G.I. Joe: Doomsday Protocol

Chapter 14: S.N.A.K.E.s

Firewall's muscles were not used to the amount of oxygen they were receiving as she sprinted through the jungle. She was making two assumptions as she ran; one, that Shooter was going to continue getting further and further ahead until she was out of sight, and two, that the B.A.T. was getting closer and closer to her as each second passed.

She finally exited the jungle; leaves being pulled behind her as they fell from the brush she pushed through. She reached the street of Cobra Headquarters, Shooter out in the open waiting for her.

Firewall looked over her shoulder for the B.A.T. "I think it's behind me!" she yelled as she continued running toward Shooter.

"I was betting on it!" replied Shooter, standing next to one of the S.N.A.K.E. armors sitting amongst the tall grass in the street. "Hurry up!" she waved Firewall to her.

Firewall noticed a mobile battery pack connected to the S.N.A.K.E. It was the one she used to power the elevator. What was Shooter planning? There was no way that battery had enough power left to fully power up that piece of Cobra junk.

As soon as she reached Shooter and the S.N.A.K.E., Shooter raised her rifle, aiming past Firewall, looking for the B.A.T. "Get in the S.N.A.K.E.!"

Firewall was immediately resistant.

They could hear rustling in the distant trees getting louder... closer. "Get in, now!" Shooter yelled as she grabbed the exhausted Firewall and shoved her into the armor.

Firewall struggled at first. "Someone died in here!" All she could think about were the bullet holes in the back of the armor. Fortunately, the bullets might have killed the original pilot but left the operating system fully functional.

Shooter didn't have time to discuss things. She gave Firewall one more good shove, forcing her far into the S.N.A.K.E. She then reached into the S.N.A.K.E.'s armor, past Firewall, and slammed her palm hard against an emergency close button, pulling her arm out before the front of the armor clamped tight on the back end, sealing Firewall inside.

Shooter then took a deep breath, pushing all of the air out of her lungs as she prepared herself for a stupid play. She looked at the tree line from which she and Firewall had run. The rustling of trees and bushes had gotten even closer. It ended as the B.A.T. came charging straight toward her without a beat of hesitation.

"Firewall, if you can hear me, I am going to distract the B.A.T. until the armor you are in has enough juice for you to power it up." She put her hand on the glass faceplate where she could see Firewall's nervous eyes watching her. "I hope you can hear me because after you have enough power, I'm going to need you to save my life." Then Shooter took off running.

The B.A.T. trampled past the S.N.A.K.E. armor, not even aware Firewall was within, as it pursued Shooter.

Shooter ran from empty S.N.A.K.E. to empty S.N.A.K.E., using them as cover from which to fire. The recoil from each shot she fired forced the butt of her sniper rifle hard against her wounded shoulder, sending a hot pain shooting through her body, causing her to jerk the rifle just slightly at the last second. Inevitably each shot missed critical hits on the B.A.T., hitting its limbs and tearing holes in inconsequential areas of its chest.

The B.A.T.'s stride was slightly affected each time it was shot, buying Shooter an additional second of life with each round fired.

The B.A.T. continued to dart around each S.N.A.K.E. like a downhill skier, trying to put an end to Shooter as soon and as efficiently as possible.

Firewall sought to watch from within the armor, but her short stature - adding to the limited POV the S.N.A.K.E. afforded her - made it near impossible to see how Shooter was fairing. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists for several seconds, listening to Shooters sniper rifle pop off round after round. She hated being in this coffin. It was worse than the cave. She had to get out of there and now.