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Unsung Heroes: Mission Two	By : RavenLadies Category: +G through L > G.I. Joe Views: 1326 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the cartoon(s) that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter Ten

“Anything from Scarlett yet?” Duke leaned over the console as he spoke, his blue eyes on the man seated in front of him.

“Nothing so far,” Dial Tone replied. “I haven't been able to raise her on the horn either.”

The big blonde's frown deepened as he turned to regard the communication room's only other occupant. “What about you, Main Frame? Anything on the G.P.S.?”

“Nada,” Main Frame replied. “There's something interfering with the signal.”

“Do ya think somethings happened?” Dial Tone asked.

“They should be on their way back,” Duke responded.

“Maybe they're having communication problems,” Main Frame offered up.

“Maybe...” the big blonde said with a sigh. “Keep trying,” he said to the other two men. “Let me know as soon as you hear anything.”

“And if we don't?” Dial Tone asked.

Duke's blue gaze turned back to the communications specialist. “Put a chopper on stand-by just in case. There's a possibility that they might have found something, so I'll give them a bit more time.” Straightening up, the big blonde turned and left the room, the other two Joes watching as he did so.

# # #

Scarlett glanced momentarily at Strong and then over at Gung Ho before returning to the task at hand. As she sifted through the files, Scarlett couldn't help but shake her head at some of the things that she found. Detailed notes on animal experimentation and as she dug further, human experimentation. As she flipped through a file detailing an experiment done on a sampling of leeches, the red-head grimaced in distaste and not for the first time either. Apparently Umbrella Corporation and it's employees had no ethics when it came to their work. No wonder Cobra hooked up with them, Scarlett thought to herself as she closed the file, resisting the urge to wipe her hands on her pants.

Strong was still sorting through files, tilting her head to the side slightly when she found a label that caught her eye. "Trojan...Horse project?" she murmured, pulling the file out and beginning to flip through it. It only took a page or two before her eyes widened. "H-hey, Scarlett?"

Scarlett looked up and over at the young woman. “Did you find something, Sergent?”

"I think I may have." Strong said with a nod, walking toward Scarlett with the file in hand.

The flame-haired Joe closed the file that she had been looking at, her blue eyes on Strong as she approached her. His attention drawn towards to the two women, Gung Ho took a few steps away from the doorway, curious. Scarlett moved to meet the other woman half-way. “What is it?” she said, her eyes going to the file folder in Kenya's hand.

"Something on a project called Trojan Horse...some of this stuff..." Strong held the file out to Scarlett. "Take a look for yourself."

Her brows crooking slightly, Scarlett took the folder and flipped it open, her blue eyes scanning over the top sheet before browsing through some of the others behind it. “Whatcha got Scarlett?” Gung Ho asked, trying to read the red-head's face.

Scarlett left the Cajun's question unanswered as she paged through the folder, before she raised her gaze up to look at Kenya Strong. "Look at the third page. It's got all the specifics," Strong urged.

The page in question had a detailed report on something called the Trojan Horse parasite, everything from an estimated incubation period, to the chemical compounds necessary to activate it. There was also information regarding the progression of several patients, one of whom was former Second Lieutenant William R. Coen, USMC. A slight gasp escaped from Scarlett, her blue eyes wide as she looked back up from the page. “I'll be damned...”

“Scarlett?” Gung Ho asked, a concerned tone in his voice.

"Something like this musta been what Doc Chambers was looking for," Strong said.

“Exactly what's she's looking for,” the red-head said with a nod of her head. “Good work, Sergent,” she added, favoring the other woman with a small smile.

Strong couldn't quite muster the enthusiasm to smile back, but she gave a nod of acknowledgment. "Thank you, Ma'am," she replied quietly.

“Let's go find Lifeline and Doctor Chambers,” Scarlett said as she closed the file and handed it back to Kenya. “I'll let you do the honors, Sergent.”

Strong gave another small nod and took the file back, tucking it carefully under one arm. Settling her laser rifle in her hand again, Scarlett stepped past Gung Ho. “Let's move it out.”

# # #

The second operating room was as empty as the first, although there were signs of some kind of struggle having taken place. There were a few bodies, slumped in pools of dried blood, their sightless eyes staring at nothing, slack jaws open in frozen expressions of terror. Rebecca shivered and hurried through, keeping her gun trained on each body as they passed it, and when she opened the door to the last operating room, she barely had time to stifle a scream at the sight that greeted her.

The operating table was still occupied, and a lip-less grin greeted them. One clouded-over eye stared at them, still rolling lazily in its socket, trying to look for the door it could no longer see. A low, strangled groan escaped the body, its fingers twitching, hands struggling still to free themselves from the cuffs, deep furrows of flesh peeled away where it had fought while it still had strength. Nor was it alone.

Edwin's dark eyes widened as he saw the bodies beyond the door, his hand unconsciously going to Billy's gun. Staying close to Rebecca, he followed her lead as they edged around the corpses and into the room beyond. A deep intake of breath was Edwin's response as he saw the still moving body on the table, his hand going to cover his mouth as the thing turned in their direction, its mouth working while its fingers scrabbled on the stainless steel table. “Jesus Christ!” the words were nearly unintelligible, his palm pressed to his mouth.

Shocked by the thing on the table, Lifeline didn't immediately notice the other creatures until another low rattling sound snapped his attention away from the table and over to the side of the room. Another shambling figure was staggering toward them on shaky legs, hands outstretched as it shuffled. The rattling sound had been a medical cart, shoved aside when the zombie moved. There was another movement, off to the other side of the room, and Rebecca felt a whimper in her throat when she counted two more of the zombies. Oh god, she thought. No...

His head snapping from one side of the room to the other, Lifeline slipped off his med kit, once again intending to use it as a means of self defense against the creatures if necessary. Rebecca brought her gun up, glad they hadn't strayed far from the doorway, and shrieked when a hand clamped down on her wrist, yet another zombie making itself known, already leaning in to try and get a bite of Rebecca's neck. Struggling with the creature, which was much stronger than a walking corpse should have been, Rebecca couldn't help but be overcome by the stench of the zombie, a smell of death and decay she had hoped to never experience so up close and personal again. Panic, fear, and nausea all whirled in her head, each seeking dominance over the others. “Rebecca!” Edwin called out the young woman's name as he swung his kit at the zombie, the case impacting with the thing's head with a solid thump.

The zombie staggered, pulling Rebecca forward a few steps, and she cried out again, feet scrambling for a foothold as she tried to retreat desperately. Dimly, she was aware of the other zombies getting closer, and tried to twist her gun enough to be able to fire at one them. Lifeline swung out again, landing another solid blow to the creature's head, hearing a sickening crunch before he felt the scrambling of fingers on the back of his uniform. The zombie clinging to Rebecca let her go abruptly, and she scrambled to her feet, swinging around and bringing her gun to bear, aiming carefully and firing at the zombie trying to get a hold of Edwin. Rebecca's shot hit the zombie full in the face, splattering blood, skin and bone. It's scrabbling fingers were still working as it's body slid to the floor before finally stilling. Spinning on his heel, Edwin felt a sudden urge to retch as the sickening smell of putrefaction rose in the room. Wrenching his eyes away from the zombie's lifeless corpse, he reached to grab Rebecca, the path to the door clear for the moment. Rebecca met him halfway, already pushing him toward the open doorway, stumbling as another zombie managed to land a hand on her own medkit. She swung back with the butt of the gun, trying not to retch as the weapon tore rotting flesh from delicate bone, but the grip held firm.

# # #

“What the hell?” the echo of gunfire reached Scarlett and the others as they were making their way towards where they had left Rebecca and Lifeline. Immediately the flame-haired woman broke into a run, Gung Ho and Kenya Strong right behind her. Bursting through the swinging doors, Gung Ho's fired off a shot, the arc of laser fire blasting towards the zombie clinging to Rebecca's medkit. “Yo Joe!”

The shot severed the zombie's limb, and a few more moments of frantic flailing dislodged the decaying limb, and Rebecca darted forward for the doorway. Once she was through, Strong moved in to fire at the remaining zombies. As soon as the doorway was clear, Edwin all but dived into the next room as Gung Ho and Kenya rained shot upon shot on the creatures in the other room. “Lifeline! Doctor Chambers!” Scarlett hurried over to them. “Are you two alright?”

Rebecca hugged her arms around herself, trembling as she looked up at Scarlett and nodded. "T-thanks to you. . ."

Moving towards Rebecca, Edwin adjusted his hold on his medkit before slipping an arm around the young woman's shoulders as the sounds of gunfire in the next room slowed down. "T-thanks for the help..." she whispered softly once Edwin was close enough. "I owe you one."

“You don't owe me anything,” the medic said softly.

After a few moments, the sound of gunfire finally petered out. Minutes later, Strong and Gung Ho emerged from the other room, the two of them backing out slowly. “What's the situation?” Scarlett asked.

"Nothing's moving around in there anymore," Strong said softly. "Don't think they will be again anytime soon."

“You two alright?” the red-head asked Gung Ho and Kenya, her eyes flicking over the two as she spoke.

Edwin's dark gaze snapped over to the two at the sound of Scarlett's voice. Slipping his arm from Rebecca's shoulder, he started towards Strong and Gung Ho. “Grossed out like you wouldn't believe, but all in one piece.” was the big Cajun's reply.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Strong replied, holstering her pistol. In spite of her gruff tone, however, the sergeant was decidedly paler than normal.

Gung Ho wrinkled his nose as Lifeline joined them. “Damn, Lifeline, what're you wearing? Smells like eau du zombie.”

The medic made a slight face at the big Marine; the back of Edwin's uniform was splattered with remnants of the creature that Rebecca had shot. Rebecca managed a weak chuckle as she forced herself to her feet. "Sorry about that, Lifeline..."

“Better than the alternative,” Edwin said with a slight shudder.

“Enough chit chat, people,” Scarlett interjected. “All that gunfire is liable to bring more of those things if there are any more still around.”

"Right," Strong said, looking over at Rebecca and handing the file over. "When you've got a sec, Doc, look that over, huh?" Rebecca raised an eyebrow but nodded, tucking the file folder into a safe place in her medkit.

“Gung Ho,” Scarlett motioned towards the door with her head. “I'll take the point.” The bald man nodded. “The rest of you fall in.”

They all fell into line, and were on their way again, making their way back to the stairs, which led not only up to the floor they had just come from, but down another flight to the next sub-basement. After consulting with Rebecca for a few moments, Scarlett directed the team to head down. Cautiously, the group descended with Scarlett in the lead followed by Rebecca, Lifeline, Kenya Strong and finally Gung Ho.

# # #

The third floor was dark compared to the other two, the alarm they had been greeted with upon entering the installation nothing but a faint memory left behind them. Strong felt an unusually powerful moment of panic as they stopped at the foot of the stairs, those with flashlights bringing them out. Rebecca was frowning as she played the thin beam of light around. I wonder if this is where the outbreak started, she wondered. "Can someone check and see if there's another map by the stairwell?" She asked.

“I will,” Edwin volunteered before stepping away from the others, the beam of his flashlight playing across the pale wall of the stairwell. There was a faint intake of breath from the medic as the beam flashed over a large smear of blood on the wall. Almost immediately, Lifeline focused the light down towards the floor, mentally gearing himself for what he might find. Edwin let out a sigh of relief when there was no body, although there were several large dark stains marring the gray concrete.

As with the floor above, there was a map of that level hanging near the stairs. There weren't many rooms on this floor. Only a morgue, a conference room, another supply closet, and a rather large block of area marked "SPECIMEN STORAGE". A grim look on his face, the medic returned to the others and handed over the plastic enclosed sheet to Rebecca. She took it, trying to angle the flashlight and the map so that there was a minimum of glare. When she saw what their current floor contained, she broke into a fit of swearing that might have done Billy proud, if he had been standing there. Looking over the young woman's shoulder, Gung Ho frowned as he looked at the map. “I gotta bad feeling...” he mumbled as he saw the large block that had been marked off as specimen storage.

“You're not the only one,” Scarlett intoned, her lips thinned into a grim line as she glanced up at Rebecca. “What do you think they might have kept in there, Doctor?”

"Anything from regular zombies to the Cerberus series to a Tyrant," Rebecca said, shaking her head. "Not to mention anybody they hadn't gotten around to experimenting on yet."

Gung Ho swore softly, a mixture of English and Creole. “What's a Cerberus?” Lifeline asked, the medic having only encountered one of the dreaded Umbrella Tyrants before that day.

"Picture a Doberman Pinscher, turn its skin inside out, take decomposition into account, and you'll have a pretty good mental image," Strong muttered.

Rebecca smiled weakly. "Vivid, but very apt."

“Ugh,” Edwin grimaced, just the description alone making him feel a bit nauseous.

“What do you think the odds are that there is likely to be anything like that down here?” Scarlett asked Rebecca.

"Since we're underground, I don't think the Cerberus are too likely. They would be here already, if they were, I'd think. They scent fresh blood pretty quick."

“Guess we should be thankful for small miracles,” Gung Ho mumbled.

Scarlett raised her gloved hand, forestalling any further comments. “We know there are zombies already. A Tyrant though...” She sighed and shook her head, her expression growing more grim. Scarlett had encountered one of the almost super-human killing machines before, and bore the scars to prove it. Ever since that fateful meeting, the red-head had hoped that she would never have to see one again.

"The likelihood of finding one of those here isn't very likely either," Rebecca said. "Or at least, that's what I'm hoping...Two of those things...or even the same one twice..." She said nothing more, shivering.

“We don't have much choice,” Scarlett said after a few moments. “We have to keep moving, until we can find an exit.” The blue-eyed woman looked at each of those gathered around her in turn before she spoke again. “I want everyone to check their ammo before we go in.”

Strong and Rebecca nodded immediately, the two facing one another to share the beam of Strong's flashlight while they checked their guns and ammunition. Lifeline provided the light for his fellow Joes as they too checked their weapons, the medic of course not needing to check the Magnum at his hip since it had not been drawn during their trek. As Rebecca and Strong were looking their weapons over, Kenya glanced up at the other woman and spoke, very softly. "Can I...ask you a question, Doc?"

Rebecca nodded. "Go ahead."

"Hopper...d'you think...I mean...was there anything we could have done?"

Rebecca felt her heart clench and she was silent for a few moments before she replied. "No, Kenya, I don't think so. He was very likely...beyond help before he was taken away."

Strong considered that for several moments more, before giving a little nod. "...Okay."

After seeing to her laser rifle, Scarlett took stock of the quiver on her back before adjusting the small crossbow that was hanging from her hip. Satisfied, she then glanced at the others to see how they were coming along. “Ready?” she asked after a few moments. Gung Ho nodded as he adjusted his grip on his laser rifle, as did Lifeline.

"Yeah," Strong said, speaking up a little more clearly as she and Rebecca straightened, and Strong passed Rebecca's rifle back to her. "We're good."

Scarlett nodded. “Fan out. Anything comes out once that door opens, start shooting and head back upstairs. Got it?”

A chorus of nods was her response. “Lifeline, get behind Strong and Doctor Chambers,” the flame haired woman commanded before turning her attention to the automatic door.

Rebecca stepped aside slightly to allow Edwin to get behind them, and she exhaled a soft breath, steeling herself. Strong gave Lifeline a nod as he passed, before she turned her full attention forward again. Scarlett glanced back to make sure that everyone was in position before using the butt of her rifle to tap the opening button on the door, the red-head jumping back and raising her rifle as soon as she heard the mechanism engage.

The scene they were greeted with was one eerily reminiscent of a George Romero movie. The hallways were barren, the lights dark here as well, although one flickered occasionally in the distance. The acoustics made it difficult to figure out where any of the sounds were actually originating from. The group held their places, their weapons up and trained on the opened doorway for several long minutes, but nothing emerged from the space beyond. With a wave of her gloved hand, Scarlett signaled the others to move forward. They did so cautiously, ears trained on the soft moans that could be heard in the hallway, and the sounds of several shuffling feet. As they eased down one hallway, a woman's shriek echoed through the hallway, nearly startling Rebecca out of her skin, and making Strong shiver. "Holy shit...somebody's still alive down here?"

“We don't know that for sure,” Scarlett said.

"We should check," Strong said quietly. "If they're okay...we gotta help 'em out."

Lifeline nodded,”If there is still somebody down here, we can't just leave them.” The medic looked to Rebecca, sure that she would back him up.

Rebecca nodded firmly. "Nobody deserves to die like that."

“C'mon Scarlett...” Gung Ho chimed in.

“Alright,” the red-head agreed.

They followed the sound, although it was difficult in the building. The wordless screams became pleas as they grew closer, a woman's voice shouting. "Somebody help me please! Let me out of here!" The woman was clearly shouting as loud as she could. Rebecca couldn't help but reflect she sounded remarkably well, all things considered. As they turned a corner, however, they saw at least part of the reason for the screaming. The hallway was packed with zombies, all of them trying to get into the specimen storage area.

“Good God!” the words left Edwin's lips before he realized that he had spoken.

"Oh shit..." Strong whispered.

"Oh god, I knew I should have brought a flame thrower..."

Gung Ho raised his eyebrow at Rebecca, a bit surprised.

“How the hell are we supposed to get past that?” Scarlett said, her lips once again thinning into a grim line.

"A very large gun, a napalm grenade, or something to lure them off for awhile."

Scarlett gave Rebecca a wry look. “I don't happen to find this very funny, Doctor.”

Rebecca's expression was grim as she met Scarlett's eyes. “I wasn't trying to be funny.”

“We need to get in there,” Edwin interjected as another scream for help sounded from the closed off storage area.

Scarlett glanced at the milling zombies before turning her attention back to the others. “We'll split up. Gung Ho, I want you and Doctor Chambers to distract the zombies and lead them away from the storage area. Strong and I will go in with Lifeline.”

Rebecca glanced over and up at Gung Ho. "Ever played live bait for a zombie before?"

“Played it for a gator once,” the big Cajun answered with a grin. “Can't be much different.”

"You don't have to run quite as fast this time, I'd imagine," Came the reply as Rebecca beckoned for Gung Ho to follow her, and looked back at Scarlett. "Stay completely out of sight until they've all followed us."

“Understood,” the red-head said with a nod. “Be careful.” She added as the pair began to move away.

"You, too," Rebecca replied.

As she and Gung Ho approached the zombies, Rebecca raised her Magnum and fired once. A zombie went down in a spray of blood, and the others turned slowly towards the two in confusion. When they saw Rebecca and Gung Ho, several of them moaned, hands coming up as they started shuffling toward the two. Rebecca motioned for Gung Ho to follow her lead, darting past the group of zombies, then slowing once she was well out of reach, waiting for them to follow her. Without a word, the big Cajun followed the young woman, his eyes darting back at the shuffling creatures as they started to pursue them. “Bit slow, ain't they?

"That's a very, very good thing," Rebecca replied. "Because they're nasty as hell when they can move quick."

Pressed back against the wall, Scarlett and the others couldn't see what was happening, but they could hear the sounds of movement as the zombies congregated in front of the storage area started to move.

Chancing a quick glance around the corner, Scarlett found that although the bulk of the zombies had started after Rebecca and Gung Ho, there were still a few stragglers, although it wasn't from a lack of trying to follow. A grimace of distaste flashed across her face as she saw that one of them was apparently missing a good part of it's foot, hampering it's ability to move. Pressing herself back against the wall, she turned to glance at Kenya Strong and Lifeline. Strong was tense and silent as she watched the other two, and winced a little when she heard the woman in the storage area cry out again. “Are they gone yet?” Edwin asked Scarlett.

The flame-haired woman shook her head. “Not all of them. There are still a few stragglers. We'll give them a few more minutes.” Eventually, the only zombies left behind were one or two that were far too badly deteriorated to be a threat. “Okay you two, let's go.” Scarlett said softly as she peered around the corner a few minutes later. Rising to her feet, she adjusted her grip on her rifle and stepped out into the hallway, keeping her back to the wall.

Even the next room had grown eerily silent as Lifeline and Strong slipped out to follow behind Scarlett.
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Unsung Heroes: Mission Two