A WINTER'S TALE
BY: THE BARD

Chapter Six
Revenge

 Lady Jaye brought her hand up and clenched it into a fist, signaling the others to stop and take cover.

  Someone was coming.

  As she crouched down in a nook off the main corridor, she glanced back at Low Light who was hidden just across the hall. He nodded and brought his hands to his throat, slashing his fingers across it in a very clear gesture. Slowly, she pulled her knife out of her boot.

  It had been sheer luck that they had made it this far into the COBRA stronghold without being discovered. The place was huge...much bigger than she had originally anticipated...and teeming with enemy soldiers. The fact that they were so well manned and, up until this morning, completely hidden from enemy eyes probably explained the lack of security. Nevertheless, Jaye knew that their luck would run out soon. By herself she might be able to do it, but with them tagging along...

  ...It was time to rethink her strategy.

  The soldiers were almost on top of them now. She could smell them...feel their presence. She looked back again...Alpine brought up his hand, opening his palm. There were five of them. She nodded and narrowed her eyes as they made their way past.

  Crimson Guard.

  Suddenly a mixture of anticipation and fear enveloped her. Anticipation, for these soldiers, fiercely loyal to one man and one man only, meant that her quarry was here. Fear, because only an idiot underestimated the man. He was deadly...capable of anything.

  No...Cobra Commander might be mad...but he was no fool.

  One, two...the third and fourth together...then as the fifth came into range she attacked.

  He didn't know what hit him. She didn't even touch him, just dragged her knife against his throat and he went down in a pool of blood. She looked up to find his four companions in a similar state, the Joes hanging over their kills. Bazooka had taken out two, breaking their necks with a swift jerk of his muscular arms.

  "Grab the bodies and drag them in here..." she whispered, indicating the dark room behind them which they had investigated earlier.

  As they made their way in Jaye registered the blood smeared on the floor. Not good. The first person that walked down this hall would sound the alarm for sure. She turned to Low Light, who understood immediately what needed to be done. He knelt down and began to fit a silencer to his rifle...then picked it up and took aim.

  Shrppt. Shrppt

  The bullets made hardly a sound as they ripped through the air, smashing the lights overhead with pinpoint accuracy. The hall went dark...

  No one would notice the blood now until it was too late.

  "Maybe bringing them along wasn't such a bad idea after all..." she thought, but quickly dismissed it. She must stay focused.

  "Alright." She turned to her exhausted group, all showing signs of stress...but all alert and to her surprise, intent on her every word, "We have made it this far without notice, but we are getting close to the heart of this underground fortress and we can no longer afford to leave our fate in the hands of Lady Luck."

  "So what's the plan, fearless leader," She looked over at Alpine, ready to see the sarcastic grin on his face. But he was dead serious. What was he talking about? She was no leader! Duke was a leader...Hawk. Flint...even that idiot Beachhead. She didn't need the responsibility...

  She did not deserve the trust. Not now.

  Especially not now.

  "Isn't it obvious, goat boy?" Low Light grunted a reply, "We find the weapon, grab it, and then get the hell out of here..."

  "Yeah...like it's going to be a walk in the park..."

  "Quiet you two, I have to think..." she cut the air in a sharp gesture and they immediately fell silent, "...it's a pretty safe bet that the weapon is somewhere in a lab being readied for analysis..." she thought out loud "...as far as I can tell, the layout of this new base is quite similar to all the other COBRA fortresses we have been through. MARS is remarkably unimaginative in their design schemes, and that will work to our advantage."

  She turned to the bodies lying cold on the floor.

  "Well, boys...its time you learned what Covert Ops is all about."

************************************************************************

  "I can't breath..." Bazooka gasped as he tugged at the area just underneath his helmet.

  "Would you be quiet...you want to give us away?" Bazooka hushed up at the sound of Alpine's sharp voice. Low Light sighed. Personally, he agreed with Bazooka. These helmets were stifling, and worse yet they obstructed his vision. However, he had to admit that Jaye's idea of using the Crimson Guard get ups to sneak further into the base was working well. In fact, the Vipers that routinely patrolled the halls had avoided them as they approached, a reaction as much to the uniform as to the proud and arrogant march that Jaye was setting through the compound.

  It was incredible, really. He had never really had a chance to see Jaye in action, doing what she does best. Most of her Intel and undercover missions were solo, or if they weren't she was usually accompanied by Flint. He now understood why Flint always said she was the best.

  He looked up at the figure ahead in amazement. If he didn't keep a close eye on her he would certainly lose her in the crowd, mistake her for the enemy. It wasn't just the helmet and mask either...every nuance, every gesture, every movement she made screamed Crimson Guard.

  She was no longer Lady Jaye. To tell you the truth it disturbed him a bit, how she lost herself in the character. What disturbed him even more was how he couldn't stop staring at her. The blood red uniform clung to her body, revealing every curve on her well shaped body. She looked, well....she looked positively...sexy. He slapped himself mentally to clear his mind. It was like lusting after your sister!

  "At least I'm not the only one thinking it," he thought to himself. Bazooka's jaw had nearly hit the floor when she emerged in her disguise, and Alpine, for the first time that Low Light could remember, was at a loss for words.

  Up ahead, Lady Jaye signaled a halt and gestured for them to come forward. The hall was relatively empty, except for the odd techno-viper. Again, the enemy seemed to veer away as they approached, none of them wanting to risk a confrontation with the Commander's elite guard.

  "In there," she pointed to the room at the end of the hall. It was a lab of sorts, quite large and filled with various kinds technical equipment. At the far end, a railing blocked off what was certainly a long drop.

  "In the center, on the table...the stolen weapon."

  The walked forward into the room, not bothering to keep a low profile...or at least Jaye wasn't. She was steaming ahead full, still absorbed in playing the Crimson Snake. He shook his head. She might be able to get away with that but the three of them were sure to arouse suspicion. Instead of making his way to the table with the others, he went to the rail to survey the scene below and keep an eye out for trouble.

  "Holy..." he whispered. Spread out before him was the biggest command center he had ever seen. Vipers and Crimson Guard were crawling all over the place, intent on carrying out whatever orders they were given. It must be several stories down to the ground floor, and each level was chock full of enemy radar, computers, and equipment.

  Movement on the ground caught his eye. A large contingent of Crimson Guard was entering the area...followed by a figure in white. Storm Shadow. If the Crimson Guard didn't give it away, the brainwashed ninja certainly did...

  Cobra Commander was here.

  He felt a presence beside him and turned to see that Lady Jaye studying the scene below. Although he could not see her face through the mask, he knew something was not right. Her body was rigid.

  "THIS is what Hawk wants back so badly?" Alpine exclaimed as he held up what looked like a large zippo, "This little...little..."

  "It looks like a Phaser..." Bazooka chimed in and Alpine looked at him and shook his head. Bazooka shrugged. "You know, like from Star Trek!"

  "I think you have been watching too much television, big guy..."

  "No, Alpine..." Low Light turned at the sound of her voice. It was flat, emotionless. At first he thought she was still in character until he noted that she was watching the activity below. She hadn't moved an inch. "Bazooka is not far off. It's an experimental weapon. That little thing has quite the bite. Like having a pocket Howitzer."

  "Cool," Bazooka looked at the little silver object in awe. If there is one thing he liked more than TV and Football...it was weapons that packed a punch.

  "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?" Low Light jumped as a figure emerged in the doorway behind them...Dr. Mindbender.

  "I don't care if you are his personal boot lickers, this is MY lab and I..." He stopped and looked closely at Bazooka and Alpine. "Wait a minute...what are you holding..." Lowlight brought up his rifle, but he was too late. Mindbender turned quickly and smashed a button on the wall next to him.

    "INTRUDERS!!!!!" The alarm began to scream in the background. Lowlight fired at the doorway, but missed Mindbender, who ran out like a flash.

  "Damn it," He ripped his helmet off so he could see better, then immediately regretted it when he noticed the army of Vipers headed their was from the rooms below.

  "Shit Shit Shit..." Alpine was swearing as he took aim and fired at the troops appearing in the doorway. Both he and Bazooka had their helmets off as well and were intent on the enemy.

  "Bazooka, to me!" He heard Jaye shout from across the room. She was remarkably collected given the situation, her tone commanding and confident. He ran to her as Alpine covered him.

  "See that tank over there," she pointed to a large cistern directly across and above them. He nodded.

  "Blast it!"

  Bazooka smiled as he brought his missile launcher to bear, taking aim. Low Lights eyes went wide when he realized what she had planned.

  "Are you CRAZY..." but before he could finish his sentence, the missile was away.

  The Impact and subsequent explosion as the rocket hit the propane tank drove them all to the ground. The sound, the heat, the shock waves...the force was incredible.

  He rose to find Jaye standing over him, firelight playing on her face as she studied the destruction around them.

  "That should keep them busy...now get out of here...get that weapon to Flint and the others..."

  "What? What are you...?" Low Light began as he rose from the floor, but she cut him off.

  "Get them out of here Low Light," she gestured to Bazooka and Alpine who were busy firing at the Vipers in the hall, "You are in charge...I will cover your backs as best I can..."

  "No...WAIT!" but before he could stop her, she was gone. She just disappeared into the chaos that surrounded them.

  "SHIT!"

**********************************************************************

  She ran down the nearest hallway, praying that she was headed in the right direction. Around her Vipers were running everywhere in the panic that ensued over the alarm and subsequent explosion. Even without her helmet they didn't give her so much as a glance. In the confusion no one bothered to look to closely.

  Lady Jaye paused to get her bearings. She hadn't liked leaving the others but she had no other choice. They would be ok. The flames from that explosion would surely bring the other Joes running, and she hadn't been lying when she said she would cover their backs.

  Of course, she hadn't said how.

  He was close. She could feel it. She had to reach him before he attempted to escape. She had to finish this and finish this now. She wasn't going to get another chance. Once the others caught up with her she would be court marshaled and thrown in the brig for sure.

  No...she had to succeed or die trying. She had nothing to loose...

  Sadness crept in at that thought.

  "No...stop it, Alison. He is not family. You are alone. You are an orphan. Your family needs you to do this. They need you to finish this...."

  Somehow, for the first time since she vowed revenge six years ago, she was having trouble convincing herself that she was doing the right thing.

  "Damn you , Flint..." she thought as she turned and began descending to where she had last seen the Crimson Guard.

  The last two years had been happy. For the first time in a long while, she had felt content. It wasn't only Flint...it was all the other Joes...the friends she had made on the team.

  Alpine's sense of humor. Bazooka's sweet nature, Low Light's protectiveness, Shipwreck's fun loving madness, Scarlett's willingness to listen to her every gripe, Snake Eye's silent support, Leatherneck, Gung Ho, Ace, they were all her friends...and Flint...oh Flint...who for all the gruff, professional, no nonsense warrior shenanigans, was the most gentle man she had ever known.

  She paused in confusion as a thought came to her mind...

  "They're almost like...like family..."

  The revelation was cut short as she spotted a figure in the control center ahead of her. A large imposing man dressed all in blue, his face completely covered by hood...small slits revealing eyes that were shadowed by evil. He was frantically screaming orders as the Guards around him dashed madly about trying to regain control of the fire that burned on the upper levels, destroying their computers.

  Anger flashed hard and hot through her brain. Images from the past flickered through her head...Her mom, her dad...her annoying older brother who she loved more than life itself...all taken from her...taken by him....

  She dropped the rifle that she was holding and pulled out her favorite double-edged Javelin, flicking it quickly and grinning as the blades on either end clicked into place. She loved using bladed weapons...she liked the grace involved in wielding them, so like a dance. She liked the personal nature of the weapon...having to look your victim in the eye before you killed them.

  Guns were too random, too quick...to open to error.

  She wanted to see her enemy's face when he died. She wanted the Commander to know who it was that was killing him. She wanted to savor every moment. It was a thought so foreign to her nature that anyone who heard her voice it would be shocked and stunned by the loathing and venom that it contained.

  Maintaining such a hate charged emotion exhausted her, it wasn't something her mind was used to handling even after all these years. Her family's death had changed her. She was tired. She wanted this to end. She needed it to end.

  The only things that would end it would be his death...or hers.

  She charged into the room, shouting his name and he turned at the sound and froze. His eyes flashed fear, and then seeing she was alone and without a gun, flickered with amusement.

  "Sssso, a little minx come to play...are you the one who hasssss caused all this trouble?" he gestured at the destruction surrounding him.

  She moved forward swinging her blade menacingly. He took a step back.

  "Ah Ah Ah, careful with that..we wouldn't want you to hurt yoursssssself before my Viperssss have a chance to kill you." His eyes narrowed, his voice hardened, "You didn't think you could get away with this Lady Jaye, did you?"

  "That's Alison Hart-Burnett, Snake...Does the family name ring a bell?" she snarled.

  "Burnett..." he muttered, then looked up and directly at her when he realized who she was..."No...it issss not posssssible. I killed them all...I sssshot down the plane..."

  "You missed one..." She launched her attack and he barely managed to dodge the thrust of the Javelin. He was quick for a madman. She continued her assault, pushing him relentlessly, driving him back. She noticed then that the Crimson Guard has surrounded them, guns trained, but they were not firing.

  She was too close to their liege...they couldn't risk the shot.

  "Revenge, is it?" his voice, breathless with the effort of avoiding her thrusts, sounded in her ear, mocking her "Yesss....hate is an admirable quality in a young Lady. That uniform sssuits you in more ways than one I think.""

  She frowned and increased her attack.

  Suddenly, out of nowhere, a flash of white flew in front of her vision. A searing pain shot through her shoulder and she looked down to see blood seeping through a large gash her clothing.

  "Itssss about time, Ssstttorm Sssshadow!"

  "Hold your fire!" The Commander turned to his guard as they took aim.

  "Well, young Alisssson...it sssseems that you have failed to bring me down. Just assss your father and brother failed ssso many yearssss ago. In my line of work, failure can mean only one thing....death." He turned to the white figure who lay crouched at the other end of the room, sword out and ready. "Kill her, Storm Shadow...and join me when you are done. The Joessss are in the building and we still have a chance to drive them back."

  Lady Jaye watched as her mortal enemy, her parent's killer, her brother's murderer, made his way through the door at the back, the Crimson Guard hot on his heels. He paused and turned before to her.

  "Don't look sssso upset, my dear child. Think of it this way...you will sssoon be ssseeing your family again." She could sense him grinning under his hood, "Assss a matter of fact, you sssshould thank me."

  With that he was gone.

  "Noooooo!!!" She screamed as she moved forward to follow but Storm Shadow appeared like a flash in front of her, blocking her path.

  "You shall not pass..." he brought his katana up in challenge. Her eyes narrowed.

  "Fine..." her anger and hatred were burning hot in her head, clouding everything but her need for revenge. She brought up her Javelin.

  "If I have to go through you, so be it..."

************************************************************************

  "This way!" Low Light turned down the corridor to the right, leading his two companions towards where he had last seen Lady Jaye.

  Alpine followed close behind him while Bazooka brought up the rear, firing into the dark hall every so often to drop their pursuers.

  Low Light stopped and took aim, killing a Cobra trooper that had appeared in out of nowhere straight ahead of them. It was getting dangerous. There were only three of them and the fire from the explosion is only going to keep the enemy for so much longer. If they didn't get out of here soon this base would end up being their tomb.

  "Damn it all to Hell," he swore under his breath as he reloaded his gun. No way are they going to leave her behind. No way.

  "It's like finding a needle in a haystack..." Alpine muttered. "She could be anywhere, and in that red uniform..."

  He didn't need to finish the sentence. Low Light understood. The girl would blend in so well, would disappear so completely, that even if she were to pass right in front of their eyes they would probably miss her.

  "...Not leaving her." Bazooka muttered over his chewing gum.

  "No buddy...we are not. I'm just saying..." Alpine stopped mid sentence as a bullet hit the wall inches from his face.

  "Holy!" They swung around and hit the dirt, bringing up their weapons when Low Light noticed familiar shapes ahead...

  "Hold your fire! Hold your Fire!" he shouted desperately. Hopefully Gung Ho and Leatherneck would recognize his voice despite his new 'look'.

  There was a pause, and then the sound of a gun being fire.

  "What the..." he was stunned, thinking that they hadn't noticed it was him when he heard a groan from behind and saw the Techno-Viper fall to the ground clutching his chest.

  "Well, well, well...if it ain't the our little group of mavericks." Leatherneck chuckled. "See you guys are having fun." Behind him, Gung Ho was radioing the others.

  "Oh yeah, it's been a veritable laugh a minute."

  Suddenly, more figures appeared in the hall ahead of them. Low Light brought up his weapon.

  "Hey buddy," Gung Ho smiled, "I thought you had good vision? Don't you recognize the good guys when you see them?"

  Oh, he certainly did recognize who it was that was heading straight towards him at a quick march. That was why he had his gun up.

  It didn't take the angry Warrant Officer very long to discover that someone was unaccounted for.

  "Where is she, Low Light?" His voice was ragged.

  "She took off after the explosion," he watched as Flint's eyes flickered and took a step back. He knew that look. It was the look of a man who was about to take a swing. He had seen that look so many times before in his father's eyes. At the thought of his father, he felt fear creeping into his mind. "I tried to stop her...but she was too fast..."

  "Hey, Flint...ease up, man" Alpine stepped in between them, "You think we have been hanging around here for kicks. We weren't going to leave without her!"

  Low Light fought down the fear and replaced it with anger. It was HIS fault they were here in the first place. If he hadn't played around with her like heart like the jerk he was, none of this would have happened.

  "Ummm...are we going to stand around here much longer, or are we going to go find her?" Bazooka asked quietly from his position guarding the entrance to the hallway. His simple query seemed to pull everyone together.

  Leave it to Bazooka...

  "Where did you last see her?" this from Duke, who Low Light just noticed had been standing beside Flint the whole time.

  "In the lab where we found the gun. She had been watching the Crimson Guard at the command center just before Mindbender ca..."

  "WHERE?" If looks could kill, Flint's glare would have felled a regiment. Low Light nearly flinched when suddenly he realized the look was not directed at him.

  "God help the COBRA who so much as looks at that girl the wrong way..." he thought, as he turned to lead them back down to the lab.

  They made their way down the hall in perfect formation, silently brining down any COBRA trooper that was unfortunate enough to cross their path. No one said anything. All of them lost in their own thoughts, concentrating on staying alive and on causing as much damage to the enemy as possible.

  They reached the room and made their way to the railing.

  "No..." he heard Flint whisper and followed his line of sight down to the floor below.

  There, amidst the rubble, Lady Jaye was facing of against Storm Shadow. From the looks of things, the woman was not going to hold out much longer. She was clearly on the defensive. The Ninja's sword came down on her repeatedly...which she expertly deflected with her Javelin....but she was tiring...and was that blood?

  "She doesn't stand a chance against him," Gung Ho had come up behind them and was observing the struggle below. "Even Snake Eyes has a difficult time handling that crazy ninja. Why isn't she retreating?"

  Flint pulled out his shotgun and took aim, swearing in frustration as he did.

  "I can't get a clear shot!" he turned to Low Light, his eyes pleading. Low Light nodded and brought up his rifle...waiting for an opening. Finally, he found it and fired, Storm Shadow jerked backwards as the bullet hit him in the shoulder. Lady Jaye looked up, stunned.

  "Alpine..." Flint shouted, "I need to get down there fast."

  "One Alpine express coming up." He took his grappling gun of his back and fired. A metal hook followed by a long length of rope flew down and smashed into the rubble. He tugged to make sure it was secure and then tied the other end of the rope to the railing.

  Suddenly, Lady Jaye bolted for the other end of the room. They all watched in horror as the white ninja got up brought out a dagger.

  It was almost like it was happening in slow motion. Low Light fired again but it was too late, the knife was already on route to its victim. It hit her square between the shoulders. Driving her to her knees.

  "NO!" Flint screamed and quickly jumped the rail, sliding swiftly down the rope to the ground below.

  "Get Life Line down here stat!" Duke yelled and Gung Ho got on the radio. Low Light didn't hear the rest. Before he knew what he was doing he found himself heading down the rope after Flint.

  The Warrant Officer had already reached her when his feet hit the ground. He felt others joining him but he didn't register who they were. All he saw was Flint clutching Jaye's broken body in his arms, rocking her back and forth.

  "Is she...?" He heard Bazooka whisper behind him.

  Then they heard it...a sound that would haunt them for a long time to come. It started as a low keening and then strengthened into a wail of anguish that shook the surrounding Joes to the very core.

  It was Flint.

  It was the sound of his heart breaking.

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Continued in Chapter Seven!
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