|
|
Thread Tools |
12-07-2009, 10:56 PM | #21 |
G.I.Joe medic
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Litchfield, ME
Posts: 3,169
|
Loved that issue of Special Missions. I lost it years ago, so I haven't read it in forever, but I remember the gist of the story. Good job, Troy.
|
12-07-2009, 11:23 PM | #22 |
#voteblackjack
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Northwood, NH
Posts: 35,747
|
The next episode will give a little bit of the overall story in my J.O.E. verse. Again, thanks to the filecard gang for alot of the inspiration and help.
__________________
Join the New England G.I. Joe Collector's Group: Battleforce New England Join the March of Cobra. Read the epic adventure on Kindle Worlds and visit the page to learn more. https://www.facebook.com/marchofcobra/ |
12-07-2009, 11:24 PM | #23 |
#voteblackjack
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Northwood, NH
Posts: 35,747
|
Formation
The White House Outside the Oval Office Time/Date: Classified “The President will see you now,” the aide said opening the door. Colonel Joseph Colton, retired, smoothed out his nondescript suit. It wasn’t the best fit, but was the best Jane could have done on such short notice. When a limo shows up with one of the Joint Chiefs shows up at your house and says the President needs, not wants but needs, to see you, you don’t go hunting for your best suit. He missed wearing the old dress uniforms. Sure the medals made it sit heavy, but there was just something about the military uniform. Jane said he still looked as good in it as the day he received his promotion to Colonel those many years ago. Bless her, he thought, knowing she always lied thru her teeth. Being retired he didn’t keep in the best shape, and he was getting on in years, not as fit as he used to be. True, he still had all his old contacts, but being kept in the loop and being active in the loop were two different things. Colton walked into the oval office, the last time he had been here at been in the days of LBJ, and not much had changed. He noticed the aide hadn’t come in as the door closed behind him. Sitting on the couches in front of the Presidents desk were a collection of Generals and Admirals. He knew Hollingsworth one of the Joint Chiefs, who had been the one to collect him earlier. Good choice on that, Colton knew. He didn’t trust many within D.C.’s upper echelons, but Hollingsworth was one of the few. There was just something about taking a bullet for a man that made you always trust him. The others Colton didn’t recognize. The man getting up from the desk and making his way forward was of course instantly recognizable. “Colonel Colton,” the President of the United States said coming forward and shaking Colton’s hand. “Thank you for coming on such short notice.” “Of course Mr. President,” Colton said, he stood at the end of the table, couches on either side, the generals and admirals appraising him. He wondered if he should still down. The President leaned up against the desk and indicated the men on the couches. “You know General Hollingsworth. The man next to him is Admiral Dyson. On the other side you have General Ryan and Admiral Ledger.” Colton nodded to the men and said “Sirs.” They all nodded back. “May I ask why I’m here sir?” Colton asked. He had spent some time in almost all aspects of the military, even had some wild adventures outside of it, and the time he had spent in intelligence had given him a suspicious mind and he was starting to wonder why he was here and with such a group of men. “Straight to the point,” Gen. Ryan said. “I like that.” “I told you,” Hollingsworth said. “Joe Colton doesn’t beat around the bush. Calls it like he sees it.” Colton remained silent. Waiting on the President, who looked like he was trying to form how he wanted to say what he wanted to say. “The worlds going to hell Joe,” the President said not bothering with formalities. “Those bastards, the terrorists, they get more and more public, more and more extreme and we have our hands tied behind our backs. Congress won’t let us go and do what needs to be done. Dyson, show him the picture.” Admiral Dyson reached into a folder on the table and handed Colton a photo. It was a picture of an insignia. Colton recognized it. He had seen it something similar on some ruins in the Congo when he and Henry had been done there years ago. The photo showed the insignia, not on stone, but on cloth, like a flag or banner. The insignia was a pole or shaft with a snake coiling around it with the head at the top, looking like it was striking. “You’ve seen that before?” Dyson asked. “Yes sir. In the congo. Probably about 25 years ago.” “With Henry Jones?” Dyson said. “Yes sir,” Colton replied wondering how much these men knew. “That particular picture was taken two years ago in an underground complex under a doctors office in a small town outside of Des Moines,” the President said. “Sir?” Colton said looking at the President. He was intrigued now. All his research had indicated the insignia had belonged to an ancient greek cult that had spread out to the rest of the world. “The Cult of Asklepios right,” the President asked. “Not quite sir. This particular insignia belongs to a segment that had branched off. God only knows when that was. I never did find out the name of this particular branch.” “The Society of the Coiled Serpent,” Ryan supplied. Colton just looked at him, then at the other men in turn. “I’m pretty sure I’m not going to like where this is going.” “No, probably not,” the President said walking over to the windows looking out onto the yard. “I sure as hell don’t. Like I said, Joe, the world is going to hell. And we have intelligence that links this Society to a lot of that hell. And they’ve been behind a lot of the world’s hell for a very long time.” “And sadly, some of the world’s good,” Ledger said speaking for the first time. “What do you mean,” Colton asked. “I’m not sure I understand what this Society has to do with terrorists and the world going to hell and all that.” “We’re not quite sure when the Society branched out from the original Cult, or if the original Asklepios Cult just up and folded and just became the Society. But the Society has been around for a very long time,” Hollingsworth started. “We have intelligence linking them to a lot of business dealings and such back in old Europe. They were even responsible for a couple of wars and putting some different kings on thrones.” “But from what we gather,” Ryan said. “they were always just behind the scenes. Controling and manipulating but never outright forcing issues.” “Are you talking about a group like the Freemasons, the Illumaniti?,” Colton asked. “Unlike the Freemasons, these guys actually use their power and influence to shape the world,” the President said, not turning from the window. “And unlike the Illumaniti, these guys are real. We can get into the history lesson more later, the important bits have to do with the here and now.” “He should hear about Washington, “ Ledger said. “It’ll help him understand.” “True,” the President said and turned to look Colton in the eye. “This never leaves this room. Ever. Very few people know this and the less the better. Understand?” “Yes sir,” Colton said and meant it. “George Washington was a member of the Society of the Coiled Serpant.” “Sir?,” Colton said, the only thing he could think of. Was what the President said true? “We’re not sure how many of the Founding Fathers were members, but we’re positive about Washingon. This Society helped form the United States.” “That’s the bit of good I mentioned,” Ledger said. “I know this is all coming awful fast and out of the blue. It’s a shocker to be sure. We all felt this way when the President and General Ryan approached us with the intelligence. It’s all there, we can prove it.” “I don’t doubt that Admiral,” Colton said, trying to think his way thru it all. “Let me see if I’m guessing right here. This Society was always background, pushing and prodding to get the results they wanted. Most likely that was financial, help their members get richer and their descandents be guaranteed to be rich. So they help form the US, that’s not a bad thing at all from where I’m standing, but were their motives pure? Probably not. But end result they get richer, we get the country. Good trade off. So I’m assuming their motives have gone completely downhill since then? That’s why the interest?” “Very good Colonel,” the President said. “I think we’ve picked the right man for the job. Yes, their motives have gone downhill quickly. They’re no longer content to be behind the shadows. More in more in recent years they’ve been taking a more active hand in things. I know you keep yourself in the loop. I’m sure you’ve heard the term, Ultra Terrorist?” “I hate that term,” Ryan muttered. “Yes sir,” Colton said trying to remember the few times he had seen it mentioned in the reports he wasn’t supposed to be seeing to begin with, but that didn’t seem to bother the President. “It relates to these new groups that have been popping up the last couple years. Not religious or political fanatics like most organizations. They’re better equipped, more hi-tech. Mostly mysteries as their movements and actions are all over the map.” “Right,” Ryan said. “We’ve found that the Society is behind some if not all of these new organizations. Notably this one that is calling itself Cobra.” “Snake motif, nice,” Colton said looking at the picture of the insignia. “But why?” “We don’t know and we don’t care,” the President said. “Obviously we care to an extent but I’m more concerned about the damage these people are doing. The normal branches aren’t equipped or trained to deal with these new threats. That’s where you come in.” Now Colton could see all the pieces lining up. Why he had been brought here, and why him specifically compared to dozens of other potential candidates. It had been his adventuring time, his varied background, that was probably what had pushed him to the top. “What do you need me to do sir?” Colton asked. There was no hesitation. Not a thought to say no. His country needed him and if there was one thing Joseph Colton was, it was a patriot. “We need you to head up a special unit. Taskforce Omega, the Joint Operations Element. This unit, and you can have any member of any of the branches that you want, will be tasked with dealing with any of these Ultra-Terrorist threats. But it’s not as easy as it sounds Joe,” the President said, there was a note of sadness and regret in his voice. “What do you mean?” Colton asked. He looked at the other men in the room and they all shared the same expression as the President, a sadness and regret. The President turned back to the window. “Outside of this office, no one can be trusted. The Society has been in the government for years. We have no idea who is a member, who they have in their pocket, or even who they are. The only men I trust completely are in this room.” Colton paused and took stock. It was a lot to take in. But he’d dealt with the weird and strange before, this shouldn’t be that hard. Right? “If they’re as deep in the government as you say, not that I’m doubting you sir, but wouldn’t they put a stop to the formation of this unit as soon as it’s started? Cut off the funding?” “Yes they would,” the President said, not turning. Colton could tell that he wasn’t happy and that dealing with a conspiracy of this size was taking it’s toll on him. “But they won’t know. No one outside of these walls will know of Taskforce Omega’s existence.” “If Congress doesn’t know about the unit, then how will I receive funding?” Colton asked. Already he was thinking of men he trusted with his life, men he knew he would have to get on board if he was to make this work. “And what about oversight?” “No oversight,” Ryan said. “You’re on your own. Completely and totally. You decide the missions. You recruit the personal. But I think you can guess the negative of all that.” “No oversight, no knowledge,” Colton said still working things out in his head. “That means if caught or killed, there’s no accountability or connection to this Office.” “Is that a problem Colonel,” The President asked turning back to look at Colton. “No sir,” Colton replied. “But there is still the matter of budget..” “That’s all set, for the most part,” Dyson said. “You really think the Navy needs all those $1000 dollar hammers? It’ll help and it’ll keep you afloat, but for the most part, you’re going to have to make do on your own. I’m sure you’ll think of something.” “..and personal,” Colton finished. “If the unit is off the books, I can’t recruit from the existing servicemen.” “Yes you can,” the President said and Colton could see the strain the man was under, how much he didn’t want to have to do it this way. “Any man you want, you will have, we’ll see to that. The only thing is, for them to be part of the J.O.E. unit, they have to die.”
__________________
Join the New England G.I. Joe Collector's Group: Battleforce New England Join the March of Cobra. Read the epic adventure on Kindle Worlds and visit the page to learn more. https://www.facebook.com/marchofcobra/ |
12-08-2009, 12:10 AM | #24 |
#voteblackjack
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Northwood, NH
Posts: 35,747
|
The following episode is a continuation of the above Formation episode. I could have continued it but I liked the way the first part ends and this starts up shortly after, when some of the dust has settled.
__________________
Join the New England G.I. Joe Collector's Group: Battleforce New England Join the March of Cobra. Read the epic adventure on Kindle Worlds and visit the page to learn more. https://www.facebook.com/marchofcobra/ |
12-08-2009, 12:11 AM | #25 |
#voteblackjack
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Northwood, NH
Posts: 35,747
|
Formation Part 2
The White House Inside the Oval Office Time/Date: Classified Colton was alone with the President. The others had left, even Hollingsworth. The President sat across from Colton on one of the couchs, a glass of whiskey in his hand. Colton had politely declined a drink. “It’s a lot digest sir,” Colton said. “I know,” the President said. None of the weariness and regret had left, if anything it seemed like it had deepened. “I’m sorry to just dump it all on you at once.” “Why me?” “Many reasons. Your military record. Your accomplishments inside and outside of the military. And I believe I can trust you. There isn’t many I can say that about anymore.” “How deep,” Colton began. “How deep is the government compromised?” The President leaned back in the couch and took a sip of whiskey. He looked up at the ceiling and thought a minute. “Honestly, I have no idea. I know it’s pretty deep, but to what level and who, that I’m not sure of. I know a couple of names, and before you leave tonight you’ll know them to.” “There’s a couple people I want to bring in,” Colton said grabbing a pen and paper and writing down five names. “It’s your unit, Joe, it’s your team. Just be sure you can trust them,” The President said reading the list. “Your wife?” “She’s a physicist sir, pretty damn good one to,” Colton said proudly. “And if I’m to die, well she’s coming with me. I won’t put her through that. We have no kids.” “I understand,” The President said leaning forward once more. “I’m sorry Joe, I don’t know any other way to do this.” “Don’t be sorry sir,” Colton said smiling. “I’ve lived awhile and had a lot of adventures. This’ll just be a new one. I just find it so hard to swallow that this Society has existed unnoticed for so long.” “That’s something I hope you can end up finding out for us,” the President said tearing up the piece of paper with the names on it. “One question, if I may sir,” Colton said hesitantly. “Of course.” “What happens when your 2nd term is up?” Colton asked. “Will the new President be told of the unit?” “Put it this way Joe,” the President said with a slight smirk. “What the new President knows is entirely up to you and the others. But let me put it this way, if the Vice President wins and you tell him, you’re screwed.” Colton looked up at the President to see if he was joking. Sadly, he was not. “You mean, the Vice President is…?” “I told you I knew some names. That’s one of them.” Colton shook his head, now understanding the extent of the task in front of him. The President got up and walked over to his desk, taking a folder out of the drawer. He walked back to Colton and handed him the folder. “It’s not all bad Joe. I do have some gifts for you.” Colton opened the folder. It contained a computer disk, what looked like blueprints and some photos. One of the photos was of a young man, black hair, slightly European features. The rest of the photos were of the same thing. “That used to be Alessandro Verdi. One of the best communications and encryption analysts the Army produced,” the president said pointing to the picture of the young man. “Used to be?” “Have to die Joe,” the President said, the tone of sadness back. “Alex Verdi was killed by an IED last week in Afghanistan. The man in the picture is named Sparks and he’s going to be your best friend for the rest of your life.” Colton looked at the President for a moment and decided to table the thought. If the President trusted this Verdi, Sparks, kids enough to be the first member of the J.O.E. unit, that was good enough for Colton. At least for now. The kid didn’t know what a grilling was until he went thru one of mine, Colton thought. He took the other photos and spread them on the table. The pictures were low res satellite photos of what looked like a small base in the middle of the desert, surrounded by low hills on three sides. A chain link fence surrounded three Quonset huts, with one gate and the guardhouse. “And this?,” Colton asked. The President smiled, the first true smile he had given since Colton had arrived. “That is my third present for you. Sparks was the first, the list of names on that disk are the second, and this is the third. That is going to be your new home.”
__________________
Join the New England G.I. Joe Collector's Group: Battleforce New England Join the March of Cobra. Read the epic adventure on Kindle Worlds and visit the page to learn more. https://www.facebook.com/marchofcobra/ |
12-08-2009, 03:24 AM | #26 |
W.O.R.M.S. Commander
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Back in the US of A! (NoVA)
Posts: 10,649
|
Nice Troy. What can I say. I wish the new Joe Series started out this way, but I guess that is what origins is for. Truly iimpressive.
I'm loving the formation stuff. Can't wait to see how he goes about recruiting everyone else. I guess he needs to pick his commanders and let them pick their teams. What is the timeline from the formation to say the Hit and run mission? Is Austin going to be in the mix or Keel-Haul, Courage, or Flagg the 3rd? Gen Rey? No don't tell me I'd rather be surprised. Can't wait to see who else he picks for his 5. You outpacing DH on his storyline? It's funny how I guess you don't like Ultra-Terrorists but you made it fit in flawlessly. |
12-08-2009, 04:42 AM | #27 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,294
|
Love what you're doing Troy. Liking Joker already.
|
12-08-2009, 05:50 PM | #28 |
#voteblackjack
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Northwood, NH
Posts: 35,747
|
The thing with the Formation episodes is that I screwed up. I had a mental list of scenes that I wanted to incorporate in the episodes.
So I got to the end of the first part and liked the way it ended. Then I realized.. crap, I left out some of the stuff I wanted to make sure I had in there.. so wrote the 2nd part... Then went to bed last night and realized I had left out an important part, which is where I screwed up, so that caused me to realize I had to add another part. But then during the day I modified how I wanted that one to work. So now I know what I have to do in order to fix it and to add some to the overall story. What's funny is that I had all these points I wanted to make sure got into the episode and Sparks was not one of them. That just popped out as I was writing it. Now I've hit all the parts of the Formation story I wanted to and added a bit to the overall with the following episode:
__________________
Join the New England G.I. Joe Collector's Group: Battleforce New England Join the March of Cobra. Read the epic adventure on Kindle Worlds and visit the page to learn more. https://www.facebook.com/marchofcobra/ |
12-08-2009, 06:53 PM | #29 |
#voteblackjack
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Northwood, NH
Posts: 35,747
|
The General
The home of Colonel Joseph Colton Time/Date: Classified Colton looked at himself in the full length mirror in his bedroom. He was wearing his dress uniform with shiny new stars on the shoulder. He had always wondered what it would be like to have those stars on his shoulders, but this wasn’t how he had imagined it. To be put in charge of a new unit, to be given carte blanche, to be promoted to General, but to have to die and lead a unit of dead men. No, it wasn’t how he had envisioned it. “I have one last gift for you Colonel, or should I say General.” The Presidents last gift, when Colton had left the Oval Office weeks ago to start his new unit. Promoted to 2-Star General. But to have it granted to him when he was dead. He knew why he had agreed to take command of the new unit, Taskforce Omega, and he had agreed to become General Colton because it made sense. But it wasn’t how he had thought it would be, how he had wanted it to be. He had always been proud when he wore the uniform. Jane had said that you could see how proud he was just from the way he carried himself in it. Now? He was still proud of the uniform, proud of his role in the defense of the country and the world. But the uniform didn’t seem to wear as proudly as it had before. The stars weren’t earned. They were given. “Joe, he’s here,” Jane said from downstairs. Colton took one last look in the mirror and forced himself to straighten up, to be a man worthy of the uniform. Time to start earning those stars. The PIT, General’s Conference Room Time/Date: Classified The room had no exterior windows, buildings underground didn’t need them. That was one thing he’d change, Colton thought, even if you looked at nothing but stone walls, it was still something to look at. The door closed as the last man walked in and took his seat. Colton leaned forward, the light reflecting off the three stars on his shoulder. “Gentlemen and Lady,” Colton said. “Let’s begin.” Colonel Lawerence Flagg, Agent Thomas Clancy, Henry Jones, Jane Colton, Major Jericho and the man now called Sparks all opened the folders in front of them and turned their attention to General Colton. The PIT, General’s Conference Room Time/Date: Classified Colton stood up as the last of the men entered the room. He was facing out the window looking at the new construction going on. Major excavation of the cave was taking place. The PIT was enlarging. Colton heard the door close and turned his attention to the people in the room, he didn’t take his seat. Four stars were on his shoulder. Brainstorm, formerly know as Ward Michaelmas took his seat. Next to him was Jane Colton. Colonel Jericho, Sparks made up the rest of that side of the table. Across from them were General Flagg, Agent Clancy, Agent Cullen Esterhazy and Colonel Abernathy. “Directors, I’d like to start with Operation: Sting,” General Flagg said. The PIT, General’s Conference Room Time/Date: NOW Colton sat in his chair at the head of the table. Noticably grayer and more worn then the day he had started this assignment, but stronger as well. The men that had been with him from the start noticed a change in him, it had started not that long ago and gradually grown. It was almost as if he had filled out the uniform he wore. The ones closest to him would say that Colton finally felt deserving of the 5-stars on his shoulders. They had all thought him deserving from the start, it was only now that he himself was finally agreeing with them. Through the window behind him could be seen the bustle of the PIT, nicknamed “The City” because of it’s size. Three fairly large buildings could be seen thru the window and vehicles drove by in a steady stream. Men and women, all dressed in some form of military uniform, walked by the window. Around the table sat the men and woman of the Directorate, the commanding personal of Taskforce Omega. The people seated at the table had grown and changed through the years but the dedication of each of them had never. They all awaited the General to start. Colton looked at each of them in turn. Some had been with him from the beginning. Some had been more recent. But he was proud of each and every one of them and proud to serve and fight alongside them. General Flagg was reviewing a file with his second in command, General Abernathy. Colonel Jericho was writing some notes with his second, Surefire, beside him. Across the table Brainstorm was tinkering with a circuit board with his fellow R&D Head, Trakker sitting patiently beside him. Making up the last of the Directorate was Agent Clancy, head of Intelligence, and his second, Chameleon. “Gentlemen and Lady,” Colton said. “Let’s begin.”
__________________
Join the New England G.I. Joe Collector's Group: Battleforce New England Join the March of Cobra. Read the epic adventure on Kindle Worlds and visit the page to learn more. https://www.facebook.com/marchofcobra/ |
12-09-2009, 12:55 AM | #30 |
#voteblackjack
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Northwood, NH
Posts: 35,747
|
What the hell was he doing?
Standing out in the middle of no where, empty stretch of road in both directions, desert all around for as far as the eye could see, and just him next to a mile marker. What was he doing? This was a strange place to wait for a pick-up to his new assignment. Of course any assignment that made you “die” to get into it had to be strange to begin with. Strange perfectly described the last week of his life. He had just returned from an op in Iran, where he sure as hell wasn’t supposed to be. It had been a successful operation, the hostage had been rescued but it hadn’t been like any other operation. The people holding the guy hostage, had been a lot tougher and better geared then he had expected. Cobra they were called, that’s what he found out when he had returned to base and gotten debriefed. They had landed at Bragg, had gone to barracks and were relaxing, him and the rest of his 6-man unit, when one of the Company’s sargeants said the Brass wanted him for debriefing immediately. So he went, with the others giving him a hard time about how they got to sleep, watch tv and all that good stuff he was missing out on. He had followed the sergeant to the command center and down some halls and into a debriefing room. He walked inside and saw a table, couple chairs and two men waiting for him. The sergeant beat a hasty retreat out the door. One of the men was definitely a Spook, been on as many black ops as he had you learned to tell ‘em from a mile away, dressed in a pair of khakis, white shirt and brown leather jacket. The other wore a pair of camo pants, in a pattern he didn’t recognize with an olive green t-shirt under his jacket that matched the pants. Not a spook, but definitely an operator. He didn’t recognize either of them. “Corporal Graves,” the military man said. “Please take a seat, we’ll make this quick.” The man wore no unit insignia or indication of rank but Robert knew this was a man that was used to having his orders followed. “Yes sir,” he said sitting. “My name is Duke,” the military man said taking a seat across from Robert. The Spook just kept standing. “The man behind me is named Agent Clancy, and no he’s not with the CIA,” Duke said smiling. “He just looks it. He’s in the same unit I am.” “Which unit is that sir,” Robert asked. “All in good time Corporal,” Agent Clancy said. “First we’d like to talk about the last operation you were on.” And they had, for hours. Longest debriefing that Graves had ever been involved in. But they hadn’t asked him the normal questions, nothing about operational procedure or anything like that. Their questions had revolved around stuff that was a little odd. ‘Had the terrorists been wearing any special uniforms or carrying any special identification’ had been one of the oddest. It was a couple of days later that he even realized they had never told him what unit they were with or who they represented. The debriefing had been concluded and Graves had gone back to barracks. He hadn’t thought to question it, he was a Grunt and always would be. His was to follow orders and do the best damn job he could, and he knew he was good at that job. Which is why it had struck him odd that after the debriefing he remained at base even though the rest of his unit had shipped out back to the Middle East. It was a couple days later when he found out why. The man named Duke had returned. And he had brought a new assignment for Graves. But this wasn’t like any other assignment that Graves had been given. He wasn’t being ordered to go on this one, even though both men knew that he could have been. No, Graves was being asked to volunteer for this assignment. When Duke had told him the reason why, he had almost got up and left, but something about it made him stay and start asking questions. Something he had never really done before. So the man named Duke, and Graves discovered that it was a name and callsign all in one, told Graves about the organization called Cobra and the threat they posed as well as other organizations with names just as strange, the Coil and Iron Grenadiers, and some secret society called the Society of the Coiled Serpant. “What’s with the snakes?,” Graves had asked. “That’s the question they all ask,” Duke had answered. “You’ll find out when you get your security clearance. What I’m telling you now is just the basics.” “There’s more,” Graves was astonished. From what little Duke had told him, he was realizing that there was more to the world then he had thought and a whole other battle out there to be fought. “Lots more.” And that’s when Robert W. Graves starting dying and the soldier named Grunt was born. “Why Grunt,” Duke asked as he was getting ready to leave. “That’s the nickname I have around here,” Graves answered. “I’m just a grunt. I follow orders. Point me where to go and tell me what to do.” And now Grunt found himself in the middle of the desert next to a mile marker. The helicopter, blacked out, had dropped him off and then disappeared. Duke had been on the helicopter and for some reason Grunt trusted that man with his life. Duke had said it was okay and that a ride would be around to pick him up shortly and that he couldn’t go to base with Grunt as he had to be on a jet to Ireland in a couple of hours. Alone Grunt waited. It was night, dark, and starting to cool. He wasn’t even sure where he was, Nevada he thought. He leaned his duffel up against the mile marker and for the hundredth time wondered what he had gotten himself mixed up in. He had always tried to avoid the Spook crap, but it always seemed to find him and now he found himself in what seemed to be the biggest Spook crap of all. He’d been there for ten minutes when he saw headlights in the distance. They were coming his way. High off the ground, loud engine. A semi he figured. Then he noticed another set behind the first. A couple of trucks then. The trucks came closer, the lights getting brighter. Grunt squinted as the bright lights drove away his night vision. Was that a light blinking off in the distance? The first truck stopped right in front of him, the other one stopped behind that. Both trucks just sat there like they were waiting. Was this his ride? It was too dark and with his night vision gone he couldn’t make out any markings on the truck or the trailer. The passenger door opened and the person in the cab was not what Grunt was expecting. A blond girl in a cowboy hat pushed the door open and leaned over. “Y’all Grunt,” she asked in a friendly tone. “uhm..,” he started to say when she laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes. Hop on in.” Grunt stood there for a minute, unsure what to do. “Come on, hurry up,” the woman said. “Oh wait, you probably want the codeword. What did they say it was again.. oh yeah, simon.” That was the right word, the one Duke had told him just before he got off the helicopter. He had asked if he needed one to identify himself and Duke had just simply said ‘no, no need’. Shrugging Grunt climbed up into the cab. Most of the lights were out, the dashboard turned pretty low but enough for Grunt to make out the woman driving the cab. She was slender, jeans, rolled up sleeves on her shirt and a vest. She wore a black cowboy hat and had her blond hair down. She saw him looking at her. “Honda Lou’s the name,” she said reaching for the CB. “I’m your ride to your new home.” She switched the channel on the CB and said “HP, HL, all secure.” There was no answer. Grunt hadn’t been wrong, he had seen a light blinking on and off in the distance when Honda Lou’s truck had pulled up in front of him. 300 yards away was a man with a high powered sniper rifle that had been pointed at Grunt the whole time from when he had gotten off the helicopter and into Honda Lou’s truck. The blinking that Grunt had seen had been the man behind the rifle flashing a light quickly. It had been the signal to Honda Lou that Grunt had been alone. If there had been no light, she would have kept driving and the man would have put a bullet thru Grunt. “HP, HL, all secure” came over his ear piece. He back crawled down the small hill and started taking his rifle apart. Thumbing his throat mike on, he said “Hollowpoint to base, she’s coming home.” He reached down to the pile of equipment on the ground and put a red baseball hat on. Equipment all packed up he started jogging off into the night. In the truck Grunt was still a little shellshocked. The cute blond, and she was cute, switched the CB to another channel as she put the truck into gear. “Freight, start her up,” she said. “We got a hungry army looking for this.” “Right behind you Lou,” a deep voice returned thru the speaker. She changed the channel again and said “Honda Lou to base, got the extra package. Heading home.” “Y’all must be a little freaked right bout now, huh?,” she asked moving off down the road. “A bit,” Grunt replied. “This is not what I was expecting.” “Oh it gets better,” she said smiling and gave him a wink. “Rangers right?” “Yes,” he said and looked her over. Fit and slender, nice body. “I’m assuming you’re some kind of military?” “Me,” she said looking in the mirror to make sure the other truck was behind her. “Oh no. Daddy was as left as they come, wouldn’t have stood for his little girl joining the army. So I became a Marshal instead. Tweaked his nose a bit that did.” “U.S. Marshal? But what are you doing driving a truck in the middle of the night?” “And picking up strange Rangers on the side of the road?,” she laughed. She had an easy going manner and an infectious laugh. Grunt liked her already. “That’s easy Sugar, I’m delivering.” “Delivering what and where?” “You don’t have the clearance for the what yet,” she said smiling at him again. “As for the where, why it’s your new home.” “And where is that?” “Just you watch.” And with that she took a quick left off the road. “What the hell??” “Just you wait,” she said still laughing. They rode in relative silence for about another two to three miles. Grunt could make out some structures coming up rapidly. As they got closer he made out a couple of Quonset huts surrounded by what looked to be chain link fencing with a guard post directly ahead. This was his new home? There was no activity, it didn’t even look lived in. “Here we are,” Honda Lou said pulling to a stop about 50’ in front of the gate. She reached for the CB again and said “Base, Honda Lou, open ‘er up.” Grunt heard a low rumble and watched the far end of the ground in front of him, closest to the gate, start to sink. It got lower and revealed what looked to be a cave deeper into the ground. Some lights could be seen coming on, starting at the further end. A couple of smaller, faster moving lights were coming towards them. The ground stopped sinking and he saw a ramp into the ground. “Neat huh,” Honda Lou asked. Grunt couldn’t speak. He watched what looked like four of those new trikes, the ones with the two wheels in front and one in the back, drive by him with soldiers on them. They towed what looked like those mesh things that were used to smooth out baseball fields. Behind the trikes came two FAVs with three soldiers in each, driver, passenger and gunner. One of the gunners waved to Honda Lou as they moved past. Honda Lou put the truck into gear and drove forward into the ground. “Is it too late to change my mind,” Grunt asked. “Sugar, it was too late the first time you met Duke.” The tunnel wasn’t long, but Grunt noticed that it still sloped down even after they were off the ramp. Once the second truck was thru the lights shut off but the ramp remained open. They continued down the tunnel. “The ramp will close up once the guys outside are finished clearing away our tracks. The lights go off so no one watching from up high can see the hole,” Honda Lou supplied to Grunts unspoken question. The trucks headlights guided them down a long and fairly narrow tunnel. Because of the darkness Grunt couldn’t find any markers along the way to try and figure out how far they were traveling. He could make out what looked like a bend in the tunnel coming up, lights could be seen around the bend. “If y’all thought everything else you’d seen tonight was strange just you hold on,” Honda Lou said. “I love this part.” The truck took the corner, which wasn’t as sharp as Grunt had thought, and Honda Lou shut off the trucks’ lights. “Welcome to your new home.” What have I gotten myself into, Grunt thought to himself again, as the truck turned the corner and he saw what was a very large cavern. But what was in the cavern was what surprised him. He saw roads and buildings and what looked to be a fairly large amount of soldiers moving about. “Welcome to the PIT.”
__________________
Join the New England G.I. Joe Collector's Group: Battleforce New England Join the March of Cobra. Read the epic adventure on Kindle Worlds and visit the page to learn more. https://www.facebook.com/marchofcobra/ |
Thread Tools | |
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Dioramas End of Days: My Joe Verse | Keenan | G.I. Joe Customs Finished Projects | 166 | 08-29-2012 07:14 PM |
Who's the Jar-Jar Binks of the JOE-VERSE? | MLos1 | G.I. Joe General Discussion | 134 | 01-06-2010 07:00 PM |
A Gritty Joe-Verse | Baron Samedi | G.I. Joe General Discussion | 36 | 12-13-2009 03:54 AM |
My RoC-verse Flint | vidmouse | G.I. Joe Customs Finished Projects | 5 | 10-17-2009 06:29 AM |
Sgt. Holland v2 (from my 3060 verse) | Wyld2304 | G.I. Joe Customs Finished Projects | 19 | 09-14-2009 05:03 PM |
|
|
Recent Off Topic Threads |
Hisstank Late Night thread... |
What song are you listening to? |
Star Wars 3 3/4 discussion thread |
JazWares 18th Halo |
4" Fortnite from Jazwares |