Maverick (A G.I. Joe Fanfiction)

Chapter 20: Unexplainable

Pic above is Jane's farmhouse. I have no idea where I got this picture. -Carrath

When I woke, from a good hour-long catnap, I found my head laying on Snake's thigh and him lightly shaking my arm. I sat up slowly, acknowledging the fact I hadn't eaten in a while and my head would start to spin for my low blood sugar if I went any faster. Just outside the car's windshield loomed a massive two-story blue, white and gray farmhouse with a wide wraparound porch.

"Are Duke and Storm already inside?" I queried, absentmindedly undoing my French braid.

Snake seemed to hesitate before he nodded. Exiting that automobile was much easier than entering it, I thought as Snake passed me my backpack and then my duffel. As I rushed up the porch steps, the front door swung open and I was sent back a step out of surprise.

"God, don't let these men be the death of me," I spoke out loud to myself, pressing my free hand against my heart.

"Let's just pray we all make it through Cobra's obsession over your necklace without any life-threatening injuries, kay," Duke remarked, slipping out of the house and disappearing around the corner.

I was utterly stunned by his tone, steely seriousness replaced his normal flamboyance. After standing there stupefied for a good long while, I felt Snake's presence close behind me. I nodded my head in agreement, not caring if Duke would see, then walked into the house. When we got to the living room, I dropped my bags beside my favorite seat in the house, a black velvet upholstered wingback chair. I was falling into the chair over an armrest when Storm Shadow came gallivanting in with a bright red apple in one hand and a plump tangerine on a saucer in the other. As Snake turned on the T.V., Storm tossed me the apple then settled himself on the loveseat across from me while Snake sat on the couch between us. As Snake was channel surfing something caught all three of ours' attentions so he turned up the volume.

"Holy hellfire," I breathed as the female report began saying. "Firefighters are baffled by the unexplainable becomings of this infernal blaze that have taken Garrett's, a renowned hotspot with D.C. locals. It is still unknown just how this fire began, why it didn't spread to the other surrounding businesses, or what may be the message behind such a personal attack. Theories have surfaced among employees over whether this has anything to do with the owner's, Grace Colton's, disappearance weeks prior. Police report no deceased were found at the scene..." I could feel their eyes on me, waiting from my reaction, as I continued to munch away at my apple.

As I rose from my oh so comfortable chair I smirked at the television screen, "He doesn't know how off he is, does he? So what he burns down my bar, big whop, I have more important things to deal with now that I'm almost home."

"A direct attack and you think nothing of it," Storm stated in disgust, following me into the kitchen with Snake close behind him. "Have you lost your mind?"

I stopped dead in my tracks, the question hitting me like a brick wall, "I've never considered myself to be moderately close to sanity, Storm. Nevertheless, my feelings towards Garrett's are completely rational. I don't care about the wellbeing of inanimate objects as I do for the beings that are actually alive." I turned as I said these words and met their eyes full on. "Would you rather I be emotionally scarred from the fact I no longer have my wakazashi or that I will forever be haunted by the memory of stilling Lisa's heart and watching the life drain from her eyes?"

I watched Storm's face as it took on an expression that looked as if I'd just slapped him, I felt the tear as it rolled down my cheek. I didn't make a move to whip away the droplet, just asked in a thick voice, "Is there anything else I need to clear up before tomorrow night, cause the others just got here?" They shook their heads and that was the end of that. So, I grabbed my backpack and went to see where Duke went off to.