The Infiltration of Cobra Island
Falcon struggled to keep his footing on the deck of the modified trawler. "I don't remember ever being on water this choppy!"
Jinx looked at him, irritation already in her voice. "If you even start with the whole 'you're bad luck' routine-"
He raised his hands in submission. "I'd never think of it! But since you brought it up." His voice trailed off, leaving the rest unspoken. Falcon leaned against the railing and stared out into the vast distance. "You really think this is gonna work?"
Jinx nodded over to Scarlett who was in a ragged set of civilian gear with her hair bundled up underneath a stocking hat. "She seems to think it will."
"I still can't believe there are non-Cobra inhabitants on Cobra Island."
She paused before replying. "There are always people who need a home and Cobra likely wasn't the first people to call the island home."
Falcon shook his head in disbelief. "I just find it hard to believe that multiple villages could pop up within a few short years. And on top of that, the people aren't affiliated with the snakes?"
Scarlett spoke up for the first time. "How do you know those villages haven't been there all along? When you get to know any locals, I'm sure you'll quickly see that not everyone believes what their rulers do - or in this case, the new landlords." She looked at her watch and then turned to head under deck. "Captain Minh said we would be arriving at the village in a few hours. If I were you, I'd grab a little shut eye - just in case you're right and I'm wrong."
Falcon watched as Scarlett turned and headed back inside, but he could sense that she was just as uneasy as the rest of the team.
"Papa, look!" The little boy handed his beat-up binoculars to his father. "We have company!"
The adult held the binoculars up to his face and looked out the window to where his son pointed.
"Do you think they are bringing us more presents? The last people who came made sure we have lots of stuff!"
He focused the binoculars in on the man standing at the upper railing - an American flag tattooed on his upper arm. Slowly, he handed them back to his son. "I don't know what they're bringing, but I think whatever it is could mean trouble."
He lowered his head and felt conflicted as he looked down at the Cobra flag draped over his family's dinner table.
"Hey, rookie. Come up here," Beachhead called from above the bridge.
Barrel Roll climbed the rain-slicked metal ladder. "What's up?"
"'What's up?' What's up is that I wanna know where your head is. I've never worked with you, so we need to make sure we're on the same page."
"Wow, calm down." Barrel Roll was taken aback.
Beachhead glared at the newcomer. "We are about to go into a nest of snakes. You want me to calm down?"
"I've always found it was best to stay calm if possible."
Beach Head's eyes narrowed. "I've found when people are calm, they get careless."
"And I've seen that most people overlook the obvious when they're stressed out. I guess we're at an impasse."
"Look, all I need to know is that you've got my back if things go south in there," Beach Head grunted.
"Got your back? You can count on that. I've seen betrayal on a personal level and what Cobra can make people become. We're here to find out what these snakes are up to - I'm not leaving without getting the job done and all of us safely on the way back to the Pit."
"I'll accept that as a start," Beach Head said, extending his hand.
"Tunnel Rat, how are things looking?" Breaker's voice was coming through the ear-piece crystal clear.
"It's all blue-ish and murky down here." Tunnel Rat was impressed by how smooth the handling was on the SHARC.
"Very funny. Anything of note yet?" Breaker asked from the comm station in Fort Wadsworth.
"Negative. No underwater mines of any sort, no pings from any Cobra vessels, and no emergency contact from the rest of the team on the boat. The only signals I'm picking up are from my automated followers."
"The new stealth technology on the SHARC must be doing its job, then - we know from previous encounters that Cobra's sensors could pick us up at least a mile back from your current location."
"Then let's hope it stays that way from here on out," Tunnel Rat replied. "I'm going back radio silent. I'll contact you if there's any problems."
"So, this is the village?" Tunnel Rat asked, climbing onto the wooden dock and beginning to slip out of his wetsuit.
"Captain Minh said that this is the safest place for us to make landfall," Scarlett said. "These people may get some help from Cobra occasionally, but it's only enough to keep them from leaving or trying to take the island back. Because of that, many of the inhabitants have given up hope and are just happy being able to barely exist."
"Are we certain the rest of the SHARCs will be here by the time we finish up?" Beach Head asked.
"A trio of the newly modified stealth SHARCs were homing in on the signal of the one I piloted," Tunnel Rat said. "Don't worry - I saw them on the edge of the sensors the whole way here."
"Only three more? Aren't the SHARCs a little cramped?" Jinx asked.
"It's ok, Jinx - the two of us can squeeze into one for the long ride back," Falcon said as he leaned closer to the red-suited ninja.
"Ugh," Jinx said, pushing Falcon away.
"I looked over the specs before heading out. Not only did they manage to implement the stealth technology, but they've also expanded the cockpit to seat two comfortably." Barrel Roll added in. "Three in a pinch."
"Looks like my luck is changing!" Jinx said.
"Falcon! Jinx! Stow it, you two. We've got to find our contact and get this mission started." Beach Head said.
"Hey, hey - slow down Beach Head. I've got all the details right here." Falcon tapped his beret.
"All that empty space up there, you've got room enough for plans for a year long siege." Beach Head said as he started walking toward the village. Falcon followed close behind, firing comments at his former trainer.
"Are they always like this?" Barrel Roll asked Scarlett.
"Only when they're awake and near each other," Scarlett said, no hint of joking in her voice.
"Then why are they on such a vital mission together?"
"Falcon has something to prove. And even though he won't admit it, he respects Beach Head." Scarlett said.
"Guess I expected more cohesion in a small squad." Barrel Roll said with a sigh.
"It's nothing more than tough-guy talk mixed with a whole lot of nerves," Tunnel Rat added.
"I hope you're right." Barrel Roll said as he picked up his bag and walked down the dock.
The Strato-Viper entered the operations room inside Cobra Island's hangar. "You think you're up to the mission? These orders have come down from Serpentor himself." His voice grew measured, "We cannot afford to fail."
The Air-Viper looked at his superior, "I understand that - and I won't."
"You make it back in one piece and this could be what gets you officially promoted to Strato-Viper," the officer added.
"I've been going over the briefing and it looks pretty straightforward - but it could kick off something major."
The Strato-Viper simply nodded.
"So, what's our time frame?" the Air-Viper asked.
"You go wheels up in three hours."
"Anton? Captain Minh said you would be the person we needed to talk to," Scarlett said to the villager seated across the table.
"Minh is a good friend of mine. He brought my mother to America when she was sick. There was nothing more we could do for her here," Anton said as he looked over to his young son playing in the corner.
"How is she doing now? I hope she's doing ok," Scarlett said.
The man shook his head, "She never came back."
"I'm sorry for your loss," Tunnel Rat said in a soft voice.
"No, no," Anton said, shaking his head. "My mother, she is still alive. She sends us care packages when Minh brings supplies for Cobra. They allow us small packages, but nothing that uses electricity. The soldiers sweep the village every few weeks to make sure."
"Have you thought about going to her?" Scarlett asked.
"That would be what we want, but Cobra knows me too well. If I disappeared, they would hunt me down."
Scarlett looked at the villager, concern on her face. "What made Cobra so interested in you?"
"When they first started building their bases, they found our village. I welcomed them in, made deals with them on behalf of our small village. If I knew how they really were-" he stopped himself, his shame evident.
"Cobra takes advantage of people everywhere. We'll do our best to ensure your village isn't retaliated against - if it comes to that, we can evacuate you," Scarlett offered.
"There are not many of my people left, but this is our home."
"Then we'll do our best to not have to make you change that," Tunnel Rat said. "Now, what is the best route to get to the Cobra's base?" Tunnel Rat pulled a map from his pack. The map had been made with the most recent recon photos.
Anton laughed and pulled out a hand-drawn map, pointing out a pair of paths traced through the forests. "There are many ways to their base, but there are only a few that will not bring attention to you."
Serpentor paced the room, waiting for the mission to start.
"You realize this strike will bring the Commander and his forces to our front door?" Pythona asked from her seat at the head of the ornate table.
"Oh, I am well aware of that." A smile formed on Serpentor's face, "Let him and his followers try to take this island back."
"Are your soldiers prepared?"
Serpentor walked over to her. "They are our soldiers. And they have sworn their allegiance to us - victory will be ours if Cobra Commander overcomes his cowardice and brings the fight to us."
"And if he doesn't?" Pythona asked.
"Then we shall run him through as just another obstacle in our path."
Anton motioned over to a worn path behind the huts on the outskirts of the small village. "The trees should give you cover, keep you safe."
"The shade isn't so bad either." Tunnel Rat glanced at the map again. "If this is accurate, it looks like we're less than a mile from the village's hidden entrance to the Terror Drome."
Anton nodded. "The tunnel leads to an underground river. Minh told us that is where he delivers the supplies for them. He sometimes 'accidentally' loses some cargo for us to find."
"Minh sounds like he does a good job looking out for your people," Scarlett said.
"Yes, we are lucky-"
The entire team looked up as a Night Raven screamed overhead.
"Get to cover!" Beach Head shouted.
"Wait - that was going far too fast to see anything beneath the tree canopy," Scarlett said.
Anton closed in on the team. "There is no way they know you are here. Please remain calm."
"For any surveillance of the local island, they'd obviously use something smaller." Barrel Roll said, keeping his eyes skyward looking for any additional aircraft.
"Good point, but I think we'll wait to go any further with the mission until night fall. Anyone opposed?" Falcon asked.
No one raised any objections.
"Then everyone rest up while we can. We go into the Terror Drome in 4 hours."