Frontline News.
A wave of shock runs through the Joes at what they just heard, the anti-social diver who's "replacement" was just turned to cinders is alive, but being held hostage. "Flint, did ah hear thet gist now?" Gung-Ho asks over the radio from the machine gun nest he and Footloose are at. He, Flint, and Scarlett all thinking of how bad they felt when they gave him up for dead after the synthoid was first discovered.
"It seems so; but how can we be certain this isn't a trick, Commander?" Col. Sharp asks.
"Well, there isss one way to be posssitive." Cobra Commander replies far too gleefully as he's pulling a box cutter out, and swipes at Deep Six's forearm, causing even his handlers to wince in surprise.
"Colonel, whut wuzzat? He didn't gist kill Deep Six, did he?" Beachhead asks over his radio, taking a few glances at his team. All of whom are aiming at the lead ship, all waiting for the order to bring it down.
"That's negative, Beachhead. Hold fire until further orders." Col. Sharp answers as behind him, Flint explains the situation to Scarlett, who just arrived from the infirmary. Knowing that the blood on the tool and on Deep Six's arm means that he's the real one, Col. Sharp gives the order. "All forces resum-."
Scarlett shoves Flint aside and runs over to Sharp only for Mainframe to grab her. "Colonel, no. Let me go!" She says before Flint also pulls her back.
"Not holding back, even after all thiss time with them, Col. Ssharp?" Cobra Commander asked, clearly having enjoyed the results.
"I told you he'd say that... didn't i fangbreath?" Deep Six asks next before being punched in the head by Scrap Iron.
The Commander angrily turns to him before looking back. "If you intend to let another of your men die, I'll help with that. Hook him up and lower him down the esscape hatch." He says. A winch frame is wheeled in and Deep Six is sent down the tube. "What now, Col. by-the-book?" He asks, not noticing the two behind him watching as the cord moves as though being tugged on before Scrap Iron retracts it to find it severed.
"Um, Commander? We might have a-"
"Not now, Scrap Iron. I'm busy standoff-ing." He said, looking over his shoulder for a second only to look again four seconds later and placed his hands on his helmet. "You fool; you used a faulty rope! I wanted to record his death!" He yelled before turning back to the console to press a button, causing the Joes to see an image of a Tele-Viper's head.
The visor of which showed the phrase: Technical Difficulty, pleasse ssstandby.
"So... what now, sir?" Flint asks the equally unamused Col. Sharp. "They're bound to realize what happened to the Harpoen."
"Do you want me to lead the rest of our armor out?" Scarlett asks a split second after.
"All we can do about that is hope they think it's recharging. Ace, do a sweep of the area below the lead ship's flightpath, see if you can find Deep Six's body. Beachhead, hold off the enemy ground force so Scarlett can-" Col. Sharp ordered until a different voice was heard.
What the Joes didn't see was Cobra Commander ordering a line to Major Bludd. "Major Bludd, something's gone wrong... Make a pass of the ventral hull!"
"Roger, Commander. There is an open hatch; no idea how long ago." Hearing this makes The Commander run back to the hatch. The three all peer down to see Deep Six, who's uninjured arm is being grabbed by another person.
"You mind if i take this man for a checkup, he says some wacko in a mask scratched him." The second man says while smirking before letting go and extending two little jets attached to his belt after entering and leaving Major Bludd's line of sight.
"Hooly Dooley!" is all he could say before attempting to get a lock on them, only to hear the familiar sound of Skystriker shells hitting his fuselage.
While that is going on behind them, the rescuer motions forward to a dual rotor helicopter, and turns off his jetpack before plowing into a raft blown up inside. "Heh, just like clockwork, Lifeline." He tells a black haired man in a red jumpsuit Deep Six doesn't recognize.
"Eh, that depends on what just... Gen. Abernathy?" The diver asks outloud once everything stops spinning.
"Last time i checked i was, son. Skylar, move us out of here." The General said, then headed to the co-pilot's seat and put a headset on.
Back in the Joes war room.
"Col. Sharp, this is Gen. Abernathy, we have the hostage. Bringing him home. Over." They all hear.
As the Joes around him start clapping, Col. Sharp looks to Dial-Tone. "Get me a visual first."
"Right sir; Dial-Tone to any available Joe pilots, requesting visual confirmation. Over."
"One moment, laddy." Blowtorch says, bringing his partly damaged Skyhawk alongside and sees Deep Six hold a hand up after noticing him. "Aye, 'e's in dere, sir. Seems to have a wee mark on him, but 'e's alive!"
After gaining a slight grin, Col. Sharp speaks up. "Damn good to hear. Beachhead, set up an L.Z. and send someone to pick up Doc."
"Yayus, sir." Beachhead replies, then looks back. "Alright Joes, way got us uh bird on thuh way; clear uh spot fahwar it!"
"Got it, we'll hold them off." Zap says, and speeds off with Flash, Clutch, Roadblock, and Lady-Jaye.
"Cross-Country, head back an' git Doc out; gonna need him tuh patch up Deep Six's arm." Beachhead tells him, but the other Joe points at the site.
"Ah don't thenks that'll be no concern; look."He replied, seeing one of the medevac H.A.V.O.C.s on it's way.
After having lost his hostage, Cobra Commander looks back to the Tele-Vipers. "Call back all remaining Night Ravens for drone attachment. I want them to suffer for this insult!"
"Enemy fighter approaching at 3 o'clock; they've locked on to us!" A crewman reports.
"Switch to reverse engines, full ascent!" Scrap Iron orders.
"Aye aye sir."
"Missiles will hit in 26 seconds!"
"All hands, brace for impact!"
The last order proves unnecessary when they notice the third heli-carrier take the hits. "-zzzz-is Anac-zzzz-a 19, get-zzzz-mander out of here...Cobr-zzzz." The airship's captain said before it exploded.
"You heard him, get me out of here!" Cobra Commander shouted, giving no sign of the gratitude the crew had for the last second save.
Chapter thirty-four.
