A/N: Sorry about the wait readers. Enjoy chapter three!
"You want to run that by us again?" Scarlet asked.
"What do you mean we're disbanded! ?" Duke yelled.
"I wish I could explain it, but I can't. The President just called and informed me that we were disbanded."
"Is he out of his mind! ?" Breaker shouted.
"Damn right he's out of his mind!" Heavy Duty yelled. "We've done more than our fair share of keeping this world safe and secure!"
"I'm sorry team, but there really isn't anything that I can do" General Hawk regretfully informed them.
"This doesn't make any sense," Ripcord said. "We saved some of Earth's major cities. Sure Paris wasn't a complete success, but they can't hold that against us forever."
"Again, I can't explain it. The president wasn't exactly specific on his reason for disbanding us. He just said that we were no longer needed and to leave it at that."
"So where are we supposed to go from here?" Duke asked. "Given how we don't officially exists and all it's not like we can just rejoin whatever branch of the military we left for this."
"The President said that we will all be compensated for our services to the United States, but that this is the end of G.I. Joe and that nothing will change his mind."
"Didn't you tell him about the Cobra Commander escaping from his cell along with Destro? Those two being back on the loose alone should be more than enough reason for us to stay together."
"The President ended the call before I could inform him of that and all further attempts to reach him have been met with failure," he told Duke. He sighed and continued. "The base is to be shut down in one month's time. It is unknown what will become of it. I truly am sorry that this is how things must end team and I wish you all the best of luck wherever it is that you end up." The General gave them all a salute, which the team returned. "For the last time you are all dismissed." It took the team a good few seconds to actually start exiting the debriefing room. They were all truly shocked at the bombshell the General dropped on them. It was too much to take in at once.
"This just can't be happening. It can't!" Duke shouted punching one of the walls.
"Take it easy there, Duke," Ripcord tried to calm him down.
"We're all shocked too, but getting upset isn't going to change anything," Scarlett said.
"I know," he sighed. "But there has to be something… some reason why the president would disband us and not even say why. What if the Commander is behind this? He could've threatened the President to disband us that way there'd be no one else on Earth that could oppose him, Destro, and the Baroness."
"You mean Ana?" Ripcord asked.
"Don't use that name!" He snapped at his friend.
"Sorry Duke. Sorry," he apologized with his hands up.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm going to get to the bottom of this one way or another."
"What are you planning on doing?" Breaker questioned him.
"I'm taking a trip up to Washington. Get the answers straight from the horses' mouth," Duke said already heading back to his room. Any of you want to come?" He asked. No one responded at first, but then Ripcord stepped forward.
"I'm just as curious as you are so, I'm in."
"So am I," Scarlet said.
"You can count me in," Heavy Duty replied.
"I'll go along as well, but if you do anything stupid you're on your own. We've already been banned from Paris and I'd like to not be banned from the Washington D.C.," Breaker said.
Washington D.C.
Anna spun the throwing star in her hand and threw it to the other side of the room hitting the picture of Scarlet dead in the center.
"Nice throw sister. Storm Shadow would be proud," The Cobra Commander said entering her room.
"Glad you approve. Now would you mind telling me just why you've kept us all confined in the White House? Won't people think to raise an alarm if we're spotted?"
"It's all been taken care of Ana. The 'President' has ensured that no one will show up in this part of the White House. He also has people working round the clock on our new base so soon you won't have to be trapped here any longer."
"So what exactly is your next big plan?" Ana asked him.
"That will be revealed in due time, Ana," he cryptically answered and then his communicator went off. "What is it?"
"You're not going to believe this. Some of the Joes have arrived at the White House and have demanded to see me," the Cobra member pretending to be the President said.
"Send them in," the Commander ordered him.
"Yes sir." The Commander pulled out a small remote and pressed it. A giant screen appeared from behind the wall and switched on to reveal the President's office.
"Good afternoon, sir," Duke greeted the President.
"Good afternoon Joes. What can I do for you all?"
"You can tell us the reason why you had us disbanded," Duke said.
"I told the General that you simply were no longer needed. Surely he told you all that."
"There has to be a bigger reason than we aren't needed anymore," Duke said putting his hands on the President's desk. Ripcord had o pull him back a little.
"He's right," Scarlett agreed.
"You should also know that the Cobra Commander escaped from our holding facility not too long ago," Breaker said.
"He what?" The President asked sounding surprised.
"Baroness betrayed us. She set him and Destro free and they escaped in one of our jets," Heavy Duty informed him.
"Well let me assure you that I will have everyone working into the night to track those three down. However, you won't be needed."
"Why not! ?" Duke shouted slamming his fist on the desk.
"Because though you've proven yourselves capable you've also shown that you can be beaten by Cobra. Not only did they manage to steal back the nano-mites from you, but they destroyed the Eifel Tower, and nearly wiped Washington D.C. off the map. It was only by the grace of God that you managed to succeed in stopping them, but I can't risk another incident like Paris ever occurring again."
"You can't hold that over our heads forever," Ripcord said also getting in the President's face.
"I'm sorry, but as President of the United States I must make decisions that are in America's best interest." He pressed a button on the intercom on his desk. "Security," He said. The security stepped into the office. "Please escort our guests out," he requested. The security team nodded and led the frustrated Joes out of the White House.
"That went well," Breaker said once they were thrown outside.
"Something is up though. I can feel it," Duke said. He was going to find out just what was up with the President even if it killed him.
Later that day in Washington D.C.
"What am I supposed to do now?" Scarlett thought. Since she and the guys had nothing better to do for the rest of the day they decided to enjoy the rest of their time in Washington D.C. She was now in a deserted gym doing sit-ups to clear her head. Being a Jo was all she'd known and she really didn't know what she could do if Duke couldn't figure out what was up with the President. Something did seem odd about him, but she could think of what. As she continued to exercise another person entered the gym. "197, 198, 199, 200," She finished and sprawled out on the floor.
"Very impressive Red," she heard a familiar voice call out.
"Baroness; what are you doing here?" She asked jumping onto her feet.
"Heard you and the rest of the Joes were disbanded; how unfortunate," she said in a fake sad tone.
"What do you want?" Scarlett asked as Ana walked up to her.
"We never got a chance to finish our little fight during the ambush," Ana said stopping an inch in front of Scarlett.
"You're a little close," Scarlett said not backing away from her.
"I'm sorry. Is this uncomfortable for you?" Ana asked smirking.
"A little," Scarlett replied tilting her head with her own smirk. Ana lashed out at Scarlett, who just managed to stop Ana from stabbing her in the chest. "You'll have to be quicker than that," she said keeping the knife at bay.
"You should know that I trained under Storm Shadow."
"Funny; I trained with the guy that killed him," Scarlett countered and knocked Anna's knife out of her hand. Scarlett launched her foot into Anna's gut knocking her back a little. Ana cracked her knuckles and rushed Scarlett. She blocked Ana's punch and hit her in the chest. Ana recovered and ducked Scarlett's left hook. She directed a kick into Scarlett's stomach knocking her off her feet and sent her sliding across the floor.
"Had enough?" Ana asked.
"I'm just getting started," Scarlett replied and went back on the attack.
A/N: Scarlet vs. Ana round 2. Fight! On another note, what could the Commander be planning in that evil mind of his and with the Joes disbanded who can stop him now? Keep reading to find out. See ya!