G.I. Joe: Doomsday Protocol

Chapter 11: Father

Beach Head didn't like leaving Stalker alone with two Vipers while he followed Chuckles and his Viper gal-pal back down to the Terror Drome's ground floor to see what Chuckles' brilliant plan was. But if anyone could handle two Vipers on his own, even with a broken leg, it was Stalker.

"So, you didn't actually have a plan to get off this island?" Beach Head asked Chuckles, annoyance in his tone.

"A backup plan? Of course, I did."

That was the right answer, which just annoyed Beach Head even more.

"Wayne always has a plan B, and C, and D," proudly added Ana.

"His name is not Wayne Sneeden, lady. He stole that name," Beach Head said, venom on his tongue. "We call him Chuckles. You should start doing the same cause the Wayne Sneeden you thought you knew is gone, starting today. All that is left is Chuckles. And he's all charm and no substance."

Ana looked at Chuckles, not sure what she should believe or not.

"It's a harsh assessment," Chuckles said with a cavalier smile. "But there's some truth in it."

The wink he ended his response with brought Ana comfort and almost pulled her back under his spell. Almost.

They reached the ground floor and looked at the rows of Cobra vehicles; the H.I.S.S. tanks, the Stingers towing A.S.P.s, and the Ferret A.T.V.s.

It was the Stingers about which Chuckles cared. "There is still oil in the engines and gas in the tanks."

"But do they run?" Beach Head asked.

"That's what my Vipers and I have been working on," said Chuckles. "The weapons are all loaded. Found them that way. Fuel tanks are full, and oil is chunky but topped off. The batteries are the problem. They need charging."

"This is your plan B?" asked Beach Head, not fully onboard.

"This is plan C. You guys were my plan B."

"Us?"

"The Joes," he replied. "I'm your SIGINT. I was your on-the-ground intelligence. I'm the reason you're here."

Beach Head wasn't sure if he should thank Chuckles or choke him.

"This Plan C turns the tables," Chuckles continued. "It allows us to hunt the B.A.T. and destroy it before it picks us all off."

"Then what?"

"Then we can take whatever time we need to find a way off this island."

Ana added the second part of the plan. "I studied the shipping routes of any cargo ships that often come within several miles of Cobra Island," she said, proudly.

"You've memorized the schedule?" Beach Head asked.

"Of course," she responded.

"That's my girl," Chuckles said, shooting a wry smirk her way.

Ana replied with a bashful smile. His charm was definitely starting to work on her again.

"When does the next ship come by?" Beach Head asked, clearly impressed with Ana.

"In two weeks," she replied.

Ana, knowing her response, just might have revealed a hole in their plan.

Beach Head just rolled his eyes. "That Battle Android Trooper will have killed us all by then."

* * * * * *

Firewall was doing her best to keep up as the Battle Android marched through the jungle with intention. She had no idea where it was leading her, and even though she had studied the map of the island diligently, nothing prepared her for the disorientation that came with a jungle. Though they were gradually going uphill on rough terrain, cluing Firewall into the fact that they were starting to hike up the base of the volcano.

As she walked, she periodically asked innocuous questions like "where are we going?" Or "How much further?" All in a failed effort to determine if her Thought Mic was still in range with Beach Head... if he was still alive. The B.A.T. was oblivious to her tactics, merely having no interest in divulging information to questions not typed via Firewall's tablet.

Firewall began typing on her device, almost tripping over plants as she did. What is your designation? She typed.

"-- 04," the B.A.T. audibly responded through Firewall's tablet.

Out of how many?

"-- 4."

Are you four out of four?

"-- Of my class designation."

The B.A.T. stopped abruptly. Firewall bumped into it. She stepped back and grabbed her nose, checking to see if the impact broke it. It was all right, just sore.

"-- We are here."

She carefully followed the B.A.T. over a large boulder concealing a narrow cave entrance naturally formed into the base of the volcano. She immediately got clammy just from the thought of going in there. She hated tight spots more than anything, but she had little choice other than to turn and run, and she wouldn't get far before the B.A.T. caught and most likely killed her.

It was near impossible to see inside, making Firewall's claustrophobia even more active. Her shaky hand pulled a chem stick from her front jacket pocket and triggered it.

She jumped, startled.

The chem stick had lit up the B.A.T., standing in the tunnel, just a couple of feet from her face. It was waiting for her. It turned and continued down the tunnel, sure Firewall could now follow.

She clenched her first and balled up her feet. That always helped her deal with small places as a kid. Then she followed the B.A.T. down the narrow, jagged tunnel, the volcanic rock sharp enough to cut her if she got too close. She took deep, shallow breaths, slowly exhaling as she continued. Dizziness took over, and it would have fully consumed her if the narrow tunnel hadn't finally opened to a wider cave. As she entered, the domed space was small enough for her chem stick to light it up in its entirety. It was better than the narrow entrance but still way too small for being so far under heavy rock that at any moment could come crashing down on her. This was stupid, this was stupid, she thought, a headache rapidly forming.

"-- This is father," the B.A.T. announced.

Firewall grabbed her throbbing head, holding it up to look at father sitting on a throne carved into the wall of the room. She couldn't believe whom she was seeing. She moved in closer to be sure. The skull itself left no clues, but the black cape, the holstered white gun, and the monocle? It had to be Doctor Mindbender.

Firewall had read the Joe files. She knew Mindbender had died of botulism inside the Landlocked Freighter, later to be cloned. The B.A.T. must have found the Doctor's original body and brought it here. But for what purpose? She couldn't help but assume Mindbender had planned this so many years ago. Part of a master plan. Possibly part of this Doomsday Protocol.

Firewall typed, Is this your father?

"--Correct."

And he is giving you orders?

"--No, father has expired."

"Right, of course." She felt stupid. Father gave you orders before he expired? She typed.

"--Correct. Father gave me the prime directives."

And one of them was to spread father's word.

"--Correct."

What is father's word?

"--Doomsday."

Firewall's eyes went wide. And you are spreading this Doomsday? She typed.

"--To be accurate; you have spread Doomsday."