Lady Jaye sat in the small white room, her back against the cold wall and shivered slightly. The mission was scrubbed. She had just activated the locater for the tracking device hidden in the heel of her shoe. If Flint had his receiver on him, and she had to assume he did, he would be able to track her location instantly. She need only wait for her rescue.
She bowed her head wearily and then she did something she would never do in front of witnesses; she complained, allowing herself a brief moment of self pity. She was still tired and sick to her stomach and her head was still hurting, though now more of a dull ache than the excruciating throb it had been at first. She wondered duly if she had been locked in the room for hours or days. She had no clue, no way of knowing in the windowless room. She had been drifting in and out of consciousness for quite a while, but now she was finally awake.
She was looking around the room, searching again for some way of possible escape, when the noise of footsteps in the hall startled her. She rose unsteadily to her feet as the door to the room swung open.
"Ahh, Lady Jaye," Tomax and Xamot entered together.
"We see you have finally decided… to wake up. We are sorry we could not offer you… better accommodations," They bowed slightly.
"Xamot. Tomax." She sighed, shifting her gaze from one to the other, "You two make my head hurt." The completing of one another's sentences always grated on her nerves.
"Now, now, my dear," Tomax began soothingly, "You now we have nothing against you, personally."
"We just want to know what the Joes are doing here," Xamot finished, his rich voice persuasive.
"Yes. Who else…is with you? Surely your illustrious leader…would not have sent you… alone." Tomax curved his lips into a smile and a chill ran down Lady Jaye's spine.
"Like I would tell you anything," she growled. The Twins were masters at deception, as dangerous and cunning as they were handsome. She didn't trust them as far as she could throw them.
"You know," Tomax began again, with Xamot finishing, "We can make this easy for you…or hard."
"Your choice," their smiles became cold.
Lady Jaye narrowed her eyes and glared. "Never," she hissed stubbornly.
"Very well," Tomax spoke resignedly with a small wave of his hand, "Seize her."
In one fluid movement, Xamot had stepped behind and pinned her arms tightly to her sides. She struggled against him but his grip on her was too strong.
"You know you can't win against us, Lady Jaye. Why struggle?" He murmured, his breath hot against her ear.
Lady Jaye knew Xamot had a point, as much as she hated to admit it, and she really was in no condition to out up a fight against him. Reluctantly, she stopped fighting.
He pushed her out the door and into the hall. Tomax followed closely behind. They walked the dimly lit hallway in silence, turning left and right several times before finally opening a door and entering a small room resembling a simple lab. A table to one side held vials of different coloured liquids, beakers, petri dishes, bunsen burners and other lab equipment. Another smaller table held vials and syringes. Then to the opposite side, Lady Jaye's eyes widened in fear as she recognized what looked to be a metal chair connected to multiple wires and restraining belts.
She instantly lunged forward, trying to break free from her captor. Xamot simply tightened his grip as he steered her forcefully into the chair.
"Help me with the restraints, brother," he panted slightly, holding the desperately struggling Lady Jaye.
"Dr. Mindbender will be here momentarily," Tomax pulled the bands for the wrist and arm restraints tight. "Have no fear. He only wants…"
"to make you happy!" Xamot grimaced slightly with effort as he began preparing the leg restraints.
He shifted sideways, slightly loosening his hold on her ankles. Lady Jaye took advantage of the opportunity and kicked out hard, knocking him off his feet as she simultaneously twisted in the chair. With a sharp pain, one arm ripped loose from the blindings. That's going to leave a bruise, she grimaced. She quickly unlatched the other and jumped free of the chair. She was not going to become another one of their experiments, she seethed. Turning to face the Twins, she settled into her trademark low fighting stance.
Xamot was limping and rubbing his leg. Tomax was also limping, but his eyes were dark and deadly calm. He matched her crouch, ready to spring. Lady Jaye knew she had only one chance. Using the lightening fast move that Snake Eyes had taught her, she spun and connected with a sharp kick to Xamot's midsection, knocking the air out of him. As was always the case, both twins cried out and fell to the ground.
"Guards," Xamot bellowed between gasps for breath.
Dizzy and sick, her heart pounding in her temples, Lady Jaye stared for a moment at the writhing twins. She pressed a hand to the side of her head, trying to ease the throbbing. She had to get away. Taking a a deep breath, she pushed down the pain and ran for the hallway. To her left, she spotted the unmistakable red uniforms of the Twin's Crimson Guards. She quickly turned and fled the other way.
Tomax rose to his knees, a small square device in his hand. He pressed the button and alarms sounded all over the sky rise. He and Xamot rose to their feet and dusted off their uniforms even as Crimson Guards began pouring into the room
"The prisoner has escaped… Capture her. Bring her back to us… preferably alive."
'Yes, Sirs. Cobraaaaa!"