In the sub-level of the Terror Drome, lights began to come alive on the chest plates of the remaining two-dozen Battle Android Troopers. Data began to scroll across their faceplates, rapidly scrolling up like the end credits of a film. Power was fed to the B.A.T.s, very slowly reviving them to functional status. Very soon they would be an unstoppable unit. Soon they would take back Cobra Island.
Just upstairs, Chuckles and his team of Vipers continued removing car batteries from any, and all, of the old Cobra vehicles, left lined up in the Terror Drome. Beach Head lent a hand by siphoning fuel from the Stingers; which were off-road, all-wheel drive, lightly armored SUVs with a rocket launcher mounted on the back. Stalker had chosen two Stingers as the ones they would use, and Beach Head made sure the ammo of the vehicles was fully stocked.
Attached to the back of each Stinger was an A.S.P.; a stationary turret with two massive flack cannons on each side of a one-man cockpit. One was in tow by each of the Stingers; their cannons aimed backward. And like the Stingers, their ammo was fully stocked.
They had already gotten one Stinger running and were ready for the second. Chuckles popped the hood of the second one, allowing Ana, Larry, and Steve to get to work. They attached jumper cables to its battery, having daisy-chained a series of used car batteries to one another in hopes of generating enough juice to get the Stinger's battery alive again.
"Let me know when you're ready, guys," Chuckles blindly shouted over the hood to his Vipers. Larry stuck a thumb's up visible in return. He turned the ignition, using the keys he found sitting on the Stinger's rear driver's side tire; where all of the vehicles had their keys stashed like an unsecured valet service.
Chuckles tried to turn over the engine a few times, but nothing. It wanted to turn, though, so finally, after a few gentle efforts, it kicked in, black smoke belching from the Stinger's exhaust. Steve and Larry both let out a yell of celebration.
"Let's let it run for a bit. Make sure the battery fully charges," Chuckles shouted over the sound of the engine. Ana jumped in the Stinger with him. Chuckles smiled at her, his allure in full effect. "You ready to get off this island?"
"And then what?" she asked.
"And then we go home," Chuckles plainly stated.
"Which home? Your G.I. Joe home or your Cobra home?"
That's what this was about, Chuckles thought. But was she angry or sad? He couldn't tell. Maybe both.
"Answer the question, Wayne!" she demanded.
Okay, she was angry. Chuckles looked her straight in the eyes. "My real name is Phil, and if I have any say in the matter, G.I. Joe will always be my real home."
His words angered her. And while Chuckles had seen her angry many times over the years, he had never seen her angry at him.
"And what about your family in Springfield?" she shot back.
"I'll find a way to get them out."
Ana wiped a tear before it could roll down her cheek. "So that's it, huh? That's all that matters to you? G.I. Joe and your family?" She was flailing her arms about for dramatic effect.
Chuckles grabbed her arms and slid his hands down her forearms until he was holding both of her hands in his; it seemed to calm her for a second. He understood why she was hurt. He had manipulated her emotions for years, and he had used that to deceive her. "I'm sorry for lying to you." He was trying to muster as much of his charm as he possibly could, but at that moment it was elusive, even for him. "Over the years I have grown fond of you—"
She yanked her hands free of his before he could finish. "Fond? You've grown fond of me?" She punched him in the face. He saw it coming but let it happen. "I loved you!"
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G.I. Joe: Doomsday Protocol
FanficIt has been years since Cobra went into hiding. As a response, G.I. Joe was mothballed, most of the members retiring or being scattered to the winds amongst the many branches of the government. But when life returned to Cobra Island, and rumors of C...
