Part 3: Duke
Duke studied the most disturbing report that had crossed his desk in several weeks. A massacre in the swamps of Florida. Normally, he would automatically assume that it was work done by the Dreadnoks or maybe Cobra, but they seemed to be the main victims. Not the only victims, there were plenty of innocents killed as well. Most shot repeatedly and left on the side of the road. When a team of Joes led by Gung-Ho and Cutter entered the swamps to investigate they found what remained of a Cobra army.
In the end it would likely make little difference. Cobra seemed to have and endless supply of men. Either way, with his worries over the revived Cobra, dealing with the Jugglers, and trying to get the reinstated G.I. Joe team into top form, the last thing he needed was another player on the field. To say nothing of a well armed force that was capable of taking out a major Cobra force on its own turf.
He suddenly preferred the days, just hours ago really, when his biggest worries were trying to locate Firefly and Major Blood.
The intercom on his desk gently buzzed. He pressed the button and cut off his secretary. "I thought I told you I didn't want any interruptions."
"You have a long distance phone call, sir. He wont take no for an answer, and is giving pass codes he should not know."
"Who is it?"
"He says his name is Rob Buckingham."
Duke smiled, that was a name he had not heard in a very long time. Since before he joined G.I. Joe, and he was part of an international force that was dealing with Cobra. A Force that had always kept very close ties to G. I. Joe. Duke picked up the phone.
"Eagle! What can I do for you?"
"I was just calling to see how you were handling your retirement from the military." Buckingham answered with a British accent.
"Well, I'm not exactly retired any more."
"Well, I'm glad to hear that. I rather envy your position."
"So what have you been up to?" Duke asked, hoping that Buckingham would soon get to the point of his call.
"I'm retired now too. Doing much the same type of time killing activities that you had been up to until your reinstatement. Clipping newspaper stories, looking at other people's photos, doing a bit of fishing, that sort of thing."
"Sounds like it is just as dull for you as it was for me then, Rob."
"Well, while I was looking over some new papers today, I got to remembering the old days."
"Really? Is it something that I would remember?" Duke asked.
"Actually I think it was a few weeks before you joined up. The big push we made just before the Asian snake infestation."
"I don't remember it off hand, but I can look it up. Was there anything in piticular about it that you reminisce about?"
"Not really. I just got to thinking that a year later there was a bit of a revival, but nothing came of it. And we never located most of the leaders."
"What makes you remember the old days?"
Buckingham uttered a humorless chuckle. "Some things you never forget, but I really cant talk about that. Hush-hush, you understand."
"I certainly do," Duke said, "Thanks for the call, I hope I can return the favor."
"No problem, Duke," Buckingham replied, then hung up.
Duke sat for a moment, then buzzed his secretary. "Dig up all the old files on the Red Shadows."
Duke studied the most disturbing report that had crossed his desk in several weeks. A massacre in the swamps of Florida. Normally, he would automatically assume that it was work done by the Dreadnoks or maybe Cobra, but they seemed to be the main victims. Not the only victims, there were plenty of innocents killed as well. Most shot repeatedly and left on the side of the road. When a team of Joes led by Gung-Ho and Cutter entered the swamps to investigate they found what remained of a Cobra army.
In the end it would likely make little difference. Cobra seemed to have and endless supply of men. Either way, with his worries over the revived Cobra, dealing with the Jugglers, and trying to get the reinstated G.I. Joe team into top form, the last thing he needed was another player on the field. To say nothing of a well armed force that was capable of taking out a major Cobra force on its own turf.
He suddenly preferred the days, just hours ago really, when his biggest worries were trying to locate Firefly and Major Blood.
The intercom on his desk gently buzzed. He pressed the button and cut off his secretary. "I thought I told you I didn't want any interruptions."
"You have a long distance phone call, sir. He wont take no for an answer, and is giving pass codes he should not know."
"Who is it?"
"He says his name is Rob Buckingham."
Duke smiled, that was a name he had not heard in a very long time. Since before he joined G.I. Joe, and he was part of an international force that was dealing with Cobra. A Force that had always kept very close ties to G. I. Joe. Duke picked up the phone.
"Eagle! What can I do for you?"
"I was just calling to see how you were handling your retirement from the military." Buckingham answered with a British accent.
"Well, I'm not exactly retired any more."
"Well, I'm glad to hear that. I rather envy your position."
"So what have you been up to?" Duke asked, hoping that Buckingham would soon get to the point of his call.
"I'm retired now too. Doing much the same type of time killing activities that you had been up to until your reinstatement. Clipping newspaper stories, looking at other people's photos, doing a bit of fishing, that sort of thing."
"Sounds like it is just as dull for you as it was for me then, Rob."
"Well, while I was looking over some new papers today, I got to remembering the old days."
"Really? Is it something that I would remember?" Duke asked.
"Actually I think it was a few weeks before you joined up. The big push we made just before the Asian snake infestation."
"I don't remember it off hand, but I can look it up. Was there anything in piticular about it that you reminisce about?"
"Not really. I just got to thinking that a year later there was a bit of a revival, but nothing came of it. And we never located most of the leaders."
"What makes you remember the old days?"
Buckingham uttered a humorless chuckle. "Some things you never forget, but I really cant talk about that. Hush-hush, you understand."
"I certainly do," Duke said, "Thanks for the call, I hope I can return the favor."
"No problem, Duke," Buckingham replied, then hung up.
Duke sat for a moment, then buzzed his secretary. "Dig up all the old files on the Red Shadows."