Canada's Elite

Chapter 27

“Sir, someone wants to see you.” Navy informs Storm who is just outside the lab. “The MP’s are here to take our friends away.”
“Who am I looking for?”
“He says you’ll know him when you see him?”
“Uh, okay...” Storm says a bit confused. “Help Target and Dragon, I want this lab burned. Nothing is to be left behind and do it quick; if our backup is here we don’t have much time. They’ve already coated the outer area with fire retardant. Hopefully that will help keep the fire contained. If not, have them prep the fire hoses.”
“Yes Sir.”
Storm heads out of the lab and around to the side of the building where the four Serpent Squad members are being loaded into an armoured paddy wagon. He looks around for whoever it is he is supposed to be looking for.
“Well, look at you. Lieutenant Colonel Storm, leader of a top secret special ops military unit.” A voice says.
Storm spins around recognizing the voice. “J-James?”
“Hey pal.” A man around Storm’s age smirks who gives Storm a quick bro hug.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was on leave, heard the call and thought I’d come lend a hand.”
“On leave?”
“Yep, you’re looking at Warrant Officer Galbraith.”
“You’re military?”
“Why look so shocked, I could say the same about you. Which you’ve come a long way since that skinny wimpy kid in high school.” James jokes.
“Wow, it’s good to see you.”
“Well, when you are done here I have something else for you and your team.” The Warrant Officer looks around sniffing the air. “Do you smell smoke?”
“Nope, can’t imagine why you would.” Storm’s face goes serious for a moment.
“What are you...?”
“Don’t. I’ll explain later...”
“FIRE!!” One of the MP’s yells rushing for the building, followed by a few more, some of which Storm stops. “But Sir...”
“Your first priority is these four prisoners. A few of my team members are inside, they’ll take care of it.” Storm says as seriously as he can to give the men the hint to stay out of it.
James watches as the men head back to the armoured car and grabs Storm’s shoulder as he goes to head away. “You will have a lot of explaining to do.”
“What isn’t classified I’ll tell you. Now if you’ll excuse me I have something to finish attending to. If this was under different circumstances it would be great to see you and catch up.” Storm grunts as he walks away.
“Definitely not the same kid from high school.” James remarks under his breath.

Serpent Squad Headquarters, BC, command center. Major Fear bursts into the room, startling most of his troopers, something he enjoys doing. “Lieutenant Graves, what is this all about?” Fear snaps.
“Our team in Ontario, they were captured.”
“The lab?”
“Looks to have been destroyed by a fire.”
Major Fear looks at one of the large monitors displaying a satellite image, and a news report using a military exercise as cover. “Interesting, pause that image.” He orders, walking over to his command console enlarging a section. “Storm.” Fear snarls.
“Do we launch a rescue?”
The Major sighs tapping his fingers along the console. “Yes, if only because Anaconda and Dune are of use to me. If it were just Rattlesnake I’d let him rot in Club Ed. I want you to take Black Vulture and Mad Dog along with a few troopers. Retrieve them and bring them back here, do not get captured or leave anyone behind.”
Lt Graves nods then exits the command center to find Vulture and Dog.
Fear looks back up at the large monitor resuming the news feed. “Standard military exercise eh...hmm...lead by Warrant Officer James W. Galbraith...how interesting.” He smiles as he crosses his arms.

The sun begins to set in Chatham Ontario, the paddy wagon holding the Serpent Squad still sitting waiting for permission to leave. Storm walks up to the wagon nodding to the guards. “Open it.” They hesitate for a second then open the doors, their guns ready. “Rattlesnake, step out now.” Storm growls.
The scientist does as he is ordered, noticing that the area with his lab has been burned down. “No...you destroyed it...”
“Of course we did, you thought leaving us a note would save it?”
“W-what note?”
Storm slams his fist against the truck, just inches from Rattlesnakes face. “Don’t mess with me.”
Target and James notice the commotion and head over to investigate, James looking agitated at his old friends behaviour.
“Talk now or I swear you’ll go to Club Ed with broken bones.”
“Whoa, hold on...” James reaches for Storm’s shoulder.
“Stay out of this Redeye.”
James steps back a bit surprised and looks at Target. “He knows my call sign?”
“Of course he does, we have access to the highest level. Look, just let him do this, we go by a different set of rules here. These guys are terrorists, and this one is a monster.” Target says motioning for James to follow him a few feet away.
“I won’t say it again Rattlesnake, spill it now.” Storm growls.
“Alright...alright...” The mad scientist lowers his voice so the three inside don’t hear him. “It was me. I wanted you to stop us from destroying another of my labs.”
“Why?”
“I think you discovered why or you wouldn’t have destroyed it anyway.”
“Serpentor.”
“Yes.” The Cobra agent says softly.
“Why?”
“You ask a lot of questions for a man who pretends to have all the answers.” Rattlesnake smirks.
Storm quickly grabs Rattlesnake by the throat pinning him to the armour truck. “You want answers? Fine. You were working on the Serpentor project to bring back one of Cobra’s most infamous leaders, but you were trying to do more than that. You were trying to perfect Dr. Mindbenders mistakes, make Serpentor more stable with his multiple personalities. But you wanted to put your own twist on it with Serpentress. Stop me if I’m wrong?”
Rattlesnake turns pale. “You...you cracked my codes?”
“What, you think we’re just a bunch of military jocks that run around shooting guns? We’re G.I.Joe you idiot, we’re the best of the best.” Storm releases Rattlesnake turning his back on the man.
“You are more like Major Fear than you care to see.”
“Get him out of here. We’re done.” Storm says to the guards.
James walks up to his old friend. “I’m impressed; you are a far cry from the quiet kid I knew back in high school.”
“Things change.”
“So you’re done here? Because if you are I have something else you might be interested in. The real reason as to why I came down here.”
“What is it?” Storm asks.
“I came across something suspicious while on leave, a recruitment camp.”
“What kind of recruitment camp?” Target inquires.
“The kind you guys specialise in handling.”

Canada’s Elite Headquarters, Lt Col Storm’s old office which is now occupied by General Phoenix. Afterburner looks around at all of the General’s diploma’s and accolades that she has hung on the wall, as well as various pictures of her with some very important politicians and military men, including one with General Singer that makes her uncomfortable.
“Oh good, you are still waiting, please take a seat.” Phoenix says as she enters the office. “Sorry to keep you waiting.” The General takes her seat behind the desk opening up her laptop. She waits while it wakes up and enters in her password. On the screen she already has Afterburner’s file. “I take it you know what this is about?”
“Yes.” Afterburner crosses her arms, staring down the General. She wants to say more, she wants to tell her what she really thinks, but thanks to a quick talk to Fallout prior, she’s keeping her mouth shut.
“You screwed up out there; you nearly got your team killed.” Phoenix states, trying to see if she can push Afterburner’s buttons. “You went into a building, after the enemy, unarmed.”
“We were unaware that there were Cobra agents in the area, and unaware that there were weapons in the trunk of the rental cars.” Afterburner stresses the last two words.
“You should have looked.”
“And you should have told us that they were in there.”
“Touché.” The General smirks.
“We were also in a civilian building; walking in armed would have been a bad idea, especially not knowing if enemy agents were there or not.”
“You should always be prepared.”
“Why, to cause chaos and panic wherever we go? Are we not supposed to be a top secret military unit? What good would it do us to announce our presence to innocent civilians? Oh I know it would force our enemies to open fire on us killing those innocent people. My team got captured, it also gave Storm time to locate us and lunch a rescue attempt. We were also able to stop them from destroying a building and no one was injured. I’d say our mission was successful.” Afterburner rises from her seat. “The only one who screwed up here is the person who did not inform all of us about the weapons that were placed inside of the rental cars. I won’t point fingers but I think we both know who that is. So unless you have anything else I would like to return to duty.”
General Phoenix looks up at Afterburner, she knows what she says is true. “Very well then, return to your boy...to Lieutenant Colonel Storm. We have nothing further to discuss.” The General watches as Afterburner heads for the door. “Oh, but just one more thing actually. I’ll be monitoring everything you do, one more slip up and you’ll be back here assisting the janitorial staff. Understood?”
Afterburner grips the door handle wanting to rip it off and throw it at the General. “Understood.” She replies, exiting the office.
Fallout stands down the hall waiting, far enough to not have heard what went on. “So?”
“Mind giving me a lift back to Storm’s location?”
“I take it everything went well?”
Afterburner looks back down the hall towards the office. “I’d say it went extremely well.” She smiles.


The field team sit just outside of the Cobra Training Camp that Redeye had told them about a few hours ago. All of them back in their team gear, Redeye in his standard issue military togs. The camp it located just a few kilometres outside of the city they were just in at an old farm turned military camp. At first glance it looks just like any other Canadian military training facility, no Cobra markings of any kind. Even the clothes look to be standard military issue.
“Are you sure this is a Cobra training camp?” Storm asks his old high school friend.
“Positive. I got a closer look when I stopped by.”
“You what?”
“I thought it was a new military camp, I was stopping in to take a look around. I didn’t get past the gates which made me suspicious, and then I saw something inside the guard hut. On a computer screen was a Cobra logo. Unless this is one of your training facilities I doubt they’d be researching Cobra.”
“Good point.” Storm motions for Redeye to follow him, heading back to the mobile base that is parked down the road near a wooded area. They walk in silence, Redeye knowing something is on Storm’s mind that he isn’t willing to talk about. “Hopefully Hightower has hacked their systems.”
“Hold on a second.” Redeye grabs Storm’s shoulder stopping him. “What’s wrong?”
“What do you mean?”
“Come on, we haven’t seen each other in years and you are giving me the silent treatment. Normally you’d be full of questions and talking a mile a minute. I knew you back when things were rough, I can tell when something is bothering you.”
Storm takes in a deep breath. “You remember Julie Bailey, the red haired one.”
“Oh yeah, the one with the finger nails and really big...”
“Yeah. She’s dead.”
“What?”
“She was part of this team, an original member. We were fighting the Serpent Squad when Major Fear tried to kill me. She took the bullet that was meant for me.”
“Oh wow.” Redeye looks at Storm who is looking up at the clear star filled night sky. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want the same thing to happen to you.”
“So that’s why you are giving me the cold shoulder? Look, what happens, happens. When it’s my time to go it’s my time to go, whether it’s here or years from now.”
“No, not on my watch, I won’t lose another friend.”
“What are they then?” Redeye points towards where the mobile base sits. “You’ve known Zachary just as long as you’ve known me. I’m in the military too, I know they mean more, they are family. Me being here is no different. I know you looked up to me in high school. I’m still a year older than you so you can’t tell me what to do.” He smirks.
“I out rank you.” Storm quips.
“I’m asking you to trust me, I didn’t get where I am by luck. I got where I am because I’m good at my job.”
Storm looks at Redeye, whom he knows he won’t be able to talk him out of this, reminding him of another Warrant Officer he knows. “Alright, let’s just get this party started then.”
“Sweet.”

At the mobile base Hightower shrieks with joy. “I did it, I got in. Guess they were too stupid to go off the grid.”
Navy walks over to look at the computer screens. “If they were off grid it would look even more suspicious. They went to great lengths to disguise this base so no one would question it. Can you tap into their security cameras?”
“Sure can.” Hightower hits a few buttons bringing several more windows up on the main screen. What they both see amazes them. Inside the buildings is Cobra decor, even pictures of Cobra Commander. “Wow.”
“Guess Redeye was right.”
“Thanks.” Redeye says as he and Storm enter the mobile base.
“What did you find?” Hightower asks.
“Minimal security; should be easy to take down.” Storm says.
“Uh sir, I have a communication coming in, audio only.”
“Put it up Hightower.”
“Fallout to field team, do you copy?”
“We read you Fallout.” Storm replies.
“I have a package for you Sir.”
“Shut up.” Afterburner’s voice says in the background.
Storm smiles, happy to hear her voice. “What’s your ETA?”
“Fifteen minutes.”
“Perfect timing. Fallout can you bring the rain?”
“A fully stocked Attack Chopper, affirmative. Just send me the coordinates.”
“Will do.” Storm nods to Hightower to send the information. “Looks like this might go better than planned.”

Two guards patrol the entry to the secret Cobra training camp, unaware of what is about to happen. They hear the roar of an engine as it approaches, headlights flash on blinding them.
“What the hell?” One guard says.
“Sound the alarm!” The second guard rushes out to the barrier, his weapon ready. “It’s not slowing down.” He fires into the light with no effect. “Oh my god...” The guard runs as rockets come soaring over head. The towers explode in a fireball reaching up into the night sky.
Inside the QA-ATV Storm smiles, Redeye sitting next to him. “Nice shot.”
“This thing is awesome.” Redeye exclaims. “You guys have some cool toys.”
“Hang on.” Storm hits a button on the hydrostatic control leavers that ignite the thrusters located at the rear underside of the vehicle, launching them over the debris and through the flames.
Above them Fallout pilots an attack chopper with the rest of the team, who unload a barrage of missiles at pre set targets. They take out the communications tower as well as a few unoccupied buildings.
On the ground below the troopers rush outside in a panic, some are armed with weapons; others just try to take cover. “We’re under attack.” One screams. “For the glory of Cobra.” Others shout as they fire at the out of range helicopter and the fully armoured QA-ATV.
“We’re bullet proof right?” Redeye asks Storm.
“Pretty much, anything this side of anti-tank missiles. Speaking of missiles how about you fire a few over their heads.”
“My pleasure.” Redeye smiles.
Fallout brings the attack chopper closer in for the others to make their jump out. He hits the loud speaker to give the Cobra’s a chance to surrender. “You are under arrest by the order of Canada’s Elite G.I.Joe force, drop your weapons and assume the position.”
“A bit dramatic don’t you think?” Storm says over the team’s com.
“Hey I don’t get to do much of this now being a base jockey. Besides, it worked.”
On the ground the Cobra troopers drop their weapons and surrender to the Joe’s.

Hightower brings the mobile base in and hacks into their communications grid as Storm and Redeye enter the base. “You’re lucky I’m good at this, would have been easier if Fallout didn’t destroy the tower though.”
“Is it ready?” Storm asks.
“Yes.”
Storm picks up the small mic and speaks into it. “This is Lieutenant Colonel Storm to Major Fear. We have located and destroyed your training base. This is your only warning, stay out of my city. Oh and have a nice day.” Storm disconnects the link and looks back at Hightower and Redeye.
“You think he got the message?” Redeye asks.
“Oh he got it.” Hightower smirks.
“And he’s probably really pissed off right about now.” Storm adds.


Major Fear picks up a nearby chair, using it to smash his command console repeatedly until the chair beings to bust apart. All of the troopers in the command center stop to watch, most fear they will be the next object of his rage.
Lady D rushes into the command center, having heard the commotion from out in the hall. “What is it my love?”
“Nothing.” Fear huffs, dropping the remains of the chair to the floor. “What of Graves’ team, I have not heard from him yet.”
“I will check right away.” Lady D heads over to a communications station, pushing the manning trooper out of the way. “Serpent’s head to gravedigger, come in?”
“Gravedigger here, go ahead.” Lt Graves responds.
“The top fang wants a progress report.”
“We have the caravan in sight.”
“Good, proceed and return home.”
“Roger that, over and out.”

The military caravan carrying the four captured Cobra Serpent Squad members makes it way down the Trans Canada Highway. Above a squad of Python Conquest make their decent. In the lead Conquest is Lt Graves who signals the other jets to fire by launching one of his rockets.
Traffic begins to swerve and crash as the lunched missiles hit the highway around the caravan. The armoured truck slams on its breaks trying to avoid the newly made craters, losing control flipping over and sliding across the asphalt. It comes to a stop after hitting a few other vehicles. The Canadian MP’s inside dazed and slightly injured. A Cobra helicopter descends from above, several Serpent Squad troopers leaping out and rushing the caravan. They bust open the rear doors and climb inside retrieving their teammates.
“Graves to ground team, are they alright?” The Lieutenant asks flying over them.
“A few bumps and gashes, we’ll treat them on the chopper.” One trooper responds.
“Very well.”
“What of the caravan?”
“Destroy it.”
“Yes Sir.” The responding trooper nods to one of the other troopers, who walk over to the upturned passenger side and looks in. He notices the men stir and removes a device from his back pack. He sets it over the outside latch of the door and activates it. The device punches into the frame and door, securing it shut. He signals back to the others, giving them a thumbs up, as he leaps down and joins them.
“The caravan is secure.” The responding trooper informs the Lieutenant. “Cargo is aboard the chopper, tossing in grenades.” The troopers pull the tabs on the grenades tossing in half a dozen then run towards the chopper that is already starting to lift off. The conquests evacuate the area as the people on the highway, who watched everything run in terror.
Lt Graves makes a wide pass around to watch as the caravan explodes injuring several innocent citizens. “Return to base.” He says with a smile.

Canada’s Elite Headquarters, General Phoenix rushes into the command center with Snow Squall close behind. “Feedback, sit-rep.”
“I’m patching a live feed from our satellite on screen. The caravan transporting the captured Serpent Squad members was attack moments ago.”
“Dear god.” The General gasps. “Page Dust Off, Medic, and G.I. Snow Squall, you join them. I want you five to head to the scene ASAP, assist in any way you can. Feedback, radio Fallout, I want him and Night Spotter to head to there as well.”
“Roger.” Feedback responds.
“Yes Ma’am.” Snow Squall says as he hurries out of the command center and to the hanger bays.
“This is on us.” Phoenix says staring at the screens and the bodies lying about. “We should have air lifted them instead.”
“Either way Cobra would have found a way to retrieve them; it doesn’t matter now what we should have done it’s what we do next.” Feedback says. “We have a call coming in ma’am, it’s from the Governor General.”
Phoenix looks at Feedback with a worried expression on her face. “Patch it through.”

Lt Col Storm stands with his arms crossed, General Phoenix on screen in the mobile base. “Do you want us there?”
“No, I’ve already sent a team to help I just figured you should know what our actions have lead to.” The General says.
“You mean mine?”
“No, I do not. Your showboating had nothing to do with this. We should have known that Major Fear would have attempted a rescue. We underestimated him, that won’t happen again.”
“What is our next move?” Storm inquires.
“Sit tight for now, get reacquainted with your old friend and get him up to speed.”
“Wait...what?”
“I’m assigning him to your team; he was one of my potential additions anyway.”
“No.”
“This isn’t up for debate.”
“No, I am not putting another friend in harm’s way.”
“You don’t have a say in it this time.”
“I damn well think I do.” Storm snaps.
“No you do not.” Phoenix snaps back. “He will be second in command of your unit, end of debate.” The General abruptly ends the transmission before Storm can say anymore.”
“Uh...so...” Hightower says, having been sitting off to the side during the conversation.
Storm says nothing as he turns and heads out of the base, taking a walk to figure things out. It doesn’t take long for him to have some company.
“I knew you’d be out here somewhere.” Redeye says. “I know what is on your mind and you don’t have to worry about me I told you that.”
“Would you take a bullet for me?”
“What? Of course I would and not because you are my friend but because you are my C.O. Same as I’m sure you’d do for me.”
“With this team, this unit, we don’t exist anymore. When we die it’s covered up, no one knows the real story.”
“Pebbles died for someone she believed in, for a cause she believed in. Anyone on this team would do the same thing including me. Just because we have a past doesn’t mean you have to protect me.” Redeye lets out a slight chuckle.
“What’s so funny?”
“When we were in high school you were the one who looked up to me, like a big brother.”
“You knew...?”
“Of course I did. Well, okay not at first but I figured it out after. Now I’m standing here looking at you, the leader of a top secret Special Forces unit and I’m the one who is in awe. The wimp I knew in high school has grown up, become a leader, a force of nature, a man in his own right. I would be honoured to be part of that.”
Storm looks at Redeye, a bit taken back by his words. “I guess there is no convincing you otherwise?”
“Hell no.”
“Alright then, welcome to G.I.Joe.” Storm says shaking his old friend’s hand.


The Serpent Squad secret headquarters, Major Fear’s quarters. The leader sits at his desk looking through papers and photos, writing things down and off in his own little world. He is almost unaware of a presence in his room, he quickly flips his work over to hide it from prying eyes. “What do you want?” He growls.
“I just wanted to let you know that Lt Graves has returned with the others my love.” Lady D informs him.
“Very well, I’ll be there in a moment.”
“As you wish.” She tries to see what he is hiding without getting to close, and then exits the room. Her curiosity bubbling over, it’s not like him to be so secretive from her. She hides down the hall waiting for him to exit his quarters. The moment he does and is out of sight she slips back to his quarters entering her pass code. The desk is clean, everything that was there is gone. She looks over the desk and checks the draws. All are unlocked and none contain what she is looking for. He had to be quick to hide them, but nothing appears to give hint as to where he hid the papers. Lady D has spent many nights in this room; everything is in its place.
She looks around trying to figure out where he could have possibly stashed them if not around his desk. The bed catches her eye and she takes a quick look under it, nothing. She looks behind the pillows, still nothing. Lady D begins to get nervous that she may get caught, with one more look under the mattress and finding nothing she sighs leaving the room.

Major Fear enters the situation room, the four of his Agents all sitting around a Cobra emblem shaped thick glass table. The logo glows red within the table casting its light up on the ceiling. “You are all no worse for wear I see.”
“Everything went according to plan.” Anaconda reports.
“Except for you all getting captured by the Joe’s.”
“A sssituation that will not be repeated.”
“That is good to here.” Fear glares at Rattlesnake. “So all of your labs with those abominations were destroyed, along with all your research?”
Rattlesnake nods. “The Joe’s unknowingly helped.”
“Excellent.”
“This trooper did an extemporarily job.” Rattlesnake says to quickly change the subject.
“Did he? What is your name trooper?”
“Dodger Clements, Sir.”
The Major looks to Anaconda and Dune. “Take Mr. Clements here to get fitted for a uniform and come up with a new code name for him.”
“Yes Sir.” Dune replies as he rises from his seat. “Anaconda will lead the way.” He smirks checking out her backside.”
“If you wish to keep your eyesss I sssuggessst you take them off my assss.” She snaps.
“Feisty, I like that.” Dune laughs as the three of them exit the room.
Fear turns to Rattlesnake, who is now extremely nervous. “I want you to work on a way of reversing what you did to Anaconda.”
“But, I already told you I can’t, the snake DNA has bonded with her human DNA.”
“You will find a way. That hissing is annoying. And I want to you make sure that she has no further mutations. If she even grows the slightest tail or sheds her skin you will be her next meal.” Fear glares at the scientist, seeing beads of sweat forming on his brow

The Trans Canada Highway, location of the Serpent Squad attacks. Fallout lands in his Attack Chopper with Night Spotter, and are quickly greeted by Snow Squall. “What’s the situation?”
“Local response teams have everything under control. Medic and G.I. are assisting them and Dust Off has been helping to transport the critically injured to nearby hospitals.”
“Casualties?”
“Six confirmed so far.”
“Dammit. We should have escorted this transport.” Fallout looks over as Medic comes rushing up towards him holding something in her hands. “Squall, Medic, this is Night Spotter.” He says quickly introducing the new Joe member. “So, what did you find?”
“This was in the wreckage, completely intact.” Medic hands Fallout a Cobra shaped disk. “I think it was placed there by one of the Serpent Squad, on purpose. It’s completely undamaged; it was in a protective case.”
“What is it?” Snow Squall inquires.
Fallout pulls at the tail ends of the Cobra emblem popping it off. “It’s a USB drive.”
“Here, I got this.” Night Spotter digs into his backpack and pulls out a small laptop.
“What don’t you have in there?” Fallout jokes.
“I use this for imaging with my equipment, and for storing recorded data.” Spotter answers as he powers it up and enters his password. He inserts the drive into one of the side compartments doing a virus scan on it first.
“We should contact base and let them know.” Snow Squall says.
“Not until we find out what is on it first. This way is safer; if it’s a virus it only infects this one computer. Go continue helping with the cleanup Squall.” Fallout orders.
“Yes Sir.” He replies heading towards the crash site, taking a few glances back.
“No virus, not one my scan finds anyway.” Spotter says.
“Doesn’t matter, Downlink or Hightower can confirm that later.”
“Hightower? But he’s with Storm and the others.”
“If you have a problem with whom I bring this too you can go help the others and I’ll take it from here.”
“I think I better, no offence Sir but it’s probably best if I don’t get myself into trouble as well, being new to this unit and all.”
“Understood.” Fallout nods as he picks up the laptop and heads back to his chopper. “Let’s see what was left behind for us.” He clicks on the drive finding a few data files and image files. He clicks on one of the image files opening it up finding a map. “What the hell?” He taps the com device in his ear. “Base this is Fallout; I’m transporting a few citizens to hospital.”
“Roger that Fallout.” Feedback replies.
Over at the accident scene the Joe’s all look at each other, knowing no one was loaded into his chopper.

Hightower sits at the main consol in the mobile base getting a few winks of sleep. A flashing red light and beeping quickly wake him. “Hightower here.” He responds to the incoming message.
“It’s Fallout; I need to talk to Storm.”
“I’ll go get him.” He quickly wheels himself out of the base and towards the camp the team has set up. “Sir, Fallout is on the horn for you.” He shouts.
The Lieutenant Colonel waves to him and heads over. “What does he want?”
“I didn’t ask Sir.”
Storm steps inside and picks up a com device. “Go ahead Fallout.”
“Sir, I need you to rendezvous with me ASAP, I have something here I think you should see.”
“Did the General send you?”
“No Sir, I told her I was air lifting citizens to the hospital.”
“I’ll get the RHINO chopper; once I’m airborne I’ll get your location.”
“Roger that.”
“Storm out.” He quickly slips out of the base and towards the RHINO, climbing up on it and opens the choppers cockpit.
“Where are you going?” Afterburner inquires.
“For a spin, and no I don’t need any company. I’ll be back soon.” He gives her a smile as he puts on one of the flight helmets.
“I’ll disengage the locks.” Afterburner opens the driver cockpit of the RHINO and enters the release sequence. The chopper rises up on its platform as Storm starts the propellers. His faithful girlfriend releases the magnetic locking clamps and quickly stands back. She watches as the chopper lifts off, waving to Storm.
“Wow that is cool.” Redeye says walking up behind Afterburner.
“I hope you are talking about the RHINO and not my backside.”
“Yes and yes.” He laughs. “Where is he going?”
“For a ride.”


At an empty parking lot somewhere between Lt Col Storm’s team and Fallout’s team the two Joe’s meet. Both leave their com devices in their respective choppers. Fallout hands Storm the USB driver. “You need to see what is on this.”
“I take it you already know.” Storm says.
“Yes, they appear to be small Cobra base locations.”
“More of Fear’s recruitment facilities?”
“No, they are older than that.”
“Any indication of what they are?”
“Didn’t do that much digging. They seem to contain coded messages around the time of the Cobra World War.”
“What?”
“That’s why I brought it to you, Sir. With what happened to General Rowling.” Fallout says mentioning Storm’s old CO who was killed by Major Fear back during WWW III. “We’re not sure which one of Fear’s agents left this behind or why.”
Storm clutches the USB drive tightly in his right hand. “Thanks Fallout, you better get going before someone realizes you have been gone too long.”
“Yes Sir.” Fallout salutes before heading back to his chopper.
Storm watches as Fallout lifts off heading back towards the accident scene. “Alright you little data file, what secrets do you hold?” He says examining the Cobra emblem shaped device.

Canada’s Elite Headquarters, Downlink scrolls through the data the field team retrieved from Rattlesnakes lab, his eyes getting heavy from hours of staring at a computer screen.
“Hey, thought you could use some coffee.” Medic says as she enters the command center carrying two cups.
“What none for me?” Feedback snorts.
“You don’t need any more coffee, I saw you in the mess hall just an hour ago wolfing down a few cups.”
“Ha, busted.” Downlink laughs taking a cup from Medic.
“So, you guys find anything interesting yet?”
“Not really.” Downlink yawns.
“Maybe you should go get some sleep, doctors orders. I can continue on from here.”
“What about you, you just got back?”
“I am a doctor and a scientist I think I can understand the technical side of this better than you two can, and I got some rest.”
“Lady has a point.” Feedback says. “We have cracked all the codes, all that is left is his crazy formulas. Maybe a fresh pair of eyes would be a good thing.”
“Yeah, I guess you are right.” Downlink looks at the cup of coffee he has yet to drink. “Guess I won’t need this.” He says as he gets up and walks over to Feedback handing it to him. “Just don’t blame me if you can’t get to sleep later.”
Feedback laughs taking the cup. “Thanks.”
Medic sits down in the seat vacated by Downlink and begins to scroll through the file he was just reading. “My god this is boring, it’s nothing but a daily log, no wonder Downlink was falling asleep.” Medic searches through the other files until she locates some of the actual research. “This is better.”
Feedback watches Medic as she leans in closer to the screen. “As a doctor you should know that isn’t good for your eyes.” He jokes.
“Shush, I’m reading.”
“Find something?”
“Yes, Rattlesnake wasn’t just trying to perfect the Serpentor project...he was also trying to create a female copy.”
“A bride of Serpentor, a Serpentress? Sounds like a bad horror movie.”
“Worse than that, he practically perfected it. Why would he do that though, Major Fear is more than an adequate leader.”
“He was a Cobra Scientist before joining Major Fear’s squad, and had an unhealthy obsession with Dr. Mindbender’s work. Maybe he shared the same views as that quack?”
“That or by creating a bride for Serpentor they could use her to help control the flaws in his design.” Medic brings up other files on screen comparing them. “My god that is exactly what he was doing.” She turns in her chair towards Feedback who is watching her with interest. “I just had a horrible thought, what if Major Fear is really Serpentor and Lady D is really this...Serpentress?”
“Whoa, really?” Feedback exclaims.
“We know nothing about Major Fear, no data records or anything except for that farfetched story he told Rebecca. We haven’t even been able to verify any of it. These files date back several years, which matches the information we have on Lady D.”
“I think we better get the General in here.” Feedback suggests. “If you are right this could change everything.”
“Not just the General. Patch a link to Storm; he should hear this as well.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me?” Storm says standing in the mobile base with Medic and General Phoenix on the main screen.
“That is what I thought but it makes sense.” Phoenix replies. “I need you and your team to go back to the destroyed labs, find evidence that either supports this or debunks it. I’m sending Medic to rendezvous with you.”
“Wait, what about the medical files from the Coffin, Major Fear and Lady D were kept there before the Liberators and Red Shadows broke them out. That might be better than sending us to sift through rubble.”
The General stands quiet on screen for a moment. “Good thinking, we’ll pull those first and go through them. Your team sits tight; I’ll let you know what your next move will be. Base Command out.”
Hightower looks up at Storm, who is looking down at him. “You have that look in your eyes.”
“What look?”
“The look like you are about to do something I shouldn’t know about.”
“Possibly.”
“I think I’ll go for a stroll.” Hightower says wheeling himself out of the mobile base. He quickly finds Afterburner and Redeye talking and laughing. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Oh nothing, just sharing stories about our favourite leader.” Afterburner giggles.
“Storm might think there is something else going on.” Hightower jokes.
“Doubtful, I’m married now with kids. Besides, my wild days are behind me.” Redeye smirks.
“Wait...what are you doing out here? I thought you and Storm were working on that data he brought back from Fallout.” Afterburner asks.
“We were, until the General called in with some disturbing news.”
“Like what?” Redeye inquires.
“You won’t believe it...” Hightower says as he beings to explain to them what they just learned.

Inside the mobile base Storm sets up a secure call into a trusted friend, audio only. “I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon Lieutenant Colonel.”
“Is your line secure General Hawk?”
After a few moments of silence Hawk responds. “It is now, what can I do for you?”
“I’ve recently come across some information and have questions...some of which only one man has the answers to.”
“Are you about to ask me what I think you are about to ask me?”
Storm leans down on the main console. “Yes. I need you to arrange a meeting for me...with Cobra Commander.”