welcome back, thanks for the kind words and encouragement. as always i dont own any of these character or names. enjoy.
The chopper landed outside the cave Leatherneck carried Cover Girl inside to Lifeline with Stalker's help. Stalker stayed nearby to help Lifeline. Road Block exited slowly, limping from being sore. Tunnel Rat tried to help his large friend as he could. Jaye went straight for Flint. He was still not up and moving on his own. But that didn't stop him from hugging his wife. Lifeline was too busy with Cover Girl to yell at him for moving so much. Wet Suit dragged the prisoner off the chopper. He wasn't gentle at all, it wasn't quiet either. It caught Flint's attention, he looked over and nodded. Jaye quietly whispered, "You may need to step in, Beachhead literally beat a man near death back in the camp. The way Wetsuit is handling the prisoner? I'm angry with them too but we are still Joe's right."
"I'm going to give Beach and his team some room. This enemy is different, plus me and the Sergeant have an understanding right now." Flint answered. Jaye looked odd but stayed quiet. Daina walked off the Chopper and into the cave. Mainframe confronted her, "Where's Beachhead? He's normally first off, last one kind of guy."
"He's on the chopper, be careful. His mood is not pleasant." Daina answered.
"Like any different then normal?" Mainframe answered. He walked over to the chopper.
"I find his attitude normally pleasant." She answered which damn near tripped Mainframe.
Lifeline sighed and finally breathed. He took a rag and wiped the sweat from his head. He felt like he had been holding his breath since he got the radio call about Cover Girl, he knew he was holding it after he saw her and how bad she was.
"She'll make it, oh thank God." He said relieved. A cheer from the Joe's echoed. Main Frame went in the chopper, "Sarge, I got Hawk on the line. We got two Tomahawks in bound. Being airlifted to a military hospital in Germany."
"Thanks Main Frame. Leave the Comm unit." Beachhead said solemnly. He did and back out slowly. Beachhead rubbed his temples through his baklava then lifted the mic up to his mouth.
"Here General, all Joe's alive and safe." He said into the SAT phone.
"Good job Beachhead, get the ones medical that need it at the hospital, once Lifeline clears them to move then come home asap." Hawk ordered.
"No can do General. With all respect this ain't finished. I want permission to go after these Red Shadows. I want to take the fight to them. They hurt my guys, our guys. I train em, and these Shadows hurt us. They need stopped before the hurt someone else." Beachhead asked, his accent was thick.
"Beachhead we are GI Joe, we don't go off half cocked and angry." Hawk stood his ground.
"General I'm full cocked and way the hell passed angry. My team can fight them on their terms on their rules of engagement in any terrain. Come on General, these bastards crossed the line. Flint needs a hospital and Cover Girl still ain't woke up yet. Hell General you let the ninjas loose on that Saw Viper that killed Quick Kick and the others." Beachhead was getting louder. But still controlling himself, mostly. But everyone was watching and listening.
Jaye squeezed Flint's hand and whispered, "I told you, mister never breaks the rules is taking this one beyond personal. He's never gone off like that on Hawk." Beachhead getting loud on another Joe was normal. Getting loud on Hawk was something unheard off, something Shipwreck would do. Hawk stayed quiet for a few moments. Beachhead knew he had crossed the line then. First getting loud then mentioning his dead brothers in arms, Hawk still took it hard as did most Joes. Beachhead was about to apologize when Hawk continued.
"You will take both teams to the medical center. There you will give me your roster for this team, once I approve it you will resupply. Then and only then will you have my blessing. Beachhead, I'm angry too son. You're not alone, if I could I'd lead it myself I would." Hawk said calmer.
"I'd ride shotgun into hell with you Sir." Beachhead replied.
"I know son. Now get my guys out of there. You have a mission to prep for." Hawk said.
"Yo Joe General." Beachhead answered. Flint looked back at Lady Jaye, "I'll talk to him away from the others, I don't want to damage what me and him have built up."
He stepped out of the chopper and found Wet Suit, Leatherneck, Tunnel Rat, and Daina standing there.
"We'll now Sarge where do we sign up?" Wetsuit said smirking. The others shook their heads.
"All the way Beachhead." Daina said. He grinned through his baklava, and patted Leathernecks should as he walked past. He walked towards the cave opening. Mainframe stood, "I'm in too. Don't count me out." Beachhead patted the man's shoulder. He looked at Flint who waved him over. He made his way over and shook Flint's extended hand.
"I owe you Beach, you get in trouble look to the sky I'll be coming." Flint said.
"Don't sweat it, and don't get soft on me. Hell, people will think we friends or something." Beachhead said with a laugh.
The Tomahawks came in and they loaded up. Wetsuit set the charge on the Red Shadows helo and blew it as they flew off. Most slept once they were in the air. Beachhead stayed awake watching his fellow Joe's. He was in charge of training them. He may only be forth in command on base but he trained them. Best of the best. Their mistakes were his. He took every failed mission personally.
"Hey Ranger, Lifeline's asleep I know Tunnel Rat has something edible in his bag." Flint whispered from his stretcher. Beachhead laughed and went through Tunnel Rat's bag pulled out two milky ways. He went over and sat down near Flint and handed him both.
"Level with me Beach. You're normally in more control then this. You never get loud with Hawk. You never lose it in the field." Flint asked.
"Just cause I gave you ma' name and called a truce don't mean we are having girl talk." Beachhead replied.
"Girl talk? Call it leader to leader. Call it Joe to Joe." Flint replied. Beachhead sighed.
"Alright, I joined the Rangers to make a difference like we all did when we enlisted and what not. Then they made me a instructor, found out I could turn out damn good Rangers. Then I was too important for the front, I had to make Rangers. When Hawk came by I jumped at it. Back to the front line. Then I made one comment about the training and back to base I'm bound unless the mission directly calls for my skill set. So I decided I was going to make you the best Joe's I could. The best you could be, and when your mission fails I fail. You all get hurt, I take it personal. I'm training ya, yal under my watch. Even your Officer butt." The Ranger got quiet after.
Flint nodded, "I get it, but don't lose yourself to this guy. One thing no matter how much you and I go at it, or how much you piss off Hawk. Duke comes back with, 'he's did it by the book.' It's how you damn near always come out on top. You keep those emotions in check better than any of us. This Black Major likes screwing with people. You gotta be the Beachhead we all expect u to be. You're his kryptonite." Flint was trying to pep talk Beachhead.
"Krypto-what?" Beachhead asked.
"Kryptonite. You know Superman?" Flint looked shocked.
"You're making no sense. Save the Officer speech for them. But I appreciate it. Now quit yappin' and eat those things before Lifeline wakes up. I already threw him outa a plane. Don't need to give em more ammo." Beachhead laughed. Flint gave a concerned look at the thrown out of an airplane thought.
Few hours later they landed in Germany at an allied base. They were all taken to the military hospital. Covergirl finally woke up. It took Lifeline threatening to knock her out again medically to get her to stay in bed. Flint went straight into surgery along with Steeler. Grunt got patched along with Road Block and Stalker. Lady Jaye waited till after Flint's surgery to get seen. The biggest shock to them all was Beachhead waiting for Flint's surgery. Once the doctor gave the clear that Flint was okay he immediately left to find a weight room. When he couldn't find one he turned an empty rehab center into one.
Leatherneck and Wetsuit were checking gear with Daina. Hearing the two bicker made Daina feel more at home in GI Joe.
"Can you go any slower meat head?" Wetsuit asked.
"Are sniffing your plastics again, I passed you an hour ago short stack." Leatherneck replied.
"The hell you did, why you gotta lie to show off to my woman." Wetsuit shot back.
"Listen here barnacle breath, the only one blowing smoke is you." Leatherneck replied. "Plus not your woman."
"Don't get mad that while the Marines was still thinking the Navy was acting." Wetsuit fired back. Mainframe came walking in on the tail end and looked at Daina trying to shoot her a sympathy look but was confused as he saw she was amused as hell.
"Any know where Beachhead is? I got his encrypted email from Hawk." Mainframe asked.
"The Sergeant is in his make shift gym." Daina answered.
"Which way?" Mainframe asked. Daina stood up and took the laptop from Mainframe.
"He's down the hall in the rehab center, I'll take it to him. You stay and baby sit this rooster fight. Deal? Good." Daina said nodding with a wink and headed off, "Still not your woman." As she left.
"Ha!" Leatherneck laughed out loud as Wetsuit turned red. Mainframe stood there dumb founded. He shook his head at Daina then turned to the two, "Hawk is adding to our unit."
"Wait, who?" Wetsuit said snapping out of it.
Beachhead was doing pushups, when Daina walked it. His shirt, baklava and gear were folded near the door. She stopped, he never takes off his baklava. Even at base it wasn't normal for him to be without it. She carefully walked in.
"Hell girl don't creep in, heard you down the hall." He called out and she walked over.
"Sergeant, your email from Hawk." She said setting down the laptop.
"We'll what's it say? I'm in the middle of my work out." The Ranger asked.
"I need your encryption code?" She replied unsure.
"If I know Mainframe he already plugged it in. I'm not good with a computer. Damn things always break. I trust Mainframe, so he has my code and email. Plus he can type as fast as I yell. Give me a Javelin system and I'll go to town but the whole computer thing. I'm good." He answered. She smirked and opened it.
"Hawk says he approved the team, plus some additions that are mandatory. They are flying out on the jet that is supposed to take the others home. He is transferring Lowlight, Sci-Fi, and Mercer. Also, he said Roadblock is to stay with us as well." She finished.
"Block? He must be sent to keep us from doing anything stupid. At least it wasn't Shipwreck. Lowlight will be good, he's a hell of a marksmen. I can move Tunnel Rat off support to main combat. Plus with Block I can pull you off support as well. Put you up front with the rest of us. You're a damn good fighter at close range."
"Who is Mercer and Sci-Fi?" Daina asked.
"Mercer's a ex Cobra Viper turned Joe. Tough son of a gun. Not many Joe's trust him. I do, he is one of my main go to's for Urban missions." Beachhead said as he got up and moved to a pull up bar he rigged up in a doorway.
"What do you think of him? You spoke high of the others." She asked.
"He's a damn good Joe, hates Cobra. He's rough around the edges like Wetsuit. But he has more self-controlled, unless in battle against Cobra then he's all balls to the wall. I'm surprised Stilletto's not here. Must have failed her evaluation's again. Hawk normally keeps those two together." He answered and dropped off his pull up bar. "Now Sci-Fi is interesting, the Red Shadows must be using some crazy new tech. Sci-Fi is a dreamer, but he's highly intelligent. Damn good about advanced weapons too. He must be worried about what they got from Destro's bunker."
"So what's our next move? She asked and threw him his shirt.
"We need intel on these Red Shadows. Who, what and where." Beachhead said putting on the shirt.
"I'll reach out to some old contacts see if something comes to light." Daina answered.
"Sounds good. Keep me informed." Beachhead answered. Daina held for a minute to say something else but decided against it and walked out to find Mainframe, Wetsuit and Leatherneck outside listening in. Wetsuit had a sour look on his face while the other two were snickering.
She kept walking while Beachhead walked out and saw the three. He shook his head, "This ain't a damn High school get your crap together." He went to go check with Lifeline leaving the three there. Once alone Leatherneck patted Wetsuits back.
"Sorry man, but her voice is different around Beachhead." Leatherneck was actually being nice to Wetsuit. Mainframe about fell from shock.
"Yeah, but Beachhead?" the Navy Seal shook his head. "Ranger's are not cooler then Seal's."
"Well neither of you are Marines are ya?" Leatherneck got loud and fist bumped Mainframe. The two walked off doing old Marine yells as Wetsuit shrugged it off and planned his next prank on Leatherneck. Beachhead walked into the corridor where the other Joes where. The room got quiet when he entered, he noticed but didn't let it phase him. He walked over to Road Block.
"General's assigned you to my strike team, plus we got three more inbound." Beachhead said calmly. Everyone looked at each other for a few moments.
"Got to trust the General's plan, how do you feel about it my man?" Road Block answered.
"You and me are good Block, always have and always will. Plus we need some heavy fire power." Beachhead nodded firmly. He turned and walked past Lifeline. Who was looking at him worried, "Don't worry Lifeline, you're not coming. Your mission is Flint and Covergirl." The Ranger answered the question on his mind.
"Thanks Beachhead, don't die out there okay. The base won't be the same without you." Lifeline said. Beachhead stopped and almost said something but decided against it then turned to Tripwire.
"You're also going back with Flint and the others." He told the explosives expert. Tripwire nodded and half smiled.
There was no hiding the fact that the mission was dangerous, some may even call it suicidal out of Beachhead's ear shot. Tripwire was relieved not to be on the mission, though he felt for his fellow Joes. He looked to Road Block for assurances and the larger man nodded with his famous smile. It was quiet in the corridor. Beachhead walked over and checked on Steeler and Grunt. They were talking as Jaye nudge Flint then whispered, "I wonder who the other three are." Flint shrugged, the bed was killing him. His back itched and he never liked being down this long.
"Hey Beachhead who are the other three that Hawk is sending?" Flint asked louder.
"Low Light, Sci-Fi, and Mercer." He turned and answered.
"Wait, your bringing the ex-snake and not another Ranger." Stalker stood and said.
"Calm your horse or do I gotta remind you about you trusting your life to ninja boy." Beachhead shot back. Stalker bit his tongue and backed off, he couldn't defend himself on that charge. He had vouched for Storm Shadow left and right.
"Anyone else want to question Hawk's orders?" Beachhead asked loudly and no irritated.
"Come here Ranger." Cover Girl called over.
Beachhead walked over still steaming, the others went back to their conversations. Cover Girl forced a smile through the pain.
"I hear you pulled off one hell of a rescue while I slept." She said.
"Don't sweat it princess, I still owe you on the PT course and no one escapes the PT course." Beachhead smirked.
"Damn really? I'm not even released yet, but seriously thank you. Stalker and Jay said you pounded the hell out of a guy who was feeling me up asleep. Thanks, I hope it hurt." She was angry about the Red Shadow agent.
"Stalker had to pull me off, I'm pretty sure I broke a few somethings." He answered, she could tell he was calming down again.
"But seriously I owe you a drink or something back at base." She insisted.
"You don't owe squat, you're a Joe. I'd do that over any Joe, even Shipwreck. Heal up, get in a tank and blow up twice and many snakes till I get back." He said and went and grabbed a plate of food from the tables nearby.
Daina came running in, "I've got a contact that has information but says only in person. We'd have to go to Russia to meet them. No forces, no uniforms just small group." She spit out.
"Russia, is the intel worth it? And how well do you trust them?" Beachhead fired back.
"I trust the source he was in the Oktober Guard with me before it disbanded. I trust him with my life. He says its critical intel, but he doesn't trust an electronic transfer." She answered. Beachhead thought for a minute and took another bite.
"Done, you and me are going to Russia, we are taking Mainframe as well. Block, when the others get here, load up the second Tomahawk and follow us with the rest of the team." Wetsuit didn't take the news of being left behind well, but he accepted it and rolled with it. Leatherneck didn't like it either but he was less vocal about it. Tunnel Rat shook his head but stayed quiet too. They packed their Joe uniforms deep in their packs and some light weapons. Flint finally got up on his feet with a heavy limp but made his way to Beachhead, "Good luck, I said before if you get in trouble I'll be there." Flint said firmly.
"I know, keep Cobra busy till I get back." Beachhead answered. He knew what shape Flint was in he didn't have to remind him. He gathered Daina and Mainframe and they headed out. They took a civilian flight from Germany to St Petersburg. The Flight felt like forever, but Daina breathed the cold crisp air of her homeland and smiled. Beachhead and Mainframe exchanged looks and left it at that. Daina led them to a restaurant in the older part of the city.
"That's the meeting spot for later today, I figured we should survey it before the meeting. I trust my contact but he is worried for a reason." She said pointing to it.
"Alright sounds solid." Beachhead said as he looked around. The three found a table and watched it from a coffee house across the street. A group of young men came in fooling around and joking with each other like young men do. It wouldn't have caught Beachhead off guard except that they had on combat boots under their over long pants.
He nudged Daina and motioned to them and she nodded, they had been compromised. As Beachhead motioned Mainframe to get up a head grabbed him and tried to restrain him. He flung the young man over his shoulder through a table. Daina did a back spin kick connecting with another man's jaw. All while Mainframe took his bullet proof computer case and slapped two of the others men with it. Daina shouted, "Don't kill them." Beachhead had just began to choke out one of the at the time, when he felt the man pass out he dropped him on the floor. Daina nodded and turned to see a squad with Ak47's aimed at them. Daina began speaking loudly in Russian telling them to stand down. Over and over telling them they were friendly. But the security force didn't listen. They kept their guns up till a bald headed man came walking up and shouted the men jumped to salute. Daina smiled big and spoke it Russian. The bald man responded, the security force left quickly. Daina nodded to her friend and turned back to Beachhead and Mainframe, "This is Dragonsky, the longest surviving member of the Oktober Guard beside myself. He's also my source. Andrie this is Beachhead and Mainframe."
"So I meet the infamous Beachhead, I've heard much about you comrade." Dragonsky said extending his hand to Beachhead.
"Can't say the same, but if you got the info on the Red Shadows then you'll be my favorite friend." Beachhead answered.
"Well we should move then to a less notable place, once those soldiers figure out I was bluffing about their orders they will be back and angry. Daina's not seen as a friendly since she defected to GI Joe. At least that's how they tell the story." Dragonsky said, they could hear the troops coming back and quickly ducked out of the coffee shop to continue their conversation in a safer location.
i know its not a cliff hanger or something crazy as a end but just wait for next one. the action will be back.