[Fiction] A quick return to the game

[Long]

Long woke to find a note from Angela. "She certainly has had alot of business to take care of lately." He mused as he drew himself up from the bed and made his way to the bathroom. "At least today is an uneventful day."

The phone rang. Figuring it to be someone he knew, he answered it. "Hello." A female voice came over the phone. "Mr. Hideyoshi, I need some work done that I'm told is right up your alley. Your Service record has been exemplary and none of our operatives have taken this contract. Do you wish to continue?" Long stood silent for a moment then returned "Continue." "Very well. your Computer terminal located one point two meters to your right will contain the information packet for this mission, summary of your targets and pay, simply hit accept and the mission is yours to prosecute immediately." With that his computer turns on of it's own accord and the phone clicks off. "Well what do we have here?"

Twenty minutes later, Long has committed the data in the encrypted file to memory and has accepted the contract. "Money does not grow on trees, and as of late I've spent a good deal. The recovery part is more than what I need. Besides, it's not like I have to kill them." Packing several recorders and the GPS data and photographs in his mind Long vanishes appearing in an alley near the Target.

Long releases the recorders and shifts his form to resemble Shen-Kahn in his metal form. He walks out into the street and the locals begin running and screaming. He gets about halfway across the street and there's a massive impact as Target: Stonebreaker's fist impacts his head. The blow sends him flying. There's another impact as his second target, Hellfire bathes him in flames. He picks himself up and dusts off his shoulder. "Are you weaklings done?" As one, they both rush him, they obviously work as a team, brute physical strength and toughness complementing fire based destruction. He catches Stonebreaker's fist in a massive clawed hand and begins to squeeze. Their strength is equal but the claws easily pierce the stony flesh and in a moment of sheer agony, shatter Stonebreaker's right hand. With his right hand Long bathes Hellfire in his own brand of deathly energy. Hellfire's right arm disappears as does much of the skin of his chest and face.

Both of them scream as their injuries hit them, their opponent clearly is more than a match for them. "You're some sort of monster. I didn't sign on for this!" Stonebreaker's bravado and courage are gone, replaced with the very real fear of dying. Hellfire rises slowly, his movements causing him great pain. Get ready to fry motherfucker, Nobody messes up my face!!" Long turns to Hellfire. "Boy stay down or I will make you stay down." Crimson fire wreathes Long as Hellfire blazes away putting all he has into his Burning Finish. Long's eyes Blaze Sapphire Blue as the blast subsides. "I see you need a further lesson." With amazing speed he grabs Hellfire's left arm and twists, snapping it off at the elbow. Hellfire lets out a scream of pain as Long turns away. Stonebreaker's other fist slams into Long's chest, this time with no effect. "I see you also need a lesson." Long's left leg sweeps out, claws glinting in the sun as they slice through Stonebreaker's right knee severing it. That sent him sprawling on the ground. "Now stay down and you'll live." Long turns away, his metal form walking towards the small building. "I'll heal this and I'll hunt you down, you'll never be safe!" Hellfire's taunt brings Long around. "Goodbye." Long's hands glow and he unleashes a full powered blast. Flesh, organs, and bone disappear under the beams hellish blast leaving only a black stain on the ground. He turns to Stonebreaker. "I'm sorry, it is just the way this goes." Hellish light flashes again and Stonebreaker's torso and head disappear in an instant.

Long turns again to the building and makes his way inside. The baseline guards cower in fear as he makes his way through, making his way to a large safe. He wrenches the door free and removes the documents and data discs stored within. The small discs find their way to him and he clips them to his belt. Without a word he vanishes and appears at his home. The phone rings again.

"Mission complete, all objectives complete. My payment?" "Transferred to your accounts as per our standing arrangement. The data you recovered and transmitted will come in handy in future planning. It has been a pleasure doing business with you. I will call if I have another offer if that is acceptable." Long smiles "Yes, please do, it felt good to get in the game again." The phone clicks off and Long places the data recorders in his computer terminal uploading the data from the fight. As he remembers the battle a smile curls his mouth. "It felt good to fight, good to kill." The statement comes out easily without thought. The horror of it isn't lost on him, but he can't deny it. Battle is what he was forged for. Engaging in it was what came natural. Part of that scared him, the rest awaited more.