Things that go HISS in the Night
Somewhere on a dusty back road in an old green 1993 4-door blazer four Joes were driving to their next contact. They were on a road just north of a border town in Texas. In the blazer the cd player was playing Lynard Skinard
Mama told me when i was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what i say.
And if you do this
It will help you some sunny day.
Take your time... don't live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass.
Go find a woman and you'll find love,
And don't forget son,
There is someone up above.
(chorus)
And be a simple kind of man.
Be something you love and understand.
Be a simple kind of man.
Won't you do this for me son,
If you can?
Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul,
And you can do this if you try.
All that i want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.
(chorus)
Boy, don't you worry... you'll find yourself.
Follow you heart and nothing else.
And you can do this if you try.
All i want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.
And be a simple kind of man.
Be something you love and understand.
Be a simple kind of man.
Won't you do this for me son,
If you can?
All of them were at that moment reflecting on the last mission that had ended just months before, and how in some way the song was almost talking to each of them in a way.
As they drove in the hot sun, the blazer kicked up a trail of dust behind it. The three men were holding a conversation.
“Where are we going again?" Said the figure in the back seat.
“Someplace just north off the border, a reaaaal small town,” the driver stated. The air conditioning was on and the radio was playing some more tunes. All four were dressed in casual clothes for the contact with the cobra they were to meet. He had defected and Duke had picked them to meet with him. He was a pretty reliable source and was depended on heavily.
The front seat passenger rolled down his window and threw his gum out. A blast of heat and dust came in.
“Will you roll that thing up, “ said Shipwreck in the back seat." It is hot enough to fry a dozen eggs out there and enough dust to choke a mule”
“It is not bad out there” Dusty said smiling. He rolled up the window.
“Hey, you want me to drive?" Shipwreck asked the driver.
The driver looked in his rear view mirror and answered “Shipwreck , this is MY vehicle and not the GI Joe teams. I DO not need another speeding ticket.” Lifeline said looking at the tumbleweeds and worn road ahead of him.
“Just thought we might get there a little faster that all.” Shipwreck said. He then laughed at the thought of the former medic getting a ticket. He had a led foot, and could not talk his way out of the last one.
They saw the sign - Welcome to Bernie pop- 400
“WOW, do you think they are all related?” Shipwreck said
Both men in the front seat turned and looked at the man in the back seat while the other man in back sat and looked in quiet but enough to get his point across. .
“WHAT, What did I say” he said to himself. They pulled into the small town.
Dusty whistled.
“Where are we supposed to meet him? He said looking at the dead town before them.
“At the pool hall/ bar” in the town Lifeline said.
They passed a house with two old guys setting on the porch in rocking chairs.. The two men just looked at the blazer as it drove past. In the yard a few chicken picked at the dry ground.
“Ya know, news travels fast that people who are strangers come into town” Dusty said.
“I think this is the place,” the driver said as he pulled up.
“Yes it is,” said Duke the leader of the group said for the first time on the trip since leaving the pit.
An old building in the middle of the town run down like the other building around it.
The men got out of the vehicle, the heat of the summer day hitting them like a furnace. Off in the distance on the horizon you could see the black clouds and thunderheads rolling in. there was a erie silance.
They walked in to the Bar. There were several good old boys playing pool at an old table, the place was dark and dusty with the lingering dust and cigarette smoke. It was a far cry cooler then outside.. They looked around. The men stopped playing pool and watched what they were doing as they walked to a small table in the back.
They sat at a small table and a big red haired waitress came up to them.
She looked at the strangers in jeans and casual shirts. They looked harmless enough. But the Hicks in this town might be trouble she thought for these strangers passing trough.
“You boys passing through?” She said looking at them
“Yes, we are just thirsty” Shipwreck said.
“So what will it be boys” she said with a southern drawl.
“Four beers “ Shipwreck said to the lady.
“On tap or bottle” she asked.
“Tap please” Dusty said.
“Um, could I have a coke” lifeline said to the lady?
She looked at the man for a moment taken back by the request.
“Um, sure thing sugar” she said as she walked off.
“You are going to blow our cover, Lifeline” Shipwreck said.
“You know I do not drink” the medic said quietly.
“Well at least act like it.” Shipwreck said noticing a few of the men had looked their way and resumed playing pool.
The waitress brought the four beers and the coke and set them down. Dusty pulled out the money and gave her a tip. She smiled and walked off Dusty took a sip of the cold beer, Shipwreck held his and Lifeline took a sip of his coke.
They watched the farmer’s play pool and saw a beat up TV. Playing some old western rerun.
There was a jukebox playing in the background. They sat and waited for the informant to arrive.
Dusty stood up and walked over to the jukebox and put a quarter in and punched the number for the country and
western song. He then went to sit down. He had picked a Travis Tritt song.
They listened to the lyrics of the song.
"WITH MY BACK UP AGAINST THE WA-A-A-L-L..."
"Hey Dusty, nice tune" Shipwreck said as Dusty sat at the table.
"Pipe down Shipwreck"Duke said.
Shipwreck took a drink of his beer. Lifeline sat there sipping his coke and keeping the beer near him.
Duke watched the door with interest.
They saw the door open and light from the outside creep in. they sat and waited to see if this was who they were looking for.
Edited by: medic at: 7/3/03 3:51 pm
The patrons in the diminutive town of Bernie evidently were accustomed to the entrance of people. At the outdated table, only the four Joes sat tensely. As the door closed, two people approached the newcomer, shook hands and laughed. He was handed a cue stick. Apparently this wasn’t their man.
The first sergeant casually looked at his watch. Almost thirty minutes had passed and still no sign of their defector.
“Hey, Dusty,” the blond-haired leader spoke quietly. “How about going outside for a quick look-see?”
The desert trooper, without speaking, slid back his chair and headed for the door.
Normally used to the heat, he wiped at his perspiring forehead. The four Joes had come ‘dressed for action’ under their discreet attire.
Dead silent. From where they entered he could see only a handful of buildings. The opposite end bled into a deep wooded area. Something about this scenery gave off an eerie sensation. Just to the right, a dilapidated, two-story building stood. The sign on the boarded up front door read: CLOSED.
“Who’d a guessed,” he sarcastically groused.
The building was definitely in need of paint and repairs. Broken windows on the first floor, a broken window on the second…..
Something moved by the upstairs window.
“Ahhh! Got ya’ !”
Dusty was taken away from the window by the sound of a few children yelling and running around the Blazer. An innocent game of tag was being played as the children grabbed at each other. Looking back at the window, he laughed to himself. “Now I’m seeing ghosts.”
He went back to check the vehicle. The kids, still playing, ran off at the site of the stranger. He smiled and thought that at least something in the town is moving. After finding everything in place, he headed back to the bar. His chin tucked down to his chest, he continued to observe, his feet kicking up dust.
To the left outside the front of the bar, set a clad figure. Dressed in an oversized duster/cloak, his face was completely hidden by darkness. He seemed to be staring at the Joe. Dusty remembered the man was sitting in the same spot the first time they entered.
Duke was getting worried.
“What are we going to do if he doesn’t show up soon?” LifeLine broke the silence with a query.
“Keep waiting,” Duke said, his hands fidgeting under the table.
Shipwreck reached over to take a beer on the other side of the table. “Dusty won’t be missin’ this.” Duke glanced over to see the sailor’s own beer empty.
Under his breath, Duke said, “This informant is crucial to our intercepting Cobra’s next few moves.”
“What if,” the medic questioned, “he reconsidered?”
“No,” Duke opposed. “ The top brass say he’s reliable. They’re usually on the nose.”
Shipwreck, head in his hands, mumbled, “This is starting to get boring. At least Magnum P.I. got a Ferrari and chicks.” Looking at LifeLine, he grunted, “All I get is a guy who drinks cool-aid from a Winnie the Pooh cup. I think I’ll get me another cold one.”
As the disgruntled sailor got up, Duke grabbed the Joe’s wrist out of view. “Remember the old song, ‘What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor’?”
Looking at the Joe leader’s forceful stare, Shipwreck, with small beads of sweat on his forehead, decided to return his ‘seat’ to his seat. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he said, putting his head back in his hands.
Dusty returned to the table. As he sat down he reported. “Nothing yet.”
Shipwreck got up. Duke shot him a look. “Don’t worry, I’m just goin’ to get some peanuts,” the sailor replied cockily.
A frustrated medic asked, “Couldn’t we leave him here?”
“The sign back there said ‘Pop. 400’,” Dusty said. “If we leave him here it’ll be 401.Think about it. Leaving Shipwreck here would give Bernie and ODD number in the town.”
Duke and LifeLine laughed at the desert trooper’s horrible joke.
As Shipwreck strolled up to the bartender, a man bumped into the sailor, spilling a beverage on his shirt.
“Hey, buddy!” Shipwreck spitted out. “What’s the matter with ya’?”
A hand from the opposite direction grabbed at the sailor’s arm. Shipwreck, aggravated, turned to look at the new arrival. Before he spoke, the man nervously whispered, “Don’t! They’re watching you!”
Shipwreck, eyeing the man who spilled his beer on him head back to his table, saw the man look back and grin at him.
“Let go of my arm,” he said to the newcomer, trying to jerk his arm back. “Before I…”
“Listen to me!” The frightened man screamed under his breath, audible to only the sailor. “They’re here! All of them!”
Instantaneously, half of the patrons at their respective tables turned to look at the two men.
(shuffling) - CLICK! CLICK!
A half dozen plus men began to undress revealing Crimson Guardsmen uniforms.
“It’s Cobra!” Duke yelled out loud. With that, the secretive man released his grip on the sailor and ran off.
“Cooobbrrr” – SMACK!
Before the nearest Crimson guardsman by Shipwreck could get off the battle cry, Shipwreck popped him in his mouth. Grabbing the officer’s gun, he made his way back towards his teammates. “Get some cover! Get some cover!
RAT-A TAT! Cobra was firing all cylinders at the Joes.
“Quick,” Duke ordered. “Get this table over!”
The two sides returned fire at each other. “This could last awhile,” Dusty surmised.
“How did Cobra know we were here,” Duke questioned, “ and how did we miss any warning signs?”
“Maybe Cobra knew the ‘defector’ was here,” Dusty hypothesized. Lifting up, Duke returned fire.
Meanwhile, Shipwreck was running for cover. BLAM! BLAM! He took fire at two Cobra guards.
A hand grabbed around from behind him and picked at his gun. “C’mon now,” the bartender hollered. “You guys are tearin’ up my place!”
Shipwreck moved forward. “You’re gonna’ get me hit!” the sailor rasped. “Go ahead, get goin’!” As the bartender went flying off with a shove, Shipwreck made it back to a table right beside Duke and Dusty. LifeLine was crouching behind this table. “Couldn’t get my peanuts,” Shipwreck wisecracked, lifting up to spray gun fire.
“What do we do now?” the sailor yelled out to his comrades.
“Call in the…wait…..they’re taking someone out at gunpoint: I bet it’s our man!” Duke shouted.
A bearded, unconscious cowboy came sprawling down beside LifeLine and Shipwreck. LifeLine reached out to bring him in. “What are you doing?” Shipwreck asked unbelievingly.
“He needs medical attention and I have to get him out of the line of fire.” LifeLine retorted.
“There’s no more room behind here!” Shipwreck lifted his voice over the rapid gunfire.
“He may be a drunk,” Lifeline said, hauling the Bernie resident, “but he’s no Cobra!”
A shot stripped off a piece of the table near the medic. “You’re nuts!” Shipwreck belted out over the strafing.
Towards the entrance, the Cobra elite had them pinned, firing their weapons from behind makeshift barriers.
Duke called out. “They’re taking our man! We got to stop them!”
Cobra was falling back as their barrage was diminishing. Shipwreck stepped over the cowboy and pushed past LifeLine. “Give me some cover, I’m going after him.”
“You know I won’t fire a weapon,” LifeLine said angrily.
BLAM! BLAM! Shipwreck quickly hid back behind the table. “Eh, move out the way LifeLine,” the sailor said. “You’re dead weight!”
The firing was lessening with the Crimson Guard troopers leaving the bar with the defector.
“The next time he’s hurt,” LifeLine muttered, “he won’t think I’m so much ‘dead weight’.”
“Let’s go,” the sergeant barked. LifeLine stayed behind to help the wounded. As Duke and Dusty followed after Shipwreck, a crackle went out over the radio. “Eye in the sky,” the sergeant squalled. “We need back up –ASAP!”
Return static came back. “Loud and clear,” the voice drawled. “On it like flies on…”
Contact was lost as they hit the exit. Edited by: VampII at: 6/23/03 9:00 pm
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
Two Crimson Guards were pulling and dragging the informant as the rest of the troops were behind fending off any Joe resistance.
“Go! Go!” Yelled the lead Cobra into his communicator. The Crimson elite stood waiting as the roof of the rundown building retracted, showcasing a Firebat. A guard motioned with his hand for the Firebat to land for the extractment of the defector.
Over the horizon, a G.I.Joe Dragonfly appeared.
“Yee-haw!” a southern accent spoke up. “There they are!”
As the Crimson guardsmen started to fire at the helicopter, the robed figure that was seated at the front of the bar pulled an XM- 76 grenade launcher from beneath his cloak and proceeded to fire upon the Crimson Guards.
“YO JOE!” The barrel-chested Joe cried.
“There’s more!” said a panicked ridden Cobra. “ Cobra Hisses!”
Out of the dense wooded area, four Cobra Hiss tanks arrived. Cobra officers were firing from the abandoned upstairs windows. “Attack!”
WHAM! - CRASH! -RAT-A-TAT!
Duke held up the Joes at the front door. ZING! A round of bullets hit the half- lit neon sign up above them. The four Joes, with the aid of the Dragonfly, retaliated.
Blasting from behind a partition, the Joe leader ordered. “Were being overwhelmed by firepower! Wild Bill, keep our man in sight.”
“Roger that, Duke,” the Texan answered. “I can’t get in for a rescue for the tanks, but I’ll keep ‘em in sight.”
Dusty looked at Duke. The Firebat was taking off.
“There goes our info,” the desert trooper said.
“Someone blew this read,” the sergeant called out. “If we only had more Joes.”
Dozens of troopers were now hitching rides on the Hiss tanks. The four tanks headed into the woods, taking a few timbers in its wake.
Shipwreck and the marine made one last mad dash to the Cobra plane, only to get caught up in its dust trail.
“Rats!” the coughing sailor said. He threw down his gun. Duke ran up to the two Joes.
“Wild Bill, stay on them. We don’t have enough time to get back up in.”
Looking behind him at Dusty and the late arriving LifeLine, he saw Dusty pointing to the Blazer’s flattened tires with his rifle. “Doesn’t look like will be going after them anytime soon,” Duke said. Smoke and debris were permeating the late evening sky.
“We can’t just let ‘em go! “ Shipwreck split the silence.
Duke responded, “It’s up to Wild Bill right now. We can’t chase them down on foot until we know how many we’re up against.. We don’t know their not laying down traps in the woods right now. If we knew how deep and complex this wooded area was, we might be able to pick their sent.”
A worried expression came over the tattooed marine.
Looking over the situation, Duke’s thought process was shattered as his communicator buzzed.
“Duke here.”
“Sorry, pard. I lost ‘em the woods,” Wild Bill broke the news. “They’re tricky little varmints.
“What about the Firebat? That’s what Englevart was taken in.” Duke asked.
“That’s the strange thing,” Wild Bill said slowly. “The Bat landed in the woods, but I couldn’t locate head nor tails of it. Like they vanished into thin air.” Again, a genuine look of uneasiness appeared on the marine’s face.
Duke picked up his walkie-talkie. “Wild Bill, what’s your position?”
“About twenty miles east of you. Cobra musta’ knew exactly where they were goin’.”
“You know,” Dusty began. “We’re not too far from the Sierra Madre Occidental.” He looked knowingly at the Joe leader. “Yeah,” Duke smiled grimly. “I took notice. Much notice.”
“The Sierra who and what?” Shipwreck piped in.
“The Sierra Madre Occidental. One of Mexico’s best kept secrets.” Dusty paused. “It’s a lot of forest and canyons. The Tarahumara Indians have inhabited this area for over five hundred years. I hear the Tarahumara live just as primitive now as when the Spanish encountered them in the sixteenth century. Few people have ever visited the region.”
Gung-Ho nervously looked at Dusty and then at Duke.
“Nice little history lesson,” Shipwreck quipped. “How’d you know all of this?”
“What,” the desert Joe laughed, “you think I only breath sand and fix refrigerators?” Shipwreck stumbled on his next words. “Of course,” Dusty said, winking, “ it helps when you read the brochures on the way up here.” The sailor grinned and threw his hat at him.
Duke spoke. “Nice place to hold an ambush and to disappear without a trace. Okay, Wild Bill’s got enough fuel to ride us out to Cobra’s last location. We can’t lose the trail and we don’t have time for back up. We gather up our provisions and our gear and try to keep an eye on Cobra and Englevart until we can get backup.”
Duke trained his glance at Gung-Ho. “Something’s eating at you GH. What is it?”
The marine tugged at his cap. “Well, maybe it’s not such a good idea to go traipsing off in those woods.”
“It’s risky, but that’s not the reason, is it?” Duke questioned.
Gung-Ho replied. “Look, I’m…I’m sure you heard what they say about the Sierra Madre?”
Duke scratched at his chin, waiting for an answer. “They say,” Gung-Ho continued, “people don’t come out once they go in.” He looked around at the others. The marine, holding his hat by the brim, wiped at his brow.
“Now wait a minute,” Shipwreck started.
“That’s all story telling,” LifeLine cut in. “I’m sure if you do the research there’s a explanation to it all.”
This information didn’t seem to comfort the big fellow from Louisiana.
“You don’t look like the superstitious type,Gung-ho,” Dusty smiled.
“Well,” Gung-Ho hesitated. “People don’t just up an disappear in the backwoods.”
“You ARE superstitious!” Dusty implied.
Duke interrupted. “Enough. Superstitious or not, we can’t let Cobra vanish.” Gung-Ho quickly looked at Duke and his play of words.
“Their trail - not the people.” Duke explained to the marine. “I’ll call headquarters and let them know the situation,” the blond leader said, looking into what was now a light-less wooded area. “I don’t like trampling around in the dark with Cobra mulling around, but we got collateral to get back.” Edited by: VampII at: 6/23/03 9:51 pm
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
Lifeline stood there looking at what was left at that moment of his prized blazer. The tires were flattened and there was a string of bullet holes down the side of the vehicle and steam starting to rise from under the hood.
He looked while trying to focus on Dukes orders. He turned around and looked at Dusty, ”You know I just bought those tires.” He looked at Shipwreck” You told me it would be safe to take my vehicle on this “
“AH, yea…next time we can take my car Lifeline” Shipwreck said shrugging.
“”Um, may I remind you Shipwreck, you do not have a vehicle” Lifeline said.
The big haired waitress ran out of the bar and down the steps to the group. She smiled at the big Marine that seemed to come out of nowhere. She smiled.
“You know, you boys there ain’t been no excitement like this in this town for a long time. This will be talked about for weeks.” she said happily.
Soon the sheriff pulled up in his car. The man was wearing a cowboy hat and a brown uniform and his deputy soon pulled in behind him.
He got out of the car. “ You boys caused quite a fuss here, we do not take kindly to that. I want an expatiation before I run you all in ”The men had come out of the bar and the man who Lifeline had helped earlier after being hit on the head with a mug earlier walked down the stairs with a bloody rag to his head.
“Now Earl, you have these boys all wrong. ” he said Ruth the red haired waitress walked over to steady the man.
“Earl he is right ya know” she said” it was those other guys who did this to Sid’s bar” ”they just came in for a drink and to meet a friend”
The group stood there quietly, no body wanting to say anything that might cause more problems.
The bartender came running at that instant. He was yelling” MY BAR! MY BAR! Who is going to fix this.?”
Earl looked at Sid.
“Now pipe down Sid and let me get to the bottom of this.”
He looked at the Blazer. “Who owns that vehicle?” Earl asked
Lifeline spoke up,” I do Sir” as he cleared his throat.
“Looks like you need a tow boy, I’ll call the tow truck.” as he walked over to his car and picked up the handset of the radio.
The Deputy walked over to Duke.
“You seem to be the leader how about a R-E-A-L good explaination for this” he said and pulled out and lit a cigarette and lit it.
Duke pulled out his ID “ I was here to meet someone and Cobra found out and took him, it is very important that we find him otherwise this man is in trouble.”
The heat of the day was dying and there was the crash of thunder in the not too off distance.
“Really, all this for one guy huh?” the deputy said
“yes, and we are loosing time and the went into Sierra Madre area.”
The sheriff walked back as this was being said.
He looked at Lifeline” Your tow will be here in a few minutes “” Jessie, did you get down to the bottom of this?” he said with a sigh.” you might want to get what you need now Boy out of that vehicle as you will not be needing it anytime soon.”
Lifeline pulled the keys out of his pocket out of habit and went to unlock the door but realized there was no need with the window broken.
Dusty walked over to help get equipment out.
He got the gear and his rescue pack.
The truck pulled up and the driver got out and got directions as to where it was to be taken. Lifeline and Dusty watched as it was loaded up on the flatbed and drove off with a cloud of dust toward Joe headquarters.
Thunder crackled loudly above them and lightning flashed across the sky.
“Sierra Madre huh?” “Well best of luck finding them boys as you I am sure have heard the rumors. Once you go in you are not likely to return.”
“Duke gave the Sheriff a card with information on it.
He pointed at Sid Get a total and we’ll cover the damage and call this number” he said and handed it to the sheriff..
Thunder boomed through the sky.
Where can I get a vehicle to use Sheriff?” Duke said as it started to rain. There was no way in the storm brewing that it would be safe to fly in this storm coming.
“Wild Bill if it gets too bad go back to base” Duke said in his comm.
“Well I have one Sugar!” Ruth piped in real quick.
The woman threw the keys at him.They were to a 70 CJ7 without a top. “I just want it back when you get done, as I want them caught for what they did.” she said quickly.
Gung Ho still looked uneasy at the thought of going in. The big man was tuff in a fight but growing up in the Bayou he learned to take superstition very serious from old wives tales to Voodoo.
Duke took the keys.
“Saddle up and lets go!” “We have lost enough time!’ Duke said as they crammed into the topless jeep with the fall of rain beginning.
From the second story window of the abandoned building a pair of eyes watched with interest at what was going down in front of them.
“On the way in Dusty asked the sailor who had been mysteriously quiet the whole time a question.
“What did he say to you anyway Shipwreck???”
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
How long they had been marching through the surreal plateau he hadn’t a clue, but the ‘why’, oh, that was obvious. It was procedure: covering their tracks. When a captive couldn’t be blindfolded due to harsh terrain, he would be escorted in a zigzag fashion. If they escaped, hopefully they wouldn’t remember how to get to and from the secret location. If they remembered, well, remembering could be fatal.
The sluggish footing and the dry heat were making the trek miserable. The forest was usually spread intermittently and now they were converging on thick trees; and snakes in and under every imaginable crevice and rock. Sundown was looming and that meant freezing temperatures, unlike the scorching heat by mid-morning. He could hear the grunts of the poorly trained guards. If he could only…..
“Oomph!” His train of thought was roughly brought back by the jutting of a combat rifle to the back.
“Get movin’! Now!” the Crimson guard barked.
Coming into a clearing he saw the Cobra guard that was acting as point, glance in both directions. His gloved hand pressed on a branch behind a boulder. With it a secret panel, disguised as a rock formation, lifted up. Cobra was still ingenious. Before he was blindfolded, he saw a labyrinth of corridors.
If Cobra thought he had missed his rendezvous with the Joes, he would most likely be ‘discarded’. ‘Rid ourselves of the doctor ‘before’ he can pass information’. If Cobra believed he had given information to G.I.Joe, they might want to know exactly what. It could buy him some time, considering the Joe team could locate this place. Yes, this is what he had to do.
With the rain, unfamiliar territory and Cobra’s whereabouts unknown, traveling was slow. Without the extra light power from a Joe vehicle, visibility was minimal. Duke, riding shotgun with Dusty, was on the radio to Headquarters. LifeLine and their provisions took up the remainder room. Shipwreck and Gung-Ho were half in and half out of the back. Duke fathomed that the meat of their operation would have to wait until sunrise, and so, questioned whether they’d be too late.
“Check,” he said. “Ready a back up team and have them at our disposal. From our limited knowledge of our whereabouts, there’s no need to send anymore in until we evaluate the area.” Duke paused waiting a response. “Okay,” Duke laughed. “Give me the expert.”
Dusty kept an eye on the terrain. Shipwreck smiled not knowing if the medic was determined not to lose their supplies or whether he was holding on for dear life.
“The Sierra Madre –what do you know about them, Alpine?” Duke asked over the radio.
Static followed –then sound. “I prefer Hawaii myself.” The voice wisecracked. The sergeant grinned.
“Give me what you know,” Duke pressed.
“It’s made up of five interconnected canyons interspersed with dense forest,” the mountaineer began. “Mostly uncharted. Very dangerous if you don’t the place well.”
Duke returned Dusty’s questioning stare. “Climbing. Do we need to get rope?”
“Not unless you want to hang yourself,” Alpine quipped. “Most places you want to explore are by foot.”
The 79 CJ7 skidded and jerked once again. He turned to look at the disheveled and worried medic.
“Anything good about the Madre?” Duke sighed.
“Yeah,” the mountain climber added. “The mosquitoes or smaller than your hand.”
Duke shook his head. Wiping the rain from his face he couldn’t help but worry how Cobra had the upper hand. Driving in the harsh environment at dark wouldn’t escalate their lifespan; the jeep’s headlights didn’t help, either.
“Alright, cowboys,” the first sergeant grunted. “Let’s find a home for the night.
In the obscure room, debating voices were audible.
“Clearly, Cobra Commander, you should have executed the traitor when his usefulness had ceased,” the Romanian dialect spoke with an ‘I-told-you-so’ exclamation. “The signs were written everywhere,” she said. “But you, no, you had to exert all your resources out of him. Now G.I.Joe has arrived….”
“SILENCE!” The Commander cut in. “Your patronizing is becoming quite repugnant, Baroness-sss.”
His sat with his fingers crossed together. Moving his torso forward he added, “Besides, all is taken care of now. The good doctor is on his way to see us as we speak.”
The doors opened, as if on cue. Engelvart was half dragged and then half pushed into the chamber.
“Ah,” the Cobra leader spoke. “Our guest of dishonor has arrived!” With a well-placed look from the Commander to one of the Crimson Elite, he said, “You must be exhausted.Please Doctor, have a seat!”
With a shove, Engelvart was brutally thrown to the ground.
“You should thank me, Doctor,” the hooded man spoke with a facetious tone. “I thought it rather hospitable of me to give you an escort. Running around out in the woods by yourself could have been very fatal. HA, HA-HAHAHAH!”
A sigh came from his right hand lady. “Really, Commander, we could do with out the morning comics.” She turned to face the doctor, her finger pointing. “What did you tell G.I.Joe?”
“I’m in charge and we will do things my way!” Cobra Commander flaunted his authority to the Baroness. “So,” he said sheepishly, clearing his throat. “What did you tell G.I.Joe?” With this he sat back with his fingers crossed looking at the Baroness.
“He told them nothing……” Tomax began.
“…..because he didn’t come in contact with them.” Xamot finished as the pair entered the room.
“And you witnessed this?” the Commander questioned. The Crimson Twins stared at each other.
“But I DID!” Engelvart countered. “I told them – things.”
Cobra Commander tapped his fingers on his chair. “You’re bluffing,” he taunted.
Nervously the doctor looked at his captives. “Am I? G.I.Joe will soon be here and you can see for yourself! Can you really take that chance Cobra Commander?”
“Maybe it would be wise….” Xamot said.
“…to move the Doctor to a new location,” Tamox completed his brother’s thought.
The Commander responded, “No! My exquisite little hideaway is quite unreachable. We will keep him here until we find out what he told them.” With a motion from his arm, he yelled out, “Guards! Take him to his cell.”
Watching the defector leave, the Baroness spoke. “He may have told the Joes how to find him.”
“Impossible!” Cobra Commander retorted.
“The Baroness is right, Commander, we may need to move the doctor…..” Xamot agreed.
“…… so the Joes cannot get any more information,” Tomax finished.
“Ughhh!” the hooded man moaned. “ You twin twits are trying my patience! If you had not failed to oversee this little mission through, this wouldn’t have happened!"
“Anyway, the Joe team would be foolish to attempt a rescue,” the leader remarked. “I have plenty of tricks awaiting them if they are so bold.”
The Baroness asked, “And if they attempt a rescue in spite of your tricks?”
His fingers crossed again as he laughed. “If they do they will find the inhabitants of Seirra Madre quite unpleasant. Yes, quite unpleasant…….” Edited by: VampII at: 4/14/04 9:37 pm
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
The jeep stopped. Dusty turned the engine and lights off. The rain was falling at a fairly steady pace. The group was scrunched in the jeep. “Ok guys everyone out of the jeep” Duke said.
“I would not go too far as the terrain here is quite tricky.”dusty said.
All were uneasy at the thought of what was to be in the future. The informant was with Cobra and any info he might have been able to give them was quite possibly lost now.
The men climbed out of the jeep.
Gung Ho and Shipwreck slid off the sides of the jeep.
“I have had better rides at the carnaval.”Shipwreck grumbled.
Lifeline stood up and grabbed their provisions glad to be out of the jeep, and much less glad to be stopped for the evening. He held on for dear life most of the ride, and was happy it was over.
“Well here is a flashlight” he handed to Dusty.
It was little help in the rain but it shown some., a small patch of light in the dark and rain.
They covered the jeep with debris that way in the morning light it would not be seen as easily.
All were cold and tired and soaked to the bone.
“There seems to be a covering over there, with a little ledge” Dusty told Duke while pointing.
The group walked over to the covering and sat down. They would have started a pit fire but everything was wet around them..
There was not enough room to stretch out with all of them there. So they would have to try to sleep sitting up.
“This is just great!” Shipwreck said” I might just go sleep in the jeep”
Dusty looked and answered” I would not do that if I were you”
“Why Not?” Shipwreck asked” It has to be better then here” He said turning around and looking at what was around them, which was nothing but dark. A wild dog howled in the distance.
“Cause, like I said before this place has snakes and other creepy things you will not like” Dusty said” I know you do not want to wake up with a rattlesnake in your pants leg now do ya Shipwreck?”
Shipwreck looked and sat down with a huff.
“”Well we have a extra change of clothes” Lifeline said looking through the bags.
“We will change in them in the morning, no use in getting all our clothes wet now” Duke said”I want a rotation of change of sentry every 4 hours”
“I’ll go first “Gung Ho said
“Ok it is settled try to get some rest guys” Duke said while trying to form a plan on what to do next.
Dusty turned out the flashlight and pitch dark enveloped then a flash of lightning across the sky.
Lifeline shivered in the chill of the nigh. It always amazed him on how something could be so hot and turn so cold.
He reached in the bag and tossed Dusty a bag of trail mix.
“anyone Else?” he asked. He tossed the rest of the group each a bag.
Dusty was chewing slowly on his trail mix.
He looked in the direction of Shipwreck.
“You know you never did answer my question Shipwreck”
“EH, what was it?” SW replied.
“Well I saw the man at the bar ask you something before the shootout, what did he say?” Dusty said.
Cobra prison cell.
The doctor sat chained against the wall. He was hoping that he had bought himself some time.
Dr. mindbender walked to the cell bars.
“you know we could have had a great working relationship, but you went to the Joe’s” he said.
“Cobra offered you everything, your work would have progressed past your wildest dreams.” Dr.Mindbender added.
The doctor kept quiet listening to Mindbender.
“You may not want to talk now, but you will want to soon” Mindbender said as he turned to walk away.
The doctor leaned his head back against the cold stone wall, he hoped it would not come to that...........
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
That sound again. Another body crumpled against the wall. In less than the time they had reached here, half of the squad had perished. He turned his head as he saw the marine’s lifeless figure. The metallic object was right beside him. He could stop it. Stop it all. He remembered as Duke cried out his last words that he had called him a coward. Coward? No! I’m standing for something! Over and over he told himself this.
He heard it again. This time he removed his hands from his face and cautiously peeked as it slithered towards him. He shut his eyes and shook. He cringed as he heard Shipwreck writhe in pain, as the sailor was next in line, calling out to him for help-to please stop this. Once more he was spared. The enormous, slimy worm-like insect was crushing the Joe. He looked at the sailor. A pleading expression embedded on the seaman’s face. He looked at the semi-automatic still by his side. TAKE IT! DO SOMETHING! No! I…I can’t! Another scream.
LifeLiiiiine…….!!!
“AHHHHH!”
LifeLine violently jerked up. He looked at his sweaty palms.
“You havin’ a nightmare buddy?” Shipwreck said, standing a few feet away. LifeLine just sat there grasping his thoughts. Ignoring the question, he glanced around him. It was morning.
“Where are the others?” the medic asked.
Shipwreck yawned. “Duke thought he heard something around there.” He swung his arm westward.
“You think that was a good idea?” LifeLine wondered out loud. His dream added to the tense surroundings.
The sailor shrugged. “You know Duke, Mr. Frank Sinatra. Got to do things his way.”
“That’s not what I meant, Shipwreck,” LifeLine retorted. “I meant splitting up.”
The medic got up on his haunches and continued, “Well, he is the leader. How long have they been gone; maybe we should go look for them?”
“Not a chance,” the bearded Joe replied. “Not in this maze. Plus, you look pooped.” He shaded his eyes and looked off in the distance. Glancing back at LifeLine, he said, “You alright? You woke up with a goofy look on your face.”
“I’m going to check the supplies,” the medic changed the subject. “You never know when you might need first-aid in a place like this.” The Joe rescue medic grinned and walked to the camouflaged vehicle.
“I guess you just got to be goofy to be a Band-aid trooper,” Shipwreck smiled to himself as he followed LifeLine to help.
The tiny rock trickled down the incline as the boot came to a halt.
“Nice little trek,” the sergeant said wistfully, “but the buck stops here.” His hands on his hips, he added, “Maybe it was nothing. Of course, in this valley any sound you hear could come from anywhere.”
Gung-Ho looked around and then back at Duke and commented, “You know, I read that some of the people that disappeared heard strange noises.”
Dusty shook his head and smiled while Duke answered, “What I heard wasn’t ‘strange’. It sounded like a group of voices.” Gung-Ho and Dusty watched the leader’s expression. “And this isn’t exactly tourist territory.”
“While we’re here,” Dusty broke in, “we might as well hit the top.” Duke and the marine followed the desert trooper the few more meters to the top edge of northwest side of the canyon.
The three almost forgot the extensiveness of the mission at hand. The beauty of the canyon and its surroundings was majestical.
“Not that I’m complaining,” Dusty snapped the three out of their daydream, “but shouldn’t we have seen some of the Tarahumara by now?”
Duke was still gazing. “Not necessarily. The natives are not much into socializing.”
He added laughing, “Besides, I’m sure they wouldn’t take too kindly to us gun toting tourists.”
As the Joes began their decline, Duke put out his arm for silence. “There. I heard it again.”
The other two Joes stopped to listen. Gung–Ho spoke, “ I don’t hear noth….”
“Shh!” They followed Duke to where the trees and forest began. Parting the brush, they scoured the area. Five minutes had gone by.
“Mama said there’d be days like these,” Duke joked. “Alright, let’s head back.”
Dusty grabbed Duke’s shoulder. “Don’t the natives have crude homes? Like all bunched up or something?”
Duke looked over his shoulder. “Alpine mentioned caves and mountaintops. They keep out of the open.”
Noticing the worried looks on his comrades’ faces, he replied, “Why?”
“Than you better take a gander at this,” Gung-Ho added with a sound of concern in his voice.
Duke came in between the two and looked down at where Gung-Ho was pointing. A reclusive cottage was eerily hidden between two large trees. There was something disturbing about the large shack. It was similar to some of the areas back in Bernie. Like life was recently indigenous only to be coerced out. There appeared to be no signs of life. An owl hooted out as if to add a picture to the uncanny mood.
Not commenting directly, he pulled back and briefly stated, “Maybe we’d better go back and get the others.”
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
As they walked back over to the jeep they had tried to hide the night before Lifeline thought again of the dream. It still made him shudder at the thought. He knew there was a meaning to it and with a little more annualizing he would find out what it was..
He started looking through the pack he had, he then realized that he had not changed clothes from the other day. He grabbed his satchel he had thrown. In the jeep the night before with his red jumpsuit in it.
He felt grubby as his jeans were caked in sand and dirt from sitting on the floor of the overhang and the rain from the night before.
“I am going to go change” he said to Shipwreck.
“You better not go far, You heard what dusty said” shipwreck said
“Yea, I know. “ Lifeline said. He recalled the comment about the snakes the night before.
He walked behind a few trees that were clumped together. He looked down with every step. His fear still apparent ever since cobra took him captive. he hated snakes up close, ever since he was tied to the Craps table in Vegas and two cobras came out of the dice, he had never been the same around snakes. He broke out in a sweat just looking at them. Lowlight saved his life that night and just in the nick of time, he had been in mere inches of the Cobras striking and most likely killing him. Even in Vegas antitoxins had to be on hand to work in time. He shuddered. He looked around, no sign of cobra or snakes as he did not want to ne caught literary with his pants down. He quickly changed into the jumpsuit. He felt better already and put the grubby clothes back in the satchel he had.
He walked back and threw the satchel in the jeep.
“How long have they been gone?” he asked again feeling uneasy as they were by themselves.
“A little while” shipwreck said.
“Well I hope they are ok, Duke has the only radio ya know” Lifeline said.
“Yes, he should be back soon as he said they were just going up on the ridge” Shipwreck stated as he pointed.
It was getting warm already and it was just the early morning.
They both went to go sit back down and wait for the others to return.
Meanwhile……..
Duke, Dusty and Gung ho looked at the cottage.
“I think we better take a look guys” Duke said.
The three drew their weapons as the proceeded to get closer to the cottage . All were sweating, as it was not from just the heat.
Gung Ho who was usually out in front hung to the back a bit.
The closer they got the quieter it seemed to be in the area. The cottage was dark and the door stood open like it was waiting for them. The window was missing a small glass pane and the roof was not in the best of shape. From where they were from it, they could not tell if it had been lived in for a while. There was a small hole in the ground with some stones around it. Dusty looked down.
“It is just a well it looks like” he said pointing his weapon down in in caution feeling like any moment something might jump out of it.
The group got closer to the cottage.
Duke and Gung Ho each took a side of the door..
It was dark inside as the sunlight had just gotten over the ridge and was starting to shine in the window,
Duke went to go in the door.
“Cover me” he whispered
HE went to walk in and then it happened.
With a flurry of feathers that threw them all off guard the owl they heard went to find another hiding place. It flew out the door, all ducked.
“Man, that scarred me half to death” Dusty said laughing.
“yea, I know” Duke said chuckling himself.
Gung Ho was just pale.
“Duke I do not like this” he said.
“I know I do not either, but we can do a look and get back to the others” Duke said.
They walked in again half expecting to find another woodland creature trying to get out of their path.
It was a large room, Someone had lived there, how long ago unknown by just glancing, but something had happened there. The table was knocked over and papers wee on the floor.
Duke reached down to pick one up.
Dusty went to look out the window to see if anyone was coming.
“Very interesting” Duke said.
“Do you hear that?” Gung Ho said……………….
Meanwhile……
“You know it has been a while” Lifeline said getting a bit nervous about the group.
“”Yea, well Duke said to stay put” Shipwreck said as he walked over to a rock.
“I know but maybe we could go a little ways to see if we see them” lifeline said turning and looking in the direction the others went.
‘Well I think I will sit here, and wait and I can watch for them” Shipwreck said.
Lifeline turned around” You hear that?” he asked
“Yea, it is a rattlesnake somewhere.” Shipwreck said.
“Yes but where” Lifeline said.
“Some place off that way” Shipwreck said pointing.
Shipwreck jumped and sat down on the rock.
They heard it again.
Lifeline turned around.
His eyes could not believe what he saw. Out from underneath the rock slithered the largest rattler he had seen.
“Shipwreck DON’T move” lifeline said.
“Believe me, I am not going anywhere” Shipwreck said starting to sweat more then what he was.
“”DO SOMETHING” Shipwreck said..
Lifeline walked a bit closer the snake sensed this and coiled and shook it’s rattle furiously sending out a warning to them both……………………………….......
Cobra headquarters……….
Cobra Commander thumped his fingers on the throne.”I want the good doctor brought to me” he said
“But why” Tomax said ”We already have the answer, as we are sure he said nothing to the Joes” Xamot.
“GUARDS” the Baroness yelled. ”Do as your Commander says”
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
Minuscule in comparison or not, the Joe medic was sweating profusely just as if the snake was the size in his nightmare. Remembering his dream and Shipwreck’s role, he quickly reacted. Locating a severed branch in a wishbone position, he jammed the forked side down over the massive reptile’s head.
“Whew!” The sailor rang out. On his laurels with his hands behind him, he asked eyes wide open, “What are you waiting for? Now what are you gonna do?”
LifeLine looked bewildered. “Uh….I’m not sure.”
Shipwreck jumped up and came in back of the medic. He grabbed the stick from his hands.
“Get an empty ration box!” he hurried the rescue trooper.
Shuffling back with the box, the two Joes bagged up their intruder.
“Man, I could get afraid of snakes awful quick,” Shipwreck said wiping his brow.
“Tell me about it,” LifeLine said half-heartedly.
SSHHREEIIKK!
The men made immediate contact.
“What was that?” LifeLine reluctantly asked.
“Cover up the gear,” Shipwreck bellowed. “Let’s go!”
The Joes were rummaging through the woods at a fast but careful pace. Using their arms for shields against the harsh tree branches, they panted their way to a three-way clearing. “Which way now?” the sailor mused.
A light above flickered. His eyes adjusting to the dimly lit cell were forced to intake the new surroundings.
FLOP!
Two guards brought the ex-Cobra back to his feet.
“Doctor, it’s merely been a few hours,” the ominous voice rattled off watching the weary doctor. “You’ll be no fun for our games later if you fail so miserably now!”
Laughter followed. Then abrupt silence.
“Unfortunately for you, doctor,” the hooded dictator stated, “time isn’t of the essence.”
A shadow began to take place between the Twin Commanders.
“Maybe it’s time to refresh the good doctor’s mind,” the bald man said. “ Remind him of what his creations have done for Cobra and to the helpless.”
A brash reaction came from Englevart. “Lies! You made me participate in your treacherous scheme. I had no choice!”
The cadence of Cobra Commander’s voice changed pitch. “Tsk,Tsk. Advancement was your own heart’s desire. Your contributions were as unscrupulous as those you accuse!”
Dr. Mindmender offered up a second time. “I think we should give our friend a tour of his fruition of his work.”
Englevart screamed out, “No! This is your doing!” He pointed a shaky finger at the Cobra leader.
Cobra Commander’s eyes sizzled. “You will tell me what you told the Joes!”
He stood up and faced the defector. “You ended the lives of those poor people,doctor. Not that the pitiful creatures were of any value.”
Englevart broke away from the grip of the soldiers. “You! The loss of innocent lives is your fault, Commander!”
Cobra Commander’s eyes permeated the room. “No, doctor. I merely inspired you.”
He was disrupted by voices. “Never interrupt me when I am speaking!” the Commander ordered.
The Baroness muttered sarcastically, “Yes, poetry in motion.” With this statement Cobra Commander whined.
“The Joes…..” Tamox began.
“….are in the Madre,” Xamot concluded.
His hand tugged at his mask. “Good, good. This is an appropriate time for the doctor to re-prove his loyalty.”
The doctor fought as Cobra officers pulled him towards the door. The Cobra leader sang out. “Let the games begin!
“Documents, blueprints-some kind of formula,” Duke openly pondered, shuffling through the strewn out papers.
“Yeah, but for what?” Dusty verbalized, stepping over broken glass cylinders.
A noise sounded in the distance. Duke used his eyes and hands to direct the Joes.
The two G.I.Joes had wandered aimlessly on the third path for hours upon hours. They stopped for a breather.
Looking around the vicinity, Shipwreck pointed out. “They got to be here somewhere.”
LieLine gave the sailor a perturbed stare. “Face it, we’re lost. I think we should…..”
“ Should what?” the sailor fired back. “ Pull into a Texaco and ask for a scratch-off and directions?”
He stopped talking. “I’ll be darned,” Shipwreck scratched his head. “I almost didn’t see it.”
In the distance a run down cottage was slightly concealed. “Wonder if they have cable?” Shipwrecked kidded.
“Shipwreck!” the medic loudly whispered. “Don’t!” As the sailor moved forward he was rushed by a figure in a near brush. “AAHGH!”
The navy man was shoved to the ground. He countered with a chop. A strong arm wrapped back around him.
“Whoa! Break it up!” LifeLine came in between to separate the two men.
Shipwreck and Gung-Ho stared at each other.
As the two tried to fire questions at each other, LifeLine piped in. “What’s going on? Where’s the others?”
“Duke heard somethin’,” the marine huffed from the brawl. “He sent me to check it out. Didn’t think I’d find you two.”
“We heard a noise and thought we’d better come find the three of you.” It was LifeLine’s turn.
Duke was speaking when Gung-Ho, Shipwreck and LifeLine entered.
“Sorry, guys,” Duke apologized when he saw the newcomers. “We got waylaid.” With this he moved his arm around showing off the shack.
Shipwreck, carrying his weapon, walked between a shattered table and piles of what looked to be laboratory equipment.
“Chemistry 101,” Shipwreck said as he moved to the back part of the place. Dusty picked up a small container. “Phew!” He placed it back. “Wonder what was cooking here?”
“We won’t know until we go over this gibberish,” Duke said holding up papers. “Gather anything that looks worth while. I want to be back at camp before dark.”
Shipwreck cautiously peeked into what appeared to be a storage room. He flicked a light switch up and down. “Somebody forgot to pay their generator bills. Make’s you……..”
Two ferocious hands clamped on the sailor’s throat.
SMASH!
Both crashed into a shelf filled with bottles. Shipwreck felt the life being drug out of him. Miraculously still holding onto his gun, he shoved it into his attacker’s stomach. Nothing. With his other hand he grabbed at a bottle and hit his adversary over the head. The attacker threw the sailor across the room and escaped through a shattered window.
Duke and the others came rushing in. “Shipwreck, what the heck happened?”
Reaching for Duke’s hand he told him about the intruder. They went back into the main part of the shack.
“Whoever it was knows were here now. They also got one killer punch,” Duke said the second phrase looking at Shipwreck.
“Whatever it was,” Shipwreck said still rubbing his neck.
Gung-Ho entered in from searching for the intruder. “Nothing, vanished just like that.”
“Nice try anyway,” Duke encouraged the Joe. A far off look gleamed in the blond leader’s eyes. “I’m thinking back to what Dusty said about the Tarahumara. We haven’t……..”
The five Joes exchanged glances at hearing the sound.
Shipwreck looked out the side window. “We heard that before.” LifeLine shook his head in agreement. With his hands on the sill, he poked his head out. “What in the.....” Shipwreck started. Duke and the team followed Shipwreck's gaze.
Outside a blurred shape was approaching at an accelerated speed.
“There’s another one over here!” Dusty said standing by the window on the opposite side.
Duke looked at his teammates and they followed after him outside. “Shiver me timbers,” Shipwreck muttered once outside the door.
“There all around us!” Gung-Ho yelled. “I can’t make out what they are!”
From every direction, quick, blurred figures were converging on the shack. Horrible screeching sounds were emitted from the shadows. “Yo Joe!” Gung-Ho rang out the battle cry, aiming his gun at one blackened shadow.
“NO!” Duke yanked the marine’s gun down to his side. “Look!”
They watched speechless as two trees came crashing down. “Whatever could topple a tree like that might not be stopped by a bullet,” the sergeant guessed. “Fall back!”
Duke, Gung-Ho, Dusty, Shipwreck and LifeLine ran full speed away from the scene. Glancing back, the fast moving shapes were gaining ground on the troops. Shipwreck hollered, “Where are we goin’? We can’t out run ‘em!”
The Joes were taking up vines and slapping at branches, desperately trying to make ground. Their Kevlar boots ripping at the ground for support. “Until we know what the blazes is going on,” Duke yelled breathlessly, “we run till we find shelter!”
A huge tree crashed down splitting in between the Joes. “GO, GO, GO!” Duke commanded his team. Shipwreck and LifeLine were on the opposite side of the fallen tree. They heard crashing and gnawing behind them.
“We got to catch up with the others!” LifeLine said. The medic’s foot got tangled in a root, dropping him to the ground. The sailor grabbed the medic by the arm and lifted him up. “Why do I always get stuck with the dame!” Shipwreck growled.
“Shipwreck!” LifeLine drew the name out.
Panting, the sailor said, “I know, I know, keep running!”
The two came to an abrupt halt. In front of them was nothing but sky. They were at a dead-end at a grass-covered cliff.
The Joes looked down. Knowing that at the Madre's highest peak of 10,000 feet, this drop couldn't be less than half that.
“There!” Shipwreck pointed to an adjacent cliff.
LifeLine, sweating and shaken asked, “ I think it’s too far to jump. Are you sure?”
Five shadows were slithering only yards away.
“Yeah!” Shipwreck spoke with beads of sweat. “POSITIVE!”
With much gusto they leapt. OOMPH!
“Peace of cake,” Shipwreck said as they positioned themselves on the new cliff edge. LifeLine smiled. He shifted his foot for balance. Suddenly, his left leg went through the ground. As Shipwreck grasped the medic’s hand, the entire extended mound broke loose.
“AAAAHHHH!”
The two Joes were sent plummeting to certain death………
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
Falling……………..
It is such a simple feeling
FALLING, THROUGH THE SKY. The air was hitting their face.
Lifeline looked over at Shipwreck they were going to die for sure he thought.
There was nothing the two Joes could do. Shipwreck had drifted a little further to the right and was falling faster since he was generally heavier then the medic. The breeze was cool.
He thought of the others wondering if they had gotten away. The next thing he knew, Shipwreck and himself landed. With a splash. Unbeknownst to him was a river below them. Neither had realized when they jumped but then again neither had time to look either.
SPLASH!!!!!!!!!!!
He sank in the water from the force of the landing. It was cold. Lifeline quickly started to try to swim to the top. He watched the air bubbles to make sure he was going the correct direction.
He broke through the surface of the water and took a gulp of air. He shook his head. He started to tread water.
OH NO something was wrong. He realized he was in serious trouble. In the fall had lost his glasses, with them his vision was fine. Without the world was fuzzy. He stared to call out,
“SHIPWRECK WHERE ARE YOU??” he said as he started to look around. He was hoping nothing bad happened to the headstrong sailor.
Just the another head popped up about 15 foot away.
“I’m right here!” Shipwreck said sputtering ”You ok?”
“Yea , how are you?” Lifeline asked.
“I seem to be all in one piece.” Shipwreck replied” Other then the fact we are in the middle of a river, no clue as to where Duke, Dusty and Gung Ho are, and what those things were.”
“Well at least it has been raining quite a bit down here otherwise we would have had a little rougher landing” Lifeline said.
“Are you ok” the sailor asked swimming to meet the medic.
“UM yes and no” Lifeline said halfheartedly.
“Shipwreck panicked, he thought the worst. In the desert even near water without help you still die.
“Did you break something in the fall” Shipwreck asked while treading water.
“Yes and ummm no” Lifeline said. He was hoping Shipwreck would catch on.
“WELL WHAT IS IT! OUT WITH IT!” Shipwreck sputtered.
“I do not have my glasses, they were lost in the fall” he said.
“Well if it is only that then we are ok, nothing else” Shipwreck said .”Blast it what happened to my hat” He said scanning for the hat he saw it floating on the water and swam over to go get it. He put the soggy hat on his head.
“Well I cannot really see well with out them Shipwreck” The trooper said treading water and shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun trying to see around him.
“Well I ain’t going to hold your hand, ”Shipwreck said.” You don’t have a spare?” He once again muttered dead weight under his breath to himself.
“Shipwreck…”lifeline said drawn out.
“Ok,Ok,.” Shipwreck said.
“NO I did not, this was a information run, not a mission.” “What are we going to do now?” Lifeline asked ”I wonder what happened to the others”
“Well right now I am deciding between the butterfly and the sidestroke” the sailor said laughing.” No one in their right mind thinks of a river in the middle of the desert. Lets go downstream a little away from here” he said. Unknown to them a shape high above on the cliff was watching and planning what to do next.
Even fuzzy he could follow the image. They started to swim, and each grabbed onto a large branch that mush have floated down the river from flooding a few days ago. They looked around. There was no bank to the river, all it had were steep sides.
Lifeline followed the image of the sailor in front of him. He could make out images in the daylight but once nightfall happened, well he would not think of that now.
“Well at least we will not have to deal with the heat of the day.” “I was just starting to get thirsty too” the sailor said trying to break the quiet between them.
“Well I do not think you will have that problem now” the trooper said as they floated downriver.
Meanwhile………………
The three ran at a frantic pace trying to get away from whatever was chasing them. Trees and branches hitting their face.
SCREECHHH. The knowing and gashing was right behind them.
“MOVE, MOVE,MOVE!” Duke yelled. He could feel the hot breath of whatever was behind them on his neck.
“What are those things” Dusty said gasping for breath as he ran.
“I do not know and I am not going to stop and ask, ”Duke yelled ahead to the two Joes.
“I told you not to go in here” Gung Ho said. They had reached the base camp. They ran for the jeep and uncovered it and jumped in and Dusty started it up. They had to get out of there fast.
Duke was in the front. “Wait” Duke said ”He looked in the tree line.
“Where is Lifeline and Shipwreck?”
All looked around there was no sign of the trooper or the sailor.
“We have to go back for them.” Dusty said getting out.
“We do not know where they are” Gung Ho said quickly” They could be anywhere.“
“That is even more reason then, we got split up“ Dusty said.
Duke put a hand on Dusty’s shoulder. “We cannot, we have to get out of here.”
“We cannot leave them, to those things Duke>“ Dusty said.
“I know but if we do not get out of here those things will not let us go back to even find them.” Duke said. “I think we better go now, we can‘t help them if we are captured or dead. They can take care of themselves“
Dusty and Gung Ho looked at Duke as if the heat of the day had gotten to him.
Shipwreck and Lifeline? “One of them would be strangled before the rescue” Dusty said as he jumped in and started the jeep. Duke looked behind them” I don’t think we have time to worry about that now.” Duke said.
AS with that 3 shaped came down the path at full force.
Dusty put the jeep in gear, Gung Ho held on. They saw one of the creatures in the dust cloud fall and pick itself back up in pursuit. Even for its size the thing was somewhat swift on the rocks. They were leaving a trail of dust, the creatures pursued till they could no longer keep up with the vehicle on the terrine. .
Duke looked back.” I think we lost them>“ he said.
He fished the paper he was able to grab out of the inside breast pocket of his vest. He tried to look at it to get a better look.
“What ever this is I have a feeling that is what our informant wanted to tell us about” the commander said frowning as they continued down the trail
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
“Two of the Joes have been eliminated.” Cobra Commander listened to the approaching officer, his back to him. Leaning forward with his hands on the console, his eyes were locked on to the display monitor above him.
“Yes-ssss, I see,” the hooded man replied. Turning around to face the soldier, he gave an order.
“Send a party to search the area. I want a report immediately!”
The officer saluted. “Yes, Commander.”
“You don’t seem too sure about the Joes’ fate,” the Baroness uttered as she entered the room.
Cobra Commander countered awkwardly, “Sure, I’m sure!” As he harshly grabbed a file from a Cobra guard who came in, he finished.“Besides, one can’t be too cautious.”
The Commander turned back to the screen. “Crimson leaders -report in.” First static and then some figures became evident on the screen.
“We haven’t encountered…..” Tamox began.
“….the other three Joes,” Xamot concluded.
“Though we found tracks that lead us to believe….” Tamox said
“….the remaining Joes escaped by vehicle,” Xamot finished.
The Commander looked at the Baroness. “This project is costing me dearly!” His fist crumpled up the paper in his hand.
“Not to mention the tally of dollars in investments,” answered Tamox.
“Or the substantial amount of losses in payroll due to untimely deaths,” added Xamot.
“Fuel for unnecessary excursions after our ‘inventions’ create damage….” Tamox numbered off.
“…and cleanup coverage for our continued secrecy,” his scarred-brother spoke, now reading from a list.
“And then there is insurance pay - CLICK!
Cobra Commander pushed the ‘off ‘button, closing out the screen on the redundant twins. “Whiny brats,” the Commander muttered.
The Baroness pondered out loud. “What if the remaining Joes locate Englevart before the creatures do?”
The sovereign leader’s cold eyes followed her voice. “Ah, my dear Baroness, if Duke and his saps discover the doctor, they will find him as lifeless as their Joe comrades! HA!HA!HA!HA!”
“There, all done.” LifeLine had just finished a makeshift bandage on his partner’s arm.
Gawking at the paramedic adhere the last strap, he patted him on the back. “ Thanks, man. Maybe you ain’t so bad to have around after all.” With this he winked and rose up from the ground. The two Joes had managed to find a break in the stream that headed back toward the forest line.
“I’m going to pull some tree limbs,” Shipwreck stated. “I ain’t freezin’ to death after all this.”
LifeLine shot a look at him. “We can’t. A fire will only let those things know where we are.”
“Well, let’s just hope Cobra has a little Hollywood humor and made those things afraid of fire.” Shipwreck shrugged off his suggestion.
LifeLine was trying to focus on the sailor. “Hold on, Shipwreck, we need to talk things through before you go traipsing off.”
“Ehh,” Shipwreck retorted with a wave of his hand. “Who appointed you leader?”
LifeLine saw the shift in his voice and decided to play mediator for two. “Look, Shipwreck, I only….”
“I won’t be gone long,” the sailor interrupted, either ignoring him or just being aloof.
The Joe medic shook his head and said to himself. “Why does he have to be so difficult.”
On his hand and knees, LifeLine’s innate cleanliness took over as he picked up their paraphernalia.
The hairs on his neck stood erect as heard the sound of something approaching. Though his vision blurred, he made out a figure nearing.
“Shipwreck! Shipwreck!”
The sailor dropped his load of tree branches and bee-lined back. As he came close to where they had swam ashore, he halted as he detected shapes closing in like a wolf pack.
LifeLine on his knees, looked up at the fading sun and trees.
Shipwreck’s voice filtered the air. “LifeLine! LifeLine! Who are they?”
Who are they? It mattered little, as the medic watched the silhouetted figure slowly emerge directly above him.
They didn’t know how long the drive had taken. Confident enough to be sure they were no longer in harms way: for now. The waitress, Ruth, would probably wish she’d had reconsidered the lending out of her jeep. Battered, rain and dirt drenched…..
“That’s it,” the desert trooper muttered exhaustedly. “She’s bone dry.”
Duke surveyed the area. An hour and a half of daylight at best remained. “I guess we walk from here on out.” Jumping out of his shotgun side, Duke declared, “Grab your water. We’ll be heading into canyon territory about a mile out. Gung-Ho, carry what you can.”
As the marine gathered the remaining supply cache of weapons and provisions, Duke and Dusty rounded their respected sides and met at the front grille. The first sergeant unfolded out a crudely sketched map.
“According to the sheriff,” Duke said with Dusty looking in. “if we’re to run into the Tarahumara, this is roughly the place.” He craned his neck forward.
“Reserved are not,” Dusty interjected. “We should have seen something to give away they’re here.”
The streaked face of the Joe squinted as he said, “Unless whatever’s been chasing us already got to them.”
Duke had an answer. “There’s too many of the Tarahumara for their trace to be completely erased. There’s something more to it.”
Patting the newly found documents in his left pocket as in remembrance, he added,” Let’s break camp first, then we can see if we can pick up something solid in these before we call in back up. If something were to happen to Shipwreck and LifeLine, we better be darn sure we know something before bringing in others.”
Sliding up his gun strap, Duke called out to Gung-Ho. Startled, the marine dropped a can of rations, which in return, began to roll under the jeep. The sergeant had to take in to consideration that the marine’s ‘wives tales’ had begun taking face. “Never mind, GH,” he smiled wryly. “Dusty and I will check the camp ground.
Reaching under the vehicle, Gung-Ho said reassuringly, “Trust me fellows, if those things hurt my buddies, it’s gonna take a lot more than stories to keep me down.”
Duke grinned. “That’s the spirit.”
“Besides,” Gung-Ho continued. “You can’t take……..”
That’s when Gung-Ho saw the scurrying of feet from under the jeep. They were on the opposite side, a few meters away. He watched them again. This time they were followed by a jeep.
A Cobra Stinger!
Gung-Ho scuffled off the ground holding on to his hat. “It’s Cobra, they’re on our trail!” His words spoken only audible to the two Joes. The two hustled over to the burlesque marine. Their eyes barely into sight range, the three men watched tensely as Stinger after Stinger became visible.
“The canyons are our only hope for cover. Let’s move!” The Joes moved without hesitation at the team leader’s mandate.
The sound of the enemies’ voices were muffled out by the now visible Cobra FANGS. The three soldiers’ footsteps accelerated with the barrage of AK-47’s menacingly behind. Duke and Dusty slapped at eye level branches. Gung-Ho intermittently backpedaled with return fire. Two FANGS were now circling.
“No way we lose ‘em now!” Gung-Ho’s lungs ached as he forced out the words.
Shadows of Cobra troopers between the tree lines could be seen on either side flanking.
RAT-A-TAT-TAT!
Duke and Dusty hid for cover behind a tree. Gung-Ho did likewise near them. He raised his weapon and took aim to his left. A figure dropped as his company continued, running over the fallen victim.
Duke yanked back Dusty as shards of bark flew off beside them. “Don’t throw in the chips yet,” the sergeant replied. “Were only a few kilometers away from the canyon. I’ll lay down a suppressing fire.”
Gung-Ho and Dusty looked at each other. “Go!” At his command the two Joes hit the ground running.
He watched as his comrades broke into the windswept and barren opening to the canyon.
“Yo Joe!”
Duke broke loose. Lifting his head up as he was sprinting, he was now caught in a cat and mouse game with the gun turret of the nearest FANG.
SWISH!!!
As the negator bomb made contact only yards from him, he lifted off the ground: flying. Ducking and rolling up he regained his position. Glancing in both directions, he found no sign of the others. He was pinned in!
“Come with me!”
Duke began to face off, but what he saw froze him in his tracks. A weather-beaten, elderly face stared back. A commanding look overshadowed his appearance. A long white cotton shirt that extended down to the hips. His shoes were made of used tire and held on by rope. The dark skinned man was clinging to a stick. Duke contemplated what was in store for him. The old man’s eyes were luring under a black felt hat.
“Come! Now!” The figure was gesturing forcefully.
If the small fragments of information Duke had put together were correct, following the stranger might be the only hope left.
………… ………… …………
“So you’re saying Cobra infiltrated,” Duke questioned, then thought about downsizing the technical terms, “-came in and took over your people and land?”
The old Tarahumara Indian looked at the blond man then at the two ‘gringos’ sitting to Duke’s left. Gung-Ho and Dusty had been led to sanctuary, first, in the adobe-like home.
Shuffling in his Indian style sitting position, he answered in broken English. “ The ‘chavochis’ who had face covered attacked our home. Then evil man came and took our young. Also family.” The white-haired man asked, “Your people follow after you the same?”
“Not a chance those creeps are ours!" Gung-Ho inserted his feelings.
“No,” Duke explained. “Those people are not our friends. They’re the enemy.” A look of understanding came over the Indian’s face.
“Does Cobra – the evil man,” he said, switching in mid-sentence to the man’s description, “still have members of your tribe hostage?”
“Some, yes. Others…..” Duke could see pain and sorrow through the age lines of the man face. Duke’s gaze followed the elderly man as a few children in bright colored clothes were whispering. They were inquisitive of the soldiers. Duke and Dusty looked at the children and young adults, then at each other.
“We’ve seen these – things.” Duke used his hands to help describe the shadow, snake-like creatures that had overrun them. “Can you tell us what they are?”
As the man set crossed-legged, he pointed south. “They - they are us.” Anger flushed across the Tarahumaran.
“What’s he talking about?” Dusty said.
Pulling out the papers found at the cottage, Duke replied, “My guess is that Cobra is using the Tarahumara in experiments. How exactly, I’m not sure.”
“You mean those things could be one of these guys’ uncles?” Gung-Ho responded. “We’d better double up and find LifeLine and Ship or Cobra might experiment on them!”
A puzzled expression came over the Indian leader. “We have two men missing. They may have fallen victim to Cobra,” Duke relayed.
“No!” The three Joes were startled. “I believe the men you speak of are safe.” The three awaited an answer. “They are with friends,” he smiled for the first time. “With our other tribesmen in nearby location.”
The Joes exchanged smiles.
Before his guys could ask about the missing Joes, Duke interrupted. “Save the festivities and questions for later. First, we have to come up with a plan. Cobra or its experiments will catch up with us sooner or later if we stay isolated. Gung-Ho, take sentry. Keep out of sight.”
The marine got his weapon and left. “Sir,” Duke began.
“Sahuaripa,” the old man’s lips barely broke a smile.
“Sahuaripa,” Duke returned the hospitality. “We need to know everything about this area. Any idea when the Cobras come out? Where did you see them last?”
A look of knowledge crept upon the rugged face. “Better. We know where they are……..”
Outside, Gung-Ho took some chewing gum out and put it in his mouth. He wiped his brow from the intense heat. He looked at the precipitous walls and wondered how anyone could ever find their way around.
The cold steel that pressed against his neck was a stark contrast to the soaring humidity.
“Nice evening for a stroll, isn’t it?” the sarcastic voice suddenly spoke.
“I thought I smelt something,” the marine returned a scornful complement.
The Cobra mind control specialist showed irritation in his words. “Any sudden moves and I’ll be able to see the canyon wall through the hole in your head.”
“The back blast from your gun wouldn’t ruin your looks either, Mindbender,” Gung-Ho retaliated, “ You’re about as ugly as they come.”
“Very poetic,” Dr. Mindbender phrased the words in temper.
HHRRUUMPH!!!
With his foot, Dr. Mindbender slammed into the back of the Joe’s knees, dropping him. He hit the dirt - hard.
A Crimson guard approached. Holding his gun on the Joe, Dr. Mindbender called to guard, “Annihilate the Joes! Them and their Indian friends!” Edited by: VampII at: 8/3/03 10:21 pm
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(8/11/03 12:02 pm) Reply
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
Lifeline stood there as the beings advanced. He could not see them all that well but he knew what they were.
There was three of them starting to circle the two Joes like a pack of wolves. The medic looked back for the sailor. He yelled again
“SHIPWRECK” lifeline said.
Shipwreck came crashing through the brush with a stick. He saw the three and had no idea what they planned to do to him or Lifeline and he was not waiting to see what was going to happen. there
HE ran at them screaming like a mad man and running with the stick being used as a club. He swung at the person above Lifeline and knocked it over.
“Don’t hurt it!” Lifeline cried.
“Well you find a way to talk to them and figure it out. Better yet lets go now” as the sailor said that he grabbed the medic by the collar and ran. He dropped the stick.. Confused the other two chased after the two Joes. Shipwreck did what was the only answer. He grabbed a handful mof dry silt and when they were close enough he threw it at the beings. It landed in their eyes. They rubbed frantically to get it out..
The two saw their chance. But where? To the river again or the woods?
“Come On lets go!” Shipwreck said and ran toward the river. Lifeline stumbled behind him and with a splash they were both in holding onto a log and swimming as fast as they could.
The third being saw the men jump in the river.” let them go, we have not been able to show them we mean no harm. Till we can it will be of no use” The leader of the group said and they started to walk back in the woods.
The sun was setting..
Lifeline and Shipwreck had floated and swam again and both were getting cold.
“I think we lost them” Shipwreck said.
“I hope so” lifeline said. They drug themselves out of the river. He was worried, the sun had sank low and fuzzy in the daylight was one thing but night was another problem.
He realized that they both were loosing body heat. Shipwreck went to find a few broken sticks. Lifeline took and with his hands in the silt dug a hole.
“We can put the fire in there so not to draw attention to ourselves.” Lifeline said starting to shiver.
Both were exhausted and had no idea where they were and where the rest of the team was. The sun had sunk to the point just above the horizon. It was getting dark. Both were covered in mud and wet from the river.
A dog started to howl in the distance.
Shipwreck after a long time in trying got the fire going.
“Who would have thought after seeing all the movies that it was that hard to start a fire. Man they make it look so easy.” Shipwreck.
“Only you would believe that it was easy because of the movies” Lifeline said.
“Hey how was I at know” Shipwreck countered.
“didn’t you pay attention to the survival class?” the exhausted medic said” I know you are in the Navy but they do have it”
“I think I slept through that part” Shipwreck said
“Figures” lifeline said as Shipwreck shot a glance at him.
“Listen four eyes, if it wasn’t for me you would be in trouble” the sailor said.
Both were starting to get on each others nerves.
“I am hungry” the sailor said.
“Well lets see I did not bring anything with me”, lifeline said checking his pockets.
“”But there is food around here, I just need help finding it,” Lifeline quickly replied.
He really did not like going far from the fire since fuzzy was fine in the day but now that it was almost night it was nearly impossible to see.
“We will be dining on the land tonight” Lifeline said.
“SALAD?????” Shipwreck said.
“Well yes, beggars cannot be choosy” the medic said with a sigh.” Native Americans have been living off what the land provides for centuries”
“Lifeline stood up and walked over to some rocks a little distance away and felt the plant he knew what it was right away. Prickly pear cactus. He was careful to get the feel of the leaves the smaller thicker ones.
“What are you doing” Shipwreck said watching.
“I am getting dinner.” lifeline said.
“You know what a dandelion is Shipwreck” the trooper said. While getting the leaves he wanted.
“UM yea, I may be on the ocean but I know what a weed is.” the sailor said proudly.
“Good, go find me the greens of some then” the medic said.
Shipwreck got up and walked to find some both neither wanted to go too far from the fire.
Lifeline felt the plant some more, since it was the late summer months he knew it had fruit. He took off his helmet. He put the leaves and fruit in the helmet. He pulled a little grass up and took some of the strands of his pant leg from where it tore around the ankle and ties the grass together.
He put the helmet down, he started crawling on all fours.
Shipwreck walked over.
“He, heh, you look pretty funny doing that Lifeline” Shipwreck said” Where do you want these?” he said.
Lifeline squinted” In the helmet with the rest so far”
“OK, this may be dumb but why are you an all fours?” the sailor said
“ I am looking for a few more things” he said feeling around.
He had crawled a little closer to the river and found what he needed.
He knew by the sharp points of the plant it was a yucca. He felt around it had some flowers and he picked them and threw them in his helmet. You would be amazed how much you can live off the land if you knew what to look for. HE then crawled a little further away and found a very small clump of chives. He was about done and picked up the helmet. Shipwreck had went back to the fire to sit and watch the medic.
Lifeline followed the light of the fire and walked over and showed it to Shipwreck.
“UGH!” he said” I’ll be in Davy Jones locker! If I eat that”
“No you will not” Lifeline said walking over to the river’s edge.
He washed the chives, flowers and put them in the helmet. He then took the grass and took it to rub the prickly pear pads to get the hair like points off, and then did the same with the fruit.
He walked back over and took 4 of the larger sticks and put them over the pit and put the helmet with water in it over the fire. He put the cactus, chives , yucca flowers, and dandelion greens in and handed some of the fruit to Shipwreck.
“Here eat this till that cooks” the medic said passing him a few of the fruit He too a thin stick and carved a point in it and did the same with a second and found a few large leaves on one of the branches that the sailor brought back. He stirred the vegetables.
“These are not that bad” Shipwreck said finishing the fruit he was given. Lifeline had just finished eating his.
“Go wash your hands” Lifeline said walking to the rivers edge” Otherwise they will stain”
Shipwreck looked at his hands.
“Dinner is ready” Lifeline said taking a stick and putting some on a leaf and handed it to the unsure sailor.
Shipwreck and Lifeline looked up at the night sky.
The stars were huge.
"You can't get this view in the city, no doubt about that" the sailor said getting ready to take a bite.
Lifeline took some for himself and started to eat. He was hoping in a way that tonight he would get a little more sleep but he was unsure if that would happen. The dream he had the night before was still on his mind as he he was eating knowing he would have to sleep soon. .
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
Panting.
Wheezing.
Out of breath. He had exerted himself as far as the human lungs could budge – and the real survival run hadn’t even begun. Sharp glances all around drew perspiration from a contorted face. Most hadn’t had time to think. He knew what to anticipate. Clairvoyant, no. He just created them. Now he faced the destruction for what purpose they had been designed. The Cobra leader had let the doctor become a pawn in his own grotesque game.
Cobra Commander needed the testing done in an isolated area, and of course, the ‘fearless’ leader wouldn’t experiment on Cobra island for fear of the creatures up rise if the DNA testing went awry.
Feet dragging, he moved sluggishly through the treaded woods. Every animal sound stepped up his heartbeat. Even though the Commander left little doubt the Joe team could possibly stumble upon his whereabouts (his hands had been cuffed together), he held slim hope of being rescued.
Should he be? He knew that however it ended, he deserved it. The creatures, though mostly incoherent, had some memory – possibly of who they were. On the other side of the coin, the Tarahumara would have no sympathy towards him. Either way, his life expectancy was dwindling. His only hope of redemption was that the Joe and his companions could infiltrate the Cobra Madre hideout and stop the madness.
“You can lead us to Cobra?” Duke questioned their luck. He awaited a response. Their host held up a hand as for silence.
“We must go now!” The Indian man muttered to parts of his tribe in their own language. The villagers started scurrying about as if they were hiding any trace of their presence.
Duke said, “Why? What’s happening, Sahuaripa?”
The elder had a sharp look on his features. “The masked people are here. In village.”
Duke and Dusty traded glances. They hadn’t heard a sound. Gung-Ho hadn’t alerted them….
The old man, crouching, began to let his people through a well-hidden hole at the back of the adobe-like cave. The tribesmen crawled on their hands and knees at what Duke guessed to be an escape tunnel of sorts. No wonder they’ve held out capture this length of time, Duke surmised to himself.
Also hovered down, Duke explained, “We have to go back and get our man. We’ll catch up with you later.”
“No! We must go before evil one is lead to tunnel.” He fervently spoke in chopped English. “If good soldier, he make it.”
The foot soldiers were trampling through as the Cobra mind control specialist waved them on by. They split into two teams and flanked the Tarahumara home. Dr. Mindbender waved in the third set of troopers who dashed inside the canyon dwelling.
“You Joes had to stick your noses where they didn’t belong,” Dr. Mindbender scolded the prone Joe. “Did you think all the tales of the Sierra Madre were just folklore?”
The bald Cobra gestured to a Cobra officer nearby. “Unfortunately, we almost ran out of victims before we were able to control the flawed DNA misread. I’m sure this will be a nice round up here.” The doctor laughed, making eye contact with the surrounded home of the natives.
“Explaining such intricate matters to the muscle of the Joe team would be useless,” Dr. Mindbender patronized. “Bag this one up. He’ll make a good testee.” He followed after the Cobra troopers.
“On your feet, Joe!” The Cobra officer screamed out, taking the marine at the back of the collar and lifting him up on his knees. “Up!”
Gung-Ho, looking winded, was now on one knee. “Sure, snake!”
The marine pushed off with his feet, slamming the stunned Cobra against a canyon wall. He took his chained hands and roughly placed them around the officer’s neck. The smaller Cobra used his hands and tried to pull the chain down. The blue clad Cobra backpedaled, ramming Gung–Ho back and forth against the jagged rock.
“Man,” Gung- Ho spurted at the wiry guard’s endurance. “What are they paying you guys?”
Sighing, the marine reached in front, grabbed at the officer’s helmet and threw it to the ground. Taking his own hat off, he battered his own head down on the guard’s head.
WHACK!
Gung-Ho adjusted his newly picked up hat on his head as he stepped over his fallen foe…….right into the arms of two more Cobra troopers!
Cracking his knuckles, he proclaimed. “Here we go again.”
........... ........... ............
Two figures, cross mirror images of each other, approached the man whose back was to a video monitor.
“Mindbender has taken hold……,” Xamot broke the silence.
“….of one more group holding area of the natives.” Tamox closed.
Without moving, Cobra Commander spoke. “Good. And the wherabouts of the Joes?”
“Mindbender stumbled upon one of the Joes….,”Tomax said.
…..which means they could be conversing….” Xamot interjected.
“…….and are now being governed and protected by the Joes.” Tomax said.
No outburst from the Cobra leader caught the twins off guard.
A confident voice engulfed the room. “Our friends have decided to come out to play,” the hooded man gazed at the screen. The once bold doctor was shown miserably clinging to hope. Mysterious dark shapes seem to be watching – and waiting. With a remote like device in his gloved hand, he prophesied. “Soon the secrets of Doctor Englevart will parish with him!”
back at the Tarahumara hideout
“It’s us!” a familiar voice spoke under enemy wraps. Pulling down his black face cover and tossing of his helmet, Dusty revealed himself to Gung-Ho, stopping him from pummeling him.
“We don’t have long,” the other voice belonged to Duke. “C’mon!” Edited by: VampII at: 8/21/03 8:53 pm
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
“There.”
The wizened old Indian pointed down, bringing to view a disguised rock formation. Covered with vines and jutted boulders, one would have to know its location beforehand.
Standing at elevated ground, Duke played out the area with his binoculars.
“Very clever,” the lead Joe said with a tone of admiration. “It’d be hard to find even if you knew what you were looking for.”
He handed the binoculars to his teammates. “What are we looking at here-time wise?” Duke placed the question to their guide.
“A day's hike,” Sahuaripa replied. “That is without the demon snakes.” Gung-Ho looked away from the binoculars and exchanged looks with Dusty. The reference was undoubtedly about the shadow-like creatures that had attacked them at the Cobra cabin.
“What about their manpower?” Duke continued. “What are the odds of getting up close without being seen?”
The man slowly returned the sergeant’s gaze. “We Tarahumara do not deal in odds.” Duke’s eyes met the ground, knowing the statement wasn’t one of encouragement.
Turning to the marine and desert trooper, he said, “I don’t like snooping in Cobra territory, unknown territory at best, without backup. Communications are down, so we’re on our own for the moment.”
He shifted his head toward the Indian as the old man spoke up. “We can help.” Duke saw some young tribesmen off in the distance where they had left them. The dark skinned men looked at the Joes with interest.
“We can’t ask your men to help,” Duke answered with concern. “ I know Cobra has taken your people, and we can’t take the risk of losing any more.”
Duke saw the disappointment in the man’s eyes. “You can help us find our friends, though. Our friends with your other tribe.”
“Yes…..yes,” the voice sounded distant. “I will show you.” The elder Tarahumara began to walk off with cane in hand.
Duke sensed his comrades’ eyes bearing on him. “I know,” the blonde Joe said grimly. “They’ve lost family –loved ones – and they want to make a difference, but if we let one more fall to Cobra, we’ve failed.”
Dusty countered. “If they don’t help protect their own,” he said, explaining their Indian custom, “then they’ve failed.”
Duke left the mini conference and walked over to the elderly man.
“Sahuaripa,” Duke said,with a sparkle in his blue eyes and a wide grin. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he finished. “We may need some guides for half the trip."
The Indian's face lit up. Ignoring the traditional brush of fingertips handshake of the Tarahumara, Duke clasped the man hands. “We’ll try our best to find your people and help you regain your land.” An emotional moment permeated between the two men. “You have my word on it,” Duke said with complete confidence.
"Oh, man, this ain’t good.” The two men lay side by side behind thick foliage. Wiping the lens with his blue shirt, the bearded Joe focused the binoculars. Both propped up on their elbows, the Joe medic asked,
“How many?”
“Well,” Shipwreck quipped under pressure, “more than we can dance with.”
From a distance, many figures could be seen walking in single file. “Ready?” Shipwreck asked.
With an agreeable nod, he counted off. “ One….Two……THREE!”
The two ran in the opposite direction at a breathtaking speed. Huffing and grunting brought the soldiers deeper into the forest. Leaping over rocks and tree stumps, the two remained balanced.
“Did they see us?” Lifeline puffed.
“No way of knowing until…..” Shipwreck was abruptly cut off as they became surrounded by net from every angle. Lifting off the ground, the two Joe team members were trapped in a smoothly camouflaged animal trapping net – 20ft. off the ground!
Hanging like a hornet’s nest, the two Joes had their hand’s grabbing at the net. Hearing the sounds of many voices in the distance, they peered out through the net openings.
“You think they heard us?” Lifeline uttered nervously, trying to figure a way down.
A perspiring Shipwreck pointed back from which they had came. He answered him back.
“Hope you know how to dance………”
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(8/23/03 12:30 pm) Reply
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
The two Joes hung in the net.
The cobra troopers drew nearer.
“I guess we found the locals hunting grounds” Shipwreck said.
“”Well if you and I do not figure something out then we will be the hunted” lifeline said.
Both men were starting to sweat. The heat of the area and the fear of being spotted.
Shipwreck tried pulling at the knots in the rope, with no avail. They could see the troopers coming up the trail just beyond the ridge.
Lifeline looked in his pockets. Chewing gum, ink pin, mini mag light, a few quarters his ID card…….
“What are you doing???” Shipwreck said frantically.
“Give me a second“ Lifeline said feeling around in his other pockets.
“Might I say you did pretty well, You did not run into a single tree or rock back there” Shipwreck said pulling at the net.
“Gee thanks, you know I can see a little, very little but a little“ Lifeline said checking another pocket.
“Well hurry up will ya“ the sailor said” No dancing today“
Just then he found it. His Buck knife. He had to recall which pocket it was.. He opened it.
“HEY YOU HAD THAT” the sailor said astonished.
“Yes” the medic said quickly cutting the rope.
The knife was cutting through the rope like warm butter.
“Get ready,” the medic said.
“Yea well not a moment too soon” Shipwreck said watching the cobra troopers get closer, they were just beyond the ridge.
“They must be here doing something if they have scouting parties” the sailor said.
Just then as the last word left the sailors lips the net went out beneath him. The men fell the 20 foot to the ground with a thud. Both stood up and shipwreck grabbed the knife and closed it a few feet away and gave it back to the medic.
Since Lifeline was in no way to lead the sailor took control
.” Lets go this way!” he said pointing.
They ran across the rocks to the clearing to another section of woods. Hiding in the foliage.
COBRA PATROL
The cobra patrol was out in the hot sun a sensor had been set off in the area but due to cutbacks they were not as great as they used to be. The sensors set off at the local animals and others set them off. Cobra Commander was like many other leaders and businesses. He was trying to save money too.
“I bet it was another animal” one man in the line complained.
“Or another one of the Tarahumara” said another.
“Quiet you two” the leader of the group said.” If you do not shut up we will never know as you will let them know we are here”
They hated the hot sun and would have preferred to watch from their monitor screens but, well the life of a foot soldier.
The men came over the ridge and a flock of wild game birds flew up.
“”Gee wiz that scared me half to death” one of the soldiers said.
The leader looked at the man,
“How did you get into Cobra ?“he said with a hint of sarcasm.
The soldier thinking he was serious replied “Job Corps”
The leader shook his head.
Just then they came over the ridge. They saw something that was not a animal, it was the net.
“I do not think wild game did this sir” one said.
They looked up and saw that the rope was cut.
“Either we are on the trail of the Joe’s or one of the Tarahumara got caught in his own net. I do not think the answer is my second choice” the leader said.
Lets go this way he said pointing the opposite direction the two Joes had gone. The men marched off the other direction and the leader radioed that they were defiantly checking out something back to base camp.
Off in the trees……….
The Joes watched the cobra patrol go another direction with a sigh of relief. Lifeline his hair wet with sweat from the running and heat breathed a sigh. His helmet was clipped to his waist of his belt since he had tore out the insulation and buried it to use the helmet the night before for a cooking pot. It was no use wearing it and would provide no protection.
He brushed his hair back with his had.
“OK now what?” he said.
“Well we go this way “ the sailor said looking around.
They started to walk again. Lifeline was recalling the only other time he had lost his glasses when he was a child. He was camping and they fell in the river while canoeing at camp. He learned how to deal with the misfortunes of not having them. But he silently cursed himself for not bringing his spare pair.
The walked to what seemed like forever and found a field.
“They looked, he saw a few large shapes.
“Are those what I think they are Shipwreck?” the medic said hoping.
“Yea, prime grade A melt in your mouth steaks.” The sailor said swallowing since his mouth had begun to water at the prospect of what he saw. Dinner had worn off on both men hours before.
“CATTLE!” the trooper said.
“You know what that means” Shipwreck said.
“”People” Lifeline said” but this could be several hundred acres before we find someone”
“UM well I was thinking of a baked potato to go with my cow myself” shipwreck said grinning.
The men carefully walked and crawled between the barbed wire. The started to walk . They walked for about a hour and saw a cloud of dust. It was a pickup truck. They started to wave their hands. The truck came closer.
It pulled up. The men in the truck stopped. Two young men in the back and a older man in the front looked at the two men on their land. The looked them up and down. Both the men looked like they had wrestled a train and lost. Their clothes were ripped and filthy. They were on the verge of sun burnt and just pitiful he noticed one squinted and had his hand above his eyes to shelter them from the sunlight. . The young man kept a shotgun out of sight.
The older man opened the door and got out.
He walked forward to the two Joes.
“Hello, “ the man said at a safe distance.
“Hello sir, we were wondering if you could help us we have run into some trouble.” the medic said to the man. The other two men watched from the truck.
“Who are you?” the rancher said.
“I am Lifeline and this is Shipwreck” the medic said pointing to the sailor” We are GI Joe”
He pulled out his ID card so the rancher could see it from the distance.
The man looked back at the two younger men.
“It is ok, they are not Cobra” he yelled. The two me hopped out of the truck, And walked over.
“Come with us the rancher said.
The two Joes followed and hopped in the back.
They rode to a nice house.
The truck stopped and all got out.
“You boys can get cleaned up and tell a little of why you are here” the man said.
Both men walked in to the house it was fairly large.
The older man introduced them to the two men.
“These are my sons, William and Jeff”” all shook hands. “They help me run my small ranch”
His wife a older woman like himself walked in.
“Well go get cleaned up and well eat” the woman said and smiled.
They knew these people five or ten minutes and felt like family.
The rancher handed then some clothes.
“I think these might fit, he said” I do not have anything like ya’all have but these are clean and I think we need to burn yours.” he said looking at the tattered , filthy uniforms of the men standing before them.
He shown the Joes the two showers in the home.
Both felt a millions times better after cleaning up. Though both felt a little odd in the jeans and shirts.
“Dinner is ready” the kind woman said.
FOOD REAL FOOD both thought.
Roast beef, mashed potatoes, corn, and homemade bread and for desert? Apple pie.
“M’am that was the best dinner in a long time” the medic said happily.
“He picked up his plate and silverware and put it in the sink.
He was looking at the pictures but unnoticed how close he had to stand to the wall to see them.
“You hurt your eyes mister” the rancher said?
“No sir, I lost my glasses” he shrugged and turned red.
“I could tell” the man said” Follow me”
Lifeline went into what he thought was the den. It was a office. An eye doctors office.
Have a seat he pointed to the chair and about 15 minutes later he was done with the exam.
Give me 20 minutes he said.
He went into a little room. Lifeline hear grinding.
The man came out and put them on, perfect.
Lifeline could see again he looked at the wall.
Mr. Harry Eckert
Doctor of Ophthalmology
He smiled.
The man said” I retired after earning my living now I help those less fortunate” he said
“Thanks Doc” Lifeline said and stood up.
“I know cobra was in the area and well the Tarahuma do not bother us.” he said “they stay to themselves”
“But I have heard that they have been having problems what kind I do not know”
“Here these are for you too” the man produced a spare set.” In case you loose these” he said shaking his hand.
“Thanks”
The man and thwe medic walked out.
“Hey nice cheaters” the sailor said.
“After all you have done I hate to ask this “ the medic said.
“Well you boys are welcome to two horses “ the man said” That is the only truck I have and I need it here”
“Great!” lifeline said.
Shipwreck looked at the animal as the saddle was placed on it . He was unsure of it.
“You ride these huh?” he said looking at the ranch hands and the Doc.
“Yup, they are easy” the Doc said.
Lifeline got on with ease and held the reins.
The sailor jumped on.
“This ain’t sooo bad” he said a little to assure himself.
“It was nice to meet you boys” Doc said happily “and get COBRA out of my backyard will ya?”
“We will try” lifeline said. They turned their horses, a little transportation was better then walking. Now at least they fit in for a while hoping the soldiers they had seen earlier would think them ranch hands too while they looked for their teammates.
“You know I would ditch the hat Shipwreck” the medic said as his hair blew in the hot wind of the day.
“But it is my favorite hat!” he said.
Both were riding out the prairie when Shipwreck decided to try to get his horse to go a little faster. The next thing both knew the horse the sailor was on took off with a gallop across the plain. Lifeline followed closely behind trying to catch up with the sailor who was trying to get the horse back to control………………………………..........
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
“Tim-ber!”
The marine called out as a small tree hit the ground by the hands of their guides. The dark eyes of the natives, along with his fellow Joes, glared back at him.
“Sorry fellows,” his voice full of chagrin.
“Did it ever occur to you, Gung-Ho,” his blond leader asked, “that noise is the reason we’ve taken a back route?”
Gung-Ho apologized again. “Sorry, Duke.”
“Ah, forget it GH,” Duke replied. He had a taut look stretched upon his chiseled features. “I’m just worried about the others. It was my idea to head into the Madre without waiting for backup.” He drifted back a tad from the Indians.
“Now we got these guys involved,” the marine slightly pointed to the men in the lead.
Duke pressed on. “No,” the sergeant said wistfully. “Cobra involuntarily brought them aboard.”
“Hmmph,” Gung-Ho grunted, with Dusty at tow. “Seems it’s about time to make things right.”
Duke patted him on the back. “Now you’re talking, Gung-Ho.” The three Joes stepped up with their guides.
.......... .......... ..........
“On the ground!”
“Nobody move!”
Dr. Mindbender wandered through the Cobra onslaught. He was trying to think amidst all the voices and confusion.
No one. Not one soul.
“Their gone, sir. Not a trace.”
Dr. Mindbender stood in a trance. “It must have been a ploy,” he suddenly spoke, angrily. “The Joe must have given them the extra minute they needed to escape.”
“Group one,” Dr. Mindbender called on his wrist com. “Pull a unit to circle the perimeter. Why? Because it’s not my head that will roll if the Joes escape!”
A Cobra guard entered. Behind him was a disheveled guard. Behind him stood two very embarrassed troopers - in boxers!
“Sir-r,” a quivering voice hushed. “The Joe got away….he just...”
“He just - nothing !” The doctor’s hand grabbed at the guard’s collar. “Find him! Find him now!”
“But sir!” the officer stammered. “Those things - those creatures are out now and we don’t have vehicles! The commander let a new batch out to kill Dr.Englevart. They’re worse at night!”
His hands were crunching the officer’s uniform. He spat as he talked. “Then you better have a large can of OFF!”
Dr.Mindbender brushed by the troops, his cape fluttering. “Let’s move.”
*Meanwhile back at the ranch*
Lifeline looked over his shoulder as the man on the horse rode up along side him. Shipwreck, still struggling, managed to ride up to the newcomer as well.
“You come to take away Shipwreck’s driving license?” Lifeline quipped to Mr. Eckert.
Shipwreck, reigns in hand, fought back. “Ha, ha, I’m stuck out in the middle of nowhere with a Johnny Carson want-to-be.”
“No, nothing like that,” the rancher chuckled. “Actually, I rode out to catch you to see if you needed this. Looked kinda’ important.”
He pulled out a small piece of paper. “I found this in your friend’s shirt,” Eckert said to LifeLine, apparently still not sure which moniker belonged to what man.
Shipwreck reached in and together he and the Joe rescue trooper held the paper out.
“What’s all this stuff mean?” Shipwreck said to no one in particular. Mr. Eckert shook his head.
“Cell mutation, anomaly, bicephaly, caudal, phenotype – what the heck is this?” Shipwreck said bewildered, not sure if he even came close to pronouncing them correctly. “This was in my shirt?”
As the rancher shook his head, Lifeline read over the paper. “There’s also numbers and letters on this. It could be some scientific data. A formula of sorts. How did you get this?”
Shipwreck thought for a moment then snapped his fingers. “At the bar! That doctor musta’ slipped it to me! I thought he grabbed me awful strange.”
“What doctor?” Lifeline quizzed.
“That informant, Dr. Dinglesnort!” the sailor blurted out.
“Englevart,” Lifeline sighed while correcting him.
Shipwreck smirked. “Yeah, whatever – that’s him!”
“What do you think this is?” the navy man inquired.
The medic returned the sailor’s gape.
“I’m not really sure,” Lifeline deadpanned. “I just hope we’re not too late to find out……….”
………….. ………….. ……………
The Joes lagged a bit behind. Even extensive training put the fit Joes behind the natives.
Dusty, in the middle, spoke up. “Sahuaripa said his men have actually killed some of these things. How come we haven’t came across any bodies?”
“Yeah, and how could Cobra hide so many Indians in their hideout?” Gung-Ho chipped in. “Maybe he got the count wrong. Couldn’t be that many villagers missing. Unless Cobra buried them.”
The first sergeant wiped his brow. “I don’t have the answer to that one,” he said, “ but I do know that he and his men wouldn’t sacrifice themselves for a couple of gringos if Cobra hadn’t taken some of his tribe.”
At that moment one of the young Tarahumara started yelling in his own language. With one hand cupped over his mouth and the other pointing, he began to jump up and down.
“What in blue blazes is going on?” Duke looked on.
Two of their guides ran off into the woods followed by the native that had been calling out. The Joes stood dumbfounded. Dusty had read where the Tarahumara, as guides, would leave on a whim. Something about this departure rang bells, though. Now their numbers were at six. As the elder, who was in second, turned back to look, Duke’s voice rang out. “Sahuaripa! What’s happening? Why….”
A sound from the Joes right made everyone stand still.
SSWWHHIIHHH!!!
A flash came out of the woods. “AAAAGGGHHHH!!!”
As the Joes hunkered down, one of the shadow creatures pounced on the nearest Tarahumara Indian, taking him off a steep incline down to the rocks below. More sounds hissed from the same direction.
“Move - now!” The elder was standing down at a wide, but short bridge that connected two small cliffs from a tiny stream underneath. Sahuaripa and the last of his tribesmen were now across the bridge.
“Now! Run!” the wise man ordered.
One more creature lunged out. “Down!” Duke hollered, pushing his teammates down. “Get going! Now!”
Dusty and Gung-Ho lingered a bit then heeded their commanding officer’s advice. Hands on the ground, the blond Joe pushed off and pursued after his buddies.
RRRAAAGGHH!!!
Duke was blindsided by the snake-like creature. Pinning him against a boulder, he used his right foot to push out. Pug like, slithery hands gripped the Joe. A grotesque face that looked like that of a bloated human face snapped at him. What in creation was this? Was it really a mutated man? He had no time to concentrate as the thing scraped against his shoulder. Blood oozed from his left shoulder. Whatever it was, taking the life from its captive was apparent.
“Duke!” Gung-Ho yelled, slapping his gun to his back as he moved forward. Duke, struggling between the momentum pushing him back and the rough footing, was lowering his odds.
SLASH!
The tail that was hidden behind the scaly, miniature legs of his opponent flung out, taking Duke’s feet out from under him. “No! Duke!” Dusty’s voice trailed off.
Joe and foe fell off the embankment –landing in the swirling steam below!
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
Lifeline looked again at the paper. He wondered what it was about or who it was on. He’d bet a months pay that it had something to do with the information like Shipwreck said about the doctor.
But what were they working on to involve Cell mutation, anomaly, bicephaly, caudal, phenotype. Granted Cobra messed with DNA when they had Serpentor and that was even tricky. He knew that Dr. mindbender had a hand in this some how.
He was brought back to reality by the two men.
“Well now we know cobra is up to something” Shipwreck said” I still cannot believe that it was in my pocket and survived all what we have been through.”
“Well you boys are lucky that you cannot ride too fast, otherwise I would have never been able to catch up with you.” the good Doc said.
“I should have watched more westerns” the sailor said.
The doctor and Lifeline just looked at the sailor.
“WHAT???” shipwreck said.
Lifeline shook his head.
“Thanks for everything Doc” he said straighten up in the saddle.
They both shook the doctors hand.. The doctor turned the horse around and started back the other way.
Neither had no idea that their paper would make more sense with the papers Duke had in his possession.
They started back to where they were going.
“Where are we going>“ the sailor asked .
“I am not really sure but I guess back the way we came?” the medic said.
“Well at least our feet will not be tired” lifeline said
“Yea, but our keisters will be” shipwreck said.
“I feel like I am stuck in a Kevin Costner movie” Shipwreck said.
“Which one?” Lifeline said as he looked at the scenery of the area around him.
“Well sure not Waterworld” the sailor laughed.
“More like Dances With Wolves” he said quickly.
“I bet you never even saw the movie” Lifeline replied.
“UM right I heard of it though” shipwreck said.
Lifeline sighed. How were they going to find the team he wondered.
The day was getting hot again, the wind blew his hair. He wished for his helmet.
He looked at the sailor who still wore his hat. Both looked like they felt out of place.
“OK do we go to where we were on the river or try to find our way back to the canyon?” Lifeline said.
………………………..
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
His attacker’s weight was pulling him down. The stream’s fast current was making it arduous to cling to any outward rocks or vegetation.
RRRAAAGGGHH!!!
The anomaly clung to his chest strap. The creature’s mouth lunged at his face.
Snap! Snap!
Duke twisted his head to the left and right. Once above water, he protected himself with his elbow and lashed out with his right hand. Thud! Again.
His adversary seemed more intent to kill him than to survive itself. A twist in the river gave Duke the chance he needed as the snake-like monster slid off. Duke held on to a jutting rock formation with the armpit of his left arm. Unlatching his belt, he looped it with one end in his mouth and the other in his hand.
HISSSS!!!
The creature was hanging on to the sergeant’s leg with its scrawny, claw-like hands. He felt himself being dragged down under. With the creature’s head above his left foot, he slammed the heel of his right foot down on its enlarged head. Now enclosed, he put pressure on its head, thrusting it back and forth. It screeched and howled. It did want to survive!
Duke swung his belt like a lasso around a sturdy rock. He tried pulling himself up with the weight of two people. He watched in horror as the rock began to crack.
Dusty and Gung-Ho launched into action the moment Duke plunged into the stream.
“Come on, come on, get the rope!” Gung-Ho yelled out to his Joe mate.
The two were still in close range to Duke. They skirted along the eroded bank, looking for solid planting ground.
“Take this end here!” Dusty raised his voice over the small tide of waves. “Let’s get it……..”
BLAM!!!
Gung-Ho and Dusty, startled, jerked their heads back in the direction of the bridge.
Standing there with his rifle aimed, was Sahuaripa. A look of determination creased his wrinkled complexion. A small stream of smoke pilfered out of his gun. The elder Tarahumara lowered his weapon and silently turned away toward the opposite side of the overpass.
The group had been silent after the last chain of events. Duke had just escaped a harrowing death; the same couldn’t be said of Sahuaripa’s men.
Trudging along, Dusty whispered to Duke. “I think we ought to ask Sahuaripa why it took him so long to shoot that Cobra creature. It’s like he fell into a trance or something.”
“Yeah,” Gung-Ho lamented. “If he waited any longer, you’d a been mincemeat.”
Knowing that the Tarahumara were a private people, he knew the tough task at hand. With an uneasy look at Dusty, Duke moved ahead to their guide.
“Sahuaripa,” Duke said. “You seem to know quite a bit about these things. You hesitated in killing the creature that attacked me. We also haven’t come across any bodies.”
He had his hands on both shoulders of the elderly man. “Why wouldn’t Cobra take the leader of a tribe as yourself? For the sake of your people - and mine, I need to know everything.”
Once again the elder tribesman had a distant gleam in his eyes.
“Alright,” he spoke softly. “I will tell you what I know……..”
.......We were holding a ceremony for our young. It is a time for our children and grandchildren to behold the entering of manhood for when their time comes.There is music, dancing and fellowship. My son was to give his son the blue bracelet of transformation. This will begin his way unto manhood.
The Tarahumara’s mood changed. That is when the Evil one’s followers attacked our village. They took captive our young men. Those that refused - were killed. My son and grandson tried to prevent the Evil ones as they threw our elders to the ground, hit the children, both boys and girls, with the end of their weapons, and set our homes a fire.
Sahuaripa bowed his head down, remembering the shot. They killed my grandchild - along with many others. The men discussed leaving the elderly because ‘the test’ would not work on them.
Others and myself had to watch as they took our families away. We haven’t seen them to this day.
The Joes watched as anger, mixed with tears, filled the old man’s face. After a moment’s breath, he continued his story.
We were surrounded and watched over for weeks by the men who covered their faces. Only when the creatures began to appear did their sentry leave us to be. Most of our men believe that the Evil one has magical powers and have resisted confrontation. Some of us have died by the creatures they unleashed. I know that the Evil one is nothing more than a mere mortal with a heart made of cold and steel.
The Joes looked on attentively as he continued…. Everyday living had begun to be tragic. We soon were forced to defend ourselves from the shadow creatures. Arming ourselves with weapons, we set out to bring food and firewood to our homes.
Sahuaripa’s hands tightened…… Three shapes came at us. We fired our shotguns and rifles. They began to flee. I raised my weapon and hit the last creature.
Duke spoke up after the silence. “Sahuaripa, you said ‘they are them’. What did you mean? Why do you think there is a connection to your people and the creatures?”
For the first time, their guide’s hands trembled, showing his initial sign of failure. We approached the creature with extreme caution. The shot had been fatal. As we turned to leave, I saw the blue bracelet my son had been given. It was on the claw-like hand of the dead creature……
The three Joes all looked at each other. We buried the dead for the respect they had earned. Even though the Evil one had turned them into something they were not.
BAM!
Duke and the others jumped as Gung-Ho slammed his fist at his gun’s locking chamber.
“Let’s crunch some Cobra's!” the marine growled. “No way those Cobra creeps are gonna make reptiles of my buddies!”
“Save it for the bad guys,” Duke charged the marine.
He then got serious. “We got to make contact somehow with Joe headquarters. We got to let them know what Cobra’s got going on out here…..just in case we don’t make it out……..”
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
Dr. Englevart was winded, he was going full force now trying to hide from what he had created. All he could think was what have I done? In his anger he helped a ruthless terrorist and now he was paying the piper. He knew what would happen to him if they found him and he knew in time that they would. He stopped to catch his breath. He leaned on a tree. He felt like he was in the “MOST DANGEROUS GAME‘*
***This is the Russian version of the story not movie. . Where the inmate is placed on a wealthy man’ island and he has to survive the hunting in order to not become a trophy
He had loved the story as a younger man but now it was like it was coming true. He had no idea he was being watched.
On a monitor in Cobra hideout.
“It seems that the good doctor” Tomax said
“Has survived the night”Xamot. Replied to finish the sentence.
“Really” Cobra Commander said” I must see this” he walked over to the screen and looked. He laughed. “We shall see, he was lucky last night, it is daylight now” he laughed.
He walked over to his throne and had a seat. “Who said pay per view was a waste of money, I paid the good doctor and this is a great show to view “ he said laughing.
“He is a idiot” Tomax said under his breath. His brother nodded.
Meanwhile……….
The two Joes were on horseback and trying to figure which way to go.
“I say back to the canyon” Lifeline said
“What about back to the river” Shipwreck said.
“Either way we are guessing which way to go.” the medic said
“Well gee, let me check my map too see where to begin” Shipwreck said sarcastically
“You know had YOU not started the bar fight I have a feeling we would not be in this situation here now” Lifeline said.
“How was I to know who it was???” Shipwreck said
“You are too hotheaded” the medic said.
“Listen four eyes, without me you would be chopped liver back there” the sailor said.
“Ok enough, lets figure a way to where we are going” the medic said before it came to blows, and it would not have been the first time.
He pulled a quarter out of his pocket.
“heads or tails” the medic said.
“Tails” said the sailor
“OK Heads we go to the canyon and tails back to the river.” he said as he flipped the coin. It landed in the dirt.
Heads…………
As both men looked.
Lifeline got off the horse and picked up the quarter.
“Is that thing rigged” shipwreck said.
“No just your average quarter” Lifeline said showing it to him.
He got back on the horse and turned it in the direction they were thinking the canyon was.
“Well we can think of new slogans along the way” the sailor said.
“What about?” Lifeline said
“You know, how the Army has that new “ I am a ARMY of one” the sailor says” I have one for the Navy. Join the Navy see the world, all of it except the water”
“You need help” the medic said laughing.
“well it is worth a try, how many guys in the navy are in the desert instead of on water. I mean get real” the sailor said
‘Well you have the Navy Corpsmen who are the medics for the Marines like Wiseguy” lifeline said as they rode.
“Yea your right….” shipwreck said deep in thought
AS they rode the terrine was beautiful and soon they got to what looked like the canyon.
“Well I think this is it.” Lifeline said.
“I am not sure.” Shipwreck said.
The jeep was gone. There was no sign of anyone there..
They rode up as it was safer they felt then walking since snakes were everywhere as they had found out.
They got closer. They saw tire tracks in the dirt.
“Well it looks like Duke, Dusty and Gung Ho got away” Lifeline said.
“Sure does but where did they go?” shipwreck said.
“Good question?” I do not know.
BACK at Cobra HQ
“Sir, those two bumbling Joes have returned to the canyon” a man in uniform reported to his commander.
“REALLY, I had no idea Joes were that stupid” he said smiling under the hood. ”They might get smart real quick before they learn the hard way” Cobra commander said rubbing his hands together.
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
“Looks like nobody’s home.” The three figures lay prone on a tree-clustered cliff. Cattycornered below them, about 20feet down, was a square shaped building. Masked by large trees and shrubs that extended halfway up the sides, it made it nearly impossible to find-especially at night.
Passing the binoculars to Duke, who lay in the middle, he reiterated. “No lights, no sound, and zero activity around the premises,” Dusty informed. “Guess Sahuaripa nailed this one.”
Their guide reluctantly stayed behind after telling of a place that might warehouse communications or equipment. Either way, the elder Indian said the secret place didn’t belong to any honest person in the Madre. He made mention that different tribe members had watched the edifice and found no one had ever left or entered.
“It may be our only shot,” the Joe leader said, concentrating on their surroundings in the pitch black, night sky.
“Dusty,” Duke murmured. “Keep watch here. Gung-Ho and I are going down to see if anyone’s home. If were not back in 30, retreat back to Sahuaripa and bring some of his men.”
Duke could barely make out the streaked face of the trooper as he cautioned. “Watch yourselves.”
“Will do,” Duke replied. He patted the built Joe on his shoulder. “Let’s go.”
………… ………… ………….
“Why are my men out there?” Cobra Commander was examining Englevart’s adventure, when through another screen monitor, he saw four Cobra troopers running as if something were chasing them.
“That’s why he made it through the night; the creatures have been killing my men!” The commander was on the verge of a fit. “Who let the guards out after dark?”
“Dr. Mindbender left those particular men out….” Tamox said, looking at Mindbender.
“…as a result for letting the Joes escape.” Xamot finished.
The Cobra leader fumed. “Those are loyal and costly men! Do you know what it takes to train soldiers!”
“I was teaching them the result of failing Cobra.” Dr. Mindbender defended himself.
“Plus,” Xamot reminded. “ Those are Crimson guardsmen….”
“….and that falls under our,” Tamox said, pointing at himself and his brother, “budget and training.”
Cobra Commander, realizing that it wasn’t costing him anything, quickly reversed his attitude.
“Ah…well then,” Cobra Commander lightly laughed, “ there’s no need to get all upset over everything, now is there? My apologies.”
The brothers just shook their heads.
Another monitor scrambled to life. “Commander,” the voice said. “We’ve located the Joes.”
The hooded man was silently still. “Get rid of them –and this time –don’t fail me!”
........ ......... ........
His hands pressed against the cold concrete. He looked up at the roof. In a catcher’s stance, he played his hands against the bottom portion. He lifted up and glanced around in frustration. Gung-Ho came around the corner.
“Anything?” the sergeant pressed.
The marine shook his head. “One door that’s only gonna open with a mortar blast.”
“Let’s try the last side.” He followed Duke around the two-story building. They took turns covering, watching the woods.
“Got wings?”
Duke, arms akimbo, followed the marine’s finger. Up top was a window that was half-open. A gentle breeze blew a withered shade.
Duke rode the marine’s clasped hands up until he straddled his shoulders. Once in, Gung-Ho then climbed up with the rope Duke lowered down.
“Would you look at this,” Gung-Ho marveled as he stepped in the room. It was a fairly large room with shelves and cabinets. Books, files and other various items were neatly arranged. The outer appearance of the building was just the opposite than the room they had entered.
Duke already was going through papers. “Looks like a transportable information holding room,” Duke said, not looking up. “Budget alignments, overhead costs, personnel records.”
“Cobra, right?” The burly Joe wrinkled his brow.
“That’d be my guess,” Duke answered. “No way of knowing until we do the once over.” While Duke had found a desk lamp operational, Gung-Ho drifted off around the corner.
Duke wet his finger and peeled back document after document. “We got some expenses and what not of a possible Cobra set up,” Duke called out, “but I don’t see anything incriminating. Let’s check the other rooms for a radio. We can come back for anything up here on the way out.”
“Bingo. Found our fish.” Gung-Ho came back into the room.
He laid out a file on the oak desk. The two stood side by side.
“Dr. Harold Englevart, geneticist,” Duke read. “Harvard graduate, etc, etc.” He scanned the document.
“Nothing out of the ordinary –except joining up with Cobra,” Duke muttered.
He flipped the page. “Here’s something. Pre–scientist days.”
Duke aimed the lamp down. “Look’s like we have a former military man here. Discharged from the Army for attempting to sell top secret information to foreign countries.”
“Hrmph. Some serviceman,” Gung-Ho said in disgust. “How’d he get to graduate at a top dog college, none the less, get in?”
Pointing at the fine print, Duke responded, “It appears he knew the right people. Says here, that if Englevart didn’t counteract with a lawsuit, the Army would drop any charges.”
Duke got a corner-eyed glance. “You mean a hush-hush deal.” The tonality of the big Joe was enough to tell Duke what his opinion of the defector was.
He continued reading. “He got in trouble again with law. Busted for trying to retrieve classified information from an undercover FBI agent.”
“The weasel slipped out again,” Gung-Ho read over the sergeant’s shoulder.
Duke’s hand rested on his chin. “Yeah, his lawyers got him released.” Duke turned the page. “It reads that his three lawyers were top employees for a huge Manhattan firm formerly know as Billingly’s INC., now know as….”
“Extensive Enterprises!” Gung–Ho blurted out.
“That explains why so-called reputable lawyers would take his case,” Duke concluded. “They knew they’d get classified military information in return.”
Gung-Ho reached in. “What’s this all about?”
“It’s an article about a death,” Duke read. “Mrs. Cynthia Englevart, died of excessive hemorrhaging due to a brutal attack.”
“Interesting,” Gung-Ho stated.
“Very. Listen to this,” Duke continued. “It seems Mrs. Englevart helped to contribute aid to third world countries and poverty-stricken cities. It says here, the medical nurse and libertarian, along with her colleagues, was separated from their guides during a humanitarian act in South America devoted to supplying medical needs to the people. A hostile group of natives from a remote area apprehended the group, brutally killing Englevart and the others. Authorities say they warned the group of the risks involved in entering the village and claim a random act of violence.”
Duke looked up at Gung-Ho. The marine let out a low whistle. “Guess this is why he chose the Indians as live bait.”
Duke held the file in his hand. “Possibly harboring revenge could have led him to suggest this place to Cobra Commander, but I…”
The two Joes made eye contact. The sound of dropping glass was heard downstairs. “Someone’s here!” Gung-Ho whispered. Duke put the file down, flicked off the light and motioned to the Joe to follow him down.
They hugged their respective walls down the rusted staircase. As they tried to focus in the dark at the bottom of the stairs, a figure sliced through the dark. Duke used his hands to make contact with his partner. Hands grabbed at Duke’s gun and his shoulders. Likewise with Gung-Ho. Before an all out brawl could develop, lights went on in the warehouse.
“Glad you could grace us with your presence, Duke,” a familiar voice rang out, “but I’m afraid business hours are over."
“Pretty sloppy of you, Baroness,” Duke shot back. “Leaving your dirty laundry around so anyone could see it.”
The black-clad female adjusted her glasses.
“What you witnessed will be cleaned up - beginning with you. Now!”
Dozen or more Cobra troops corralled the Joes and bound them with ropes.
“Tomax, Xamot,” the Baroness radioed. “We are eradicating any and all information as we speak. You had better call in advance and tell the local authorities that we are in control of the problem. Make something up. We can't have them scrutinizing this area. We don’t need any more snoopers.”
Pointing at two Cobra officers, she added, “Make sure there are no ties to us left.” The Baroness and the rest of her squad left.
He checked his watch. Time was almost up. He was about to reach in to his pants for the impromptu map Sahuaripa had given them to their village, when something caught his eye.
“What have we got here?” Dusty was on his elbows, looking through his binoculars. He saw four shapes exit the east side of the building. “That don’t look like…..”
KABOOM!!!!!
Dusty jerked at the sound as an explosion ripped through the building. Half the structure was engulfed in flames……….
Re: Things that go HISS in the Night
Dusty looked in horror at the building as half of it blew up.
“OH NO” the desert trooper thought to himself.
He could not see much with the smoke.
He would have to go down.
Two of the young men who went with the Joes walked up behind Dusty.
“ I have too see if they need help” Dusty said.
“The men nodded. They made their way in the darkness to the building in flames. The stayed behind the corner. And watched. He saw Duke and Gung Ho were tied up but due to the blast unconscious. The cobra trooper were carrying the baroness in his arms.
“YOU FOOL! You were supposed to blow it up AFTER we were clear, not before!” she yelled
“Get the Joes!” Duke and Gung Ho saw their chance since it was a fairly small squad of troopers.
They both put their head down and rammed into two of the troopers and that is when Dusty and the two warriors made their move.
Now it was a fair fight. With a piercing battle cry the two young men ran at the troopers. Thrown off by the sound it was just enough time for the two men to run at them and knock the two troopers out. In the mean time Dusty was going hand to hand with another while trying to get him off Duke.
He succeeded and cut the ropes that bound the first Sergeant.
“PUT ME DOWN!” the baroness yelled at the young man.
“Baroness I am just trying to keep you safe” the trooper said.
“Put me down you fool! The Joes will get away!” she cried.
Doing what she asked he promptly dropped her on the spot.
“Oomph’s she landed.
She gave him a cold stare and promptly got up and pulled her pistol.. The trooper went running to a trouble bubble knowing that they would be leaving shortly as that was how it always was.
The baroness had got back to the fighting and the cobra troopers ran toward her. They did not see her till it was too late. One ran full force into her and knocked her over.
“Where are you going?” she said.
“They have us beat!” another cried as he ran Looking up she saw the three Joes and two Indians chasing the troopers. She got up and ran back toward the trouble bubble.
“DO NOT LET THEM GET AWAY! “ Duke yelled.
The baroness ran to the last one and got in and went to start the engine. Nothing happened. She started to panic and pressed the button again. It started. Up she went. All of a sudden THUD.
She looked down. The desert trooper had hold of her.
“GET OFF ME! You Joe scum” she said
“”Sorry can’t do that.” Dusty said holding on. The engines whined as the weight of the two people it held and was not going up further..
She pulled her pistol. Dusty saw the gun pointed at him. He held firm.
The next thing he saw was her leaning over and he felt the whack on his head. Instinctively he let go. He fell to the ground. The Baroness laughed before taking off.
“You ok” Duke asked as he walked up. Dusty rubbing his head. Looked at the first sergeant.
“Duke for a info run this is turning out to be quite a picnic” dusty said.
“Thanks” tGung ho said to him and the two men who walked up behind him.
“Well it must have been important for all this” Dusty said.
“Cobra was hiding a lot of information” Duke said” Apparently they did not want it found either”
“We DID get information on the informant” Gung Ho said”It was not pretty though”
“Lets get out of here” Duke said
“Did you get a hold of HQ?”, dusty asked as they walked.
“No, cobra decided not to let us reach out and touch someone” Gung Ho said as they walked past the burning building into the trees. Knowing they had to stick with each other after what they had encountered earlier otherwise they would never get out alive on this one.
Meanwhile earlier that Day…….
The Doctor was hiding as best he could. He saw what they did to the small group of cobra troopers. Stopping. He grew sick and started retched at the thought. He held himself up with one hand against a tree catching his breath. His anger had consumed him about the death of his wife. Now this is what she never would have wanted. He hoped to see her soon. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and swallowed the foul tasting acid from his stomach. On shaky legs he start to move again. He was exhausted, and he was getting dehydrated on top of it. Getting sick did not help. He saw a clearing with a overhang. If he could make it to it in the distance maybe he could rest. He hoped.
Back on horseback…………
The two joes followed the tire tracks to the jeep.
“MAN that lady ain’t going to be happy about this” he said looking at the jeep that had been sitting there out of gas.
“Well at least it can’t be moved at this point” Lifeline said.
“It looks like they have been gone a few days” Lifeline said getting down and leading his horse behind him.
He crawled into the jeep. Everything they had either team had taken at one point. He found his spare jump bag in the back. He pulled it out and looked at the contents. It was all there. Bandages, Ivs, and a few other things. He found a spare clip of ammo. Under the bag. He would not touch it
“Hey Shipwreck, there is a extra clip in here” he said looking at the sailor.
“well hand it to me” Shipwreck said, feeling he knew where this was going..
“You know I wont do that” the medic said stepping out of the way.
“”Just hand it to me” the sailor said.
“I will not touch a weapon and you know that” the medic said walking over and hanging the kit on the saddle.
The sailor slid off the horse and picked up the clip. He put it in the pistol since his had been emptied a while back.
He gave the medic a dirty look behind his back.
“You know one day YOU may have too Lifeline” the sailor said getting on his horse.
Lifeline looked at the sailor” There are other ways” and that was all he said as he got back on the horse.
The started back to the overhang. They were halfway there when they saw movement.
IT was a man. He was struggling to get to them. They rode to him. Both of the Joes got off the horses.
“Mister You ok?” Shipwreck said.
The man reached them and collapsed..
“Lets get him, and get out of here” Lifeline said. They put the man on the horse over the saddle and he moaned. Lifeline walked the rest of the way. It was growing nightfall the sun was sinking low on the horizon. They reached the overhand . “Welcome to Motel 6, we leave the light on” shipwreck said.
“they got the man down He opened his eyes as he lay on the stone floor of the overhang as Lifeline started a IV on him.
“Welcome back to the land of the living.” the medic said.
The man looked at him and then at the other man.. They looked familiar to him.
“I am Lifeline and this is Shipwreck” Lifeline said introducing himself.
“Who are you?”
The doctor licked his cracked lips. He recognized the one now behind the manin front of him. HE slowly said.” I am Dr. Englevart………………………”
Both Joes look at each other and then to the man. “You are who we were looking for” the sailor said.
Off in the tree line a cobra guard troop watched and reported in. They moved in on the men.
“Put your hands Up” the guard leader said “Don‘t try anything funny“
Both men turned around as the other lay on the ground. Shipwreck played with the pistol.
“Don‘t“ Lifeline said “We‘ll never get out of this one.”
The guard walked up and grabbed the pistol from the sailor. Their hands were bound and blindfolded. They yanked the doctor too his feet and did the same.
“MOVE!” the man said and they started to walk to the woods. “what about the horses?”, the one man said.
“Leave them run” the leader said” they know their way home”
Zig zagging through the dense growth of the forest on their way back to cobra’s hideout.
Meanwhile back at the ranch
“Hi, this is Dr. Eckert I need to get a hold of the leader of GI Joe” he said to a person at the pentagon” No I do not want to hold. This is important”
He waited.
At Joe HQ.
“General Hawk You have a call on Line 1” the secretary said.
Hawk picked up the phone.
“UM this is Dr. Eckert, I um helped two of your men I thought you might want to know. “ he then went into detail to Hawk about what he knew.
At the end, he thanked the man and hung up the phone. He saw that Lifeline’s blazer had been towed in and figured it was not a good sign.
He got on the comm. I want Liftticket up in the air now” he said
IN THE AIR…………………
Liftticket had the tape recorder blasting.
Guns and Roses.
welcome to the jungle
We got fun 'n' games
we got everything you want
honey we know the names
we are the people that can find
whatever you may need
if you got the money honey
we got your disease
chorus:
in the jungle
welcome to the jungle
watch it bring you to your knees, knees
I wanna watch you bleed..
“I don’t see anything it is soo thick down there” he yelled to Alpine in the second seat. “ Where ever they are we sure cannot see them.” he said making another pass.
“We are low on fuel we better head back” Lifeticket said as he turned back to Joe HQ. Hawk would not be happy but he had no other choice.
at: 7/3/03 3:51 pm
at: 4/14/04 9:37 pm
at: 7/3/03 4:05 pm
at: 7/17/03 9:23 pm
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