Bad Medicine.

Chapter 2.

Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the GI Joe Characters.

It was the second day after Hawk's accident, and he was feeling a bit better.

The new medication was doing its job and Hawk back pains seemed to be lessening. As a result Hawk was a bit more upbeat, and Lifeline's job got that much easier. Lifeline liked it when his job got easier it reduced his chances of having a stroke anytime soon. Stretcher, for his part, went about his daily routine as if everything was okay.

Duke, Flint, and Beachhead would drop by on occasion to check in on Hawk's progress and assure him that the base was still standing. Hawk would ask a few questions, sign a few papers and then lie back and either read, or watch a movie. A few other Joes would drop in, Lady Jaye or Scarlett mostly, and talk with him. Shipwreck and a few others were ordered to stay away from the sickbay and Hawk for the time being, for reasons of health, theirs, not Hawk's.

For his part, Hawk seemed to be enjoying his impromptu vacation. It was giving him a chance to read the latest Vince Flynn novel he had bought a week ago and hadn't had a chance to look at yet. Not to mention watch a few movies that he had bought, or been given over the last month or so.

"How are you feeling Hawk?" Stretcher asked as he walked into the room.

"A bit better, thanks." Hawk replied. He frowned a bit as he sorted through the pile of DVDS in his lap. He held up one in particular. "What's this? Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law? Where did this come from?" He asked.

Stretcher came over. "Oh yeah, Firewall dropped that off for you yesterday. She mentioned that the two of you had a chat about old Hannah-Barberra cartoons. She figured you would get a kick out of this, she recorded a bunch of the episodes for you."

"Have you watched the show?" Hawk asked.

"Yeah, once or twice. It was kind of funny, but not really my thing. It's definitely a show for adults though." Stretcher added.

Hawk thought about it for a few moments. "Ah what the hell. I'm not going anywhere. Put it in." Hawk ordered with a smile.

"You got it, sir." Stretcher smiled and put the DVD into the player. Hawk had the remote control, so he turned it on. Within minutes he was laughing uproariously at the antics of the characters on the screen. Stretcher watched with him for a few minutes then left to resume his duties.

"Roadblock will be here in a bit with your supper." He called as he left.

"Yeah okay, whatever." Hawk replied in a distracted voice. He was laughing again as Stretcher closed the door. Stretcher sighed and went back to work.

Three hours or so later…

Hawk had just finished watching the last episode and he was feeling a lot better than he had felt in a while. He had always enjoyed a few of the old Hannah-Barberra cartoons, and it was interesting to see them acting in rather odd situations. Scooby Doo and Shaggy being busted for possession, Fred Flintstone as a mafia don, Boo-Boo Bear as the Unabomber, and the list went on. And this poor, ex-superhero Birdman trying to defend them, was absolutely priceless!

"I'll have to thank Firewall next time I see her." He muttered aloud. Beside him a small alarm beeped. Time to take another pill. Hawk took out one of his pills and reached for the water pitcher. It was empty. He frowned and was about to call the nurse on duty for a refill but noticed that he still had plenty of coffee left. Lifeline normally only allowed his patients to have water, milk, or fruit juice, but he knew the consequences would be dire if Hawk was deprived of his coffee. It usually wasn't pretty.

He took his pill and washed it down with a cup of coffee, which he noticed was getting cold. This time he did summon the duty nurse who dutifully got a fresh pot of coffee, refilled the water pitcher, got him a few snacks (fruit basket, and some M&M's. A big no-no, but he was a 3-Star General), fluffed his pillows, tucked him in, and went on her merry way leaving Hawk alone.

Hawk was so tickled by the show that he decided to watch it again.

Another 3 hours pass…

"He-he-ha-ha-ha." Hawk was laughing like a child at this point. At one point he was laughing so hard he fell out of bed. This aggravated his back a bit and after he crawled back into bed, he took another pill with another cup or two of coffee. This, as you may have guessed, was a mistake.

One particular character on the show fascinated him. The character's name was Mentok-The Mind Taker. He was an extraordinarily powerful telepath who went around bellowing lines like 'Mentok commands you!' Or 'Mentok wills it!' In this show he was a judge, and he stole practically every scene he was in. Hawk found him enormously funny.

At this point he noticed that he was out of coffee. This will not do! His caffeine and medication addled mind began to start blending reality and fantasy. I, Mentok need coffee! I, Mentok, will have coffee. Mentok, err, Hawk pressed the button to summon his lackey, I mean, call the nurse.

The duty nurse, a polite young woman who had just transferred onto the Joe team last week, stood up, smiled in her polite way, and went in to see her patient.

"Hello General, how may I help you?" She asked in her polite way.

"Go get me some more coffee! Mentok commands you!" Hawk demanded while holding the empty coffee pot upside down.

The nurse, to her credit, didn't blink. She kept her smile affixed to her face as she replied; "Of course, General." She had spent a few years working in a psychiatric ward she knew how to handle difficult patients. She decided to humor him first by getting a fresh pot of coffee. While she was getting it, she placed a discreet call to Lifeline, asking him to come back to sickbay.

Lifeline arrived as the coffee finished brewing. He assured the nurse that he would handle Hawk. He filled the pot, went into Hawk's room, and stopped dead at the sight of Hawk standing there glaring at him angrily.

"Where is my coffee mortal? Mentok demanded his coffee hours ago, and Mentok shall have his coffee now!" He thundered, advancing on Lifeline.

Lifeline flinched a bit, but his training kicked in. "What are you doing out of bed? Get back into bed now." He ordered in a firm voice.

This only succeeded in angering Hawk further. "You dare to presume to order around Mentok- The Mind Taker? You shall suffer for your foolishness." Hawk bellowed. He then began waving his hand in a circle and making an odd 'Ooo-eee-ooo' sound.

Lifeline blinked, then set the coffee pot down and called for the nurse to help him. Lifeline was a Third-degree black belt in Aikido and although he hated to do it, he wouldn't hesitate to use his training on extremely violent patients, even if said patient was his C.O.

He really didn't need to worry. A brief scuffle ensued between Hawk, Lifeline, and the nurse, which ended with Lifeline and the nurse being bound to Hawk's former bed.

Hawk stared down at the two of them. "I shall spare your lives, so that you may serve the glory that is Mentok-The Mind Taker!" With that he laughed in a maniacal way and left the sickbay leaving a slightly dazed CMO and duty nurse bound together on the bed.

"I knew giving him coffee was a bad idea." Lifeline muttered irritably. The nurse decided to politely keep her comments to herself.

Hawk dashed down the hallways only vaguely knowing where he was going. All he knew was that he needed coffee, and perhaps some doughnuts as well. Yes some doughnuts would be ideal.

He came around the corner heading towards his office and saw several Greenshirts heading his way. "Greetings minions!" He grinned maniacally as he hailed them.

"Um, hello General Hawk, sir." The Greenshirts replied in unison as they stood smartly at attention and saluted. None of them dared question why he was wearing a bathrobe and pajamas.

"I, Mentok, need you to do something." Hawk continued to grin crazily. The Greenshirts began to sweat profusely.

"Yes sir, anything you need sir." They all replied. All of them wondered who the hell 'Mentok' was but seeing as they were mostly E-4 Specialists, they were in no position to question a Lt. General, even if he appeared to have gone off the deep end.

"You will go forth and gather all of the doughnuts you can! Mentok commands it!" Hawk gave them a triumphant look.

All of the Greenshirts stood there with their mouths hanging open. "Doughnuts, sir?" One of them managed to squeak out. This is a test it has to be. They all thought.

Hawk whirled around to face the person who dared to speak. "Yes! I, Mentok-The Mind Taker have commanded you, my loyal minions, to go forth unto the land and secure all of the doughnuts that you can! Because Mentok wills it!" He began to do the hand waving and noise making bit again.

All of the Greenshirts were stupefied. What could they do, he was their Commanding Officer, a Lt. General for crying out loud. Even if he was totally off his nut, he was still their C.O. Hawk made their decision for them.

"Why are you still here? I, Mentok, have given you a command! Obey me at once or face my wrath. Go now! Because Mentok wills it!" He bellowed. The Greenshirts all fled in terror from the crazed General as he laughed.

Hawk made it to his office and tossed his aide out. "Mentok needs to be alone to contemplate his next move. Leave me at once!" The aide scurried out of the office as fast as his legs could carry him when he saw the look in Hawk's eyes.

He slammed the door shut and went into his office. He found his old battered brown leather bomber jacket with the three stars on each collar and put it on over his bathrobe and pajamas.

"This is much more to my liking." He commented as he looked around the office. He spent several minutes fiddling around with various things around his office before sitting down at his desk and reaching for a pad and pencil. Within an hour he had mapped out what he deemed to be a successful plan for complete world domination. He sat there and laughed at his own cleverness.

"Now I need to call my minions to implement my plan." He said aloud. He reached for the phone and hit the speed dial button labeled Duke, Executive Officer.

A groggy and somewhat irritable Duke answered the phone after two rings. It was after 2300 hrs. "This had better be good." Duke growled.

"Greetings, my most loyal minion. I, Mentok have devised a brilliant plan for world domination. I need you to gather my officers together so I may begin to implement my plan." Hawk said into the phone.

There was a long pause on the other end. "Is that you Hawk?" He asked tentatively.

"Your lord Mentok has given you an order minion! Bring my officers to me at once! I, Mentok, command you!" He slammed down the phone before Duke could reply.

Duke, now fully awake, sat there staring at the phone in his hand. What the hell was going on? He thought angrily as he hit the button for the sickbay. After 20 rings he got no answer. "Great, just fucking great." He growled angrily. He started to call Flint and the others. If he had to deal with a deranged General, he'd be damned if he was going to do it alone.

After all, misery does love company, wouldn't you agree?

TBC.