Area 51
United States, Earth
23 May 2017
Adrian Cobretti and Jake Rockwell waited outside General Hammond's office. Neither had any clue as to why they had been summoned. The airman sent to fetch them did not know what it was about. General Hammond was currently having a meeting, so they waited rather impatiently outside.
After thirty minutes of insufferable waiting, the general's commanding voice called out, "Cobretti. Rockwell. Get your butts in here."
Knowing this wasn't going to be pretty, Adrian turned the doorknob and shoved the door open. He and Jake marched inside and aimed straight for the solid oak desk. A Senior Airman quietly closed the door on her way out behind them. Both men snapped smartly to attention, saluted, and issued their reporting statements.
"Staff Sergeant Adrian Cobretti reports as ordered."
"Sergeant Jake Rockwell reports as ordered."
General Hammond glowered at the pair for a long moment sizing them both up in his humming glare. Both men remained rail-straight, arms locked, and eyes riveted to the bookcase behind their commanding officer. General Hammond let them stew a moment more before returning the salute. Adrian and Jake dropped their salutes, but remained at rigid attention until told otherwise.
"Gentlemen," Hammond glanced up from the papers in front of him briefly, "and I use that term loosely, it has come to my attention that you two were out of uniform at the memorial ceremony we attended four days ago."
Neither Jake nor Adrian dared move other than their eyes in a flicker toward one another. The gears began to whirl in their minds. It couldn't be right because both of them had their dress uniforms damn near immaculate for the memorials. For the first time, the pair noticed Colonel Markson standing unobtrusively off the Hammond's left. He looked almost as livid as the general.
General Hammond was speaking again, snapping their attention back to him. "I find it deplorable that a soldier and airman such as you would dare do such a thing. In your time with this command the two of you have done some incredible things. The success of your mission to retrieve the mystic armor only adds validity to that fact. In fact, your mission turned out so well in spite of the losses in materiel and personnel, the president, with the approval of the Secretary of the Army, and the Secretary of the Air Force, has seen fit to take unprecedented action." General Hammond rose from his comfortable leather chair. Jake and Adrian braced for the worst, though they were more confused than ever.
"For actions against the enemy resulting in saving the lives of Alpha and Beta squads, and displaying uncommon valor in the face of overwhelming odds at the risk of your own lives, the Secretaries of the Army and Air Force hereby grant the request of President Alexander that Jake Rockwell and Adrian Cobretti be promoted to the next grade with all the honor and responsibility these promotions entail. Both effective immediately."
Jake and Adrian stared at the man dumbfounded. One minute they were getting their butts chewed for a mythical dress and appearance infraction, and the next they were promoted. The dung-eating grin on Markson's face cinched it. The whole thing had been a setup from the beginning.
As an Army man himself, Colonel Markson volunteered to award Jake his Staff Sergeant's stripes while General Hammond handed a set of Technical Sergeant stripes to Adrian. Jake looked a little dismayed as he accepted the ranks pins Markson handed him and saluted.
"What's the matter with you, Jake?" Adrian asked after saluted General Hammond.
"We're still the same equivalent rank. I rather hoped I'd get to order you around."
Adrian laughed. "You could try. Not that I would listen to the likes of a Ground Pounder like you."
"Well, done. Both of you," General Hammond replied. "It's long overdue for you, Cobra, but well-desired."
As Jake and Adrian turned to leave, both still shaken, Adrian stopped at the door. "Colonel Markson was wrong, sir."
Hammond's brow wrinkled. "About what?"
"You can be a sadistic S.O.B. when you put your mind to it, sir."
The pair left to the sounds of Colonel Markson's stringent denials of ever having said any such thing.
Elsewhere in the base, a similar scene took place under the direction of Captain Takamora. Alpha and Beta squads were assembled in the barracks area to bid a fond farewell to two of their own. Two who survived their first mission, and who were now moving on to other things.
"We are gathered here today to pay final farewell to two of our own. Privates Dietrich and Frost distinguished themselves in battle on board a Horde warship, and later in battle on a remote moon. More than that, both are well liked, epitomize the virtues of Army Rangers, and are role models for members of the Guardian Force," Hohiro explained solemnly. "But as we say good bye to Private Frost and Private Dietrich, we welcome our newest members. Corporal Frost and Corporal Dietrich. I hope both will continue to be integral and valued members of their squads, and to the Guardian Force as a whole."
Hohiro pinned new rank insignia to the lapels of both men, stepped back, and saluted. Frost and Dietrich returned the salute, and a rousing cheer rose as the trio dropped their hands.
After the round of handshakes and congratulations, Hohiro let it slip that a celebration was being planned at a steakhouse in town. He also mentioned something about promotions for a certain Dynamic Duo by the names of Rockwell and Cobretti. Since everyone had been cooped up on the base upon the Eternia's return, almost everyone was starting to show signs of cabin fever. However, there was no town within an hour's drive they were allowed to go to, so they staged a disappearance to one of the closest towns.
40 Miles Northeast of Groom Lake
United States, Earth
23 May 2017
Later that afternoon a group of ten people entered a nice restaurant complete with an attached pool hall. The main room had a sunken central floor where the kitchen was located. Multiple levels throughout the remaining space made up the seating areas. Everything in the seating areas was modular to accommodate groups from one person on up to wedding receptions, which were normally held here. The ceiling was mainly composed of thick panes of glass to afford as much natural light to the virtual sea of real plans in the room as possible. At night the overhead lights were lit just enough to give the atmosphere a dusk look while floor lamps illuminated the walkways, and candles flickered on the tables. This allowed customers a fabulous view of a star-filled sky on clear nights.
The pool hall was no different from the main room except it was not nearly as big while packing in numerous pool tables in a comfortable multi-level layout. Side rooms contained video games.
After ordering their meals and appetizers, the group adjoined to the poolroom and appropriated a small corner of tables. Antone Frost and Adrian Cobretti started up a game, and Frost quickly realized Cobra wasn't as bad a player as he let on.
"I thought you said you didn't like this game. That bowling was your preferred game," Frost said, watching with dismay as Adrian downed another solid-colored ball.
"Yes," he replied, lining up the next shot. "That is indeed what I said." A sharp jab sent the cue ball ricocheting off two bumpers into a collection of striped and solid-colored balls, scattering them. With no solid ones falling into a pocket, Adrian straightened up. "I never said I didn't know how to play." He stepped aside for his opponent to take his turn.
Frost scanned the table looking for even a passing shot while muttering something about being setup.
Sorceress, headdress once again magically disguised, and Sonya sat on tall stools waiting their turns. They were playing pairs against Colonel Markson and Captain Takamora. Sorceress picked up the game dynamics first time through, and was assisting Sonya in giving the men a run for their money.
On the third table in line Jake Rockwell and Jeromy Ironwood played against Brad Johnson and Ferdinand Dietrich. Their game was pretty intense, not so much in the game play, but the jawing. Boasts and taunts riddled the air as they tried to sink the balls. None of them was a good shot so the game dragged on.
At one point a jawing Jake Rockwell was 'accidentally' poked in the butt by the Sorceress' cue stick as she took her shot. She jabbed him harder by far than the force she imparted to the cue ball. It was obvious Sorceress intentionally fudged the shot just to tone down Jake's current annoying tirade.
Frost lost his game with Adrian. The guys beat the girls by a narrow margin that could have gone either way right to the end. The last game was nowhere near completion. Such was the state when the waitress for their section arrived to inform them the dinners would be served in a few minutes.
Everyone was just taking their seats when the appetizers were brought up. This lasted for about ten minutes when the main course was delivered. Idle chat about anything and everything except work floated around the tables, which had been pushed together to make one large table.
A tall jar in the center of the collected tables contained a few dollars in it. Whenever the subject of work was broached the offender was required to place one dollar in the jar as a penalty. That attempts were made to trick people into broaching that taboo subject went without saying. Sorceress avoided all attempts as best she could, keenly aware that she was the only one at the table who did not earn money. Naturally, she became a prime target, though any one person was more than willing to throw in the required money in a pinch; not that they were about to let that little secret be known to Sorceress.
Everyone took their time savoring every ounce of their steak, chicken, or whatever they ordered. No one really wanted the day to end, but that was inevitable. For now, they took full advantage of the time to unwind and relax.
"Nice place, colonel," Frost replied. "How did you discover this place?"
"Would you believe I'm psychic?"
"Bull!" Jake jumped in.
Markson reconsidered his answer for a moment. "Would you believe the local phone book and a recommendation?"
"Da," Sonya agreed. "That we would believe."
"Am I really becoming that predictable?" Jonathan reached for an imitation cigar that was all the rage – no nicotine – and immediately regretted the question.
Everyone at the table said in unison, "Yes."
"It's a good thing we're all off duty, or I might have to make some unpleasant job assignments," Jonathan threatened emptily.
"Us working with you is punishment enough, mate," Jeromy replied, his British accent coming through stronger than usual.
Chuckles floated around the table. Even Jonathan cracked a smile. Brad suggested taking desert into the pool hall to resume a few games. There were no dissenting votes, so the group picked up their desert plates and made their way back to the pool hall.
More customers were starting to show up, as it was early evening. Stars were beginning to sparkle in the clear sky and a sliver of moon cast its pale light through the skylights. The hall was still sparsely populated so they had the choice of tables. A few teens played in the video game room.
Sonya made a face at all the fake cigars that had accompanied them. Thought they were not addictive or harmful without the nicotine, they still smelled like the real thing. "Did the cigars have to come, too?"
Sorceress stayed conspicuously away from the chimneys as new games ensued. This time Adrian squared off against Hohiro. The one-on-one match turned into a doubles match when Sorceress suggested teaming up with Adrian. So Adrian and Sorceress took on Hohiro and Frost, Jake and Brad took on Jeromy and Dietrich, and Markson and Sonya squared off in a singles match.
Sorceress and Hohiro were first up with the Sorceress breaking. While she gauged how best to break up the collection of balls, Adrian and Frost stood off to the side sipping cold drinks.
"Hey, man. Don't sweat people's reactions to you. Like you always say, 'People are stupid.' If you hadn't shown up when you did, Dietrich and I wouldn't be standing here now."
"Amen to that, brother," Dietrich put in before bending to line up his shot.
"I'll go into battle with you any day. If you said tomorrow you and I were going to storm the gates of Hell, I'd ask if we should bring along some hotdogs for roasting." Adrian couldn't help smirking at his friend's lighthearted attempt at humor.
"Thanks. At least a few of you aren't afraid of me and my abilities."
"That's because we're too stupid to know any better," Jake piped up.
Sorceress stopped aiming, and straightened to give the man a verbal tongue-lashing. Sonya beat her to it. "Speak for yourself, Ground Pounder. Just because your test scores were not high enough to get you into the Air Force does not mean ya can drag the rest of us down to your level."
"Sometimes you are a real insult to Army troops everywhere, Rockwell," Colonel Markson fired testily.
Smiling bravely, Jake replied, "I do my best."
"That remains to be seen," Sonya muttered to the Sorceress in passing as she resumed aiming.
Sorceress smacked the cue ball solidly sending it into the triangular grouping with a resounding crack. Balls scattered from the outer edges, but a solid core of balls remained relatively intact. However, she did drop one solid color, which set the field of play. Her next shot hit the edge of a corner pocket and ricocheted away. Sorceress stepped aside for Hohiro to scope out a shot at a striped ball.
"Nice shot," Adrian complimented.
"Thank you," Sorceress replied, settling on a stool, leaning her cue against the counter, and picking up her discarded plate laden with a generous slice of chocolate cake; a triple-layered piece, which made people gain a pound or two just looking at it. The fork was rising to her lips a second time when she caught Adrian watching. "What?"
"Nothing," he fibbed, turning back to Hohiro's attempt to drop a striped ball.
Sorceress lowered the fork. "I know that look. What is on your mind?"
Knowing she wasn't going to let this go, Adrian replied, "I've just never seen anyone relish some of our food the way you do."
"We do have such things on Eternia," Sorceress admitted, "but some of the foods are not as rich in flavor as what you might expect. Others are simply exquisite."
"Sounds like an invitation to find out," Adrian said, liking the idea of sampling food from another planet. If Sorceress' constitution could tolerate Earth food, people from Earth should be able to handle Eternian food.
Frost returned from the bathroom, and made a Beeline for Colonel Markson. "Colonel, we got problem. I just spotted about a dozen men entering the place"
"Their called customers, Frost. This is a restaurant, you know," Markson replied in his own dry humor.
"How many customers have you ever seen come in flashing your picture and asking about you?"
"That could be a problem," the colonel agreed.
Dietrich and Jake hustled to the doorway to keep tabs on the group. They had broken up into teams and were systematically searching the seating areas. Two big bookends weighing in at over three hundred pounds of mostly muscle stayed near the door in the event their quarry tried to slip through. Jake suddenly reported losing two of them in the crowd. He searched the area frantically, but could not locate them. The remaining eight were now making their way to the pool hall.
"Good thing we paid the bill before coming back here," Brad commented.
"Yeah, but there doesn't seem to be a back door," Hohiro pointed out.
"Then we go through them," Jake answered cracking his knuckles.
Sonya rolled her eyes. Sorceress wore a dismayed expression. She wondered who they were and why they were searching for people from the Groom Lake installation. The prospect of a confrontation dismayed her, though the thought that someone may be inciting it dismayed her even more. It meant someone was indeed out to make their mission fail by whatever means available. This had been suspected from the first day, and now it was being confirmed piece by piece. Unfortunately they had absolutely no idea who it was.
Eight rough-looking men entered the hall walking right past Dietrich and Jake as if they weren't even there. Both trailed behind the group, and the pair Jake lost track of appeared behind him and Dietrich. The eight spread out leaving no avenue open to escape. Two wandered toward Sonya and Sorceress eying the women appreciatively. The taller of the two with angular features slid up beside Sorceress and wrapped his arm around her waist.
"If you don't remove that hand from my hip, you will never be able to lift a glass with it again." Sorceress remained very still with both hands resting on the pool cue. Her reflexes had gotten faster in her sparing matches with Hohiro. If this creep tried anything, he'd be in for a shock.
"Now, now. Let's not be hasty. You don't know what you're missing hanging around with this bunch," the creep whispered in his ear.
Sorceress caught a whiff of his breath and nearly gagged. "I know a nightmare when I see it."
A weasel-looking little man about five-foot six inches tall eyed Colonel Markson. "You Markson?"
Jon raised his chin slightly. "Yeah? What do ya want?"
"You to stop jeopardizing this planet with your foolish missions," the rat-faced leader said. Jon glanced at the nearest members of his group. "That's right. We know who you are, colonel."
The mountains, which had been watching the front doors, now squeezed into the room, then closed and locked the door. The advantage Colonel Markson and company may have had now shifted out of their favor.
"Left me get this straight. You think following us here and beating the stuffing out of us is going to stop us from defending this planet?" Jonathan looked from one member of his group to the next. "Well, this may not have occurred to you, but other will follow us."
The man with his arm wrapped around the Sorceress sneered, "Not if we stop you Guardians once and for all." He nuzzled Sorceress' cheek. "But not before we have some fun."
Calling the Guardians even by the general name sent a chill down Markson's spine. These guys were very well informed. It was unlikely they would know who set all this up, but maybe they could shake some tidbit of information loose for General Hammond to work with.
Before anyone could do or say anything, Sorceress elbowed her tormentor hard in the chest. The blow knocked him back enough for her to whirl and slam stiffened fingers into his solar plexus. Air gusted from his lungs and she snapped her right knee up into the man's groin. His mouth opened in silent agony as he gasped desperately for air to scream. Sorceress caught a fist full of hair as the thug dropped to his knees clutching his violated privates, and slammed his face into the rising right knee. She turned away to resume her previous stance without even having lost her grip on the pool cue.
The thug sank unconscious to the floor behind her.
Sonya leaned close and whispered, "You could turn them into toads, you know."
"Yes, but that would be an insult to toads everywhere," Sorceress whispered back matter-of-factly. The partner of the thug Sorceress just laid out took a vengeful step forward, but Sorceress' challenging stare stopped him in his tracks.
Rat-face looked around counting faces. "Where is he?"
"Who?" Markson asked innocently.
"There is one person missing. I count nine when there should be ten," Rat-face elaborated.
"A name would be helpful. It's possible he or she didn't come with us."
"His friends call him Cobra," the thug supplied growing tired of this.
"Cobra? Don't know any Cobra. How 'bout you, Dietrich? You know any Cobra?" Jake said, totally serious. Dietrich denied having any knowledge of such a person. Both men got clubbed in the back of the head by the walking mountains.
"I suggest we conclude this expeditiously before my two companions take it upon themselves to finish this matter their way." The weasel stared at Markson daring him to make the next move.
"That's a big word for you," Dietrich pressed.
The rat-faced weasel rubbed his goatee. "You like that word?"
Frost sighed. "Better give it up, colonel. We're dealing with geniuses here." He sidestepped toward the women when the thugs first entered the hall. They would need help once this thing blew up. Sorceress would likely take down the blond, who had taken offense to his partner being beaten down, but the next two looked ready to offer up a beat down of their own.
"That remains to be seen," Sonya spat, her Russian accent coming on strong when agitated.
"In the interests of being expeditious," Jonathan replied, getting their attention drawn back to him, "I suggest you all just walk on out of here before this gets ugly."
Rat-face grinned, confident he still held the upper hand. "It's already there."
Jonathan sighed, screwing his face up in a pained expression. "Yeah, I was afraid you were gonna say something like that."
A set of silver eyes flashed open above and behind the colonel, and heavy footfalls on the carpet preceded the syngenor that emerged from the shadows. All the hoods became distinctly nervous, now, even the walking mountains.
"What's the matter, G'vnor? Ya did want to see Cobra, didn't ya?" Jeromy asked.
"Your move, Rat," Markson dared evenly.
Sorceress kept an eye on Blondie. If anyone were going to make the first move, he'd be the one. He shifted restlessly from one foot to another in anticipation. He badly wanted to teach her who was boss here.
She wasn't disappointed. Sorceress casually moved her right hand above the left on the same side of the cue. When Blondie made his move she snapped the cue horizontal with the right hand, slid the left down the stick, and jabbed the butt end of the stick squarely into the man's groin. As he dropped to the carpet, Sorceress stepped into a swing breaking the cue across the punk's temple.
As her opponent fell, Frost shouted a warning that came too late. Sorceress spun to her right directly into a backhand swing. Sonya snatched up a stool as Sorceress spun to the floor and slammed down on the brown-hair ruffian, who had dropped to the floor straddling her and pinning her arms down. The stool smashed across his head and shoulders punching his lights out.
Three down.
Frost intercepted the next thug, but not before he beat Sonya to the carpet. Frost delivered a solid punch to the face cracking the man's left cheekbone. Hohiro watched his back while Frost spun the man around and propelled him into two fists courtesy of Dietrich and Jake.
Markson closed on Rat-face in the blink of an eye, grabbed the man's raised right wrist and spun him into the burly thug to Rat's right. Brad and Jeromy double-teamed their nearest thug, literally picked him up and threw him into the two men coming to back him up.
The mountains sidestepped the brawl, eyes never leaving the monstrosity skirting the fight zone to join battle with them. Clearly Adrian and his metamorphing ability made him the most dangerous opponent, which is why they were hired. As the mountains moved both sides got out of their way.
Mountain One launched himself directly at Adrian, who sidestepped with a quickness the creature's body didn't look capable of. As the bruiser sailed by, Adrian spun and added more momentum with a well-placed shove. He spun again just as Mountain Two roared in with a punch aimed for his chest. Adrian sidestepped to the right once again, but not to evade.
Fighting around the room paused briefly as the combatants stared at a totally unbelievable site. Not only had Adrian not evaded the punch, he reverted to human form as it zeroed in on him. At the last possible instant, his left hand shot up as he twisted to take the blow through his shoulders as he caught the inbound fist.
"W-w-what the hell are you?" the mountain demanded, clearly worried.
The white of his eyes flashing brightly, Adrian replied without any trace of emotion, "Your worst nightmare." With inhuman strength, Adrian applied pressure. The bruiser screamed as bones began popping like popcorn in a hot air popper. Cobra drove his opponent back with a power jab to the breastbone. He spun transforming again into an Alien this time. The tail snapped out to trip up Mountain Two while he turned to deal with a recovered Mountain One.
Rat's remaining companions were quickly dispatched while he writhed uselessly in Markson's iron grip. Hohiro bent at the waist to his left and snapped his right foot into the stomach of his foe. The man flew backwards colliding with Jake Rockwell, who spun him around and punched his lights out with a savage head butt. Jake and Dietrich knocked Mountain One back to the carpet every time the whimpering mound of muscle struggled to rise.
Shattered lights swayed above unconscious bruisers sprawled upon several tables. Colonel Markson kept a firm grip on his captive dragging him away from the savage confrontation to come. Jeromy and Brad literally squatted on two dazed thugs to keep them down. Sonya and Frost assisted a dazed Sorceress back to her feet. An angry red welt was already forming on the right cheek.
It was all over except the fight between Adrian and Mountain One. Bruiser launched at monster, monster intercepted and drove him bodily into the wall with enough force to leave an impression in the drywall. Fear gave way to shear terror as translucent lips peeled back from razor teeth, which parted to reveal the second jaw. This opened and issued a feline hiss. Slimy goo splattered the quivering man's chest. His naked terror only incensed Adrian's desire to, if nothing else, scare the poor sod to death. Mountain snapped his head left and right to avoid the inner jaw as it punched drywall twice. The muscle-bound lump of quivering Jell-o failed to avoid that wicked jaw a third time, and it pinned his head in place; teeth poised to snip off his nose.
Sorceress made her way across the room threading her way among the battered pool tables. Frost trailed her in case she lost her balance, which she nearly did stepping over several unconscious bodies. The flame-haired woman stepped boldly up to the creature's left and placed a hand on its shoulder. By now that ribbed tail was adding to the bruiser's fear by waving the spiked tip in his field of view.
"I think you have him scared into submission," she said softly.
"Oh, I dunno," Colonel Markson countered. "This little fink still doesn't feel like talking."
Sorceress shot him a glare. "Adrian, let him go. He's not going to do anything. " She stared up into the Mountain's terrified eyes. "Are you?"
It took a few tries before he finally stammer, "N-n-no."
The stench of urine was almost overpowering. Sorceress realized for the first time the man's bladder had let go. She convinced Adrian to back off and revert to his human form never once removing her comforting touch. Adrian did so standing a few paces back. He glanced at her not so much to see her face as to see the angry red welt where she'd been struck. The look in those brown eyes was so utterly devoid of emotion Sorceress shivered involuntarily.
"This guy isn't talking. You got something for him?" Colonel Markson asked.
Sorceress stepped around Adrian and calmly approached the colonel's defiant prisoner. "If you know all about us, then you are well aware of what I can do."
Rat-face sneered, "I know it hurts you to use your magic, or whatever it is you do."
"Do I look like I'm in pain right now?" The look in the man's eyes answered for him. "I can place images so deep in your mind," she continued, "and of such horror only you can see them. Without breaking a sweat I can have you spending the rest of your miserable life screaming at the walls, and restrained lest you claw your own eyes out."
Rat swallowed hard, Adam's apple bobbing uncertainly as Sorceress gently, almost lovingly, stroked his cheek.
"Or," she replied, tilting her head over her left shoulder in Adrian's direct, "you can take you chances with him."
Woefully inaccurate information on the abilities of their intended victims left the weasel with only one course of action, if he wished to survive this disaster.
Rat-face sang like a bird.