Fire and Ice (MK9 - MK11)

Chapter 8: Jax

JACQUI: I know you think you have things to make up for, but--

JAX: I'm doing this for Sonya. She's family.

JACQUI: That's why I'm worried.

JAX: I'll be fine. You stay safe, y'hear?

JACQUI: You stay safe too. I love you. Briggs out.

JAX: Briggs out.

He switches off the communicator.

KENSHI: Feeling better? Or worse?

JAX: Not sure. Maybe both.

Kenshi chuckles and places a hand on Jax's shoulder.

KENSHI: They'll be fine.

JAX: Question is, will I be?

They walk over the Krossroad's bridge to the landscape before it. Several soldiers have set up a perimeter behind cover, facing outward into the hellish landscape beyond.

KENSHI: We have good crossfire position. But why is it Quan Chi travels by conventional means?

They walk over to another person - one of the Netherrealms' more known denziens - for their answer.

SAREENA: He seems unable to fully use his magic. He's weaker than when I was... in his service.

JAX: Sareena's dead on. He doesn't have Shinnok as a power source. He's still Quan Chi, though.

Kenshi nods at this. The three of them take up a position behind some rocks as cover.

KENSHI: I realise you agreed to guide and observe. But you are welcome to assume any role you wish.

JAX: I'm too rusty. I don't wanna jeopardise the mission.

Kenshi silenty accepts this. Sareena looks into the distance beyond their cover.

SAREENA: He approaches.

The soldiers around them ready their assault rifles. Jax and Kenshi crouch with Sareena behind cover, Jax with a growing dread visible on his face.

The scene cuts over to the hell-horses galloping toward the ambush at full speed. Quan Chi leads the group. All of the available soldiers take cover and aim their weapons directly at the approaching horde. Accompanying Quan Chi are Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Kitana, Sindel, Kabal, Stryker and Nightwolf. Kenshi waits a few moments before giving his command.

KENSHI: Now!

The soldiers open fire. They don't score any immediate hits, but the barrage is enough to spooks the hell-mounts. They rear up on their hind legs and refuse to go forward. One soldier aims his gun and shoots a hell-horse on it's shoulder, causing it to rear up and throw Kung Lao from his saddle. Seeing this, Sindel and Kitana both jump off their mounts and take cover. Jax notices this, looking very concerned.

Sindel shoots off a blast of purple magic from her palm that hits a soldier near Jax. He falls to the ground, either unconscious or dead. Stryker aims a pistol from his mount and fires, blowing a hole through the skull of another soldier.

A bullet fired from another soldier clips Quan Chi's mount in the neck. It drops dead, falling on it's master's leg in the process. Liu Kang immediately dismounts from his hell-horse to assist Quan Chi. Two more soldiers shoot at Kabal's horse, and he responds to their poor aim by charging them. As the horse approaches, Kabal pulls his hookswords from their sheaths, readies one in his hand and decapitates a soldier as he gallops past.

Kenshi comes out of cover to assist, and Jax realises that the skirmish is going to end badly.

JAX: Shit...