13 Wounded Pride and New Mission

Back on their plane and in their command center, Team S-F begin dressing their wounds and pride, Alex being the only one unscathed as he did not fight. Cassie walks in, making sure to shoulder bump Jin as she passes, and shoots a glare at Alex for his lack of participation. Johnny follows behind her, a grin on his face as he tries to lighten the mood.

"So other than that, you enjoyed your visit."

"The Lin Kuei shredded us."

Cassie says forlorn, sitting by Alex, her anger with him be spelled as he messaged the pain in her back. Kung Jin sneered at Cassie

"You, maybe."

Jacqui was quick to defend Cassie

"I see plenty of frozen boot prints on your ass, too."

Johnny easing the tension says

"C'mon now, you're all winners in my book."

This does nothing to encourage Team S-F, who continue to look downcast. Alex looks up

"It's a mindset like that, that poisons minds. Losses must be felt."

"That some Black Dragon mantra?"

Kung Jin taunts Alex. Alex gets up and says

"Kung Jin, I have had just about enough of your shit. What the hell is your problem?"

"My problem? My problem is first, you should not even be here. You are a Black Dragon. Your scum does not belong among the honorable. Secondly, you look like a freak. Third, how are you even related to Kano, honestly? Fourth, half the time you hang back and don't do shit! Lastly, you didn't even lift a finger and you have the nerve to say that we aren't a team?"

Cassie was about to explode in anger. Jacqui gulped amid the growing tension. Alex seemed unfazed. Takeda held Cassie back, firmly but gently as she was not his. Alex crossed his arms standing at his full seven-foot height and retorted

"Not be here? We all paradoxically should and shouldn't be here for various reasons. You should talk, Jin. Don't think I don't know you were just a common Robin Hood wannabe before you joined the Shaolin Monks. I look like a freak? Do you know how hurtful that is? No, I am not related by blood to Kano, he adopted me, but don't you talk about him, General Blade is the only one allowed to do that. Do you know why I hang back? I watch my opponents. Yah know why? So, I can see their strategy. All four of ya's coulda beatin' Sub-Zero if I felt you could listen to me, but not a single one of you ever listens. Now, Mate, ya wanna know why I stepped back? I knew what the plan was and ya fucked it up, you utter asshole. We ain't a team."

Cassie looked worried. Alex prided himself on being different from Kano, but when he was pissed off, he would slip into the Aussie accent. Cassie said

"Alex! You sound like Kano."

Alex paused, looked back at her, thought over what he said before he noticed an incoming strike from Kung Jin. The Shaolin and Black Dragon exchanged blows and parries. Alex grabbed hold of Kung Jin's shoulders and forcefully shoved him against the metal walls, sending Jin tumbling towards the floor hard. He then offers Kung Jin his hand, who slaps it away with a growl before getting up. Cassie dashes over to Alex and touches his bruised cheek. He hisses more in sensitivity to the touch than out of pain. Johnny's phone begins to vibrate in his back pocket, and he takes it out. He takes one look at the screen and becomes deadly serious. He speaks

"New orders. From General Blade."

He walks over to the computer and types something in. He reads the screen for more info. His face conveys worry as he relays

"Priority One: Outworlders. Here in Earthrealm..."

Takeda concernedly asks

"An invasion?"

Jacqui says

"Couldn't be."

She notices Johnny is silent. So does Jin. Jin snidely asks

"You're not afraid are you, Mister Cage?"

Johnny responds

"Outworlders, I can handle..."

Alex looked a bit concerned by Johnny's response. Sub-Zero's words echoed at the back of his mind

- "You show wisdom Alexander, you do your mother proud."-

He fingered the necklace he was wearing under his shirt. Tasia had given it to him once he turned sixteen, explaining it had been around his neck when he was brought to them. She did not explain further beyond telling him that one pendant was Greek and the other…Outworlder. Alex's eyes widened at the possibility but said nothing. Kung Jin noticed Alex's reaction and filed it away for later, something was up with Alex. Cassie had seen Alex's expression and knew what he was thinking about

-Flashback-

Cassie lay on the couch in Alex's room. It had been about a month now since they started dating and they found they were a great match. Cassie's head was on Alex's lap as he read from one of his favorite books. She noticed a leather cord around his neck and asked

"I didn't know you were one to wear a necklace."

Alex paused putting his book down with a bookmark in it. He tugged at the cord bringing the necklace fully into her view. The cord was well cared for, though the two medallions on it were old. One was tarnished gold with a lyre carved into it. Απόλλων, adorned it flowing Greek letters. Alex explained

"This is a Priestess Medallion. Given to the Priestess of Apollo, thus Απόλλων on there."

He flipped that medallion over and carved into it was Αλέξανδρος βάλκιρι Ντάρκοφ. Alex smiled and said

"It has my name on it. Αλέξανδρος βάλκιρι Ντάρκοφ means Alexander Valkyrie Darkov."

She nodded as he then showed her the other. A copper piece with a horned skull on it. Alex looks depressed

"In all my books, I can not find a faction, crown, or region with this symbol. All I know is it is given to members of a guard."

"Hmm. Maybe you need to look beyond Earthrealm."

Cassie suggested, noting the back had language native to Outworld. She recognized the language but could not read it. Alex nodded, tucking it back under his shirt saying

"It's the only thing of my parents I own. My only clue as to who I am."

-End Flashback-