Switched
Part 2
THUD!
That final bullet never came. Psyche-Out opened his eyes, and saw that Pathfinder was lying in a heap on the floor. "Ambush?"
"Don't look at me." Ambush replied with a shrug. Then they noticed that a dart was sticking out of Pathfinder's neck. It was a tranquillizer dart. Stretcher and Lifeline finally came on the scene, along with some of their medical staff, and it was Stretcher who had fired the tranquillizer gun. "Stretcher! Lifeline! Thank god you showed up! Mainframe is also shot and he's in there. Psyche-Out's wounded too." Ambush told them. Stretcher looked after Beachhead while Lifeline tended to Mainframe.
"How is he Lifeline?" Psyche-Out asked.
"Pulse is thready and his breathing is weak. He may have a collapsed lung." Lifeline said as he placed an oxygen mask over Mainframe's mouth and nose after removing his helmet. "Stretcher, how's Beachhead?"
"Weak pulse, hardly breathing." Stretcher replied as he took off Beachhead's balaclava and placed an oxygen mask on him. With the help from their medical staff, Stretcher and Lifeline got Beachhead and Mainframe onto the gurneys they brought with them. "Get them prepped for surgery right away."
"Right" One of the medics replied as the hurriedly wheeled Beachhead and Mainframe to sick-bay.
"Are they gonna make it?" Ambush asked.
"Things could go either way for them Ambush." Lifeline replied. "They both need surgery, possibly blood transfusions."
"Lifeline, I'm going back to sick-bay to assist them in surgery." Stretcher told him.
"I'll join you soon." Lifeline examined Pathfinder's arm, where he had been shot earlier. "This is just a flesh wound." He commented as he wrapped Pathfinder's arm with gauze. Then he looked over Psyche-Out's wounds. "You'll need surgery to excise that bullet." Lifeline told him. "You're lucky it hit the strap here, slowing down its velocity, as it could've been a through-and-through."
"I don't feel lucky, because it hurts like hell." Psyche-Out groaned.
"Believe it. There would've been a lot more blood. And this dent here," Lifeline pointed at Psyche-Out's chest plate, "if you weren't wearing this, you'd be dead."
"Holy shit." Ambush commented. Lifeline packed Psyche-Out's wound with gauze.
"There. That should slow down any more bleeding for now. Just continue putting pressure on it. Ambush, I need you to assist Psyche-Out in getting to sick-bay. I'll take care of Pathfinder."
"Right." Ambush replied as helped Psyche-Out to his feet.
While Stretcher and Lifeline were in surgery, Ambush waited beside Pathfinder, who was still unconscious from the sedative he was shot with. Several hours later, they were finished, and they joined Ambush in the room he was waiting in. "How are Beachhead and Mainframe?" Ambush asked as he got up.
"It was touch and go at first, but they're both going to make it. Lucky for Beachhead, that vest he wears kept the bullet from going into his lung. All he needed was a blood transfusion. Mainframe was another matter. He had a collapsed lung, as Lifeline suspected, plus he also needed a blood transfusion. It's gonna take longer for Mainframe to recover." Stretcher said.
"And Psyche-Out?"
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Psyche-Out quipped as he came in to join them, a bandage covering the right side of his chest.
"I see you haven't lost your sense of humour." Ambush remarked. "So what now? I mean, what do we do about Pathfinder?"
"It's obvious to me now that from what Ambush told me, and by this near carnage, that the personality inside Pathfinder is definitely not his, it's Cobra Commander's." Psyche-Out said.
"But how?" Stretcher asked.
"It must've happened when they were hit by that overload from Dr. Lasseter's mind-reading machine." Lifeline said.
"Well, I guess there's one way to find out." Stretcher wheeled out some equipment. With Lifeline's help, they attached a number of electrodes to Pathfinder's head.
"What's this?" Ambush asked.
"That brain scan you commented to me about earlier." Psyche-Out replied.
"Oh."
"With an EEG, we can get a brain-wave read-out, and then we can compare it to Pathfinder's scans, ones we took during his last physical." Lifeline said. "Since everyone's brain-wave patterns are unique, and if Cobra Commander's personality is in there, they won't match.
"How do we switch them back?" Ambush asked. "And, can it be done?"
"We'll have to contact Dr. Lasseter about getting them switched back. Perhaps he'll know what to do. Knowing Pathfinder, he'll find a way to escape the Cobra base, and join us there." Stretcher said. "Besides, it's got to be done soon."
"Why?"
"The sedative I shot Pathfinder, I mean, Cobra Commander with, it's only going to last seven hours."
"Can't you just, give him some more?" Ambush asked.
"It's very strong. Any more, and it'll send him into cardiac arrest."
"Well, here's a read-out of his brain-waves." Lifeline had with him two pieces of paper. "This is Pathfinder's scan from his last physical, and here is the current read-out." Ambush, Psyche-Out and Stretcher all had a look. "They don't match." They all turned to face the man lying on the bed.
"You were right Ambush." Psyche-Out said. "That may be Pathfinder's body lying there, but the person inside him, is not your friend."
Back at the Cobra base, Destro, who had just found out about the personality switch, was on his way to confront Cobra Commander. Or, who he had thought, was Cobra Commander. Accompanying him was the Baroness. "How is it possible that the GI Joe says he's Cobra Commander?" She asked.
"He told me that when Dr. Lasseter's mind-reading machine overloaded, it caused the personality transfer while he was struggling with that Tarzan boy." Destro replied.
"Oh I knew there was something not right with Cobra Commander."
"Normally that is true my dear. But, these are not normal circumstances." They both charged into the room where Cobra Commander was sitting. Oh shit, Pathfinder thought, they must know about the personality change.
"What is the meaning of this?" He yelled, hoping to think he still acting like Cobra Commander to them. "There had better be a damn good explanation for this unannounced intrusion!"
"You can cut the dramatics. We know you're not Cobra Commander." Destro said.
"What in the hell are you blabbering about? Are you blind? Of course it's me you fools!"
"On the contrary, Pathfinder, you the fool if you think we'll continue to believe this charade." The Baroness replied as she pointed her gun at him. That was when Cobra Commander made a run for it.
"Come back here!" Destro yelled as he and the Baroness gave chase, firing their weapons. Aw man! Pathinder thought hurriedly as he dodged their gunfire, I gotta find a way outta here!
Up ahead, various Cobra Troopers and Vipers were going about their different routines, when they saw who they thought was Cobra Commander run past them. They all ducked as Destro and the Baroness ran past, firing their weapons.
"Stop him! He's not Cobra Commander!" The Baroness shouted.
"What?"
"Huh?"
"Not Cobra Commander?"
"Must we explain everything?" Destro growled. "Just do as we say!" Even thought they were all confused, the troopers and Vipers obeyed their orders and joined in on the chase.
Entering what looked like an airplane hangar, Cobra Commander found exactly what he needed to escape the base. I hope they don't mind if I borrow one of their hurricanes, Pathfinder thought as he climbed into the open cockpit. With bullets hailing down on him, Cobra Commander got the door closed and he fired up the hurricane's engines.
"Blast!" Destro spat as the hurricane blasted through the roof of the base.
"What are we going to do now?" asked the Baroness.
"If I know him, he's probably on his way back to Dr. Lasseter's research facility." Destro replied.
Inside the hurricane, Cobra Commander could breathe easy now that he was away from the Cobra base. Now to get back to headquarters, Pathfinder thought, I just hope they've contacted Dr. Lasseter, and that he can find a way to switch me back to my own body.
"Flint, well, this is pleasant surprise." Dr Lasseter said when Flint and Duke, who was also with him, got in contact with the doctor. "How can I help out GI Joe today?"
"Well doctor, it seems that when your mind-reading machine overloaded, it caused one of our men to switch bodies with Cobra Commander." Flint explained.
"Switch bodies?"
"Yes, his personality ended up in Cobra Commander's body, and vice versa." Dr. Lasseter was shocked at this revelation. "You, seemed surprised by this." Flint noticed.
"Indeed I am. It's incredible. A total personality transfer, and I thought such an idea was not possible."
"Well, apparently it is. And it's resulted in three of our men getting critically injured." Duke informed the doctor.
"Oh my god. I hope they're alright."
"They're fine Dr. Lasseter. Now, what I need to know is, can this personality transfer be reversed?" Flint asked.
"I believe so. If I re-calibrate the equipment, we can re-create the accident which caused the switch to happen. But I must warn you, it may not work. The fact that they switched bodies is a complete fluke. After all, I had thought such an occurrence was not possible. And another overload could be a shock to their systems. It could kill them." Dr. Lasseter explained.
"I understand, and it's a risk we'll have to take. Can you have your machine re-calibrated by the time my team arrives?
"It could take hours. And we also need to have Cobra Commander, or rather, his body here too."
"Thank you doctor. We'll see you shortly." Flint said.
"Flint, I want to go with you back to research lab. If this works, and Pathfinder gets his body back, I'll know." Ambush told him.
Ambush, Stretcher and Flint were traveling back to the research facility, with Stretcher keeping an eye on Pathfinder in the back, who was still unconscious from the sedative. When Flint saw Pathfinder twitch, he pulled out his gun and trained it on him. "Whoa, relax Flint. He won't wake up for a while yet." Stretcher reassured him.
"Then why was he moving?"
"Well, he's basically sleeping. Pathfinder most likely twitches during a regular sleep cycle, and I guess Cobra Commander does to, if he ever sleeps. Most people move in their sleep without realizing it." Stretcher replied.
"How long until the sedative wears off?" Flint asked.
"Probably another hour or so. I hope we're at Dr. Lasseter's lab before then."
"Can't you give him another dose?"
"As I explained to Ambush, not if you want to kill him." Stretcher said. "This sedative is just too strong for a second dose to be administered without the first dose wearing completely off."
"Then you better step on it Ambush. I don't to want to have Cobra Commander waking up until we have arrived at the research lab." Flint told him.
"Anything to get my buddy back to normal." Ambush replied as a beeping sound went off. Someone was trying to contact them. Flint pressed a button on the vehicle's communications panel, and Duke appeared on the screen.
"What's happening Duke?"
"I just received a message from Pathfinder. Or should I say, Pathfinder in Cobra Commander's body. Man I can't wait until this is over, it is just too damn confusing. He's managed to escape from Cobra's base, and wants to know whether to return to headquarters or meet you at Dr. Lasseter's lab."
"Patch him through here Duke." Flint replied as Duke's face disappeared from the screen, and was replaced with Cobra Commander's.
"Flint, are you on your way over to Dr. Lasseter's lab with my body?"
"Yes, we'll meet you there. Dr. Lasseter is re-calibrating his mind-reading machine right now in order to re-create the accident, and hopefully switch you back.
"Oh thank the great good lord." Cobra Commander replied. "I've been stuck in this body long enough. I just hope snake-face didn't try anything."
"Well, he tried to access our top secret files, and he also tried to kill Beachhead, Mainframe and Psyche-Out." Flint said.
"Geez Louise! Are they alright?"
"Don't worry about them, they survived. Although Mainframe's recovery is going to be a bit longer. He had a collapsed lung."
"That fang-faced asshole. Flint, permission to finish strangling him?" Cobra Commander asked.
"Only if Dr. Lasseter is successful in switching you back."
"Good. Cobra Commander is gonna learn that payback is a bitch." Everyone looked at each other as the screen went blank. Ambush chuckled a bit.
"Anyone else find it funny to hear Cobra Commander's voice talking about himself like that?" He quipped.
"Shut up and drive." Stretcher retorted.
When they arrived at the facility, Dr. Lasseter was waiting for them. "Dr. Lasseter, is your machine re-calibrated and ready to go?" Flint asked as he showed them to the lab.
"I have everything all ready for the transfer. Where is the other person?"
"He hasn't arrived yet, but he'll be here shortly." Ambush replied as he and Stretcher carried Pathfinder's limp, unconscious body into the lab. They set him down on the floor, and no sooner had they done so, that he began to stir. Pathfinder was slowly regaining consciousness, and just before Ambush and Stretcher went to join Flint and Dr. Lasseter, he managed to grab Ambush's side-arm without him knowing it. "Are you sure this'll work?" Ambush asked Dr. Lasseter.
"As I said earlier, this is the first time a complete personality transfer has ever occurred and even then, I'm still perplexed as to how it happened in the first place. I have no idea if I'll be able to duplicate the circumstances that caused the original switch successfully."
"And I'll make sure that it doesn't happen!" Everyone turned around to face Pathfinder, fully awake, with Ambush's gun trained on them.
"Aw shit!" Ambush realized his gun was missing.
"Stretcher, got any more of that sedative?" Flint asked.
"Just say the word." Stretcher pointed the tranq gun at Pathfinder.
"I'd be careful with that." Pathfinder cocked the trigger on his gun. "Next time, never turn your backs on an enemy. Especially, one with a silent hand." Still pointing the gun, he stepped towards them. "Now, while we're here, perhaps I can continue where I left off."
"Oh no you don't!" Another voice shouted. Before Pathfinder could react, Cobra Commander rushed into the lab and tackled him to the floor. Everyone had been so distracted, they didn't hear him land the hurricane nearby.
"You think you can stop me, Tarzan boy?" Pathfinder growled.
"Just give me back my body!" Cobra Commander yelled.
"Hell no! I'm enjoying this! I intend to stay this way!" They rolled back and forth on the floor, punching and kicking each other, struggling under each other's grasp as Flint, Stretcher, Ambush and Dr. Lasseter watched.
"Now, Dr. Lasseter!" Flint commanded when they rolled onto the platform for the machine. Dr. Lasseter pulled the switch and the platform, along with the alcove above, enveloped Pathfinder and Cobra Commander in a bright beam of light. After several seconds, Dr. Lasseter pushed the switch back up, shutting the machine down, and Pathfinder and Cobra Commander slumped to the floor. That was when the entrance to the research facility blew apart, and the Cobra forces burst in, led by Destro and the Baroness.
"You Joes are really going to pay this time!" Destro growled.
"Relax Destro, don't get your panties in a twist." Flint quipped.
"How dare you speak to me that way!"
"You got your brave leader back, in his proper body this time." Stretcher added with a hint of sarcasm.
"He better be." The Baroness sneered as she and Destro picked Cobra Commander up and helped him to his feet.
"Perhaps we should take your friend as well, then we'll know for sure if Cobra Commander is back in the correct body. " Destro went to grab Pathfinder, who was still unconscious, but Ambush stepped in front of him.
"Don't even think about it."
"Relax, it was only a joke." Destro said.
"You have a terrible sense of humour Destro." Ambush retorted.
"I'm not going to take your friend, but I'm going to do this." Destro pulled out his gun and fired it at the mind-reading machine just as Ambush and Dr. Lasseter were helping Pathfinder to his feet.
"Watch it asshole!" Ambush shouted as he and Dr. Lasseter shielded themselves from the flying debris.
"My machine!" Dr. Lasseter cried when the dust settled. "My life's work! Do you have any idea how long it took to build it? And how much money it cost?"
"You're very smart doctor. I'm sure you'll come up with a way to start over." The Baroness remarked sarcastically as she, Destro and the rest of the Cobra forces left, taking Cobra Commander with them, still passed out.
"They ruined everything." Dr. Lasseter said as he surveyed the damage.
"Sorry that they destroyed your work." Flint told him.
"No need to apologize, Flint." Dr. Lasseter sighed. "Perhaps, it's for the best."
"Hey, don't give up doctor. If you let Cobra stop you, they win." Stretcher said.
"Stretcher's right. Your idea about your machine replacing the polygraph is very intriguing. And if Cobra gives you any more trouble, just let us know." Flint added.
On the way back to headquarters, Pathfinder slowly started to wake up in the back of the vehicle. "Ugh, my head feels like it's in a vice." He groaned, trying to sit up.
"Take it easy Pathfinder." Stretcher helped him to lie back down.
"Wait a minute Stretcher." Ambush interrupted. "Pathfinder, what are your parents' names?"
"William and Peggy Iannotti. Why?"
"You hear that Stretcher? Cobra Commander would never know that information! The switch worked! He's back!" Ambush whooped for joy.
"Of course I'm back Ambush. No need to make a big deal of it." Pathfinder said.
"We're all happy you're back." Stretcher laughed. "Now, try to get some rest. We'll let you know when we've arrived at headquarters."
As they pulled up to the perimeter fence entrance that surrounded headquarters, Law was there to greet them, and he had Order sniff around their vehicle. Those Cobras were sneaky, and Law simply wanted to make sure they hadn't tried to sneak anything suspicious on board. When Order found Pathfinder resting in the back, this time, he poked and prodded him with his nose and licked his face. "Huh?" Pathfinder opened his eyes and sat up. "Hey, Order, down boy. Not the face, you're tickling me."
"What's going on here?" Law was confused. "Earlier, Order was almost ready to tear you to shreds."
"It's a long story Law." Flint told him.
"Well, maybe you can tell me all about it after I get off duty."
"I'm sure Ambush will tell you everything. Right Ambush?" Flint asked him.
"Right Flint." Ambush replied as Law opened the perimeter fence entrance to let them onto the base.
"Weird day yesterday huh?" Ambush asked the next day as he and Pathfinder were getting their breakfast in the mess hall.
"Tell me about it." Pathfinder replied. "I thought I was gonna be stuck in reptile-breath's body forever." They sat down at their usual table, and after getting his breakfast, Psyche-Out walked up to them.
"Room for one more?" He asked.
"Sure. Pull up a chair." Ambush said.
"How's the shoulder?" Pathfinder asked him as he sat down.
"It's still sore. But Lifeline has assured me that there's no permanent damage." Psyche-Out replied.
"You're not taking any painkillers for it?" Ambush asked him. "Last time I got wounded, I was put on a T3 regimen."
"Only because you got shot in the ass." Pathfinder chuckled.
"Hey, you try getting shot in the ass, then sit down afterwards. It's really painful."
"See this Ambush?" Pathfinder rubbed his index finger and thumb together. "It's the world's smallest violin and it's playing a song just for you."
"I guess you can tell he's back huh?" Ambush remarked sarcastically to Psyche-Out. "You see what I have to put up with?"
"How are Beachhead and Mainframe?" Pathfinder asked. "Are they okay?"
"They both regained consciousness and are expected to make a full recovery." Psyche-Out replied.
"Thank god." Pathfinder was relieved at that bit of news. "Still, I can't help but feel bad for what was done to them. And you."
"It wasn't your fault buddy. You were stuck in a different body." Ambush told him.
"Maybe so Ambush, but it was still my face they saw before they got shot." Pathfinder said.
"Relax Pathfinder. They'll both understand when I explain everything to them." Psyche-Out replied.
"Yeah, leave that up to Psyche-Out." Ambush added. "Now, what I'd like to know, is did you get a look at Cobra Commander's face while you were in his body?"
"I'm curious too." Psyche-Out said. "I don't pay attention to rumours, but some of the Joes think he's a reptilian humanoid from another planet."
"He's not a mutant, and he's not an alien." Pathfinder laughed. "All I can say is that he's monstrously ugly. Even I was glad when Destro handed me that blue hood he wears. I originally thought for a moment that Dr. Lasseter's mind-reading machine did that to his face when it overloaded." They all cringed and laughed as he continued to tell them all about everything else that had happened.
The End