The Jungle Chapter 8

By Cadet Deming

I don't own the rights to GIJOE, Devil's Due, Hasbro, and Marvel do, so please don't sue. Rated PG-13. Adult language and violence. Reviews are very welcome.

"Genetic Sliced Suppression of HIV Infection.What?" asked Flint incredulously.

"You morons! The AIDS retrovirus infects hosts cells that contain both a CD4 marker and a coreceptor site on the cell membrane. Mouse cells don't normally have those parts. I've been doing genetic engineering combining human and mouse cells that produce mutant cells with AIDS resistant surface proteins. I've been able to transfer these cells to reproduce in the human immune system of people previously dying of the HIV retrovirus here," *said Dr. Mindbender triumphantly.

"Could you say that in English? Cause I don't speak mad scientist," said Roadblock.

"He's found a cure for AIDS," said Lady Jaye.

"I love your language training Jaye," said Roadblock

"But why? What would Cobra have to gain from this? You usually go around putting people under mind control and kidnapping orphans and blowing things up," said Recondo.

"In case you haven't noticed the obvious, Cobra's old methods haven't worked. If we take over a country through war, we'll always be at war with its people. If we come in as saviors, preserving the lives of people's families and friends, the populace will welcome Cobra's dominion with open arms and give us absolute power. Besides, the stupid idea of trying to take over the world through its strongest link, namely America, was that madman Cobra Commander's idea. Serpentor's military brilliance understands the strategy of making the weakest countries our first conquests and building an empire through that method!" said Mindbender gleefully, while tweaking his mustache again.

"So in other words, your intentions are as bad as they've always been, but you're just doing the right thing and saving the lives of millions of people because you have to," said Flint.

"From the stories I've heard about the Joe team's exploits in Burugundi so far, you've been doing the wrong things and inadvertently threatening the lives of millions of people because you're sorely misguided. Doesn't that make us "the good guys" and you "the bad guys"? Do you really want to stop us now and let this horrid disease continue? A fine dilemma you have! What are you going to do? Stop Cobra out of your arrogant pride and be responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of people? Or back off, let us succeed and take over not just one but several countries, and win the Public Relations war internationally? No matter what happens, you lose!" said the Doctor.

Flint stood, his eyes going back and forth between his gun and the piles of research.

"You're the commanding officer man. What are you gonna do," asked Roadblock.

"I..I, " Flint started to say when suddenly...

KKKKKAAAAAAAABBLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAM!

The entire wall of research was blown in. The Joes were all thrown by the strength of the explosion and landed among the Cobras who were also knocked to the ground. The entire eastern section of the lab had been destroyed, a heaping pile of rubble its only remains. The Joes and Cobras all struggled to remove themselves from the shards of concrete and steel.

At the top of the ruins of the side of the compound, Snake-Eyes appeared. He was brandishing two Kitana blades, which he whisked through the air melodramatically. As he struck a Ju-Jitsu pose, Scarlett brandishing her crossbow appeared behind him. A large squad of "greenshirt" U.S. soldiers stepped into view, all pointing rifles menacingly.

"Well, the cavalry has finally arrived," said Scarlett.

Dr. Mindbender crawled out from under the wreckage and fell to his knees. "MY RESEARCH! They ruined MY RESEARCH!" he wailed.

"So what were they working on? Nuclear weapon? Biochemical Warfare? Those annoying JOIN AOL FOR A MONTH FREE CD's that keep clogging up my mailbox," asked Scarlett.

Flint stood up and said somberly," They had a cure for AIDS".

"MY RESEARCH!" wailed Mindbender, picking up the ashes and letting them fall through his hands to the ground.

"Excuse me," asked Scarlett, her expression pained," You're kidding right?"

"I'm deadly serious. They were going to use it as leverage to take over Sub-Saharan Africa," said Flint.

"You did make copies right? Hey, Earth to Dr. Mindbender! You did keep back up copies of your work, didn't you?"asked Lady Jaye hopefully.

Dr. Mindbender paused between gasps of hyperventilation.: "COPIES? Of course I made copies you morons.I...I...I kept the copies along the eastern wall!"

Everyone turned and looked at the desolate remains of the wall.

"Ya know the expression DON'T PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET," said Roadblock.

"This isn't happening... This isn't happening... This isn't happening," hyperventilated Mindbender.

"I thought you guys couldn't promise you'd be here for 24 hours," said Lady Jaye.

"We said we couldn't PROMISE, but we were able to come," said Scarlett.

"We needed you to come, we didn't need you to destroy the greatest advancement in medicine of the decade," said Flint.

"So in other words you were going to pick.," started Recondo.

"IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I WAS GOING TO PICK! The damage is done. Why did you have to blow up the fucking wall in the first place!?" shouted Flint.

"Well, we all know Snake-eyes is supposed to be the guy that fixes everything in the end. That and he tends to use too much C4 in his explosives," said Scarlett.

Although Snake-Eyes was wearing his mask, his expression seemed to be that of someone who was just told they'd run over an orphaned puppy with a truck.

"Maybe Mindbender is bluffing? Maybe he does still have his records stored someplace else," said Lady Jaye, clinging to denial.

"Do I look like I'm faking you imbecile?!" screamed the Doctor maniacally.

Suddenly a horde of Siegies stormed the room with guns raised. Lady Jaye was relieved to see that neither of the Crimson Guard Commanders was with them.

"Don't these guys ever quit?" sighed Flint as the Cobra and Joe soldiers cocked their rifles at each other from both sides.

"Wait! Wait! Maybe we can cut a deal," said Dr. Mindbender, regaining his "sanity".

"The Joe team doesn't cut deals with Cobra," said Flint. "Look, if both groups start firing now, we'll just get caught in the crossfire. Do you want to be responsible for any more deaths today Flint?" said Mindbender.

The Warrant Officer winced at the Doctor's words, but he quickly retorted with, "Hey what are you blaming me for? Snake-eyes was the one who destroyed this project."

Snake-Eyes again looked sheepish.

"It really wouldn't be in your best interest to broadcast that GIJOE eliminated Cobra's noble efforts to save millions of people. If you tried to capture us, inquiries would be made into the nature of our work. There would be congressional hearings, trials, and intelligence reports to be filed on permanent record. If the truth of what happened here reached the general public or international community, GIJOE would be the villains and Cobra the heroes. Your own ability to lead would be called into question. It could mean the end of your career. Plus ,every Joe here would be punished along with you, dragged down into infamy. Do you really want to be remembered as the people who ruined the cure for AIDS?" he asked cunningly.

Flint paused, letting Mindbender's words soak in. "And what exactly are you proposing?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"You let me....and the other Cobras go free without a fight. In exchange for letting me.us evacuate, the public never finds out what really happened here. Do we have a deal?" he asked.

"It's your decision Flint. Sometimes, when fighting the enemy, we have to sacrifice a few smaller principles to save the larger ones," said Scarlett.

Flint paused, surveying the wreckage, and the faces of the men and women under his command, all waiting for his response.

"Do we have a deal," asked Mindbender again.

(*Information from THE SCIENCE, SPREAD, AND THERAPY OF HIV DISEASE by Michael DiSpezio)