Chapter 4: Opening Presents
Woody hopped onto the bed and scooted over to Sarge. "Sergeant, establish a recon post downstairs. Code Red! You know what to do." Woody said. "Yes sir!" Sarge saluted. He hopped down to the bottom drawer to assemble his troops from their tub container. "All right men. You heard him. Code Red! Repeat, we are at Code Red. Recon plan Charlie. Execute! Let's move! Move, move, move, move!" He ordered. The army hopped out of their tub container and marched towards the door. The other toys and heroes watched as they marched.
The door slowly opened and one of the soldiers peaked down the hallway, motioning an all clear. Another soldier ran across the hallway over to the stair railing. He peaked around the corner and motioned for others. The other soldiers marched outside carrying a baby monitor and a jump rope. Meanwhile, Sarge and a few other soldiers spread behind the banisters. Sarge looked through his binoculars.
"Okay, kids. Everyone in the living room. It's almost time for the presents." Andy's mom said, gathering the kids into the living room.
Sarge motioned to his soldiers to drop down. 2 paratroopers dropped down and parachuted to the bottom. They checked around and motioned an all clear. The jump rope dropped down and Sarge and his troops rappelled down.
Back up in Andy's room, the toys and heroes gathered around the night stand. "Alright! Gain way, gain way!" Hamm said as they gathered. Woody turned on the other baby monitor. "And this is how we find out what is in those presents." He said as Potato Head pushed his way through.
As the jump rope was being hoisted back up, Sarge and his recon team marched past the kitchen door. "Okay, who's hungry?" Andy's mom's voice called from the kitchen. Sarge motioned for his troops to freeze in position. "Here come the chips. I've got Cool Ranch and Barbeque." Andy's mom said, coming out from the kitchen before stepping on the army guy with the metal detector. "OW! What in the world?" She scoffed before kicking the soldiers aside. "I thought I told him to pick these up." She said before walking back to the living room.
Back in Andy's room, some of the toys and heroes were getting restless. "Shouldn't they be there by now? What's taking them so long?" Rex asked. "You should've sent me with them. I'm one of the best trackers and strategists in our dimension." Intress said. "Then where were you all those times I spent sneaking around the barracks?" Tom asked in suspicion, making Intress glare. "Perhaps I should've gone. I am pretty sneaky. I mean, I was a professional thief back in the days." Sly said. "Hey, these guys are professionals. They're the best. Come on, they're not lying down on the job." Woody assured.
Once the coast was clear, Sarge motioned his troops back up and marched them towards a nearby Forest Fantasy plant. But then, Sarge heard a groan. He looked back to see that the soldier with the metal detector was seriously injured from being stepped on. Sarge huddled over to help. "Go on without me! Just go!" The soldier said as Sarge picked him up. "A good soldier never leaves a man behind!" Sarge said, signaling the soldiers left upstairs. The soldiers lowered the baby monitor tied to the jump rope to the bottom. The soldiers on the monitor untied the rope and carried the monitor over to the plant. Sarge marched his injured man over as the others heaved the monitor into the plant. Suddenly, a ball bounced past a corner. Sarge took notice and hurried over to the plant. He heaved the injured man up to 2 others inside the plant before climbing inside himself. The soldiers moved out of sight as 2 boys who were playing with ball passed by.
"Okay everybody! Come on!" Andy's mom called. "Settle down now! Kids, everyone, you sit in a circle. No! Andy, Andy you sit in the middle there. Good. And which present are you gonna open first?"
The soldiers settled inside and set up the baby monitor, turning it on. A medical soldier fixed up the injured soldier. Sarge set up in as look out on Andy's presents. "There they are." He whispered, looking through his binoculars.
Back in Andy's room, Sarge finally called in. "Come in, Mother Bird. Come in, Mother Bird. This is Alpha Bravo. Come in, Mother Bird." He reported. "This is it! This is it! Quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet!" Woody said. "Alright. Andy is opening the first present now." Sarge reported. "Mrs. Potato Head. Mrs. Potato Head. Mrs. Potato Head." Mr. Potato Head chanted, causing Rex, Hamm, Peyton and Cho to stare at him. "Hey, I can dream, can't I?" Potato Head asked.
"The bow's coming off. He's ripping the wrapping paper." Sarge continued. All of the toys and heroes started to get nervous. "It's a- It's- It's a- A lunchbox. We got a lunchbox here." Sarge revealed. "A lunchbox?" Woody asked. "Lunchbox?" Potato Head asked. "Are you kidding me?" Sarah asked. "Why a lunchbox?" Ron asked. "For lunch." Slinky said, making a joke and chuckling. "Okay, second present." Sarge reported. Woody listened closely. "It appears to be- Okay, it's bedsheets." Sarge revealed. "Bedsheets?" Parvati asked. "Who invited that kid?" Potato Head asked. "Don't look at me!" Kaz said.
Sarge continued to watch as Andy's mom handed Andy present to present until she got to the last one. "Oh, only one left." She said sadly.
"Okay, we're on the last present now." Sarge reported. "Last present!" Woody repeated. Everyone started to get nervous. Even Lenny started to shake in fear. "It's a big one. It's a- It's- It's a boardgame! Repeat: Battleship!" Sarge revealed, making Woody sigh in relief. Everyone cheered. "Yeah! All right!" Hamm said, accidently bumping into Potato Head and knocking out some of his pieces. "Hey, watch it!" Potato Head said. "Sorry there, old Spud Head." Hamm said as Potato Head tried to pick up his pieces. "Huh. I think it's an improvement." Sly joked.
"Mission accomplished. Well done, men. Pack it up. We're going home." Sarge ordered. His men turned off the baby monitor.
"So, did I tell you, huh? Nothing to worry about." Woody said. "I knew you were right all along, Woody. Never doubted you for a second." Slinky said, glaring at Potato Head, who shook his head. "Yep. Like we said, we've been through worse." Harry reminded everyone.