Disclaimers: Please see chapter 1, as usual I don't own the Joes though that would be a dream come true! LOL...My apologies to those that have been emailing me and asking for this to be updated. I hope the next update will be sooner. Thanks to GIJaye for helping me out with this and to Wolfman for the weaponry.

Thanks for being so patient!


"Destro, have you heard from Sssamir?" Cobra Commander bellowed from across the flight hanger. Failing to notice Destro was locked in a heated debate with Mindbender, he called his name once more as he made his way towards the two men with Zartan in tow.

"Dessstro!" The Commander hissed angrily, flinging his arm out, striking one viper in the chest on his intercept course. Zartan snickered at the sight of the man scrambling to right himself before he landed up against the tread of a HISS IV and slid to the dust-covered floor with a thud.

Glancing towards the hanger bay doors, Zartan observed a pair of vipers choking on the hot, sand filled air blowing into the hanger. The two men stood grappling their black masks to their faces in an attempt to shield themselves from the harsh elements as they pulled the hanger doors shut.

"Mindbender!" The Commander growled, closing the distance between the two men and him.

"What do you mean the plasma cannon is not working? My engineers assured me that it was." Destro snatched the cannon's blueprints from Mindbender's hands.

"Dessstro! Mindbender!" The Commander shrieked once more.

"Cobra Commander, I don't believe they heard you," Zartan stated above the Commander's next plaintive outburst.

"This is your doing, isn't it?" Destro roared, balling the blueprints up in his hands. The hanger fell silent. Everyone watched Destro throw the blueprints to the ground. Grabbing Mindbender by the throat with one hand, Destro lifted him off the ground, shaking him violently. "You couldn't leave it alone, could you?" He asked, releasing his hold enough for the mad scientist to issue a painful response.

"I was simply studying the efficiency of the weapon for our esteemed Cobra Commander," Mindbender choked, flailing his hands over Destro's while casting a merciful plea to the Commander.

"There was nothing wrong with the efficiency of this weapon you so brilliantly botched up. This isn't one of your inane science projects you can grow in a bloody test tube! You've just compromised this deal with Samir." Destro snarled mere inches from Mindbender's face, fogging up Minderbender's monocle.

The stifling humidity combined with his nervous state resulted in perspiration running down Mindbender's face causing the rim of his monocle to slip from his right eye to lie precariously against his chest.

"Dessstro, what isss the meaning of thisss?" Cobra Commander stepped forward, hitting Destro's upper arm with a backslap of his gloved hand. Destro ignored the interruption and continued to evoke fear from Mindbender.

"Mindbender couldn't leave well enough alone," Destro answered with a dangerous growl, refusing to release Mindbender from his menacing glare.

The mad scientist gulped his fear down as Zartan interceded, breaking Destro's hold on the man with a swift chopping motion down between them.

"Enough of thisss bickering!" The Commander snapped, gesturing to Zartan to remove Mindbender to the side. "What isss the statusss of the arms deal? Sssamir will not allow us to establish our new bassse unless we sssupply him with..." The Commander paused, looking past the two men to a smoldering pile of debris. "What is that?" He pointed.

"That, my dear Cobra Commander, is the cannon we were to give to Samir." Destro threw up his hands in disgust.

"What is the meaning of thissss?" The Commander narrowed his eyes on Mindbender's shirking form.

"I was simply making modifications to the cannon's firing system to test its efficiency as you commanded," Mindbender replied in a sly attempt to shift Destro's rage towards the Commander.

"You told him to do this?" Destro roared at the Commander, flinging one arm back towards the still smoldering pile of debris.

"Mindbender!" The Commander turned back towards the mad scientist who instinctively backed up into Zartan's waiting grasp.

"My dear Cobra Commander," Mindbender sputtered, wrenching his arms free of Zartan's hold. "I simply wanted to ensure that Samir could not retaliate against our forces. A fail safe to ensure YOUR ultimate success." He attempted to cajole the Commander.

"My engineers already saw to that," Destro hissed, seizing Mindbender roughly by the arm. Destro noticed an amused gleam strike Zartan's eye. "What is it that you find so entertaining?" The arms dealer challenged, casting Mindbender to the side and directing his full attention to Zartan.

"Nothing, Destro. Perhaps, you should have left one of your precious Iron Grenadiers to babysit the cannon if it was that delicate." Zartan scoffed, nodding to a pair of Iron Grenadiers as they approached.

"Why-" Destro lunged towards the mercenary only to be blocked by a pair of vipers at the wave of the Commander's hand.

"ENOUGH!" the Commander yelled, "Dessstro, you will meet with Sssamir and delay the exchange while Mindbender and your engineersss correct the problem. Zartan will go with you."

"I don't require HIS assistance in this matter." Destro sneered, crossing his arms over his chest. He stepped back from Zartan, pivoting on his heel to meet the Commander's eyes.

"You don't have a choice. Ssssamir has been told to expect your arrival tonight." The sudden sound of crackling static and popping noises emanating from the tampered weapon drew the Commander's attention. "MINDBENDER!"

"Yes, Cobra Commander."

"Get thisss mess cleaned up AND get thisss weapon back together or else." The Commander fumed, waving a dismissive hand towards the cannon. "Destro, are you with me?" He called, returning to his command center.

"Coming---" Destro began, pausing at the sardonic grin etched on Zartan's face. "What are you laughing about now, Zartan?"

"Nothing, Destro. I'm just waiting for you." Zartan shrugged.

"Waiting for me? Don't you have something else to do?"

"Not really, besides I get paid by the hour, remember?" The mercenary replied haughtily.


"Chuckles, we just can't sit here and do nothing?" Falcon stalked back and forth across the suite before stopping in front of the Intelligence Operative who was meticulously cleaning his berretta at the table.

"We wait," Chuckles replied flatly. Examining the berretta he had been cleaning, he held it up, running a cloth over it to wipe the excess gun oil from it. "She's a pro. She knows what to do."

"She wouldn't disappear this long." Falcon leaned in his face. "Would she?"

"Depends." Chuckles shrugged, concentrating on his weapon while reclining back in his chair. He rotated the firearm on its side left to right, rechecking its assembly.

"Depends?" Falcon asked, narrowing his eyes on Chuckles' unconcerned expression.

"She may have to lie low. Besides, we don't know what she's found."

"She should have contacted us by now," Falcon growled more forcefully, clasping his hand on one of Chuckles' shoulders. "I'm getting a bad feeling about this one."

"Lady Jaye knows what she's doing, kid." Chuckles reached back, throwing Falcon's hand from his shoulder. Setting his berretta down before him, he placed his hands knuckles down on the table, hunching his shoulders up. Raising his eyes to Falcon's he lowered his voice to a firm reminder, "How many times do I have to tell you, she's the best at what she does?"

"She should have reported in by now. It's standard procedure." Falcon huffed, turning his back on him.

"Standard procedure? That's rich, coming from you." Chuckles laughed, shaking his head. "Since when did you become a stickler for---" The sound of someone rapping on the door interrupted them. Placing his index finger to his mouth, Chuckles nodded towards the door before retreating to the shuttered room. Snapping a fresh magazine into his berretta, he stood poised for any sudden move.

"Sheik Akbar al Haq?" A soldier asked, standing outside in the hall with his weapon holstered. Falcon placed his hand behind his back, spreading it open palm up to ward Chuckles off.

"Yes?" Falcon opened the door wider, looking past the soldier to see if others were lurking in hall.

"Prince Samir wishes to see you this evening." The soldier stood at attention with his chest puffed out while presenting a sealed envelope to Falcon. "I am to wait for your response and report back." He dropped his hand back to his side, waiting for Falcon to read the Arabic script of the sealed letter.

"Hmm." Falcon scratched his chin as he read. He folded the letter in half and slipped it inside his jacket before raising his eyes to the soldier. "I'll be there. I trust Prince Samir will be sending a car for me?"

"Yes, Sir, for you and your wives," the soldier replied with a confused expression.

"One of my wives is ill. Please inform the Prince that both will remain behind." Falcon stated in a matter of factly while placing his hand on the edge of the door, blocking the soldiers view into the suite.

"But?"

"I fail to see why their presence is required," Falcon coldly dismissed the objection. "Now, I will be waiting for the driver; until then, please give Prince Samir my salaams." Falcon cautiously pulled the door closed, watching the soldier scurry off down the hall to the elevator. Locking the door, he turned, raising an eyebrow to Chuckles exiting the shuttered room. "You heard?"

"Yeah, you did good." Chuckles nodded, holstering his berretta. "You'll go in as planned while I handle surveillance from the outside. Hopefully, we'll hear from Jaye before we go in."

"Hopefully," Falcon sighed wearily.


"How many servants are allowed here?" Lady Jaye scanned the small, secluded inner courtyard. Like the women's rooms, there had been no expense in the architecture and design of this inner sanctuary. Marble fountains with lush greenery flourished within the grounds. She marveled at the vibrant flowers climbing the archways of the doorways leading back inside the palace. Hidden from prying eyes, she noticed the women more relaxed. The cattiness of the women's' rooms had dissipated; in its place, serenity had evolved.

Lady Jaye observed a few women in simple garb milling about as she located the Queen, the former Dr. Nancy Winters. Dressed in a beautiful light blue satin malakat, a loose fitting dress that fell to the ground, Nancy tossed her son carefully in her arms, spinning him around. Their laughter filled the open air.

Watching as they spun, Lady Jaye noticed the intricate, silk embroidery of the gabbeh, chest piece of the dress when Nancy dipped her son downward. "He's got his Mommy's blond hair," Lady Jaye silently mused as she continued to watch them. Nancy hugged her son to her in a tight squeeze, sending the child into a fit of giggles before depositing a kiss on his nose.

"Samina?" Lady Jaye prompted the other women to speak as she watched Nancy tousle the boy's blond hair with her figures.

"Only those you see, aside from me, no one else comes here. The servants are sent to and fro for whatever the Queen and the young prince require," Samina whispered. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason. It's best if you know as little as possible until I figure a few things out. I need to get closer to the Queen." Lady Jaye nudged Samina forward, following her closely. The two women approached the mother and child as they continued to play.

"My Queen?" Samina called out, bowing her head.

"Samina, please." Nancy started to protest the formality but halted when she spied Lady Jaye behind Samina. "Who are you?" Nancy asked, protectively cradling her son to her.

"A friend of Dusty's, Dr. Winters," Lady Jaye replied in a low whisper, stepping forward with her head slightly bowed. "I was sent to bring the two of you to safety."

"Dusty? He's locked up with Jabal and the other soldier." Nancy gulped, fighting down her fear for their continued safety.

"I have to get you to safety first. There will be others here as well," Lady Jaye assured her, lifting her eyes to meet Nancy's.

"I only wish I could believe you," Nancy sighed, brushing a kiss over her son's forehead. The toddler yawned, snuggling against his mother's shoulder with his thumb in his mouth. "Samina, please take Khalid for his nap and stay with him." Nancy handed the sleepy child over to Samina and turned back to Lady Jaye. Placing a hand on Lady Jaye's shoulder, Nancy guided her to the edge of a small pool and sat down. "The walls have-"

"Ears? I know," Lady Jaye interrupted, easing herself down as she accepted a mending basket from Nancy.

"Just appear busy and no one will notice you much." Nancy studied Lady Jaye with a keen eye, noting her fair complexion and green eyes. "Has Samir or Valide seen you, yet?"

"Yes, they've seen me." Lady Jaye signed heavily as she rummaged through the basket to appear busy.

"What happened?" Nancy dropped down beside her, grabbing Lady Jaye's wrist to gain her undivided attention.

"I threw Samir over my shoulder trying to escape," Lady Jaye replied with a shrug.

"Oh God, you didn't?" Nancy released her wrist to cover her mouth in an attempt to suppress an urge to laugh out loud. "And Valide?"

"I need to learn my place. It seems." Lady Jaye smirked humorously.

"Good, you're safe for now. Valide loves to rule the women's rooms like a harem of sorts as you can tell by the name if you know anything of-" Nancy began.

"The Ottoman Empire." Lady Jaye finished.

"She carefully chooses those she thinks would suit Samir's tastes." Nancy voiced her contempt.

"Well, he's definitely not my taste," Lady Jaye snorted, returning to the basket. She reached inside, lifting up a torn silk scarf and a fine needle. She continued to rummage the contents, drawing forth a spool of golden thread and proceeded to thread the needle as Nancy spoke.

"She wasn't too pleased when Khalid was born and replaced Samir as the next in line." Nancy sighed heavily as she looked to the Samina carrying Khalid off for his nap.

"Kingdom's have been toppled for less." Lady Jaye added dryly, puncturing the embroidered area of the silk with her needle and thread to appear busy. "Especially when COBRA has a hand in it, no one's safe." She discretely shifted her eyes around the courtyard, searching for any guards while adding a few stitches to the already embroidered material before tying of the thread. Unable to find a single guard, Lady Jaye held up the silk scarf for inspection. "Is this suitable?" She raised her voice, gaining the attention of a servant passing.

"Yes, it's lovely. Thank you," Nancy replied, running her fingertips over one corner of the silken material while nodding her approval.

Lady Jaye stalled a moment, waiting for the servant to pass. Lowering her voice to a near whisper, she glanced to the doors. "How many guards are posted nearby at any given time?"

"Maybe two or three, we're not a concern to Samir since he's declared himself regent over Khalid. Khalid's safety is of the utmost importance to him for appearances sake so he rarely shows his face here. Why?" Nancy asked, following Lady Jaye's eyes as they continued to scan the area.

"I need to get you and Khalid out of here before the others escape. I need to know the routines, the comings and goings of the servants."

"It's impossible." Nancy bit her lip pensively, lowering her gaze to the pool before her as she slipped her sandals off. Stretching her right foot out, Nancy traced lazy circles in the water, sending ripples floating across the fountain. She voiced her thoughts to Lady Jaye in an apprehensive whisper. "There's no way for us to escape and I can't leave Jabal here."

"Samir is playing your fears for one another's safety against the two of you. We need to get you out of here. There's always a way. We just have to find it," Lady Jaye forcefully countered, setting the basket to the side. She stood to scan the courtyard.

"What are you thinking?" Nancy questioned, rising to her feet.

"I'm thinking how to get us all out of here." Lady Jaye walked past her, surveying the activities of the several servants as she turned back to face Nancy. "Do they all live here in the palace?"

"No, why?" Nancy frowned, following Lady Jaye's eyes to the servants preparing to leave the courtyard.

"I think I found a way to get you and Khalid out of here." Lady Jaye stepped towards her own workbasket.

"How's that?" Nancy grabbed Lady Jaye's upper arm, releasing her at the stares of one of the servants passing.

"Just leave everything to me," Lady Jaye said, stooping to retrieve the basket. She spied a few servants leaving and bowed her head to be excused.

"Wait!" Nancy yelled, drawing all eyes to her. She looked side to side quickly giving the others a look to carry on before lowering her voice so that only Lady Jaye could hear as she shifted her eyes, directing Lady Jaye's attention to a nearby servant covering herself.

"You need to be covered when you leave here," Nancy whispered. "Go to Samina. She'll give you a burqa to wear over your head." She sighed heavily, shaking her head at Lady Jaye. "I hope you know what you're doing," Nancy murmured, gesturing Lady Jaye's dismissal from her.

Smoothing her right hand over her left shoulder to will away a sudden chill, Nancy watched Lady Jaye enter Khalid's room before she emerged with a burqa to wander off with the others. "Oh, Jabal, how could your cousin drive us to this?" Nancy wondered.

Carrying her basket, Lady Jaye blended in with the other women, following them through the kitchens where she observed preparations for a feast of sorts. The rich aroma of the spices used to season the full lambs turning on spikes in the blackened fireplaces filled the air.

Lady Jaye noticed tables piled high with fruits and vegetables as she watched an older woman overseeing the preparations and stepped back, cloistering herself in a storage area to avoid detection. A few small children ran with odds and ends from one table to another. The kitchen was teeming with activity, too much activity. She noted with a wry smile.

Lady Jaye heard the sudden roar of a large truck echo through the kitchens as it arrived with a delivery for the feast. She watched the older woman hobble over to the driver's door and followed at a distance, weaving her way past the tables and other servants to learn more. Listening intently, Lady Jaye picked up enough pieces to realize that the delivery truck would be leaving later that night once dinner had started to take some of the servants and children back to town.

"If the truck is here," Lady Jaye thought, snaking her hand back behind her neck to lift her hair off her neck to ward off the sweltering heat from the kitchen. "I can use it to get them out of here, but how do I get them out undetected? Come on...think..." She trained her eyes on everything and everyone in the kitchens. Resting her eyes on a group of women carrying large baskets of clothing, Lady Jaye reached for a nearby basket and fell into line behind them. Bowing her eyes to avoid stares from the guards she passed along the way, she managed to hang back a safe distance from the chattering women until they reached their destination, the women's rooms.

"Wonderful, all roads lead back here," Lady Jaye silently noted. Setting her basket down, she stealthily made her way over to a large pillar to conceal herself. Lady Jaye watched the women going through the baskets and smiled to herself. One of the women held up a beautiful malakat before passing it to another woman. Watching as the woman continued passing out the exquisite malakats, she wondered, "What are they up to?" Excitement laced the air.

The sound of the heavy doors opening screeched, interrupting the women. All heads turned to the doors, watching in respectful silence as Valide approached with a pair of women each carrying an armful of clothing.

"Great, what's she up to now?" Lady Jaye pressed herself against the pillar, sliding around carefully to avoid detection as she crept up behind a large sofa. She followed the example of another woman by fluffing the pillows and straightening the area around the sofa as she observed Valide and the other two women walking towards a secluded recess of the women's room. Valide clapped her hands, summoning a few women to her. By the expressions on their faces, Valide had bestowed upon them something of great value.

"What are you up to?" Lady Jaye studied them more carefully as she worked her way over to them. One of the women held up a dancer's costume reminiscent of Hollywood. Realizing that this was yet another example of Samir's bastardization of the culture, Lady Jaye pensively shook her head as she recalled her dossier on Samir. She knew from her studies that no Arab woman would wear such an outfit. She also knew that this was nothing more than an exploitation of Western myth taken from Hollywood.

It all made sense now. Samir had been born and raised in this tiny kingdom until he left as an impressionable teen to study in the United Kingdom. Lady Jaye had managed to track his movements since his tenure at Eton. Her extensive research had yielded an assortment of contacts along the way including a tie to a known Cobra cell during his years at St. Andrews University where he had studied Economics at the Honor's level. Impressionable, a young man with ambition, he was easily sculpted into the calculating man he had become. Lady Jaye knew from the dossier and her observations that Samir was as dangerous as any Cobra agent, maybe more so since she could not anticipate his next move. He was too complex.

The sound of the other women softly giggling broke her train of thought. Shaking her head, Lady Jaye turned to see one of the women tripping around under Valide's tutelage. "My God, here come the follies." Lady Jaye suppressed an urge to laugh out loud as she heard Valide.

"You will dance for Samir in front of his guests, later tonight. Remember, you will not go near the masked man or the other man accompanying him," Valide warned.

"Masked man?" Lady Jaye whispered to herself. "Who? Destro? Firefly? Storm Shadow?" She ran through each Cobra agent she could think of while following the women with her eyes. She watched as Valide continued, issuing instructions. "Looks like I just hit pay dirt." Lady Jaye realized this could be her ticket to find out how involved Cobra was with Samir if she played her cards right. "Now, how to get the guys out of here," she speculated, slipping back into the other room where the other women began to dress for the evening.

Lady Jaye slipped from the room, retreating back to the servants' corridor. Leaning against the cool stonewall, she sighed heavily. "Getting Nancy and Khalid out should be easy but how do I get Flint and the others out before Cobra arrives," Lady Jaye wondered as the image of Flint's battered face came to the front of her mind.


Flint rested his back against the wall beside the cell door, following the guard's movements with his eyelids partially closed. He watched the guard, kicking his feet up to the top of his desk. "Won't be long." Flint fumed to himself, painfully shifting his jaw as he watched the guard start to snooze. Clenching his fist, he drew up a fist full of dirt; slowly pouring it back to the floor while his mind replayed the interrogation. The low dull ache in his jaw had brought the memory to the forefront of his mind.

"Samir, you'll never get away with this," Jabal called out to his cousin, standing outside the cell door with Omar. The pair trained their eyes on the three men being led to them in shackles. Flint and Dusty each had a guard at their elbow. With a nod from Samir, Omar pulled the cell door open.

"I already have, cousin." Samir stood back as Jabal and Dusty were tossed one by one into the cell. "Wait," he snapped at the guards holding Flint, his eyes accessing him cautiously as the guards turned Flint to face him. "My sources have told me that you're the one in charge."

Flint raised his eyes to meet Samir's in a defiant glare.

"I see, the John Wayne type, well as you Americans like to say 'It's time we had a little chat, eh?" Samir gestured to the men holding Flint towards the other corridor and the interrogation room he had prepared.

Samir had been the first to enter the room, wanting to see the soldiers face at the sparse room furnished only with an old wooden table and two chairs. He noticed Flint's eyes scanning the room. "No exit points except the door, I assure you," Samir smirked, watching as the guards threw Flint into a wooden chair. Instinctively, Flint kicked out, struggling with the guards as they pulled his arms back. He lowered his head, twisting his shoulders forward, fighting off their attempts to restrain him.

Out of nowhere, Omar blindsided Flint with the butt of his 9mm Tokagypt, an Egyptian copy of a Soviet Pistolet Makarov, clipping his jaw at an awkward angle. Flint staggered back in his seat enough for the two guards to secure his wrists to the back of the chair. Grabbing Flint's throat, Omar squeezed, choking off his air while they secured his ankles to the legs of the chair.

"Who are you?" Omar leaned in Flint's face with his nostrils flaring. He shook the back of the wooden chair holding a bound, shackled Flint.

"Flint, Warrant Officer, 307-62-4107," Flint replied with a steely resolve, his voice deadpanned.

"Name, rank and serial number?" Samir scoffed, propping his boot on a nearby chair in the corner. He sneered, picking his nails with the blade of his knife. "Shall we try it again?" He palmed the handle of the knife, flipping it over by the tip. "Why are you really here?"

"Flint, Warrant Officer, 307-62-4107," Flint stated through gritted teeth while his hands tested the strength of the shackles securing his wrist. "Why is it Lady Jaye never has a problem picking a lock?" He wondered, feeling the stinging blow of Omar's. Shaking the effects he gingerly lifted his head, rolling his face towards Samir.

"Are you ready to tell us who you are and what you're doing in MY kingdom?" Samir cocked an eyebrow, tossing the knife once more.

"Last time I checked, Jabal was still the king." Flint chortled.

With a nod, Samir darted his eyes to Omar, raising the butt of his Tokagypt. "Was the king," Samir snorted as Omar sent the butt smashing into the right side of Flint's face, connecting with his jaw. "Shall we try this again, Flint?" Samir slammed the blade of his knife into the top of the table, mere inches from Flint. "What are you REALLY doing here?"

With a sneer, Flint recited, "Flint, Warrant Officer, 307-62-4107."

"Omar, our friend here isn't cooperating," Samir chuckled menacingly, inhaling a deep breath. He waved his right hand, prompting Omar to grab the front of Flint's BDU shirt, jerking his head upwards while driving a series of blows to his face, blackening his eye, splitting his lower lip.

"We can go all night if need be." Samir walked closer to him, standing off to the side to survey Omar's handiwork. Flint's head hung low, shaking the effects to clear his mind. "Why are you here?"

"Go to hell!" Flint spat, his mouth full of blood.

"Omar," Samir growled, nodding for him to continue. As the questions and his non-compliance continued, Omar pummeled Flint until he finally blacked out, leaving the guards to drag him back to the cell where he now sat.

"Flint," Dusty hissed sharply, summoning his attention.

"Hmmm?" Flint shook himself, absent-mindedly rubbing his hand over his mouth where the coppery taste of his blood still lingered.

"I th-ink, we g-ot it." Dusty strained, lifting the slab enough to leave it sitting ajar as it fell.

Flint's eyes lifted to the ceiling, sending a silent prayer. Seeing the guard still sleeping at his desk, he crept over to Dusty and Jabal.

"Not an easy task, my friends." Jabal grinned, offering Dusty a rag to wipe his brow as he kneeled beside him. Placing his hands on the edge, Jabal nodded to Flint to help shouldered the weight of the slab and pushed, barely moving it.

"It's gonna take all three of us to move this," Flint fumed, pushing himself up and back from the slab. "We'll make our move tonight..."