It was raining over the Terrordrome as a pair of Swamp Sleds pulled into the hangar. This marked the arrival of the last person Cobra Commander had wanted to see. By the time Zartan and his sister, Zarana, entered the throne room everyone else had arrived; Doctor Mindbender, Firefly, Destro, Baroness, Storm Shadow and Major Bludd. Cobra Commander sat on his throne and looked over the crowd. "So good of you to join us," Destro remarked.
"I came as soon as I could," Zartan said.
Cobra Commander ignored the exchange. It was no secret that the two men disliked each other, nor that such arguments could last for hours. Instead, he began speaking. "As you all know, Operation Discredit G.I. Joe is going well. Our love struck Joe spy failed to kill Hawk, but he's being taken to trial anyway, where he'll likely be put to death. Zartan, I will need you to mimic my voice so that our fake Cobra Commander can answer questions. Firefly, you will take a team of two and attempt to 'rescue' him. You will fail, of course, and be forced to retreat."
"Might I recommend Cover Girl, Commander? She worked at the installation and we might be able to cause some real damage," Major Bludd said.
"I agree, Commander," Baroness added, "and perhaps Wick for the other. She and Firefly have worked well together in the past."
"Excellent suggestions, both of you. Now go carry out your missions!"
* * *
Everyone began to filter out of the throne room, but Firefly stopped the Baroness. Destro paused, looking as though he might turn back to help her, but was waved away. Firefly glowered at the woman for a time and then hissed, "That was a dirty trick. I want Wick out of my life, and you know it. How much will it cost me for you to leave me alone?"
"But she loves you so much," the Baroness chuckled, enjoying the look of irritation on Firefly's face. "I might be able to come up with some sort of price, in exchange for her being transferred. She might learn a lot from the Twins or Zartan."
"I don't care what you do with her. You could put a bullet in her head and I'd be just as happy as if she were transferred to Extensive Enterprises."
"Just as long as you don't try and kill her. If you do, I might just stop supplying you with your wonder drug," the Baroness said, turning away. Firefly stopped her, though.
"If you do, it won't just be her head that gets a bullet in it."
* * *
"So, how was your date with Lieutenant Davies?" Cover Girl asked as Nightowl changed into her Cobra outfit.
"Hnh. Some date it was. He couldn't get it into his head to keep his hands to himself. I nearly lopped them off to get the point across. That's the last I'll be seeing of him. How about you? How was your night?" she replied.
"Wonderful. Read some tech. manuals, lounged in the bath, and ate pizza. Jealous?" Cover Girl said, teasingly. Nightowl tossed a pillow at her roommate. The former Joe was about to retaliate in kind when a Cobra soldier came to the door and informed Cover Girl of her mission. "Guess I'll be the one out tonight. Don't stay up."
* * *
Cover Girl arrived early at the hangar, she'd always learned as a Joe that it was prudent to do so just in case there were last minute things to take care of. Firefly had not yet arrived, but his ex-girlfriend (unless you asked the woman herself) had. Wick looked shocked to see Cover Girl approaching but carefully erased the emotions from her face, walking up to greet the grease monkey. They shook hands politely. "The name's Cover Girl. Nice to meet you."
Wick pulled the other close by pulling on her arm. Her eyes narrowed and her voice dropped to a deadly whisper. "Don't even think about taking my Aidan from me," she said.
Cover Girl pulled away from the grip and returned the icy glare. "Aidan? You mean Firefly? Why on Earth would I want Firefly? He's not my type at all. Heck, I'd sooner date Cobra Commander," she said.
"How dare you insult my Firefly! I'll have you know he's a very sensitive man. I mean, sure he's all business like on the outside but... you'd be lucky if Firefly would give you the time of day." Wick turned on her heel and double checked her parachute. Firefly chose that moment to enter the room. As he walked by Cover Girl stopped him.
"Do you have the time?" she asked, noticing that Wick's body had tensed.
"Yeah," Firefly said, confused, "it's eleven twenty-three. Seven minutes to take off." Cover Girl shot Wick a triumphant glance and Firefly had the distinct impression that he'd just walked into something he'd rather not have.
* * *
The stealth plane lifted silently off the landing platform and soon soared high above the clouds, making for the United States. The three Cobra operatives spent most of the time relaxing. Firefly checked and double the gear, though there was little he could do if anything was missing. Cover Girl dozed and Wick plotted quietly, feigning sleep.
A few hours later, their pilot informed them that they were nearing the drop site. He banked lower and lower, his speed reducing so that he wouldn't be decorating any landscape with Cobra bodies. Finally the intercom crackled again. "This is as close as we get. Jump now or forever hold your peace."
Wick shoved Cover Girl out the door before she and Firefly jumped. As they neared the ground they pulled their parachutes, allowing them to drift at a safer rate towards the bottom. When they touched down, they disposed of their chutes and began hiking north towards the maximum security prison.
It was a half hour walk, but Wick decided to make it feel like even longer by harassing Cover Girl. "You used to be a Joe eh? Must've been a sweet job, getting to blow up Cobras all the time. Did you enjoy it? And then all of a sudden you decide that that's no fun anymore and you switch side. Why did you do it? Why did you decide to become a member of Cobra anyway? Is this all some elaborate plot to take down Cobra? Let them capture as many higher ups as you can get?"
"You're crazy," Cover Girl sighed, "I joined Cobra to get some recognition and maybe a bit of money, that's it. I didn't come to betray you, and I certainly didn't come to find a lover. So you can lay off my case anytime you please."
"R-i-i-ight. I believe you. Firefly, I guess this is all your decision, which one of us do you want? Cover Girl or me?"
"Frankly I don't want either of you," the bomb expert replied, "now both of you be quiet. We're almost there. Cover Girl, you'll lead me into the detention block. Wick, you'll go find us some transportation, we're going to need to make a pretty fast getaway."
Wick bit her lip, trying not to protest about the assignments. Firefly knew what he was doing. He had to. There couldn't be any ulterior motives... could there? No, no, she wouldn't allow herself to think like that. The group split up to do their assigned tasks.
* * *
Cover Girl had arranged for some light computer hacking by another Cobra and hence knew the duty roster for this base. She knew many of the Joes that had been added for extra security and had chosen the route based on that. Footloose and Blowtorch would be passing by this spot in a moment, and they weren't the sharpest tools in the shed. As soon as they passed the Cobra duo sprinted lightly behind them into the concealing shadows of the building proper. She boosted Firefly up to the air vent and then was hauled up herself.
It had been some time since she'd worked at this installation and nothing much had changed from this view point. The air ducts above the vehicle bay were in constant need of repair and oft was the time she found herself crawling around in them. Luckily the bay was so noisy anyway that the any sounds the two were making was muffled by the clamour below.
In a few minutes time the pair finally arrived at a hallway and climbed out of their vent. They ducked into a closet and emerged a short time later in janitorial clothes overtop their regular outfits. They double checked that their watches were in sync and split up.
It was a little unnerving to walk these halls after all that had happened. There was a sense of excitement, of danger, of knowing that any minute someone might recognize her and she would have to run for it. But no one did, the halls were empty. If she'd thought about it at all, she would have realized that this was unusual procedure; these hallways were usually bristling with people going to their stations or just out for a stroll. But since none of this occurred to her, she fell victim readily to the trap. She was just walking through the doors of the detention block when the barrel of a gun was pressed against her temple.
"Cover Girl," a weary voice sighed, "Flint and I were right then." The gun pulled away and she saw Stalker standing off to the side. He pointed at the open cell, she took the hint and got in. "I must say, I'd rather hoped to avoid this confrontation, you were always a friend to me and I don't really want to turn you in. I'll do it though, you realize, I've got the stronger morals."
She rested her head glumly in her hands. "I suppose now you want to know all of Cobra's secrets?" she asked.
"That would be nice, but there's no point yet. Flint should be here shortly and then he'll be asking you the same questions. Might as well save the interrogation for him. What I want to know is why? Why join Cobra?"
"Seems to be the question of the day. 'Why did Cover Girl join Cobra?' I think you know the reason better than anyone. They're prejudiced people out there. If you're not a white male you don't fit in. Scarlet and Lady Jaye got lucky, they latched on to men and rode their coat tails. In Cobra..."
Stalker snorted. "In Cobra you're just as badly off. Hey, I know G.I. Joe isn't perfect, but it's not as bad as you make it sound. Scarlet and Lady Jaye would be doing fine even if they weren't sleeping with their commanding officers. Heck, if that was the issue I'd tell you to go whisper in General Hawk's ear."
"Where's Cobra Commander?" Cover Girl said, ignoring the statement.
"Down the hall," Stalker replied. "He hasn't really been the same lately, I think this place is driving him nuts."
As if on cue, a distant rasping voice shouted "This is all Destro's fault. Why on Earth did I listen to him? If only I had listened to Zartan, he was the smart one, he advised against this. Ooh that wretched Destro!" the voice cut off and went into a quiet murmur.
* * *
Firefly found the power generator room and walked inside. Cross Country looked up from where he was doing some basic repairs. Usually he'd have asked Dialtone or one of the other technicians to come take a look at it, but he figured it couldn't be that difficult. The Cobra agent stopped in the doorway and drew his pistol from its holster. "I wouldn't bother. You'll soon have to do more repairs," he said. Firefly motioned for the HAVOK driver to turn around. As soon as he did so Firefly took his mop and broke it across his head.
Peering into the open panel, Firefly slid the explosive within. A simple pattern of keys pressed and the timer was set; it was time to leave. He took off down the halls as quickly as he could and ducked back into the air ducts. It was an easy matter to slide along the tubing and pop back out at the other end. He checked his watch. Good, the Joe patrol wouldn't be by for another five minutes. He descended the ladder and tore across the grass to the rendezvous point.
* * *
"I assume you've got a partner around here somewhere?" Stalker said. "Who did they send, let me guess... Scrap Iron? Storm Shadow?"
"No. Firefly."
"Crap! Then there's a bomb about to go off," Stalker said, standing and rushing for the intercom. Cover Girl intercepted, grabbing him through the bars and placing a knife against his throat.
"I wouldn't swallow very hard if I were you," she hissed, "you thought you had everything under control, didn't you. 'What harm can little old Cover Girl cause? She's just a girl.' But you were wrong. This little girl is stronger, faster and smarter than you thought. I'm glad I turned you down for a date so many years ago. You're dumber than I thought. Now then, hand me the keys to the cell door... Good boy... Now then, get in here with me. Now say good night."
Cover Girl took the handle of the knife and drove it into the base of Stalker's skull, causing him to collapse against her. She dropped him unceremoniously to the ground and took off through the halls, knowing that Firefly would be done by now.
* * *
Outside, Firefly and Wick sat in a stolen jeep. Wick had managed to disguise herself as an ordinary soldier who was just going to go out on patrol. The Joe at the main gate had actually believed her. She arrived at the rendezvous point and Firefly had soon after joined her. At the moment, the man was crouched in the back of the jeep, binoculars pressed against his face. "Come on, Cover Girl, hurry up," he muttered.
Wick sat bolt upright. "I knew it," she said, "you are interested in her, aren't you!"
Firefly didn't bother to lower the binoculars. "I'm not interested in her at all, period. Nor am I particularly fond of you." His voice was calm with a hint of irritation slipping in at the very end. It was the kind of voice which you could sit and listen to for hours.
Which pretty much sums up how Wick felt. She didn't pay attention to the words but listened to the tone of voice, the inflection, the works of it, bathing herself in the mere sound of it. She mumbled something that may have been 'I knew it' and collapsed in her seat, replaying the voice.
* * *
Cover Girl cursed herself for being a novice after bolting from the air duct. In her haste to catch up, and not get blown up, she had nearly landed on top of Blowtorch and Footloose. The two Joes aimed their guns at her. It really was unfair. She'd gone through all the effort of escaping from Stalker only to be captured by Footloose and Blowtorch? That was embarrassing. The thought of fighting them briefly came to mind, but was dismissed just as quickly. She might be able to take on one of them, but not both, unless...
Blowtorch didn't have time to react as a knife sank to the hilt in his shoulder. He stared stupidly at the thing for a moment and found Cover Girl's foot planted in his gut. With a wheezing pain he crumpled over and hoped Footloose could handle her.
He couldn't. Footloose had foolishly watched the knife transfer from Cover Girl's hand to his friend's shoulder and had his gun jerked from his grasp all within the span of a few seconds. Cover Girl thrust him backwards then, onto Blowtorch and sprinted away, making for the vague outline of a jeep. To add to the confusion surrounding their escape, the night was disturbed by a thundering explosion. Ten Joes would be declared dead or seriously wounded, many more had suffered minor cuts and abrasions. Blowtorch would be out of commission for some time, though his wound would heal, while Cross Country managed to escape with only minor injuries.
* * *
Firefly tapped Wick on the shoulder, saying, "Start the engine. The bomb went off as expected. Flawlessly." The woman nodded turned the key in the ignition. As soon as Cover Girl was in she took off down the road. It was essential to put some distance between them and the base before ditching the vehicle. The Joes knew enough to check the roads using their helicopters and being in a jeep in Cobra uniforms was not a wise idea. They travelled ten minutes before leaving it in the brush, then hiked deep into the woods.
* * *
Cover Girl walked down the hall-ways to her own room some time the following day. Everything had gone according to plan; They'd found the Trouble Bubbles in a warehouse in the city nearby and from there were able to get to the carrier ship soaring above them. Deftly going through the Joes radar network had been tricky, but they'd managed it anyway. Cobra Commander had wanted to hear the whole story and was particularly pleased at the damage reports. "You see Destro? I assured you the plan would be successful," Cobra Commander said.
"Frankly, Commander, I was never in doubt. But you know Destro," Zartan sighed.
"Wretched mercenary."
Deciding that her job was finished, as all the mundane work was out of the way, Cover Girl was looking forward to a nice quiet evening curled up with a book or even just chatting with Nightowl, but first a long, hot shower.