Life After OZ Ch. 1
By Dan

A man followed by a woman walked through the busy intersections of bustling Metro City. There was news about a particular friend they wanted to hear about, and they were going to go directly to the source to find out about him... The woman excused herself and briefly the duo parted ways. The man, who wore somewhat of a grim demeanor despite his young features and personality, continued walking until he arrived at his destination: the estate of politician Mike Haggar.

*****

Location: The Haggar Estate

*****

“So Haggar, any news yet on Cody’s whereabouts?”, the man asked Haggar.

“Not at all, Dean. Not so much as a phone call. I’m afraid that he surely might be dead.” Jessica Haggar overheard those chilling words from her father. She suddenly felt cold all over. She KNEW Cody couldn’t be gone... could he? All those battles with the Skull Cross and Mad Gear gangs left in bad condition many times, how could he be dead now? Jessica listened intently, trying to decipher each word spoken behind the closed doors of Haggar’s home office...

“That warden that controls the prison Cody was in is bad news... I think HE had something to do with Cody’s disappearance.”, Haggar said. He banged his fist on his oakwood table for good measure. Dean nodded.

“I tried to visit ‘ol Cody a couple weeks back, and they said he was in no condition to see anyone! Unless somebody made him their b*tch-which is HIGHLY unlikely, he should be well enough to see his pals! I mean, come on!” Dean was getting worked up, but Haggar settled him down.

“So”, Haggar began, “Where’s Lucia and the others?”

“Lucia should be on her way here. Guy, Maki and Rena, I don’t know about them.” Haggar nodded. He knew they’d show. A knock on the door made Jessica jump. After all, it did interrupt her eavesdropping... She called out “Who is it?”

“Guy.” Jessica opened the door. Sure enough, Guy was there at the door.

“Good to see you, Guy”, Jessica said giving him a hug. Guy returned the hug somewhat awkwardly. In his mind, it didn’t seem right to hug Cody’s girlfriend affectionately... Jessica’s soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

“You heard about Cody, right?”

“No, I’ve been in the Street Fighter tournament. What has he gotten himself into now?” Guy didn’t look to upset about Cody, but Jessica told him anyway.

“He broke out of prison. He used an underground sewer main, but the guards followed him and he got to the end of the pipeline’s opening, and-and-and he j-j-j-jumped!” Jessica began to cry loudly, prompting Guy to at least try to console her.

“He’s gonna’ be okay, Jessica. Trust me, I-”

“It was a twenty-five storey fall, Guy. Twenty-FIVE! Who, in their right mind, would jump twenty-five storeys down into their certain doom?” Guy had no answer for that, so he wisely kept his mouth shut. Haggar suddenly came through the room where him and Dean were talking. He smiled as soon as he saw Guy.

“I knew you’d show.”

“I do my best.”, Guy said sarcastically. Dean saw him and lit up as well. Giving him a high five, then a special Final Fight high-five sequence, the two fighters laughed, then got serious.

“I’m pretty sure you heard the news from Jessica, eh?”, Dean said. Guy nodded. The four of them said nothing for a moments passing. Then Guy finally broke the now-stiff quiet that resided in the air.

“He’s gonna’ look for solace with one of us, you all realize that, don’t you?” Dean gave him an incredulous look.

“What, you’re not gonna’ help him? C’mon, Guy. Even you gotta’ admit, he caught a bad break. If he IS alive, I’m making it my business to help him.” Guy raised his finger.

“You DO realize, harboring a convict is illegal. You could go to prison with him because of his shortcomings.” Dean shook that notion off.

“Look, Guy. I know he disrespected you and all, but we’ve all been bro’s for like, the longest. I know you don’t really hang around Metro City and all, but you couldn’t offer Cody some sort of refuge? That warden guy will kill him for sure if he can catch him.”

“He’s right”, Haggar said, nodding in agreement. Guy looked at Dean, then Haggar, then the still somewhat-sniffling Jessica. “*Wow... She’s really heartbroken. She DOES still care about him.*”, Guy realized. Dean had a point. Guy had known Cody since high school, farther back, even. To desert him now, when he needs the support of his friends would be wrong, wouldn’t it? Nobody even knew if Cody was ALIVE, after all...

“Fine. I’ll help where I can.”, Guy said to the other three, who seemingly were waiting for his final decision. “But I cannot offer him much. You three all realize I am Bushin now. I have duties that I should be attending to right now, but yet I’m not.” Haggar smiled, and shook Guy’s hand.

“Don’t worry about all that. Just knowing you’re on Cody’s side is good enough, Guy.” Dean slapped him another five as Jessica hugged him. Another knock on the door startled the four. Haggar and Dean expecting Lucia to come in any minute, opened the door and was startled to see Lucia and a policeman. Lucia saw the stares of her friends and shook them off.

“This isn’t about ME, guys... it’s about Cody. The police have proof to believe that Cody, is indeed, still alive.” Jessica gasped. Dean went wide-eyed. Haggar offered the cop a seat inside.

“No thanks, what I have to say will be quick.” Haggar nodded. The cop began: “Warden Sid Ferguson from Ozwald Penitentiary has issued a search-and-recover unit to recover the escaped inmate Cody. From what he told us, all of you are former or current friends or relatives of Cody...” Dean interrupts the cop’s lengthy speech.

“Get to the point, uhh.... Kowalski.”, Dean said eyeing the cops badge. The cop eyed Dean with a bit of contempt. But he continued nonetheless.

“We realize that all of you have ties to Cody... We wanted it to be known right now... If Cody is seen in this area of Metro City, we will apprehend him at all costs. Even if it means ending his life...”

“WHAT!?!”, Jessica said aghast. “He has no weapons, though! How are you just gonna’ shoot him if you see him?”

“If I do need to remind you ma’am, this Cody is an escaped convict. ALL convicts are considered armed and dangerous. Hate to tell you that, but it’s true.” Jessica began to sob into her father’s chest like a little kid would. Dean, visibly upset at the cop’s cruel, harsh words, spoke on what he just said.

“So you can just do that, eh? Well, guess what, doughnut-eater. If I DO see Cody, I’m helping him out. And if I get in trouble, so be it.” Lucia nodded and spoke as well.

“Same with me. I’d rather be in the same sinking boat with him, than to watch him drown by himself.” Guy said nothing, and shook his head the entire time.

“*They think THIS impresses this policeman? They’re playing themselves for fools, each of them...*”

“Well”, the cop started, “Seeing as how you want to aide a wanted criminal, I might as well tell you: If you do offer to help Cody, that makes YOU a criminal as well, and you’ll face the same fate he does, whether it’s in a cell, or in a casket. The warden’s special task force isn’t a game. They will shoot to kill Cody, and anyone foolish enough to help him escape.” The cop looked DIRECTLY at Dean this time.

“And another thing... If you do happen to get injured in any way possible helping Cody, don’t look towards suing or taking someone to court. You five are all responsible for your actions. Remember that. I’ll be going now.”

“Hey!”, Dean said tapping the cop’s shoulder. “I KNOW, you remember Cody. He helped clean up this city and it’s been a safe haven for years now. I find it real f*ckin’ hard to believe everybody here can turn their backs on him for the stuff he did.”

“Nobody is pure gold. Everybody has stuff they regret, I realize that.”, the cop said quietly. Dean was beginning to work himself up again as the cop made his way to the door.

“Put yourself in HIS shoes, copper! What would you do?” The policeman turned around.

“I’d turn myself in, frankly, and stop causing my friends and family to get involved in something that they shouldn’t directly be in. Good day to you all.” The cop closed the door gently. Dean shouted “Motherf***er!”

“Whoa! Calm down, Dean.”, Guy said. Dean was really worked up.

“Can you believe that? Can you honestly believe that? What a load of bullcrap! Cody helped SAVE this f***in’ burgh, and no one can help him when his number’s up? F*ck that!” Even though Guy really didn’t want to help, the words that Dean said (that weren’t curses) hit home. Guy made a vow to himself to make sure that if Cody needed assistance, he’d help him. it was the right thing to do, even if the law said it was wrong...