The Return of Serpentor
Disclaimer: Same as before.
A/N: Sorry this took so long. I've just been very busy. But here's chapter 11. I hope you like it and please review.
Chapter 11: Stunning Revelations
Heads whirled at Serpentor's statement.
"What do you mean?" Destro asked.
"What kind of good news?" Cobra Commander wanted to know.
"I hope it has to do with our plan," Xamot said.
Serpentor nodded. "It does." He grinned broadly. "Scarlett is warming up to me. It won't be long before she takes her rightful place by my side!" He announced gleefully.
Dr. Mindbender looked at him in shock along with everyone else in the room. "You can't be serious!" He exclaimed. "I know Scarlett; and she would rather die than join you!" Heads nodded in agreement of his words.
"He's right," Destro told him. "Even if she somehow did have feelings for you, her pride would never allow her to act on them."
Serpentor just smiled. "That's where you're wrong!" He replied. "I just came from her cell and she definitely has feelings for me. In fact, when I stroked her cheek, there was lust in her eyes."
The Baroness snorted as the twins and Destro exchanged incredulous glances. Was he for real? "Oh come now," the twins said in unison.
"Do you really think that Scarlett," Tomax began.
"One of the best G.I. Joe fighters and most loyal members," Xamot picked up.
"Who also has some kind of romantic relationship with Duke," Tomax added.
"Would have feelings for you, Serpentor, their greatest enemy," Xamot finished.
"I know she does, and real soon she'll leave G.I. Joe to be with me," Serpentor replied.
The Baroness snorted again. "If he really believes that, he's even more delusional than I thought," she whispered to Destro.
"Sometimes reality isn't his strong point, my dear Baroness," Destro whispered back. "He sees what he wants to see and nothing else."
The Baroness nodded as Dr. Mindbender spoke. "I'm sorry, Serpentor, but I just don't see that happening," he said.
Serpentor turned and looked him in the eye. "Trust me, it will happen, doctor," he replied in a firm, no-nonsense voice. "Scarlett and I will be together, just like it was always meant to be." He closed his eyes and saw himself taking her in his arms and kissing her passionately. She kissed him back just as passionately and then they declared their love for each other, and vowed to always be together.
"I'll believe that when I see it," The Baroness muttered as Dr. Mindbender looked at Serpentor incredulously.
"You can't be serious, Serpentor! You and Scarlett destined to be together?" He exclaimed as the twins giggled.
Serpentor glared at him, brown eyes blazing with anger. "I assure you, Dr. Mindbender, and anyone else that doubt me, that I am serious. In fact, I have never been more serious about anything in my life!" He snapped.
"All right!" Cobra Commander broke in, speaking for the first time since Serpentor entered. "As fascinating as this conversation is, we have more important things to discusss than Sserpentor's love life."
"Or lack thereof," The Baroness snickered quietly.
Serpentor heard her though, and whirled to face her. "Go ahead and laugh now, Baroness," He hissed. "Because you won't be soon, when Scarlett joins me. And join me she shall!"
A computer tech came running in before anyone could reply. "The download of everything on the Joe's computers has begun!" He announced.
"Yessss!" Cobra Commander hissed excitedly. "It won't be long until we know all the Joe's ssecrets!"
"Well, now we know Zarana is doing her job," Tomax stated.
"Yes, and soon we will annihilate the Joes forever!" Serpentor exclaimed as Destro and Dr. Mindbender headed for the computer room, followed by the others.
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As the data transfer continued, Zarana leaned back in her seat in the Joe's main computer room and relaxed while she waited.
The transfer was almost finished when the door opened. Startled, she jumped and turned to face the last person she wanted to see.
"Scarlett, what's going on? Why are you in here so late?" Mainframe asked as he entered.
Zarana's heart was pounding and she only hoped Mainframe couldn't hear it. "Just checking some things," she answered. She stretched her arms. "Man, it feels good to be home. When I was a prisoner, there were times when I wondered if I would ever see this place again."
Mainframe smiled and nodded. "I know what you mean. I've been there myself and to say it wasn't pleasant would be an understatement," he told her.
"That's the truth," She replied, wishing that he would hurry up and get the hell out of there. Her knees were weak from his smile and her heart was pounding even harder from being this close to him, and the last thing she needed at this point was to be distracted from her mission by reemerging feelings that she thought she had gotten over.
But instead of leaving, he crossed the room and sat in the chair next to hers. Zarana sucked in her breath and tried not to panic. Stay calm, stay calm, she told herself firmly. You can't let him affect you. You have a mission to complete. Stay focused on that.
"It's so good to have you back, Scarlett," he told her. "Duke missed you so much and he was really worried about you."
She nodded. "He told me that earlier. Thinking about being with him again was what kept me going most of the time; that and thinking up the best ways to get revenge on Cobra."
"I hear you there," Mainframe responded. "I'm ready to beat the fuck out of all of them right now for what they did to you and Flint."
Zarana was startled. She had never heard him cuss before and he didn't even strike her as the kind of person who would cuss at all. But all she said was "get in line, Mainframe, get in line. I bet every person here on the base wants to do just that, including myself."
Before he could respond Dial Tone rushed in. "There you are, Mainframe!" He exclaimed. "I've been looking for you. There's a glitch in my new communications program and I was hoping you could take a look at it."
Mainframe got up. "No problem, Dial tone," he told his best friend. He turned back to Scarlett. "It's great having you back, but have to go. We'll talk more later, though."
Scarlett smiled. "I look forward to it," she replied as he followed Dial Tone out the door. When they were gone she breathed a sigh of relief. She was glad he was gone. It had been difficult maintaining her nonchalant Scarlett persona with him so close to her.
She turned back to the computer and saw that the data transfer was complete. Grinning to herself, she typed in final commands that Destro had taught her that were designed to erase all knowledge of the transfer and shut it down.
As she headed back to her room, she smiled to herself. There was no way for anyone to tell, even Mainframe, that the transfer had taken place. The first part of her mission was a complete success.
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Mainframe was having a hard time staying focused as he helped Dial Tone with the communications glitch. He kept thinking about Scarlett. She seemed different somehow; almost nervous around him. He couldn't figure it out.
"Hey, Mainframe; earth to Mainframe!" Dial Tone exclaimed then, snapping him out of his daze and causing him to jump.
"Huh, what?" He asked the communications specialist.
"What's going on? You were a million miles away!" Dial Tone replied.
"Sorry, Dial Tone," he said. "I was just thinking about Scarlett."
Dial Tone raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Don't be getting any ideas, buddy. She's with Duke."
"I know that, Dial Tone," Mainframe replied. "I wasn't thinking about her that way."
Dial Tone looked puzzled. "Then what way were you thinking about her?" he asked.
Mainframe looked thoughtful. "She just seemed different somehow. It was almost like…" he frowned and let his voice trail off.
"It was almost like what, Mainframe?" Dial tone wanted to know.
Mainframe shook his head. "I'm not sure, Dial Tone. I can't put my finger on it," he replied, sounding a little frustrated.
"Well I wouldn't worry about it too much, Mainframe," Dial Tone responded. "She was locked in a prison cell for days in Cobra's dungeon. She had to have been on edge to say the least. Just give her a day or two to adjust and wind down and she'll be back to normal."
Mainframe nodded. That made a lot of sense. "You're probably right, Dial Tone. "I'm probably just being paranoid anyway," he replied and got back to work on the glitch.
But later, after he had fixed the glitch and was walking back to his room to get ready for bed, his uncertainty about Scarlett returned. Despite Dial Tone's reassurance, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something different about her. It was like she was on edge and was being overly friendly trying to hide it. But why would Scarlett be on edge around him in the first place? They'd known each other for many years and had always been good friends. He couldn't figure it out.
But as opened his door something else occurred to him. Why was she in the computer room in the first place? Computers weren't her thing. In fact, she was usually only around them when she had to be. So why was she there tonight? She'd said that she was "checking on things", but what did that mean? What could she have to check on in the computers anyway? It didn't make sense.
He groaned in frustration as he removed his helmet. He needed to stop this. Dial Tone was probably right. It was most likely just stress from being captured and held prisoner in tiny cell with Flint in the dungeon. In fact, he was laughing about getting so worked up about it with Dial Tone when he discovered the source of the glitch. It had been a bad connection in the…"
Suddenly he let go of his shirt that he has been starting to remove and stood stock still. That was what had him so unsettled about her. It was a connection! There had been a connection between them that was almost familiar; one that he hadn't felt for a long time. IN fact, the last time he had felt it had been when Dr. Carol Weedler had been here.
Suddenly he gasped in horror as realization sunk in. Dr. Weedler had turned out to be Zarana in disguise! His mouth went dry and he felt a sinking feeling in his gut. He was almost positive that Scarlett was really Zarana in disguise! That immediately made him wonder what she was really doing in the computer room. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.
And Scarlett was probably still Cobra's prisoner. And if Scarlett was an imposter, than Flint most likely was too!
He started to rush to the door but stopped suddenly as another thought hit him. Do I really want to rat her out, he thought. To his complete shock, he realized that he didn't know if he did or not!
A/N: It's getting exciting, isn't it? Could Serpentor be right about Scarlett falling for him? What will happen between MAinframe and Zarana? Will he rat her out or will an old flame be rekindled? Stay tuned to find out and please review! I thrive on feedback!