Beachhead stood in a precarious situation. Python COMBATs, TARGATs, and other troops stood around him, Low Light, Sgt. Slaughter, and the rookie, Alec. Beachhead quickly scanned the room for possible ways out, but found nothing. The lead Cobra trooper walked forward. Beachhead knew who he was, and he hated him. Copperhead. A sniveling coward of a man who was only placed in command of the Python Patrol because of his past failures.

“Well, well, well, lookie’ here. We have some GI Jokes. Having fun?” Copperhead asked.

”I’d have a whole lot more fun if my hands were around your throat,” Sgt. Slaughter replied and lunged towards Copperhead, only to be wrestled to the ground by a half dozen Python COMBATs. Copperhead walked forward and briskly kicked Slaughter in the face.

“Tisk, tisk. Who do you think you are?” he taunted. “Boys, take them to away,” he added.

The Python Patrol troops led the Joes out of the room, down a corridor, and out a backdoor. Inside the alleyway stood two Cobra Rage vehicles and two black humvees with fifty-caliber machine guns mounted on them.

* * *

GI Joe Headquarters

Lieutenant Falcon led the blindfolded young woman down the hallway and into a small room. Once in the room, he removed the blindfold from her eyes and set it on a table. Felicia Gordon looked around in dismay at the small, cramped quarters he had led her to.

“A little small, isn’t it?” she said, disapproving.

“We make by with what we have, Ms. Gordon,” Falcon said.

“Yeah, but that’s because you’re soldiers. You’re supposed to live in these kinds of…dumps. I’m not. Don’t you think that you could at the very least put me in say, a VIP room?” she asked.

“This is a military base, not a grand hotel. There’s no such thing as a VIP room here, ma’am,” Falcon replied.

“Stop calling me ma’am, it’s irritating. I told you in the warehouse to call me Felicia,” she corrected.

“My sincerest apologizes,” Falcon responded smoothly.

“You know,” Felicia began. “Since I’m in your base and all, don’t you think you could be a nice host and give a poor little girl like me a tour?”

“I suppose. No cameras. That’s gotten me in trouble before,” Falcon answered.

“What stops me, after I leave, from telling the public about this place?” she asked, walking closer to Falcon.

“You signed a contract when you entered the door, remember?” he said.

”Yeah, what about it? You guys didn’t give me any chance to read it. I think I want my attorney,” she said.

“It says, very clearly, that if you reveal the location of this base, the existence of the GI Joe team, or any other critical, classified information to anyone, that--“ he started, but was interrupted by Felicia.

“That you’ll do what to me? Sue me?” she questioned playfully.

“Legal action would be the worst of your concerns, Felicia. Try more along the lines of disappearing forever,” Falcon replied.

Felicia frowned. “That’s not very fun.”

”This is the military. We’re not about fun, we’re about saving America,” Falcon started, heading for the door. “This way, if you want you’re ‘tour.’”

Felicia and Falcon stepped into the corridor and Falcon made sure she walked in front of him; always making sure she didn’t touch or take anything. They walked down the hallway and continued through multiple hallways until they came to a large room. There were four or five game tables set up in the room and multiple other things for the troops to use. This was the recreation room. Five GI Joe soldiers rested and relaxed in the room as Falcon and Felicia made their entrance.

“Hot damn, LT. Who’s the foxy girl?” Tunnel Rat called out from a card table; sitting opposite to him was CBDC Lieutenant Jason Chance, codename: Repeater.

Falcon smirked a little and Felicia blushed. “This is--“ the Lieutenant began but was cut-off by Felicia.

“Boys, I’m Felicia Gordon,” she said. “This is my shadow,” she continued, holding her arms out in an introduction manner to ‘present’ Lt. Falcon to his fellow troops. “Government escort sucks,” she let out.

“Nice work, Falcon,” Tunnel Rat further commended. “Ms. Gordon, you wouldn’t happen to have a twin, now would ‘ya?”

“Stow it, Tunnel Rat,” Chance ordered. “Ma’am, I’m sorry for my fellow…soldier’s personality.”

“It’s okay, I’m kind of used it,” she said.

“So, Felicia, as I was about to say when we entered. This is the recreation room. Our only place in the whole world to kick back and relax,” Falcon said, directing her to the exit.

“Come on, LT. Where ‘ya taking her? It was gettin' good,” Tunnel Rat began.

“I said, shove it, TR,” Chance said, raising his voice.

“Come on, Chance. Just because you don’t want any of her, doesn’t mean you have to spoil my fun,” Tunnel Rat replied as Falcon and Felicia left through the door.

”Your fun? Look at her finger, man. She’s hitched,” Chance informed.

“You’re kidding me.”

“Like hell. I don’t know anything about her, but why would any normal, single girl wear a stone that big? Sorry to burst your bubble, TR,” Chance responded.

“I’ll be right back,” Tunnel Rat said and stood up from the card table.

“You can’t leave me now! I got four kings!” Chance yelled as Tunnel Rat ran out the door after Felicia and Falcon.

“And as I was saying, Felicia--“ Falcon said, once again interrupted, this time by Tunnel Rat.

“Excuse me, ma’am. But my buddy and me back there we talking it over and he say’s you’ve tied the knot already. That true?” Tunnel Rat inquired anxiously.

“No,” Felicia said waving her ring finger, showing a large diamond ring. “Daddy bought it for me for my twenty-first birthday,” she added.

“Thank the Maker,” Tunnel Rat said. He began to bend down in an attempt to kiss Felicia on the hand, but was slyly tripped by Falcon and fell flat on his face.

“A little off-target there, huh, TR?” Falcon joked and walked off, swiftly, with Felicia in tow.

Chance appeared behind Tunnel Rat, laughing. “Real smooth, Tunnel Rat. Real smooth. How’d you manage to be that off-key?” he said, still laughing.

”Off-key, my ass. He tripped me,” Tunnel Rat muttered.

“Get over it. He didn’t trip you. You fell on your face like the oaf you are. Now come back in there so I can whip that ass of yours in poker,” he said.