The next few chapters may be a little slower getting posted. It's summertime and the kids are home. Life is full. All that is to say I have less time at the moment to write. Just giving you all a heads up.
Again, thanks for reading. Thanks for the reviews. I appreciate each and every one!
Usual disclaimer: I don't own G.I. Joe...
An impromptu party was taking place in the rec room. All the Joes were exhausted, but no one wanted to go to bed just yet. They stood around in groups catching up and getting reacquainted—like the old friends and family they were. Plates filled with Roadblock's hors d'oeuvres were held balanced in their hands. Roadblock had somehow taken the simple ingredients of their kitchen and created a spread of delicious appetizers. For a special treat, he had even scrounged up cartons of heavy cream and bags of chocolate chips and transformed them into mouthwatering chocolate eclairs.
"How do you do it, Roadblock?" Flint asked, taking several of the chocolate treats and stacking them on a plate. He was well aware of Lady Jaye's weakness for chocolate.
Roadblock laughed. "Hey, what can I say? I'm a gourmet." He wiggled his fingers and grinned. "I've got a magic touch in these hands."
"That you do, my friend." Flint chuckled, slapping him on the back. "That you do."
Lady Jaye and Cover Girl showed up later, having showered, changed into their BDU's, and with their hair back to normal.
"Cover Girl, over here." A large group was waving her over.
Cover Girl rolled her eyes.
"You don't have to, you know." Lady Jaye frowned slightly, glancing at the overeager Shipwreck, Clutch, and Breaker among them.
"I know. But I'll have to face them eventually. Might as well get it over with." Cover Girl sighed. "Catch ya later, Jaye?"
"Sure." Lady Jaye nodded, watching her friend limp boldly toward the group. Suddenly, an arm wrapped around her waist from behind. "My Lady." A whisper of warm breath tickled her ear.
"Flint." She turned to face him, smiling.
"I was wondering when you'd get here." He held up the eclairs and grinned. "I saved these for you."
Her smile widened. She took one and bit into it. A dreamy expression came over her face and she sighed. "Roadblock?"
He nodded.
"I'll have to think of a way to thank you for saving them."
"I'm sure I can think of a few," he grinned lopsidedly, his eyes raking over her.
A blush crept up her cheeks. "Behave yourself. We're in public," she chided, failing to hide her amusement. That the general was in the room with them in conversation with Duke and Scarlett hadn't escaped her observation. She quickly changed the topic. "Looks like Cover Girl's secret is out," Lady Jaye nodded toward the corner of the room.
"Mmm." Flint took a bite of the éclair she offered and licked his lips. He glanced at the crowd gathered around Cover Girl. An eyebrow raised appreciatively. "She was pretty hot—"
Lady Jaye's eyes narrowed and she reached up, knocking his beret askew. "Oh, she was, was she?" Her hands went to her hips.
Grinning, he grabbed his beret and straightened it. "—But she doesn't hold a candle to another woman I know," he added.
Lady Jaye laughed. "Nice save, slick."
The TV was on in the background.
"Uh—I'm glad you're all enjoying this," Dial-Tone said, pointing at the TV. "Because it's all over the breaking news."
Everyone turned.
"What is, Dial-Tone?" Scarlett, flanked by Duke, moved to stand behind him.
Joes moved closer so they could watch.
What's going on?"
"Turn it up, Wreck."
Shipwreck grabbed the remote and turned the volume high.
"…A break-out from the high security ward occurred tonight at the Penitentiary. Ten G.I. Joe prisoners being held for crimes again the state have escaped." Mugshots of the ten Joes filled the screen. "In the daring heist, this woman—" A screenshot showed Lady Jaye in disguise. "—infiltrated the prison. She was assisted on the outside by several others believed to be a part of the rogue G.I. Joe fugitives." The screen changed showing blurry video images of Flint and Shipwreck and their teams. "The woman is assumed to be the Joe operative known only as 'Lady Jaye'."
Lady Jaye let loose a string of Gaelic curses under her breath as the image of Lady Jaye in her disguise reappeared on the screen next to a fuzzy photo of Lady Jaye in BDUs and holding a javelin aloft. "These unconventional weapons were found at the scene of the crime..." Photos of the broken javelins flashed onto the screen.
Several Joes shot glances in her direction.
"So much for going incognito," Shipwreck muttered.
"We knew they would know we were Joes," Flint said quietly. "And Lady Jaye, especially, knew the risk going in."
She nodded. "I did."
"…This breakout only serves to confirm the danger the Joes pose to the public. Members of the group previously known as G.I. Joe are wanted for multiple crimes: treason, destruction of public property, terrorist attack, and crimes against the state. They should be considered armed and extremely dangerous. If you see any of them, shoot first and ask questions later…"
Angry voices rose all over the room.
"Previously known as G.I. Joe?"
"Danger to the public?"
"Shoot first and ask questions later?"
Wild Bill frowned. "I hate to say it folks, but this ain't looking too good."
"Well, you don't win a kewpie doll by springing folks from the slammer." Shipwreck growled.
"Flint, Lady Jaye," Hawk bellowed. "My office. Now."
Lady and Flint glanced at one another and sighed. They rose and followed Hawk without a word.
"Sir—" Scarlett glanced at Duke apologetically and then ran after him. "I think I should come, too," she said.
He stared at her a moment and then nodded. She fell in behind Flint and Lady Jaye.
"Looks like the party is over," Breaker observed.
Roadblock nodded. His worried eyes following his friends down the hall.
Hawk led them to his newly claimed office. Without a word, he entered and took the leather seat behind the large, oak desk. The room was sparse, and no pictures adorned the white walls. There was a cold, almost sterile, feeling to it.
"Sit, ladies." He motioned to the two chairs in front of his desk. "Flint, if you would—"
Flint nodded.
Lady Jaye and Scarlett sat down as Flint grabbed a chair from the adjoining office and placed it next to Lady Jaye. Then, he too, sat.
Hawk steepled his hands and stared at them in silence. Then, he rose and began pacing the room behind the desk. After three or four passes, he began to rant: "You three put yourselves at risk. You put others at risk—"
Flint, Scarlett, and Lady Jaye sat stiffly, trying not to squirm.
"Irresponsible," he bellowed. "Unthinking." He looked at them a moment before beginning to pace again. "Absolutely inexcusable." He stopped and placed his hands on the desk. His fingertips were white. Leaning over into their personal space, he fixed them with his piercing gaze. "Do you have any idea how many laws G.I. Joe was involved in breaking today? Do you realize what that will do to our already—tarnished—reputation?"
Flint swallowed.
Lady Jaye lowered her eyes.
"Sir—" Scarlett began.
Hawk shot her a glare, and she snapped her mouth shut.
"And you, young lady—" His gaze pegged Lady Jaye to her chair. "Do you realize you are now a wanted criminal—known by name. For high treason, no less! What am I going to do with you? They'll throw the book at you if they get their hands on you." He sat down and lowered his head into his hands. He groaned. "I need to ask you three one question." He lifted his eyes. "Why?"
Scarlet, Lady Jaye, and Flint shared glances.
Lady Jaye sighed and began. "Hawk, we were facing an unknown enemy. The Joes were scattered and broken. Our ranks were bottom heavy. The command was threadbare—"
He shook his head wearily. "You three should've been enough. It's what you're trained for."
"With all due respect, sir." Scarlett lifted her chin. "We are also trained to see the reality of the situation. And the reality is that we needed help. Flint, Jaye, and I were spread thin—"
"Hawk," Lady Jaye cut in quietly. "There is more to this than the dismantling of the Joes. There are bigger plans in place. We need to know who is behind all this. And why. But to be able to do that, we needed more commanders to take over other areas so that Scarlett and I could do the job we do best in these situations: gather and sort through intel."
Flint nodded his support; his jaw clenched.
Hawk started to speak and then shut his mouth. He ran a hand through his hair. "I ought to hand you over to the authorities. All of you. And turn myself in to boot. But—" He gave them a perceptive glare. "I find myself thanking you, instead."
They let out a collective breath.
"We're glad you're here, sir," Scarlett smiled.
"So am I." He admitted, smiling for the first time.
"It's good to have you back, Hawk." Lady Jaye rose suddenly and circled the desk, giving him a hug.
His eyes widened and he coughed. "Enough of that." He said sternly. "Back to your seat."
Scarlett and Flint chuckled as Jaye returned to her chair, a sheepish grin on her face.
Hawk cleared his throat, and they turned their attention back to him. At the expression on his face, their smiles faded.
"Hawk, what is it?" Lady Jaye asked, concerned.
He sighed. "Since we've already broken so many rules, I might as well break a few more. I probably should have told you before, anyway—" He paused, gathering his thoughts. "There are rumors currently going around. Officials are behaving strangely, and out of character—senators, representatives, and governors—all the way up to the Oval Office. The rumors have even included military commanders." He took a deep breath. "There is a possibility that some of our leaders have been compromised."
"Oh, Hawk." Scarlett shook her head. "This could be the key to everything."
"She's right." Lady Jaye glanced at Scarlett. "This is important, Hawk. Why didn't you tell us this before? We're intelligence. This is exactly the kind of thing we are supposed to know."
"It was a matter of national security, Jaye. I wasn't authorized to tell anyone. If any of our enemies found out, they could find us vulnerable—and take advantage of the situation. Our nation is at risk."
"And if some of our leaders have been compromised—" Scarlett threw up her hands. "What then? Were they just going to sit back and pretend it wasn't happening?"
"I don't know," Hawk frowned. "But I agree with you. It's time we figured out what's really going on. Let's assume for the moment that some of our leaders have been compromised. The next question would be 'how'."
"We've seen it tried before." Flint admitted.
Lady Jaye nodded. "Mind control." She began ticking off past experiences rapidly on her fingers. "Mind altering drugs. Threats. Gas. Impersonation..."
"Don't forget to add synthoids to that list." Scarlett's face darkened with old memories. "Cobra has had some success with them in the past, though not to this extent."
"You're right." Lady Jaye tapped her pen to her lips. "Thankfully, those plans failed."
"Like the rest."
"They could've improved on them, though." Flint said thoughtfully.
"True."
"Or created something new," Scarlett suggested.
They all fell silent.
Hawk nodded and rubbed his temple. "As you three know, any or all of the above could be true. This discussion has only proven to me how real the possibility is. And therefore, how probable." He sighed. "I don't really need to say this, but ladies, dig deep. See what you can find."
"Yes, Hawk." Scarlett and Lady Jaye said together.
"Flint, let's get Duke in on this. Fill him in."
"Yes, sir." Flint nodded.
"For now, though, we'll keep it from the rest of the team. I have a feeling they will know soon enough," he said grimly.
"Yes, sir. Understood."
Synthoids first appear in Sunbow's "Synthoid Conspiracy," parts 1&2. For Scarlett, the memories would be personal. They appear again in "There's No Place Like Springfield," parts 1&2. But that's Shipwreck's story. As for the rest, if you can imagine it, Cobra has probably tried it.