To Rule the World

by Infinite Zer0

The G.I. Joe team must face a new Pyramid of Darkness. But is Cobra really defeated or simply up to something else? I really should finish this at some point.

3. A World With Cobra

G.I. Joe is the codename for America's daring, highly trained special mission force. It's purpose, to defend human freedom against Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined

To Rule the World

Part 3

A World With Cobra

By Nick Maro

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The snow cat slowly plowed across the snow field. Inside, the two occupants kept an eye on the horizon. The driver was an African-American male and the navigator was a Caucasian with flaming red hair. The driver squinted to see past the windshield wipers. There was nothing but seemingly endless white snow.

The driver turned back to the navigator. "Let's give it up, Snow Job. It's obvious that whoever you spotted on the radar at the base is now quite frozen and polar bear food. There's no point to searching this whole wasteland. Besides, we're almost out of gas."

Snow Job blindly waved the driver aside. "I'm telling you, Iceberg. My gut tells me that whoever they are or were is still out there. This is the area I saw the blip. Just give me five more minutes." Snow Job started putting on his snow gear. "Stop the cat. I'm going to search on foot."

"You're crazy, man! There's nothing out there. It's all in your head!" Iceberg watched Snow Job jump out of the snow cat and start his search. He got up and yelled out the door. "Okay, you have five minutes! Then I'm leaving with or without you and your ghost!" He slammed the door shut to the snow cat.

"I may be crazy, but I know I'm right," Snow Job mumbled to himself. He pulled a small electronic box he kept hidden in his coat. He turned it on and the screen lit up searching for heat patterns. Snow Job was glad he had Mainframe and Dial Tone make this for him when he was a part of the G.I. Joe team. He used it before on arctic missions to find fellow team members trapped under the snow.

Snow Job swept the box in front of him in small arcs. The box began to beep wildly within a few minutes of his search. Snow Job set the box down and started digging where he saw the faint heat pattern on the screen. He dug about two feet down when he hit a clothed body. Snow Job turned his radio on to the snow cat. "Iceberg. Iceberg. Do you copy?"

"I'm here. What's wrong? You sound upset. Get lost on the way back to the snow cat?"

"No you smartass. Lock onto my position and bring the cat here. I found the phantom I was looking for." Snow Job turned the radio off and started digging the body out of the snow. Less than a minute later he heard the snow cat arrive.

Iceberg hopped out of the snow cat and helped Snow Job pick up the body. They put it in the back of the snow cat to warm up. "Next time, don't turn off your radio. How am I supposed to track you then?" He followed Snow Job into the cat. "Anyway, let's see who this is." Iceberg pulled the hood back and removed the ski mask from the face to reveal a woman's face with blonde hair. Snow Job let out a small gasp. "You know this woman?" Iceberg asked. He checked her breathing and found it to be normal.

"Yeah, I do." Snow Job started removing her frozen clothes and wrapped her in a heated blanket. "It's Daina of the October Guard. What the hell is she doing out here?" He opened a pocket on the inside of her coat and found a video tape and an audio cassette. "Now what the hell are these?"

"They're evidence," Daina rasped weakly. "P-proof that C-Cobra is act-active. Mu-must get them t-to G-G-.I. J-Joe at o-once." She opened her eyes and a single tear fell. "Oc-October Guard wa-was ki-killed by C-Cobra." Daina fell back into unconsciousness. Snow Job put another blanket on her.

"We better get back to base, Snow Job. We have to tell the base commander about Daina." Iceberg got back into the snow cat's driver's seat.

Snow Job stayed next to the Russian woman. "We're not telling them about the tapes. I'm sending those to Hawk. If we give them General Dixmoore, he'll only screw things up. Remember why he's here. Anyway, this is my decision and I outrank you. I'll take the consequences."

Iceberg nodded after a moment and kept driving the snow cat. Throughout the drive back, Snow Job and Iceberg traded shifts in keeping Daina warm and bringing her back to normal body temperature. They arrived on the base an hour later. Daina was rushed to the emergency ward immediately. The two former Joe members gave their report but never mentioned anything about the tapes.

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A soft knock came from Flint's quarter's door. Flint hid a report on Cobra he got from Mainframe. He got up and opened the door a crack. Mainframe stood there waiting. Flint let Mainframe in. He noticed that Mainframe wasn't carrying any more reports. "Couldn't you get anything more? I don't buy that's the only information on Cobra."

"That's all I could find before I was almost caught snooping around. You're lucky you got that much." Mainframe paced the room. "I'm not going back to look again. I was very lucky I didn't get caught. I'm done."

Flint handed Mainframe a cup of coffee. "It's okay. I didn't ask you to get caught, just find what you could. You did your best. Thanks. Unfortunately, the reports I do have are inconclusive and end about nine months ago. Oh well."

"Mail, Flint." Dial Tone said coming into the room. "Oh, here's yours too, Mainframe." He searched through the pile of mail and gave a small stack to Mainframe. "Hawk got some package from Alaska here. No return address but there's a name. W. Moore." He thought for a moment. "Why do I know that name?"

Looking up from their mail, Flint and Mainframe answered at once. "It's Snow Job."

Dial Tone looked at both men confused. "Harlan W. Moore is Snow Job's real name. He was stationed in Alaska with Iceberg when they were transferred out of G.I. Joe," Flint explained. He took the package from Dial Tone. "I'll take this to Hawk if you don't mind." Flint left his quarters before Dial Tone could answer.

He jogged down the hall to General Hawk's office. Beach Head was standing next to the doorway. He put his hand on the doorknob before Flint could open the door. "Can't let you in, Flint. Hawk is reaming out Ace for having a poker game again."

"Hawk will want this right away." Flint held up the package from Snow Job.

"Give it to me and I'll make sure Hawk gets it."

"No, I'll give it to Hawk. Out of the way, Beach Head."

Flint started toward the door. Beach Head grabbed him by the arm. "Now you listen here, Faireborn. I'm the field commander. That means you listen to me now. Now, give me the package."

Jerking his arm loose, Flint shoved Beach Head back. "No. I don't have to do shit. Like you said, you're the field commander. That means you're the commander in the field. Last I checked we're on base. We're equal rank. That means you can't do shit to me. Now get out of the way, Sneedan or I'll force you out of the way." Flint put his hand on the doorknob.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that, Faireborn. I'll bust your ass down to the brig so fast you won't know what hit you. Now stand back and hand me the pac—" Beach Head's verbal threat was cut off by Flint punching him in the jaw. Beach Head rubbed his jaw. "You're in for a world of shit now, boy."

Beach Head punched Flint in the stomach, driving some air out. Flint doubled over, dropping the package. He brought his hands up together and smacked Beach Head across his chin. He stumbled back into the wall hard. Flint punched Beach Head in the solar plexus, driving the wind out of his field commander's lungs. Flint bent over to pick up the package. Beach Head brought his knee up into Flint's face, smashing Flint's nose.

The door to Hawk's office swung open. General Hawk stood in the doorway with anger burning in his eyes. "What the hell is going on out here?" Beach Head and Flint both looked up at the same time. Hawk glared at them both. "Just what are two of my top officers doing beating on each other like they were in a schoolyard brawl?" Neither man said anything. Hawk saw that Flint's nose was broken. He turned to Ace in his office. "You're dismissed, Ace. No more poker games and get Doc for Flint."

"Yes, Hawk." Ace ran out of a side door down a separate hallway.

Hawk pointed into office. "Both of you in here. Now!" The two men meekly walked past Hawk and sat at opposite ends of the office. Flint held his head forward and had the package in his lap. Beach Head rubbed his jaw and spit a tooth into his hand. Hawk sat on the edge of his desk and looked at each man. "Now, which child wants to tell me who started this?" Both men started talking at once. "One at a time. Beach Head you go first."

"I was," Beach Head rasped. He cleared his throat and spoke clearer. "I was waiting for you to finish up with Ace, when Flint came up and demanded to be let in. I told him to wait. He said he had an important package for you. I asked him to give to me and I'd give it to you. He became insubordinate and tried enter your office forcefully. I was forced to stop him and warn him that I'd send him to the brig. He then assaulted me. I was defending myself."

Hawk looked at Flint. "Is that true?"

Flint finished packing his nose with tissues. "Yes and no. Everything up to me becoming insubordinate as he put it. Beach Head tried pulling rank on me by saying he was in charge. As I understand it that's only in the field. When we're on base we're equals. I did punch him first. I'm sorry. I lost my temper. The whole fight was over this." Flint held up the package which had small blood drops on it. "It's from Snow Job. I have no idea what it is." Doc came into the room and started working on Flint's nose.

"Thank you, Flint." Hawk said taking the package and putting it on his desk. "Flint you were right in your thinking. You and Beach Head are equals on base. I want you both to remember that this is not the schoolyard. You're team members. I can't have two of my top officers fighting like children." Hawk paced the room a moment and stopped. "You're both confined to quarters until I can think up a punishment. You're both dismissed." Doc finished with Flint's nose and left the room.

Beach Head and Flint stood and faced each other. They stared at each other for a long minute. Finally, Flint put his hand out. Beach Head shook it firmly. They saluted each other and left the room. Hawk opened the package and read the note Snow Job had included explaining the tapes.

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The command center in the Cobra base was a buzz with activity. Cobra Commander stood in the center of it all. Various Cobra tsoldiers and Vipers ran back and forth taking commands and processing data. Destro stood in the doorway impressed. He'd never seen Cobra function like this. He looked at a monitor screen that was tracking the new Russian space station. Destro walked up beside Cobra Commander.

"Amazing isn't it, Destro? Just last year we were humiliated in Washington D.C. But now we have the power to conquer the world." The Commander turned and looked at his ally. "I'm leaving for a few days. I want to put in complete charge of Cobra. I don't know who else to trust this to."

Destro looked at Cobra Command with an expression mixed with astonishment and suspicion. "Just where are you going? You've been leaving more and more frequently. Cobra needs a leader who will stand by them always. I've heard rumors that you've been starting a new army to control the world."

Cobra Commander casually looked sideways at Destro. "O' ye of little faith. Since when did you listen to rumors anyway? Doesn't matter. What's your answer?"

"You can count on me, Commander. I'll make sure that Cobra is better than you left it." Destro paused for a second. "Maybe even win the loyalties of your men and women through victory."

The Commander let out an amused laughed. "I never realized what a dry wit you possessed, my friend. I have complete faith in your abilities. Now I must not be late for this meeting. The future of Cobra and the success of the new Pyramid hinges on this meeting. Which reminds me, tell Zartan that he can activate the Pyramid whenever he is ready. I believe it's time to show the world who it's true master is."

Destro looked at Cobra Commander with curiosity. "Just who are these people you're meeting with? After all, if I'm so trusted you can tell me. Right?"

"Men who are willing to invest and harbor Cobra for a very long time. Let's just put it that way."

"As you wish, Commander. About the last remaining October Guardsman. What am I supposed to do about them? Let them inform G.I. Joe or any other government who cares about the slaughter of the October Guard's base? What about the spy the camera saw outside the base a week back? What am I to do about that?" Destro had a challenging tone in his voice.

"Nothing. When the Pyramid goes up, it's then too late for G.I. Joe or any other do good Samaritan group to stop Cobra. I learned a valuable lesson with our embarrassing defeat in Washington. But that loss also showed me the key. Soon, the world will see it as well." Cobra Commander's eyes shined with a wicked grin behind his hood. "Now, enough talking. I must be off. Have faith in my plan, Destro. It will work." Cobra Commander left the command room and disappeared into an elevator car.

Destro went up a flight of stairs to the observation area. He watched the Cobra soldiers scurry back and forth. He felt the light touch and smell the familiar perfume of the Baroness. He took her hand and kissed it lightly through his metal mask. She sat next to him and watched the troops. "You seem tense, darling. What is the matter?"

"Cobra Commander has gone off to yet another meeting. He's left me baby-sitting Cobra while he's away. He didn't bother to tell me where he was going either. Just that what he is doing will affect Cobra in the long run. It has something to do with the Pyramid of Darkness but I don't know what." Destro got up and began to pace. "He sounded positive that what he was doing will really work. I'm beginning to believe him too.

"You should have heard him. He sounds like a new man. What ever happened to him while Cobra went underground for a year has really changed him. I never heard him talk with such confidence about his plan." Destro sat back down.

The Baroness smiled and pushed her glasses up. "Yes. I've been listening to his speeches to the men. He's like a man reborn. He never was the tactician. But now, now I think he really is. You're right. Something did happen to him. Something that made him see the errors of past plans. Having Serpentor assassinated was obviously a good start."

Destro nodded. "Yes, it was. But now I think it's time I contacted Zartan and told him that he can activate the Pyramid when ready." He stood up and ordered a Tele-Viper to establish a private link with Zartan in his quarters. Destro and the Baroness left the command center to Destro's quarters.

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General Hawk entered the conference room and nodded slightly to Flint, Scarlett, Lady Jaye and Beach Head. He sat at the head of the table and had a grim look on his face. He spread out some photographs and technical read outs before the other Joe members. He spoke softly. "It seems that the video and audio tapes we received from Daina were from a Cobra base near Russia. Ladies, gentlemen. Cobra is back but the Commission doesn't recognize the evidence as proof."

Hawk got out of his chair and began pacing the room's length. "What I'm about to ask of you requires going against the United States Government. The evidence you see before you comes directly from the new Cobra base. Cobra plans on starting a new Pyramid of Darkness. We have the means to stop it, just we lack the manpower." Hawk stopped behind his chair and put his hands on the back of it. "In other words, I propose that we put the band back together."

The four Joe officers looked at each other confused. Finally Beach Head spoke up. "Are you suggesting that we go find the former members of G.I. Joe and bring them back without permission?" Hawk just smiled. "General Hawk, sir. I can't accept that. That's bordering on treason. I'm willing to forgot you suggested that if you dismiss this meeting right now." Beach Head stood to leave.

"Sit down, Beach Head," Scarlett said quietly. "None of us are going to put up with your machismo today. So either you sit down or I will make you sit down. All Hawk did was smile. Don't be like the idiots in Washington and forget what the right thing is. If going rogue is what we need to do to stop Cobra, then so be it. I support Hawk through thick, thin and impossible."

Beach Head looked at the four others, sat down slowly and kept quiet. Flint adjusted the bandage on the bridge of his nose. Lady Jaye set one of the sheets down. "These are some pretty remote areas the control cubes are in, Hawk. Two of which will need specialists to get in and out of. Do you have any idea where the other Joes have been sent?"

Hawk let a smirk slip. "No. But I have some friends in Washington who will supply me a list. It's not completely top secret. We'll just have to be subtle in approaching them for this assignment. I suggest we ask the ones who have been discharged out right to help out." Hawk sat back in the chair and watched his officers.

"I have an obvious question," Flint said slightly stuffed up from his broken nose. "Why don't we just make an all out assault on Cobra Island? I mean, we have the plans. We know what to do. We know where Cobra is. It just makes more sense than attacking each cube."

"The Cobra Island in the Gulf of Mexico has been and is abandoned for the past year. Two days ago a Navy patrol ship did it's weekly check," Hawk explained. "We don't know where this new base is located. Daina of the October Guard has been in a coma ever since Snow Job and Iceberg have found her. The new base is near Russia."

"And the Russians would frown if we started poking our noses in their backyard, right?"

Hawk nodded at Beach Head. "Exactly. So until we get some sort co-operation from the Russian government we're stuck hunting the cubes. I'm going to give a call to my old friend at the United Nations. Maybe he can get permission to enter Russian territory without being shot at." He poured a glass of water for himself. "I say we start on a list of Joes to recruit right away. Any suggestions?"

Scarlett stopped studying a picture. "I say we go for the specialists first. Also, see if you can find where Duke is. I have a feeling we're gonna need him for this. Besides, he'd be pissed if he missed a chance to take care of Cobra again."

Hawk agreed and asked for the other officers to write down their suggestions. After they had done so, he called the meeting to a close. The five G.I. Joe officers had just agreed to defy given orders and take down a threat their government denied that existed. None of them had any regrets about doing so.

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"Well, at least we got the easy job, Cover Girl." Scarlett adjusted her business suit. "We go in, flash the false identification and get Shipwreck the hell out of the slammer." She looked up at the front of the San Diego police station, then at Cover Girl.

"Are sure these will work? Mainframe didn't spend much time on them. They look kinda crappy." Cover Girl looked over the false identification and badge. "They look like something you'd buy at a toy store."

Scarlett headed into the police station. "Put that away and let's go." They both approached the main desk of the police station. The desk sergeant looked up. Scarlett and Cover Girl pulled out their false badges. "Hi, I understand you're holding a Hector X. Delgado. We're Agents Sculder and Mully from the FBI sent to pick Mr. Delgado up for suspicion of treason. I'm sure the local office has called you."

The desk sergeant looked at the two women in confusion. "I'm sorry, but I haven't been informed about anything about that. If you don't mind waiting here, I'll send Chief Lewis out. I'm sure she can sort this all out." The desk sergeant picked up the phone and called the police chief.

Cover Girl and Scarlett sat down and waited for the chief. She came down the stairs about five minutes later. "I'm Chief Lewis. I'm afraid I haven't heard anything about Hector Delgado being suspected for treason."

"Could we please see Mr. Delgado," Cover Girl asked very politely.

"Let me see your identification," Chief Lewis asked. Scarlett and Cover Girl looked at each other and pulled the badges out. Chief Lewis looked them both over. "Well, everything looks in order. He's only in for disorderly conduct. Hardly on the level of treason. I'll put him in your custody and get him while you fill out the paperwork." Lewis led Scarlett and Cover Girl to the desk and looked for the transfer papers. She then left the two.

Ten minutes later, Chief Lewis came out with Shipwreck. She handed them his belongings. "I explained everything to Mr. Delgado on the way out. He denies everything." She checked the paperwork over quickly. "Okay, thank you, Agents Sculder and Mully."

Scarlett and Cover Girl stood on each side of Shipwreck, who was now pleading his innocence, and led him to their car. They put him in the backseat and got in themselves. Scarlett drove away and removed her sunglasses and wig. Cover Girl did as well. "Well, I think we can take those cuffs off of him, Cover Girl."

Cover Girl undid the handcuffs on Shipwreck's wrists. "Okay, what's the catch here ladies?"

"Quick story. Cobra is back with a new Pyramid of Darkness. The Commission doesn't believe Hawk. He's getting the Joes back together illegally and going rogue to stop Cobra. How's that?" Cover girl explained.

"Well, I know I had nothing to do for the rest of the week." Shipwreck sat back in the backseat.

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In his hidden cabin in the Florida Everglades, Zartan finished his conversation with Destro. He then called another. After a few moments, a man floating in the air hovered before the monitor. "Yes? Who is this?" the man asked in Russian.

"The serpent strikes." Zartan said and pressed a button on what looked to be a remote control. "You may activate the Pyramid of Darkness on my mark." He placed his finger on a red button. The man did likewise off camera. "Three. Two. One. Mark!" Zartan and the cosmonaut both pressed their red buttons.

Zartan motioned a Tele-Viper over to him. "Inform Destro that the Pyramid has been activated and will be formed in about ten minutes. He has until then to start up the countermeasures for New Cobra Island." He began activating his own countermeasures and leaned back in his chair when he was finished. He knew soon the world would be plunged into darkness again.

TO BE CONTINUED IN "UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS"

PART 4 OF TO RULE THE WORLD.