Third wave.
When the group gets back from the theater, they are met by a med team, along with Col. Sharp and Duke. "We got a complaint from the theater manager, said you started a fight out there." The Colonel said.
"No, they did when that smelly puff adder gro...er, grabbed me." Stall replied.
"And he informed me of a recording made during that unpleasant evening with one of The Twins, so we both reminded him about manners." Lady-Jaye added.
After glancing at each other, Col. Sharp asks who they are referring to. "The Dreadnoks, sir; they showed up around 15 minutes after we did." Steeler answered.
"Why didn't you tell us earlier, man?!" The Colonel asked loudly.
"Oh, well...we were going to, but it turns out they were just there for the film like we were." Quick-Kick explains. "In fact, Zartan himself came up with this idea to switch one member of each group; so we got Buzzer, they got Recondo."
After speaking with some witnesses, the charge's from the manager and police chief were dropped; but the group is still given K.P.
Two weeks later, Deep-Six watches the Rattler circle around above him through his S.H.A.R.C.'s peri-cam. "Come on, you can't see me mac, so buzz off already." He says to himself before it eventually does so. Two hours later, he hears from Flint that they see his beacon signal. "Understood, returning to the Flagg; good luck, you three." He says, and gets 147 yards before he hears from them again.
"Scarlett to Deep-Six, we're ejecting; warn Flagg that they have S.A.M. emplacements!"
He growls in irritation and is about to turn back when he notices four blips behind him on his sonar screen. "Deep-Six to Flagg, I'll be bringing some guests with me, show them the welcome mat...U.S.S. Flagg, do you copy?" He asked, only to get another bad sign.
"Sa-zzz-ain, D-zzzz-mming-zzz." He hears back, and pounds the panel before seeing some new blips coming from the nearest of the four. He curses and releases a countermeasure, which manages to get one of them, but the second hits him on starboard.
"Shit; hope i can still go vertical after that." He asks himself, and begins to surface, only to notice a Moray with some object under it, which shoots out a cable that hits just behind his canopy and causes his S.H.A.R.C. to turn off before reeling him in.
At the same time, Flint feels the jolt from the missile impact, and hears Scramble's voice from the radio. "Flint, when we land, I'm going to set off a blast, so be sure to get clear."
"Will you...can you even feel something like that?" Flint asks the Autobot while pulling at the throttle, still uneasy about the revelation he was shown earlier.
"To an extent; but it will be in a non-vital area, so I'll be fine. It won't be any worse than what you're about to feel." Scramble explained.
Once the mission is over, a bunch of landingcraft arrive on the beach and unload some A.W.E. Strikers, Armadillos, and V.A.M.P.s. When they get close enough to the enemy base, Duke, Doc, and Recondo get out of the lead vehicle and are lead inside while stepping around what's left of a Blue-shirt. "Even they don't deserve to go out like that." Recondo says aloud.
"So how'd it feel switching places with me, Flint?" Duke asked after nodding to the jungle trooper.
"It went well enough; kind of like...back during that, uh, that time at the...dude ranch with Cover-Girl." Flint replied while removing his beret to wipe his forehead.
"You sure...you're not looking too good, should probably head over to Doc." Duke says, and turns around when they hear Scarlett running over. "As for you, how'd it go?" He asks her.
"Well, i can see what Lady-Jaye sees in him now." She says, causing him to raise an eyebrow until he realizes that she's only teasing. The two embrace until she cringes and covers her nose. "Pee-yew; were you sitting too close to Beach, or something?" She asks him.
Duke blinks and looks himself over, then notices something around his right boot...something that isn't mud. "Aw, when did that happ-" He starts to ask when they hear a thud. "What th...Flint; Doc, get over here!"
Chapter forty-six. Read and review.