Frontline News.


On the bridge of the Flagg, a crewmen rushes in with a message. "What's that you got, Ensign?" The Admiral asked.

The young man gulps before speaking. "Urgent message, stateside; Capitol...under siege, requesting immediate close air support."

Hearing this, Flint growls and throws his beret on the floor. "So this was a diversion; son of a bitch!" While the other Joes are calming him down, they hear shouts and a thud, and see Adm. Ledger on the floor with a hand clenched at his chest.

"He's having a-get him to sickbay now!" Flint shouts, and Shipwreck and a random crewman take The Admiral below decks.

"So what do we do now, man?" Footloose asks, as he and everyone else looks to him for orders.

Flint hesitates for a moment before feeling his hand being grabbed, and glances to Lady-Jaye, who motions for him to step forward. "Order all ships to come about 180 degrees and proceed to Panama at flank speed. Since we're too far out, get on the radio to Joe headquarters, see if they've launched already; and tell Beachhead to meet us there, then get our Skystrikers prepped for takeoff."

The Ensign nods and grins, saying "Aye aye, sir." before leaving.

At the monitor room, Col. Sharp is replying to the Flagg's radioman. "Understood crewman; tell Flint that Ace, Recondo and Green-shirt Nash are one the way there already. Over and out."


While on the way back, Flint hears a voice over the radio. "Duke...What's your status?" He asked.

"Same as your's, tired and mad as hell." Duke replied.

"Haha, the fang faces find that out the hard way?" Lady-Jaye asked next.

"That they did, Lady-Jaye." Duke replies, only to be replaced. "Huh, wai-"

"Da, Oktober Guard has saved day again...perhaps Horrorshow can tell of how he-."/"Gimme dat thang, yuh damn Russian bear!"/"Take number, ugly; am speaking to lady with voice of songbird!"


Once the mess is over, Nash is with Cover-Girl, Bazooka, and Clutch looking for survivors, as well as any traps Cobra may have left. They are now looking through a grocery store and hear a voice from a toppled aisle. "Found seven." Bazooka says while peeking in the "tunnel".

"That makes 23 survivors since we started." Cover-Girl says, and takes the white board she had, which had 3 letters: S for survivor; D for Deceased which had 72; and L for Looters which had 11, before sending Clutch to the other side. Once they get the civilians free, one of them falls over.

"What's the matter, ma'am?" Nash asked her.

"I must have twisted my ankle, mahn." The woman tells him.

"Better send her to Doc...What's your name, miss?" Cover-Girl asks after righting another shelf.

"M-Mahia Wendigos, a transfer student from the C.A.S.E. in Jamaica." She replied while Nash puts her arm over his shoulder.


After the Joes have all returned to base, Col. Sharp has finished speaking with Gen. Abernathy and Adm. Lattimer about what they've just been through, and they start a different conversation.

"Did that agent you mentioned find out anything about that Cobra jet the reds captured?" Adm. Lattimer asked.

Gen. Abernathy shook his head. "Unfortunately, he was injured in the fighting; when one of the disguised buses exploded, his vocal cords were damaged by some glass shards. However, he did find a form describing a shipment of "aircraft components" to Volgograd." He told them.

"I see, Kapustin yar would be the place to send a plane like that, wouldn't it." Col. Sharp said aloud. "Aside from that, if there's one thing this mess reminds me of, it's the Washington flap just before i made Lt."

"I heard about that from a friend of mine who was with the Tophatters during Mainbrace." Adm. Lattimer told them. "You suppose we're really not alone...I mean, Cobra had to get that idea from somewhere, right?" He asked after resting his chin on his left hand.

The other two look to each other before Gen. Abernathy replies. "You're probably just overthinking it, George; there's absolutely no such thing as aliens."

"...Eh, i guess you're right, Clay." Adm. Lattimer said to him while leaning back.

A few minutes after the Admiral left, the other two call those Joes who were fit enough to head to the assembly room. "Joes, i have some good news and bad news." Col. Sharp tells them. "The good part is that The President, and the Soviet ambassador will be arriving to personally reward Duke's team for their efforts."

The Joes all stand and cheer...until the next part.

"As for the bad news, I'll let Gen. Abernathy explain." He said next, and stepped back.

"Thank you, Col.; Joes, due to the recent incident, i am transferring Beachhead for a special assignment." The General says, only for some of the Joes to start clapping.

"So whats the bad news?" Shipwreck asked, making Beachhead stand and roll up his sleeves.

"Turn meh loose, ah wanna see who's celebratin' when ah turn 'em intuh jellehfish!" He shouts while Flint and The Gen. hold him back.

"Is it always like this here?" The Gen. asked Col. Sharp.

"More or less." He and Flint reply after the Col. sighs.


Chapter thirteen. Read and review.