Stryker held up his hand for quiet while he listened, trying to determine which direction the sounds of feet were coming from.

"Quick, one of you give me your rifle."

"What're you thinking?" Blow Torch reluctantly handed over his weapon.

"They don't know I'm outta my cell." Stryker replied "When I say duck, you duck. Got it?"

They nodded, knowing without being told further what the plan was. Stryker stepped out of the line of sight moments before half a dozen members of the Crimson Guard caught sight of the other four Joes.

"All right, Joes. In the name of Cobra Commander, we arrest you. Hand over your weapons on the double!" Three of the nameless pointed their own weapons at the Joes while the fourth spoke.

"Now march!" Once all G.I. Joe arms were safely in the hands of the Cobra troops, they herded them toward the cells, and unfortunately for them, away from where Stryker hid. He gave them a ten count to get some distance, then he stepped out from hiding.

"Duck!" He shouted

The Joes dropped and Stryker sprayed the area with gunfire. In less than a minute, he had emptied the clip into the four Crimson Guardsmen, who were very nicely dead.

"Why don't they ever learn?" Stryker ejected the spent clip from the rifle. "You guys can stand up, now."

Cutter and company got to their feet. "Nice shootin', boss." Gung-Ho prodded one of the dead soldiers with his boot to make sure that he was really dead.

"This is getting too easy." Stryker tossed the rifle back to Blow Torch for reloading. "You'd think by now someone would've told them not to turn their backs on G.I. Joe..."

"Especially when they think they have us captured." Dial-Tone surveyed the damage, sniffing loudly at the smell of charred flesh.

"That's when we're at our most dangerous. We have nothing to lose." Stryker answered "Which one of you fine gentlemen is going to show me the way out before I have to put Plan B into action."

"This way." Gung-Ho lead them back out into the jungle and to their vehicle.

Back at the base, they reported to Duke.

"Mission accomplished." Gung-Ho proudly announced.

"Like I expected any less." Duke leaned back in his chair and stared at them. "You're dismissed... Stryker could you stick around for a while?"

"Yes, sir."

Duke waited for the other four Joes to leave before motioning for Stryker to take a seat. "Is the plan set?"

"Just gotta work out a few minor kinks." Stryker answered

"Just wait until Cobra Commander figures out that he's playing right into Joe hands." Duke smiled, lacing his fingers behind his head.

"The sooner we break Cobra, the better. They've been a pain in my ass for far too long." Stryker answered "You still got detail on the guys just in case?"

"Eight of my best men." Duke answered "Just say the word and I'll double it if you don't think it's enough."

"I'm happy if you are." Stryker responded "Anything else?"

"Nope. You're dismissed... big night?"

"Nah. Too much junk thrown at me today. I need a few hours of down time to digest." Stryker answered

"Don't forget you have patrol at 24 hundred hours." Duke informed him. Stryker groaned.

"Sir, I'm running the recon force. Explain to me why I have to take guard duty like one of the grunts as well?"

"I'm not asking you to go anything that I myself don't do." Duke answered "But I see your point. I'll bring it up with Hawk next chance I get."

"Send someone to get me at 23 hundred 30 hours."

Duke nodded.

Stryker returned to his barracks, stripped out of his dirt-covered fatigues, and stretched out on his bed, listening to his Ipod. There was something soothing about listening to Guns 'N Roses and Stryker soon felt all the day's stress melt away and sleep coming to claim him.

His dreams, however, were not nearly as tranquil. This was one of his more disturbing ones. Up until last night, it was only Breaker, Quick-Kick and Doc talking to him, but tonight's had an expanded cast of characters. In addition to that threesome, Flash was with them. There was a fifth man as well, but his back was to Stryker.

Turn around... c'mon... I need to know...

As his wish was coming true, and the unknown man was turning around, Stryker felt himself being pulled back in the land of the living.

"... Stryker, Stryker... Boss, wake up!" Cutter was shaking him.

"Is it time already?" Stryker moaned, not fully awake despite the shaking.

"It's 21 hundred hours." Cutter told him.

"I told Duke not to send... what happened?" The fact that he'd been awakened two and a half hours early sent his senses into alert mode.

"You didn't hear the shot?" Cutter stared "You must've really been outta it."

"Probably." Stryker opened his eyes, but shut them immediately when he saw how bright the room was. "What shot?"

Cutter stared at his shoes.

"Cutter..." Stryker warned, "talk to me."

"They got Dial-Tone." He whispered

Stryker's jaw dropped. "How?" He whispered "Duke told me he had..."

"Took out his guards as well. Shot him point-blank through the heart while he was on duty. He was dead before we heard the shot, according to Life-Line." Cutter answered

"What about the others?"

"Blow Torch and Gung-Ho are accounted for. Duke figured whoever is responsible didn't want to risk discovery."

"You mean no one knows who did it?" Stryker massaged his forehead. "What the hell!"

"Duke's doubled the guards and put the perimeter on alert..."

"Like that's really gonna help! Christ, we're down to four and if Joes keep getting shot in their beds, there won't be a recon squad left by the end of the week!" Stryker shouted

"There's nothing I can do about that."

"Sorry, Cut-man, I really don't need to be taking this out on you." Stryker swung his legs over the side of his bed. "Could you pass me my fatigues. I need some air."

"Is that smart?" Cutter asked

"You just told me Duke's doubled the guards and put the perimeter on alert. Cobra isn't dumb enough to risk another attack this close. Top drawer."

"Anything else?" Cutter asked, handing over a fresh set of clothes.

"Yeah... can you turn that bleepin' light off." Stryker shaded his eyes again.

"I'll be in the hall." Cutter flipped off the overheads on his way out the door.

"Goddammit!" Stryker shouted, hastily dressing and grabbing his pistol from atop his dresser. "Sonofabitch!"

The guards outside his door, looked at each other.

"Can you blame him?" Cutter looked at them both. "First his brother and now Flash and Dial-Tone. I wish there was something I could do for him."

"Staying alive might be a good start, Sir."

Stryker threw his door open, and pushed past Cutter and the guards.

"Sir?" One of the grunts moved as if to follow him.

"Let him go." Cutter said "He'll be okay."

Stryker crossed the compound, muttering to himself, occasionally pausing to kick the tire of a parked vehicle. "That's low, even for Cobra." He reached the other side of the compound, near the docks where the Joes carried out some of their aquatic training and came across an unusual sight... Snake-Eyes maskless. Looking out over the sea, Snake-Eyes seemed to be intently scanning the horizon. Either he was waiting for sun up, which wouldn't happen for several hours, or he was doing some meditation mumbo-jumbo, Stryker didn't know and frankly, didn't care.

"Howdy." Stryker plopped down against a stack of wooden poles. "Waiting for someone?"

Snake-Eyes raised his left eyebrow, quizzically looking at the other man. "~~"

"Was that a yes or no? I never know with you."

Snake-Eyes resumed his watch.

"They say that we're the two easiest people to talk to on base. Since I don't feel like talking to myself, you up for a little listening?" Stryker asked

Snake-Eyes jumped from his perch and sat down beside Stryker. "Go ahead." He motioned with his hands.

"I'm sure you've already read me like a book, but here goes anyways. I've already lost my entire family and now the one constant that I have is being ripped apart. I dunno whether to be angry or what and you're the only one I know who's been anything remotely similar. I'd really like some advice right now." Stryker said

Snake-Eyes thought. He had gone through a similar family situation to Stryker, but he didn't think that his way of coping would work. Stryker was not into retreat, meditation, or anything like that. He tapped his thumb against his chin.

"Anything?" Stryker asked, looking dangerously close to snapping.

Snake-Eyes snapped his fingers and motioned for him to turn his back.

"Okay, but this better not be anything creepy." Stryker adjusted his position. "You know my opinion on guys touching me."

Snake-Eyes shrugged. A friendly hand was a friendly hand, and it shouldn't matter the gender of the person owning it. He pressed his thumbs against the bunch of nerves at the base of Stryker's neck and started gently working them in circles. It wouldn't help Stryker with his problems, but it might ease some of the tension inside him.

Stryker initially tensed up, but soon felt some of the tension begin to melt away beneath Snake-Eyes' talented fingers. Unfortunately, his consciousness also melted away and he fell back, head first, right into Snake-Eyes' lap.

Snake-Eyes rolled his eyes. This was not the first time someone had this particular reaction to his touches, but it was usually Scarlett passed out. Much more pleasurable, to say this least. He debated whether or not to carry Stryker back to his barracks, like he usually did with Scarlett, or just pour some cold water on his face. He decided to go with the water option since the likelihood of getting anything out of Stryker, other than a swift kick, was almost nil.

"What the..." Stryker spluttered "Why am I soaking wet?"

Snake-Eyes shrugged.

"That's the last time I let you lay a hand on me." Stryker flicked his wet hair out of his eyes. "God..." He stared at his wet clothes with a look of pure disgust .

Snake-Eyes shrugged again.

"Talk to you later." His combat boots filling with water, Stryker squelched back to his barracks. At the rate he was going through clothes, he'd need his own personal laundry service.

Snake-Eyes watched Stryker leave, then resumed his vigil.

After changing for the second time, Stryker stomped over to Duke's office. In spite of how late it was, he was still up, doing paperwork.

"Just the Joe I was looking for." Duke looked up.

"Seems like I'm popular." Stryker collapsed into a chair without waiting for an 'at ease'. "Half the world wants me dead and the other half is knocking me out and dousing me with water."

"I won't ask." Duke replied "So, does this change our plan?"

"Damned if I know, Sir." Stryker replied "Obviously someone didn't get the Commander's memo."

"Cobra Commander doesn't strike me as that kind of tyrant. I'm sure the fact that he thinks you're in his back pocket isn't changing his plans." Duke replied

"I figured that, but I hoped it would buy us some time." Stryker answer "All it's done has cost me another man."

"What do you suggest?" Duke asked

"I dunno." Stryker groaned "I need some time to think."

"Time is not something we have a whole lot of right now." Duke replied "I don't need to tell you that."

"We gotta break Cobra and fast." Stryker ran his fingers through his hair and shook the water from his fingers onto the carpet.

"I'm not willing to risk any more lives over this." Duke answered, folding his hands on his desk.

"Me neither." Stryker answered "I can't even begin to think about replacing the guys until after this is over."

"I don't know what else I can suggest." Duke replied

"Keep the guards and I'll figure something out. I'm gonna try to get a couple hours shut-eye before I'm on duty"

"You've got bigger problems than watching for enemy submarines." Duke answered "I'll get someone to cover."

"Thanks, sir. I do appreciate that."

"One last question... how soon does Cobra expect you to start producing?"

"Probably right away. They aren't the most patient people either."

"I'll see what I can pull for tomorrow. Dismissed."

Too tired to be concerned with protocol, Stryker dragged himself back to his room. He fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

"I don't care what I have to do or who I have to go through, but Cobra is going down."