Chapter 10:
There was something about the look General Hawk had in his eyes that told Isabella that he wasn't gonna let her passing-up-the-Joes thing go so easily.
"Well now that we've got things settled, I'm gonna head over to my office and finish some paper work. You all know how to reach me if you need anything." General Hawk stated casually as their group continued their way down the long hallway.
"Yes sir." The Joes behind him all murmured in respect. With a quick nod of his head, General Hawk turned down another hallway that they soon passed before disappearing from sight. Isabella softly shook her head at him in slight suspicion. The group was then silent for a few moments.
"So…." Ripcord suddenly spoke up, "…what are we gonna do now?" he asked.
"Don't know much about you," Heavy Duty replied, "….but I'm going to the Mess hall to find me something to eat."
"Hey sounds good to me, I'm starved!" Ripcord declared. Everyone else seemed to agree to that decision as well, with the exception of Isabella. But still, she followed the Joe team to their Mess Hall for some food. The place was much larger than she pictured and was much more crowded too. All around the room were different stations where you could pick up different types of food. This place seemed to have everything ranging from burgers, to pizza, all the way to foreign cuisines. While the Joes all went around collecting what they wanted to eat, Isabella quietly walked over and took a seat at the end of a long, cafeteria table. It wasn't long however before her silence was broken by the enthusiastic sound of Ripcords voice before he took up a seat right next to Isabella.
"This seat taken?" he asked with a big grin even though he was already sitting down. Isabella couldn't help but smile back softly; she had to admit it, Ripcord was a funny guy.
"Just ignore, Ripcord." Came another male's voice. When Isabella turned her head, she saw that it was Ripcord's best friend, Duke who had also joined them, by sitting down right across from her, "That's what I do." He added with a quick wink.
"Pssh, yeah ok that's the biggest piece of Bull I've heard in a long while." Ripcord mumbled through his mouthful of food. Duke only shrugged his shoulder before he began eating as well. After a few more seconds of quiet chewing from the guys, both men seemed to notice that Isabella didn't have anything with her.
"What…you not eating?" Ripcord asked as he swallowed his bite of food. Isabella's nose scrunched up softly and she shook her head,
"No, not hungry." She replied in a cool, easy tone.
"Girl you crazy." Ripcord quickly commented before taking another bite of food,
"You should eat something." Duke added. Isabella gave a soft laugh at their persistent encouragement before she rolled her eyes.
"Fine." She sighed before she turned to face Ripcord and reached for the nearest thing on his tray which was a small pile of tator-tots; Isabella only took about three before she sat back and popped one into her mouth and raised then lowered both her eye brows up at the two men. Duke chuckled softly before looking down at his own try of food, Ripcord just grinned once more, satisfied that he got her to at least put something in her mouth. A few more minuets passed by and pretty soon both NATO men had finished off their try of food.
"Woo! Now I'm ready for some sleep, man." Ripcord declared right before letting out a yawn.
"I heard that." Duke agree as he stretched his arms up over his head. Isabella softly rolled her eyes at them,
"Men…." She thought to herself.
"Lieutenant Wright?" Came a female's voice. Isabella turned at her name and spotted the pretty, blonde woman from earlier,
"I'm Cover Girl, General Hawk sent me to find you and tell you that he'd like a word with you in his office tonight." The woman stated.
"Oh." Isabella replied in quiet surprise, "…umm sure. Where is that?" she asked as she rose to her feet and climbed over the bench she had been sitting on.
"Follow me." Cover Girl answered before she turned on her heel and began leading the way out of the Mess Hall. She took Isabella down the same hallway they had been down earlier but this time turned down the second hallway the General had gone down when leaving their group. When they approached a single metal door, Cover Girl gave a quick knock on its front before waiting patiently for it to be answered. In less then 20 seconds, the door opened and in the doorway stood General Hawk. He nodded politely at both women and stood aside,
"Thank you Cover Girl, Isabella please come in." Without another word Cover Girl left and Isabella walked slowly inside the General's office. As he took his place standing at the front of his desk, he beckoned to an open chair right in front of it,
"Please have a seat, Lieutenant." He offered with a soft smile. Isabella walked over and sat down,
"With all do respect sir, why have you asked me here?" she asked curiously.
"I think there's someone who would like to have a quick word with you." He answered before he reached down and punched a button in on his desk. Before Isabella could say anything else, a bright light was produced from the desk and out came the holographic figure of General Speice and her father. Naturally, Isabella jumped to her feet and stood at attention before raising her right hand up into a perfect salute. The two older Marines smiled before they both nodded at her in response,
"At ease Lieutenant." General Speice said. Isabella lowered her hand before placing both hands behind her back and bracing her legs slightly apart in the resting position for a soldier. The expression on her face was pure shock and disbelief.
"How…how did?" her voice carried off and Isabella quickly closed her mouth.
General Speice then turned to General Wright and nodded his head; Isabella's father stepped forward.
"Lieutenant Wright," his firm voice began before adding in his father voice, "Isabella," he paused for a second before continuing, "Thank God that you are alright. Your mother and I have been worried sick. It's a good thing General Hawk's team was able to pick you up safely." He stated with relief; Isabella smiled at her father,
"Yes sir, I'm perfectly fine. And I'm most anxiously looking forward to getting home. But if you don't mind me asking….how do you guys know each other?" she asked.
"Oh Hawk and I go way back, all the way back to studying at the same War College you went too a couple years back." Her father answered lightly before growing serious once more, "Now Hawk here has just informed me and General Speice that he's interested in you joining the ranks of the GI Joes." He stated calmly; Isabella's eyes narrowed softly but she nodded her head obediently,
"Yes sir….he is." She agreed.
"A great honor beyond description. You know, when I had first received that recruitment letter for you from him two years back, I honestly thought that you were too young to take on something this huge and so I had kept it in a safe place until I thought you'd be ready for it, but after what Hawk here has told me and from what I know of you, I'd say that you are more than ready for a thing like this."
Isabella stared blankly at her father for a few seconds, not fully believing what he was saying, "….huh?" she managed to get out.
Her father and General Speice chuckled softly,
"We both agree that it would be an incredible opportunity if you joined up with the GI Joes." Her father stated with a proud smile.
Isabella licked her lips; her brows were now furrowed into a serious expression and when she opened her mouth to protest her father quickly cut her off,
"Now Isabella, don't you start. You've always told me ever since you joined the Maries how you'd rather much be on the front line, well you can't get anymore front than this."
"But sir!" Isabella complained. He silenced her by a single hand,
"No 'buts' besides, all General Hawk wants to do is simply put you through the training course to see if you've got what it takes. Can't you at least give it a try?" he father softly pleaded. The defiant look General Wright quickly read on his daughter's face made him swiftly change his mind, "No you know what? You are going to go through this training. And that's an order." He father declared.
Isabella's jaw dropped at her father's words before she closed her mouth. There was no way she's ever go against a direct order from her Father, slowly her mouth turned down into a frown, "I'll make you a deal," she offered.
General Speice and her father shared a quick, humorous glance before growing serious once more and turning their attention back onto her,
"We're listening." Speice replied casually.
"I'll go through the training willingly, but if General Hawk decides that he doesn't want me on the GI Joes, I get to go home immediately, without hearing another word on this matter."
"Fair enough." General Speice replied, her father nodded,
"Indeed but Isabella, if we agree to this you must swear on your life that you will put every ounce or yourself into this training, meaning no slouching off or trying to get buy. You complete this training like you did any other training you've been put though in the past. Agreed?" her father returned.
Isabella gritted her teeth but nodded her head, "Yes sir." She replied. "I'll give it my all." She grumbled in assurance.
Both her Father and Speice nodded their heads in approval before smiling softly at her. Then they turned and looked over at General Hawk,
"She's all yours General Hawk." Her father stated with soft pride.
General Hawk smiled at the other two Generals before all three saluted each other in respect. Right before General Wright disappeared from view, he turned once more to Isabella,
"I'll talk to you soon sweetheart." He promised with a fatherly smile. And then, he was gone.
Isabella took in a deep breath before she turned accusing eyes upon General Hawk who in return smiled back innocently,
"Something wrong Lieutenant?" he asked.
"You…went…to. my FATHER?" she exclaimed softly. He only shrugged,
"It was your idea. I figured that if I couldn't persuade you, perhaps your Commanding Officers could." He answered. "Now if I were you I'd get to bed early tonight, you have a big day of training planned tomorrow." He informed.
Isabella bit back a cry of rage and turned before stomping out of the General's Office. As he watched his door close behind her, he smiled to himself and couldn't help but think,
"Well this is gonna be fun."
