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The sun
shined through the Special Forces windows the next morning. The only noise in the quiet hallway was the sounds of footsteps
running. It sounded like it was heading on it's way to the men's wing.
Meanwhile, Kenshi could feel the sun's rays
hit his face from his bed. 'Morning already?' he asked himself. It was then that he realized that he was holding
someone in his arms. He smirked to himself and listened to Alex's rhythmic breathing as she slept peacefully in his arms.
He bended his head down and kissed the top of her head.
Alex had just woken up as she felt Kenshi kiss her head. She
slightly moved her head upward to look at him.
"Morning," she said.
Kenshi smirked more. "Morning."
Alex
leaned to him and lightly kissed Kenshi's lips. Then she pulled away. "Did you sleep well?"
A small smile appeared
on Kenshi's face. "It was the best sleep I ever had. I don't remember the last time I slept like this."
"Same here,"
Alex replied resting her head next to his. "I think that's how it is the night you, well, have a great night."
"True,"
Kenshi laughed.
They were just about to kiss again when the door suddenly flew open fast. Jax walked in a couple of
feet.
"Kenshi, it's Jax. Get dressed we have a......Alex?"
"Um," Alex managed to say feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Hi Jax?"
Jax stood there in a bit of shock. "Eh, sorry if I was interrupting anything, but we have an emergency meeting.
Something has happened last night, General White will be explaining everything at the lounge. Um, get dressed." He left feeling
a bit embarrassed. 'I should've knocked first,' he thought. 'At least they were under the sheets.'
A
half hour later, everyone met in the Special Forces lounge. General White stood while everyone else sat down.
"What
happened General?" asked Alex.
General White spoke. "Blade and Briggs are already aware of what happened. Something
has happened to Cyrax last night. We tried to get in contact with him, but I think his arm panel has been destroyed. Hell
we don't even know if he's even still alive."
"It sounded like he was being attacked by someone," said Jax. "Or something."
"Could
it be those trees in that forest?" asked Sonya.
"I don't think so. Those trees are only known to pull pranks, not kill
or anything like that. But I thought I heard a hissing noise before the connection was cut off."
"So what do we do
now?" asked Kenshi.
General White sighed. "Well, first we don't even know if there are any unusual activities going
on in Outworld. Cyrax hasn't really bumped into anything since he left Earth." He sighed again. "The only thing I can do for
now is to have Jax send one of you out there to check out any unusual activities in Outworld and search for Cyrax. Hopefully
he's still alive."
"Don't worry General," said Hsu Hao. "Cyrax is as tough as metal, literally."
Jax raised
an eyebrow after hearing that. During meetings, Hsu Hao wouldn't even make the sounds of breathing. He stood up.
"Jax,"
White asked. "Have you decided who it will be?"
"I'm deciding now," Jax replied. He looked at Hsu Hao. 'Hell no,' he
immediately thought. He looked over at Alex. She was a good agent but he didn't believe that she was ready to go on an assignment
as big as this one. Sonya was his partner and needed her to help out with more of the operations.
After a few minutes
Jax finally made his decision. "Kenshi."
Kenshi was shocked to hear his name being called out. He didn't expect that
at all. 'I'm finally going to Outworld!'
Of course, he was going to help find Cyrax as well, but it was a
chance for him to finally find Shang and redeem himself, something he has been looking forward to for the last ten years.
When he got there, he would be both a rescue party and spy, once he found Shang of course.
A small frown appeared on
Alex's face. She was happy about Kenshi going to Outworld. She knew that this was something he wanted for a long time, but
at the same time, a part of her didn't want him to go knowing that he was about to do something that was dangerous. Worse,
it was in another part of the universe.
"You'll be going through the portal in 12 hours," Jax said.
Alex looked
at her watch. It was nine in the morning.
"Speaking of which," said Sonya standing up. She held what looked like a
dog tag necklace and walked over to Kenshi. "Kenshi, everyone involved with Special Forces receive a dog tag to wear with
their names on it. This one was made for you."
Kenshi stood up and put his hand out. "Thank you," he said as Sonya
placed the tag in his hand. He held it and brushed the tag with his thumb. He could feel his name engraved on it. Then, he
put the jewelry around his neck. "Now I really feel like I'm part of the team."
"Kenshi," said Jax. "You ARE part of
the team."
***
Six hours later.......
Alex stood outside of the balcony of the Special Forces base. From
there, she watched the jeeps and fighter jets coming in and out of the base. Kenshi was stuck in her mind. It was only last
night that they showed each other their feelings for one another and now he was leaving to go on a dangerous mission.
'Just
when things were going well,' she thought. 'Now this.'
But she knew that this was something he wanted
to do and there was nothing she could do to stop him. She tried her best to be happy for him.
It was then that she
heard footsteps from behind her. She turned around to see the person. Her heart fluttered when she spotted Kenshi walking
over to her dressed in his traditional uniform and red blindfold.
"Alex?" Kenshi asked.
Alex fully turned around.
"Yeah it's me," she said.
"Sonya told me you would be here," Kenshi said as he walked over next to her. "You've been
pretty quiet since the meeting ended."
"I know," Alex replied. "I've been doing a lot of thinking all day that's all."
"It's
not about last night is it?" Kenshi asked.
Alex took his hands into hers. "It's not that. Last night was the best night."
She looked down. "I was thinking about something else."
She could tell just by the shape of Kenshi's lips that he was
concerned. He put his arms around her waist. "It's about me leaving tonight."
Alex put her arms around his shoulders.
"Yeah. I mean I'm really happy that you finally have the chance to go. I know it's something that means a lot to you, a chance
to finally accomplish your goals." She sighed a little. "It's just that I.........I have a bad feeling about this mission.
After Cyrax, I'm afraid that whatever happened to him is going to happen to you. Don't get me wrong I am worried about Cyrax.
I........I just don't want to lose you."
Kenshi gently kissed her forehead. "You won't lose me," he assured her. "Nothing
is going to happen to me and I'll make sure that I'll come back alive and in one piece."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
***
Another
six hours later.....
"This is it Agent Kenshi," said General White. "Are you ready for this?"
Kenshi picked
up the duffle bag full of the supplies he needed to survive. "I'm ready."
Everyone but Hsu Hao were there to watch
Kenshi go through the portal, which will take him to Outworld. Jax walked over to the swordsman and patted his back. "Take
care of yourself. If you need anything, just use your arm panel to contact us."
"All right," said Kenshi.
Sonya
walked up to him next. "Good luck Kenshi. Be safe and find Cyrax for us. If something happens, we'll come out to get you."
"Thank
you. I'll be safe."
Alex knew that it was her turn. She walked over to him. Immediately, the two wrapped their arms
around each other in an embrace. The room became silent except for the pulsing sound of the machine behind them ready to transport
Kenshi to Outworld. The other three in the room knew that this would be the hardest part of saying good-bye for Kenshi.
Alex
pulled back and looked at the small, silver chained bracelet around her left wrist. She began to take it off and then placed
it on Kenshi's wrist. "My mother gave me this bracelet just before she died. I want you to take it with you as a good luck
charm."
"Thank you," Kenshi said. "I'll never take this off."
Kenshi put his duffle bag down and reached both
of his hands to the back of his neck and unhooked the hook of his dog tag. Then, he pushed Alex's dark hair to the side and
hooked the jewelry around her next. Tears began to form in Alex's eyes, but she refused to shed them.
"I'll be coming
back for these and for you," Kenshi said.
"I'll never take this off either," Alex answered. They locked their lips
together in a sweet kiss, their arms around each other. Alex wished she could stop him from going, but she couldn't. This
was something he had to do.
Kenshi pulled back and placed a hand on her face. "Be brave for me," he whispered. He felt
Alex nod. Then, he slowly picked up his bag. "I'm ready," he announced.
"All right," said White. "Step into the portal."
Kenshi
took a deep breath and walked into the portal. Sonya locked the glass door and then Jax turned the machine fully on. Alex
watched as the blue energy slowly swirled around Kenshi.
'Be brave for me,' his voice echoed in her mind.
She tightly grasped on to the dog tag.
The blue energy completed covered Kenshi to the point that no one can see him.
When the energy faded, Kenshi was gone.
Alex bowed her head. She wanted to be brave for him, but she soon had the horrible
feeling that was the last time that she would see Kenshi alive.
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