"Thank you for coming Snake-Eyes." Clark told him as the silent master of ninjitsu entered the plane, granting Clark a nod in response; even though he wasn't officially a Joe anymore, the ninja wouldn't hesitate to come to his friend's aid, especially not with what the Last Son of Krypton had told him Cobra Commander had planned. He knew Storm Shadow and Jinx could handle any sort of difficulties that may arise among the Arashikage, and his first duty would always be to protect the innocent. He embraced Jaye and nodded to Cyborg before he took his seat, the plane airborne mere seconds later.
"So, where to o fearless leader?" Cyborg asked and Clark shook his head in mock annoyance before he answered.
"How fast can we get to New York?"
"Usually five hours, but with me driving we'll be there in forty minutes." He replied and true to his word, they were landing in a suburb just outside of Queens a mere forty minutes later.
"Ok, the target's name is Tim Roberts. He has the ability to turn himself into sand, and if he does he's as good as gone, so I want him taken down with extreme prejudice but above all alive. Are we clear?" He asked and the other three nodded, Jaye slightly worried about the way Clark said extreme prejudice. Something about this mission seemed personal to her, but she shook her head and focused on the job. After all, she was a soldier before anything else. The four of them silently approached the small two story house that Alicia had said she left him at, Cyborg going around back while Snake-Eyes went to the roof, with Jaye and Clark taking positions on either side of the front door.
"Now." Clark said, and the four of them simultaneously breached the property, Clark and Jaye bringing weapons to bear on the unsuspecting teen while Snake—Eyes held a sword to his throat and Cyborg held a gun to his back. Tim looked as though he wanted to escape so Clark spoke.
"Give me a reason you son of a bitch. If you want to leave here alive you will come quietly." He said, his voice deathly calm, somehow making it all the more threatening. Slowly Tim laced his hands behind his back and Cyborg placed handcuffs on his wrists as the Joes led him out to the plane. Cyborg lowered the ramp and began to walk Tim forward, but Clark shook his head taking his gun and pistol whipping the boy across the head knocking him unconscious.
"Was that really necessary Clark?" Jaye asked as they flew back to the pit.
"Yes. Believe me, he would try to escape the first chance he could." Clark replied, his eyes never leaving the unconscious form of the prisoner. The rest of the ride was spent in silence, Clark leading Tim to an interrogation room as soon as they landed, Jaye following close behind while Snake-Eyes went to get briefed by General Hawk as to the status of the other teams and Cyborg went to call his girlfriend Monica who he had apparently met before he had his accident.
"Wake up." Clark said, shaking the younger teen roughly.
"Kent, this is kidnapping and assault! I'll have you and your friends arrested, and brought up on charges!" He yelled but Clark just laughed humorlessly.
"I'm under orders from the President. Now let me make this easy for you Tim. What did Cobra Commander want you to do?"
"I have no idea who this Cobra Commander is Kent, and I don't have a clue what you're talking about."
"Oh really?" Clark replied as he pulled out his weapon, and shot the younger man just above the knee.
Tim howled in pain as he felt the bullet pierce his flesh, Jaye watching in shock at what was happening. The young woman tried to get into the room but found that Clark had sealed the door. Clark ignored his fiancee's attempts to get into the room and addressed Tim.
"I shot you above your kneecap so you can still walk, but unless you tell me what I want to know by the time I get to three you will spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair."
"You...can't do this. I've got rights." The boy protested, and Clark just laughed again shaking his head.
"Your rights went out the window when you agreed to help Cobra. Now you have until the count of three."
"One."
Tim said nothing, gritting his teeth to keep from screaming.
"Two."
Still he said nothing, and Clark shook his head at the boy's stubbornness.
"Three." Clark said, moving his weapon to point at the boy's kneecap.
"Wait, I'll talk, I'll talk! I was told to wait until midnight and then go to the New York Chemical Plant."
"Why?"
"I...I can't! If I tell you, he'll kill me!"
"I'm here, Cobra's not, and if you don't tell me than I'll kill you! Why were supposed to go to the chemical plant?!"
"I was supposed to get a compound called X138."
"Why, and why not until midnight?"
"I was supposed to release it into the water supply just after midnight, I don't know why! That's all I know, I swear!"
"I believe you." Clark replied, and he walked out of the room where he found himself looking at an extremely angry Lady Jaye.
"You'd better have a damn good reason for what you just did or I'll turn you into Hawk myself! Even we have to follow rules and you can't just shoot a suspect."
"I made him talk, and I found out what he was supposed to do. I'm sorry if I didn't follow some damn rulebook but we don't have time for that, not when Cobra could attack at any time."
However Jaye wasn't going to buy that and her next words proved it.
"That was him wasn't it? That was who killed Alicia."
"Don't go there Jaye."
"Or what? Will you shoot me too?"
As soon as she said the words Jaye regretted them, and the pain on Clark's face only made it worse. He looked as though he had just been kicked in the gut, and stabbed in the back all at once.
"No, I would never do that. However, I will do whatever it takes to make sure you're safe. Now, if you'll excuse me I need to go see if the other teams have gotten in. We can't have them breaking rules after all." He finished bitterly before turning on his heel and walking away, Jaye staring at his retreating back.
A/N: Man it has been a while since I updated this, but to quote a certain armored billionaire it's good to be back! I hope all of you read and review and thanks for sticking with me on this and all my other stories!
