Canada's Elite

[Lt Storm]

Chapter 10 Nightingale

Edmonton, Alberta a remote rural home just outside the city, and birthplace of Christan Singer, code named Athena.
"Are you sure you are ready to do this?" General Anthony Singer stands before his daughter Christan, who is finally being admitted back to active duty after almost a year in the psychiatric ward. She witnessed a horrible act that plunged her into a child like state, but with the help of some of the countries top notch doctors, and her father's support she has made a full recovery. Not to mention the support from her unit leader Lt. Storm who's made time to visit her as often as he could. The retired army General looks into his daughters eyes.
"Dad, I'm fine and I want to do this. The doc's say I'm ready and even Medic has given me her backing." She brushes his grey hair off his forehead and smiles at him. "I want to serve my country and help where I can just like you did dad. This is my chance to pick up where I left off, and help some great men and women do some real good."
"You just be careful alright honey?"
She blushes knowing he is only concerned for her. "Don't worry, I'm sure they will keep me behind a desk as much as possible, and I can focus on what I do best, gathering information and surveillance."
The General gives his daughter a hug then lets her get on her way. She heads down the steps of her fathers modest home and into a waiting military Hummer, pausing to stop and look back waving goodbye.
"May god watch over you my daughter." He says waving back to her.

Chatham Ontario, a small white sided one story home, two bedrooms and a single car garage. The cozy home of the leader of Canada's Elite, Lt. Storm, remarkably clean for a single man, with only a few clothes strewn about and some empty snack boxes. It's late, almost midnight as Storm arrived home only a few hours ago after touring his team’s new base. The shower runs in his bathroom, the steam fogging up the mirror and seeping out the open door. Soon the water is shut off and he steps out grabbing a burgundy bath towel to dry himself off. He takes a look at himself in the mirror, and smiles. His team has had a few months off now following the Earth Dawn attack and things have been quiet since.
Storm makes his way through his home and into his bedroom turning on the TV and setting the sleep timer on a rerun of one of his favorite programs. He returns to the washroom to replace the towel on the rack to dry, then back into his bedroom and lies naked on his bed. Too tired to put something on, instead he climbs under the sheets and closes his eyes.
"Wake up Lieutenant…" A female voice whispers in his ear just moments after he’s drifted off to sleep.
Storm moans rolling over onto his back. "Julie, that you?"
"No."
His eyes pop open as a female figure straddles him. "Who the hell…" He reaches for the head of his bed where he usually hides a pistol.
"Looking for this?" The female says swinging his gun on her left index finger. "I found all of your hidden little weapons. Either you are paranoid or just plain cautious."
"A little bit of both actually. Now are you going to tell me who you are and how you got into my house?"
"No and yes, I won't tell you who I am but I will tell you how I got into your house. It's my thing honey.” The woman smirks. “Now, if you'll get up and come with me like a good boy there is someplace we need to be."
"Uh…I'd prefer if I could put something on."
"Oh no, you're better the way you are. I've heard how clever and sneaky you can be, better you naked making it harder for you to hide anything on your person." She shoves a gun under his jaw. "Now, do as I say and get out of bed I don't want to shoot you just yet."
Storm slowly slides out of bed grabbing his pillow, as he does he swings it at the woman knocking her down on the bed. He bolts out of his bedroom and into the living room searching for a weapon. Storm gets a glimpse of the woman all dressed in black, Caucasian with a green bandana around her head and shoulder length black hair.
"Oh, that was stupid. I already told you I found all your hidden weapons." The woman follows him out of the room. "You are making this difficult, I like it a little rough. But sadly I was given strict orders not to harm you just yet."
“Lucky me.” He says sarcastically. “And there you go with that, just yet, again.”
She fires the gun hitting Storm with a tranquilizer dart. "That should keep you quiet, a bit stronger dosage, don’t need you waking up until we get there."
Storm staggers forward then collapses to the floor sound asleep once again.
"My, usually wrestling with a naked man would be much more fun." She comments as she drags Storm to his feat leaning him against her back. She takes him out to the garage stuffing him into the back seat of his inexpensive red sports car. "I guess even covert ops military doesn't pay all that well…then again…" She says sitting behind the wheel looking over the red chrome plated dash. "You've tricked out your car out I see." She starts up the engine and hits the lights watching the dash light up. "No doubt you have a GPS in this thing. Not to worry I'll leave your car somewhere safe and sound." The woman opens the garage door and backs the car out heading off down the road.

The new Canada's Elite Headquarters, located somewhere in Southwestern Ontario hidden by farm land and trees. A large barbed wire electrified fence surrounds the area with signs warning of high voltage, and no trespassers. It looks like a regular military base, with several bunkers around a larger main headquarters.
The bunkers around the outer perimeter house many items, ammo, explosives, and various supplies. Some of the bunkers contain secret passages to underground tunnels that run to the main base. These tunnels are catacomb throughout the grounds, some even lead beyond the fence as a means of escape, some lead nowhere. The main base itself houses the quarters for its residence as well as an attached hanger bay. The vehicle bay sits off by itself just over from the hanger bay. There are several floors to the base, some floors are empty serving as decoy rooms with a few underground levels. There is one massive underground waterway that leads to the nearby bed of water which is several kilometers long.
The Canada's Elite team is not the only ones stationed at the base, there are several other military personnel who tend to the daily needs. Cooks, and janitorial staff, whom are all single men and women or retired vets who know the importance of secrecy. Each person stationed or employed at the base endures a rigorous and extensive interview and physical. There are areas these residences are restricted access too, and if caught in any of these areas are immediately discharged and relocated.
Soon the base will be activated and be the new permanent home of Canada’s Elite, equipped to deal with any new foes that threaten their country.

The Canada's Elite team stands before their new base in awe, Explosives Expert Code Name: Chamber, Fighter Pilot Code Name: Afterburner, Heavy Weapons Specialist Code Name: Fallout, Sniper Code Name: Target, Communications Specialist Code Name: Feedback, Mechanic Code Name: Hotwire, Medical Officer Code Name: Medic, Winter Survival Specialist Code Name: Snow Squall, Survival Instructor Code Name: G.I., Underwater Specialist Code Name: Navy and Rebecca Ramon their G.I.Joe and government liaison.
"So, why isn't Lt. Storm here with us?" Afterburner asks.
"He is taking a few more days leave, he'll be here then." Rebecca explains.
"He's already seen the base and wanted you all to get well acquainted with it before he arrives."
"Well, just point me to the command room and…" Feedback says being cut-off by Rebecca.
"Sorry no can do. You are all to find your own way around the base." She grins. "Storm figured it would be the best way, a navigational map has been programmed into your blackberry systems." Rebecca places her brief case down on the hood of one of the Hummers that brought them in, popping the back leather case open. Inside are black berry looking mapping systems already loaded up with all the information and pass codes they will need along with a photo ID pass card. She passes them out to each member instructing them on how to use them.
"These are so wicked cool." Target blurts realizing how childish that made him sound.
"Yeah they are kid." Snow Squall adds giving the youngest member a smile.
"I'll be back tomorrow bright and early to see how you all have made out. Then the next phase begins."
"What's that?" Navy asks.
"Oh now, if I told you what fun would that be?" Rebecca gives them all a grin and heads off on her way.
G.I. plays with his blackberry for a moment then smirks. "Well, catch you guys and gals later."
"Where are you going?" Hotwire asks.
"I found the training center."
"Mind if I join you?"
G.I. waves her along to follow him.
Afterburner searches through the map locating the hanger bays, which are right where she suspected. Target, Snow Squall and Fallout find the targeting ranges as Chamber and Navy head for the mess hall. Medic locates the medical facility as Feedback finds the command center.
The Joe's watch on their blackberry's as little blips and special tabs allow them to locate where each member is or is heading. It also alerts them to certain locations around the base as they pass by them. For the three heading to the targeting ranges it identifies the armory for them indicating they may want to stop there first.

The smell of dampness fills the air along with the sound of mice scurrying about. Lt. Storm tastes blood in his mouth as he spits it out feeling something wrapped around his head preventing him from seeing where he is. His body aches from his scuffle with his female assailant, his pride feeling a bit hurt that he was surprised and taken down by a woman. It’s cold where they are holding him, he could be in a meat locker somewhere, no, there are clear outside sounds. He realizes he is still naked with his arms strapped up and legs bound. They have him hanging somewhere like a prisoner ready to be beaten.
"Ah, you are awake I see." The woman's voice that invaded his home says.
"Where am I, who are you?"
"Where you are is none of your concern right now and it's where you'll be staying for quite some time. Who I am…" She walks up to Storm running her hand along his rough stubbly face. "Call me Nightingale."
"A code name?"
"Yes."
"So you belong to some kind of military cell, Cobra?"
She laughs. "Oh honey no something much worse."
Storm grunts as she runs her hand down his chest.
"My, you are in good shape." She leans into him like she's about to kiss him. "I like my men bound and gagged."
"That's too bad, I'm not into bondage."
Nightingale backs off looking him all over. "You do realize you are in for some excruciating pain. That is unless you cooperate with me and answer all of my little questions."
"Really?" He says with a bit of sarcasm to his voice. “Good thing I have a high pain tolerance.”
"Oh I know you G.I.Joe's pride yourself on your secrecy and blah, blah, but you will tell me what I want to know."
"How about, if I answer your questions you answer mine, like who do you work for?"
Nightingale laughs. "That's not how it is going to work. This is my workshop my dear and we play by my rules." She snaps her fingers signaling in two men dressed in green, brown and black uniforms. "Put it down here." She instructs them as they carry in a table covered by a cloth. "Tell me Storm, what is your real name?"
He smirks. "Sorry, not going to make it that easy on you."
"Good." She pulls the cloth from the table revealing a car battery, cables, knives, needles and a razor which she picks up. "First things first though, let's do some grooming."
"What?"
The black clad woman walks up to Storm placing her hand somewhere he'd rather it not be. She turns on the razor much to Storm's shock. "I'm going to enjoy this." Nightingale whispers into his ear.
Storm pulls at his bindings as he feels the razor buzz against his chest. Several things run through his mind of what she may have in store for him. He tries not to let his mind wander, instead he tries to focus on good positive thoughts, and how the hell he’s going to get out of this.
The troopers bring in a bucket of water that they go to slide underneath Lt. Storm
"No, keep that away for now until I am done, I don't want to get hair in the water."
Storm grinds his teeth, water, this is not going to be good, he’s going to be electrocuted.


"Hey Feedback." Afterburner greets as she enters the command room. "Any word from our almighty leader?" She jokes looking at the camera feeds he has up on screen from around the base.
"Nope, he's probably enjoying his time off."
"I dunno, you'd think he'd want to be here with the rest of us."
"Who knows, maybe he's meeting with the brass to find out why we're here. Cobra's gone for now, we took care of the Earth Dawn Eco-Terrorists. If you think about it this Canadian branch of G.I.Joe isn't really needed."
Afterburner sighs. "Maybe."
“My god…”
“What is it?”
“There’s been a Colonel at CFB Trenton arrested…for murder.”
“Oh my god…” Afterburner gasps feeling herself shake. “What if…”
Feedback stops what he is doing and looks up at his team-mate. "He murdered two women…I’ll spare you the details. You're worried."
"Yes, I just have a really bad feeling that something terrible is going to happen."
"It just might be this news, but call him, see if he's okay if that'll put your mind at ease. I can tap a secure line for you in your quarters, no one will know the call went out."
"Thanks Jerry." She gives him a hug and heads for her quarters.

The Training Room is equipped with several state-of-the-art weight equipment, various rock walls, an indoor pool, submersion tank, rope climbs, and a running track that surrounds the room on the upper floor.
G.I. pulls himself up the rock wall using no harnesses or lanyards to protect his fall. Most of his uniform long removed except for his pants, even his boots and socks are off. Sweat runs down his body as he pulls himself to the top. He looks down at Hotwire who watches him from the floor as she stops the stop watch in her hands.
"Oh my god. You did that with less than ten seconds from your last time. How can you keep going, aren’t you tired yet?"
"Nope." He breaths in deeply and exhales. "Your turn." He grins.
"Ha, no way bucko I'm a grease monkey not a wall climber."
"I'm also the team survival trainer, I'll climb with you."
"Honey you're cute and all but I don't swing that way." She remarks as she heads out of the training room.
"What? Hey wait up!" G.I. heads over to the rope ladder quickly climbing down it and snatching up a towel as he runs after Hotwire.

Targeting range, made up of standard practice shooting ranges and an obstacle course. Target and Fallout both make their way through the obstacle course which uses rubber bullets and sight lasers. Fallout motions for Target to head over to him low. The young Joe darts across the makeshift alley way as bullets wiz by him.
"That was close, this thing is tough."
"You're the one who set the difficulty level."
"I know I wanted a challenge." He smiles.
"Okay, so what did you notice about our final target?"
"He's heavily armed…and some of the bullets weren't from him we have multiple shooters."
"Just how I like it." Fallout braces his machine gun ready to pop out.

Meanwhile at his mysterious location Lt. Storm grunts as Nightingale drags a straight razor over his head. She steps back looking him over. "All nice and smooth now, just like a baby’s bottom."
"You still haven't told me who you're working for?"
"All in good time, I want to have a little fun first."
"I thought you already had." He comments.
"Oh that was just the start of it." She takes a cloth dabbing it with alcohol.
Storm grunts as he feels the alcohol hit the razor cuts on his body, it only burns for a few seconds. This is nothing to him and she knows it.
"Sorry about that, I tend to get a bit rough. Don't worry, the torture will start soon but first I want to talk with you, I want to learn your story."
"What hanging me up naked and shaving all the hair off my body not personal enough for you?"
"Oh wit, I love that, valiant to the end. No, I want to know what made you become a soldier, what set you on your path. My boss seems to think there is something more to you, something we can use in breading more soldiers like you."
"Who is your deranged boss?"
"You'll meet him eventually."
"You both are crazy I'm no different then any other soldier."
"Oh but you are you see. You have this unnerving quality to protect those you care about even at your own risk. You also can be extremely determined to get what you want when you want it. Two qualities my commander thinks can be manipulated, whereas you have this annoying quality to fight for the good guys. He believes if events happened different in your life you could also fight for the opposing side."
"You mean the wrong side." Storm grunts.
"Which ever you think. Now, you can either cooperate with me and we do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way." Nightingale slides a knife along Storms chest cutting his skin but not deep enough to bleed. "Please be difficult."
Lt. Storm sighs. "You won't get away with this."
"I know, but by the time your team realizes you are missing and set out to find you I'll be all done with you. And as long as you cooperate they will find you alive, or dead, your choice."

Afterburner hangs up the phone in her room after several calls to Lt. Storm's home and cell phone.
"Any luck?" Feedback's voice says over the intercom.
"No, he hasn't answered."
"I called Ms. Ramon, she's going to see if she can find out anything."
"Good."
"Look for what it's worth, I hope your woman's intuition is wrong."
"So do I, but I have this knot in my stomach that says its not. I think I'll head out to his place and see what I can find."
"You better stay put for now, we don't need something happening to you too. Come to the command room, I'll get Fallout on the horn and you two can discuss your course of action."


The next morning, Fallout makes his way down the corridors of the barracks. He stops to check in on Afterburner when Feedback comes on over the intercom.
"Fallout, report to the commander's office immediately."
The soldier pauses, his hand just inches away from the door, he pivots on his left foot and hurries down the hall. Within moments he arrives at what is supposed to be Lt. Storm's office swinging the door open. "What's the…who the hell are you and what are you doing in the Lieutenants chair?" Fallout grunts at an elderly man.
"I expected a little more respect from you then that Mr. Longhorn. You can address me as General Singer, I hear you have a missing commander."
Fallout quickly stands at attention saluting the well decorated General. "I'm sorry sir, I…we weren't expecting anyone…how'd you know?" He asks totally bewildered.
"It's a little hard to keep something like a missing top secret military commander a secret. The higher ups got wind while Ms Ramon was poking around and I was contacted."
Soon Afterburner appears in the doorway behind Fallout having heard him being summoned. "Who is this, wheres…"
"I am your temporary commander."
"This is General Singer." Fallout introduces.
"Wait…Singer…that name sounds familiar."
"As it should, I am Christan's, or as you all know her as Athena's father."
"What?" Fallout blurts.
"Hey wait a second, aren't you suppose to be retired."
"I'm impressed you know so much about me Ms. VanHousen. You are correct, and that is why I am here. General Hawk and our Minister of Defence wanted someone who could work this team covertly and with my record I was the natural choice. Especially since my daughter was once on your team."
"How is she?" Afterburner asks.
"She's fine." General Singer grunts. "She is back to active duty away from here. Now come with me, I want to be briefed on everything you know while we head to the command center."
Fallout and Afterburner tell the General what little they do know and what their plans were for today. Afterburner was going to head to Lt. Storm's civilian home and take a look around. They haven't told the rest of the team yet, the only other one who knows something is wrong is Feedback. Who has diligently been tracing out Lt. Storm's steps for the past few days.
"So you think he's been kidnapped?" The General says, almost in a condescending tone. "He may just be out on a mission."
"Then why are you here if you believed that, Sir?" Fallout questions.
"I don't it's just a possibility that he is."
"With all do respect Sir, if you were sent here shouldn't you already know?" Afterburner says crossing her arms.
"Young lady I am a retired General who's agreed to oversee this operation. They have told me nothing except to keep you all in line."
Afterburner looks over at Fallout who just shrugs. "But you aren't known for doing that are you." She says gruffly.
"Julie…show a little respect." Fallout snaps.
"No it's quite alright, she is correct and seems to know me very well."
"One of my former teammates was on your team at one time, a wild man, Corporal Carrey."
"Ah yes, young Kurt Carrey he's quite a soldier." General Singer stands aside allowing Fallout and Afterburner to enter the command room first. "Feedback, bring up all the information you have on our disappearing Lt. Storm."
"Yes sir. This is what we know, all attempts to contact him via land line and cell have failed. He also hasn't logged into any of his private or military emails nor websites that he's a member of."
"That's it?"
"Yes Sir."
General Singer turns to Afterburner. "So based on all this you believe he's missing."
"I know he is. First, Storm checks his email religiously, he likes to keep in touch with all his old friends. He also logs into various sites when he's on leave, something he does every day several times."
"That won't cut it."
"Excuse me, but if I can add something here." Feedback says. "Like I already mentioned, Lt. Storm hasn't even logged into any of his military email accounts."
"That proves nothing, he could have been contacted by phone." Singer snaps.
Feedback continues. "I've already checked all his phone logs, they were from family and friends only. No other outside calls, not even a telemarketer."
"If it’s a top secret mission the call could have been easily routed through a personal line so it wouldn't be traceable."
"Hold on a second here, General, Sir." Fallout steps towards the retired man. "You said yourself you were here to help us find him but all you are doing it rebutting everything we have or know."
"You have no concrete facts, no evidence to say otherwise. All you have is speculation and his girlfriends gut feeling." The General is pleased with his phrasing as Fallout steps back quickly glancing at Afterburner. "We will follow procedure on this one, until you find me evidence he was captured this ends now. We wait until Lt. Storm was to check in."
"That's not for another two days." Feedback mentions.
"Then we wait for two days. Dismissed." The General growls at Fallout and Afterburner, the two want to argue, want to say more, but they obey their dismissal and exit the room. "Keep an eye on those two I want to know their every move." He says to Feedback who doesn't respond. "Is that understood Mr. Milton?"
"Yes…Sir."

The rural combat course, set for live ammunition, where Target is practicing his maneuvers. He dives behind a pile of barrels as bullets wiz by his head fired from an automated offensive automaton. He glances over the barrels to check the targets position and readies his laser canon.
A shot rings out disabling the automaton and ending his course.
"Hey what the hell?"
"Sorry but I need to talk to you." Afterburner says standing a few feet away holding her just fired pistol.
"How'd you sneak up in here without the computer recognizing you as a threat?"
"Because I didn't pose as one until it was too late.” She smiles. “You've known Storm the longest out of all of us."
"Yeah we go way back. Why?" He responds as he shuts down his laser cannon.
"I think something is terribly wrong and I need your input. Our new General isn't as keen to my women's intuition."
"What new General?”
“General Singer, and he’s being difficult.”
“Doesn't he know hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?"
"I'm not scorned, yet, but I will be."
"What do you want to know?"
"Walk with me." Afterburner motions heading down through the rest of the course. Up above a security camera follows her every move.

Tied up in the secret location Lt. Storm pulls at his restraints hoping they'll give with no luck. His strength is weakening each day, and his mind is beginning to race unable to even think straight. Whatever Nightingale's trying to do to him it’s starting to work, and that scares him. The nodes on his nipples itch like crazy, as well as other areas of his body as his hair begins to grow back in. At least he’s gotten use to the cold weather, he’s obviously in an abandoned place.
"Good afternoon my toy." His torturer chirps
"Go to hell." Storm spits.
"Oh now are we getting a bit testy?" She says running the back of her hand along his bruised face. "If you'd just tell me what I want to know this will be much less painful."
"Yeah and what are you really going to do with me then?"
Nightingale smiles not saying a word.
"Your silence is answer enough. So either way I'm a dead man, so the longer I hold out the longer I stay alive."
"No, the longer you hold out the more frustrated I get." She grabs the tenderest part of Storm's body and squeezes. "The more violent I get, until you unfortunately die. Which would be a bad thing since my commander wants you alive until he gets all the information he wants." She releases him and steps back as two guards carry in some clean water.
"Ma'am we brought what you requested."
"Good, he's dirty and stinks, clean him up, and scrub hard." Nightingale says as she exits the room.


Back at the Canada's Elite base, Target makes his way back inside after leaving Afterburner out in the yard. He is promptly greeted by General Singer who steps into his path.
"Something I can do for you Sir?"
"Yes Mr. Reed there is, you can tell me everything you and Ms. VanHousen discussed."
"Sorry Sir but that was a private conversation…wait how'd you know I was talking to her?"
"That is not important."
“Yeah, it’s called privacy.”
"I beg to differ, this is my command and you will answer what I ask."
"With all do respect Sir, like I said it was a private conversation and it's none of your damn business." Target goes to walk past the General who grabs his arm.
"Listen to me here son, I'm in charge here and I will not tolerate insubordination from any of you. Keep this up and I will have you all court marshaled and tossed into prison where you'll rot waiting out your trail."
Target glares at the General. "You can't do that."
"Want to bet? I've been serving my country while you were still just a thought, I can do whatever I want." He releases Target allowing him to go.
"What a jerk." The young man cruses under his breath and charges down the hall heading for his barracks.
"Hey man where's the fire?" Snow Squall asks as Target boots by him.
"Back there with that pompous wind bag."
"Who General Singer, yeah he's quite the man."
"What?" Target stops dead. "You like that man?"
"Of course, he's a well decorated General with a rep to go with it. He has stories that'll make our missions seem like birthday parties."
"Well you're the only one he's impressed, he's rubbing some of the others the wrong way."
"Give him time, he's not use to coming into an already established team, he's use to picking his men. It's just how he is kiddo, he always comes off rough at first."
"You talk like you…"
"Snow Squall report to the infirmary for checkup." Medic's voice booms over the base intercom.
"Sorry kid looks like I gotta run, catch you later."
"Yeah later…"

General Singer enters the command center now dressed in a uniform with similar colours to that of the rest of the team. "Feedback, any luck yet?"
"No Sir, either no one knows where Lt. Storm is or no one wants to say."
"Keep at it, I'll try a few of my old army buddies. See if they've heard anything."
"What are retired soldiers going to know? Pardon my brashness."
"Excused. We old soldiers keep our ears to the ground, plus people talk and they need someone to talk too. I've made a lot of connections in my day." General Singer says placing his finger to the side of his nose. "As soon as you hack into the Canadian Military Database let me know."
"Yes Sir."
"Oh and keep this between us, I don't want the rest of the team knowing I am actively looking for him."
"Why?"
"Because the more people know the more they want to help and the more problems it causes."
"You know some will go off on their own."
"I'm counting on it Feedback."
"So, being harsh and ignorant with them is just a ploy to get them to do what you want them to do, without even asking? That way you can play dumb if they get caught."
"I see why Lieutenant Storm uses you as a sounding board. You are quite clever."
"Thank you sir."
General Singer heads out of the room and down the hall where he runs into Snow Squall. The two speak for a bit then head on their way. Target opens the door to the situation room across the hall and follows after Snow Squall.

CFSTO Borden, Canadian Military Base, 0300 hours, Borden Ontario. The base is quite, all except for a few guards on duty and the desperate smoker who needs his late night fix. The full moon hangs in the sky illuminating the land below, stars twinkle around it dancing in the black void of space. The guards check in with each other like clockwork, all giving an all clear on their end. This is usually the norm since they don’t see much action on home turf.
A high pitched sound breaks the quite sky, suddenly the base is lit up by explosions from missiles being fired directly into the base bunkers. One of the guards quickly sounds the base alarms as another guard bolts for the communication room. He bursts inside finding the same woman who abducted Lt. Storm, standing over the man who was manning the communications center.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Nightingale, pity you won't be able to tell anyone else my name." She quickly raises her gun shooting the soldier right between the eyes. A smile forms on her face as she watches the man drop to the floor. "Delicious."
"Nightingale, report?" A man's voice booms in her ear.
"You don't have to shout boss, I can hear you just fine."
"Do you have the communications center under control?"
"That I do, I'm ready to set the charges."
"Excellent, get done and get out of their A.S.A.P. I'll have the soldier's cover your escape."
Outside the base is in flames, no emergency distress call went out, no call for reinforcements, no call that they were under attack. In a matter of minutes the base was over taken by a new mysterious force and reduced to burning rubble. Nightingale exits the com center walking away from it casually as it erupts. There is no need for her to look back and marvel at her handy work, the sound of the explosions is what she lives for. The popping and snapping, the way the shadows dance across the ground, they way her shadow is brought to life and dances with the flames.
A blonde haired man approaches her in a black military jeep, dressed in a green and brown uniform, picking her up. "Nice."
"Thank you Jumper. Let us haste, there are more places to burn. And I have a toy waiting for me to play with him.

0500 hours, the same night, General Singer is woken from his slumber via the com by Feedback, who has been working late through the night. Who himself was actually woken from a little nap he was taking on the console he was working at.
"What's going on?" The old General snaps, not happy he was woken up.
"Sir…I just got a call…CFSTO Borden was attacked."
"What?"
"The base was leveled Sir, no survivors."
"Dear god." Singer leaps from his bed grabbing his robe and hurries out down the hall.
Feedback is frantically pulling in all the information he can about the attack, the little there is at this point, knowing his new commander will want to know. He hears the doors open and the heavy breath of the old man. "I'm getting a sit-rep right now Sir, there's not much to go on. I’m trying to get satellite images as well."
"Wake Fallout, Target, and Navy, I want them geared and ready to go. Have Afterburner get a chopper ready."
"Sir, shouldn't we wait for an official call…"
"I'm calling the shots around here, I gave you an order I expect you to follow it through. Now do it."
"Yes Sir." Feedback snaps wheeling himself over the com console.
General Singer looks over the pictures on the main screen. "This won’t stand.” He growls.

Within minutes the three Joe’s the General requested join him in the command center in full battle gear, he explains the situation to them noticing Target staring at the images. “What is it son?”
“That base, Borden, Lt. Storm was stationed there.”
“Then we’ll have to operate under the assumption he may be involved.”
“WHAT!?!” Feedback blurts. “You’ve got to be off your rocker, there is no way Lt. Storm would attack Borden.”
“And you are out of line soldier. Right now we have no idea where or what has happened to him. I’ve already spoken with General Hawk and he is also unaware of Storm’s whereabouts.”
“I have to agree with Feedback sir…” Fallout begins.
“Enough. Your mission will be to go to Borden, search it for any evidence of who attacked it. Afterburner is prepping an Attack Chopper for you, you leave now.” He grunts pointing towards the door. “Dismissed.”
The three Joe’s file out and head for the hanger bay where Afterburner waits, still in her pink evening robe, which is now decorated with spots of grease.
“What’s going on, have we located…”
“No, CFSTO Borden was attacked, it’s been leveled.” Fallout explains.
“Oh my god.” Afterburner gasps.