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The Joes and green-shirts all glance around after Gen. Abernathy's request. "They haven't been told yet?" He asks Duke and The Col.

"I'm afraid not, sir; we were too busy with the Mullaney incident and with finding that Deep Six had been duplicated." Col. Sharp explained. The Gen. nodded and watched as rubble and bodybags were moved around before asking for Dial-Tone to walk over.

Once he arrived, The Gen. takes the handset and starts speaking. "I realize that this will be sudden, but effective immediately, I will be taking Col. Sharp's place as your commanding officer for medical reasons." He says first, pausing to see the uncertainty on their faces before continuing. "As i stand here, i can see that dealing with the losses you've taken won't be an easy thing to deal with for either of us; but standing up and dusting ourselves off will, so if you please, hand me an extra shovel. We'll use'em for snake bashing after we're done here; Yo Joe!"

It takes the Joes and Green-shirts a few seconds to realize the new C.O.'s offer before full-heartedly accepting. "Yo Joe!"

"Yippee ki yay, ah like da new sheriff already."/"Darn tootin'; any higher-up willing to get his hands dirty is one for whom I'm rootin'."/"Youze guys can say that again!"/"This is your old boss, huh?"/"Yep; he always hated being behind that desk." Wild Bill, Roadblock, Cutter, Scarlett, and Lady-Jaye all say as Metzger and MacBride drive up.

Gen. Abernathy notices and calls for them and and the other two who arrived with him. "One other thing of note is how you noticed by now that i didn't come alone; As of now, G.I. Joe will have seven new men: Leatherneck, Low-Light, Lifeline, Wet-Suit, Sci-Fi, Slip-Stream, and Hawk." He tells the crowd while pointing.

"No new roommate for us? That stinks."/"Whoever picked those names must be from snores-ville."/"Yeah...Wait, hold the phone...He only pointed at six of 'em." Scarlett, Alpine, and Torpedo say next.

"He's got a point, sir; where's this Hawk you mentioned?" Duke asked while he and everyone else looked around.

The General smiled before answering. "He's standing right here, son. General Hawk, straight from...snores-ville, wasn't it?" He tells them, giving a glance to the climber and diver, who both clamp a hand to their mouths and hide behind Green-shirt Perry.

At the same time, Dr. Mindbender is out on a Manta-sub's deck with a few random eels watching the two remaining craft limp back to Cobra Island's direction while speaking with The Commander over a radio. "Vhat do you recommend ve do now, Commander?"

"We let the Joesss think they have us on the run for now." Cobra Commander replied. "What is the sstatuss of operation: Neptune's ire?"

"...As of now it is at 41%. Shall i inform Destro to speed up the pro-Vhat is it now, sail-Hilfe um gotteswillen!" The Dr. screams while panic and rifle fire is heard in the background.

"Dr. Mindbender; come in, Mindbender...Dammit, get a visual on his possition, hurry!" The Commander ordered, and the screen shows a giant octopus is shown waving the mad scientist and one of the eels before dropping both of them. "Can someone exxplain what jusst happened?!"

"My-My apologies, Commander. One of my side projects decided to follow me again." Dr. Mindbender tells him while scratching a welt on his neck before kicking one of the creatures tentacles.

"...Whatever, jussst get back inside before sssomebody discovers our transmissions."

Back at Joe H.Q., the casualties are being tallied. "-nd while Flint is inside takin' da final count; what we do know is dat Zap, Flash, Frostbite, and 39 Green-shirts are dead, Nurse Simmons lost a forearm and will need a lung transplant, Short-Fuze lost his left eye, and 74 Green-shirts are wounded." Beachhead informed The Gen., Col., and Duke.

While they discuss who should be in charge of the letters nobody likes, the other Joes are sitting around when Recondo watches the man called Lifeline walking over to a Blue-shirt after placing a yellow tag on Quick-Kick. "Got a live one? I'll handle that." He tells the medic while cocking his rifle, once again ready to knock one off for Marrisa, only to see him turn and stand in between them. "Do you mind, it's kinda hard to shoot a guy when i can't see him."

Lifeline only shakes his head. "You keep that disgusting thing away from my patient."

"Get outta my way right now, four eyes." Recondo says in a low tone, too angered to acknowledge the medic being unarmed, only that he won't budge.

As a crowd forms, the commanders start to head over before Gen. Hawk stops them. "Are you crazy, sir. He'll tear that man to pieces, the way he is now!" Duke tells him. "He's...has that man been going around without a sidearm this whole time?!"

Again, The General smiled before answering while Beachhead folds his arms and looks the other way. "No need to worry about Lifeline." He said as Recondo stepped forward and raise a fist, only to have his wrist grabbed and have a leg swept out from under him. "He doesn't exactly need one."

Once that is over, Lifeline turns back to the Blue-shirt, who had been watching the whole thing. "You-you must be off your rocker or something!"

"No, just because I'm a soldier doesn't mean I'll abandon the number one rule...Do no harm." Lifeline said, and patted the Blue-shirt on the shoulder. The Blue-shirt doesn't know why, but he knows that the person talking to him can be trusted, and breaks down sobbing as Recondo and the crowd stare in disbelief.

Elsewhere, Deep Six is sitting against a Mirage cycle after being told of the deaths of Mallory and Ripcord, the promotions of Blais, Nash, and Sikorski, and every other thing he missed out on, and thinks back to the last time he spoke with the former.

Flashback.

Deep Six is in his usual spot when he hears the door handle rattling. "Beat it!" He shouts, only for it to continue. "I said get lost..." He says after stomping over and opening it to find no-one there. After mumbling to himself, he sits back down, only to jump in his seat as two hands holding little figurines pop up at the end of the table. "Wha...How did you two get in here; and what are you holding?" He asks while noticing one is of him, while the other is of Snake-Eyes.

The fabric covered hand drops it's copy and scribbling is heard before it comes back with a notepad. First part: not telling. Second part: Not dolls, actions figures.

Deep Six raises a brow. "When did i call it a...You know what; My first part: I couldn't care less. Second part: Aren't we supposed to be a top secret agency? How did some corporate fatcat get permission to make us join the latest scam?" He asked before wondering which of the Joes bought the things.

The other person then spoke up. "Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the sea-bed again." Mini Deep Six said, causing Mini Snake-Eyes to be tilted forward three times.

"Yes i did; you gonna leave now?" Real Deep Six asked next while trying not to think of how much his taxes were being wasted on that junk.

But he was ignored. "G.I. Joe is the codename for America's daring, highly trained special mission force. It's purpose, to lets kids be a toy's r' us kid." Mini Deep Six said, making the real one give a huff.

"Whatever, McCabe." He says, causing her and Snake-Eyes to poke their heads up.

"Okay then, what did ye do when growing up?" McCabe asks while Snake-Eyes puts his figure in a shrugging pose.

"...All i ever needed was my dad's tools and his old comics*." He tells them.

No wonder he's such a grump.

Deep Six is about to reply when Breaker makes the announcement for the Massey mission.

End flashback.

He looks up at the sky and mumbles something under his breath before looking over to the crowd.

Chapter Thirty-six. Read and review.

*Made up.