The Return of Serpentor
Disclaimer: Same as before.
A/N: Here's chapter 21. This story is getting close to the end. Only a few more chapters left. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please review!
Chapter 21: The Battle for New York
Scarlett was having a hard time looking Duke in the eyes. She knew that his heart was breaking and he didn't deserve that, but she also knew that she couldn't help the way she felt, either. Finally, she was able to meet his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Duke," she said softly. "You really don't deserve this."
"Then leave that freak and come back to us," Duke interrupted her.
Scarlett shook her head. "I didn't plan any of this, but I can't help the way I feel," she replied. "I'm sorry."
"Did he do something to you? Is he blackmailing you?" Duke asked. "I mean, why else…"
"No, it's nothing like that," Scarlett cut him off. "When I was a prisoner I realized that there's a lot more to him than any of us realized or knew."
Duke scoffed. "He's a pure evil, power hungry, megalomaniac!" He retorted. "That's all any of us need to know."
"Duke, he freed Flint," She told him. "He had Major Bludd and Stormshadow drop him off in Chile."
"So you turned your back on not only me and the Joes, but your country just because he freed Flint?!" Duke asked incredulously.
Scarlett hesitated a moment before replying. "There's a lot more to it, Duke," she told him firmly.
"Well, then please enlighten me, Scarlett, because I sure as hell don't get why you're doing this!" Duke snapped angrily.
"I'm in love with him," Scarlett replied. Duke gasped at hearing her say that out loud, for her words cut through his heart like a knife.
"All right, that's enough!" Serpentor broke in at the same time. "There's no time for idle chitchat."
"What, are you afraid Scarlett will come to her senses and throw you away like the garbage you are?" Duke sneered.
Serpentor snickered. "I don't have anything to fear, you worthless piece of shit!" He shot back.
"Ooh, that's a good one!" Duke scoffed. "Coming from an evil megalomaniac dictator like you!"
"Why you good-for-nothing jealous jackass!" Serpentor snapped, eyes blazing with fury. "Why don't you just…"
"Serpentor," Scarlett cut him off, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down."
He looked at her. "What?" he asked, sounding a little surprises and irritated.
"He's just trying to get you riled up and it's working," she told him. "So don't let him. Just stay calm; it will drive him crazy."
"You're probably right," Serpentor replied. "But in any event, it's immaterial. We don't have time for this right now."
Scarlett nodded. "Then let's just go and get back to the attack," she said.
"Right." He replied. He pushed a button on the control panel and the Air Chariot began to turn.
"You're going down, you…" Duke began but cut himself off as the Air Chariot abruptly flew off, carrying Serpentor and Scarlett. "Come back, you coward!" He yelled angrily. He banked his Dragonfly and started after him, but before he had gone even twenty feet, he found himself blocked by Airtight in another Dragonfly.
"Duke, forget him, we have to stop these snakes from destroying the city!" He shouted over the radio.
Duke couldn't believe what he'd just heard. "Are you kidding, Airtight? Did you see who was on there with him?! He asked the Joe cowboy incredulously.
"Yeah, and you'd better believe that we'll get her back and make that ugly varmint pay, but we have to save New York first!" Airtight replied firmly.
Duke shook his head in frustration. Airtight was right, but he still wanted to go straight after Serpentor and kick his ass all the way to kingdom come. Pounding the control panel, he spoke. "You're right, Airtight. Let's go!" With that, he headed right for a group of six Fangs, firing repeatedly. The sooner, they saved New York, the sooner he could go after Serpentor!
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Over the Brooklyn Bridge, the battle was raging. Ace was leading eight Skystrikers against six Rattlers and two Night Ravens. The air was thick with smoke and crisscrossing laser blasts. Every now and then, missiles would mix in as they were fired.
"Dammit!" Ace swore as the Rattler he had just fired at evaded his missile. "You're only prolonging the inevitable, Cobra scum!"
"You're delusional if you think you can stop us!" Wild Weasel's voice came back as they flew around each other, firing lasers and trying to get missile locks on each other.
"Oh, yeah? You're the one who's delusional, creep!" Ace retorted. "If you think the world is just going to stand by and let you destroy New York!"
"It doesn't matter. There's nothing they can do to stop us!" Wild Weasel shot back.
"You sure are one hell of an overconfident bastard, aren't you," Ace bit back. "It's time to reshuffle and stack this deck!" With that, he got a lock on Wild Weasel's trajectory and fired a missile directly ahead of him in his path.
He heard the Cobra lieutenant growl over the radio as he tried to evade. He wasn't fast enough, however, and the missile slammed into the left side of his engines and exploded, taking the Rattler with it. Wild Weasel escaped though; ejecting in the split second before the explosion.
Ace watched him float down to the Hudson on his parachute and smirked. It served his ass right for bragging so much!
"Good shot, Ace!" Gung-Ho exclaimed over the radio, as he evaded fire from a Night Raven.
"Thanks, Gung-Ho," Ace replied. "But we still have a long way to go."
"Unfortunately, you're right," Gung-Ho said. With that, they continued to do battle with the Cobras over the Brooklyn Bridge.
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"Damn, this is bad," Beach Head said as his group of Skystrikers reached the outskirts of New York City.
"That's an understatement, Beach Head," Lady Jaye told him.
"Just get me to an A.W.E. Striker or Mauler," Flint spoke up. "So I can start paying those bitches back!"
"No, Flint," Lady Jaye told him. "You're injured, and in no condition to fight."
"We need every Joe we've got, and I can still fight, Lady Jaye," Flint told her. "We don't have a choice."
She knew he was right. There was no choice. Still, she couldn't help but be scared at the thought of him fighting in his condition. They had just gotten him back and she didn't want to lose him ever again. "Just promise me you'll be careful," she said, in a voice choked with emotion.
"I promise, Lady Jaye," Flint replied, just as emotional.
Lady Jaye nodded. "Then what are we waiting for?" She asked. All of them headed into the city to join their teammates in stopping Cobra, stopping only so Flint could jump out and join Sci-Fi in a Mauler.
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The battle was fierce. It took a long while, but finally Hawk and the others were able to lure Cobra out over the bay. There, the battle continued. In the air, Skystrikers and Dragonflies continued to dogfight with Rattlers, Night Ravens, and Fangs; while in the water Morays, Hydrofoils, SHARCS, Hovercraft, and other watercraft engaged each other.
For the longest time, neither side was able to gain advantage over the other. Then, without warning, two Rattlers and a Night Raven were simultaneously blown out of the sky. "What in tarnation?!" Wild Bill exclaimed in surprise.
"Who did that?" Ace wanted to know.
"It looks like reinforcements have arrived," Hawk said.
"But on whose side?" Beach Head asked.
"Well, judging from their actions so far, I would say ours," Hawk replied.
"They sure are!" Wild Bill exclaimed. "Just take a look at what's over yonder there in the water!"
They all looked. "It's the Flagg!" Roadblock exclaimed.
"And they've launched planes and watercraft!" Hawk added.
"Yee haw! We've got ourselves a second front!" Wild Bill cried jubilantly.
"General Hawk, come in. This is Admiral Ledger," said a voice over Hawk's radio then.
"This is General Hawk, Admiral," Hawk replied. "And I think I speak for all the Joes when I say that, boy, we're sure glad to see you!"
"Likewise, Hawk," Ledger replied. "We got here as soon as we could."
Hawk laughed out loud. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's stomp some snakes!" He exclaimed.
"Yo, Joe!" The cry came form everyone in unison as they attacked the Cobras with renewed vigor.
Not long after that, the battle was over.
A/N: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. Besides wanting to get an update out, this was the only good stopping point for awhile. Anyway, what did you think? Who won the battle for New York? What's going to happen to Scarlett? Will the Joes get any more info via Zarana? Will the Joes ever develop a counter for the Flashblasters? Stay tuned to find out and please review!
A/N 2: Should I do a sequel? Please let me know in your review!