Chapter 15:

(Back at Cobra Base)

"We've located the warheads." James McCullen stated as he waltzed into the Doctor's Laboratory. "I've sent Storm Shadow to meet up with the Baroness so that they can retrieve them." He stated.

The Doctor, dressed in his usual black attire, looked up from the desk he was hovering about, "Any news of the girl?" he asked. McCullen shook his head.

"No." the Scottish man answered, "…But I'm taking a smart guess that the Joes probably had picked her up."

"Hmm…" said the Doctor as he thought about McCullen's words before he straightened up to his full height and moved around the desk he was working at to pace across the floor. He had his hands clasped comfortably behind his back as he moved. "Send word to Storm Shadow that he's to keep a look out for Miss Wright if indeed she's at Joe Headquarters." The Doctor informed,

McCullen raised an eyebrow at the order, "And if he spots her there?"

"Tell him that he's to….pick up and deliver." The Doctor answered.

"Alright….but if you don't mind me asking Doctor, what does this one girl have to do with our plans?" McCullen asked. The Doctor turned about to face the Scottish man in response,

"It's what she can do to help our plans progress, James. That's what makes her so vital to us."

"If she's so fundamental Doctor, then perhaps next time she's here, you get right on taming the little vixen so she doesn't run off again." McCullen ordered before he turned and left the room.

The Doctor dark eyes followed McCullen until he was out of sight. Then with a sigh, "Don't worry…" he spoke out, "…next time, she won't get away so easily."


(At GI Joe Headquarters)

"Alright…" came Heavy Duty's voice through the ship's intercom system, "…bring her up."

Isabella, sitting behind in the pilot's chair as she directed the ship to weave its way through an underwater obstacle course, nodded her head obediently at the order. "Roger that." She replied before she took up the controls and pulled back on joint stick that would allow the ship to surface. As it breeched the water, Isabella steered it over to a platform where Heavy Duty was waiting for her. Once she had climbed out of the ship and hopped down to the solid metal dock, and began approaching the extremely large and muscular black man, he quickly finished typing his last observations on Isabella's performance. His mechanical notepad flashed momentarily before emitting a soft beep. Then on its screen, it displayed Isabella's final score for the exercise while it ranking her with other people in the GI Joe Facility.

Isabella watched Heavy Duty's dark eyes as they skimmed over the screen for a quick second before he looked up from his notepad to stare down at her.

"Not bad for a newbie." He stated in his low, accented voice. "A bit on the wild side when it comes to steering and stunt pulling," he added sternly, "….but I like the energy you place behind it." He finished off with a very, tiny smile which he tried to hide by looking away.

"You're done for the day." He dismissed before he turned on his heel and walked off without another word.

Isabella let out sigh, "Well great!" she stated out loud to herself, "….now what?" she asked. With a soft shrug of her shoulders, Isabella too found herself leaving the water room and decided to head back to the bunker. It took her some time to do so being the fact that she had to go to a different floor and that required tracking down an elevator. And even when she found one, when she reached the correct floor she still had to seek out the bunker's exact location. All in all, it took her about 15 minuets. When Isabella finally waltzed on through the automatic door leading inside, it was then when she finally took notice of how stiff and sore her limbs actually were. The feeling was slightly unfamiliar to Isabella being the fact that she was a very fit, young woman but the things that she had been doing that day, it was like a full year of her old training that was compacted into one single day. And half of the stuff that she did she had never tried before.

Isabella quickly took notice how she apparently was the only one back from training and decided that while she waited for the others to return, she'd go a take a nice, hot shower and clean up. She swiftly went to her bedroom and locked herself in the bathroom before stripping down, freeing her hair from it pony tail, and turning on the shower. As she stepped inside, the hot, steamy water against her skin almost instantly melted away all her tense muscles. A sigh a pleasure escaped past her lips as she closed her eyes to savor the feeling. The she used the shampoo, conditioner and body wash that was provided inside to scrub her body down and wash away the grime from training. When the last of the suds had been rinsed away, Isabella turned off the water, wrung out her long, dripping hair and stepped out of the shower before grabbing a towel to wrap around her torso. While she let her body dry off, Isabella located a comb on the bathroom sink and gently ran it through her wet and slightly tangled hair. Once it finally ran smoothly down her back, it still being fairly damp, Isabella brushed it over her left shoulder and skillfully weaved it into a neat braid. Then she dropped her towel and began getting dressed.

After putting on her underclothes, she pulled back on the fitting, gray cammo pants and sports bra but switched out the grey T-shirt for her blue cami. And then deciding that she wouldn't be doing anything huge for the rest of the day, she pulled on her socks but left out her boots. Now that she was clean and dressed comfortably, Isabella grabbed her boots off the ground, carried them out of the bathroom and her bedroom and walked over to the couch before dropping them alongside it while she herself collapsed face first down on its comfy cushions. Using her arms as a pillow, Isabella closed her eyes peacefully as her body relaxed in its position. The bunker was still quiet, which didn't bother Isabella in the least,

"There's nothing better…" she murmured dreamily, "…than a little peace and quiet." she finished with a genuine smile pulling at her lips. Suddenly, the bunker's door slid open with a hiss followed by the sound of multiple voices chattering away. Isabella's eyes calmly fluttered open in response as the team of Joes, including Duke and Ripcord strolled into the room in one giant pack.

"Well…easy come, easy go." She grumbled in soft disappointment now that her quiet time was most definitely over now.

"Oh there you are, Bella." Said Breaker; he was the first to notice Isabella lounging on the couch. With a sigh, Isabella pushed herself up on her elbows before she twisted her hips, swung her legs over the side and sat up.

"Yup," she replied, "…here I am." She confirmed. Now that space had been made on the couch, Breaker walked over and took a seat right next to her. Everyone else seemed to close in as well. Enthusiastic as always, Ripcord jumped the back of the sofa and plopped right down next to Breaker.

"How's it going, girl?" he asked with his usual grin. Isabella went back and forth between Breaker's nerdy little smile and Ripcord's goofy grin before she found herself smiling in return,

"Same old, same old." Isabella replied casually while she raised her arms up over her head and stretched.

"How long have you been back?" Scarlet's voice suddenly asked. Isabella glanced to her left to see the redhead standing a few feet away with her arms crossed over her chest. Isabella shrugged in response,

"No more than 20 minuets I suppose." She answered. "Little more than half an hour if you want to include the time it took me to get back here." She added smartly. As Heavy Duty passed on by, he snorted softly in response and mumbled in a incoherent voice the word "Newbie" while shaking his head in what could've been amusement.

"How'd things go for you, Duke?" Isabella asked curiously as she suddenly turned her attention onto the blonde, blue-eyed soldier that was walking around the room.

"Smooth." He answered, turning to face the young woman before nodding, "I'm guessing it was the same with you?"

"Uhh…" Isabella replied uncertainly, "…sure." She finished with a quick laugh. Duke grinned in response before he walked over to stand behind Ripcord; he clapped his friend on the shoulder for a quick second before Duke turned and left for his room.

"I'm gonna go take a quick shower before dinner." He announced before disappearing from sight.

Isabella raised an eyebrow at that, "Is it really that late?" she asked out loud her eyes going from one person to the next.

"Yup!" Breaker confirmed, "…..precisely 1800 hours." Meaning 6 O'clock on the dot.

"Wow." Isabella softly exclaimed, "I had no idea."

It was Scarlet's turn to now arch an eyebrow, "How could you not know the time?" the redhead asked.

"I was too bit busy to try and locate a clock." She answered with a shoulder shrug.

Scarlet rolled her green eyes before she too walked away and headed for her bedroom.

With another sigh, Isabella rose up from the couch, "Hey Breaker," she asked. The computer wiz, who was now busy messing around with his laptop, looked up at his name.

"Hmm?" he inquired curiously as he continued typing on his keyboard without even glancing down at his fingers,

"Is the Mess Hall serving now?" she asked. Breaker grinned in response,

"Yes." He replied, "Yes they are."

"Oh snap!" Ripcord exclaimed before he flew up from his seat, "Well than what are we still doing here?" he asked. Isabella smiled as she and Ripcord shared a knowing glance with each other. Breaker laughed before he closed his laptop and set it down next to him before he too stood up.

"Well if we want to be first in line for food we best leave now before the rush for food starts." Breaker stated. Isabella and Ripcord who had turned their eyes upon the Moroccan when he had spoken, slowly brought their gaze back to each other.

"Race you there." Isabella challenged before she turned on her heel and dashed for the door.

"Hey!" Ripcord exclaimed before he charged on after the young woman, "Cheater!" he called at her back, "You never said 'go'!" he pointed out as the two of them darted out of the bunker's door. Breaker quickly jumped in pursuit,

"Hey guys!Wait for me!" he exclaimed, laughing while he tried to catch up with the two ahead of him.

A pair of eyes watched intently as the trio scurried down the corridor. Leaning up against a corner on the far side of the room, with his head cocked to the side stood Snake Eyes. Isabella, who had been too busy with all the other Joe members of his team, didn't spot the black ninja watching the scene from the other side of the room. He of course doesn't mind going unseen by people because normally, unless he wants to be seen, he usually isn't. But that's what gives him a huge advantage when it comes to people. It gives him the opportunity to observe carefully and make assessments. And the more he keeps watching this young woman, the more fascinating he finds her. She's tough, sharp and bold, like any good soldier. But she's also playful and spirited.

"Not to mention determined." Snake Eyes added inside his head as he thought back on their few encounters which so far, always seem to result in some physical manner. Without a doubt in his mind, Snake Eyes knew that as long as Isabella remained her at Joe Headquarters, he was going to be in for some interesting times. Pushing himself off the wall, Snake Eyes leisurely left the Bunker, heading off down the long corridor before he slipped away from sight.