After All This Time

Chapter 9: Plan in Action

We do not own G.I. Joe. We own nothing but our imaginations.

Cougar watched as Ace scooped up another handful of chips and shook his head. He was a decent poker player but if the game kept going this way he'd loose his paycheck to Ace and Wild Bill before the afternoon was up. He glanced out the window as another hand was dealt. It was a way to pass the time. The tropical storm that had arrived just behind the Joes was mostly gone but the weather was still bad enough to force them to put the rescue mission on hold.

Everyone was anxious, tense and waiting for the weather to lift just enough for them to leave. Scarlett was an hour away, going through only God knew what while they were sitting here, twiddling their damn thumbs! He sighed and returned his attention to the game. It was better than pretending to read or staring out at the churning ocean.

Duke stared at the gray sky and whipping waves. He'd come out here shortly after Shauna's dad called. Roger had joined him for a while before heading up to the command center. They'd talked and had called a temporary peace he hoped would last. Roger was back in his command center, a dozen monitors displaying everything from weather conditions to the satellite images of the island Scarlett was on. The very moment it was safe to fly they'd leave.

They had considered and ruled out the possibility of sea travel, the weather being too unstable. They wouldn't be any good to her if they drowned before they got to her. If the weather didn't break soon they would be forced to put off the rescue until tomorrow. Roger didn't think it would come to that and after being out here for several hours, Duke had to agree. The weather was calming, slowly, but it was calming. They should be able to leave in a few hours. Until then he would stay where he was, turning things over in his head.

This whole situation bothered him. Things had happened too quickly for his peace of mind. How had the terrorists known where to find her? His training facility was one of the best-kept secrets in the military. Only a handful of people actually knew where it was located. He and Roger had spent hours going back over their tracks, looking for some way they had messed up and left a trail for the terrorists to follow. They had found none. Roger and Cougar had covered their tracks coming to and from the training facility. They had done a complete and thorough search of Roger's compound and the training facility. Again, they had come up with nothing to indicate the terrorists had known where Scarlett had gone once she'd "disappeared" from Florida. But somehow they had known.

There was another angle he was missing. He'd figure it out; he just hoped he figured it out in time. He looked over his shoulder as Flint came out on the deck. "Hey."

"Hey, yourself. You've been out here a long time."

Duke stood up and nodded, "I've been thinking about how everything played out and there are a few things that bother me."

"Such as?"

"It was too easy to find her for one. We knew almost immediately where she was and who had her."

"You're right, things did happen quickly. You've been over everything step by step until you've got everything memorized. Take a step back, Duke, give it some time to percolate. You'll figure it out."

One of Roger's radio men interrupted them before they could get any deeper in their discussion, "Duke, Roger needs you in the radio room ASAP. There's been another transmission from Blair."

"Tell him I'm on my way."

"Yes, sir."

Duke turned to Flint, "Just keep your guard up."

"Always."

He'd been in Roger's radio room several times over the past few days but the sight never failed to impress him. The set up would make any communications officer drool. "What have we got, Roger?"

Roger turned around briefly to acknowledge Duke's presence and immediately went back to work at the keyboards he was standing in front of, "Audio only, I'm cleaning it up now."

Blair's nervous transmission began to play over the speakers, "Time is running out. The auction is scheduled for tonight! You've got to hurry or you'll be too late!"

Roger played the transmission a second time and turned to frown at Duke, "The guy's a nervous wreck!"

"Yeah, I don't like that either. What's the weather doing?"

"Lucky for us I think we're about to catch a break. The current storm system is fizzling out." Roger called up a weather map on the main screen and zoomed out. Their current location and the island Scarlett was on were highlighted, "Another storm system is forming not far from the Citizen's island. If we leave quickly we should have enough time to rescue her and get her back here before the next storm hits."

"Everyone's ready, If the weather is cooperating I say let's go for it."

Roger grinned, "I agree. It's time to go rescue our girl." Roger hit a button on the control panel and an alarm began to blare shrilly throughout the compound. "After you, Hauser."

Magazines were dropped, televisions and stereos were left blaring, sandwiches were dropped half eaten onto plates. Suddenly everyone was moving, grabbing gear, rushing to the meeting room.

Wild Bill threw down his cards and threw his hat in the air, "Woo Hooo! Hang on darlin', we're on our way!"

People shoved their way into the cramped meeting room and listened while Duke and Roger recapped the plan of action.

Duke turned on the computer and pointed to a projection of a building in the Citizens compound, "This is where Scarlett is being held." The screen flashed and the map zoomed out, showing a satellite view of the compound. "Lift Ticket will land Team One in this small field behind the base. We will attempt a covert rescue while Team Two comes behind us to clear a way out and Team Three provides a distraction by attacking the base head-on. You all know your assignments; any last minute questions?"

The room was silent and Roger continued the briefing, "Good. Remember, our primary goal is to rescue Scarlett. When she's in the chopper Life Line and Stalker will accompany her back to base. The rest of us will shut down the Citizens once and for all. Now, grab your gear and load up. Yo Joe!"

"Yo Joe!"

Penny wished Roger a passionate good luck and stood on the tarmac watching until they were out of sight. She repeated to herself, "They'll be fine; with the Joes, they'll be unstoppable," as she watched them fade out of sight.

Duke replayed Blair's transmission through his mind while the chopper flew toward the island. He had assumed Blair had abruptly gone undercover two years after he had graduated training. They had kept in touch until then and suddenly Blair dropped off the face of the earth. It bothered him that Blair had apparently left the military at that time and then went to work for Scarlett, his ex-fiancé, all without telling him. He'd been the best trainee to ever graduate from the training school. He had been exemplary and would have secured a place with the G.I. Joe team had the team still been operational. He had confidence that Blair would keep Scarlett as safe as possible until he got there.

Shauna did her best to look relaxed, not an easy thing to do when a girl had several broken ribs and was more black and blue than anything else.

"You don't seem surprised to see me."

She rolled her eyes, "Maybe that's because I'm not."

The man narrowed his eyes; this wasn't going the way he'd planned, "Think you have everything figured out don't you? Sitting there acting all pompous and cool, you're probably thinking you're going to be rescued aren't you? Well you're not!" He sneered

"What, you don't think the leader of G.I. Joe and the best private security agent in the world will figure out where I am? Ha! You're not that clever."

"You don't think so?" He smiled slowly, "It might interest you to know that your precious ex-fiancé won't be coming to rescue you this time. It's all your fault you know. If you had just kept your nose out of other people's business he'd still be alive."

She froze, her breath caught in her throat. He enjoyed watching the shock play across her face

"Oh yes, he's dead. Cold and dead before you even woke up in this cell. I didn't need him anymore. He'd played right into my hands, bringing you to his 'oh so secure training school' where I could conveniently kidnap you. So much easier than trying to abduct you with your silly partner following you around everywhere. Of course if you'd been half the fighter you think you are you could have saved him but you couldn't and now he's dead…" He dropped down so they were eye to eye, whispering "…and it's all your fault."

He stood up and whistled out the door, relishing in her large fearful eyes, so gallantly trying to hold back tears. This was a great day.

She stared, unseeing at the bars of her cell door for a long time after he left. She'd half expected for him to tell her all that. What else would break her spirit faster? A prisoner with a broken spirit was so much easier to deal with than a prisoner who would put up a fight, broken body or not. She leaned her head slowly down on her up drawn knees and shut her eyes tight. She would know if he were dead. Time and distance didn't matter, she would know if he were dead. But it didn't hurt to have that jackass think she believed him. Why the hell was he toying with her? If he wanted her dead why hadn't he just killed her? What was he waiting for? She opened her eyes; maybe the question should be who was he waiting for?

Lift Ticket settled the chopper on the ground and flashed a thumbs-up as Duke and Roger led their men silently towards the building where Scarlett was being held. Lift Ticket lifted off and circled around to provide air support for the frontal attack.

The back door to the jail was bathed in weak yellow light coming from a single bulb hanging over the door. Roger's man, Evans, shot the light, sending the surrounding area into total darkness. Sounds of battle reached them from the front of the compound. Their distraction was in place, now all they had to do was get Scarlett and get the hell out. Roger and Duke moved to flank the door and exchanged a wary glance as Roger tested the door and found it unlocked. On the signal the door was flung open and they swept the room. Nothing. Nothing and No one. Five cells lined the left wall of the large room. The right wall was empty with the exception of a line of narrow windows running along the ceiling. All the cells were empty.

"Damn!" Roger cursed softly, "They've moved her."

Stalker shook his head, "Something's not right. It was too easy to get in here."

Duke nodded in agreement, "You're right. Keep your guard up everyone. Stalker, radio teams two and three, tell them be on guard, Scarlett's been moved."

The rest of them went through the room a second time, finding traces of blood in one of the cells. When Stalker had contacted the others they continued their search.

They were in the main hallway when the attack came, one second they were in an empty hallway and the next they were taking heavy fire. Roger yanked Duke behind him, "Circle around behind us and find another way up. Get Shauna. We'll take care of these idiots and meet you when we're done. Now, Go!"

Roger hadn't given him a choice so Duke circled back and mentally calculated where he was in the building and how he could get to the next floor. He made his way up one floor at a time, searching every room for a clue as to where she might be. He found nothing, no prisoner, no guards, nothing. He knew something wasn't right. They had been set up.

He continued moving, searching, and went over everything he knew about their situation trying to figure out why someone had gone to such lengths to set them up. Why? And Who? Cobra had been defeated six years ago. The Joes had disbanded. Why her? Why Scarlett? Why wouldn't Blair have given me or Roger a head's up? If they had been set up how had Blair not known? Why had he been so nervous during the last message? Blair hadn't mentioned anything beyond the urgency of Scarlett's rescue. He had wanted Duke and the others to get to the island as quickly as possible. Blair had been the best of the best, he had trusted Blair with his life, but if this was a set up, and it obviously was, Blair had to have known about it. He hated to even think what that said about Blair. What the hell had happened to him to turn him into a traitor?

Scarlett swam towards consciousness, disoriented by her new surroundings; she could hear the sounds of a battle going on below and smiled weakly. 'Finally. They're here. Give 'em hell boys!'

She was sitting up, much in the same position she had been the last time he'd come to torment her. 'What now?' she wondered 'He's already tried the whole "Duke is dead" routine, what else does he think he has up his sleeve?'

He'd gotten a lot of pleasure from her reaction to the news that her precious Duke was dead. He wondered what kind of reaction he could get out of her this time. He rubbed his hands together with glee. Who knew she'd be such an easy target!

"Wakey, wakey!" He called to get her attention but she wouldn't look at him. Did she think she could play it cool with him? Ha! He'd fix her. He unlocked the cell and came in, kneeling down and jerking her face towards his, "Do you hear that? Do you know what that noise is? That's the sound of you're friends dying! They walked into my trap without a second thought! They'll all be dead in a matter of time."

Before she could react one of his men rushed in, panicked, "They broke through the line! And they've sent for reinforcements!"

A look of complete and utter shock crossed his face, "Shut up! Shut up!" He waved his hands in the air

Scarlett started to laugh and looked up, "Gee, you must not have listened to anything in terrorist school! You really suck at this!"

"Bitch!" He leaned down, drew his arm back, and punched with as much force as he could manage. He grinned when she slumped to the floor, unconscious again, and walked out laughing to himself. " I didn't suck at that, did I?"

Duke paused; he had heard Scarlett's voice! He stood silent for several seconds, listening. When he heard nothing he sent a brief radio message to the others and began to move in the direction her voice had come from. Flint's team had joined with Roger's team and had the terrorists on the run. They would make a way out now that they knew Duke had found Scarlett. Beach Head's team had fought and dealt with the terrorists that had met their attack and were now rounding up the stragglers. Duke had no doubt they would have any spare terrorists rounded up by the time he rescued Scarlett.

Duke paused at the door; he could see Scarlett lying on the floor. He ground his teeth together in an effort to stay calm. He could tell she was hurt, how bad he didn't know, but he would repay the bastards in full when he found them. It was a trap, he knew that, but he couldn't leave her lying there and he couldn't wait for help. All he could do was tread carefully and get the hell out of this place when he had her.

He kept his gun ready; he was as prepared as he could be as he approached her cell. He called her name softly, hoping she was just asleep and not unconscious. "Scarlett…" No answer. Damn! He lightly brushed her face, "Shauna…"

Calling her name was the last thing he did before a pain exploded in his head and he slumped down beside her, unconscious.