Let's see, Since I don't own GI Joe, that means that I don't own Cobra either. Atlantis, Chaos, Golem, and Vampira are mine, Thunderbird and Lady Mastermind are Marvel's. Think I have everyone covered now. Okay, this is going to be 15 chapters at most, so it shouldn't be too much torture. Base Summery, Cobra needs some new recruits, which sends Destro and Zartan into a low-grade war, and a job offer for a struggling PI team may be either the best or worst thing for their careers. NEED INPUT!

Second Chances

Chapter One: Another Productive Office Meeting

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cobra Commander stood in front of several of his best agents, hoping that someone would come up with some kind of solution to Cobra's current problem. "We simply need some stronger forces than the BATS and the troops!" he shook his head. "The Joes will have us if we don't!"

"You mean like the genetically engineered things Mindbender whips up?" Major Bludd, one of the toughest agents asked cynically. 'If that's his great plan, we can kiss our paychecks goodbye.' He thought.

"They never work!" The Baroness shouted. "We need more powerful weapons!"

"And how will we get the components?" Zartan, master of disguise and martial arts expert, asked. "The Dreadnoks are already overloaded with other jobs, there's no way we could just hit up those kinds of places while we're 'in the neighborhood'!"

"I'm not a petty thief!" Baroness sneered.

"And I look like Houdini?" Zartan asked. "Give it up! It's just not a practical solution!"

"At lest I had one!" She shouted.

"I personally feel that we need stronger secondary leaders." Destro said. "What we need is tougher staff!"

"I like it." Cobra Commander sneered under his metal- plated mask. "Why don't we go "looking" for more competent agents?"

"And by "We" you mean who?" Dr. Mindbender, mad scientist and master of genetic manipulation asked.

"Destro, Baroness, and Zartan." Cobra Commander replied. "I want you three to look through the personnel files or look for new recruits, whichever works, and find some able- bodied individuals who can think on their feet!"

"That may be quite a stretch." Bludd snickered.

"Is there any age restriction on this assignment?" Zartan asked.

"No, get creative." Cobra Commander said.

"Just don't bring back more ninjas." Destro remarked.

"Well, maybe if you could keep away from her you could accomplish something!" Zartan returned.

"Just go!" Cobra Commander yelled. Destro and Zartan glared at each other, and then left in separate directions.

"This will be very interesting." Mindbender smirked. "I wonder how long it will take before someone succeeds?"

"Who cares?" Bludd snarled. "As long as we find someone who can beat the Joes, I don't care!"

"Be careful what you wish for." Mindbender replied. "I have a feeling you will be eating those words later on."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(Somewhere in DC…)

"You're all fired!" Nick Fury, one of SHIELD's top agents and head of the Mutant Control division roared. He stared vehemently at the group of six former hired agents in front of him.

"We found the culprit!" the leader, a young teenaged girl with blond with black striped hair and blue on yellow eyes, shouted back. "What more did you want?"

"I wanted you to follow orders when on the field!" Fury growled.

"So we thought outside the box? Big deal!" A tall lanky lad with highlighted brown hair and green eyes retorted.

"You promised us our payment," A girl with blond hair and green eyes snarled, "we expect what is owed us for your services this month."

"Here!" Fury handed them a wad of twenties. "Now leave before I call security!"

"Don't waste your breath!" Their leader spoke up again, her voice dripping with contempt. "We know the way out!" She spun on her heels and walked out the door, the rest of her team following close behind.

"I can't believe the nerve of that guy!" the tall boy shouted. "Just because we screw up once and blow up a warehouse doesn't mean we suck!"

"No, Chaos, it just means that you have a lousy aim with a plasma rifle." A girl with black hair and eyes so light blue that they were almost white quipped.

"Don't blame him, Vampira." The leader sighed. "It's as much my fault as his."

"Don't say that, Ann." Chaos said. "You did great trying to keep it together back there!"

"And you told Fury off." Vampira said.

"Actually, that was Regan." A slightly shorter teenaged boy with dark tan skin, black hair and deep brown eyes corrected. "But still, you're one of the greatest women I've met!"

"That still doesn't change the fact that we're out of a job." "Ann" said as the group exited the SHIELD HQ building and walked to their respective bikes.

"She's right." Regan, the other blond, said. "We need to find work fast, even if it's on the janitorial staff somewhere."

"And we still need to get you a codename." The final member, a heavy-set boy with shaggy brown hair and gray eyes, said off- handedly.

"Mitch is right." Chaos said. "If you keep going by your real name, someone's bound to catch on and we'll be in a world of trouble."

"What kind of codename?" Regan asked.

"You're the telepath." Ann smirked, hopping onto the blue and pink bicycle next to her and fastening her helmet. "You can figure it out."

"I create illusions and alter memories." Regan corrected. "My telepathy is at best moot."

"Still girl, you've gotta come up with something!" The Indian teen replied.

"Says the Thunderbird." Vampira quipped.

"It fits!" Thunderbird shot back. "We don't have very many cars in India, I did not know it was one over here!"

"What about your family history?" Mitch asked.

"Why?" Regan asked.

"Because it can help." Chaos said. "In our, Mitch and me's, family, everyone exceeds in causing trouble—hence my name—and are really large."

"Which is why their older brother Freddy calls himself 'The Blob'." Ann said. "And we all know why Mitch is called Golem."

"That doesn't really help." Regan sighed. "My father was a mutant with similar powers, that much I know, but he ran off before I was born and probably doesn't know I exist."

"Or you can use a nickname." Vampira offered. "My alter-ego gave me my codename."

"Thanks, Kris, but I don't really have any nicknames." Regan said.

"Do you know if your father had a codename?" Ann asked.

"Mastermind." Regan said. "But how does that help?"

"You can adapt it to fit you, since you have his powers." Ann suggested. "I have a whole butt load of mutants in my family because my parents are mutants, but none of my siblings got powers exactly like Mom or Dad's. I've heard of other mutants taking a parent's codename or one similar to it, though. "

"I like the codename itself," Regan said, "But I'm a girl, and he's still alive."

"Then how about Lady Mastermind?" Kristen offered.

"Lady Mastermind…" Regan said, as if tasting the name. "I think I like it."

"Then you are now well equipped to battle our fierce opponents and keep your identity a secret." Chaos snickered.

"Take this, Beau." Regan's eyes glowed blue and Chaos started screaming about devil Rabbits. (1 & 2)

"Good one." Thunderbird snickered.

"Ask me one more time, Neal, and I will ensure that you will suffer a slow and painful mental decent from sanity." Regan growled.

"Can you let Ry go now?" Ann asked.

Regan pouted, but did as she was asked. "I did not appreciate that!" Ry grumbled.

"Can we just go?" Kris asked.

"Yes, I suppose so." Regan said. Ann took off down the sidewalk and the other five fell in a line behind her.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1. Since Mitch and Ry's last name is Dukes, they get called Beau and Luke a lot.

2. Shameless bit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Okay, let me know what you think I should improve on or what you want to see; but no flames, please.