MASK SAGA 4: REDEMPTION

Chapter 9

Thunderhawk and Phoenix were now ten miles south from the massive battlefield that surrounded Contra World's mountainside base. Annie's message to the Dreadnoks was good enough for them to stop their pursuit and ensure them a straight shot home.

The two had exchange quick gestures of 'Everything ok?' Yet after a simple 'Yes' it was back to radio silence. Thunderhawk was flying high above the clouds and Phoenix was speeding down the highway, both headed to their final destination Matt Trakker's mansion.

Scott found himself hesitating to reach out to Annie over the radio. He wanted to say 'We still make a great team together' or 'You were amazing out there' but is it too late? Their relationship had been rocky for months ever since Roxanne started to working for Contra World. Scott eyed his sister resting peacefully in the back of Thunderhawk and sighted heavily, "You might get what you always wanted splitting us up." He knew not to expect a reply back, but his attention drifted to the radio as it started to crackle.

"Scott you there?" An uncertain voice came over the radio.

"Yeah Hi-Tech," Scott replied, "I read ya."

"About time. I've been trying to reach you for hours."

"Sorry about that," Scott said with a sincere tone, "I've been using a private frequency."

"Falcon been screaming at me the last four hours to know where the hell you're at." He reapplied agitated, "You know your suppose to rendezvous with them at the shipping yard in San Francisco to escort a shipment of precious metals."

"Ohhh yeah," Scott replied as if he was trying to recollect the briefing from the other day, "I must have forgotten about that. Well I haven't been much of a leader lately with all my slacking about. You can tell Falcon he's a big boy he can handle this one on his own."

"What! I'm not gonna tell him that!" Hi-Tech replied as if repeating that word for word to Falcon would cost him his life, "Where is your location Scott I can't get a lock on you. What if VENOM hits them at any moment?"

"Not my problem" Scott replied smiling, as he changed the radio frequency from Boulderhill to the mansion's MASK computer.

"This is Scott Trakker reaching out to Matt Trakker over."

"SCOTT! What is going on! I have GI JOE command tell me you've gone AWOL." Matt Trakker responded with a great deal of rage.

"Is this line secure?" Scott simply asked.

"Yes."

"I have her dad," Scott calmly replied. "We rescued Roxanne this morning."

There was silence on the line, as if Matt had to sit down and couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Is she…"

"She's sleeping right now, but in badly need of medical assistance."

"I'll get a hold of Julio," Matt replied still stun for words.

"What ever you do..do not let the Joes find out." Scott replied with a bit a fury still angry over his father keeping information from him. "They were intending to pick her up this morning without our knowledge. We almost lost her for good."

"I..I won't. Just bring her home."

Those words 'bring her home' echo in Roxanne's mind. Her eyes flickered open in a panic. Home was the last place she wanted to go. How could she be forgiven for her crimes? The only logical solution was for them to throw her away in some padded cell to be forgotten. Her breathing hastens as she though of the last time she had spent a few days in a mental ward, as a courtesy of Jon Mayhem.

Scott could hear Roxanne breathing heavily through her mouth. He turned his head to look at her, "Your awak.." Before Scott could finish what he was going to say, Roxanne moved behind him and wrapped her arm around the seat and over his neck.

"LAND!"

"Rox..your..choking me," Scott could barely spit out.

"Put this car on the ground or we both die," She threatened.

"After all this did I make the right decision?" Annie Turner said speaking to herself as she drove Phoenix down the highway a fair distance behind Thunderhawk. "No doubt about it Scott and Buddy would have bitten off more then they could chew if I hadn't been there, but not turning Roxy over to the Joes. It all just makes my head hurt just thinking about it. "

She would periodically glance up at Thunderhawk to ensure it was still her line of sight, but suddenly grew alarmed as she saw the vehicle swerving in the air and losing altitude. She turned her radio on, "Scott everything ok up there?"

The silence on the line led her to the only conclusion she could come up with. "I warned him about tying her up" Annie turned Phoneix off the main road and headed towards the direction of Thunderhawk.

The moment Thunderhawk came into view she could see Roxanne Trakker pulling an unconscious Scott Trakker out of the driver seat. The first though that entered her mine was 'Did she kill him?' She could tell Roxanne was not paying any attention to her bike as she was more focus on dragging Scott's body a few feet away from the car.

Annie hopped off her bike as it was still in motion and let it crash to the ground. The anger she felt was so strong that she wanted to pull the dagger out of her boot and end this here and now. She forcefully grabbed Roxanne by the arm and spun her around to face her. The last thing Roxanne saw was Annie fist colliding with her face. Roxanne fell over backwards and was out cold next to Scott side.

"Scott!" She replied alarmed, but calmed herself down as she noticed his rising chest meant he was still breathing," Oh thank god!" She knelt down and lightly slapped Scott's cheek, "Come on Scott time to wake up." After two or three good slaps to the face Scott open his eyes and started coughing.

"Rox…*coughs* where she go?"

"Not very far," Annie motion her head to left of him. Scott turned his head to see Roxanne unconscious with a big puffed up bruise around her eye. "I will say I did warn you in advance." She lightly rubbed in.

Scott smiled softly and snickered, "Yeah you did. So how did it feel?"

"What?"

"Finally giving her a shiner to the face?"

"Well at the time I wasn't thinking about it…I just reacted. But now that you mention it was a long over due. Actually felt kind of good."

"I thought so," Scott replied indicating he was actually ok with it, "Let tie her up and get home before she wakes up again."


The sound of two vehicles heading down the driveway prompted Matt Trakker and Julio Lopez to rush outside the front door. A woman with Hispanic features, long black hair, and wearing medical scrubs joined them, "Julio the room upstairs is ready for our patient. I still think we'd be better equip to handle this at the hospital."

"I know Carmen," Julio gripped his wife hand, "but the situation calls for discretion."

Thunderhawk and Phoneix drove up to the mansion's front door. Matt Trakker couldn't believe what he was seeing. Annie went on this rescue mission? When Scott said 'we' over the radio he automatically assumed that meant Scott and Buddy, but he never image Annie would ever agree to partake. If Annie was here, what happen to Buddy?

Scott exited Thunderhawk and motioned for the three to approach, "She's resting in the back. She kind of had some sort of episode mid-flight so we umm…" he said with a hint of disappointment, "had to tie her up."

Julio nodded understandingly as if he expected it and gently pushed Scott aside so he could examine his patient before moving her.

"What happen to Buddy?" Matt demanded.

"He stayed behind to cover our tracks," Annie stated pulling off her helmet.

"I see." Matt replied.

"Yeah well..," Scott said raising his voice, "Dad I can't believe you kept that little bit of information from us. This whole time you knew Buddy was with Roxy."

"That is true," he said not regretting his decision, "Buddy approached me with the idea and Julio has been involved in this from the start. You have to understand this was a long shot. Buddy was risking his life on a chance that she might remember her feelings for him. The last report I got was that he was making progress and finally breaking down those walls that Jon Mayhem built up in her mind."

"You should have told me or hinted something," Scott threw back, "How do you expect me to be a leader when you're trying to run the show behind my back?"

"Your right I shouldn't have kept this from you."

"Damn right you shouldn't of. Had we've been an hour late she'd be in a middle of a war zone fighting for her life between Contra World, Cobra, and Gi Joe." Scott continued on letting his anger out.

Annie casually stood back watching father and son go at it in a heated debate. She knew she could put in her two cents, but this was not her battle to win.

Julio ignored the conversation all together and turned his attention to Roxanne resting peacefully in the backseat of Thunderhawk. Her arms and legs were tied up with a plastic brace and the sheet covering her body was soiled in dirt and blood. Roxanne face was pale and sporting a black eye, which indicated to him they probably used an unconventional method to knock her out. He reached for her wrist to check her vitals and glance at his watch.

"Scott?" Julio asked with concern putting a stop to the argument between Matt and Scott, "How long ago did she get shot?"

"Well at this point ten hours ago. We notice she was bleeding pretty badly and manage to put a fresh bandage using a first aid kit, once we were out of danger."

"Her heart rate is dangerously low. She needs a blood transfusion now, before we can operate." Julio stated with urgency.

"That is not a problem," Matt said, "You can use mine. We have the same blood type."

"This wound could still be infected," Carmen added as she glanced over Roxanne's leg, "I'll start her off with antibiotics, while you prep the equipment."

Julio nodded in agreement "Let get her inside shall we."

"I'll…" Scott started to say before Matt put a hand on his shoulder.

"I got this. You and Annie head inside and relax. You're both exhausted after pushing yourself to your limits with this mission. Once you sister is situated I want to be briefed on everything that happened."

Matt picked up Roxanne in his arms and carried her inside, with Scott and Annie following behind. Annie knew Scott attention was directed on his sister as he stood there watching her being carried upstairs. Instead of standing around, she headed over to Matt study and plopped down on the leather couch. She pulled out her cell phone and glanced at who called, but quickly realize she should have chucked it out the window instead. Annie scrolled thought her phone history Falcon called her several times most likely about Scott whereabouts. Then Cross Country called her, again Falcon probably figure she'd be more open with him. She notice her father called too, but he was probably wondering where the hell she's been at over the last 24 hours. It was all a reminder of yet again, she was drag into a middle of another mess situation.

'Everything Ok.I'm at Matt's. Talk later. ' Annie text to her father hoping not to worry him any further and keeping things as vague as possible to avoid questions.

"Who you texting?" Scott said plopping down in a padded leather arm chair.

"Just my dad…nosy," Annie replied in a slightly irritated voice.

"You have to understand Annie," Scott said with reason, "if anybody else knows that Roxy here, everything will have been for nothing."

"I get it really I do," She admits, "But part of me still not convince this is the right thing to do."

"Annie please," Scott gave her the look as if she was his only hope, "Give it some real thought before you do anything."

"Fine," she reluctantly agreed. "I'm exhausted and beyond confused as to what just happened in the last 24 hours. I need sleep...and if I'm still not sitting right with this after that, I'm telling G.I. Joe. We're going to have to tell them something eventually..."

"I guess that's all I can ask for," Scott said with a half yawn dropping the subject and let his eyes shut.

Annie laid out on he couch and was surprise Scott didn't argue more with her. Instead of dwelling on it further, she shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


Roxanne slowly opened her eyes looking around at her surroundings. She had no idea where she was, but the smell made her think of home. She turned her head sideways letting her vision adjusted to some pictures frames set up on the table nearby. One of the images she recognized to be her mother. The other was from 5 years ago. It had her, Matt, and Scott on a vacation in Japan. She tried to reach for the frame but notice her arms were held down with velcro restrains. Roxanne groaned with frustration.

"It's alright," Carmen gently put a hand on her, "Roxanne do you know where you're at?"

"I'm…." She glance more around the room picking up every detail to ensure her answer, "home."

Carmen smiled, "Do you know who I am?"

Roxanne replied with a nod, "How I get here?"

"That's a story for another day. How do you feel?"

"Like somebody punched me in the face," Roxanne admitted, "Why am I tied down?"

"Just temporary I promise. It's for your own good and everyone else. I'm sure you understand."

Roxanne just nodded, "Where dad and Scott? I need to see them."

"Well the doctor hasn't ordered any visitors yet," Carmen admitted, "but I'll see if I can find them around here."

Annie awoke to the sound of chit chat just outside the study door. She noticed somebody had stopped by while she was asleep and draped a blanket over her and that Scott was no longer in the room. Annie pulled herself up off the couch and headed over to where she was hearing voices.

"So you're saying Extensive Enterprises suddenly just drop their bid for Trakker Industries?" Scott Trakker said shocked by the sudden news.

"Yeah," Matt Trakker reaffirmed, "It was so sudden. I have a feeling from what you told me Contra World was feeding money to Extensive Enterprises. When they felt Jon was double crossing them they probably pulled their bid and decided to ruin him for good."

"Could you two be any louder?" Annie question as she opened the study door.

"Sorry about that," Scott admitted, "I was filling dad in on all the details."

"Sure you were," Annie said sarcastically knowing Scott probably left certain things out.

"Mr. Trakker?" Carmen called for as she walked down the stairs.

"Yes?" Both Matt and Scott replied at the same time

"Uh yeah," Carmen spoke trying to hide a slight giggle after getting a reply from both Trakkers, "Roxanne is asking for you both. I told her I'd bring you up."

Matt and Scott headed up the stairs to the second floor, but Scott halted part way as he saw Annie still standing there with her arms crossed, "You coming?"

Annie glared back at him, "She wants to see you two...she didn't say a thing about me."

"Please Annie," Scott pleaded, "You'll see she's better."

"Fine, I'll go. But not because I expect a change..."

Scott smiled softly and waited for her to join him on the stairs, before continuing forward.

Right before Matt and Scott were to enter Roxanne's room Annie felt herself hesitating to enter the room. Yes she agreed to give Scott a chance to prove that Roxanne was in fact better, but she had no desire to actually see her. She could already see how this would turn into the same old poor Roxy routine and wanted to be spared from having to see her crocodile tears. "I think I'll wait out here," Annie stated pulling up a chair just outside the door. Scott opened his mouth as thought he was going to say something, but knew this was probably the best he could ask for.

Annie crossed her arms and legs waiting to hear this so called sob story; I can't believe I'm sticking around for this. At least I'll be here to pry her off both of them if she's anything like she was yesterday.

Roxanne attention drifted towards the door as she saw it opening, "Dad? Scott?"

"We're here," Matt said approaching her bedside with Scott following.

"You're looking much better today," Scott said in an attempt to cheer her up.

"Don't feel like it," Roxy replied knowing where the black eye and gunshot wound came from, "But I guess I have Annie to thank for that."

"Seriously," Annie grumbled under her breath and from behind the door, "You deserved it."

"You got kind of out of hand," Scott said in Annie's defense.

"I know," Roxanne agreed, "Just don't let her gloat over it too much."

"You seem like your old self," Matt said rubbing her hand.

"For now," She admitted with a bit of sorrow in her tone, "but that is part of the reason I need to talk to you. I don't expect forgiveness for the crimes I have committed."

"But you weren't yourself," Scott reminded, "You had no idea what you were doing on those drugs."

"Scott let me finish," Roxanne quietly demanded, "I knew I was breaking the law when Jon Mayhem approached me. I just didn't know how to get away from him or tell him no."

"Roxanne," Matt interrupted, "I know all about you making a contract with Jon Mayhem to get Buddy an antidote to save his life back in Mexico. I understand he held you to that."

"I admit that was the stating point to all trouble," Roxanne calmly continued, "Jon approached me after class at NYU and flat out told me he owned me for life because of our prior agreement. I really thought I was cleaver in turning my cheek and telling him he had nothing on me. Yet then he handed me his phone." A stray tear slipped down Roxanne face, but she couldn't even hide that with her arms anchored down. "The video image on the phone was Boulderhill. I saw Buddy, Brad, Dusty, Annie, and you Scott all huddled around that stupid bike that you mention Brad had built." Roxanne could mentally hear Jon words re-echoing into her mind as she trembled and echoed his words out loud, "If he doesn't matter anymore I'll have my man put a bullet in his head, then we'll move on to the musician and so forth until you get my point." Roxanne took a deep breath trying to regain her composure, "He had a sniper staking out Boulderhill gas station. I had no choice but to agree to do his dirty work."

Out in the hallway, Annie leapt up, barely able to resist the urge to run into the room and break her chair over Roxanne's head to put an end to her misery. The only thing that stopped her was the thought that Scott would never forgive her...and that Roxanne truly had been out of her mind. Still, she couldn't set aside the all consuming anger, not after what she'd just heard.

She then sunk back down in the chair, wrapping her arms around herself, shivering slightly at the revelation that she might have taken an unseen bullet so many years ago. She remembered that day clearly...Phoenix's christening...her 21st birthday. Even though she'd been riding since 18, Phoenix was the first bike she actually owned, her birthday present built from the ground up by Buddy and her father. She vividly remembered the unsettling feeling that something wasn't quite right when she saw some refracting light in the distance. She pushed it aside as nothing when the light disappeared and chalked it up to nervous energy, especially when Brad challenged her to a race on Condor. Now she knew better...

"Why didn't you say something to me or Buddy?" Matt asked Roxanne.

"Jon was watching me very close. I never could get a moment to myself. I foolishly thought I could stick it out 'til the holiday break, then I could tell you everything and ease this burden," Roxanne explained, "But you remember I didn't come home for Thanksgiving."

"Yes, you told me you had exams to study for," Matt replied.

"Doctor Anderson showed up outside my door a week before I was scheduled return home," She recollected, "He told me he was in town and was checking up on me. I didn't think anything of it considering I've been force to see him for years. He…gave me something that messed me up pretty bad."

"He had you on a lot of medication," Matt said grabbing some tissue to wipe her eyes from a few more tears that fell down her face, "You were probably experiencing a lot of bad side effects from doing those drugs."

"I had no idea what was happening to me," She confessed. "I'd be out all night working for Jon and not have a single recollection of it. All I knew is when I kept taking those drugs my conscious would stop eating away at me and it left me without a care in the world. It wasn't until I saw Duane's blood on my hands that everything I'd done came back to me. I stupidly called you Scott, forgetting you were still in the hospital no thanks to me. Jon had my place bugged; he was no doubt on his way to get me. I knew what he had planned for me, MASK, VENOM, the world. The only way I knew how to ruin those plans was to take my life, but as fate would have it I failed to even do that."

The anger started to mix with angst as Annie considered that Roxanne had just taken responsibility for the hit on her life. 'I stupidly called you Scott, forgetting you were still in the hospital no thanks to me.' That meant, by extension, she was also responsible for destroying the marriage proposal Scott had planned. Annie could still remember how it felt to hold that ring box...the pain as sharp as ever...

Oh God, what have I done? Annie wiped away several tears. I've risked everything I've ever wanted for someone who has done nothing but make my life hell ever since we met. And now once again, it's me facing all the consequences. I know what their all going to say. Poor poor manipulated Roxy...it's okay dear...we understand. We'll make Annie understand too...so that the big mean ol Ranger won't go tell the authorities where you are, or what you've done, or how many lives you ruined...will you, Annie?

Annie stopped with her mental commentary as she noticed complete silence coming from the other room. Matt and Scott were probably having a difficult time as well processing Roxanne confession. She actually admitted her part in everything, yet it was easy to see how Jon was able to manipulate her into do his bidding. Annie let out a deep, ragged sigh and ran her hands through her hair. What am I going to do?

"You know you can go in there," Julio consoled Annie as he approached the door.

"It's better I don't. I don't want to cause a scene." She paused. "Julio, can I ask you something?" Annie asked, feeling very perplexed.

"Sure thing."

"Is she really cured?"

"Honestly," Julio admitted, "She'll never be 100% cured. As long as she sticks to her treatment and is surrounded by friends and family she'll make it through this. I just worry about her doing something stupid."

The first thought that pop into Annie's head was homicidal Roxy killing everyone she ever loved, "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm talking about depression setting in and Roxanne making another attempt on her own life." Julio knew Annie well enough to know she was struggling. "I know that's not what you wanted to hear."

"I got the truth, which is what I expected to hear. Thanks Julio."

Julio pushed open the door to Roxanne's room, "Matt…Scott sorry to interrupt but can I see you out in the hallway for a moment."

"Of course," Matt said kissing Roxanne on the forehead," Be back in a moment."

Once Scott and Matt join Julio and Annie out in the hall way Julio spoke up, "We need to talk about Roxanne condition."

"The drugs are working...right?" Matt asked worried.

"Yes," Julio reassured, "The medication is helping keep that other persona at bay. There is another matter we need to discuss. She pregnant."

Julio could see the jaws were dropping on Matt, Scott, and Annie face. None of them had expected to hear that. "I'm concern naturally," Julio continued to break the stunning looks from their faces, "She's not physically or mentally well to carry a child right now. Carrying this child to full term will put lot of strain on her body and interfere with her recovery. It's also hard to say as well how much the child is affected from her previous drug usage."

"Does she know?" Matt asked thinking long and hard about how he wished this nightmare would end for his daughter.

"No. I wanted you to be in the room when we discuss her options together," Julio replied.

"Let's get his over with," Matt said unpleasantly as he motion for Julio to follow him into Roxanne bedroom.

"I don't believe it," Scott said in an upset tone still standing there numb by what Julio had said, "Doesn't she ever get a break."

"Scott she admitted to getting herself into her own mess, even if it was unwillingly." Annie pointed out as if a break was a last thing she was entitled to.

"Jon Mayhem forced her to do all those things. Somebody would have been dead had she not complied." Scott reminded.

"Somebody is dead…Duane Kennedy remember?" Annie pointed out.

"Jon Mayhem is to blame for that!" Scott raised his voice, "Who the hell is blame now?"

The sound of a voice shouting 'Hello' from downstairs caused Scott to break away from Annie in anger. Annie following in pursuit after him wondering what he was going to do next.

Scott Trakker rushed downstairs to greet Buddy Hawks who suddenly turned up and was waiting in the foyer. Instead of offering a handshake, Scott fist contracted directly into Buddy Hawks face. Buddy staggered backwards into a nearby table shattering the vase that was resting on it. He was completely taken off guard by the unexpected attack.

"WHAT THE HELL SCOTT!" Buddy shouted trying to regain himself and was ready for a second round.

"She's PREGNANT!" Scott words were violently thrown back at him.

Buddy didn't know why he was staring dumbfounded at Annie until Vanessa's taunt from earlier in the week started to circle back to him, "Shit Vanessa called it."

"We worked so hard to get her life back to normal and you had to screw that up for her!" Scott spitted out.

With those words Buddy felt a flare of anger and gave Scott a nice left hook to the face hoping to shut him up. Buddy stood over him, "Let's get something straight I'm not going to up and leave her if that's what you're thinking. You want to blame me for this fine I'll take it, but here's a news fact for you that child may not even be mine. You know what I don't care because I love Roxanne I'm going to do everything I can to protect her."

"Protect her...that must go up to and include backstabbing the rest of us!" Annie threw back wanting to punch Buddy herself, as she thought about confronting him earlier with her suspicions on Roxanne being behind the hit on her life. He had completely shot down her assumption. Let's get one thing straight here little girl, Roxanne had NOTHING to do with that hit on you, got it? So get that idea out of that stubborn head of yours before I step around this desk to get it out myself! "I heard the whole story up stairs. You flat out told me...no, threatened me, that Roxanne had nothing to do with that hit on me. Come to find out she was!"

"Annie she fooled all of us. Nobody had any idea that she was some sort of sleeper agent." Buddy said in protest.

"I did," Annie said, pulling Scott to his feet and adding in a very judgmental voice, "She didn't fool me. You were too wrapped up in her pheromones to see the truth that was right in front of you. This all could have been prevented!"

"Don't even go there," Buddy said knowing that was a sore spot for him. He had thought so many times that if he had done things differently, Roxanne would never have been in that situation.

Buddy pushed past both Annie and Scott indicating he was done fighting with them both.

"Go ahead. Walk away from me. Just like you did the last time." Annie's voice dripped venom. "Screw you Buddy Hawkes...I really DON'T need you. Not if this is how it's going to be."

He halted part way up the stairs and looked directly at Annie disgusted, "You know what Annie...everything isn't always about YOU! So drop the judgmental attitude and grow the hell up!" He threw a look Scott's way and added, "Both of you! If you think this is over, you're dead wrong! Jon's body wasn't where we left it and he's gonna come after Roxanne the first chance he gets!" Buddy's eyes drifted back to Annie as he stormed the rest of the way up the stairs, "So if you're not on our side, get the hell out of here!"

Annie glared up at Buddy's retreating back, stunned into a momentary silence. After a few moments, she regained her composure and muttered under her breath, "Bastard."

"Annie..." Scott jumped in as the yelling died down. "I'd really like to believe we can trust you. Tell me you're truly on our side."

Annie's cell phone started to ring again. She looked at the caller ID and answered it, choosing to ignore Scott's question for the moment. "Hello..."

"Look Princess...you and Prince Charming are in some seriously hot water," hissed a very irritated Lieutenant Falcon from the other end of the line. "One or the other or both of you better meet me down in Boulderhill to explain yourselves or your asses are gonna be mine. Got it?"

Somehow Annie managed to sound completely innocent as she pried for information. "Falcon, what are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Annie. Two hours. I can't stall Duke any longer than that."

Scott looked at her intently as the call disconnected. "Well?"

"Falcon's onto something...and if one of us doesn't meet up with him in two hours, we're toast."

"You know damn well I'm not the one he wants to talk to."

"I know."

Annie started pacing the floor as jumbled and confused thoughts ran through her head. Roxy's medical condition and pregnancy changed everything and turned her whole point of view upside down and right side wrong. She didn't see a way to get G.I. Joe involved without losing everything that was important to her. Or did she...

"Lifeline..." Annie said aloud as an idea occurred to her.

"Annie?"

She turned back to Scott. "Lifeline...G.I. Joe's medic. He could help. He would help."

"Oh Annie," Scott sighed in exasperation, "We've been through this..."

"Scott, hear me out. It's going to be nine months before Roxy's child is born..."

"Oh my God..." Something Annie said triggered Scott's memory of Buddy's rant moments before: Here's a news fact for you: that child might not even be mine. He sank down into the nearest chair. "Roxy's baby could be Jon's..."

Annie knelt down next to him in supplication. "All the more reason to let G.I. Joe help. They'll be able to protect her and see her medical condition all at the same time. They'll have nine months to treat her with Julio's help...with state of the art medical equipment. Nine months to observe her changed behavior with Buddy and Julio's observations to back it up. Nine months to come to their own conclusions about what's right."

"Nine months of being locked up away from home. No way. Jon Mayhem's put her through enough...I'm not tearing her away from her family again. She needs us."

Annie followed Scott as he got up and strode back into Matt's study. "Why won't you compromise with me?"

"Why do you insist on pushing this so hard?"

When he noticed no answer forthcoming, Scott reached under his father's desk and popped open a secret panel. He produced a DVD recording and handed it to Annie. "This is why I don't trust G.I. Joe. And this is why you shouldn't either. That evidence I told you about...it's all on here. Watch that and then ask yourself who's side you should be on."

She looked at her watch. Half an hour of Falcon's deadline had already passed. "How much footage is here?"

"About an hour distilled down to the essentials."

"All right. I owe you this much. And I wouldn't be much of a law enforcement officer if I didn't consider all available evidence."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," Annie warned. "I won't know what I'm going to tell Falcon until I see this. You're going to have to trust me to do the right thing."

"You doing the 'right thing' is what worries me, Annie."

"Then you're just plain going to have to trust me. You used to be able to do that."

"Yeah," Scott's voice wasn't filled with confidence. "I did..."


The door opened to Roxanne's room and in rushed Buddy Hawks sporting a fresh bruise across the side of his faced. He could tell he wasn't too late since tears were rushing down Roxanne face, as if she just heard the news herself from Julio and Matt.

Matt grabbed Buddy by the arm and quietly said, "Buddy there's something you need to know:"

"I already know," He replied removing Matt hand, "Scott was nice enough to give me the message the hard way."

"Scott did that?" Matt said slightly surprise.

"Hey Beautiful," Buddy said moving towards Roxanne removing the restrains off her hands, in order to sit on the side of her bed and hold her in his arms, "Sorry I'm late."

Roxanne sniffled and wiped her eyes, "Just like you."

"Buddy," Matt interrupted, "We were just talking about how it would be in Roxanne best interest to abort this pregnancy."

"That's not your choice," Buddy flat out said still feeling angry from Scott and Annie cornering him downstairs, "It's time for Roxanne to make her own decisions, instead of everyone making them for her."

"Having this child would have serious health compilations for her," Matt pleaded. "Think about her future."

"I am..."Buddy ran his hand through Roxanne hair and cradled her in his arms, "Whatever you decide hon, I'm with you."

"I want to keep our baby," Roxanne said looking up affectionately at Buddy.

"But you don't know," He calmly pointed out, "if the child is mine."

"I refuse to believe anything so wonderful could come from that horrible man."

Buddy smiled softly "Wonderful huh?" Roxanne face blushed deep red and nodded as she felt so much in love with this man.

"I'm going to be honest with you…your still in a lot of danger. Jon Mayhem may still be alive," Buddy added holding her tighter, "We'll have to hide someplace until the baby born and move around a lot. It won't be an easy life. Is this really what you want?"

"Yes…I'm not afraid, as long as you're by my side," She admitted looking directly into his eyes.

Julio and Matt exchange glances feeling discourage by Roxanne commitment to keep the child.

"Where do you think your going to hide?" Matt asked thinking Buddy was out of his mind to even suggest that, "She'll need medical assistance until the child is born."

"I'll figure something out," Buddy replied. "She's not safe here. This is the first place Jon will come looking for her or anybody else for that matter."

Matt nodded painfully seeing the truth in his words.

"Being on the run is not exactly healthy for a pregnant woman," Julio stated, "But I'll see what we can do to ensure mother and child are as healthy as possible before you leave my care."

"Thanks Julio," Roxanne said and then moved her attention over to her father, "Dad?"

By looking at Roxanne and Buddy, Matt could almost see himself years ago with Roxanne's mother Rebecca. They were so much in love and expecting their first child, until Miles Mayhem had come between them. He didn't want that for his daughter. He could tell Buddy had her best interest at heart and would lay down his life for her. Who else could he ask for as her protector? This love between them was going to help her get better and be able to move forward in life. Matt smiled showing that he approved, "I'll support you two anyway I can."

"That means a lot dad," Roxanne said smiling and trying not to shed anymore tears.

"Let's leave these two alone," Matt said to Julio noticing Roxanne snuggling up to Buddy.

The moment Matt and Julio stepped out of the room. Roxanne smiled and caressed Buddy face, "What did I ever do to deserve you in my life?"

"Besides all the teasing. You gave up everything. Nobody has ever done that for me," Buddy place his hand over hers as it rested on his cheek," Life felt so empty without you around, I realize far too late how much you truly meant to me. If that's not love I don't know what else to call it."

With those final words Roxanne and Buddy lips passionately locked together. Both forgetting all their troubles for the moment and remembering how strong their love was for one another.


"Where the hell is Scott?"

Annie had showered, changed clothes, braided her hair, and pulled on her Rangers jacket before coming down to meet Falcon in the conference room. She shut the door and turned to see him sitting at the head of the table, looking military stern with his hands folded. Annie took a deep breath and copped an uncharacteristic Vanessa-like attitude-which was the only thing that would get her through this.

"How should I know? You called me, not him." She walked over to the table. "Now is this about me or Scott? Because if you're going to grill me about Scott, I'm going home."

"Annie, sit down." Something in Falcon's tone of command forced her to comply. "You need to seriously consider where your future is headed. If you keep trying to protect that boy, he's going to take you right down with him."

"What the hell are you rambling on about?"

"Fine, if this is how you want to play it..." Falcon sighed. "Scott Trakker was AWOL for a mission in California yesterday. We have reason to believe that he interfered with a Classified and Top Secret G.I. Joe mission."

"Why would Scott care about anything G.I. Joe was doing?"

"Because it involved Roxanne."

Annie allowed the expected reaction to fall across her face. "Roxanne?"

"You of all people know how dangerous Roxanne Trakker can be. You found the evidence that linked COBRA to Contraworld. Once Command knew that, the decision was made to handle this mission internally. It was getting too personal for MASK to be involved." Falcon could tell he had Annie's attention as he continued, "Roxanne was not at Contraworld's mountain base when G.I. Joe stormed it. And our pilot Slipstream has gone on record stating he thought he saw a red Camaro flying away from the scene."

"So based on what Slipstream 'thought' he saw, you think Scott was involved?" Annie snorted derisively. "Do you have any proof? Pictures? Radar Signatures?"

"We're still putting all the pieces together," Falcon deflected the question nicely. "But Flint and Lady Jaye are also ready to go on record that they heard unfamiliar voices when they scouted the base ahead of the main party."

"So you have people who thought they saw and heard things...and you've decided to pin something on Scott based on this 'evidence'. Unbelievable." Annie's snort turned to a caustic laugh. "Do you know what Commander Hawkes would do to me if I tried to feed him a line like this? Laugh me out of his office! It's all circumstantial."

Falcon barely even blinked. "Doesn't matter. All we need in military court is AWOL and dereliction of duty to have Scott declared unfit for command and removed from MASK permanently."

"I still don't know why the hell you're telling ME all this. If I didn't know better, I'd swear you and G.I. Joe have been trying to run him out from the beginning."

"You should be leading this team, Annie. Everyone knows it. Including Scott."

"I DON'T WANT TO LEAD THIS TEAM!" Annie jumped up and slammed her hands against the conference room table. "And I have made that abundantly clear to anyone who's been listening! I'm not the MASK expert...Scott is! He's been around this team ever since he was born! He knows this garage and these vehicles inside and out! He can tell you their strengths, weaknesses, which pairings get the best results and which don't. He used to play games with the computer to see if he could come up with the best agents before it did! His family put their blood, sweat, and tears into this team! He's smart, dedicated, loyal...and deserves the chance you're not giving him to prove himself!"

"His actions tell a different story. So unless he's got some kind of airtight alibi, we're getting ready to press charges and issue a warrant for his arrest."

Annie's eyes lit on fire. "G.I. Joe was never going to treat MASK as equals, were they? It was all about pushing Scott out and putting me in as your little token link in the command chain. No wonder Duke and Flint were so hot to recruit me..."

"Annie..."

"How could I have been so naive and stupid as to trust any of you!" she shouted, enraged.

The one person she still might have trusted chose that exact moment to walk through the conference room door. Cross Country approached Falcon with his best poker face and tossed a black box onto the table. "You wanted to know when I was done lookin' at Thunderhawk. She's clean as a whistle inside. No weapons fired either. Just the thrusters, meanin' she's been in the air." He pointed at the box. "Boy Wonder worked that flight recorder for over four hours with no luck...says it's clean erased. Thinks Mainframe and the Pit crew might have better luck."

"Don't bother. I erased it."

Both Joes turned back to Annie, stunned, asking in unison. "You what?"

"You both heard me. I erased it."

"Of all the stupid..." Cross Country could only stare at her in disbelief. "What in the hell has come over you, woman?"

Annie ignored his question and bored her eyes straight into Falcon's. "You want to know why Scott was AWOL? Fine. As embarrassing as it is, I'll tell you. We were having wild, passionate sex in the back of Thunderhawk. The kind that can only come from coming to terms with a long term relationship that's been screwed up and messed about for the past 6 months."

"I'm gonna..."

"Don't leave." Something in Annie's voice stopped Cross Country. "I've got nothing to hide here." She turned back to Falcon. "Scott took off in Thunderhawk and I followed him like I always do. Now...shall I file a written report on every single detail or would you like me to just describe it for you?"

Falcon's military demeanor cracked just a little. "No."

"Then are we done here? Because I'd really like to go home. Back to Tahoe to piece together what's left of my life and my career."

"We're done." Annie turned to go but then stopped as Falcon added, "You know Roxanne is a threat to everyone around her. You don't by chance know where she is?"

She turned back and looked him right in the eye. "No."

"Would you tell me if you knew?"

"Maybe." With that last statement, she shared a glance with Cross Country and walked out.


Annie cleaned out her locker at Boulderhill of all necessary equipment and took the transport back up to the mansion to gather the few things she'd left behind from that god-awful screwed up mission. She felt as though she could barely breathe from all the built up tension, so she made quick work of her packing and slipped outside. She walked over to where her white Jeep Liberty was parked and loaded her gear, closing the hatch in time to see Scott approaching from the side yard.

"You're not taking Phoenix?" he asked as a casual conversation starter.

"No." She walked over to the driver's side of the Jeep, keys in hand. "I don't plan on taking on any missions for a little while."

Scott shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans nervously. "Annie..."

"I didn't tell G.I. Joe anything about Roxanne."

"I know. I was just talking to Dad and he said G.I. Joe Command has suddenly gone very quiet. What did you tell them?"

She jangled her keys and sighed. "That you and I were making up and out in the back of Thunderhawk."

"Wow." For a brief moment, Annie saw a flicker of Scott's crooked "bad boy" smile that he often used in the bedroom, but it quickly faded. "Tha-"

"Don't!" She struggled to keep her voice level and diplomatic. "Don't thank me. Don't tell me how much this means to you...don't tell me how it's for the best...don't tell me all about how great it's going to be for your messed up sister! I just died inside because I've betrayed everything that's ever meant a damn thing to me! My conscience may end up literally killing me. And for what? Someone who's made me nothing but miserable!"

"Annie, it'll be different-"

With all the shouting going on outside it caused Roxanne Trakker to cautiously glance out her bedroom window. She could see Scott and Annie fighting as usual, but this time she was pretty certain it was about her.

Different he says? Annie thought before she realize they were not alone in this conversation. Her eyes shifted to the mansion's second story window and caught glance of Roxanne poorly hiding behind a curtain watching them.

Roxanne could see the anger and hurt that filled Annie eyes and diverted her own eyes and head downwards to the ground. How could she ever apologize or make up for all the hurtful things had done?

"No," Annie shook her head and focus her attention back to Scott, "Not for me it won't. Not for a long time, and maybe not ever. So don't expect me to sit around here and watch the 'poor miserable Roxy' show. I've had enough. I'm done." She could feel tears welling up and forced her voice to stay steady. "I always told you I'd never make you choose between us...that if it came to it, I would step aside and make the choice for the sake of keeping your family together. Tell Roxanne congratulations...she wins. I'm leaving."

"Please don't leave..."

"I'm not changing my mind, Scott. I need to change my pace and go home to my mountains...home to what's left of my life and my career. Home to a simpler place and simpler people. You're just going to have to deal with the fallout on your own for once."

Scott didn't know what else he could say and instead just stood there heartbroken as Annie's jeep pulled away in the distance.

Intense shame overwhelmed Roxanne as she quietly observed Scott standing there stunned. All these years she tried so hard to break up Scott and Annie, but their feelings for one another made them inseparable. She never imagined splitting them up would make her feel so miserable inside. Her hand touched the glass on the window wanting to comfort brother. "I'm sorry Scott," She said softly to herself, "Somehow I'll make this right by both of you."


"Where the hell is she!" Sly Rax shouted slamming the door behind him, as he and Bruno Shepard entered a run down gas station off Nebraska highway 71.

"Uh..don't know what you talking about sir,"A young man in is early twenties wearing a mechanic uniform replied, "You need me to fill her up?"

Rax grabbed the man's shirt and tore off his shades to show he meant business, "My good friend gonna pound you into little pieces if you don't speak up boy." Bruno started cracking his knuckles, which caused the young man to gulp and sweat.

"Let the poor kid go will ya," Vanessa stated as she walked out the back room with both Cliff Dagger and Floyd Malloy behind her.

Rax loosen his grip on the young man and started to yell, "What's the big idea blowing my cover?! You have any idea how much swimming in that god forsaking swamp I did just to escape that terror dome."

"Not my fault your so photogenic," Vanessa smirked wickedly, "Let be honest that's not what's really pissing you off."

"Where's are the vehicles and masks," Bruno demanded, "We know you took them….ALL of them."

"You were right they were gonna come crawling to your doorstep begging," Floyd chuckled under his breath.

She ignored Floyd's comment and said in a sweet greedy voice, "We can come to some sort of arrangement. That is assuming you'll work for me."

"WHAT! NEVER!" Sly Rax huffed.

"Well can't help you…"She started to turn her back to him.

"Wait!" Rax gritted his teeth, "What exactly are you proposing?"

"With both Mayhems out of the way," Vanessa replied, "VENOM will be mercenaries for hire. You'll get a cut in the profits and access to your vehicle and mask. There's nothing sour about this deal. The only stipulation is your orders come from me."

"That doesn't sound so bad. That's better then what Mayhem ever gave us." Bruno said willing to accept the deal.

"You know he's still alive right…I mean both Mayhems are still alive." Rax pointed out.

Vanessa cross her arms and gave him a look showing that she really didn't care, "Miles probably weak on his last leg rotting in cell, while Mayhem junior is living off a respirator. Yeah I'm really shaking in my boots." She added with a hit of sarcasm. "Now is the time to reintroduce VENOM to the world. MASK is still in disarray and Gi Joes has their hands full with Cobra, they won't give a crap about us. So you in?"

"You always said you wanted a dominatrix to rule you life," Bruno pointed out, which cause Sly Rax to shoot him an angry glare.

"Fine," Sly Rax reluctantly said seeing no other choice, "I'm in."

Vanessa smiled wickedly, "Welcome gentlemen to a new era of VENOM."

The end for now….