The Perimeter alarm sounded once more.
"Move it!"
Jaye raced from her quarters up to the north side of the roof while inserting the earpiece for the communications device she and Scarlett had been given.
Scarlett had been in the gym sparring with Snake Eyes when the alarm sounded. She too immediately ran for the roof of the Pitt. Upon reaching the Southside, she inserted her earpiece and checked with Jaye.
"Jaye, I'm in place."
"Me too. Oh no…,"
"What's wrong?"
Jaye didn't answer. She froze. The Green shirt she was supposed to meet with her weapons stood nervously. "Oh Great, Scarlett's crossbow. Are you kidding me?" she swore, taking the weapon in hand and looking it over.
"Scarlett, someone goofed. I have your crossbow."
"Well, I have just been handed your javelins."
"Do we have time to …." Jaye started to say.
"No." Scarlett screamed into the mouthpiece. "Incoming!"
A Rattler was moving into range. "Scarlett, I need an incendiary bolt, NOW! Which one?"
"Third from the left. Just slide it in and release the trigger to spring. Smooth and easy."
"Easy for you to say," Jaye muttered under her breath. Pointing it up, "This had better work." She gritted her teeth releasing the arrow.
The tail fin burst into flame. "Woo Hoo! I got it!" she yelled as the Rattler lost control and crashed.
"Jaye," Scarlett screamed in her ear. "I've got another Rattler coming in. How do I extend this thing?"
"Do you see the grip?"
"Yeah…Hey Jaye, what's next…hurry!"
"Turn to the right to extend, then left to tighten and activate."
"Urg…got it." Taking a stance like she had seen Lady Jaye use, she gripped the javelin. "Here goes nothing…" She took aim and threw. The javelin hit the enemy plane, causing the left wing to burst into flame as the pilot ejected. It wasn't quite where she had aimed, and it wasn't pretty, but it worked.
"That was fun!" she laughed to Jaye.
Jaye had fixed another arrow and released it. Another Rattler burst into flame. "Hey Scarlett, she chuckled, "These things are awesome!"
"Glad you're having fun Jaye…" She became silent as she took aim carefully and let another javelin fly. "These things are pretty great, too. Now I can see why you like them so much." She grinned suddenly. Another pilot had ejected from his plane.
Together they shot down several more of the Cobra planes. It wasn't long before they heard the familiar approach of Skystrikers.
"Yo Joe!" Scarlett yelled.
"Go get them Ace!" Jaye cried.
"I'm heading down now." Jaye heard Scarlett speak through the earpiece. They could both hear the sounds of the battle on the ground below them.
"Right behind you."Jaye answered. "Meet you on the bottom."
Scarlett exited the Pit first, running almost immediately into Flint and Duke. They had been backed up and were taking cover behind the barracks. A half a dozen BATS were attacking. Duke just stared at Scarlett as she approached, Jaye's javelins swung comfortably over her shoulder. Lady Jaye appeared almost immediately after. Scarlett's crossbow was in her hands.
"What's going on here?" Duke gaped. "Did I fall asleep and wake up in an alternate universe?"
"Very funny," Jaye glared. "Your Green shirts messed up. Big time. I got Scarlett's crossbow and she got my javelins."
Jaye turned to Scarlett with a smirk, "Want to trade?," she asked, handing the crossbow to Scarlett.
"You bet!" Scarlett laughed.
Jaye grinned as she fingered the long shaft of her javelin. Scarlett smiled wickedly as she grasped the familiar smoothness of her crossbow. They turned together on the BATS heading toward them. Jays released an explosive tipped javelin just as Scarlett shot an incendiary bolt into their midst. The combined explosion destroyed them.
Flint and Duke stared in unbelief.
"Ahhh…That felt good." Jaye sighed happily.
"You are so right," Scarlett fondly stroked the smooth frame of her crossbow.
"Yo Joe…" Flint and Duke said together, grinning widely.
"So," Flint began, sidling up to Jaye, "You going to change weapons?"
"No way." Jaye laughed, "But, I wouldn't mind a lesson or two." She looked pointedly at Scarlett.
"You're on…if you give me a lesson."
They laughed, throwing their arms around each other leaving Duke and Flint to follow.
"Glad they are on our side," Duke whispered to Flint.
"No kidding," he whispered back.
The remaining Rattlers were quickly disposed of by Ace's flight of Sky strikers. The ground troops pulled back at the sound of Cobra commander's "retreat!"
Soon, the Joes were busy collecting the captive Cobra troops and escorting them to the brig.
"Not a bad day's work," Jaye laughed.
"Nope, not bad at all," Scarlett agreed.
"Great work men!" Duke smiled. "Thanks to Mainframe and Dialtone's tracing program, we have pinpointed the source of the leak. We now know where and how Cobra hacked into our defence program. Mainframe is working on rewriting that section of the program to block any of Cobra's future attempts. Cobra will not be able to shut down our early warning radar system again."
The Joes cheered, clapping enthusiastically.
"I am also pleased to inform everyone that our first response team was also highly successful. Thanks to Scarlett and Lady Jaye, our Sky strikers were able to get off the ground and not a single one was destroyed. Great work Ladies."
The room was filled with cheers and applause and a few wolf whistles. Several of the men came up and patted them on the back. Flint squeezed Jaye's arm, smiling proudly.
"General Hawk," Duke continued, "has already been informed of our attack yesterday and he is extremely pleased with our success. He believes the success of this attack may also help with getting the budget for next year approved."
The Joes applauded approvingly.
"Once again men, excellent work. Roadblock has been in the mess preparing something special to celebrate. I want everyone to eat and enjoy. Dismissed." Duke smiled.
Flint waited until the others had left then walked up to Jaye. "So…," he began, wrapping his arm loosely around her narrow waist.
"So…what?" Lady Jaye asked, raising an eyebrow slyly.
"Want to hang out in the Rec room tonight?"
"I thought you'd never ask," she laughed.
"Jaye.…," he spoke warningly, pulling her into his arms.
"What?" she was suddenly nervous.
"Nothing…" He grinned his lopsided grin, "Nothing at all."
Her eyes widened suddenly as he bent down and pressed his lips to hers.
"Oh."
