenant and her mother had been reonciling, mending bridges once broken, talking for hours on end. Johnny had let the both of them work things out. After beating the holy hell out of one another, talking was the next best thing. But he did call Rebecca to look in on them.
Rebecca Carlton-Williams, Johnny's sister and a psychiatrist, had given Cassie the third-degree about her running off the way she did. Sonya and Johnny found it amusing that their grown daughter was being tongue-lashed by her sister-in-law, who was 12 years older than Cassie. After Rebecca, it had been Vera's turn to chew Cassie out.
Aside from mending fences with her mother, Cassie had sent two photographs to the former Secretary Perry and his son, both incarcerated. The pictures were that of the Cage family, Cassie in an officer's uniform, her new rank evident in the photo. Johnny, Sonya and Cassie were in the picture giving the middle finger.
Scrawled on the back of the photos was a message in Cassie's handwriting. 'The Cage Family send their regards.'
Father, Mother, and Daughter had later heard that Perry had been screaming bloody murder, cursing their names from his cell. His son, however, was not so lucky. He tried to escape from prison with the intention of exacting revenge on Cassie, and was shot dead. Thus, another chapter in the Cage Family was brought to a close.
The party was on the lakehouse's patio. Aside from the Cage family, Johnny's sister and husband had made the trip. The Briggs family were also present - Jax, his wife Vera, and Jacqui. Cassie had excused herself from the party to stand at the patio's rail, staring at the lake.
The newly-minted lieutenant was dressed in the same outfit she had wore when she had arrived at El Toro days earlier. Only this time, she had taken a pair of hair clippers to her hair. She was now sporting an impressive undercut, and had styled it into a widow's peak (i.e., her hairdo when in her Endurance outfit).
"Nice haircut, Cassandra."
Cassie turned to her right. Nightwolf was standing beside her. The Lakota shaman had been in town, Cassie discovered, lecturing at a university when Cassie had invited him to her party. Nightwolf had accepted. Aside the fact that his hair was now grayer than her father's the warrior and historian was still Raiden's right-hand man.
"Thanks," Cassie replied. "You here to read me the third degree?"
Nightwolf grinned. "I believe your aunts had that covered. Something is on your mind."
"Only two people can read me that well. You and Dad. Dad told me what had happened when I was unconscious. About how Raiden healed me.
"You want to know why he did it, and did he do it because he wanted to get back in your mother's good graces," Nightwolf guessed. "I asked Haokah the same question. He said that it was the right thing to do. We all are seeking redemption, one way or another. Your mother...Haokah...Mileena...even you."
"Kitana said the same thing to me, that no one is beyond redemption. Her forgiving Mileena has proven that. I guess it was that alone which convinced me to give Sonya a second chance. She screwed up plenty, not that I was any better."
Nightwolf nodded. While Liu hated Raiden, the former champion was on relatively good terms with Nightwolf, as was Kitana.
"Goes to show that you are still learning from your mistakes," Nightwolf said. "Haokah sees something special in you, as do I. You're not the only one trying to build bridges once burned. Haokah feels remorse and guilt over succumbing to the Blood Code, over how Havik had manipulated him into using the Kamidogu."
"That I can relate," the younger Cage replied. "Fortunately, Liu and Kitana helped me put those demons to rest."
"He's been looking after you, you know, as an act of penance," the shaman continued. Off Cassie's surprised look, Nightwolf continued. "He even made sure that Quan Chi could not claim the souls of Kano and his allies following their deaths. Their souls he had personally obliterated."
"One less problem to worry about. Can you do me a favor?" Cassie asked.
"Sure."
"When you see Raiden again...tell him I said thanks."
"No need," Nightwolf replied, smiling. "Haokah knows of your gratitude. Your mother's as well."
"Cassie."
Cassie and Nightwolf turned around. Sonya stood there, holding Cassie's kit bag in her hands. Behind the three women, Jax was placing an old steel drum onto the patio. Johnny proceeded to upend the bag of charcoal that was left over from the barbecue into the drum.
"It's time," Sonya said.
Cassie gave her mother a nod and took the kit bag from her. Meanwhile, after dousing the charcoal with lighter fluid, Jax was trying to light a napkin on fire so he could toss it in. Vera, on the other hand, saved him the trouble by plucking the lit cigar from his lips, and much to Jax's chargin, tossed the cigar into the drum.
It had the desired effect of setting the charcoal ablaze.
"You need to quit, anyway," Vera said.
Sonya handed Cassie the kit bag and the younger Cage followed her mother to the impromptu fire pit. The others have already gathered around the burning drum; Jacqui stood with her parents, while Cassie's own flanked her. Rebecca and her husband stood on one end of the drum while Nightwolf was on the other.
Cassie regarded her kit bag. Inside were the items she used as Catherine Montilyet. But now, that life was officially over. It had been Rebecca who suggested that in order for Cassie to move forward, Cassandra Montilyet had to go. She opened it and pulled out the crimson wig. It had been her favorite wig, and one of the first things she had bought. Without a word, she tossed it into the burning bin, with the brunette and blonde wigs following suit.
She pulled out the oversized eyeglasses, and regarded them for a brief moment. "These shades cost less than the wigs," Cassie mused before tossing the item into the burning drum. Her contacts were the next thing she tossed away. Cassie then pulled out her smartphone, now deactivated, the SIM Card destroyed, and the photos now saved onto her laptop. That too went into the burning drum.
The next couple of items Cassie had retrieved were several passports under various aliases. The first passport she pulled out was German in origin. She flipped it open. "Katrina Mueller. Always hated that one." She tossed that into the inferno, and opened the next one, which was Canadian. "Rebecca Carlton. Forgot about that one," she said, smiling sheepishly at her aunt while said aunt gave Cassie the stink eye for using her name. Cassie tossed that passport into the drum.
The next passport was American. Cassie opened it, then closed it and handed it off to Sonya. "Keep that one, Mom. It's my real passport."
Sonya nodded and pocketed the item. The rest of the passports she had tossed into the fire. Cassie looked inside the bag. There were several bundles of money. Euros, dollars, even yen.
Cassie pulled out two bundles of dollar bills. One she tossed to Rebecca. "For using your name," she said before tossing the other to Nightwolf. "For room and board. Fifteen hundred each." The rest, she handed to her father. "See if you can get it converted, and donate it to a charity. I got enough cash."
"Gotcha, Princess," Johnny said.
Cassie thought about throwing the kit bag into the fire, but she relented. She actually liked the bag, and decided to keep it. She looked at the fire, watching as her life as Catherine Montilyet burn away.
"It's funny. I thought being a freelance contractor was the best thing in the world," Cassie began. "Instead, I was running from my past. From those who I call family. Dad made his career by being different characters, good and bad. Sometimes, it easier to be something that you're not, to become the mask. It's much harder to take the mask off...even when you have to face your past."
Sonya interlaced her fingers with her daughters and gave it a squeeze, while Johnny had his arm around Cassie's shoulders. "It's easier now, isn't it?" Sonya asked.
"It is, Mom," Cassie replied. "Because everything is all right now, for better or worse. I know that I'm not alone. Not anymore."
"You never were alone," Johnny said. "You always had us."
Nothing else was said as the fire slowly began to die out, leaving nothing but charred remains inside the drum.
Catherine Montyilet was officially put to rest.
For now, Cassandra Carlton Cage just lived in the moment. She had friends and family that she can depend on. She was no longer a lone wolf, for even a lone wolf needs a pack to run with. The chapter of her life as a freelance contractor was officially closed. Now, a new chapter was being written for Lieutenant Cassandra Cage.
Cassie didn't know what the future held in store for her, but she would not have to face it alone.
Not anymore.
END.
