Part 2:
"The Commander's Counterplay"
"I—" Cobra Commander struggled against Destro's grip on him. "I bow to no one! No one!"
Cobra Commander suddenly catapulted himself up and head-butted Destro in the chin.
Destro staggered backwards and grunted and felt the impact area. Cobra Commander felt his wrists, stepping back.
"Like I said, Destro…during my absence, I've learned a lot of new tricks," said Cobra Commander. "I've learned to fight dirty. I'm not the coward you once took me for. I've grown stronger, and with my newfound abilities, and with this new suit—this Battle Armour of Beryllium silver that both enhances my strength and defence and also makes me look bad ass—I have the power to crush my enemies easily. Fred VII, that traitorous mechanic, who I also trusted to take care of my son, may have designed it, wore it, hide his identity for a time and pretended to be me—no one truly knew who was within except a few people—but I've improved on it. After my son was seriously hurt during an assassin attempt that cost him an eye and a leg, I thought it was time for my to step aside and raise my son properly; Fred VII even built Billy a prostatitis leg. Fred VII saw things and then shot me. He took over and tried to bury me alive. But I don't die so easily. I was meant for a greater and more glorious purpose. Attacking the UN is but a step to my conquest to rule the world. And now it's time for you feel my wraith for your interference here! COBRAA!"
And with a press of a button, two small laser cannons ejected themselves from hidden compartments from inside his wrist armour and a blast shield came down over the glass portion of his metal helmet. He fired at Destro with an unexpected accuracy using a targeting scanner. Destro ran like a duck in a shooting gallery and tried to take refuge, but there was no where for him to hide.
"Come, come, Destro, why are you so afraid to face me now? Are you that afraid to die for your beliefs?"
"A smart soldier knows when the odds are against him, Commander!" he said, running around Cobra Commander. Destro barely avoided the energy blasts as they skimmed the dirt at his ankles.
"True, but you challenged me. Come face your destiny, Destro."
Cobra Commander continued to fire blasts from his cannons, when all of a sudden, someone came to Destro's rescue, and using two very sharp instruments—throwing stars—they precisely sliced Cobra Commander's weapons off. Cobra Commander looked at his metallic gloved hands. But he knew from whence and whom the had come from. Once again, an old ally but now bitter enemy.
"You irritating ninja! You could have cut my hands off! How dare you interfere in our match, Storm Shadow."
"The terms of the match were unfair, Commander, and I have evened the odds," Storm Shadow said, dressed all in white. He was now a member of GIJOE and the leader of Ninja Force. "Play fair, or I shall have to interfere again."
"You can't threat me, Storm Shadow, you traitor! And you stole my son away from me!"
"He saw you for what you truly were, Commander, and left of his own accord. He is my pupil and a very developed on. But know this, he may know what you have done, but you are still his father—albeit to his dislike."
"I disowned him years ago! I don't care! I should have let him die on that medical table when he was ten."
Destro sensed Storm Shadow's ire and held him back. "No, Storm Shadow, he wants you to fight him, and with his new Battle Armour, he'll crush you. Let me handle this. Cobra Commander and I have been at each other's throats since the beginning, and it's time we finish this once and for all."
Storm Shadow eyed Destro. "I still own him for his role in killing my uncle. Are you sure? I could end this right now."
"Listen to Chromedome, Arashikage," said Cobra Commander mockingly. "You're nothing more than a pathetic weakling, falling time and time again to my Brainwave Scanner, and someday, I'll have you again! It's not a shock that cowards herd together. Your entire clan is a bunch of cowards, hiding behind cowls of shame. When COBRA has conquered the world, I'm going to order your entire clan executed for crimes against my new world order. Japan will be awash in a river of ninja blood!"
Storm Shadow gave into his anger despite years of trying to calm it and attacked Cobra Commander with a large sword he took out of a sheath on his back, but in doing so, he fell into Cobra Commander's trap. When the ninja brought it down, Cobra Commander clapped the ninja's sword in the palms of his metallic hands like a man who had been practising the move for years, and kicked Storm Shadow away, and kept the sword.
Storm Shadow was stunned at the feat of skill, but decided to attack Cobra Commander again. Yet Cobra Commander used the sword in a downwards slice and cut Storm Shadow's uniform, cutting his chest. Storm Shadow staggered away bewildered. He felt his chest and saw the blood on his hand from his wound. He was both shocked and equally impressed.
"Cobra Commander, when did you learn—"
"This is a child's play," said Cobra Commander, flicking the blood off the sword. "Skills I learned while I was away all those many years. Sometimes it's helpful to step away and gain new perspective on things. But pottery making isn't my forte."
Suddenly an explosion rocked the area where they were standing and Cobra Commander was forced to establish a new footing as the impact blast caught him off guard.
Storm Shadow quickly plunked a Shuriken—a throwing star—from his belt, and whipped it at Cobra Commander with prefect accuracy. It made contact with a weak point of his glove and the COBRA leader cried out, dropping the sword. He clutched his wrist.
Storm Shadow reclaimed his sword, then held it under Cobra Commander's neck. The COBRA leader froze. "I should kill you right now for what you have said, but I am an honourable man and I will abide by Destro's request to allow your duel to continue. But heed my words, Cobra Commander, someday you will taste my blade and learn the true nature of revenge."
"And I look forward to that day when we engage in battle." Cobra Commander pulled the Shuriken out from his wrist; hissed in pain. Storm Shadow was surprised by the courage it took to do that, but kept his sword at Cobra Commander's neck. "But when that day comes, your traitorous actions will be mine to judge and I will be the executor. I am not the man I used to me."
"Neither am I," Storm Shadow said. "It shall be a match I look forward to." Storm Shadow removed his sword from under the Commander's neck and then backed off to allow the match with Destro to continue. "No matter what happens now, I will no longer interfere. I am merely an observer."
"Your word has always been your bond, Storm Shadow, but I'm afraid I can't trust you this time," Cobra Commander rebuked. "You've interfered with my plans far too many times as leader to that insufferable band of ragtag ninjas to have me believe you have any merit left. This match is over. But mark my words this isn't over, Destro. You'll pay for your crimes of betrayal."
"As the saying goes, Cobra Commander—live fast, but die hard," Destro retorted.
"You first, traitor," said Cobra Commander.
Cobra Commander backed away from Storm Shadow and Destro, but then an Annihilator, one of Destro's flying elite fighters, landed behind him, and hence blocked his way of escape. The Annihilator thought Destro was in trouble and came to help, but instead it gave Cobra Commander a means to flee. Cobra Commander pulled out his pistol and shot the man, and then took his flight pack and quickly on the harness. He clutched the controls in both hands.
"I may have lost the battle, but COBRA shall win the war," he declared.
Through the air came a shot from General Hawk and Cobra Commander quickly fled.
"What happened here?" Hawk asked, looking at Destro's downed Despoiler and at Storm Shadow's bloodied chest. "Duke and I were both engaged in battle with COBRA's Alley Vipers with your Iron Grenadier's," he further explained.
"Nothing to write home about," Storm Shadow said facetiously, holding his chest. "Cobra Commander escaped, end of story."
"Hum," Hawk wondered. "Cobra troops are surrendering, we have the situation under control." Indeed, the day had been won with minimal causalities and property damage, a few fires were being put out. "Thank you for your help, Destro. What do you intend to do now? You have us out-manned and out-gunned. Do you intend to finish the job that Cobra Commander started?"
"Don't give me any foolish ideas, General Hawk," Destro said. "I merely arrived to aid GIJOE, not to invade. If I wanted to attack you, I would have seized the opportunity firstly, and don't think that idea wasn't stirring in my mind. I never follow in the footsteps of cowards, and Cobra is an organization filled with them. I and my Iron Grenadiers will leave in peace, if you will allow it?"
"Since you helped us defeat COBRA today…" Hawk said, conferring with Duke. They agreed. "But we'll be watching you."
"Thank you, and I wouldn't have it any other way," Destro said. "And thank you, my friend, Storm Shadow for coming to my aid, once again. We may have had our differences, but our hearts are in the same place. I hope one day you find true peace from the suffering of past mistakes committed by evil men."
"I was once like you, Destro—but no more. I have cleansed myself of the evil that blackened my heart when I was with Cobra. I am nothing like you. I still need to work on some anger issues, however."
"I agree, wholeheartedly," said Destro. "Please give my salutations to Billy."
"I will," Storm Shadow said, knowing the history between the two.
Destro helped Billy escape the horrified entanglement that would have resulted in young Billy's demise at the hands of his father during Major Budd's assassination attempt on Cobra Commander years ago. Bludd brainwashed Billy to kill his father when he was a cadet at COBRA's Academy. This then resulted in a car chase and crash that eventually costed Billy his left leg and right eye.
Just then, an armoured car pulled up, and skidded to a stop, kicking up dirt. Those who knew of it called it the vehicle The Evader. The passenger side opened up. In the driver's seat was Darklon, Destro's cousin—it was his personal transport—in his green and black tights and large black mask. Destro got in and sat down, he then picked up a radio, and said through a bullhorn megaphone on the roof: "To all Iron Grenadier's. Return to base. The day is won. Cease all fighting and leave the area. That is an order!"
Destro pulled down the door and The Evader sped away. No one stopped them.
"Well, the damage doesn't seem too severe," Duke voiced, looking around.
General Hawk nodded. "The United Nations building is still intact, we should be proud of ourselves for a great victory today. Storm Shadow, are you in need of medical attention?"
"I'll be fine, just a flesh wound," Storm Shadow said, smiling behind his mask.
"In any case you better have Lifeline check you out."
"Sure," he said. "I think I'll do that."
After the area was asset for damages and all causalities seen to, the chairman to the United Nations Peace Conference approached General Hawk and Duke as they were reading a report with daily stats.
He was a short man, balding man, with a hanging moustache. He went right up to them, and immediately began in a tirade.
He said, "Why did you let Destro escape? I saw what happened. He's one of this nations worst enemies! And how long are you going to allow this war on terrorism to continue? We have a lot of frightened people here!"
General Hawk was about to say something, the man had neither addressed himself nor respectfully addressed them. But he not a complete unknown, he was a member of the United Nations council. Hawk just couldn't remember his name at the moment.
"To completely abolish COBRA and terrorist organizations like them takes time, sir," Hawk said properly. "You and the council will receive a report on today's engagement by tomorrow. In the meantime, let us do our job."
The man's brow rose and he snorted irate, then walked away in a huff.
"Nice, General," Duke said.
"I hate bureaucrats," Hawk said. "They have no idea how the real world works out here in the field."
"I can second that. Yo Joe!"
END