Cobra Island
"I'm in," the disguised man whispered over the secondary frequency in his helmet mic. He transmitted the verification code.
"Very good," the Tele-Viper replied, acknowledging the distinct voice pattern. "I will patch you through immediately."
"Zandar! I had no idea your brother would allow anyone to help him with this mission. He must be serious about my demands - or avoiding my punishment. What do you have to report?" Cobra Commander asked with pleasure in his voice.
Surveying his surrounds, Zandar saw it was safe to continue. "I'm still searching for where she is being kept, but I feel it is only a matter of time. They're bound to have me stationed near her sooner or later as often as the guards rotate in this place."
Cobra Commander chucked, part glee, part insanity. "Serpentor's paranoia will be his utter downfall!"
"I'll contact again in 24 hours or as soon as time permits. Be assured, I will not fail you as so many others have."
"Very good, very good," the jubilant man replied. "I knew from the moment your brother brought you to my attention years ago that you would eventually prove to be a valuable asset."
The headset buzzed lowly and the connection ended itself automatically.
Zandar allowed himself a smile. "Yes, my brother may have been the one to set me on this path, but with this mission I will finally come into my own."
Zarana sat at the makeshift workbench in her quarters and meticulously cleaned her weaponry; it was the easiest way for her to clear her mind that didn't involve cracking someone's skull.
She knew she could never trust any of the Dreadnoks to clean her specialized rifle, let alone even handle it without damaging something. The Cobra troops on the other hand, she didn't trust them because there was no way of telling where their training had come from and there was no way she was going to stake her livelihood on a possible diamond in the rough.
Those feelings went double when it came to her custom cutting tool. She places it next to her rifle that was already in pieces on the workbench. The weapon looked as if someone had seen a spur on a cowboy's heel and said, "That's good and all, but what if we sharpened it, enlarged it, put it at arm's length, and found a way to make it deadly against enemy troops?"
On the bright side, she thought, at least my current quarters are better than anything I've ever had before. She still had mixed feelings about siding with Serpentor and going against Zartan's leadership, but she knew if she wanted to be her own person, this was what she had to do.
She paused as she heard footsteps slow to a stop outside her door. She was slightly shocked, and then angered, when from around the corner she heard her door ease open and then click shut.
Zarana quickly got to her feet and rounded the corner to the main area of her quarters. Her temper flared and anger forced her accent to bleed through. "Jus' what in the bloody hell do ya think you're doin'!"
A Viper stood there, seemingly stunned that someone else was in the room. His spoke quickly, his voice strained. "Uh, just a routine inspection."
Grabbing the man by his collar, she slammed him forcefully against the wall. "Ya may be new here so in case ya haven't heard, hear it now - my quarters are off limits!"
The Viper pushed her away and he started to laugh slowly, almost psychotically. "My sweet sister, you must do something about that temper." The man lifted his hands and removed his helmet to let his orange hair free for the first time in hours.
"Zandar?" Her shock was obvious. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd chosen the other side in this lil' war game?" As she questioned him, she cautiously pulled her knife from its sheath, stepped in close, and held it to her brother's side. "Explain yourself. Now."
He cleared his throat. "Is that any way to treat family?" He winced as she pushed the tip of her knife firmly against a gap in the vest of the stolen uniform. "I guess some things never change."
"Guess not. I heard what happened to the gas station. Enough explosives to wipe it off the face of the earth, but somehow, no one was seriously injured. Figured that was your doin', seein' as no one saw anybody sneakin' around or remembers anything." Her face had contorted into a mask of rage. "One last chance. What are you doing here. Spill it before I spill your guts all over my room."
"Since you seem to be in such a hurry, I'll give you the short version." Zandar locked eyes with his twin sister. "I'm here to help you, but that's not why I was sent here. The 'why' I was sent may prove priceless to you."
She eased her stance a bit. "And just why would you being here help me?"
"Let's just say, the side I've chosen is my own. I've been sent here for a mission, but I believe I can be better compensated for passing some information along to my sister."
Her suspicion began to rise again. "Money? C'mon, I know you better than that. Just what are you aiming at?"
Zandar locked eyes with his sister and his voice became deathly serious. "What we've both always dreamed of. A chance to bring down our older brother."
A smile flashed across Zarana's face and she slipped her knife back in its sheath. "Well, why didn't ya say so sooner? Have a seat and let's have a lil' chat."
Serpentor stood next to the medical pod, his brow creased in contemplation. "Mindbender," he said, his voice even.
The scientist lifted his head from the pile of medical texts that were open before him. "Yes, my Emperor?"
"Her eyelids. Look at them." Serpentor said, his voice unusually soft.
Dr. Mindbender walked over to the larger man and leaned in closer to the pod. Pythona's eyelids were closed, but now they were clenched shut. He noted that it looked as though she were straining against some unseen force. "That is different," he trailed off as he hurried back to the monitors, awaiting the newest sets of data.
"Different? What do you mean 'different'?" Serpentor's impatience was working its way back to the surface.
The scientist brought two printouts over to the Cobra Emperor. "Look. This is the activity from when we first brought her here." He pointed to mostly flat lines with minimal elevations. "This is now," he said as he pointed to larger spikes in the strips of printed data.
"Mindbender, this tells me nothing! What do you want me to see?"
"She is responding. She is no longer just stable, but… improving."
"Improving? You have the gall to stand here with two pieces of paper in your hands while Pythona…"
Dr. Mindbender awaited to be chastised longer, but it never came. The leader stopped mid-sentence and stared at the pod. The scientist turned and barely suppressed a scream.
Pythona was floating in the fluid, but her eyes were now wide open, studying the two men as they talked. Her hand was pressed firmly against the pod wall and she was making a clawing motion against the reinforced plexiglass. Then, just as quickly as this was noticed, her eyes flickered shut and her hand drifted back down to her side.
Serpentor grabbed Mindbender by his shoulders, his vice-like grip causing the scientist considerable pain. "What was that? I want answers. NOW!"
The scientist pried himself free and sprinted over to his communication device. "I need a squad of Medi-Vipers in lab two, now! We are moving to phase two!"
Doctor Mindbender shook his head, "I cannot honestly say. The fact that she has not begun to destabilize is a good sign, but she could stay this way forever."
Serpentor was quickly face to face with the evil-minded scientist, "What did you say?"
"I'm only stating the facts, my lord." Mindbender replied quickly taking a step away from the furious man. "Also, it is possible that she could come out of this trance at any moment. Her vital signs seem normal from what we are guessing is normal for her, but we just cannot seem to find a way to awaken her."
Serpentor cast a fiery glare back at his creator. "Then I suggest you find a way and soon. I will not have weak minded fools wasting my time or hers!"
He looked down at the figure in the bed. Mindbender and the Medi-Vipers had moved Pythona out of the experimental pod and onto a medical bed. There were sensors attached to her head, IV tubing running into each arm, an artificial airway in her throat, and she was restrained at the wrists and ankles to prevent the disruption of any of these necessary interventions; she was connected into several monitors that collected various data on her brain waves, respiratory status, and cardiac function that was continuously observed by the nameless medical staff.
"Fix her. Now!" Serpentor ordered with ominous intent. As he stormed out the door, the Emperor's anger hung like a thick cloud in the room. Mindbender slid down into his chair and began his research again. Perhaps there was something he'd missed the other dozen or so times he had looked.
Growing restless of his throne room and chambers, Serpentor forced himself to go to the lab once again. He felt it was becoming more futile with each passing day, but he couldn't give up – it was something he seemed unable to do.
When he arrived, he found it deserted except for the lone patient – his queen. He stood above her, his gaze cast downward. His voice was barely above a whisper, "Did I wait too long to search for you?"
No response came.
He continued to speak to her. "It was the Joes' fault I was not there sooner. For this transgression they will pay dearly. I have received word the one called Duke has survived. The one who did this to you still lives as well. I cannot have so much failure tainting my legacy. Revenge will be mine… ours!"
Just then the door opened behind him and Zarana walked in. "My lord-"
Serpentor glared at her, "This is the second time you have disturbed me in my time of reflection. Either you are extremely brave or extremely foolish. Explain yourself now!"
She stood silent for a second, startled by his tone. "I… I have someone ya ought t' meet my lord." She pushed the door open again and a Viper walked in and began to remove his helmet. Once it was off, Serpentor's eyes burned with hatred.
"Why have you allowed this traitor to live? The fact that he is your brother is no excuse!"
Zandar immediately dropped to one knee. "Lord Serpentor, I have never doubted your vision for one moment. It was only a deception; hiding under that charlatan's leadership until I could find a way to help you strike at him."
The emperor strode over and slowly pulled one of his snakes free from his shoulders. "And just WHY should I believe a word you say? Your family has been nothing more than a thorn in my side, constantly pandering to the needs of a petty con artist masquerading to be a ruler! And for what? Nothing more than money!" Serpentor snapped his arms apart and the snake shaped itself into a rigid spear. "I suggest you speak fast and truthfully, or you will find yourself serving no one but the worms in the ground."
Lowering his head in obedience, Zandar spoke quickly, "Our brother is on his way here to assassinate you at the orders of Cobra Commander. Cobra Commander believes I was sent to kill Pythona, but I would never do such a thing." He glanced up slightly and saw Serpentor's hands still clenched tightly on the spear. He started again, "Also, my lord, I can tell you exactly where Cobra Commander is hiding – with my help and Zarana's, we can crush him once and for all."
The leader's chest was rising and falling with deep breaths as his anger washed over him. "How do I know you weren't sent here to kill me?" Serpentor motioned to Pythona's still breathing form. "How do I know this isn't a clever ruse to kill her?!" Holding the reptilian spear in one hand, he reached out with his free hand and grabbed Zandar around his throat. "For even accepting the mission, I would kill you with my bare hands!"
"But I did not accept the mission; it was never even offered to me – that means there have been others on the inside before I arrived here. I have their information."
Zarana spoke quickly. "Zartan is the one who is coming after you. Zandar told me so himself and while you may not believe him, I do. I would stake my life that if there is one thing he wants more than anything else, that is to be his own man - walk out of our older brother's shadow."
Serpentor's grip loosened and Zandar pulled back. "It's true," the orange haired man forced out, still gasping for air. "Zartan has treated us better than the Dreadnoks, but to him, we are merely pawns. This is my chance to prove him wrong and humiliate him at the same time."
"Your sister has proven herself quite valuable. I will trust her word, and that means trusting you. Do not make me regret this decision. When you catch your breath, seek out Overlord. Give him all of your information and have him start a plan. The final battle draws near, but there is much work to do."
Zandar rubbed his throat and headed out the door, Zarana followed, but not before glancing back to her leader.
"Good work," Serpentor said, locking eyes with her.
A satisfied look filled Zarana's face as she left to catch up with her brother.
Returning to where he was before, Serpentor looked down at his wounded queen. "I shall make them pay. Cobra Commander, the Joes - they all had some part in this, but I will not let them escape this time. They will all fall in the upcoming battle." His mind was already formulating scenarios of how to use any information Zandar could share. Overlord would come up with the initial plans, but Serpentor's mind held whispers of true geniuses of warfare. Together, they could topple Cobra Commander once and for all.
Serpentor looked at the monitors one last time on his way out of the room. Before he touched the door, though, he heard a deep gasp of air behind him and a violent cough. He pivoted quickly to find Pythona sitting up, the bed sheet around her waist and the wires struggling to stay attached as she fought with them sluggishly. Restraints dangled from her wrists and she was pulling the artificial airway from her throat, a grimace of pain etched on her face.
Pythona coughed again, deeply. "Revenge," her first word upon awakening. "My Serpentor, I believe I will join your side for this battle if you still want me there," she continued in a raspy voice, but with a sadistic smile spreading across her face.