Happy 4th of July for those in the USA! I thought today is an appropriate day to update. No matter what you think of this country, I, for one, am grateful that I was born here. For better or for worse.

Thank you everyone for your kind words. I'll try my best.

I do not own GI Joe or even this pairing… I still blame you willwrite4fics.

Beach Head finally was starting to come to. He groaned.

"About time you woke up." He heard Flint's tired voice.

His head was hurting too much to say anything. He had just enough energy to sit up.

"How you feeling?" Flint asked.

"What do you think?" Beach Head snapped as his head started to clear up.

"So, come here often?" Flint joke weakly.

Beach Head growled, unappreciative of his humor.

Flint sighed. "Look, I don't know how long I've been here. They've been keeping me in the dark, literally for what seems like months now."

"Well, no one's noticed that you've been replaced." Beach Head grumbled.

"What? Is Jaye all right?" Flint asked startled.

"That all you can think about? How about national security or your troops..." Beach Head began.

"Of course I'm worried about all that! Those are of utmost importance especially since it involves lives under my command." Flint said angrily. He paused a moment, "But excuse me for being human, if I'm concerned about someone who means a lot to me."

Beach Head merely humphed. He did not mention that he himself was deathly worried about Cover Girl. He didn't wait to see the outcome of the surgery. He had a job to do.

"So how did you find me?" Flint asked changing the topic.

"Cover Girl was shot." Beach Head said in a strained voice.

"No!" Flint asked shocked again. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know." He admitted, "But I had to act before the trail got cold." Beach Head said somewhat defensively.

"What trail?" Flint inquired.

"Before she lost consciousness, Cover Girl said that it was Zarana. I searched the building and found evidence of tampering with the computers. While I was investigating, I spotted something moving. I gave chase but the blasted culprit got into a cloaked plane. I didn't want to lose it and so I commandeered the Skyhawk. I followed the plane here and you know the rest." Beach Head concluded. "How did you get here?"

"Well, one minute I was getting into my car to come back to base and the next I'm in chains on the floor." Flint shrugged. "They come in once in a while to feed me and let me do my business. I honestly don't know why they're keeping me alive."

"Well, it's good that they did." Beach Head harrumphed.

Flint was startled. "Wow, did you just express concern for me?"

"No, not you. But I don't want to be comforting no distraught female." Beach Head grumbled.

"Aww, you do care." Flint teased.

"Shut up." Beach Head snapped.

"So any ideas on how to get out?" Flint ignored him.

"Have you tried anything yet?" Beach Head countered.

"Tried once, didn't get far." Flint noted.

"How many guards?"

"Three or four. They rotate every 8 hours. The rotation time each day is random. When they bring food, it's always two people. It's pitch dark at night. We're in the middle of nowhere, where the only way in or out is by aircraft or hydrofoil."

"Hmm, seems hopeless." Beach Head conceded.

"But I've been… shhh, they're coming." Flint and Beach Head listened as the footsteps drew closer.

The door flung open. Dr. Mindbender and Zartan walked in smugly.

"Well, well, it seems we don't need to capture the commanding officers. They just come to us." Dr. Mindbender chortled. In his hand he held what looked like a gun syringe. A shiny metal point gleamed in the dim light. He bent over Beach Head who glared at him. Mindbender inserted the needle into Beach Head's arm. The gun filled with blood. Pulling out the needle once it's full, he stood up grinning. "Would you like to see what a little DNA can do?" He snickered.

When Beach Head did not reply, he motioned Zartan to bring in something. Zartan went out and wheeled in an open glass container of gelatinous goop. He pushed it in front of the doctor and Mindbender inserted the syringe into the goop. The red liquid drained into the goop which twisted and writhed. Before Beach Head and Flint's startled eyes the goop formed into a human figure… mainly a naked Beach Head.

"That's how they did it." Beach Head murmured.

"Now to complete the process we just need the knowledge from your head." Mindbender gleefully rubbed his hands together.

"Over my dead body." Beach Head declared.

"Don't give him any ideas." Flint nudged him.

"Unfortunately, we can't kill you… yet. And death is unnecessary to extract what we want." Mindbender said. Pulling out a shiny metal headband, he approached the Joe. Beach Head thrashed about, avoiding the new accessory.

"Zartan, help me you fool! Hold him still." Mindbender snapped when Beach Head managed to kick him a few times in the shins.

Zartan took out his club. Beach Head lay on the floor unconscious again.

0o0

Cover Girl tossed her covers aside and got out of bed.

"Woah, woah, woah, where do you think you're going?" Lifeline asked.

"Listen, Beach Head I'm sure went after Zarana after I was shot." She said with conviction.

"What?" The three men gaped at her.

"Yes! And I have a hunch if we find Beach Head we'll find Flint." Cover Girl looked pleadingly at the men.

"Well, I'm not one to deny the request of a pretty dame." Shipwreck wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Don't make me slug you." She said flatly.

"I like them feisty." Shipwreck answered.

Dusty smacked him over his head. "Not now." He told the sailor. Turning to Cover Girl he asked, "Are you sure that Beach Head is after Zarana and that she would know where Flint is?"

"Yes! I mean no! I mean… look… there's too many coincidences. Hawk told you guys to watch me, but how about you watch me as I go find Beach Head." Cover Girl pleaded.

"We can get in a lot of trouble." Lifeline fretted.

"Then let me go! You can tell Hawk I gave you the slip. But if I'm right, both Beach Head and Flint are in trouble." Cover Girl looked resolutely from one man to another.

The men looked uncertainly at each other.

Shipwreck was the first to answer. "Ok, I'm in."

Dusty sighed, "Me too."

"I must be crazy." Lifeline muttered.

"You'll come too?" Cover Girl asked hopefully.

"I can't have my patient hobbling around without her doctor can I?" Lifeline gave a half smile. "Besides, Flint and Beach Head will probably need medical attention."

"Great, let's go." Cover Girl said eagerly.

"Wait, not that I mind but you might want to change into something less… see through." Dusty pointed out.

Cover Girl's face turned red as she grabbed the back of the open hospital gown.

"Shut up, Shipwreck, unless you want me to shove your hat down your throat." She growled as she grabbed her uniform off the near-by chair.

Dusty and Lifeline eyed Shipwreck.

"What? I didn't say it… I thought it but didn't say it…" Shipwreck held his hands up defensively.

"Awk, sailor's got a dirty mind." Polly squawked from the rafters.

"Not now, you overgrown canary!" Shipwreck snapped.

When Cover Girl was dressed, they started to leave the medical building. The base was on red alert. Every Joe, green shirt and MP was out.

"How can they not find Flint by now?" Lifeline wondered.

"I'm not surprised. Cobra's devious." Dusty growled.

"More importantly how are we going to get through this?" Shipwreck asked.

"I've got an idea." Cover Girl said.

A minute later, Cover Girl was in a gurney with Lifeline, Dusty and Shipwreck around her.

They pushed her through the base.

"Where are you going?" A green shirt stopped them.

"She's having an acute case of postprandial, upper-abdominal distention. Now let us through. We need to transport her to the necessary facilities!" Lifeline ordered in his sternest tone.

The green shirt hesitated until Cover Girl groaned in pain. "Ok, sure."

The three got into the hangar.

"What did you tell him?" Dusty asked.

"Cramps." Lifeline answered sheepishly.

Cover Girl hopped off the gurney. "I wish I could take you old girl," she said as she patted her tank lovingly, "But unfortunately, it's gotta have wings tonight." She jumped into the Tomahawk followed by the three men.

"Can anyone fly this?" She asked.

"I can." A voice came from behind them.

"Wild Bill!" She exclaimed.

"Now why during a lockdown would you all be wanting to take a ride?" Bill asked coldly.

"Wild Bill, you have to help…" Cover Girl launched into her story. Bill stood silently listening. When she finished, his expression hadn't changed. "You don't believe me, do you?" She asked crestfallen.

"Aww shoot, of course I believe you. And I can't say no to a pretty face." He grinned as he slip into his seat.

"Oh thank you!" Cover Girl gripped his shoulder.

"Hey, how come he gets a thank you and I get a threat?" Shipwreck asked indignantly.

"Because I do things with style." Bill said smugly.

The Dragonfly's blades began whirling and soon they were taking off into the night.

All apologies and credits go to Star Trek 4 and Dr. McCoy. I stole his cramps line. I love that movie.