10 Mission Prep

The scene cuts to a shot of the Lin Kuei temple, viewed through a high-tech computer monitor. Various statistics outline the screen. Cassie Cage speaks,

"Once we hit the drop-point, we split up."

The scene moves back into the S-F control room, with everyone seen earlier Johnny, Cassie, Jacqui, Takeda, Alex, and Kung Jin still present, Cassie lays out the plan,

"Jacqui and I will come in from the south. You three from the west."

Jacqui nodded and said,

"Rendezvous here. The north entrance."

Kung Jin nodded and asked,

"Then what? A simple pick up and go?"

Cassie replies,

"We bag 'im if he resists."

Takeda speaks a warning,

"Resistance might be more possible than you think."

"Don't sweat it. It comes to that, Sub-Zero won't know what hit him."

Alex was quiet through most of it as he listened to the plan and agreed. He didn't feel that Cassie was being realistic and felt the plan was not 100% foolproof but otherwise kept his tongue. He had learned to hold his tongue; not that he didn't speak his mind, just more he found it better for her growth to let her fall on her face and be there to help her pick herself back up. Alex then says

"As much as I don't like it, I agree with this. Honestly, I would prefer if we attempted to speak to him before going in guns blaz…. you aren't listening to me...as always."

The others had been gearing up. Alex being the Black Dragon here, only being an official member for four years now, was always armed with weapons. Even at most casual, like on those early dates with Cassie, he was armed. His boots, like his uncle Kano, had built-in knives. He also kept two at his waist behind his back. On a mission like this, he preferred a special weapon that Karkas taught him how to use, Hook Swords. Once aboard the plane, Alex sat near Cassie Cage who cuddled close to him and he shifted himself to hold her. She looked up at him, her hand gently caressing his smooth, hairless face. His olive skin was soft to her touch. His crimson eyes met her baby blue eyes and they leaned into a kiss.

"Eww, guys come on!"

Kung Jin moaned in disgust. Jacqui giggled at his discomfort and Takeda only gave a thumbs up to the engaged couple. Kung Jin groans at the display and asks

"How does a goodie two shoes rich girl fall for the criminal?"

Alex smiles and reminisces

-Flashback-

Cassie was doing a deposit at the bank on a cloudy, but otherwise ordinary, warm Thursday in September on the 9th of 2010. She had begun working her first small job, at her mother's behest, into a savings account. She notices something was off as there was someone behind her acting antsy, and sure enough, the place was raided by a group of armed robbers. But, it wasn't something out of her dad's action movies, they were methodical. As they rounded up the civilians to be hostages, Cassie notices a window of opportunity through one of the guard's momentary distractions, and strikes, using this to take out several of the robbers. The few remaining robbers point their guns at the helpless civilians with their leader saying

"Go ahead Ms. Carlton see if we kill one of these innocent civilians. Hmm, how would Daddy react to your actions costing lives?"

Cassie looked around. The robbers had their guns pointed at hostages, guns cocked, as their leader taunted her. Realizing her hopeless situation, she raised her hands upward. Motioned by their leader, one of the men handcuffed Cassie and sat her back with the rest of the hostages, next to one of the dead security guards.

"Now that should keep you from acting up. You two keep an eye on the fucking bitch, yeah? We can make tons more money holding that one hostage from that A-lister twat."

The leader tauntingly laughed. One of the civilians simply stands up, towering over the guard keeping watch over the others, and double ax-handles the goon on the head onto the floor with a loud thud. Before the others can react, this guy, though big, is also deceptively agile, runs and boots the leader through the bank teller's window. The remaining two, who were keeping a close eye on Cassie, are legitimately awestruck at the others just being swatted aside so effortlessly, are both knocked unconscious by a jumping split kick from Cassie. This strange guy approaches Cassie and easily breaks the handcuffs on her wrists, with Cassie hastily freeing the rest of the civilians using the killed security guards' keys. The Bank teller had tripped the silent alarm and then approached the two

"Thank you. Thank you both. Bless you."

"You're welcome," Replied the tall stranger

Something in the tall guy's baritone voice attracted Cassie. Beyond his seven-foot-tall height, or his muscular two-hundred-pound weight. Beyond his long silky black hair, black as coal, or those interestingly crimson eyes, or even by the fact this guy just kicked ass with his bare hands. He turned to her, a five-foot-eight, 138 lbs blonde-haired blue-eyed girl. He gently rubbed her injured wrists and asked of her

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, thank you."

He smiled at her softly before saying

"My name is Alexander Valkyrie Darkov. May I inquire your name?"

"Cassandra Carlton, but I prefer Cassie Cage."

"Alright Cassie, I prefer Alex myself."

Alex smiles as Cassie blushes like a schoolgirl. He then asks

"Care to go get lunch?"

Cassie said, playing the hard to get,

"Sure, but you're paying"

"Money is no issue"

Alex said, alluding to his Black Dragon affiliation.

-End Flashback-

Takeda and Jacqui both had a look of awe and thought it was cute. Kung Jin groaned before saying

"You just like him because he is a bad boy. The oldest trope in the book. Can't believe you're going to marry this loser."

"Fuck you Jin. Alex is the kindest, sweetest guy you will meet. You just only know his serious side."

Kung Jin rolled his eyes again. Something about Alex's eyes, his height, his build, and his skin made Kung Jin very leery about trusting this Black Dragon. And it wasn't just his Black Dragon status either. Growing up as a Shaolin with experiences beyond and outside of Earthrealm exposed Kung Jin to a myriad of peoples of many different backgrounds. Something about Alexander did not sit right with Kung Jin, but for now, they were allies and their Lin Kuei mission would be top priority. For now.