GHOSTS OF MY PAST
BY: TOPHAT

PART FIVE

This story is dedicated to both my crazy friend Tracy who will beta reads for me (Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!) and in loving memory Grady. You will be missed.

  It was late at night at the hospital as a silent figure stalked that shadows of the intensive care ward. The figure watched and waited as nurses came and went from their stations. At precisely the next shift change the silent figure pulled the fire alarm and mass chaos broke loose. At the same time the sprinklers were triggered and the lights began to blink on and off. Then darkness-the emergency power had been disconnected. As nurses and patients screamed in panic the silent figure walked down the hall to room 06.

  The patient in room 06 was standing by the lone window looking out at the city below. When the door clicked open she didn't turn around merely sighed, "It's time, isn't it?" the silent figure then spoke "It's the only way to save him."

  "I know."

  "Do you regret your decision?"

  "No, it was the only acceptable choice. Do you have my things?"

  "Yes, and something extra." The silent figure held out a clothes bag and opened the palm of his hand. "Oh, that. I think I can manage without your little pink pills."

  "They help. We must get out of the building in the next few moments-before they stabilize the lights."

  "I'll get changed quickly, but I don't want to take the pill."

  "As you wish, now get changed. The car is waiting outside."

  Angel follows the man out of the hospital and down to the car-but not before leaving a note for her friends.

  "Angel." Stacy greeted solemnly when Angel stepped into the car

  "Stacy. Any news?" Angel answered back

  "Nothing new but let's wait until we get to the plane before we update you on our progress thus far."

  On the plane Angel took a seat by the window looking out at what she thought may be her last look at freedom for a while. If she was going to have to go under again in order to find Toby she could be under for a good long time. It wasn't like the organization made headlines or anything. To be found, even by a former member, it would take a lot of legwork and a great deal of God's grace.

  "Okay Stacy, spill, what's going on with Mica."

  "Basically this, Mica is loose and reconnecting the organization. He has been telling everyone that the two of you, that is Toby and yourself, were responsible for Bren's death. He wants back in and he wants in on top."

  "You mean that he's gotten everyone to come together again and basically pick up where they left off except put Mica in charge?!"

  "Yes, basically."

  "But that's insane! And they believed him?"

  "Not entirely. Caleb and John Patrick found him coming out of a jewelry store in London. They assumed he knew about the meeting and was coming to protest Mica. Toby of course didn't know anything about it but played along. If he continues to play along then he has a chance at avoiding Mica until the vote. If Mica discovers Toby is around then the two will face off before we can find them. There are still those who would have sided with Mica if the organization split. Those men are the most dangerous threat to Toby. You must find Toby and Mica and deal help Toby deal with Mica once and for all. If Mica survives, no one will be safe."

  With that happy thought everyone drifted off to think about the mission ahead. Once they landed in London the games were over and the hunt began.

  While Angel and her entourage were flying to London, Duke and the other Joes arrive at the hospital to find that despite the guard they had posted, Scarlett was still gone.

  Duke is on the phone with Hawk when Rock 'n' Roll comes into the small office he had confiscated at the hospital. "What the hell do you mean 'She's not here'? Where the hell else would she be?"

  "Well, we 'um, that is..., we're not sure." Rock 'n' Roll finally managed to spit out as he watched the pulse point in Duke's neck grow stronger as his face turned nearly purple. Rock 'n' Roll is forced to run in order to catch up to Duke before he reached Scarlett's room. "We went in to check on her to see if she was up for some food and she just wasn't there. Me and Tripwire were posted right outside the door-no one came past us-not even during the black out."

  "What black out?" Duke demanded

  "A few hours before we noticed her missing the power blinked off for a few moments, not too long, all the nurses were screaming. We were ready if anything came our way but nothing did! We figured it was just a false alarm." "You didn't check on her?!"

  "We did but she seemed like she was asleep-the doctor said not to bother her too much so we just closed the door and figured she'd holler if she needed anything. When we checked on her again it was light outside and we could tell she wasn't in there. We went in and found this. It's addressed to you."

  Duke ripped open the envelope and quickly read through Scarlett's transfer orders. He then found the note Scarlett had left for him: I know you can't understand but I had to go. Toby was there to pull me away from the gates of hell more times than I could ever repay him for. I can't stand by and do nothing while he's in trouble. If it was me and you couldn't help me he would. If it were any of you I would fight the devil himself to save you. All my love, forever,

  Scarlett

  "Find her-start with the room and then the staff. If they don't know anything go floor by floor up to the roof and down to the basement, case all the streets and any surrounding buildings. Find the Ambassador-Scarlett didn't walk out of here on her own two feet-she had help and the Ambassador is involved up to her neck! I'm going to call Hawk back and apprise him of the new situation, I'll see if the team has been able to come up with anything more. Understand?!"

  Duke didn't even wait for a reply. He turned around and stalked back to the office. Rage was better he thought. If he wasn't angry he would be scared and he didn't want to be scared right now.

  The next morning in London Angel awoke to strange surroundings. It took her a moment to realize where she was-in their London town house. This was where for the years she worked undercover with the squadron they made their home. This was home, a base of operations, and a place of security. Work rarely if ever invaded this place. She could hear voices down stairs and gingerly rose and found a robe waiting for her at the foot of the bed. It was time to go to work-if she would have to find some way of managing the pain and weariness that came from being stabbed. Mica was a good shot so to speak and she knew she was a fool to be out of bed this soon. But at this point no action on their part would lead to disaster and she whether she liked it or not she had point on this mission.

  Angel made it down the stairs with little difficulty. She could hear Rocker in the kitchen fixing breakfast. It was like old times, or would be if the situation under which they were gathered wasn't so strained. She paused at the entrance to the kitchen just to take it all in. She could still remember the day Stacy came to tell her the squad had been disbanded, that Toby was going to be fine but that she could never have any contact with any of her friends at all-not for Birthdays, not Christmas, not for special occasions, not even for funerals. No contact, period. If she attempted to violate the no contact agreement-which if she didn't sign would mean death for herself and her friends and she wasn't that selfish-then a hit team would be sent to dispose of them. 

  They were too valuable to kill right now but what they knew made them too dangerous to stay together. But that was all changed now-the squad was back together and like it or not with Toby gone she was in charge. Angel walks into the kitchen a clears her throat to interrupt Rocker's song. He spins around and drops breakfast as he gathers her into a giant bear hug. The others hear and quickly join in greeting their other teammate. "We've all had two days to catch up on what the others have been doing and now you wake up and we only get through breakfast!" Lenny complained

  "I'll fill you in later-I promise." Angel replied as she hugged her friend

  "We'll just have to have a big long breakfast!" Pat Pat exclaimed

  Over Breakfast the five friends caught up on old times. Lenny was still at her best doing covert ops-this time she and Tommy could pick and choose who to work for.

  "The private sector is glorious! More money and they don't frown upon you working with your girlfriend!" Tommy told them and they all laughed once again Then the conversation took another turn, "So Angel, what have you been doing? Tommy & Lenny are still together, Rocker and I are perfectly happy up on his mountain, and Toby actually managed to crack the ice queen's façade. "

  The smile on Angel's face fell and she studied her food for a moment before answering. "I've made some good friends where I am now. I just hurt them badly. I couldn't take the time to explain to them where I was coming and why I might not be coming back anytime soon. They'll worry, especially Jaye and Duke. Jaye will understand because she knows a little about you guys, but Duke, he doesn't and he won't understand how I could leave him to go fight another war I left so long ago."

  Lenny and Pat got up and put their arms around her shoulders, "We understand. It's hard to leave the one you love, even to save someone you used to love."

  Angel leaned back into their embrace, "Thanks you two, what would I ever do without you?"

  "Well one thing is for certain.." the Aussie at the other end of the table stated, "They're never splitting us up like this again. Angel, if your boy has room for the lot of us then we'll follow you back to new team. If not, then know that the both of you have a ready made place at my ranch, anytime you want to try your hand again at cow punching, just let me know and I'll dust off your saddle!"

  "Thanks, Rocker, I know I'm always welcome and I'll make sure to visit more often this time, regulations be dammed! If we're going to save the world again for those idiotic suits then by God we're doing it our way!"

  "I agree fully." Stacy replied as she walked in the room "If you have eaten enough may I suggest we adjourn to the library. We have tactics to discuss." She left then and the lot of them let out the breath they had been holding ever since she announced her presence.

  "Damn that lady can still come into a room and make us jump!"

  "Your right Tommy." Rocker replied, "But she's the only one that can do that." The group got up to leave, "Just a minute you guys, I just wanted to remind you that even though she acts like the ice queen we all know and hate, she's still Toby's wife and she's just as scared as the rest of us, maybe more so." With that, they paraded into the library and took their seats as Steven's dimmed the lights and a slide projector started whirling.

  "This is a recon photo you people took when the mission to find and stop the Organization began." The projector clicked to the next slide and Stacy took up her post next to the screen. "As we all know, after the sting failed to capture a single member of the Organization, they all went into hiding. Mica O'Reilly, at that time already a dangerous outcast of the group, has somehow managed to track down a majority of group members and has convinced them to come together for one last attempt to succeed with their mission. If they fail, Mica has promised never to bother them again. But, if they are successful they stay and fight until they have gained control over all of Ireland."

  Stevens took up with the next slide, a historical picture of Culloden field, "I'm sure you remember your history, Toby drummed it into you often enough. What Mica is trying to do is no less than what your Scottish ancestors were attempting centuries ago. Mica's cause is of course, a little less noble. Mica isn't fighting for freedom, as he would like everyone to believe, he's fighting for power. And that people, is our problem. "

  Stacy took over with the next slide, a picture of the castle as it now looks. "Unbeknownst to Mica, Toby is about to walk right into his outstretched arms. At this point Toby, Caleb, and John Patrick have been at castle for a few days now. Mica could arrive at any time however we believe he is making one small detour in Scotland before he goes to the castle." A picture of Destro and Mica together flashes up on the screen and Angel gasps. "Yes, Angel, it's him. For those of you who don't know we'll let Angel elaborate on the connection between this man and Mica's new organization."

  Angel began explaining as best she could the potential impact Destro and Mica's joining could have. "Destro is an arms dealer first and foremost, but he is also a high ranking officer in the terrorist organization Cobra whose mission in life is to take over the world."

  "Hey, wasn't the G.I. Joe team created to fight them?" Tommy asked

  "Yes, and we've been doing a damn fine job of it too."

  "Can we safely assume then, that the 'we' in this case means you've been working with them these past few years?"

  "Yes." She replied, "Cobra is lead by the Cobra Commander, a somewhat dimwitted leader who has grand ideas for taking over the world. He just has a problem executing those ideas. The Joe team is responsible for thwarting a majority of his plans, but even with the best counter intelligence team I've ever worked with, there is always a possibility that Cobra will manage to get ahead of us."

  "If Destro and Mica are forming some type of partnership then he's doing it without the approval of the Organization. What we have to find out is what type of partnership and how fast the two of them are moving towards cementing it. If we can discredit Mica we have a chance of scaring Destro off. If Mica manages to convince the other members of the Organization that Destro is just another Scotsman with a taste for freedom and a little battle experience, not to mention a Scotsman with the means to further their cause and the wealth to attract other donors, we won't just be fighting Mica, we'll be fighting the largest, deadliest coalition of terrorists this century. "

  "What about bringing the Joes in on this? If they're the experts on Cobra then they should be able to help us come up with a plan to stop them."

  "No." Stacy answered quietly but emphatically "The last thing you want to do is to attract attention to your mission by alerting the Joes. If we discover that the entire Cobra organization is behind Destro in this then we will make sure the Joes know what is going on. I don't want to start bombing the castle just as you five are making headway. "

  Angel looked exceedingly uncomfortable with the idea of leaving the Joes out of this. "If they get by us, heaven forbid, but it is a possibility, the Joes are the only other one's out there that would have a chance at stopping Mica and Cobra. If we don't let them know our plans we are asking for trouble. They would be more than willing to lend any and all assistance they could in order to stop Cobra from becoming an even more powerful enemy."

  "Well then, you will just have to make sure that you keep things under control and prevent the before mention circumstances from happening." With that Stacy left the room leaving them to make plans

  "I take it then, that this meeting has come to a close. If you need any maps, intelligence reports, etc. and cannot find them in this room ask me before you go 'shopping' on your own. Remember Angel, if you aren't strong enough.."

  Angel icily interrupted him, "Thanks but no thanks Stevens. You may think you mean well but I will either manage to do my job with out some fancy 'strength enhancers' as you like to call them, or I won't."

  With his hand on the door Stevens turned and replied, "As you wish, just remember what's on the line here." He turned the knob and walked out of the room before Rocker and Tommy could do anything more than stand up and clench their fists

  "That dude has some nerve!"

  "Yes, he does, but forget him, I can handle Stevens, what we need to do now is go through the rest of these slides and get an accurate map of the countryside. I imagine a good bit has changed since last we were there."

  After several hours of poring of maps they had found several places to strategically place troops. They had all reached the consensus that the Joes would need to be notified and join in the battle regardless of what Stacy had told them. They weren't, after all, superhuman. They were good at there job, very good, and that meant knowing where your limits lie. They agreed that the best plan of attack was to enter to castle via one of the underground tunnels that ran from the stables to the kitchen, library, and ladies saloon. The tunnel branched off and entered the main living quarters of the house at various locations. In turn each time the tunnel continued through the house it branched off into a different direction. It was a virtual maze. Some tunnels dropped off at an angle, whoever fell would not get up again. Other tunnels merely wound their merry way through the house and lead back to where they started. The tunnels that weren't meant to confuse an enemy served one of two purposes: spying or escape. 

  Since Toby ran the castle until the organization broke off he knew all of the tunnels. Each tunnel had a purpose he would say, and if you knew what that purpose was you could use the tunnels to your advantage. He also made sure that only passed that information on to those he would trust with his life seeing as how many lead from the master's bedroom to other parts of the castle, namely the master's study, the stables, the kitchen, and most importantly to both his wife's and his mistress's bedrooms. The tunnels were adequately equipped with weapons, food, money, and supplies for a quick escape and a lengthy voyage to safety. Angel would travel with Tommy and Lenny for a ways before she would continue on the dungeon in search of Toby and they would find the meeting place. Rocker and Penny would act as a rear guard, laying ground cover for the Joes when they arrived-if they arrived. If the Joes didn't arrive at a half hour past the assigned time then the two of them would travel to a pre-assigned meeting place and be ready to help their other team members escape. If something happened to any of the others Rocker or Penny would takeover that portion of the mission. Radio contact was to be maintained at all times.

  Angel rested for the remainder of the day. After a light supper she took out the clothes she would assume any time she and Toby were on a mission in London-or anywhere a little less than civilized. A pair of dark pants went on first with an abundance of pockets, all filled with important survival supplies, weapons, ammo, a beacon, food, and a G.P.S. all being light weight and compact. A short, tight, dark shirt with a Celtic cross emblazoned across the front and a gun holster that went over the shirt. To complete the outfit she put on her jacket. Lesser men had run in fear just by catching a glimpse of this jacket. It was originally an olive green but time and numerous stains of varying nature had reduced its color to a darker, deadlier green. The jacket as well had numerous pockets and had been stitched back together each time a bullet or knife slashed its owner. Her long dark red hair was then divided into small sections and braided individually so it nearly looked like she had dreds. "Wouldn't Jaye get a laugh out seeing me decked out like this?" Angel thought silently, already missing her good friend and hoping she wasn't too worried.

  "Ready?" came a soft voice from the room next to hers 

  "As I'll ever be." She responded just as silently. Rocker was to drive her into the seedier part of London to the docks where she could gather a little more information that they needed. Information like where Mica was and who he was talking to; and had anyone seen Toby lately? When was the meeting supposed to take place? How did you get invited? They were all hoping an old contact of Angel and Toby would be able to answer these questions. Tornado was a character that was for sure. He owned a small bar, if you could call it that, just off the docks. The place was so dark you could hardly see your hand in front of your face, or the drink in front of you. You went to Tornados to either get wasted or to get into trouble or both. 

  Toby once put a knife through a man's hand when he tried to get a little to friendly with Angel. Deeds like that built a reputation. She was counting on that reputation to help her now as it had in the past. "I'm gonna give you an hour. That's one hour, Angel. If I don't see your bod in this seat next to me by then I'm coming after you guns blazing."

  "Rocker, I'm sure I'll be fine. Tornado has never begrudged me an audience before."

  "It's not that old barkeep I'm worried about, it's the other yahoos you're going to find in there. Types like that don't exactly like you listening in on their conversation. " "Then I'll just buy them a beer and join them."

  "Whiskey's more like it. Did you douse yourself in it or just spill most of what you would have liked to drink? They're not going to want you to buy them a drink. They're not going to want anything from you once they know who you are. Dammit! Toby would have my hide in a sling if he knew I was about to let you walk in there alone. I must be insane."

  "Not insane. Just worried about a brother. I am too. I'll see you in an hour. " And with that she was gone. He watched her until she rounded the corner into the alley to get to the bar and he began to pray, hard.

  Inside the bar she walked up silently to the bar where Tornado was serving drinks. "Got one for an old friend?" she asked softly, amused at the way the old man jerked his head up when he hear her voice. He may be old but his mind was still young and sharp. Good. She would need that mind as sharp as she could get it if she was to find out anything to help Toby.

  "I've always got one for you, Angel, if a drink is really what you want? I've been watching for you. I saw him a few days ago."

  "Can you tell me?"

  "Go around back and I'll see what I can do. " she followed his instructions and waited, gun out and ready to fire until he knocked twice softly and then opened the door to let her in.

  "Sit down girl, you make me nervous hovering over me like that. I saw your man a few days ago. Came in here along with two other fellows from that group you two played around with."

  "Lead, Tornado, and you know it. Did he say where he was going?"

  "Up North a ways. Maybe all the way North, don't know. They were in a hurry though. The other two that were with him were complaining about the stop over. He wouldn't budge though until he had a glass of whiskey. "

  "That's all, just a glass of whiskey? What do you have?"

  Tornado pulled a crumpled napkin out his shirt pocket. "Complained that I wouldn't give him a napkin, "Bloody old sod!" he said, "Can't even get a decent drink anymore!"

  "What do ya mean by 'decent'?" says I

  "Drink needs to be served up proper, a glass, a napkin, and all. So, I hand him a napkin."

  "Well, I tell you, he hardly touched his drink but when he left he had left a message for ye. I let him know that I would pass it along."

  "A message?" she asked eagerly hoping this would be the answer to her prayers

  Here ye go lass and good luck with it."

  After leaving a note for Tornado to pass on the Joes Angel rushes out the door and back to Rocker who is waiting with the jeep at the end of the alley.

  "Go, now!" she yelled at him as she jumped in

  "Did he have news?" Rocker asked as he gunned the engine

  "It's tomorrow night! The meeting is scheduled for tomorrow night!"

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To Be Continued!
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