*Disclaimer: I own none of these fine characters. They all belong to Marvel, Image, Sunbow, Hasbro, Devil's Due, and if there are any others, I STILL don't own any of these guys! This is just a work of fun. I have no intention of making money off of this story. I'm just a penniless fan.
*Sorry for the waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay long delay! Moved to another State and got a wicked case of writer's block! Thanks out to my brother for helping me get over it^_^ I promise I haven't abandoned Hawk. There's more to come after the New Year, so I hope this will tide everyone over. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
*Cach---Gaelic for "shit"
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Hawk's elbow shot back, slamming right into the nose of one of his two would-be restrainers. Zaranna fell head-first to the floor as Hawk's fist whipped across to crash into Zartan's jaw. The biker gang leader flew back, trailing blood and teeth through the air.
Stormshadow snapped out of his shock and raced back down the hall.
"Cach," Jaye gasped. She shoved the unconscious Guardsman from her, pulling the man's Luger free from its holster at the same time Major Bludd blocked a backfist from Hawk. Bludd shoved his pistol in the shackled man's face.
"Bloody Joe General," the Australian cried, forcing his Glock's muzzle between Hawk's scarlet-coated teeth. "Wanna flippin' chew on somethin' nasty do ya? Let's see ya chew this!"
Lady Jaye fired.
The bullet drilled through Bludd's back in a spurt of crimson, sending him crashing into Hawk, dropping them both into the chair as Jaye pumped several more shots into the Twins and Mindbender.
Destro immediately ducked, pushing the Baroness down atop of the still screaming Commander. He threw himself on top of them, shielding them both with his own body.
Cobra Commander's cries reached glass shattering pitches as a bullet struck the ground next to his head, spraying his mangled face with stone chips.
The ninja leapt between the Commander and Jaye, his empty almond eyes fixed on her.
"Cach," Jaye spat again. "Don't make me, Tommy..."
Stormshadow ran for her.
She sighted down her gun, finger steady on the trigger.
"THOMAS," Hawk roared.
Stormshadow spun...and froze.
Jaye's eyes looked past the ninja to see Bludd still slumped over Hawk, but his Glock had made it's way into the General's hand...and was pointed right at the pile of people the Cobra Commander was under.
"Put the sword down, Thomas, and get on the floor," Hawk ordered.
Stormshadow hesitated.
"---will not---die like this," the Commander gurgled, struggling weakly as the Baroness distastefully tried to stem the bleeding.
"Cease your panicking, Commander, and use your mouth to breathe," Destro told him. "The General is bluffing. My armor will protect---"
Hawk fired.
Cobra Commander screamed louder as the shot sprayed more chips of stone into their faces.
"Jaye just proved she's packing armor-piercing bullets," Hawk snapped, getting to his feet and kneeing Bludd's lifeless body from him. It hit the floor next to the moaning Twins and Mindbender with a thud. "Want to gamble and see if I am too?"
Destro scowled fiercely and the Baroness grimaced as the tattered and bloodied masked head moved under her hands. One word pushed past the dripping blood, like the sound of a fang dragged over slate. "...no..."
Stormshadow plunged the tip of his sword into the stone floor, put his hands behind his head and sank to his knees.
A puff of relief escaped Jaye's lips. "Hawk---"
The kitchen door burst open. Jaye turned and fired, catching the first Kitchen Viper right in the chest. He fell back through the door, raising cries of outrage and confusion. She sprinted for Hawk, one hand catching the sword by the hilt.
Before she could pull it free, Stormshadow's hand suddenly shot out and clamped down over hers, stopping her momentum and bringing her skidding to her knees and elbow.
Gasping and barely holding onto her pistol, she looked up, her wide emerald eyes locking onto his empty almond ones.
"THOMAS," Hawk roared again. "Hurt her and I've got nothing to lose by killing them!"
Stormshadow's fingers tightened over Jaye's.
The Commander's rapidly wheezing breath increased.
Jaye's knuckles turned white as she clenched the grip of the Luger. "If you're going to kill me, Tommy," she said in a low, clear voice, "you'd better do it now."
Something flickered deep within his eyes.
The kitchen doors burst open again. The Kitchen Vipers stormed into the room en mass, followed closely by an armed Zanya. Young beryl green eyes widened at the sight of the 'old lady' locked in an impasse with the Cobra bodyguard. "What the---"
"GUNS DOWN," Hawk commanded. "All of you, safeties on, toss the rifles, and kiss the floor!" At their hesitation, Hawk pulled the hammer back sharply. "DO IT! Or I take out the rest of your High Command!"
As the Vipers reluctantly obeyed, Zanya's eyes swept the room before fastening onto an unconscious figure not too far from Hawk's chair. "DAD!" Grief and rage flared in her eyes, twisting her face horrifically as she raised her rifle. "You BASTARD!"
"I said on the ground," Hawk roared.
"Like I care what happens to fang-face and friends," Zanya shouted. "You hurt my Dad!"
"Now or never, Tommy," Jaye hissed. Without even waiting for a response she whipped her pistol around. "Put your rifle down, Zanya," she snapped. "Do it or I'LL be the one hurting your Dad!"
"Stupid bitch," Zanya spat. "Stormshadow'll---"
With a suddenness that startled everyone, Jaye coolly fired a warning shot over Zartan's prone body.
They all waited.
But Stormshadow remained still and silent.
"Don't just sit there, you damned Power Ranger," Zanya screamed. "DO something!"
"Stormshadow's been programmed to never endanger his master," Hawk said, his voice harsh with a mixture of bitterness and relief. "He's got no reason to save your father's ass." He gave her a look that was almost pitying. "Put it down, Zanya. I don't want another orphan on my conscious."
"Friggin' hell," Zanya spat. She switched on the safety and threw the rifle to the floor. "You really don't think you're just walking out of here?"
"Watch us," Hawk told her. "Now on the floor."
Cursing a mile a minute, Zanya grudgingly obeyed.
But Hawk couldn't relax yet. "Let her go, Thomas."
Slowly, Stormshadow withdrew his hand.
Jaye pulled the sword free, but instead of running she hesitated. "Tommy," she began, searching his eyes, trying to catch a glimpse of that flicker she had seen...
...but there was nothing there anymore.
"Snake-Eyes and your cousin Jinx are waiting for you," she told the empty-eyed ninja in a low voice.
He just stared back blankly.
"GI JOE," Hawk snapped.
Jaye gave Stormshadow one last look before bolting. She hurdled the pool of blood growing around the Commander, struck the rousing Tomax---or Xamot, or whichever the hell one of the twins it was---with the flat of the blade to his head and finally, at long last, reached Hawk.
"What kept you," Hawk barked, still keeping aim.
"Nice to see you too, sir," she panted though her teeth.
"Don't be a smart-ass! Get these damned chains off me and get us the hell out of here!"
"Just hold still, sir." Still keeping her pistol trained on Zartan, she used her free right hand to stab Stormshadow's sword through the first of the thick gilded chains. With a twist of the blade, the link snapped free. She stabbed the second chain.
"Hurry it up," Hawk hissed.
"Almost got it," she told him, slicing through the third chain and twisting. "One more..."
Something bright pink moved on the periphery of Jaye's vision. "DOWN," she screamed, tackling Hawk to the ground. The sword skittered across the ground as pistol fire whizzed through the space they had been in. Bullets lodged into the heavy chair in a shower of splinters.
"Bloody Yank," Zaranna screamed from the ground. "Break me nose, will you?!"
"KILL 'EM, ZARANNA," Zanya yelled as she and the Kitchen Vipers scrambled for their rifles. "They tried to kill Zartan!"
"Oh, there's hell t'pay now, luv," Zaranna snarled, getting shakily to her knees.
With a thunderous grinding, the stone wall nearest to the Joes began to slowly rise.
"Finally those imbeciles show up," the Baroness said waspishly.
"Surrender, General," Destro called out. "If the Dreadnoks don't kill you and yours, the Vipers will!"
"'Surrender?'" Hawk scowled from the floor and held his Glock steady, aiming through the Scotsman right for the Commander's head. "Tell him my answer, GI Joe."
Jaye gripped her pistol tighter and smiled all too sweetly. "'Nuts.'"
And then the world exploded around Hawk's ears.
Fire and thunder slammed through the mural ceiling, showering the Hall with slabs of flaming masonry. Shards of crystal and globs of flaming wax flew from the chandelier as it shattered against the earth in a cacophony of bright chimes. The building shook violently as thunder continued to strike in increasing succession, filing the air with thick clouds of smoke and dust.
Something hot like a bullet grazed the shackle at his ankle once, twice. Sparks bit at his bare feet, making his leg jerk.
The heaviness of the chain was gone.
He was free.
Almost.
Jaye pocketed her smoldering pistol and clamped a small but determined hand around his wrist as she slid from his back. She started to pull him over her shoulder in an all-too familiar modified fireman's carry but Hawk pulled back in a gesture for her to wait.
This time, Hawk was determined he would walk Borovia's soil on his own two feet.
Coughing painfully from the choked air, Hawk thrust the Glock into the tight wrappings of his sling, gritted his teeth against abused joints and burning wounds, and followed Jaye hand in hand through the twilit hell.
