Disclaimer: I do not own GI Joe, Action Force, or Battle Action Force, or
any of their characters. I am just using them for a bit.
Pt. 5: Tomax and Xamot
"This floor is where most"
"Of our investments are handled."
John Shepard followed his hosts, Tomax and Xamot, as they guided him through the halls of Extensive Enterprises. He scarcely paid them any attention as they went through their sales pitch to get him to let their company handle his finances, instead he was paying more attention to seeing who was in each room that they passed. In just about every room was someone he recognized. So far, everything was set for the plan. Jackal should be just outside the parking deck waiting for his exit, and the first surprise should be arriving soon enough. The next office they passed contained an elderly Japanese man talking with a sales representative, Red Laser was also ready.
"You seem extra busy today, are you?"
"Yes, business is picking up,"
"It's a sign that the economy is about to improve." A lie, Tomax thought. He and his associates would make sure that the economy stayed low, at least until Cobra had finished its land acquisitions.
"Ah, yes, of course." Shepard answered.
"Didn't you say that you had"
"Military experience, Mr. Shepard?"
"Yes, I got my start with the British SAS," John Shepard replied.
"Many of our clients come from various military backgrounds."
"We have even helped some of them come out of retirement."
"I still find ways to stay active." Shepard replied. He was already bored with these twins. At least he knew the fun would begin soon.
Back on the street level, a car pulled up to the front doors of the Extensive Enterprises building. Its passenger got out and walked into the building, while the car remained where it was, waiting.
One of the security men at the door waited a moment, then seeing that the car had no intention of moving on, walked over to it. "Excuse me sir, this is not a parking area. Could you move your car please?"
"blood."
The guard was confused, "What?"
"Blood for the Baron!" The car driver shouted, and the car exploded.
The sound and initial shockwave triggered steel shutters to close across the windows and doors of the Extensive Enterprises building, so that no damage was done when the main shockwave of the explosion hit, carrying parts of car debris and parts of security guard.
Additional Extensive Enterprises security agents rushed to the scene, only to be felled by sniper fire from a nearby building. A few more sniper shots impacted harmlessly against the steel window shutters that now secured the building.
* * *
John Smith had always hated his generic name, and his generic accounting job as well. There was nothing out of the ordinary about his life, and he resented that. Then the steel shutters slammed over the windows to his office floor. Then, even stranger, his co-worker, Fred, began quickly assembling an assault rifle from parts located in his company briefcase.
John couldn't say anything, he couldn't imagine that Fred would go on a crazy shooting spree. Fred was too generic to do anything like that. All John could do was hide behind his desk.
Then Fred began pulling on a red uniform, with a silver Cobra insignia on its front, but before he could finish dressing, another man in red kicked open the door, only this man in red sported a skull and cross bones.
The second man in red quickly shot Fred three times, then turned the gun on John.
***
The steel shutters slammed down over the windows, quickly followed by a plink plink of sniper fire slamming onto the steel shutter. John Shepard knew he did not look as surprised as he should have. "What happened?"
"Something activated the building security."
"Nothing to worry about. If you will excuse us,"
"There is something we must attend to."
"Actually, Gentlemen," Shepard said while leveling a gun at them, "If you value your own safety you will stay here, with me, the Black Major."
The twins looked at the gun the Black Major was holding on them, and then at each other before slowly sitting back down into the conference room chairs.
"Well, then Black Major, " Tomax began.
"How can we be of assistance?" Xamot finished.
*** Airtight rushed up to Duke, "So far none of the explosions have been chemical or radioactive. Tripwire has defused three car bombs, but-"
Another explosion went off down the street that the GI Joe team had just finished clearing of civilians.
"-we don't know how many more there are."
"Keep working on it, and call in more bomb sniffing dogs." Duke ordered. This was turning into a busy day, and at the heart of the trouble, the Extensive Enterprises building stood, locked up tighter than a Cobra fortress under siege.
Several of the Extensive Enterprises security men who had not been caught in any of the bomb blasts, had been wounded by snipers; Lifeline was tending to their wounds, attempting to save their lives, while Lady Jaye, Beach Head, and Spirit were trying to find the Snipers. Low-Light had taken his own sniper position to provide support if it was needed, and Tunnel Rat was checking to see if there were any ways into Extensive Enterprises from below street level.
***
Tunnel Rat stopped suddenly, which caught some of the greenshirts behind him off guard. Someone swore when he stepped into something he did not want to identify, and Tunnel Rat silenced him with a dirty look.
Bringing his gun up, Tunnel Rat checked around the corner. His caution was rewarded as he avoided being hit by the hail of gunfire that came from around the corner.
Ducking back, he put his gun around the corner and fired blindly. He raised up his communication bracelet, "Duke, got men in Red trying to burn their way through a steel shutter down here."
"Do you need reinforcements?" Duke asked.
One of the Greenshirts pulled a grenade, and hurled it down the sewer tunnel with the men in red.
After the blast, Tunnel Rat looked to make sure all were dead, "Nope, but who are these guys in red with the Skull and Crossbones?"
"They are called Red Shadows. we thought they had been wiped out before Cobra even came into existence."
"Wish they had," Tunnel Rat answered as he stepped over their bodies to check the steel shutter across the sewer tunnel. "I don't think we will be able to get into EE this way. The Doors are too thick."
***
"You are in for a real treat," Said the Black Major, "You have the opportunity to meet the leader of the Red Shadows, and you just might be able to live to tell about it."
The sounds of gunfire echoed through out the building. Tomax and Xamot could not help wondering how their undercover Crimson Guardsmen were doing. Still, if either side had been pushovers, the shooting would have been over a long time ago.
Finally, there was a high pitched whine, followed by the smell of ozone, and all the shooting had stopped, at least on that floor.
"Since we are still alive, does that mean,"
"You wish to come to some sort of arrangement?"
"It does," answered a new voice from the door. Red Laser stood wearing a red uniform with a smoother face mask than the regular foot soldier. "We wish you to deliver a message."
"And do we need to be alive to deliver this message?" Xamot asked.
"No, you do not." Red Laser answered, and the Black Major smiled at the thought.
Xamot's question was just the distraction Tomax needed to trip a silent alarm. Crimson Guardsmen would soon be responding. They needed to resolve the situation quickly, the GI Joe team would surely be responding to whatever it was that caused the shutters to close. There were too many dead Crimson Guardsmen, if the Joe team found them they may take that as solid evidence to link Extensive Enterprises with Cobra.
"Your help will not be arriving," Red Laser said.
"My men have already secured our exit route. They will ensure that we remain undisturbed." The Black Major explained. "Now, Up."
Tomax and Xamot stood, following the motions of the Black Major's gun as he guided them into the hallway, which was lined with Red Shadow soldiers.
They reached the elevator at the end of the hallway, which was already heading down to their floor. The doors opened, revealing a man dressed in a white jumpsuit, with a red front sporting the skull and crossbones, and a black round tube covering his head, except for a slot revealing two angry eyes.
"May I present," Red Laser announced, "the Baron Ironblood. Leader of the Red Shadows."
Black Major remained impassive.
"Have you agreed to our terms?" The Baron asked.
"His voice." Tomax stammered.
"It sounds just like.." Xamot continued.
"Your Cobra Commander?" Black Major finished for them. "That is an interesting question, isn't it."
"The offer has not yet been explained to them, My Baron." Red Laser replied.
"I see," said the Baron, obviously not pleased, then he turned his attention to the brothers. "In exchange for your life, you will deliver a visual message to Cobra Commander, and you will give us access to your financial records."
"Those records."
"Are strictly confidential."
"Ah. you pretend to have morals." The Baron raised his pistol and fired once.
Both brothers grabbed their left arm in pain, but only one of them was bleeding.
"I suppose, it wouldn't hurt."
"If you had a quick look."
It was impossible to tell if the Baron or Red Laser were pleased, but the Black Major had a look of satisfaction on his face as he led the brothers to a computer terminal, where they sat and brought up the database of Extensive Enterprises clients.
"No, Not that listing." The Baron hissed. "The other one."
The twins looked at each other and swallowed, before opening the secret database that no one knew about. The one that they made by illegally hacking into computer records all around the world to generate a complete financial profile on, if not everyone, as close to everyone as could be achieved.
"That's better."
The Black Major kept a close watch on the twins as they looked up a series of names. Some of the names the twins recognized as having Cobra connections, while others the twins did not recognize at all. They made a point to remember each name, because although the names meant little to them, it may make all the difference to Cobra Commander, especially when it came to covering themselves later. They were especially surprised when Billy's name came up.
"Do you want printouts?" Tomax asked.
"No need." Replied the Black Major. "Shall we be leaving now, Baron?"
"Yes. Bring them with us. To the parking garage."
Once again gunfire began to echo through the building. Apparently either GI Joe or more Crimson Guardsmen had breached the defensive perimeter that the Shadows had formed.
"Our exit plan should still be safe." The Black Major said, leading the Twins, the Baron and Red Laser back to the elevator.
The twins could not help but feel a sense of dismay that none of the Crimson Guard had managed to disable the elevators. "What will become of the soldiers you are leaving behind?" Xamot asked.
"They will fade, like Shadows always do. Or they will die, the only option for failure." The Baron answered.
The elevator reached the parking level and opened. The Black Major roughly shoved the twins out of the elevator, as the others walked out.
"Well, my Baron?" The Black Major asked, while pointing his pistol at the head of the nearest twin.
"Let them live. We will deliver a stronger message that way."
The Black Major pulled out a disk, and handed placed it in the pocket of one of the twins. "This contains our message." The far wall of the Parking level exploded inward, and a red HISS tank rumbled in, with Jackal at the controls.
"Will there be any problems getting past the Joes?" Asked the Black Major.
"No. They wont know what hit them." Jackal answered.
The Baron climbed into the cockpit next to Jackal, while Red Laser climbed into the turret, leaving the Black Major to hold onto the back.
Tomax and Xamot could only stare as the red tank made its getaway. "Was that Destro?"
"Quickly, let us call, Cobra Commander, and get our mess cleaned up before the Joes arrive."
***
".And Destro was driving the getaway tank." Xamot finished.
Cobra Commander seethed. "Get here as soon as you can, and you can tell me again what happened in more detail."
The screen went black.
"Why would Destro betray me."
"I wouldn't, Cobra Commander," Destro's voice came from behind the Commander. "I can hardly be both here, and leading a raid. And my son is still safe in his cell."
Cobra Commander was silent in thought.
"Who is this other 'Destro', Cobra Commander?" Destro demanded, "and who is this Baron Ironblood the twins mentioned? Your reaction was. interesting."
"He is no one, Destro. He no longer exists. And whoever is using the name will die horribly. Leave me!"
Apparently, Destro thought, it was wise of him to spend more time at Cobra Headquarters. It would be interesting to see what the Commanders next move would be.
Pt. 5: Tomax and Xamot
"This floor is where most"
"Of our investments are handled."
John Shepard followed his hosts, Tomax and Xamot, as they guided him through the halls of Extensive Enterprises. He scarcely paid them any attention as they went through their sales pitch to get him to let their company handle his finances, instead he was paying more attention to seeing who was in each room that they passed. In just about every room was someone he recognized. So far, everything was set for the plan. Jackal should be just outside the parking deck waiting for his exit, and the first surprise should be arriving soon enough. The next office they passed contained an elderly Japanese man talking with a sales representative, Red Laser was also ready.
"You seem extra busy today, are you?"
"Yes, business is picking up,"
"It's a sign that the economy is about to improve." A lie, Tomax thought. He and his associates would make sure that the economy stayed low, at least until Cobra had finished its land acquisitions.
"Ah, yes, of course." Shepard answered.
"Didn't you say that you had"
"Military experience, Mr. Shepard?"
"Yes, I got my start with the British SAS," John Shepard replied.
"Many of our clients come from various military backgrounds."
"We have even helped some of them come out of retirement."
"I still find ways to stay active." Shepard replied. He was already bored with these twins. At least he knew the fun would begin soon.
Back on the street level, a car pulled up to the front doors of the Extensive Enterprises building. Its passenger got out and walked into the building, while the car remained where it was, waiting.
One of the security men at the door waited a moment, then seeing that the car had no intention of moving on, walked over to it. "Excuse me sir, this is not a parking area. Could you move your car please?"
"blood."
The guard was confused, "What?"
"Blood for the Baron!" The car driver shouted, and the car exploded.
The sound and initial shockwave triggered steel shutters to close across the windows and doors of the Extensive Enterprises building, so that no damage was done when the main shockwave of the explosion hit, carrying parts of car debris and parts of security guard.
Additional Extensive Enterprises security agents rushed to the scene, only to be felled by sniper fire from a nearby building. A few more sniper shots impacted harmlessly against the steel window shutters that now secured the building.
* * *
John Smith had always hated his generic name, and his generic accounting job as well. There was nothing out of the ordinary about his life, and he resented that. Then the steel shutters slammed over the windows to his office floor. Then, even stranger, his co-worker, Fred, began quickly assembling an assault rifle from parts located in his company briefcase.
John couldn't say anything, he couldn't imagine that Fred would go on a crazy shooting spree. Fred was too generic to do anything like that. All John could do was hide behind his desk.
Then Fred began pulling on a red uniform, with a silver Cobra insignia on its front, but before he could finish dressing, another man in red kicked open the door, only this man in red sported a skull and cross bones.
The second man in red quickly shot Fred three times, then turned the gun on John.
***
The steel shutters slammed down over the windows, quickly followed by a plink plink of sniper fire slamming onto the steel shutter. John Shepard knew he did not look as surprised as he should have. "What happened?"
"Something activated the building security."
"Nothing to worry about. If you will excuse us,"
"There is something we must attend to."
"Actually, Gentlemen," Shepard said while leveling a gun at them, "If you value your own safety you will stay here, with me, the Black Major."
The twins looked at the gun the Black Major was holding on them, and then at each other before slowly sitting back down into the conference room chairs.
"Well, then Black Major, " Tomax began.
"How can we be of assistance?" Xamot finished.
*** Airtight rushed up to Duke, "So far none of the explosions have been chemical or radioactive. Tripwire has defused three car bombs, but-"
Another explosion went off down the street that the GI Joe team had just finished clearing of civilians.
"-we don't know how many more there are."
"Keep working on it, and call in more bomb sniffing dogs." Duke ordered. This was turning into a busy day, and at the heart of the trouble, the Extensive Enterprises building stood, locked up tighter than a Cobra fortress under siege.
Several of the Extensive Enterprises security men who had not been caught in any of the bomb blasts, had been wounded by snipers; Lifeline was tending to their wounds, attempting to save their lives, while Lady Jaye, Beach Head, and Spirit were trying to find the Snipers. Low-Light had taken his own sniper position to provide support if it was needed, and Tunnel Rat was checking to see if there were any ways into Extensive Enterprises from below street level.
***
Tunnel Rat stopped suddenly, which caught some of the greenshirts behind him off guard. Someone swore when he stepped into something he did not want to identify, and Tunnel Rat silenced him with a dirty look.
Bringing his gun up, Tunnel Rat checked around the corner. His caution was rewarded as he avoided being hit by the hail of gunfire that came from around the corner.
Ducking back, he put his gun around the corner and fired blindly. He raised up his communication bracelet, "Duke, got men in Red trying to burn their way through a steel shutter down here."
"Do you need reinforcements?" Duke asked.
One of the Greenshirts pulled a grenade, and hurled it down the sewer tunnel with the men in red.
After the blast, Tunnel Rat looked to make sure all were dead, "Nope, but who are these guys in red with the Skull and Crossbones?"
"They are called Red Shadows. we thought they had been wiped out before Cobra even came into existence."
"Wish they had," Tunnel Rat answered as he stepped over their bodies to check the steel shutter across the sewer tunnel. "I don't think we will be able to get into EE this way. The Doors are too thick."
***
"You are in for a real treat," Said the Black Major, "You have the opportunity to meet the leader of the Red Shadows, and you just might be able to live to tell about it."
The sounds of gunfire echoed through out the building. Tomax and Xamot could not help wondering how their undercover Crimson Guardsmen were doing. Still, if either side had been pushovers, the shooting would have been over a long time ago.
Finally, there was a high pitched whine, followed by the smell of ozone, and all the shooting had stopped, at least on that floor.
"Since we are still alive, does that mean,"
"You wish to come to some sort of arrangement?"
"It does," answered a new voice from the door. Red Laser stood wearing a red uniform with a smoother face mask than the regular foot soldier. "We wish you to deliver a message."
"And do we need to be alive to deliver this message?" Xamot asked.
"No, you do not." Red Laser answered, and the Black Major smiled at the thought.
Xamot's question was just the distraction Tomax needed to trip a silent alarm. Crimson Guardsmen would soon be responding. They needed to resolve the situation quickly, the GI Joe team would surely be responding to whatever it was that caused the shutters to close. There were too many dead Crimson Guardsmen, if the Joe team found them they may take that as solid evidence to link Extensive Enterprises with Cobra.
"Your help will not be arriving," Red Laser said.
"My men have already secured our exit route. They will ensure that we remain undisturbed." The Black Major explained. "Now, Up."
Tomax and Xamot stood, following the motions of the Black Major's gun as he guided them into the hallway, which was lined with Red Shadow soldiers.
They reached the elevator at the end of the hallway, which was already heading down to their floor. The doors opened, revealing a man dressed in a white jumpsuit, with a red front sporting the skull and crossbones, and a black round tube covering his head, except for a slot revealing two angry eyes.
"May I present," Red Laser announced, "the Baron Ironblood. Leader of the Red Shadows."
Black Major remained impassive.
"Have you agreed to our terms?" The Baron asked.
"His voice." Tomax stammered.
"It sounds just like.." Xamot continued.
"Your Cobra Commander?" Black Major finished for them. "That is an interesting question, isn't it."
"The offer has not yet been explained to them, My Baron." Red Laser replied.
"I see," said the Baron, obviously not pleased, then he turned his attention to the brothers. "In exchange for your life, you will deliver a visual message to Cobra Commander, and you will give us access to your financial records."
"Those records."
"Are strictly confidential."
"Ah. you pretend to have morals." The Baron raised his pistol and fired once.
Both brothers grabbed their left arm in pain, but only one of them was bleeding.
"I suppose, it wouldn't hurt."
"If you had a quick look."
It was impossible to tell if the Baron or Red Laser were pleased, but the Black Major had a look of satisfaction on his face as he led the brothers to a computer terminal, where they sat and brought up the database of Extensive Enterprises clients.
"No, Not that listing." The Baron hissed. "The other one."
The twins looked at each other and swallowed, before opening the secret database that no one knew about. The one that they made by illegally hacking into computer records all around the world to generate a complete financial profile on, if not everyone, as close to everyone as could be achieved.
"That's better."
The Black Major kept a close watch on the twins as they looked up a series of names. Some of the names the twins recognized as having Cobra connections, while others the twins did not recognize at all. They made a point to remember each name, because although the names meant little to them, it may make all the difference to Cobra Commander, especially when it came to covering themselves later. They were especially surprised when Billy's name came up.
"Do you want printouts?" Tomax asked.
"No need." Replied the Black Major. "Shall we be leaving now, Baron?"
"Yes. Bring them with us. To the parking garage."
Once again gunfire began to echo through the building. Apparently either GI Joe or more Crimson Guardsmen had breached the defensive perimeter that the Shadows had formed.
"Our exit plan should still be safe." The Black Major said, leading the Twins, the Baron and Red Laser back to the elevator.
The twins could not help but feel a sense of dismay that none of the Crimson Guard had managed to disable the elevators. "What will become of the soldiers you are leaving behind?" Xamot asked.
"They will fade, like Shadows always do. Or they will die, the only option for failure." The Baron answered.
The elevator reached the parking level and opened. The Black Major roughly shoved the twins out of the elevator, as the others walked out.
"Well, my Baron?" The Black Major asked, while pointing his pistol at the head of the nearest twin.
"Let them live. We will deliver a stronger message that way."
The Black Major pulled out a disk, and handed placed it in the pocket of one of the twins. "This contains our message." The far wall of the Parking level exploded inward, and a red HISS tank rumbled in, with Jackal at the controls.
"Will there be any problems getting past the Joes?" Asked the Black Major.
"No. They wont know what hit them." Jackal answered.
The Baron climbed into the cockpit next to Jackal, while Red Laser climbed into the turret, leaving the Black Major to hold onto the back.
Tomax and Xamot could only stare as the red tank made its getaway. "Was that Destro?"
"Quickly, let us call, Cobra Commander, and get our mess cleaned up before the Joes arrive."
***
".And Destro was driving the getaway tank." Xamot finished.
Cobra Commander seethed. "Get here as soon as you can, and you can tell me again what happened in more detail."
The screen went black.
"Why would Destro betray me."
"I wouldn't, Cobra Commander," Destro's voice came from behind the Commander. "I can hardly be both here, and leading a raid. And my son is still safe in his cell."
Cobra Commander was silent in thought.
"Who is this other 'Destro', Cobra Commander?" Destro demanded, "and who is this Baron Ironblood the twins mentioned? Your reaction was. interesting."
"He is no one, Destro. He no longer exists. And whoever is using the name will die horribly. Leave me!"
Apparently, Destro thought, it was wise of him to spend more time at Cobra Headquarters. It would be interesting to see what the Commanders next move would be.