Chapter 12

Going down in flames

Kerry kicked the Skystriker's rudder hard to the right while the stick up and to the right and rapidly advancing the thrust and pulling a hard turning loop coming up behind the Agressor's aircraft. In a microsecond, the shrill horn indicating that she'd achieved a shoot-down. Her first as a pilot in the US Air Force and a member of the G.I. Joe team.

"Gotcha!" Kerry whooped at her adversary.

"Not bad, kid" Ace called back. "Too bad you weren't watching your six." Just then, the tone indicating she'd been "shot down" sounded.

"What the?" Kerry turned to find an RAF tornado pitch down and then under her.

"Reckon, I got you!" A feminine Irish lilt came through her headset. Kerry lowered her head momentarily in defeat, before laughing as she kicked the rudder hard over the left and pushed her stick forward moving swiftly out of the way of the oncoming Tornado. Through her headset, she could hear Ace laugh and then say "Sprout, I think you've learned a little since leaving the team. Good Job!"

"Thanks, Ace. You do realize, though, I have a new call sign." Kerry laughed.

"Yeah, I know. But, Sprout fits you a whole lot better than Stink bomb." Ace's laugh crackled through her headset.. "Besides, your father has final say on your code name."

"Great, just great. I can just see it now. I'll forever be known as Pumpkin." Ace could almost hear the eye roll as everyone in radio distance started laughing raucously.

"It could be worse." Megan O'Leary said. "It could be 'dangleberry'"

"I'm not sure what that is, but, that definitely doesn't sound very nice at all."

"It's not."

"Alright, ladies, let's get these things on the ground and go over what we learned." In seconds, all three pilots kicked over their aircraft and joined up in a three ship formation, Ace in the lead, at times. At other times, Kerry or Megan led the way.

Back at the Pit

Hawk slowly came around in a hospital bed next to his wife and three wailing infants. The grogginess slowly brought him back to full consciousness as he remembered Doc did say triplets! Turning his head, he realized Doc hadn't been exaggerating. Sure enough, there were three small bassinets lined up between himself and his wife. Triplets, dear God, triplets. Hawk thought. Ho the hell was he going to handle three little girls. He rubbed his head as he swung he legs over the side of the bed to look at his daughters and his sleeping wife.

The girls were perfect. And perfectly identical. Jesus, identical triplets, each one had his wife's eyes. God help him.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" His wife's voice broke his concentration as she woke for just a few moments.

"They're amazing." He said looking up at his wife still lying in the bed next to him. Walking over, he kissed her on her forehead. "But, they're so small." He remarked.

"They're actually large for their development." Doc said as he strode into the room. "They were born 3 weeks early."

"But they're okay, right?" Hawk asked as one of his daughters tried to grab his finger. He didn't remember Kerry or Jamie trying to grab his finger until they were a few weeks old.

"They're fine. Beautiful, in fact." Doc replied. "It's actually quite common for multiple births to be born prematurely."

"Thank god." Hawk said wiping his hand over his face. "I swear that woman is her most beautiful after giving birth." Hawk looked over at his sleeping wife.

"Yes, sir, you definitely got lucky with that lady." Doc smiled. "So, have you two picked out any names?"

"We picked out one girl's name and one boy's. We never expected triplets." Hawk laughed a nervous laugh. "God, triplets. How the heck do I deal with three of them."

"You're a great logisitician, so, I'm sure it will work out. Besides, you have an entire team that will help." Doc pointed out. "So, what is the first girl's name? I can get at least one birth certificate started."

"Sarah Grace, after both our mothers. I'm going to wait for Carrie to wake up to figure out the other names." He looked over and realized his wife had fallen back to sleep.

"Of course, sir. I'll start the oldest girl's birth certificate." Doc walked away.

Back in Las Vegas

"I think this just might be it!" Duke said stopping in front of a small chapel that looked like Elvis had regurgitated Graceland everywhere. The ostentatious display was sickening. Duke couldn't imagine walking into this place, let alone marrying Scarlett here. If, and it was still a big if, he married her, it would be in a big, grandiose, elegant place, her in a beautiful white lace gown. She deserved it. She was pure class in his eyes and she deserved whatever finery she wanted.

"Are you sure?" Flint asked.

"I believe so. But, honestly, I can't be perfectly sure. I remember bits and pieces." Duke replied. "Scarlett, do you remember anything?"

"Bits and pieces, like you" Scarlett answered. "But, this does look familiar."

"It looks familiar to me as vell" The Baroness responded.

"And to me." Destro agreed. "But, it looks out of business."

"And so the mystery deepens." Lady Jaye mused. "Are you sure this isn't one of Cobra Commander's crazy scheme?"

"If it is, ve are going to kill him" The Baroness responded. "Dis time he has gone too far."

"I agree. But, what purpose would it have?" Destro asked.

"That is the question, isn't it?" Flint mused aloud.

"I have another question. Why were you two so sure it was Flint and Lady Jaye that had gotten married?" Scarlett asked.

"Oh puhlease, ve all know those two are devoted to each other. Even I could not seduce Flint from her." The Baroness rolled her eyes and earned a look of anger from Destro. "Even if I can't zee vat he zees in her."

Back at Nellis

Kerry climbed out of the jet, taking off her helmet and shaking out her hair. A sharp sting exploded across her face as an unseen palm connected with her cheek.

"What the?" Kerry said as her hand came up to caress the spot.

"You slut!" A female voice yelled in her face.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kerry asked the statuesque blonde woman standing in front of her, angry, accusing eyes.

"You got my husband sent to jail."

"Your husband?"

"Yeah, Captain James Wheeldon."

"Ma'am, he got himself sent to jail." Kerry replied.

"You seduced him! He never would have done what he's being accused of!"

"Really? I caught him trying to pick up another woman. Seems to me, he's more than guilty!"

"James would never cheat on me!" Mrs. Wheeldon yelled. "You had to seduce him!" She accused Kerry as she kept poking Kerry in the chest with a perfectly manicured red nail.

"Listen, lady. I don't care if you don't believe me, but, if you keep this, whatever this is, up, you're gonna join your husband in jail." Kerry replied as she pushed past the woman. "Let go of me!" Kerry yelled as the woman latched onto her arm.

"Kerry! What's going on?" Ace rushed up to the two women.

"This bitch thinks I seduced her husband. She won't believe he seduced me."

"It's true, Mrs. Wheeldon. I've known your husband for years. He has had several mistresses." Ace said simply. "Now, please take your hands off Lieutenant Abernathy. And get off the flight line. Before I call the SPs."

"Go ahead and call them! Because I don't believe you. James wouldn't cheat on me." Mrs. Wheeldon yelled as two security police cars pulled up and two olive drab uniformed sergeants got out. "Great, just great, you did call them!"

"No, actually, I did." Megan said as the two sergeants escorted the screaming woman off the tarmac.