Once more we hear the word

That sickened earth of old:

"No law except the sword

Unsheathed and uncontrolled,"

Once more it knits mankind,

Once more the nations go

To meet and break and bind

A crazed and driven foe.

Comfort, content, delight -

The ages' slow-bought gain -

They shrivelled in a night,

Only ourselves remain

To face the naked days

In silent fortitude,

Through perils and dismays

Renewd and re-renewed.

*From the poem,'For all we have and are' By Rudyard Kipling

. * * * * * * * *

Silence…

Deafening, encompassing everything around it within its iron grip. Once, long ago, you would have heard the songs of both bird and insect among stands of large trees, but now, nothing. As if even, nature herself had abandoned all hope for a future. Few traveled the dead lands any longer, they were said to be cursed…haunted men known to have disappeared and never returned from them. Lt. Michael Long laughed at these stories. He had little need of the tales told among the civilians or the troops. He had one mission: To follow orders. It was to this silent, lifeless wasteland that such orders brought him and his men. Endlessly they marched, the hot summer suns rays beating off the ground as a wind turned up the thick red dust that seemed to cling to everything.

"Sir," The point man saluted sharply as he jogged up to the Lieutenant. "There's some movement up ahead."

"Take one other and find out what it is." Michael ordered before motioning for his radio officer to step forward. "Smith, O'Malley, and Quinn, set up a perimeter I don't want anything sneaking in on us."

"Sir," One of the men motioned for his attention and pointed to the hilltop above them. "I thought all the wildlife out here had been killed?"

"Apparently not," Michael said as he brought his binoculars to bear on the figure sitting above them. "Just a lone wolf, nothing to worr-"

The single shot ripped through the air and struck down the man that had pointed to the wolf. "Sniper!" Michael screamed as he dived behind a low boulder. "Take cover!" Before the words were out of his mouth two more shoots rang out in the valley striking down two other men with deadly accuracy as they dived for cover behind the sparse rocks.

"Sir!" Quinn shouted from his position behind a rock he was using as cover, "North face!" He motioned with a scraped and bloody hand to the glint of light that reflected in the setting sun.

Michael nodded curtly. "Take O'Malley with you. I'll cover. Go!" He turned himself on his belly and set his rifle on the rock to sight on the cliff face. He fired randomly, intent to keeping the sniper pinned long enough for his men to get around. Smith was dead before he hit the ground. The sound of one man crying out in agony falling off to whimpers and then silence.

"Dad. Two coming from the southwest."

Low-Light turned from his perch behind a crop of rocks he had built up for cover. He glanced at his son, who in a similar position facing just off to the side to cover the trail up to the vantage point in a small crevice off to his right. Low-Light tugged on the string that jiggled a small mirror far to his left and down the slope to flash the sunlight in the decoy position. He smiled grimly as he was rewarded with gunfire ricocheting off the cliff face. "Don't worry, Shane. Snake Eyes will handle the two easy enough. You see any more slitherin' down there?"

The boy squinted into the sight on his sniper rifle. "One, far as I can see. Looks like the one who was leading. Six to start, two coming up from below, that's four, three dead, and one alive. Six." He recited.

Low-Light nodded. He had one kill, and his son had two. He hated the fact that his boy had to learn about killing at such a young age. But at thirteen, he was no longer a boy, and he hadn't been since he was nine and he was forced to kill a man to protect his mother. What scared Low-Light was that his son was as good a shot as him, but did it with more lethal efficiency that didn't phase him in the least. "Position of scouters?" he asked.

"Just coming up on Snake Eyes post. Almost there…" Shane paused, the grinned. "Two more Cobras gone to hell."

"Shane!" Low-Light said sharply.

His son looked away from his hard glare, reddening in the face. "Snake Eyes is signaling," he said contritely.

"Okay. Stage two. And we take him alive."

"I know, I know." The boy wiggled back from the cliff face, well out of the line of fire. Low-Light did the same, tying the string to a scrub brush that was moving just enough in the breeze to trigger the dupe. The pair slung their rifles over their shoulders and made their way down the trail to join up with Snake-Eyes. Shane looked at the two men rendered lifeless with a snap of the neck. "Cool. You have gotta teach me how to do that," he said to the silent Joe.

Low-Light pressed his lips together into a thin line, but said nothing. Snake-Eyes replaced his knife into its sheath and motioned towards the remaining Cobra, indicating for Shane to remain and give cover if needed. The boy's blue eyes narrowed slightly and he looked as if he was going to argue, before he nodded and settled into the alcove Snake-Eyes had just vacated.

"Five minutes," Low-Light said, "Any longer and you head for camp." He waited until Shane nodded his head before following Snake-Eyes.

Michael nervously glanced onto the open cliff face. His men had been gone to long and it was to quiet. His eyes darted around attempting to find any sign of the sniper. All he could see in the other wise empty surroundings was the lone wolf that still stood statue like on the rocks above. He slowly raised his head above what little cover the rock was offering him, and just as quickly pulled it back down as a shot struck the ground in front of him. "They're holding me here. But why?" He asked himself as he checked his ammo. He didn't have long before he found out.

Snake-Eyes silently made his way across the small valley the cliff face had created, using the shadows of the now setting sun for cover. His sharp eyes had already spotted his quarry behind the stone pile and Low-Light's position not far from his own. He moved with a natural grace that defined the type of warrior he was and told of the predator that existed within him. He waited until the Cobra had turned to again glance about his surroundings, and then like the wolf standing above, he struck.

"I gotta get out of this." Michael thought as he again glanced around and spotted a second pile of rocks that would give him cover. "Ok got one chance at this." He muttered to himself as he tensed to make the dash. He had no warning of the shadow that closed down upon him, throwing him flat onto the ground and kicking his weapon out of reach.

"One move and you won't know what hit ya." Low-light snarled.

Michael looked up to the voice and found a rifle shoved into his face. "Do you know who I am?" He demanded as he felt his hands being tied and his eyes covered with a blindfold. He fought to keep his balance as he was pulled to his feet. "I'm a Cobra…"

The sniper laughed, "I don't give a damn who or what ya are. All I care about it what ya know."

"I said keep 'em up." One of their captures motioned with their gun.

"Take it easy kid." Clutch reasoned as he raised his hands higher. "We ain't the enemy."

The kid snickered, "Yeah and Cobra Commander's a Saint. Y'all got any other friends 'round here?" The kid asked while glancing around the open tarmac.

Clutch and Grunt both saw the opening at the same moment and with a silent signal both moved. With reflexes honed from years of combat Clutch dodged and tackled the kid. "Now, lets see what we got here." He reached and pulled off the combat helmet, and shocked at what he found.

"Get off me." The kid struggled under his greater weight.

He found himself staring into the dark brown eyes of a girl, who couldn't be a day over 14. Her long brown hair had been hid under her helmet now cascaded around her face. "You're a…"

"Best do what she said Pard." Clutch froze when he felt the cold steel of a revolver against his ear. "Ya got two seconds to get off her." Slowly he raised his hands and stood releasing the girl. "Now turn around."

"Look I don't know who you people are but we ain't…Bill?" Clutch froze halfway through his turn when he recognized the man now holding him at gunpoint. Yes the man looked older, his brown hair now speckled with gray, and his mustache was gone, but there was no doubt in Clutch's mind that the man before him was Wild Bill. His eyes quickly darted around the tarmac and found Grunt in the same predicament as himself, except another kid held a gun on the other Joe.

His eyes widened for the briefest of moments, then Wild Bill quickly shunted the surprise of seeing a ghost before him. Concentrating on the girl who was getting back to her feet, he called, "Cammy? Jeb? Ya a'right?"

"Yeah," The boy Grunt had tackled muttered as he got to his feet accepting his weapon from his older brother,

"Yeah, just bruised a little." She retrieved her weapon and came to stand beside Bill. "How does he know who ya are, daddy?"

"Why don't we find out?" He indicated the boy covering Grunt with a jerk of his head. "Dustin, go and check the control room, make sure there ain't any others sneakin about." The boy, whom Clutch thought looked like a younger version of Bill, nodded and took off at a quick lope. "Now, I seem to remember askin ya a question. Who are ya and what are ya doin here?"

Grunt sighed "Look, you wouldn't believe me if I told you the truth."

"Try me."

"Daddy," The girl said as she reached up to her ear, where Clutch noticed the earpiece for the first time. "Cobra patrol heading our way."

He nodded, "Inside," he motioned with his gun. "I know just the place we can sit a spell and have a nice talk."

To any who passed it, it was like any other building that lined to dark barren streets. It's walls scared, windows broke, its foundation cracked and slowly wearing away. For Sarah-Ann McCorben it was home, one of many that she had claimed over the years. She pulled open the door and entered the dank interior grabbing the small flashlight kept by the door before moving on through the halls and down to the lower levels. She passed the others that claimed the darkened halls as shelter, nodding at those she knew and noting those she didn't. She moved until she came to a door at the end of the hall, one no different from the others that lined it. Glancing over her shoulder, more out of habit than need, she pulled the door open and slid inside, securing the door behind her.

Once inside she leaned against the wall, and closed her eyes, letting a slow breath out.

"That bad?" A voice came from the shadows.

Sarah, jumped slightly, but just as quickly relaxed as she recognized the voice. "One of these days your gonna give me a heart attack." She chilled the voice, her thick southern accent heavy with fatigue.

The voice laughed lightly, "And have that husband of yours kill me? I don't think so Sarah."

Sarah smiled to herself, "what can I do for you Daniel?"

Daniel LeClair stepped from the shadows. "We need some supplies." He held a list out to her. "Mostly the usual stuff."

She glanced over the list, nodding to herself as she did. "How soon?" She asked without taking her eyes off it.

"Duke wants a pick up in the next few days. The medical supplies are priority, those if nothing else."

She jotted down a few notes on the paper, before moving and placing it in a box hidden behind a loose stone. "It will be in the usual spot in three days." She turned back to him. "How are they?"

He moved forward and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "There all fine Sarah. The kids miss you."

She sighed, "Can you give them something for me?" She reached back into the hiding hole and pulled out a package. "It's a late Christmas present."

He took the package, "I'll make sure they get it."

"And tell them I miss them too."

He nodded and smiled again before turning back to the shadows. "They already know that."

She found herself alone again in the small cramped room. She again reached into the hidey-hole and pulled out an old photo. Lovingly she ran her fingers over the glass that covered it, her eyes misting slightly as she did so. It'll be over one day, and I'll come home. She told herself as she replaced the photo and moved the stone back into its spot. Then Sarah-Ann McCorben, the woman once known as Dallas, left the dark lonely room.

"Thanks for coming Duke." Flint said as he shook the man's hand as he and Shana entered with the twins. "Asia was hoping you'd bring the girls."

Shana smiled, "We wouldn't have missed it for anything Dash. It's nice to have something to think about aside from what supplies are low and who to send on patrol."

"Go play Mommy?" Audra asked as she glanced over and saw Asia already playing with several other children.

"Go ahead, just don't get into to much trouble." Both girls nodded and as one turned and dashed over to the group of children playing in one of the corners. "How is she doing Dash?"

Flint's smile faded quickly from his face. "Doc says she's getting worse. He doesn't think she'll make it another two years without better medical care." He glanced over at the dark haired girl quietly playing with some of the other children.

Shana gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Flint, if you ever need anything."

"Yeah I know." He smiled at her to take the sting out of his words. "Thanks."

"Duke!" Mainframe called as he came running around the corner. "We gotta problem."

"Shit!" Clair Abernathy cursed silently as she and her partner quickly pulled themselves into the shadows. "What the hell are the Dreadnocks snooping around here for?" She asked in a low voice to the man standing next to her.

"Whatever the reason it aint good." The man's dark eyes quickly glanced about checking the shadows around them. "And if there here Zartan aint far behind."

"We need to get out of here Mark."

"No way both of us will make it, and it looks like they already picked up Galvin." He motioned to the teenager struggling in Buzzer and Thrasher's grip. "I'll draw them off and try to get Gav out you go and contact base."

Clair's green eye's narrowed slightly and she looked for a moment as if she was going to argue. "I'll be back I promise." She quickly squeezed his hand before turning and fading into the shadows.

Marcus Armbuster watched his partner as she slowly disappeared into the shadows before turning back to the Cobras. He watched as Ripper and Torch tore through the small shack his team had called home, and silently prayed they didn't find the entrance to the cellar. If they did he and his team were as good as dead. There are days I wished I never volunteered for this. He thought as he slowly moved always keeping to the shadows. But after what those bastereds did to you Brad…He froze suddenly in both thought and motion when a suddenly movement off to the side caught his eyes. Shit..Zartan!

"Well…well what have we here?" The cobra sneered as he emerged from the shadows, his pistol pointed directly at Mark's chest. "A little stray." He motioned towards the shake with his gun. "Let's join your friend shall we."

"Ain't nothing here Zartan." Ripper said as the other man entered the clearing. "Just a bunch of hunting supplies."

At the same moment Mark locked eyes with Gavin's blue and a silent message passed between the two. They knew what would happen if Cobra managed to find the cellar or even break one of them to gather information. The lives of those they protected were more important then there own. Galvin calmly nodded his silent agreement and Mark knew that neither of them would live to see tomorrow.

Zartan turned back to his prisoners. "We know you're hiding something and it's only a matter of time until I find out what it is." He calmly picked a long metal pipe off the ground and began pacing. "Now we can do this the easy way." He paused his pacing in front of Galvin and without warning struck the boy full force in the neck with the pipe. "Or the hard way." He smiled as Galvin slumped and gasped for breath in Buzzer and Thrasher's grip.

"Leave him alone!" Mark strained against the troopers that were holding him. "Is that all you can do is pick on a kid!"

Zartan turned, "Oh you'll get yours soon enough." He pulled Galvin's head up by his hair causing the boy to gasp in pain. "There were three of you. Where's your other friend?"

"Go to hell." Galvin spat out.

"Wrong answer." He struck Galvin on the back of his knee. The boy fell forward screaming in pain as his knee was shattered. The only thing keeping him from collapsing completely to the ground was the arms of his captures. "Oh I'm sorry did that hurt?"

"Fuck you" Galvin managed to gasp between his clenched teeth.

"Your friend doesn't appear to want to talk." Zartan said as he walked over and stood in front of Mark. "Perhaps you will be more cooperative."

"I have nothing to say."

"Oh don't you?" He turned and aimed his gun. Galvin didn't even have the chance to scream before the bullet slammed through his other knee.

Mark fought the men holding him. "You Bastard! He's just a kid!"

Zartan smiled, "And if you want him to see his next birthday I suggest you tell me where your other team member is."

Mark's brown eyes quickly glanced at Galvin's blue. The younger man just gave him a bare nod. Forgive me! Mark's thoughts screamed. "Go to hell!"

Zartan turned to Galvin. "Him first."

Buzzer and Thrasher both stepped away allowing the boys body to fall lifeless to the ground. "Take that one back to headquarters and burn the shack." He kicked Galvin. "Leave this one to feed the vultures."

Smoke? Clair felt a shiver run down her spine as she as approached what was left of the shack she and her team had called home. It was smoldering now, not even enough wood left to continue to fuel the now fading fire. She froze mid-step as the form of a body caught her sight. "Oh no…" She whispered. "No…no…oh God, Galvin." Ignoring the blood that still soaked the ground around her, she cradled the young mans head in her lap, tears streaming down her dust cover cheeks. Nothing moved…nothing stirred…as if the world itself was again holding its breath against the coming storm. But for now for this one moment, there was only.

Silence…

To Be Continued…