Third wave.
After Christmas, the Joes, and a few others, are at Barbecue's rebuilt clubhouse to await the New Years ball-drop. "So this is where that incident with Cover-Girl's grandfather* started, is it?" Col. Sharp asked about the misadventure with the old window washer, who passed away a few months afterwards, as he inspected the room.
"Actually, it was a bit more to yeh right." Barbecue corrected, before getting an elbow from Zap.
"Good thing you insured the place, or some of us would be red in the face." Roadblock said after checking out the new record player with Green-shirt Sikorski.
"You should have seen her face when she found out." Stalker added from the loft above them.
"40 second's, yous guys!" Cutter shouts, and they all turn to the projector screen.
"Outta the way."/"Pass the pretzels, will ya?"/"Move over."/"Get off my foot!"'/"Watch where you put that hand, Davis!"/"Ow!"
5...4...3...2...1; Happy New Year!
The next day, Col. Sharp calls Duke, Flint, and Beachhead (who recently got the last of his bandages off) to what used to be Duke's office. "We're here, sir; what do you need?" Duke asked as they sat down.
"I've been speaking with the D.O.D. chief, and got him to agree to show you something." He replied.
The trio stare at each other. "Show us something?" Duke asked next.
"You remember those news reports about "Martians" over the last week?" He asked cryptically.
"Yeah, a load a' crap; dere ain't no little green men, Col.; so why botheh askin' us?" Beachhead asked him.
The Col. stands up and walks to the window. "You'll find out when we get there, gentlemen." He replied while facing away from them, then leads them out.
"There?; Where's there?" Duke asks as they head to the hanger, but gets no answer. A while later, the four land the two Skystrikers they took, landing infront of a cliff with a bunch of buildings under an artificial cavern. "You had to ask, didn't you?" He says to himself as he and the Col. climb down.
"What was that?"
"Nothing, sir."
A few seconds later, a man in a black tank-top, sunglasses, and camo pants walks out and salutes. "Welcome to the Slaughterhouse, sirs; The General said you'd be heading here." The man says.
"Da General?; Is dis guy one a' us, Col.?" Beachhead asked while Flint looks at one of the person's arms, then to his own.
"Yes he is; Beachhead, Flint, this is Sgt. Slaughter, our special drill instructor." Col. Sharp replies. "Only General Abernathy, Duke, myself; and now you two, are authorized to know of him."
"Isn't he the one who put that hole in our wall back during Cobra's money replacement scheme?" Flint asked, and The Sgt. nodded before explaining.
"And the man shipwreck was sent to; you'd want to throw something too, if a million smackers got turned to cinders. So i wrote that letter, and tied it to some rock."
"...But we're dozens of mile from the base!" Flint said again.
"So?"
"Anyway, what's this stuff you were saying about that article, sir?" Duke asks so as to keep Flint's brain from melting down.
"Yes, that...Men, what you're about to see is so secret, even i didn't find out until i was on my way to Joe H.Q." Col. Sharp tells them, then turns to one of the Skystrikers. "Go ahead, Scramble*."
After saying that, the four watch in shock as the jet rearranges itself into a humanoid form. "Greetings, I'm Scramble; in your language, atleast. How do you do?" It says to them.
"Co...Colonel, what is that thing?!" Duke asks him.
"Basically, Beachhead was right; there are no little "green" men." He replies. "As for him, he is from a species of living machines known as the Cybertronians; not to mention, he's the reason you and Dusty got away from that explosion in South America." He told Flint, referring to the "Funhouse" ordeal.
"He is...But i should remember something like that, shouldn't i?" Flint asked, only for 'Scramble' to explain.
"Not really; back then, i saw you approaching, then got you with a memory drainer ray as i started rolling towards you."
"Uh...huh; well, thanks for that...i guess." Flint says to him.
"Anytime, friend." Scramble replied, then morphed back.
Col. Sharp then looks to the four men. "This event never happened, understood." He tells them, and after a few glances, they all nod.
"Sir, we saw nothing here, sir!"
Chapter twenty-six. Read and review.
*An O.C.; as far as i know.