FORGET ME NOT
BY: COVER GIRL

Chapter 1

Laos/Cambodian Border

    The foliage of the upper canopy of the jungle had managed to hide the burning wreckage of the Skystriker in the ravine from eyesight. “I don’t see any sign of it.” The fire from the wreckage still permeated the air. ”Wait there’s some smoke up ahead let me go get a closer look. Viper 1 reporting in, we found the Joe’s Skystriker—but no signs of—“

    "Then what are you waiting for get your team down there, Viper, see if the pilot's still in there, if not let's find him, and get out of there” Major Bludd snapped. “Cobra Commander wants information on the Joes…this is our best chance."

    "There's no way anyone could have survived that,” the viper mumbled under his breath.

    "You dare question my orders, I don't want to see you back until you have something to report." Major Bludd bellowed grabbing the viper by his shirt. He lifted him and shoved him forward like a rag doll.

    Another Viper interrupted. “Both chairs have ejected,” he gulped as Major Bludd stared down at him. “But I see a par-parachute over in those trees. I’ll go look.” The Viper scampered away.

    "See if the Joes are there. Never trust a Joe to stay dead," Major Bludd sneered watching his men gingerly crawl along the jagged ravine.

    "Sir, over here, one of the pilots…. helmet's cracked”…. turning the pilot over. “…It’s a woman, I don't think she's going to make it” looking at her.

    "Get down there, I need her alive" Major Bludd shoved a medic forward.

    A short time later the squadron of Vipers brought the pilot up to Major Bludd.

    "Well, let's see who do we have here?" nudging her with his boot…"Ah…Lady Jaye. Notify Dr. Mindbender we're bringing him a guest. The rest of you search for the other one and then torch the entire area” waving his arm “I want no traces of COBRA left for the Joes to find is that clear!"

*****

Meanwhile aboard the USS Flagg…

    "Any word from Ace and Lady Jaye," Duke leaned over Dial Tone, the communications officer.

    "Not in awhile…their last transmission came in about 2 hours ago. It was breaking up. Probably interference from solar flares; I think Lady Jaye said something about checking one last thing. They should be here soon Duke."

    "Keep me posted," he walked away with a report.

    Two hours later…

    "What in the hell do the two of you think you're doing, Dialtone, any word from them?" Duke growled catching Dial Tone and Main Frame playing computer games.

    "N--ot yet, sir" Dial Tone stuttered scrambling to get things in order as he turned back to the communication station.

    ”Call Flint at the base. See if he's heard why the satellite links aren’t working. Try something else to patch into it or something and find out where in the hell they disappeared to!"

*****

    "What have you brought us?" Mindbender’s eyes narrowed in on the vipers bringing an unconscious prisoner.

    "Lady Jaye… but I don't think she's going to make it,” Major Bludd quipped.

    She looked like a shell of the woman they had fought before... hooked to IVs and a respirator as the only means to breathe. "How long has she been out? Did she regain consciousness at any time?" Mindbender frowned looking into her eyes.

    "No…she was out cold when we found her and barely breathing. I ordered the medic to stabilize her for transport."

    "Excellent idea…we'll wait and see what she has to say when she wakes up. In the meantime, I'll use the brain scanner to see how much damage she sustained. If it indicates she's got any chance at survival we'll keep her on life support until she's strong enough to withstand an interrogation. If not… we leave her for the Joes as a message" he said dryly.

*****

Aboard the Flagg…

    "Duke, this doesn't look good," Dial Tone grimaced looking at the satellite images of the area of the crash.

    "What have you found Dial Tone? Any word from Ace or Lady Jaye?"

    "Still no word from either of them but check this out something big went down according to infrared scans of the area, sir." Main Frame handed him a report.

    "Any idea what it is?"

    "No, sir."

    "Well, send out a team, and keep me posted."

    "Yes, sir."

    Shipwreck, Wild Bill, and Dial Tone flew out along with a support team to view the area.

    "Mother of Mercy…. What happened here?" Shipwreck scanned the jungle still blazing.

    "I'll call in choppers to help contain this so we can get a better look," Wild Bill reached for the radio.

*****

    Back in the lab, Mindbender had just completed his brain scan of Lady Jaye…

    "It appears that she's sustained a severe concussion, brain activity seems erratic, I'll know more when she wakes up" Mindbender turning to Major Bludd as Zartan's drednocks came running towards the lab.

    ”’dem bloody Joes are trying ta put out ta fire. We need ta get the ‘ell out of ‘ere ‘fore they figure we took out tha’ Skystriker, wot's she doin’ ‘ere…” He pointed to Lady Jaye lying on the table, “yer askin’ fer trouble if tha’ Joes find she's missin’…." Panic filled Torch’s voice.

    "She's our guest ….for the time being, evacuate the base. Set the charges," Mindbender ordered. "Now, my dear, we just wait for you to wake up…” a slow smile forming on his lips as he traced the back of his hand along her jaw.

    Aboard the Flagg….

    "Duke….I think we found the missing Skystriker." Main Frame carefully looked up to him.

    "Where the hell is it?" he snapped.

    "Ground zero of that fire," Main Frame pulled the infrared scanners up on the monitor.

    "No….” his eyes widened at the screen, “get every available person to that site. Find them…keep a lid on this until we know for sure whether or not it’s them. If Flint calls looking for Lady Jaye, put him off. Let's get a handle on this first,” Duke ordered silently praying it wasn’t them.

    The Joes spent the next several hours trying to contain the fire to get to the crash site only to find nothing. COBRA had done what they set out to do—hide all evidence that they had been there.

    Shipwreck, and Wild Bill were the first to reach the smoldering remains of the plane, the flames slowly dying.

    "Duke, we've found the missing Skystriker but…we haven't found them." Shipwreck radioed his voice wavering.

    Duke closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, “Shipwreck, have he search teams expand the area. Don't leave anything unturned.”

    "Duke, there's nothing here! You can barely tell it was a plane to begin with…If they’re here we're not going to find them," looking at the charred wreckage.

    "DAMN IT, SHIPWRECK, KEEP LOOKING!” Duke slammed his fist against the radio station. <They can’t be gone…>

*****

    "Well, it's about time you woke up young lady, how do you feel?" Zartan disguised as an elderly doctor approached her.

    "My head feels like it's going to explode. Where am I?" raising her hand to shield her eyes from the lights.

    "You're in Springfield General Hospital, can you tell me your name or the last thing you remember before you woke up? You've been out quite awhile” his voice edged with concern.

    "I’m… I’m… oh my God! I don't know.” She panicked. "What's happening to me!"

    Mindbender was watching with Destro and Major Bludd from behind a mirror on the other side. "It's a quite possible that she doesn't know who she is, let's give it a little more time. I want to try a truth serum on her to know for sure. In her weaken state, she can’t fight it.” Mindbender prepared a syringe.

    "You're not to harm her," Destro ordered. "She's a member of my clan and I will not have her blood on my hands. Find a way to contain her."

    "If her brain is as injured as I suspect, I could reprogram her thinking. Lady Jaye is GI Joe's top intelligence operative with her on our side there’s no telling what we can gain,” Mindbender gleefully looked to the others.

    "Other than the three of us, Cobra Commander and Zartan's group, no one knows she's alive. Let's keep it that way. My Iron Grenadiers will handle security…"

    "Now wait a minute, my vipers found her.

    "Yes, but your vipers would sell their own mothers if the price was right." Mindbender snickered. "Destro's Iron Grenadiers will be able to contain her and isolate her away from COBRA until we're finished reprogramming her. I suggest we relocate her to Scotland as soon as possible and begin her rehabilitation."

* * * * * *

    “Everyone spread out,” Shipwreck yelled. “Duke wants us to widen the search.” He reached for his radio, “Wild Bill, how about taking a look over there?” He waved his arms to a dense area of jungle.

    “Roger that,” he flew his Tomahawk off to scan the area.

    “W—ait…Wild Bill,” Dial Tone sputtered. “Over there it…ah… looks like…ah… chute…I think we got one of them.” He lowered his binoculars and pointed.

    Wild Bill hovered above a dense copse of trees, his eyes scrutinizing the area slowly. The right corner of his lip slowly turned up as he reached for his radio. “Wild Bill to Flagg…Wild Bill to Flagg…”

    “Flagg here,” Duke grappled for the radio. “What do you have Bill?”

    “We got one chute…” He rambled off the coordinates.

    Duke paced the bridge, waiting for confirmation from Shipwreck.

    “What’s taking them so long? We gave them the coordinates,” he growled at Main Frame.

    “We had to wait for Recondo to lead them through the terrain…it’s not a …”

    “Shipwreck to Flagg…Shipwreck to Flagg,” Duke wrestled the radio from Main Frame.

    “Go ahead Shipwreck…”

    “We got Ace…he’s a little out of it. Wild Bill’s flying him back,” Shipwreck paused a minute.

    “Shipwreck…what about Lady Jaye?”

    “We still can’t find her,” he cast his eyes downward. “We’re looking…we’ve increased the search grid.”

* * * * *

    "Dr. Avery please report to the nurses’ station, Dr. Avery please report…" the announcement came into the room.

    "It appears, I'm needed elsewhere. We'll talk again soon, please get some rest and page a nurse if you need anything." Zartan closed her chart.

    "But…" <I need to know who I am…>

    "You need to rest my dear. Perhaps that will help you to regain your memory" he reassuringly patted her hand.

    "Zartan, what do you think?" Mindbender watched her through the mirror.

    "She's either lost it, or she's the best actress I've ever seen" staring at her as she looked about the room.

    "Here's what I’m thinking…Destro, you're going to be her "Uncle…” Mindbender began.

    The next time Lady Jaye woke she found Destro sitting in a chair next to her bed, and Dr. Avery going over her chart.

    "What's going on? Is it Halloween or something? I know I hit my head pretty hard but what's up with the mask?" Zartan stifled a laugh.

    "I was just explaining to your uncle the extent of your injuries, my dear."

    "Then, you know who I am?" she stared at Destro. Her were eyes pleading.

    "Yes, Ailí, you are my niece. The doctor assures me that you'll recover but you wrecked your new sports car."

    "If you will promise no more racing along the cliffs and to take it easy. I'll prepare your discharge papers for this afternoon. Your uncle has promised he'll keep a closer eye on you. Now if you'll excuse me" the doctor hurried from the room.

    "I'm sorry but I can't remember your name, Uncle…why are you wearing that mask?" confusion hedging her words.

    "I'm James McCullen, Laird Destro, and you are my niece Ailíse Elizabeth McCullen. I have raised you since you were 4 when my younger brother and his wife were killed in a plane crash. I am taking you home to Scotland to recuperate and you will follow the doctor's orders is that clear, lass,” he voice taking a commanding tone.

    "Yes," a sharp pain hit her as she raised her hand to her temple.

    "What is it Ailíse?"

    "I---” she fainted.

    "What….Mindbender!" Destro lifted her by the shoulders trying to wake her. “Mindbender!” He glared back at the mirror.

* * * * *

    Duke rushed to the landing Tomahawk. “How is he?” He studied the  semi- conscious pilot.

    “He’s b…een mumbling…sir.” Dial Tone looked down.

    “What did he say Dial Tone?” Duke shook the man.

    “Aw-Gawd…La…Lady Jaye….She didn’t make it. She didn’t pun…ch out. He kept going on and on about…”

    They heard Ace mumble again when the medics lifted him off the Tomahawk. “Easy Ace,” a medic spoke softly. “We got you…”

    “No…where’s Jaye?” He struggled to sit up. The medic stopped and pushed him back down.

    “Don’t…” the medic began.

    “Wait…Ace what about Jaye?” Duke stepped up to the stretcher. His voice steady, “Did you see her chute? Did she her punch out?”

    “I didn’t see her…I hit the ejection buttons…I did…I know I did…I,” concern and uncertainty filled his voice.

    “Easy Ace…we’ll find her,” Duke motioned to the medics. “Take him to sickbay.”

* * * * *

    "Her brain waves are still trying to adjust, she may have had a flashback.” Mindbender took out a flashlight and looked in her eyes. “I don't know…I'm going to have her take this sedative. In the meantime…I’ll fashion a device to monitor her brain activity and…"

    "And what?" Destro pressed.

    "We will use it to control her until her reprogramming is complete. You are to tell her that she is never seen in public without a mask, only you and a few close friends have ever seen her face since there is a stigma attached to the family business and the paparazzi. They stalk her…that was what she was running from when she crashed her car."

*****

    Flint watched a group of Joe mechanics looking over the charred remains of what used to once be a Skystriker. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed Ace standing a slight distance from him with his left arm in a sling, and bandage around his head.

    “Man, Ace, what you do this time?”

    “I keep telling you all, IT’S NOT MY FAULT! Just leave me alone.” Ace limped off, the bruises he’d sustained in the crash plagued every inch of his body with each step he took.

    “Hey, Ace, why is it you can take off, and fly like a dream but the plane has to land without you.” Flint jested.

    “GO TO HELL-“ Ace stiffened. His face went from being flushed with anger to uncontrollable sorrow. “Flint man, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” He placed his free hand on Flint’s shoulder. “It’s not—it wasn’t my fault.”

    “What you going on about now Ace? It’s just a jet. Duke won’t kill you for one more.” <Right away anyways. He might make you linger a few days. >

    “I—I gotta go, excuse me.”

    <Ace was really upset. Now what was that all about? >

*****

    "Has Lady Jaye called for me?" Flint entered the control room of the base everyone was solemn. "What's going on?"

    "Flint, Hawk needs to see you ASAP in his office," Duke’s voice deadpan.

    "Sure, I'll be there in a minute." <I’ll take the long route past Jaye's quarters…maybe Scarlett’s heard from her. > He raised his hand to knock. <What? Is that crying? > He opened the door and saw Scarlett and Cover Girl going through Jaye's things. "What's going on, where's Allie?" he shouted.

    "Flint, I'm sorry, did you see Hawk?” Scarlett had been crying.

    "No, I'm headed there now, will someone tell me what in the hell is going on?” his voice filled with a sense of dread remembering the charred Skystriker.

    "She..."

    "Wait the plane…" he flew out the door headed for the hanger. Scarlett right on his heels yelling for Cover Girl to get Hawk and Duke.

    "Who's plane is this?" he shouted, panic set in on him, "where's the pilot?"

    Hawk placed his hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry, son, we can't find her. We had to call off the search. I've listed her as MIA"

    "No!" he ran to the plane trying to find something, anything; the others trying to pull him off of it…telling him that they were not giving up on her.

    Flint paced Hawk’s office. "I'm going to find her and bring her back. I would feel it if she were gone. She's lost…I'll bring her home."

    Hawk words were cut off when Ace and Slipstream rushed in to the office with what appeared to be another report clutched tightly in Ace’s hand. "She punched out! She punched out!" they shouted in unison.

    "What? Let me see that…" Hawk snatched the report from Ace and quickly scanned it before turning to Flint “I know how much she means to you. Here's the file on the incident, assemble a team and see if you can find her. According to this flight data report she punched out…we still don't know how soon she ejected before the plane hit."

    "Yes, sir, I'll take Shipwreck, Scarlett, Wild Bill, and Recondo with me plus a support group."

    For two weeks, Flint’s team scoured the area for any signs of Lady Jaye when the forensics team spotted a burnt piece of her chute harness and what appeared to be part of her helmet. Hawk gave orders to further expand the search area. Fired up by a new sense of determination, the team pushed on stumbling upon COBRA's burnt out base, and the remains of the weapon that had brought the Skystriker down. The base had been gutted. Hawk ordered Flint to return to the base with the remains of the weapon…. leaving the others to search for more clues.

    Meanwhile in Scotland…

    Ailíse as Lady Jaye was now known was healing, her strength and agility were returning gradually and Destro allowed her to practice with his personal guard once Mindbender gave his approval.

    A mask and necklace had been crafted to suppress her memories and to keep her under control at all times. As the weeks passed, she became to believe that she was Ailíse unquestioningly. The guardsmen had begun to think of her as their own.

    Destro and Mindbender watched the training field from the windows of Destro's study. Wearing the mask, and a black uniform similar to the Baronesses she moved smoothly…. gracefully through the routines. Watching as she deftly brought a knife to the neck of a guardsman who had attacked her from behind without hesitation Mindbender’s eyes narrowed on the report in his hand. “Flint and the Joes are still searching for her. They‘ve found the weapon and the base.” He tossed the report on Destro’s desk.

    "Have, Zarana send Flint on a goose chase. See if she can throw them off her trail…he'd have to give up on her if she can't remember him. It will give us time to test out Ailíse, and see what she's made of.” Still watching from the window, Destro swirled a glass of brandy in his hand.

    "Excellent idea, I'll outfit Zarana with a device that will trip up any brain scanner Doc may have. She can infiltrate the Joes as Lady Jaye," a gleeful expression playing in his eyes.

    ”She is doing quite well out there with the others.” Destro observed her taking down his one of best grenadiers with a fluid roundhouse kick.

    “Yes…. she’s quick and apparently quite deadly” Mindbender added seeing her take her knee to choke the air from her victim. “We need to see how she reacts tonight at dinner. Zartan and Major Bludd will be joining us.”

* * * * *

    "Ailíse, please hurry you're going to be late for dinner, and we have guests arriving shortly" Destro called from the bottom of the stairs.

    "I'm coming, Uncle, " she replied descending the staircase for dinner dressed in a strapless, black gown which accentuated her figure; the straight skirt of it hugging her curves while the bodice exposed the tops of her breasts as it lifted them. She wore the jewelry Mindbender had designed for her instead of the mask. Stepping to the marble floor at the bottom of the staircase, she smiled brightly. She slipped her arm into his and gave him a peck on the cheek.

    “You look beautiful.” he smiled back at her. Clearing his throat he looked from her to the others, "My dear, Ailíse, may I present to you a few old friends of ours." Destro introduced Zartan and, Major Bludd. She had known Mindbender as the castle physician, Dr. McNair. Thinking nothing to be amiss, she enjoyed the evening with their guests as well as an amiable conversation.

    She matched wits with Zartan as he shifted languages and dialects playfully bantering---only acquiescing once Destro gave her a disapproving nod for rebuking a comment made by Major Bludd about Zartan’s inane sense of humor. She had laughed and deemed Zartan ‘charmingly refreshing’. Destro reminded them all to maintain a conversation everyone could follow.

    The gentlemen adjourned to Destro’s study for cigars.

    "Destro, she has no clue as to who she really is, does she?" Zartan smirked, excitement growing in his voice.

    “What…have a thing for the little minx?” Major Bludd probed having been the brunt of several jokes during the dinner.

    “What’s it to you, Bludd…jealous she preferred my ‘inane sense of humor’?” getting into his face.

    “Gentlemen, do I need to remind you I have other plans for her” Destro warned, watching Major Bludd and Zartan at a stand off.

    "She hasn’t a clue," Mindbender studied his cigar, "which is why we're going on to the next phase of the plan."

    The men were interrupted by the sounds of music.

    "Destro, who’s playing the piano?" Zartan raised a brow.

    "I'm not sure, let's find out,” he pushed past them headed for the salon.

    They were shocked to find her seated at the piano playing an extremely complicated piece of Mozart when they entered. She wasn’t alone a young grenadier, Ian Douglas, sat turning the pages for her with one hand.

    "Did you know she could play?" Zartan whispered to Mindbender and Destro.

    "No," they replied.

    "Ailíse, I see you still have an excellent ear, I was worried you had forgotten. Please continue,” Destro nodded approvingly. He noticed Ian carefully removing his hand from her back.

    "Perhaps, we should hold off the trial until we know more" Major Bludd suggested watching her play.

    "No, we must act now. Zarana is already in place to infiltrate the Joes. She must be tested," Mindbender turned to Destro.

    "Gentlemen, I do believe it's getting late. Ailíse is still recovering and needs her rest." Destro placed his hand gently on her shoulder, "Why don't you retire for the evening, my dear? I have business to discuss with the gentlemen and it will only bore you,” kissing her on the cheek before nodding to Ian. “Please escort Ailíse to her chambers while I see to my guests.”

    Ian was more than happy to oblige. Assisting her from the piano, he offered her his arm. He placed his free hand over the hand she held his arm with, and led her from the room. Destro had noticed Ian hovering around her lately especially on the training field. Finding him with her at the piano, and seeing his tender manner with her was not surprising. <Laird Douglas’ heir will do nicely…>

    Late that same night, Dial Tone came rushing into Hawk's office. "Ah--- Hawk, sir, we got a report of an Amer---American woman in a hospital in Laos."

    "Get me Beachhead and Lifeline, and keep a lid on this" he ordered.

    When they were present, "Beachhead and Lifeline, I need the two of you to follow up on a lead in Laos. You’re to report directly to me. I haven't told Flint's team about it yet because I don't want to get their hopes up."

    "Sir, if it is Lady Jaye?" Lifeline cautiously.

    "Call me ASAP and bring her home."

______________________________________________________

Continued In Part Two!
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