Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Washington DC
Clayton M. Abernathy hunching over in his wheelchair stares at his rugged visage in the calming waters of the reflecting pool. Years of loyal service to the United States transformed a sniveling young rich kid from Denver, Colorado into the battle-hardened veteran he is today. Usually the dramatic reflection of the Washington Monument would evoke some patriotic feelings, whether they stemmed from his adolescence or his military service, but today was different. Today he felt both betrayed and afraid. Obviously the feelings of betrayal were related to the fact that not only him, but his fellow teammates were discreetly ordered to retire from military service and integrate with the civilian populace. Former Major General "Hawk" despised the fact that the current administration policy of establishing a closer relation with the rest of the world's powers replaced the American lead G.I. Joe team with the international lead Global Justice. The former to "Hawk" was a well-polished machine that could handle incidents at home or abroad, while the latter was a largely inept organization that failed to properly deal with even petty madmen such as Dr. Drakken. He shuttered to think how Global Justice would have handled the World War III crisis of the late 80's early 90's. This record of ignorance that hung over Global Justice like a raincloud made "Hawk" afraid that his replacement would not be capable to handle what lurked under the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. However, he would have to dwell on that thought because "Hawk" is no more only Clayton M. Abernathy remains.
United States Underwater Detention Center 00018, Classified Location beneath the Atlantic Ocean
In the wild, rock crevices, fallen logs and tunnels made by burrowing rodents provide natural dens for snakes to hibernate during a long winter. However, when faced with no other choice snakes will use man-made structures such as basements to recuperate their strength until spring. Cobra Commander envisioned the dreary prison walls around him as that man-made structure created to contain him, ironically it only serves to increase his strength, solidify his will and multiple his resolve. Alas, increased vigor would only get him so far, this girl that Betty Director was sending was the true key to seizing the world. Cobra Commander had no doubts in his ability to persuade, "Hawk's" replacement to come around to his way of thinking. A bribe of a 10, million dollar Swiss bank account to one of the lowly simians that helped in guarding him, brought him the Global Justice file of Freshman Agent Kimberly Ann Possible. Even as a very vein person, Cobra Commander could not help to feel impressed by her achievements; she would make a fine edition to the new "Cobra" he was planning on building once he was out of hibernation. All the Commander had to do was wait for little Red Riding Hood to arrive. The Commander thought that the words the Bard William Shakespeare wrote in the last couplet of his 58th Sonnet perfectly summed up his current situation so he quoted them out loud
"I am to wait, though waiting so be hell, / Not blame your pleasure be it ill or well."