Lilah opened the door to the inside, breathing hard. Flint was glaring at her, and Jaye and Roadblock were going through her bag. "Emergency family meeting at Joe's place. He's asleep, so we came back. My siblings are probably going to stay the night with him... What are you doing?"
"Making sure you aren't Cobra," Roadblock said in a tone that made Lilah groan. "Can you blame us?"
"No, actually," she replied. "Fine. Pat me down, go through my bags. Leave the dagger alone." She caught Jaye's eye as the woman eyed it. "Leave the dagger alone. If I hid something on it, you have full permission to burn my ass alive, starting with my arm after you tear it off."
"What about the ninja?" Flint asked, not so subtle. Lilah sent a piercing green glare his way. "Fine, fine. Dagger is innocent and won't be touched." Just to make sure, Lilah took her dagger and the sheath, placing it in her waist band. "Where did the pizza go?"
"I took a box with me. Peace offering for my brother and sister." Lilah knelt down by the door, pulling a hidden box out. She took a piece, noticing everyone staring at her. She grinned, raising the pizza up in a wave. Flint was making his way towards her. "You know what would be awesome right now? Some margaritas."
"There is a bar not too far away," Jaye said in a sly voice. "Jinx, wanna come with us?" Lilah grinned, standing up with the box in hand and offering a piece to the other women. "Let's go shopping. How much cash do you have, Lilah?"
"More than enough to get some hot new clothes," Lilah said, pulling a wad of bills from her pocket. "Lucky for us, some stores stay open all night when I'm around."
Flint was getting his shoes on like he was going, and Jaye shook her head. Roadblock was looking at them like he couldn't believe what they were doing. Snake Eyes was posting more attention to his meditation. Storm Shadow was not giving any of them an all too happy look. "See you later, boys!"
Lilah hopped into the driver's seat, Jaye taking the seat next to her and Jinx jumping into the back. "So, girls, we are going to go break a couple doors and leave a bit of cash for them. Remember, don't drink too much." Lilah managed to keep a straight face until that last but when she started laughing. "Who am I kidding? Drinks on me!"
Lilah knew that the three of them looked like best friends that night. They were already drinking a bit when they got to the bar, each in civilian clothes. Jaye was in pants that were comfortably right with a task top, hair down. Lilah straightened her hair in the bathroom of McDonald's, wearing cut off real short Jean shorts and a tank like Jaye. Jinx wore t-shirt with pants, and she pulled it off in a way that made Lilah a bit impressed.
The trio danced with their arms around each other's waists, forming a kick line. Lilah laughed as Jaye stumbled to the side when Jinx fell. Lilah knew she should have stopped drinking hours before, probably when they started playing beer pong and other games, but now that she was smashed, she didn't really regret it. She was having too much fun to regret it.
"Girls, it's time for closing," the bartender said, cleaning up. "You can have one more drink, then you gotta go." Lilah stumbled over, throwing the shot back as it slid like water. She passed one to Jaye, who was poking a passed out Jinx. The bartender grabbed the keys that Lilah gave up at the beginning of the night, helping them to the Mazda.
"Where should I drop you off?" The bartender asked. Lilah grabbed the throw away phone they bought for half off. Good thing Lilah could was good at leaving no evidence behind. She flipped open the phone, the light of her car hurting her eyes. She scrolled down to Roadblock's number, hitting call and handing it to the bartender.
Lilah was barely awake when someone touched her shoulder, jolting her up. She smiled sleepily when she saw Storm Shadow. He pulled her out of the car, carrying her down to the darkness of the arena. She could see Jaye and Jinx next to each other, totally going to have a major hangover the next morning.
"Stormy?" Lilah didn't get an answer back, but knew it was okay to continue on. "Do you think I can get my son back?"
"I'm sure you can. You're a bit too stubborn not to get him back." Lilah smiled, comforted as her eyes drifted closed. "No more girls' night, Lilah."
"I'm Annabelle. Lilah was my sister. Mom and dad beat her to death when we spilled mom's medications down the sink." A tear feel from the corner of her eye as Storm Shadow set her down. "Oh, God... What will they do when they see me like this?"
"Go to sleep. Your parents can't touch you any more." Lilah doubted him, but was out of it within a second or two.
Storm Shadow had been slightly worried about Lilah. She was going out drinking after meeting with her family? He wanted to follow the trio, but Snake Eyes signaled that it wasn't such a good idea. Lilah wouldn't like him spying on her, and it would make Jaye suspicious. Snake Eyes thought that maybe Jinx would kick him for it. So Storm Shadow waited for her.
"Why are you so worried?" Flint asked after a while. "Did something happen with the family?"
Storm Shadow moved slightly, sitting down in a bit more comfortable position. "She feels violently. Everything I've seen her feel has been to the extremes." He looked towards the door, hoping to see her walk through. "Her son is currently in Zartan's hands. That is enough to be worried. Her violent nature can make it worse than it has to be."
Flint nodded, getting the point. "Well, Jaye's with her, so how much trouble can she get into?" Roadblock and Snake Eyes both gave him looks. "Okay, that isn't the most comforting thought after all. But they do have Jinx... Snakes, how bad is Jinx?"
Snake Eyes shook his head. Storm Shadow smiled slightly. Lilah should have been with these people, not with Cobra. She was a genuinely good person. Her interests did include shooting people, but that was a mere technicality. Storm Shadow moved again, unable to stay in one spot. Snake Eyes looked at him before going back to what he was doing. "So, Storm, how was Lilah back in Cobra?"
"She spent most of her time with either myself or Firefly. I was actually able to stand being in the same room as Firefly and Zartan for more than five minutes because of her. She likes horror movies, but jumps no matter what. She goes through books incredibly quickly. Basically, she was a social butterfly who could spend her time about anywhere. Then Joan came along."
"Joan?"
"A friend of Lilah's," Storm Shadow elaborated. "She died while in our custody. Lilah didn't look me straight in the eye for at least a week. I had to steal her book and watch incredibly boring movies with her. I was being blamed for a death all over again."
It was quiet after that, the Joes going to sleep while Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow chose to stay awake. Snake Eyes signed a question. *Why do you care so much?*
"She's different."
*How different?*
"Different enough for me to care." Storm Shadow snapped his eyes to Snake Eyes. "What does it matter to you?"
*You care. How isn't it important, brother?* It was usually used as a derogatory term, but for once, it didn't seem so derogatory. *Lilah is definitely a one of a kind person.*
"She cares. She tries not to push things, but sometimes certain things just come out of her mouth."
*Certain things?*
"Often perverted," Storm Shadow conceded. "Though she does try to say things intelligent that turn out perverted. Snake Eyes, don't even start."
*Already did.* Storm Shadow rolled his eyes, a sign that he probably spent a bit too much time with Lilah. Snake Eyes smiled, and say up a bit straighter. *How do you plan to get the boy?*
"Zartan has him under his wing," Storm Shadow started. "I have to first find where he is being kept, then I have to get Hibiki, her brother, and manage some type of plan. Zartan will expect Lilah, but he won't expect her backup."
*It would be better if I went. You should stay in Cobra's good graces.* Storm Shadow didn't say anything to that. *He will probably be at the summit, you know. As will the rest of the Joes.*
"The Prototype Project shouldn't be able to keep the human body going after death," Storm Shadow said. "But somehow they have managed to bring the dead back and then keep them going without constant injections. It shouldn't be possible."
*But it is. I know a Joe when I see a Joe. The boy is probably there to see how it works on living humans.*
"It has already been tested on living humans. Most died, only a few survived. Per batch. They're testing it in children. He will eventually be just one of many." Storm Shadow got up as Lilah's phone rang. Storm Shadow took one look at the idea and kicked one of the Joes awake.
"Huh?"
"Answer the phone. It is Zartan, and he will most likely boast about where the child is being held. Answer it." Flint grabbed it at the mention of his enemy, hitting the answer button quickly.
"You've reached 1-800-Go to hell, this is Satan speaking," Flint said in a perfectly normal voice. Storm Shadow would have never guessed he was asleep. Flint was even generous enough to put it on speaker phone so all could hear.
"So it is true. Lilah is with the Joe's." Zartan chuckled in the President's voice, unnerving all of them, even Roadblock as he woke up. "I guess she found out who killed her friend then? I have to say that it's particularly hard to find any associates of hers. But I did."
"We don't accept offers to kill our friends," Flint said. "Besides, Lilah isn't home right now. So if we could take a message, that'd be great." Flint didn't like it, Storm Shadow observed. He didn't like that Zartan sounded entirely too much like the executive leader.
"Tell her that I've got her little boy. If she doesn't come back to Cobra for death by the needle, he will be injected with something that hurts an awful lot. I've seen and heard adults scream to death because of it." The line went dead, and the boys all shared a glance, except Storm Shadow, who didn't quite know what to do. He couldn't not tell Lilah, but he couldn't at the same time, knowing exactly what she would do.
"So... we either send Lilah with a bow to her death... or we let the kid die? I'm stuck. How're we going to win this one?"