Thanks for reading and commenting. I had been hoping to update for Christmas but I've been really, really sick. Slowly recovering though, hope everyone had a good holiday. Happy New Year.

I do not own.

"We should split up to cover more ground." Cover Girl said to Lady Jaye.

"We should wait for back up." Lady Jaye suggested.

"There's no telling what trouble he can cause. Waiting will increase his chances of getting away." Cover Girl said impatiently.

Lady Jaye hesitated for a second before tossing Cover Girl her gun. Cover Girl gave her a curious look. Lady Jaye rolled her eyes.

"For protection, stupid." She pulled a javelin from the quiver on her back. "I have mine, right here."

Cover Girl gratefully accepted the firearm.

"If you find anything, call me and if I find anything…" Lady Jaye started.

"I'll come running." Cover Girl agreed.

"Yo Joe!" Lady Jaye left Cover Girl alone.

Cover Girl went in the opposite direction. Approaching the mud pit, she stopped. Swinging her leg out in vicious kick, her leg was blocked and pushed back. She jumped back in a defensive stance. Standing in front of her was the synthoid Beach Head.

"Nice to see you, too, darling." He said.

"Don't call me that, you second rate copy." She snapped holding her gun up.

His smile dropped a fraction. "I'm as real as he is… maybe more." He growled.

"Please, you've been programmed by Cobra. You do what they say." She answered.

"I have orders, like any good soldier." He countered.

Cover Girl snorted derisively. "Right, like you would choose otherwise."

"Maybe." He said cryptically.

Cover Girl wasn't sure what the synthoid's game was but she was not playing. "Put those hands where I can see them."

"I'll put them anywhere you want." He said smirking.

"Watch it." She warned him with a growl.

"Why are you waiting for him?" He asked out of the blue.

"W…w…what?" Cover Girl stammered.

"I have his memories, his thoughts, feelings… I know. He's never going to make a move. His pride, his career is too important to him." The synthoid elaborated.

Cover Girl narrowed her eyes. "My business is none of your business." But inside her heart dropped, knowing that the synthoid most likely spoke the truth.

"I'm different." He continued. Cover Girl's eyes widened. "I don't have anything holding me back."

"You're Cobra's puppet." Cover Girl reminded him.

"I don't follow them completely." He answered. "They made the mistake of giving us synthoids free will to make decisions. They thought it would make us fit in better on the field. They thought a little conditioning was all it took to keep us in line." He took a step closer to her.

"Stay back!" Cover Girl snapped. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because… I want you to come with me." He said frankly.

Cover Girl nearly choked. "Are you serious?"

"I love you." He answered frankly.

0o0

"They're not letting me land." Flint complained. "They're just trying to shoot us out of the sky."

As if it agreed, the Skystriker fired across the front of the Rattler.

"So what else is new?" Beach Head groaned.

"I bet that's Ace." Flint observed.

"Who cares who it is? We're going to be toast if they keep firing at us." Beach snapped.

"No. What I meant is that Lady Jaye flew with Ace before…" Flint explained.

"Is this one of your jealousy fits? Because I don't have time to…" Beach Head interrupted him.

"Would you shut up and let me finish? Jaye told me about some of Ace's moves." Flint cut him off.

"So? What does that have to do with anything?" Beach asked.

"Well, watch this..." Flint suddenly pushed the controls downward. The plane lurched forward and they seemed to be headed straight for the ground.

"What the… Are you crazy?" Beach clutched the edges of his seat.

"Trust me." Flint said.

"We're heading for the ground!" Beach yelled.

"I know!" Flint continued to manipulate the controls.

The plane slowly did a barrel roll. Then as it was pulling up, it did an aileron roll.

The Skystriker stopped firing. In fact, it pulled back. Then it came along side the plane. It was Ace. Flint waved. Ace pointed to the ground and Flint nodded. They both descended.

"Geesh, sorry Flint. I didn't know it was you." Ace said as he got out of his plane.

"It's okay." Flint said magnanimously.

"I mean, everyone's on edge since they found that they replaced you with a synthoid. Then Beach Head stopped…" Ace continued.

"I did what?" Beach Head popped his head from the plane.

"Beach?" Ace gawked at him. "Wait, if you're here then who's back at base?"

Ace grabbed his radio and patched into base. When he finished he turned back to Flint and Beach Head. "Beach Head, the one back at base, is a synthoid. Cover Girl discovered him. He downloaded sensitive information and is on the loose."

"I need to get back to base, now!" Beach Head said alarmed.

"I'll get you there in two shakes of a lamb tail." Ace motioned for Beach Head to get into his Skystriker. He looked at Flint. "If you don't mind sharing the backseat, I can fly you both back."

"Move over." Flint told Beach Head. Beach Head scowled but made space nonetheless.

"This is a little unorthodox but here we go." Ace said cheerfully as the hatch closed down. He fired the engines and soon they were off.

"Get your elbow out of my space." Beach Head snapped.

"Sure, once you get your knee out of mine." Flint retorted.

"If you two don't stop, I'm turning this plane around." Ace threatened.

The two stopped but glowered at each other.

"You're breathing on me." Beach Head whispered.

"Well, where else am I suppose to breath?" Flint asked incredulously.

"I don't know. You're the tactician, figure it out." Beach replied.

"Don't make me come back there." Ace threatened again. Both went silent.

"How much longer?" Beach Head asked.

"Oy, it's going to be a long trip." Ace moaned.