What If... Venom Stayed Evil? (The Cheated Kombatant) (Male Reader)

Chapter 22: Saving Sonya and Johnny

In the center of the cage - filled with broken bottles, used bed mattresses and other assorted junk - Sonya sits up and tries to get her bearings. A voice chimes in over the loudspeakers:

Past Kano: Rise and shine, Sonya.

Sonya gets back to her feet. She looks down at her arms and finds that she's no longer wearing her wrist gauntlets.

Sonya: Wha...?

Past Kano: Yeah, you won't be needing that stuff, love.

She looks up to the top of the cage, which is covered by patches of razor wire. Both Young and Old Kano look down at her from a makeshift stage.

Past Kano: One thing we Black Dragon know, there's no fun in a fair fight.

A heavy door opens, and a newcomer makes their way through the crowd, who all step away from them. It is the past Kabal who is unburnt. He looks up to the stage that both Kano's are on.

Past Kabal: So, Sonya's the skank who burns me?

Kano: Oh, she more than burns you, Kabal. She goes black-ops on your arse. Shocks, knives, the bloody works. Patched you back together meself. Well, most of you.

Kabal's eyes narrow in anger and he clenches his fists in rage.

Kabal: She's dead.

The crowd around him started cheering encouragement. Young Kano looks over to his older self.

Past Kano: Miss Law and Order really does that to him?

Kano: Nah. But now he's motivated.

Both Kanos smirk. Below them, two Black Dragon goons open the cage door. Sonya immediately turns and makes a run for it, but she is bowled over as Kabal charges her with his super speed. Sonya picks herself up as Kabal slides to a halt in front of her.

Kabal: Hope you're ready for some pre-emptive vengeance.

Sonya: What the hell are you talking about, Kabal?

Kabal: You, torturing me to get dirt on the Black Dragon.

They fight. Augmented with Black Dragon technology and weapons, this version of Kabal is no less deadly than his revenant counterpart, and Sonya is at a further disadvantage without her wrist gauntlets. But she still has years of Special Forces training and fighting experience, and Sonya calls on everything she's learned to take the fight back to Kabal. After a brutal exchange, she finally leaves the Black Dragon lackey down and out.

Sonya: Don't believe every rumor you hear.

She looks out toward the crowd around her.

Sonya: I'm done entertaining you clowns!

She turns toward the two Kano's overlooking her.

Sonya: Get in here, you cowards!

Across the bar, two more goons drag in another person.

Past Kano: Tempting, love. But we think our next contender is a beaut.

Sonya looks over to the cage door and to the person the goons are dragging in. She recognizes him immediately.

Sonya: Shit.

The door is opened, and the goons chuck young Johnny into the arena, to the cheers of the crowd around them. Sonya immediately runs past Johnny and through the open door, but she is quickly grabbed by the goons and shoved back into the cage. They slam the door on her again, and despite her best efforts she is unable to force it open. She then turns back to the badly beaten Johnny and helps him to his feet.