Canada's Elite

Chapter 8

In his makeshift lab, Airtight works unaware he is being watched. Slowly, he lifts his head and turns it looking at his one person audience. "Hello Ms. VanHousen."
"You know my name?"
"Of course I do, I know all your names. Your commander allowed me access to your dossiers so I could create suits fitted specially for each of you." Airtight gets up and heads over to a large locker opening it up. Inside are several grey and red suits. "These should protect you all against the bio weapon. Each is designed specifically to the individual's measurements, and in some cases specialty. Like Target, his helmet has a built in optic targeting sensor, courtesy of a friend of mine."
"Wow." Afterburner pulls one out looking it over. "Nice work."
"Thank-you, I even made one up for myself in case I am needed as well."
"Oh yes, that is why I am here, things didn't go so well. We captured some of her followers and they are being interrogated right now. Storm asked me to check on your progress."
"Almost done, I think I have come up with an agent that can counter act the bio chemical. At least in theory it should." He adds, not sounding too confident.
"Why in theory?"
"Because my dear, all that I had to work with was harmless residue, which I was able to break down enough to synthesize the counter agent. Not having a raw sample is what makes me believe it will work in theory."
Afterburner scratches her head, a bit confused. "Okay, I'll go tell Lt. Storm."
"How are you and he getting along?"
"What?"
"I was just wondering, he certainly thinks highly of you. At least by your file he does."
"Uh, yeah he's told me how impressed he is by my piloting skills."
"Not just your piloting skills, I believe the Lieutenant is smitten with you."
Afterburner blushes. "I better get going."

In a temporary holding cell, Lt. Storm, G.I., and Chamber prepare to interrogate the men they took prisoner from the garden. "Alright who wants to talk?" Lt. Storm asks.
"None of us will talk, we pledged our loyalty to Crimson Rayne." One says.
"Really, a woman who left you to die?" He watches their expressions. "You didn't know did you? The place was rigged to blow, we got there early to defuse the bombs."
The men all sit quietly.
"Look, we're prepared to make a deal with you all as long as you give us what we want. This is what will happen if you don't, you will be charged with break and enter, possession of weapons, intent to use deadly force, and attempted murder of a military group and accessory to murder for the hundreds of people who died in Vancouver." He watches each of the men stir as they look at each other. "So, who wants to talk?"

"What the hell is going on here, where is Lt. Storm!?" Rebecca Ramon demands as she bursts into the main room.
Feedback doesn't bother to even look at her as he works, entering information into the computer. "He's interrogating the prisoners."
"That's exactly what he shouldn't be doing, those prisoners should have been handed over immediately to our custody."
"Our?"
"You know what I mean Feedback. My bosses are breathing down my neck, its my hide they want."
"Those men we captured are part of the Earth Dawn Organization, the woman in the video is Crimson Rayne, their leader. She is also responsible for the attack on Vancouver that killed two hundred and thirty six, excuse me, thirty seven people."
Rebecca sighs sitting down next to Feedback. "Look, I understand you guys are just doing your job but I'm putting my a$$ on the line here. My boss wants my loyalty and so does yours"
"And where is your loyalty?"
"Where do you think it is?" Rebecca looks at Feedback insulted by his question. "Where it has been for months now."
"Ms Ramon, how nice to see you." Storm says as he enters the room.
"Where are the prisoners?"
"All being loaded up on transport for you."
"Good, now…"
"I made a deal with them, I hope your bosses will honour it."
"You what? You don't have the authority to do that."
"I did what I needed to do. Crimson Rayne is planning on using her bio weapon on the entire city. She's planning on killing every last living thing. Do you know how many lives that will be?"
Rebecca doesn't respond.
"Let us do our job, and tell your bosses that. Oh, and if I were you I'd get my a$$ out of town as quickly as possible."

Meanwhile at the Earth Dawn factory Crimson Rayne supervises the loading of the bio weapon. "Quickly and carefully now."
"Mistress Rayne." A brown haired man addresses her. "We are getting your private jet ready."
"Excellent." She runs her hand down his bare chest and smiles. "I want you to join me with the others in my room as soon as these delivery trucks are on their way."
"Yes Mistress."
Rayne looks over the phony delivery trucks, each painted up to look like the several different curriers in the city. "Soon my little packages will be delivered to each location around the city, everyone will learn the consequences of ignoring the environment. The blood of innocent children will be on the hands of the big corporate fat cats who dodge by-laws and continue to spoil our land. The blood of innocents will be on the hands of Lt. Storm and his Canada's Elite team for not joining with me."
She walks over to a group of men dressed in their phony delivery uniforms, checking each of them over. "Very nice."
A blonde haired man watches as packages are loaded onto the trucks, his eyes widen at the number of weaponized bombs that are inside each of them. He looks down at the clipboard in his hands that has the delivery routes for every truck listed on it.
"At midnight this city will die and with it the world." Rayne laughs tossing her arms into the air. "A new dawn begins today."


It's been hours as the Canada's Elite team work to figure out where Rayne will position her bio weapon. Lt. Storm paces back and forth while Feedback inputs data into their computer system, Navy sitting next to him assisting as much as she can. G.I. looks over a large map of the city posted to the wall next to the computer array.
"Time to suit up." Airtight says as he enters the room pulling a wardrobe cart behind him with the eco suits hanging from them, and wearing his. Gone are his yellow and green togs replaced with grey and red ones still similar to his old one. "These suits and helmet should protect you against the bio agent."
"Should?" Navy comments.
"Well no one can be one hundred percent unless you have all the answers, and I do not, having only to work off residue."
"Sorry, I'm just freaked."
"Understood. Where is everyone else?"
"Afterburner is prepping the two jets she was able to get for us, Hotwire is checking over the jeeps we are barrowing from the base. Target is outfitting our weapons for rubber bullets, and the rest are assisting where they can." Lt. Storm explains.
"Alright then I'll go distribute the suits…"
"Lieutenant…I have an incoming call…he wants to talk to you. Says he knows the delivery route." Navy says.
"Put him on. This is Lieutenant Storm."
"I can't talk long…" The man on the other end whispers. "I…I know where Crimson Rayne is planning on delivering her weapon."
"Who is this, why tell us?"
"I'm part of her organization…she's insane, I never signed on for this. She's already killed those who try to leave. I just need an email address to send the information to, please believe me, you have to stop her."
Feedback looks up at Storm.
"Send it to Canada's Elite dot gov dot g-c-e. Where are you, we'll come get you?"
"No I'll be okay, just stop her."
Storm watches Feedback who is checking the email address as a file is being received. "We got it, this email address will no longer be valid. Get out of there."
"Good luck." The man says ending his call.
G.I. comes over looking at the addresses on the email and begins putting red flag pins on the map. "You took a big risk with that, he could have hacked us or sent a virus."
"Actually he wouldn't have, you could tell by his voice he was shaken and being truthful." Airtight says.
"Really?" Storm says to Airtight. "I was just going with my gut and believing him." The others in the room all look at Lt. Storm shocked. "Feedback get everyone in her A.S.A.P."
Over in one of the hanger bays Afterburner finishes up prepping the two single man CF-18's.
"What's up sexy?" Fallout says smacking her rear.
"Hey."
"Okay…that didn't sound very cheerful. What's wrong?"
"Us." She says. "Sorry, that sounded harsh, I'm just having mixed feelings right now. I was thinking about us and realized that I'm in it for the moment. Saving a girls life has a big impact on her you know." Afterburner smiles.
"You're right."
"I am?" She says shocked. "You're not mad?"
"No, I can't be, I've been realizing the same thing, actually Airtight helped me realize it."
"Me too, kind of."
"Everyone to the command room immediately." Feedback's voice says over the com. "I repeat everyone to the command room immediately."
They both look at each other and smile.
"No hard feelings?" Afterburner asks.
"No way."
"Awesome." She hugs Fallout as they rush off out of the hanger bay.

Crimson Rayne stands up on a platform address her men. "Today is the start of a new era, by midnight tonight this city will be no more and those of you who have followed me will be rewarded." She looks off towards a blonde haired man who is being dragged in by two other men. "And those of you who plot against me will suffer my wrath." She steps down walking over to the young man. "Who did you contact?"
"Bite me b!tch."
Rayne back hands the man across the face. "What is your name?"
"Why, you want to marry me?"
She smacks him again. "Tell me your name."
"Steven Soto."
"That name is of no interest to me, you are nothing but a worm in my organization." She looks at the other two men. "Kill him and bring me his head when you are finished."
"NO!" The young man who identified himself as Steven struggles trying to break free. "This isn't the end, they will stop you!"
Rayne looks back as he is dragged into another room. "They? The G.I.Joe's…he contacted Lt. Storm and his team. Pointless they can not stop us now. If you encounter any of these G.I.Joe's kill them on site."

"I'm breaking you all up into teams of two." Lt. Storm says addressing his team who are all now suited up in the eco suits Airtight has designed for them. "Navy and Chamber, Hotwire and Snow Squall, Medic and Feedback, Airtight and Fallout. Target, sorry pal but you're staying here to help Afterburner and I locate Crimson Rayne."
"Where do you want me?" Rebecca says entering the room.
"I thought I told you to get out of town."
"You also told me I was a part of this team Sir, so I came back to help."
"Very well then, you can assist Target."
"I don't mean to step over my bounds here…" Airtight says. "But shouldn't Feedback remain here to coordinate the field agents?"
"No, I've paired everyone with another team member that has a link to the environment with their specialties. I need him out on the field, Target can work the com. Hotwire has the jeeps ready, all stocked with a chemical Airtight has developed that should neutralize the bio weapon. Good luck and keep your wits about you, check in at every drop point. This is big, we don't want a city wide panic but we are running out of time. The Earth Dawn Organization has a head start on us, I'll try to get all the help I can for us with the powers that be. We've got to stop them before any more people die. You're all dismissed, Yo Joe!"


The Earth Dawn Headquarters, now nearly vacant except for a few men Rayne has chosen for her bodyguards. The stronger looking of all the men she has recruited. "Where are those other two, they should have disposed of that traitor by now." Rayne snaps heading for the back room. She opens the door expecting to see a bloody headless body but finds the two young men as they come around. "Where is he?"
"He got the drop on us Mistress, he's like a black belt or something."
"No matter, he can't do anymore damage then he's already done, but the two of you have failed me. I don't like failure." She pulls a pistol from behind her back firing it twice putting a bullet between each of the two men's eyes. Rayne shuts the door and heads for a limo that awaits her. "Is everything set?"
"Your private jet is ready at the airport."
"Good, I want a bird's eye view as this city falls apart." Rayne laughs climbing into her black limo.

Fallout and Airtight pull up to their first location, a family center with a daycare and law offices that specialize in family law. Passerby's stare at them in wonder with their strange looking suits.
"Okay, she is sick, planting a device here?"
"She wants to wipe out the city, everyone is fair game to her Fallout."
"So I guess you talked with Afterburner as well?" He asks as they approach the building carrying their gear.
"Oh she told you?"
"Yeah."
"I hope there are no hard feelings, I read everyone's dossiers and the mission reports Lt. Storm had, and it was obvious the two of you were just fuelling on the emotions of near death."
"I thought you were more of a comedian then a shrink."
"Ah, but we funny people have great insight since we don't take the world as seriously as others. Laugh a little, enjoy life my friend." Airtight approaches the main desk in the lobby smiling at the young lady behind it. "Good day ma'am, we are here searching for any packages that may have been incorrectly delivered. Did you receive any deliveries today?"
"Yes, it was for the maintenance department, all the way down that hall." She points off the east hall.
"Thank you." Airtight smiles again as he and Fallout head down the hall. "She was quite attractive."
"Yeah, if we weren't pressed for time I would have asked for her phone number."
Airtight laughs as they reach the maintenance room. "Here we are." They enter inside finding a black case sitting in the center of the floor. "Interesting place to leave a package."
"I doubt anyone comes in here during the day."
Airtight walks over opening it up finding the device inside. A couple of 12 inch canisters wired to a timer. "It looks as though these are harmless alone, but once combined would react drastically. By removing one of the canisters and using my foam on them separately it should neutralize them. It looks easy to do, not a very complex set up."
"Let's do it then."
They both carefully remove a canister setting them at each end of the room putting on their helmets. Attached to their belts are small fire extinguishers that contain the foam. They discharge them covering the canisters which quickly reacts dissolving them into a puddle that the light with quick lighters incinerating it.
Airtight checks the area with his hazardous detectors. "Clean. I'll radio base and let them know how to dispose of them."

Downsview, Canada's Elite command room, T minus eight hours till midnight.
"Thanks for the info Airtight, we'll radio it to the others who are already in position." Lt. Storm looks to Target and nods signalling him to relay the information.
"Sir, we have a call coming in from a friend, says he gave you the locals?"
Storm picks up an ear piece and mic. "I see you're still alive."
"Yep, can't take a black belt out that easy."
"What do you want, we're busy here."
"I know, but I thought you might want to know where Crimson Rayne is heading."
"Why are you helping us out?"
"I joined her team with a friend, my dad's a defence lawyer, but he's not that bad a guy and I didn't know she wanted to kill the entire city. I just wanted to stick it to him that's all, we all got in over our heads and the others are too scared to leave. There is only one way out and its in a body bag."
"Where is she headed?"
"To one of the airports, she has a private plane waiting for her. I'm sorry I don't know which one."
"You've given us more information then we had, we'll find her. I suggest you get out of town." Storm kills the line. "Reroute that number."
"Yes Sir." Rebecca responds.
"Start searching every airport in the city, look for any private jets scheduled for take off before midnight tonight."
"That could take hours, we’re running short on time here. Rayne knows we’re on to her."
"I know, just do it."
Target signals Storm. "I have US Agent Airtight on the wire, he says he's defused one of the bombs."
"Good, get the info from him and send it to the local authorities, we’ll need their help to stop all the trucks until our guys can get there to dispose of them safely."
"I'm on it."
"Now, all we need to do it find the ring leader and bring her down."
“I think I have something here.” Target says. “I ran a search through all the limo airport services, found one that made a recent pickup. The drop off is the Person Airport, direct route to a private jet.”
“Excellent work Target, Rebecca get me an ID on the private plane, contact the airport, and don’t let them allow that jet to take off. I want you and Target to take one of the Jeeps to the airport, Afterburner and I will be hitting the sky.” Storm says as he heads out to the hanger bays.
“We’re ready to fly.” Afterburner says handing Storm his helmet.
“Good, let’s go.”


Rayne sips from a glass of champagne in her private jet, humming the marching song. One of her young men burst into the jet receiving a disapproving look from Rayne. “What is it?”
“Mistress, I just heard over the police scanner, the authorities are stopping our delivery trucks.”
“Damn.” She picks up a nearby phone that connects directly to the cockpit. “Get us in the air now.”
“We have to wait…”
“I don’t care, get us in the air now.” She looks out the window noticing airport security approaching. “You have been the barer of bad news, which is such a pity, you are so muscular and handsome.” She runs her hand over the young man’s face and down to his chest placing her palm over his heart. With a quick jerk of his wrist a hidden dagger springs out from her sleeve impaling itself into the young man.
He looks at her in shock stumbling back as her boot comes up to kick him out the door and down the steps, leaving a trail of blood behind him. She shuts the door and sits back down in her seat fastening her safety belt.
“Now, get us in the air.”

The two CF-18 Hornet’s rocket across the star lit night sky towards the Person Airport, both with their night imagining active.
“This is going to be tricky.” Afterburner says into her com.
“We’ll have to hold off fire until we ID the jet. Target will have to dot the jet if they get there in time.”
“ETA is 15 minutes from A to B, that’s going the speed limit, I’ve never met a guy who drives slow.”
“Ha ha ha, lets circle the Airport, security is supposed to suspend all flights.” Storm says as he breaks off from Afterburner.
“This isn’t good, we have three planes circling for landing.”
There’s a crackle on the com line as Target comes on. “We’re here, Becca is...sorry…Ms. Ramon has taken the wheel, dude she drives like a spaz.” You can hear Rebecca bitching at him in the background. “We’ve spotted the jet, stand by for marker.”
“Standing by.” Lt. Storm responds.

On the ground the airport security case behind the speeding jeep, not in pursuit but as backup support.
“It’s speeding up.” Target shouts leaning out the window.
“How can you tell?”
“I have a radar gun mounted on my laser rifle. Take her wide around the jet, circle it. It’s going to be the only way for me to get a concentrated burn.”
Rebecca hits the accelerator taking them wide around the jet as instructed and begins a slow turn. She watches Target as he takes aim and fires noticing she is riding near the edge of the tarmac. “Hang on, I have to crank us in!”
“Just keep us steady as you do!”
Rebecca cranks the jeep in tapping the brakes to slow them down a bit to keep from tipping the jeep.
Target slips back inside. “I’ve tagged her, brake…brake!!” He shouts. Rebecca slams on the brakes realizing they are approaching a passenger plane. “Oh crap it.” Target panics. “We’re going to hit.”
“No, hang on kid.” She cranks the wheel and hits the accelerator flipping the jeep over on its side smashing out the windows and sending sparks into the air.
From Rayne’s private jet the insane woman watches the spectacle below as the jeep comes to a stop before hitting the passenger plane.
“Dude, that was awesome.” Target gasps breathing in deeply.
“Are you two alright?” Storm says over the com.
“Yeah, we’re good, go get her.”

The CF-18’s whip past Rayne’s jet as it ascends buzzing her in an attempt to frighten the pilot.
“Get us out of here.”
“Mistress, this is a private passenger plane not a fighter jet.” The pilot responds.
“I don’t care what we are in…fine.” Rayne charges into the cockpit, a gun in her hand.
“You…you can’t fire that in here.”
Rayne smiles as she clocks the pilot over the head with it a few times creating a gash across his head and a spray of blood. She shoves the nearly unconscious young man out of the pilot seat taking the controls. “Now, how do I fly this thing?” She snaps looking over at the co-pilot.

“Something is going on…” Afterburner notes as the jet makes some erratic moves.
“We need to get her further out, follow my lead.” Storm orders as he begins to circle Rayne’s jet on one side forcing her towards the edge of the city over Lake Ontario. “Fire twenty mil bursts, lets shake her up.”
Rayne lets out a scream as the bursts just miss her jet. “What the hell are they doing, don’t they know we’re not armed?”
“They’re trying to force us down…they’re…” A trio of black and red unidentified jets drop from they sky engaging the CF-18 Hornets. “Friends of yours?”
“Not that I know of.” Rayne says just as surprised.
“UFB’s at six, break off.” Storm shouts in his com as he buzzed one of the jets noticing the insignia. “Son of a…”
“What? Storm…who are these guys?” Afterburner questions him.
“Enemy jets.” Storm hits his burners to gain some ground then pulls back and rolls his jet targeting one of the enemy planes. “Gotchya.” He grins as he fires off a few of his AIM-120 missiles. “One down.”
Afterburner pulls up, nose to the sky as the other two enemy jets tail her, she drops her throttle letting the enemy jets fly past her unloading her 20 mil cannons at them dotting across their rear wing stabilizers. She hits her throttle circling back positioning herself behind one of the jets. She fires her PGM a LGB that uses a laser homing seeker loosing site of the second jet.
“Burner, you have a bogie on your belly. Drop your external fuel tank.”
“What?”
“Do it and brace yourself.”
Afterburner does as Storm orders releasing her external fuel tank and banking off as her LGB hits the enemy jet.
Storm fires his 20 mil cannons at the dropping fuel tank spraying fuel all over the enemy jet as it barely missing the tank. He fires his afterburners passing over the enemy jet and releasing a flare as the enemy takes aim. The jet erupts into flames, Storm barrel rolls away as the enemy fires wildly with his cannons.
“I’m hit…I’m hit…controls not responding…” Afterburner shouts into her com. “You’ll catch me when I fall?” She says trying to pilot her jet towards Rayne’s private jet the best she can.
“What…Afterburner respond….Julie…?”


Rayne’s eyes widen in amazement brining her jet around. “I’ll nail one of them.” She snarls.
“We don’t have any weapons on this thing.” The young co pilot panics.
“We do, we are the weapon.”
“You’ll kill us.”
“Then so be it.”
Lt. Storm watches as Afterburner’s jet begins to descend, the canopy blows off as she is rocketed into the air. “Son of a…” He notices her not deploying her chute, instead she looks as though she cutting her harness free. Storm brings his Hornet around as his low fuel alarms begin to blare. “Dammit.” His fuel tanks had been hit during the air battle. He watches as Afterburner thrusts herself from her seat, coming close to Rayne’s jet engines.
Storm pulls his emergency eject blowing the canopy and rocketing into the air. He keeps his eyes on Afterburner as she freefalls, feeling his momentum slowing. She looks into his eyes reaching out for him, Storm keeping one hand on his chute release.
Their hands nearly touching as Afterburner’s pilot seat is sucked into Rayne’s jet engines causing it to explode taking most of the wing with it.
The force of the explosion brings Afterburner close enough to Storm for him to grab her arm and pull her in. She tucks her arms around him holding on tight as he pulls the chute release pulling them back up into the air. Debris fly’s around them missing the two Joes. He grabs onto Afterburner holding her tightly as they coast down to the waters below, Crimson Rayne’s jet in a tail spin. The private jet crashes into the lake ripping apart from the impact, Lt. Storm’s CF-18 also crashing into the lake below.
Soon Lt. Storm and Afterburner land in the water, the seat doubling as a floatation device. “That was crazy you know that?”
“I know.” She smiles at him. “Wasn’t sure it was going to work, but I knew you’d catch me.”
“Why is that?”
“Because, I just knew you would.”
“So who were those other enemy jets that attacked us?”
“I don’t know.” He lies. Storm looks at Afterburner as she pulls off her helmet and smiles.
“What?”
“It’s nothing.”
“You were smiling, it so was.”
“You, uh, you look good even with helmet hair.” He says, his face turning red.
“Thank you.” Afterburner laughs pressing herself harder against him, like she is hugging him. “So how long do you think we’ll have to float out here?”

Several hours later, nearly dawn, CFB Downsview, the Canada’s Elite team is all assembled in the main room chatting and laughing. For the first time since they’ve been mothballed there they feel at ease. Airtight back in his regular fatigues and telling some bad jokes, many of which Target finds amusing. Outside Lt. Storm stand by himself watching as the sun begins to rise over the horizon.
“Hey, what are you doing out here?”
Storm turns to see a young blonde haired man wearing grey sweat pants and an unzipped grey hoodie. “Who are you and how’d you get on this base? It’s a controlled entry right now?”
“I jumped the fence. I’m Steven Soto, the guy who gave you the tip on how to find Crimson Rayne.”
“I see, that still doesn’t explain what you are doing here?”
“Sorry Sir, I just wanted to meet you and thank you.”
“For what?”
“For stopping that crazy chick and saving the city, I doubt you guys get that often. I’m turning my life around, my dad’s pissed at me of course but I told him I’m enrolling in the military. I want to make a difference, like you guys do.”
“Kid, you don’t know what we do.”
“I know you’re an elite military force of specialists that do what the regular military can’t do. You know all hush hush top secret stuff. Anyway, figured I’d also bring you this.” He reaches into his pocket handing Storm a flash drive. “I snagged this up, it’s how Rayne was able to locate you and everything she had on you. I read it, you guys are getting shafted.”
“Thanks, look you better get off this base before you get caught, and forget everything you’ve read and seen.”
“Sure.” He begins to walk away as Afterburner approaches looking at him inquisitively.
“Who was that?”
“Our inside informant.”
“Come on, Rebecca has just arrived, she said she has some good news for us.” Afterburner puts out her arm.
“Finally.” Storm takes her arm as they head towards the base. “So, what’s going on with us?”
“I dunno, let’s see where things go.”

Roosevelt Beach, New York, two days later. A man dressed in a black trench coat walks along the beach as the sun begins to set. A few feet away laying on the shore is Crimson Rayne, her clothes tattered from the crash, her black wet hair stuck to her face.
“There you are my dear. We’ve been searching for you, good to see you have survived.” The man kneels down to pick her up in his arms. “You are about to serve under a new cause.”
“Who…are you?” She coughs.
“You’ll find out soon enough, for now, welcome to the Red Shadows.”



G.I.Joe: Canada's Elite
Book Two – Eco Warriors
Canada's Elite characters are copyright of RS Hero Creations 2008 - 2009
G.I.Joe is a trademark of Hasbro Inc.