Comics#19

Some flying object lands in downtown Chicago killing hundreds and causing lots of serious damage.
The President of the United States has reinstated the GI Joe team. The Joes have a new base in Wyoming called The Rock, and The President has asked General Joe Colton to be the leader.
Scarlett, Roadblock and Shipwreck take off from the base in Wyoming to go help with the Chicago rescue. Roadblock and Shipwreck are not to please to be leaving Snake-Eyes "opposite number" at the base.
In Wiesbaden, Germany, Stalker is leading an assault by UN forces on a Cobra cell. Assisting with the attack are Flint and Snake-Eyes. As Flint is about to execute a Cobra trooper, Stalker stops him. Lade Jaye's death is still very much haunting Flint.
Duke is visiting Hawk in a hospital in Maryland. Hawk goes on a rant about how he knows that the "accident" in Chicago was planned by Cobra Commander. Hawk being paralyzed by Cobra Commander is still haunting him. And he demands that Duke find the missing Cobra Commander.
General Joe Colton arrives at the Joe base, The Rock. Storm Shadow introduces himself to Colton as a guest.
Back in Chicago Roadblock, Scarlett and Shipwreck help with the general rescue operations, and Shipwreck discovers a piece of the object that fell from the sky. That piece of debris leads him to believe that it belongs to the US government.
Somewhere in Oregon, Vance Wingfield is sitting in his wheelchair in the middle of very high tech center ranting about how his life, family, body have all been taken from him. And he will finally have his vengeance.



General Joe Colton has gathered the entire Joe team together for a meeting at there base, The Rock. He outlines some of the information about the satellite that hit Chicago. He also mentions that the team is to remain covert, and that Scarlett, Roadblock, and Shipwreck's public appearance at ground zero in Chicago has caused them to confiscate 12 different cameras. The Joe's mission is to discover who crashed the satellite into Chicago. Colton gives them some leads and tells them to go find more. As the meeting is wrapping up, Shipwreck expresses his doubts about Storm Shadows inclusion on the team. Colton puts a quick end to it, by saying "enough of you have vouched for Storm Shadow... and if the man is willing to take the same risks as the rest of us... as far as I'm concerned, that ends the argument."
Scarlett approaches Snake-Eyes, she points out to him that there are no promises between them but she asks him to be careful. Snake-Eyes responses with a loving gesture and they part.
In the Pacific Ocean, on The Cataclysm, which is an M.A.R.S. nuclear submarine, Destro has created his new base of operations. From his mobile seat of power he can handle all of M.A.R.S. business in safety. Wraith is present. His son Alexander Destro informs him that "Premiere Zero" account has made additional request, Destro acknowledges that if the lunatic wishes to escalate his operations, M.A.R.S. will be able to profit from it. Alexander also informs Destro of the reinstatement of the Joe team, and that they have been busting up Cobra cells, and investigating retired operatives and protected individuals. D! estro sets a plan in action by leaking some of his information in order to take advantage of any opportunity that may arise. He then retreats to his bedroom, where he promises to the Baroness, whom he believes is dead, to honor her until his death.
In Massachusetts, Scarlett is on a solo mission to investigate Cesspool. There is a brief radio conversation with Stalker about how Snake-Eyes has gone on a solo mission without checking in, but Stalker has his own ways of keeping tabs on him. Scarlett sneaks into the house, she discovers Cesspool in bed dying of cancer, a direct effect of his messing around with toxic waste. Scarlett approaches the bed, and Cesspool's wife sneaks up on her from behind. Then begins a furious fight in which Scarlett does some serious damage to her. Just as it appears that Scarlett has won t! he fight, three "kids" approach her talking about how she has hurt mommy. These "kids" remove there rubber masks and reveal themselves as robots.
Back at The Rock, Colton and Duke approach Storm Shadow. They express how his "enigmatic stranger" act can't continue, how he is still a question mark, and yet to still earn their trust. But they need him and his knowledge from his days working closely with Cobra Commander. They are about to put him to his first test. Storm Shadow responses by asking for ways to prove he is an ally.
They then proceed to go into the depths of The Rock, where a prisoner is being held. That prisoner is the Baroness. And Duke and Colton expect Storm Shadow to help in getting more information out of her.
Back in the main levels of The Rock, Stalker is tracking another incoming satellite. And this one is headed for the West Coast.



Another satellite has crashed into a major area of the United States. This time it's Silicon Valley, and the crashing satellite creates a firestorm that has killed thousands.
At The Rock, General Colton, Duke & Storm Shadow visit with the captured Baroness. This is the first time that Storm Shadow is facing the Baroness since his return to the GI Joe team. Of course, she reminds him of how he has turned against the Joes before and will do it again. Storm Shadow directly confronts the Baroness, and asks her about the satellites. The Baroness refuses to give out any information, but Storm Shadow gains some information anyway. As they are leaving she screams out "Damn you - Where's my baby".
In the war room of The Rock, Stalker, Colton, Duke & Storm Shadow are watching the news reports about Silicon Valley. They are talking about how this kind attack differs from the usual power grab that Cobra was known for. Storm Shadow uses his inside knowledge of Cobra to find a link through some invoices to a place in Puerto Rico. The team is assembled and sent to the Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico.
Meanwhile, Duke makes a visit to Hawk, who is still wheelchair bound and very angry. Hawk is ranting and raving about the multiple crashing satellites. And that it is the work of Cobra Commander. Hawk accuses Duke and the Joe team of doing an incompetent job. Duke calms him down, but Hawk in his obsessed way, requests that Duke act where he can't and go out and find Cobra Commander.
In a flashback to Montana years ago, an unknown person sitting tied to a chair is being beaten by Vance Wingfield of First Strike. First Strike was an organization that the GI Joe team crushed back towards the beginning of the Joe & Cobra war. His wife supposedly killed the leader Vance Wingfield, in order to save her son. Now in the present, Wingfield, wheelchair bound and definitely not healthy or sane, has survived and somehow gotten control of the satellites in orbit. And is the one who has crashed the two satellites into Chicago and Silicon Valley! Wingfield receives a message from M.A.R.S. (Destro's family company) that the President has recommissioned the GI Joe team.
In Puerto Rico, Flint, Roadblock, Storm Shadow, Stalker & Shipwreck make an attack on a group of guerilla fighters that are stationed around the observatory. Flint in his usual, revenge for Lady Jaye mode, watches one of the guerillas die that he just knifed. Storm Shadow using his swords takes out several other guerillas all at once. The team gains access to the command center of the observatory. Shipwreck brings up the point that it could be another group other then Cobra responsible for the crashing satellites. Storm Shadow agrees but stills sees connections to Cobra. Roadblock and Shipwreck are still worried about Storm Shadow's commitment to the Joe team; Stalker puts a stop to their talk. Using the center's computer, they discover that M.A.R.S. technology has been used. Stalker calls The Rock to reach Duke. They respond with "Commander Hauser is unavailable he's taken an unofficial leave."
Duke is using his rank to gain access to a records department where he discovers the information he is looking for. The next step is that he is on a military plane under a Priority One Classified mission, and he jumps out alone over his intended destination.



The Joe team is returning from Puerto Rico where they discovered that Destro has been playing some part in the crashing satellites that have hit Chicago & Silicon Valley.
In Destro's submarine, he has been monitoring the recent Joe activity in Puerto Rico. He has been supplying Vance Wingfield with the technology and weapons that caused the destruction of Chicago & Silicon Valley. Destro understands that the Joe team is going to soon discover Wingfield. And Destro is basically just bleeding Wingfield dry all for his own profit. His son, Alexander Destro reports that the sub and its personnel are operating at 98%.
Meanwhile in Chicago, as the recovery still continues, a rival gang meeting has been scheduled. One of the main gang leaders Victor Gasso is on his way to this meeting along with his bodyguard D. As they walk through the underground train station, D just disappears. All of a sudden Firefly is holding a knife to Gasso's throat. Firefly has been contracted by Emil Tannen to take out all the other gang bosses. Before anything can happen between Gasso & Firefly, Snake-Eyes appears.
A fight between Snake-Eyes and Firefly begins.
As they fight, Gasso calls on his cell phone for his support to come save him. At one point Firefly is disarmed. But then steals Snake-Eyes second sword. As Gasso's gang members arrive and open up with their guns. Firefly and Snake-Eyes switch to fighting the group of gang members. After most are taken out, Firefly sets of an explosive that causes part of the underground station to collapse allowing him to escape from Snake-Eyes. Gasso survives.
Back at The Rock, Gen. Colton and the rest of Joes are planning on how to proceed in stopping the crashing satellites. They have figured out that ground based radio antennas are being used to control these satellites. Colton is ready to expand the Joe team and they are going to attack these large ground based radio antenna that have been used in crashing the satellites. Colton is waiting for permission from the President.
The President prevents Colton from expanding the team, and attacking these radio antennas. Mostly because they are in foreign countries and the attack could be perceived as an act of war, which the President isn't willing to do and reminds Colton that GI Joe is to remain covert. So plan B is instated. And plan B is to use a 27 radio antenna array in New Mexico to counteract the other antennas that will be used to crash more satellites.
Destro is talking with Wingfield about his possible discovery as the man in charge of the crashing satellites and how his failure may happen soon now that GI Joe is on the right path. Wingfield tells Destro the next step of his plan. And that step is to bring down several satellites at the same time in multiple locations. Destro offers, for a price, to help aid his cause by keeping GI Joe of his back. Destro's plan is to use a platoon of upgraded B.A.T.'s, in an Iron Grenadier form, as a distraction.



The Joe team of Stalker, Roadblock, Shipwreck, Flint and Storm Shadow are in New Mexico retrofitting 27 radar antennas. They have figured out how the satellites that crashed in Chicago and Silicon Valley where controlled. These antennas are going to be able to detect when the next one is going to be crashed and hopefully stop it. Gen. Colton is back in The Rock monitoring the situation and guiding Stalker.
They brought Firewall back to the team for this mission. She had been teaching at M.I.T. and working with the feds to fight credit card fraud. She is in charge of operating the antennas. The rest of the team is defense.
In Oregon, Vance Wingfield has begun the process of crashing a satellite. He crashed the previous satellites using the same method those satellites caused hundreds of casualties, and millions of dollars in destruction. Destro, who has been supplying Wingfield with the technology, has sent his flying robotic Iron Grenadiers to attack the radar antennas that the Joes are defending.
As Wingfield activates his system to contact the satellites which are still above Earth, Gen. Colton and his tech team immediately begin the process of countering Wingfield, as well as tracking the signal. Firewall, who is in control of the antennas which are sending the counteracting signal, activates all 27 antennas and she begins a tug of war with Wingfield over control of the satellites, with the fate of New York City and Washington, D.C. hanging in the balance.
Out among the antennas, Flint & Storm Shadow have met the flying Iron Grenadiers in the air, with Shipwreck, Roadblock and Stalker defending from the ground. They are able to take out many of the Grenadiers, but the robots are successful in destroying a couple of the antennas. This effects Firewall's control signal and the satellites above the Earth begin their slid from orbit. Both sides raise their levels to maximum.
Destro, still operating from his submarine, has been monitoring both Wingfield's technology, and watching the action of his Iron Grenadiers. The Grenadiers action is being recorded and he plans to use the footage for a sales presentation.
Both Flint & Storm Shadow are shot out of the air, Firewall does a little reworking and gains some extra power boost which sends enough power to finally counteract Wingfield's technology. His system overloads and shuts down. Crisis averted.
Destro then activates a self destruct of the Iron Grenadiers that blows them all into little pieces.
Gen. Colton is able to get a trace on where Wingfield's feed was coming from, and before the Joe team settles in for a moment they are off to Oregon to confront Vance Wingfield.
Somewhere in the Amazon, Duke is on a boat speaking Portuguese to the boat driver about their destination and his mercenaries.



Damage Report
Roadblock, Shipwreck & Stalker discover the dead Vance Wingfield in Oregon, the satellite dropping menace has been solved and finished, but Destro played a part in the destruction of Chicago & Silicon Valley, so the Joes' work isn't done. Now a little regrouping is in order.
After returning from Oregon, Stalker & General Colton talk about Flint. Lady Jaye's death has really hit Flint hard, his grief increased since he passed up the chance to kill Lady Jaye's killer, Dela Eden. Stalker points this out to Colton and promises to keep a closer eye on Flint. Visiting Lady Jaye's grave in Arlington National Cemetery, Flint is confessing about how he has lost his way without her and misses her desperately. He pours out his flask and says "one thing I've learned from you; from the messed up world you left me in; when you've got the enemy in your sights always take the shot."
Gen. Colton then confronts Storm Shadow. Colton demands honesty from him and asks for more information on the captured Baroness.
In a dream, the pregnant Baroness is in the Night Raven on Cobra Island. Cobra Commander appears on a screen antagonizing her and by remote control starts the take off of the plane she is in. As it takes off, the Baroness is able to scramble into the small recon jet attached to the Raven, and get away from the plane just before it explodes. Neither Destro nor Cobra Commander realized the Baroness escaped. The Baroness wakes up in her bed, imprisoned in the bottom of G.I. Joe base, The Rock.
Stalker, Roadblock, & Gen. Colton talk about the missing Duke. Duke has gone on a highly classified mission, so classified that neither Colton nor Stalker can access it. Duke's secret mission really has Colton bothered because he is not able to keep control of what the entire team is doing. Next, they move onto Scarlett who has been missing in action, after going to investigate Cesspool. As they are accessing the data on Scarlett, Snake-Eyes arrives. Shipwreck makes a date for his planned leave.
In his submarine in the Pacific, Destro and his son Alexander talk about how they have covered there tracks in regards to their involvement with Vance Wingfield. They also talk about an order for weapons coming in from the Middle East, and a planned trip to Beijing. Destro leads his son to a chamber that holds the captured Scarlett, who is alive, chained up and angry.
Stalker and Roadblock visit the paralyzed Hawk in Maryland. They ask him about where Duke is and Hawk's very bitter response is that he is doing "his duty".
Duke is fighting some where in South America where he is speaking Portuguese as his small hired band of soldiers assaults a small village. One of his men, Guadalupe, is killed in the assault.
In The Rock, Colton and Stalker give Snake-Eyes access to their tracking systems so he can find Scarlett. Scarlett and Snake-Eyes each had a micro-homing device implanted so they can find each other. The search shows that Scarlett is in the middle of the Pacific north of Hawaii.
The Past Comes Back
A deceased undercover agent in the Dreadnoks organization has shot some video footage of Zarana, Roadpig & Thrasher talking about Zartan returning to his old base in the Florida Everglades. Gen. Colton, Stalker & Storm Shadow are watching this footage. Homeland Security has just finished its investigation and is abandoning the Dreadnok base they have been searching in the Everglades. Colton sends them on a covert mission to discover why Zartan is returning.
Before leaving Stalker talks to his son Jamal, and Storm Shadow, looking at a picture of his uncle the Hard Master, talks about how he was framed by Zartan for the Hard Master's murder. Storm Shadow feels that the many years under the brainwashing of Cobra has confused him on whether he is seeking revenge or has forgiven Zartan, either way they are about to confront each other.
As Zartan, Zarana, & Zanya arrive in the Everglades, they leave Buzzer, Ripper & Torch at a drinking hole as their back up.
At the abandoned Dreadnok camp Storm Shadow and Stalker sneak in to investigate. Storm Shadow senses someone and they separate to find them. Zandar shoots Stalker with an arrow that has a slow acting poison, which begins a fight between them ranging from thrown fists to thrown grenades. Just as Zandar is about to get the upper hand, Storm Shadow comes in to save the day. Zandar ends up opening a hole in the ground that both Stalker and Storm Shadow fall into apparently trapped.
Flashback:Location: Lady of Valour OrphanageZandar as a child is trapped in a box that his sister Zarana has just let him out of. He complains about how his older brother Zartan is such a jerk because Zartan was the one who locked him in the box. Jimmy Blanch had been picking on Zandar by locking him in this box on previous occasions. Zartan said he was going to protect him, and instead locked him in the box. Zartan, a teenager, has just left the orphanage where he and his younger brother and sister have been staying. Zartan hitches a ride with a friendly trucker. Zartan has a family photo, which contains a mom, dad, older brother (Zartan), younger sister (Zarana) and then a younger brother (Zandar). At one point the trucker catches Zartan in a lie about his name; he says �If you're going go around assuming a fake ID, you better lie better than that." A news report comes over the radio about a boy who died in a fight at the orphanage (Jimmy Blanch) and the child that fled (Zartan). As Zartan exits the truck, the trucker leaves him with this advice "You're free to be whoever you want to be now. You can't be the old you anymore, so make a new you, hell make three, just be careful sometimes it's easy to forget who the real you is."
Back in the Everglades, Zartan and his daughter Zanya, along with Zarana are preparing to go to the abandoned base. Zandar arrives with the news about the captured Storm Shadow and Stalker. When the rest of the family arrives to see the captured Joes, Zandar opens the hole to discover they have escaped. Zarana calls the Dreadnoks to come back them up.



The Hunt for True Love
Stalker and General Joe Colton argue about rescuing Scarlett. Snake-Eyes has discovered that she is being held in a submarine in the middle of the Pacific. This is actually Destro's submarine, but the Joes do not know this, yet.
Destro captured Scarlett and he has been holding her hostage. His son Alexander is afraid that her presence will bring the Joes to them and there by destroy what he is trying to rebuild. Destro is also on his way to China, to conclude a deal for his Iron Grenadier robot soldiers.
Storm Shadow pledges his support to Snake-Eyes on any mission to rescue Scarlett. The rest of the Joe team prepares to leave. General Colton receives a direct order from the President himself that GI Joe is not under any circumstances allowed to launch a rescue operation. Colton does not give the team permission to launch an official operation, but does say that any independent action to rescue her is their own business.
Back in Destro's submarine, Alexander has taken Scarlett from her capture room and is about shoot her out one of the torpedo tubes, when Destro stops him.
Above the submarine, the Joe team has just launched in a mini-submarine to go rescue Scarlett. All members including Flint and Storm Shadow are aboard.
Meanwhile, in South America, Duke and his little band of mercenaries have reached his destination.
The Past Comes Back... Part Two
Storm Shadow and Stalker have escaped from Zandar's trap with the help of Gung-Ho. Gung-Ho has tied up Storm Shadow, making reference to when Storm Shadow cut him up pretty bad (Marvel issue #24). He also shows some resentment about being kicked off the Joe team and that they included Storm Shadow instead. He turns around to see that Storm Shadow has escaped and disappeared.
Gung-Ho then heads out into the Florida Everglades to find the antidote for the poison that Zandar had shot into Stalker; Storm Shadow has done the same thing. Gung-Ho runs into the Dreadnoks; Buzzer, Ripper and Torch. In individual battles Gung-Ho is able to defeat each of them, as well as Zandar and Zarana.
Near a secret bunker hideout, Zartan and Zanya are about to enter when Storm Shadow stops them. Zartan sends Zanya into the hideout to retrieve the parcel he has come to get. Zartan attacks Storm Shadow.
As Zanya enters the hideout, she sees Zartan's traditional outfit, the bow and arrow used to kill the Hard Master, as well as the disguise, several guns, several metals and photos, one being the photo of Arashikage Clan with himself included and a portrait of a soldier. Zanya retrieves the parcel that Zartan is asking for from a safe in the floor.
In a flashback, a soldier speaking in Russian accuses a man of being a traitor and how that same man who is about to kill him has replaced his true comrade (named Pytor Bout of the KGB). Later, in a committee meeting the members ask Mr. Sanderson, who has exceeded all undercover expectations, and been chosen over two thousand candidates for some experiments which he is prepared to take. The committee is aware that he really isn't Mr. Sanderson; the real Sanderson had been murdered in a prison camp. The committee doesn't care that he isn't who he is supposed to be. He is about to undergo DNA experiments that will give him special abilities to disguise himself above what his skills already provide him. These experiments will leave him with many mental stresses. He then takes out some lithium carbonate pills, a prescription written to a John Lowe, and says "mental stresses God knows I'm already familiar with them". This man is Zartan many years ago.
Outside the hideout Zartan and Storm Shadow fight, Storm Shadow disarms Zartan, so in a move to distract him, Zartan quickly transforms into a version of the Hard Master, which just pisses Storm Shadow off even more. But Storm Shadow can not kill Zartan because he needs the antidote for Stalker. Stalker's life is more important to Storm Shadow then getting revenge on Zartan for his uncle's death and the destruction of his family.
Zanya comes out of the hideout just in time to allow Zartan to escape, but just as he is leaving Storm Shadow throws a knife causing Zartan to drop the parcel that Zanya had retrieved. Storm Shadow takes a look inside the parcel and realizes that it is extremely personal to Zartan. So a stalemate over the parcel and the antidote takes place. Zartan gives up the antidote first without question, and the honorable Storm Shadow gives the parcel to him and each go their own way. Stalker will live.
Inside the parcel, is Zartan's key to who he really is, his real past. He takes on so many personalities that he loses himself sometimes and this is the key to understanding who he truly is. As his family and most trusted Dreadnoks stand guard, Zartan has a mental breakdown, partially because of the DNA testing he went through. Zartan runs through a series of identities that he has been, Michael, Thomas Arashikage, Pytor Bout, Rodney Blevins, Arnold Quintin, James Brower, eventually to return to his true identity as Zartan.
The item in the parcel is a photo of Zartan with his brother Zandar, sister Zarana, mother and father when they were a family, the picture that he took with him when he was young boy as he was running from the orphanage.



In the torpedo room of Destro's command submarine, Alexander Destro was about to shoot Scarlett out of a torpedo hatch. But his father, Destro, has stopped him and is extremely mad that his son was taking this action without his approval. In the middle of this reprimand the intruder alert goes off.
The Joe team has been able to sneak onto the submarine to rescue Scarlett. Officially, all of the Joes are on leave, and is an off the books operation.
Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow head toward the bow section, Stalker and Shipwreck are in the starboard corridor and Roadblock and Flint take the interior section. Just before they divide up Stalker has a few words with Flint, but Roadblock steps in to break it up. Stalker tells Storm Shadow to keep an eye on Snake-Eyes.
Destro and his son leave Scarlett behind and rush to the command center. Scarlett takes this opportunity to take out her guards. Just as she finishes, Flint arrives with a very cold reception, Scarlett gets a much warmer reception from Roadblock. They then go to find the rest of the team.
Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow, after dispensing with numerous Iron Grenadiers, are confronted by Wraith. He willing takes on both of them. He cuts Storm Shadow, and holds his own against Snake-Eyes. But Snake-Eyes gets the drop on him by using a grenade that destroys the floor beneath Wraith causing him to fall to the level below. Using his suits abilities, Wraith then disappears.
Up in the command center, Stalker and Shipwreck are fighting it out with Destro. Destro has lost control of his submarine and his temper. After his son is shot he gives the command to scuttle the ship, Alexander pleads with him not to throw away everything they have built. Flint, Roadblock and Scarlett arrive in the command center just as Destro and his son have escaped out of the submarine's escape shuttle.
Storm Shadow & Snake-Eyes are standing in the bow of the ship looking for Wraith. In this quiet moment, Storm Shadow tells Snake-Eyes that Gen. Colton has been holding the Baroness captive in a sub level of their own headquarters, which would go a long way in explaining Destro's motives for torturing and holding Scarlett captive.
Back in the command center, the Joes watch a heads up display of the different places that hull breaches are happening, starting in the bow.
Back in the bow, the water is rushing in sweeping Storm Shadow and Snake-Eyes toward one of the water tight doors. Snake-Eyes grabs the manual lever that closes the door, sealing Storm Shadow on the safe side and leaving himself in the flooded part. Storm Shadow in complete grief says "Silent Master! It's not your time! You cannot have done this! Not now. It... should've been me."



In the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, T'JBang and the Red Ninja's Masaaki & Kohai are waiting to make an attack on a helicopter surrounded by people, its identity unknown. They have received news of the Silent Master's fate. They talk about the healing ways of the spiritual and that Snake-Eyes needs to be with his clan members. They then begin their assault.
US Naval Base Sasebo in Kyushu, Japan, General Colton arrives to access the situation for the President. The USS Flagg is stationed next to Destro's captured submarine and the Joes are morning the loss of Snake-Eyes.
Gen. Colton gets a debriefing from Stalker, Roadblock, Flint and Shipwreck about the successful rescue mission of Scarlett, how Destro escaped, how they captured the submarine and what happen to Snake-Eyes. Tension erupts between Flint and Stalker, again. Flint, still dealing with the loss of his wife Lady Jaye, is completely cold and matter of fact about the loss of Snake-Eyes. Stalker can't defend Flint anymore and they almost get in fight that Roadblock prevents.
In another room, the grieving Scarlett leaves Storm Shadow with Snake-Eyes' body. Storm Shadow is trying to determine if Snake-Eyes has put himself in the Sleeping Phoenix. The Sleeping Phoenix is a ninja trance state that slows the breathing and heart rate to near death like rates allowing the individual to survive serious wounds.
Kamakura arrives at the base.
In the Amazon, Duke and his group of mercenaries are being attacked by some very old beat up Cobra BAT's. They are the original designs that he fought way back before GI Joe was disbanded. The BAT's take out most of the mercenaries but as the y surround Duke; it is obvious that they intend to capture him. So he gives up, saying ?Take me to your leader�.
Back at Sasebo, Kamakura confronts Storm Shadow with Stalker in the room. Kamakura refuses to believe that Snake-Eyes is not alive. He even accuses Storm Shadow of lying. After a very brief fight, Kamakura calms down. Storm Shadow explains that he has searched for any trace of the Sleeping Phoenix and was unable to find any. He apologizes. Kamakura and Stalker go off to see Snake-Eyes' body, leaving Storm Shadow behind with some doubt in his eyes.
Flint enters Scarlett's bunk room where she has been crying and grieving. Scarlett expresses to him that she doesn't want to become a shell of human being like Flint has become. Flint points out that the pains only gets worse, and that he wouldn't wish it on any of his worse enemies. Scarlett is left alone to her pain.
In another part of the base, Stalker and Kamakura are about to open the door to where Snake-Eyes' body is, Stalker offers Kamakura a position back on the Joe team. When they open the door the body is gone.



General Colton and Stalker are trying to figure out how Snake-Eyes' body could have disappeared; they are worried about the stability of the team, Stalker's leadership and Scarlett's state of mind.
In Sydney, Australia, inside the Opera House, Major Bludd has the Vice President of the United States targeted in his scope. As he is about to fire, a throwing star flies into the gun, making it useless. Storm Shadow has stopped the assassination attempt. They then begin to fight on top of the Opera House. Storm Shadow is asking Bludd about where Snake-Eyes' body has gone. Major Bludd says he doesn't know anything about the body, but that he is going to kill Storm Shadow, which will give him a second Joe killed within the year. Storm Shadow puts a small explosive device on Bludd's mechanical hand, which blows up causing him to fall off the Opera House into the water below.
In an office building in Los Angeles, Flint has just blown open the side of the building with his helicopter. Stalker, Kamakura and Roadblock rush in taking out several Cobra operatives and they then begin to access their computers looking for any evidence involving Snake-Eyes' body. Stalker is unable to find any leads.
Scarlett's search for Snake-Eyes using the micro transmitter devices that they had implanted in each other, which allows them to track one another any where in the world, shows her the response "Negative Location. No Signal Found. Vitals: 0.000%"
In the Amazon, Duke has been tortured and brought by some old BATS to Calvin. Calvin is a former Fred Series Crimson Guardsman, who was sent down to this now very old BAT manufacturing plant, to be its manager by Cobra Commander himself. The supplies and the communication have stopped but Calvin keeps the factory running. The factory is now well past its prime, and he has gone a bit crazy with all of the isolation. Calvin has given up on Cobra and his training as a Crimson Guardsman, taken back his birth name and has formed a plan to make himself known to the world and Cobra Commander. Outside of the base, he shows Duke, what appears to be, four ICBM missiles that are very close to launching.
In the Gobi Desert, Mongolia, T'JBang is taunting the bed confined Sei Tin. Sei Tin had his back broken by Snake-Eyes when he lost his leadership role of the Red Ninja Clan (See Devil's Due GI Joe #26). After getting a new mechanical spine from Cobra, he regained control of the Clan. He was again defeated by Snake-Eyes, although this time with help from Red Ninjas loyal to Snake-Eyes (see Master and Apprentice II #4). Sei Tin is being keep alive on a respirator, is trapped by his paralysis, missing his mechanical spine and unable to talk or move. One of the Red Ninja's Masaaki asks why Sei Tin is being kept alive. T'JBang response is "we are merciful. The Red Ninja Clan must represent life not death."
They then walk to a secret ceremonial chamber where they are planning to use very secret and ancient techniques. Inside the room, Snake-Eyes' body is being prepared for this ceremony. T'JBang also talks about his plans to make the Red Ninja Clan better then the Arashikage Ninja Clan ever was, and he plans on using its greatest warrior to attain that goal.



The Joe team has been hunting for Snake-Eyes' body, which was stolen out of their base, The Rock. They are currently raiding a Cobra base in Vancouver, Canada where they are able to capture several Cobras and access their computers, but it doesn't yield any information on the whereabouts of Snake-Eyes.
The next day, outside the base, as the Canadian police haul away the captured Cobras, Kamakura confronts Storm Shadow. Kamakura's anger is driving him down a path that he shouldn't go, and Storm Shadow points this out to him, with the reinforcement that he has been down that path before. Kamakura refuses to rest until he finds his former master's body, and can give him the proper respect that a warrior deserves. He ends the argument by accusing Storm Shadow of being his enemy and that Storm Shadow has finally won his long standing battle against Snake-Eyes.
In the Amazon, Duke has been tortured by the Crimson Guardsman, Colonel Calvin. Calvin then describes his plan to Duke. That plan is to get revenge on Cobra Commander. The details are based around the ICBM missiles he is in control of, his computer's is ability to track the whereabouts of all the different BAT's in operation and as a consequence he is able to track the Commander himself. When the time is right, he will get his ultimate revenge, and Duke will be the witness.
In Sasebo, Japan, Scarlett has been on twenty four hour watch for Snake-Eyes' signal. Gen. Colton is trying to convince her to give up on him. As a very heated argument erupts between them, the monitor screen comes alive with information.
GPS Positioning ActivatedLocation ConfirmedDownloading: Longitude and LatitudeVitals: 34% and Rising
In Kazakhstan, the military has captured a suicide bomber and are torturing him. The lights go out and they are attacked and killed, with the exception of the leader who is able to escape out of a ceiling window to the roof. As T'JBang and Masaaki release the suicide bomber, Farris, they explain that they are here to help create a balance and end the hypocrisy. They explain that this raid is the inauguration of their greatest weapon.
On the roof, the military leader is radioing that their mission has been compromised and that he needs extraction right away. The next that happens is that he is killed with a sword. The man killing him is a revived Snake-Eyes, wearing the red color of the Red Ninja Clan.



The Joe team flies to Mongolia tracking Snake-Eyes' signal. Flint flying the helicopter is shot down. After crash landing the Red Ninja Clan attacks.
Storm Shadow believing they are allies tries to prevent the Joes from attacking, but he is then himself attacked by T'JBang, the current leader of the Red Ninja Clan. As Clan members Masaaki, Kohai, Kaiju and Kaihu continue their fight with the Joes, Stalker, Storm Shadow and Kamakura are separated from the rest of team and fall down into a small canyon.
Shipwreck, Roadblock, Flint and Scarlett are all then captured. T'JBang begins to talk to them. He explains that the Red Ninja Clan has had a long conflicted history filled with mistakes, bad judgments and misguided alliances. Scarlett shouts at him asking what has he done with Snake-Eyes. His answer is "what was necessary".
As he continues to talk about shaping the world and his transformation from just a Joe to the leader of the Red Ninja Clan, he introduces his newest weapon, Snake-Eyes, now wearing red.
Snake-Eyes, mysterious brought back from the dead, with according to T'JBang, a few modifications and a bit of new programming, is sent to find and deal with Storm Shadow, Kamakura and Stalker. As he leaves Scarlett screams at him "Come back to me".
At the Rock, GI Joe's secret base, General Colton is asking Sparks about the reservist list. Sparks is having trouble tracking some of them down because their tracking signals are not responding. Now, Gen Colton is concerned about Major Bludd's claim that he killed a Joe.
As Storm Shadow, Stalker and Kamakura climb out of the canyon they are meet by Snake-Eyes. Stalker is knocked out; Storm Shadow's arm is cut leaving Kamakura as their protection. He attacks saying "You are not my master, you fight like my master, but you cannot be. There is a sickness in your spirit." As they fight Snake-Eyes is able to stab Kamakura, but just before a death blow Storm Shadow steps in to save him. And now Storm Shadow and Snake-Eyes square off against each other.
Back in the room with the captured Joes, T'JBang continues, "This has been a long time coming. The ascension of power can be a painful process. But also a magnificent one. You look at me and see a one time ally, but there is more here then what you see. And with all the pieces now in place let the final reckoning begin."
Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow start their fight.



At the Rock, General Colton and Sparks have been trying to regain contact with the missing GI Joe team. The President of the United States warns Colton about how GI Joe is growing less and less popular in Washington DC.
In Outer Mongolia, Snake-Eyes has been mysteriously resurrected from the dead by the Red Ninja Clan. He has become part of the clan and taken on the red coloring. T'JBang is now leading the Clan, he has captured Roadblock, Flint, Shipwreck and Scarlett and ordered Snake-Eyes hunt down the rest of the team.
Snake-Eyes has just finished knocking out Stalker and Kamakura. But before he can finish them off Storm Shadow arrives to confront Snake-Eyes. Storm Shadow is fighting on the Joe's side and for the first time Snake-Eyes fights against his former team. A ninja mystic power has changed Snake-Eyes' soul and Storm Shadow believes that combat will cleanse his soul. A furious battle between the two starts.
T'JBang is still rambling about conquering the world, when Shipwreck points out how he used to be the Joes man on the inside of the Red Ninja Clan. Scarlett reminds him that Snake-Eyes was his master. T'JBang tired of Joes starts walking them to their death.
Storm Shadow and Snake-Eyes fight through many rooms until they reach to roof. At one point Snake-Eyes throws a knife into Storm Shadow's leg.
Stalker and Kamakura recover and begin looking for the rest of the Joe team. They stumble upon an awake and aware body being kept alive on a respirator. Kamakura recognizes him as the defeated and severely injured, by Snake-Eyes, leader of the Red Ninja Clan Sei Tin (see Master & Apprentice II). Kamakura using the Arashikage Ninja Mindset opens up the mind of Sei Tin to discover that secret forbidden aspects of the Mindset have been used. Kamakura describes it like this "We have not been fighting T'JBang. His body yes... But his soul, his mind... Belong to Sei Tin. With all that is T'JBang's spirit is trapped with this worthless crippled husk and the worst of all�There's no known way to reverse the process." T'JBang/Sei Tin closes his eyes and releases tears.
Kamakura and Stalker surprise the Red Ninjas as they are moving the Joe team. Kamakura easily disarms Red Ninja Joshua and immediately begins to tell them the news he has discovered about the essence switch that has happened between T'JBang and Sei Tin. Maasaki and Joshua now aware of the switch turn on T'JBang/Sei Tin and stab him.
Scarlett then takes off looking for Snake-Eyes. She finds him getting close to defeating Storm Shadow, when all of a sudden Storm Shadow grabs Scarlett and holds his sword to her through. Snake-Eyes steps up and stabs Storm Shadow, but it isn't a killing blow, and the combination of battle and his love for Scarlett has released Snake-Eyes from the mystic trance he was in.
Later at a debriefing at The Rock, Shipwreck reverses his skepticism of Storm Shadow who is recovering in The Rock's hospital. Stalker breaks some news to Colton that Flint is officially leaving the team.
In the Amazon Jungle, Duke has been beaten, tortured and ridiculed by a crazed Crimson Guardsman named Calvin. Calvin has a plan to launch nuclear missiles as a way of killing Cobra Commander. The launch process has begun just as Duke is able to destroy his BAT captors. Calvin delays the launch to hunt for Duke. Duke shows up in the control room, using several BAT parts as weapons, defeats the last remaining BAT's and just before Calvin can get to the activate button, Duke kills him. Duke then discovers that target coordinates for the missiles were set for Washington D.C., Cobra Commander's location.
PrologueIn Washington DC, several bureaucrats are talking to the President about some questionable numbers in the defense budget. They are concerned about the press discovering these numbers. The President refers them to his Chief of Staff, Garrett Freedlowe. As the nervous bureaucrats open the door to Freedlowe's White House office, there sits Cobra Commander wearing a business suit and his Cobra insignia hooded mask.


Cobra Commander, posing as Garrett Freedlowe, Chief of Staff to the President of the United States, reveals his identity to several Washington bureaucrats just he executes them. These dead bureaucrats will then be replaced by Cobra agents wearing the life-like masks that will help in playing a part in Cobra Commander's plan to use the U.S.'s government resources and secrets. A little later Garrett Freedlowe (Cobra Commander covered by his imposter mask) is answering the President of the United States questions about the GI Joe team's worthiness. The President asks his Chief of Staff, "How soon can your special project be up and running?"
At The Rock, GI Joe's headquarters, General Colton is talking to Storm Shadow about the recent exploits of Snake-Eyes with the Red Ninja Clan. Colton is concerned about Snake-Eyes' re-admittance to the team. T'JBang and Sei Tin are in intensive care along with Storm Shadow in the Rock's hospital ward.
In the training section of The Rock, Scarlett is leading Snake-Eyes through a series of tests. Snake-Eyes has switched to his commando mode, the swords are gone and the Uzi is back. After they are over, Scarlett enters the room expressing her sorrows about when she though he was dead. Snake-Eyes removes his mask to reveal his face. Scarlett's response is "Oh my God!! What did they do to you?!"
In Bethesda, MD, Gen. Colton, Stalker and Roadblock are visiting Hawk, who is still paralyzed and wheelchair bound, Colton asks him to return to the team.
In the Amazon jungle, an extremely beat up Duke walks out of the jungle to be discovered by some locals.
In Peru, Stalker, Roadblock, Shipwreck and recently reactivated Kamakura are following a lead. During the attack many Cobra's are killed as they make there way to the prison cell area. Expecting to rescue Duke from the cell, they discover a very malnourished and tortured Spirit, who has been a Cobra captive for some time (see The Hunt for Cobra Commander). In his depleted state Spirit informs the team that people in power can't be trusted.
In Washington DC, Garrett Freedlowe is introducing General Phillip Rey, former leader of the Joe team, to the President. The general is about to be put in charge of a new Pentagon-based strike force that will handle anti terrorist ops called Phoenix Guard. This new force of five team members, Mech, High-Tide, Friday, Halo and Snake-Eater, is intended as an option to the Joe team. General Rey accepts the job, and Freedlowe (Cobra Commander) is the point person for all of Phoenix Guard's actions.

The Phoenix Guard makes its first attack on a Cobra squad in Utah. Lead by former Joe leader, General Phillip Rey and the rest of the Phoenix Guard, Halo, Hide Tide, Friday, Mech and Snake-Eater cause lots of destruction and kill all of the Cobra soldiers.
In Boa Vista, South America, Duke has been discovered, having survived severe torture, he has been flown to a very small and crude medical facility where he tries to send a radio message about a secret he has to tell, but passes out.
In Utah, the Joes arrive at the Cobra base that has just recently been destroyed by the Phoenix Guard. They confirm that it was a active Cobra base and are able to get glean some information from a computer. But they leave the base confused as to what part of the military would have attacked Cobra. Traditionally, Cobra has always been the exclusive mission of the Joe team. So it is very suspect for this to have happened.
At the Rock, GI Joe's base, The President of the United States, along with his Chief of Staff Garrett Freedlowe, who is actually Cobra Commander in an elaborate mask, visit General Colton. They request Colton to show him the most classified aspect of The Rock, which is that the Baroness has been held in a cell in the very lower levels without proper legal rights of representation. Later after leaving The Rock, The President is advised by Garrett to cut the funding for the base and the team. The President's confidence in the Joe team has decreased dramatically with the discovery of the Baroness. And Garrett/Cobra Commander encourages the President to put his faith in the newest anti-terrorist force, the Phoenix Guard, who have now just successfully completed their first mission.
Storm Shadow, still recovering from his wounds, makes a promise to T'JBang to correct the mistake he has made. He promises he will save him from the hell he is currently in. T'JBang, confined to a bed with a respirator, cries.
At General Rey's house he receives a late night call to report for a mission, later after the Phoenix Guard has assembled, Rey brings up a holographic display of The Rock, their next mission.
In Yosemite National Park, Spirit has been recovering from his capture and torture of Cobra, when Scarlett, Snake-Eyes and Stalker visit him with the intention of bringing him back as a full member of the team. He accepts.

Garrett Freedlowe (a disguised Cobra Commander and current Chief of Staff) is still trying to convince the President of the United States to replace the GI Joe team with the Phoenix Guard. The reluctant President makes a compromise with Garrett that allows the Phoenix Guard the ability to replace the Joe team, but with plausible deniability.
In South America, Duke is still recovering from his injuries, as local relief doctor named Elizabeth Parker treats him. The local radio doesn't work and Duke asks Parker to take him to a place where he can pass on his secret information that is a matter of national security.
At The Rock, Spirit, now a full member of the team, Roadblock and Shipwreck have there poker game interrupted by Hawk. Hawk is coming back into his own, by challenging the team to go after the enemy and stop chasing the insignificant Cobra cells.
On the flight deck of The Rock, Storm Shadow is taking T'Jbang out. He has taken complete responsibility for the mess he helped create. Gen. Colton reassures him that he trusts him, but that he is target, and that he needs to be careful not turn his back on the team and Snake-Eyes.
In West Virginia, General Rey is leading the Phoenix Guard has them doing a training drill of attacking the Joes' base, The Rock. They move fast, efficient and deadly through the practice. Rey ends the exercise with "there's only so much you can do when you're prepping for something so unthinkable."
General Colton has brought back Firewall to help him find out some information on wear exactly Duke has gone. Stalker, Snake-Eyes and Scarlett enter to confront Colton about their discovery that the Baroness has been held captive in the basement of The Rock without their knowledge. Stalker directly confronts Colton and his authority at the most heated part of the argument the power of The Rock goes out. They know something is wrong.

In Washington DC, Garrett Freedlowe, the President's Chief of Staff, (actually Cobra Commander who has replaced the real Freedlowe and is using a high tech disguise) is having dinner with the real life wife and son. He is now in the middle of a divorce with Helen, and just missed his son's baseball game. The dinner is interrupted because Freedlowe receives a message about his newest security report. He leaves the dinner and isn't nice about it. Once he gets back to the White House, he starts looking at the information from The Rock about the captured Baroness, including biography information and a sonagram photo of her baby.
At The Rock, the Phoenix Guard team begun it's full on assault against the Joe team and they have cut the power and all communications. The Guard is killing many of the support personal as it makes its way through the facility on the hunt for the Joe team members. General Colton, Scarlett, Stalker and Snake-Eyes in the lower levels take off to find the invaders.
High-Tide and Friday make there way into the command area, where Roadblock and Hawk are stationed. Roadblock catches Hide Tide off guard and nearly knocks him out with a vicious punch. Just as Friday puts a gun to Hawk's head, Roadblock now in a position he doesn't like as Friday threatens to kill Hawk. High-Tide recovers and releases a flash grenade right in Roadblock's eyes blinding him.
Stalker arrives in the communication area where he discovers an injured Sparks. Phoenix Guard member Snake-Eater gets the drop on Stalker shooting him in the shoulder and stands over him waiting for permission from General Rey to kill him.
Colton, Snake-Eyes and Scarlett are totally on the run from General Rey and Mech. They jump into what appears to be a supply closet. As Rey and Mech check out the closet, they find it empty, the Joes have escaped into super secret tunnels that Colton had designed into the plans, just for this reason. As they make there way to the designated area to regroup for a counterattack. Colton thinks that he recognized General Rey but can't be sure.
Duke is in an airplane with Eliazbeth Parkes, a doctor who has helped him with his injuries and got him the airplane that is now flying towards The Rock.
Shipwreck and Kamakura are pinned down by Friday and High Tide, Shipwreck is able to shoot Hide Tide, and Mech shows up tossing a grenade at them. Kamakura is able to escape to cover. Shipwreck is thrown into the wall by the explosion, he is alive but injured.
Kamakura is able to meet up with Colton having sustained some injuries. And he informs him that the attackers are American.
General Rey makes it down to the lowest levels of The Rock, looking for the Baroness. All he sees is busted window from a prison cell.
Having secured The Rock, the Phoenix Guard collect back in the command center wear Hawk is being held by Snake-Eater. Up in the rafters is Spirit. General Rey briefs the team, they are ready to move to phase two.
And finally Duke arrives in the plane to a smoking Rock.

The Phoenix Guard lead by General Rey has taken complete control of The Rock, killed most of the support staff, captured the injured Shipwreck, Stalker, Roadblock and Hawk and placed them in a security area. General Colton, Scarlett and an injured Kamakura are making their own way out of the The Rock. Snake-Eyes and Spirit are both sneaky around inside and Duke is arriving by airplane.
In the command center, General Rey is briefing his team. He is very concerned with the high kill count and now that they have complete control of The Rock, he wants the computer system back on line, wants access to the Data Desk, so Mech starts getting it up right away. Rey then sends the rest of the team out to continue the hunt for the missing Joes.
Above the Rock, Duke is arguing with Elizabeth Parker about his health and how jumping out of the plane is going to injury him more. Duke reminds her that this is his job, they have tender moment before he jumps out of the plane.
In the command center General Rey is completely alone. He is talking with Garret Freedlowe, the Chief of Staff to the President of the United States, the man who authorized and created the Phoenix Guard and gives Rey his orders. Freedlowe is actually Cobra Commander in disguise, but General Rey doesn�t know that. Freedlowe congratulates Rey and reminds him that this is his second chance and that he better have all of the Joes rounded up soon. The transmission ends. The Data Desk files are now available so Rey starts digging. He does some cross referencing and discovers the true identity of his Phoenix Guard members. They are all Cobra agents that he has been leading. Snake-Eater is Firefly, Friday is Zarana, Mech is Scrap Iron, High Tide is Copperhead, and Halo is Wild Weasel. And now these Cobra agents control The Rock. And General Rey is really pissed.
In the infirmary High Tide/Copperhead is medicating himself, when Duke arrives, a fist fight immediately starts. After many exchanged blows, Duke is finally able to knock out Copperhead.
Mech/Scrap Iron returns to General Rey after the communication with Freedlowe ends. Scrap Iron is talking about tracking down the rest of the Joes when Rey confronts him. Rey declares the mission over and is amazed that Cobra could have infiltrated US covert forces. Scrap Iron pulls out his gun and points it at Rey.
Above them in an air vents Snake-Eyes has been watching the Scrap Iron - General Rey argument, when all of a sudden Spirit arrives.
Colton, Scarlett and Kamakura exits to the surface and using a two way radio contact Washington.
Back in The Rock, Friday/Zarana, Snake-Eater/Firefly and Halo/Wild Weasel are in the very much destroyed hanger bay. When the Baroness sneaks up behind them and says "Always a pleasure to see you Zarana, how about we make this little visit a memorable one."

In a flashback, Cobra Commander sits in front of a captured Spirit (see The Hunt for Cobra Commander). Just as he is released back to his cell, Cobra Commander receives a message from Tomax talking about how the agents are in place in Washington DC, Zartan's tech package has arrived and everything is ready for Cobra Commander's arrival.
Thirteen months later, Garrett Freedlowe, the current Chief of Staff to the President of the United States (actually Cobra Commander in disguise) has received from Blackout a call confirming the operation he has been running has been a success.
In The Rock, General Rey has just discovered that the Phoenix Guard, the team he has been leading in an attack on the Joe team, is actually a group of Cobra agents in disguise. He is now facing down Scrap Iron/Mech who has got him at gun point. Out of nowhere Snake-Eyes and Spirit knock out Scrap Iron to save General Rey.
In the almost completely destroyed hanger of The Rock, the Baroness, recently escaped, has run into one of her old nemeses - Zarana. She gets the drop on her, breaks her wrist, and kicks her in the head which knocks Zarana out. The Baroness is filled with anger and venom like in the old days and escapes from The Rock.
The Secret Service discovers the long dead body of Garrett Freedlowe in his office. Cobra Commander has left a video message for the President. In the message, he reveals that he has masqueraded as the Chief of Staff, plundered White House & Pentagon records and knows all the weaknesses of the government. The President's response is to assemble a strike team.
Back at The Rock, Spirit and Snake-Eyes have joined up with Roadblock, Hawk, Shipwreck and Stalker as the make there way out of The Rock. Wild Weasel pins them down with lots of gun fire. From behind him, rolls a grenade that apparently kills Wild Weasel/Halo (unconfirmed). Duke has now taken down his second Phoenix Guard member upon his return to The Rock.
Outside, Scarlett and Kamakura are taken by surprise and knocked down by Firefly/Snake Eater. Just as Firefly is about to kill Colton the reinforcement troops arrive to support the Joe team. Firefly escapes.
Later, Zarana/Friday, Scrap Iron/Mech and Copperhead/High Tide are being escorted away in handcuffs. As the complete Joe team reassembles to plan the next step. General Colton asserts his command of the team; the new focus is on a full strength team, no more solo missions and no more secrets. General Rey is completely despondent over his role in the attack, amazed at how he could be tricked by the Chief of Staff and questions his own since of loyalty, the Joes are unsure how to deal with him. Another issue the Joe team has to deal with is how Cobra agents were able to infiltrate the government at such a high level. And Colton ends with saying "I'm meeting the President in person later today, but he told me something about his Chief of Staff - I think it's safe to say that this attack was just the beginning".
At the meeting with the President, Colton asks the him how much support he is going to get from the White House as this new war with Cobra is about to start, especially since the President approved Phoenix Guard and the attack on The Rock. The President pledges his support but with limits.
Elsewhere, Cobra Commander is given word that the signal, which is the raising of a Cobra flag where an American flag was previous, was sent. The Commander wants to make certain every splinter cell checks in and is active. His plan is a multiple level one that will give him supreme victory over all of his adversaries and in the room with him is the Baroness's baby.

At The Rock, General Colton has briefed the Joe team about the recent invasion of The Rock and the casualties of the support staff. After the memorial service for all of the thirty-seven lost staff members, the Joes are sent on leave so they can rest and relax; cause when they come back GI Joe is going on the aggressive.
Snake-Eyes and Kamakura visit the High Sierras where Kamakura confronts Snake-Eyes about how he needs to equal himself, after his recent resurrection. Snake-Eyes refuses the help.
In Georgia at her family home, Scarlett visits her father, who is wheelchair bound. (See Scarlett Declassified). They have a conversation about how Scarlett has learned to bend without breaking, and he tells her that he is proud of her and she is inspiring him. Smiling, Scarlett leaves him to join her two nephews in some martial arts fun and games.
General Joe Colton and a on crouches Sparks visit his wife, Jane, outside of Yellowstone. Sparks' family is in Italy to far away to visit for the weekend leave, so Colton invited him. Jane welcomes him and considers him part of the family. Sparks reminds Colton that the lost support staff where doing their job and that he needs to let it go. They make a toast to thirty seven and have dinner.
And finally, General Phillip Rey is talking to an unseen psychologist, Dr. Stevens, about why he just follows orders. He is very conflicted as to why he just led the invasion of The Rock without any thought for himself, he just followed orders without question, even if the order did come directly from the President. He is also very concerned as to why he doesn't have any memories of his past and his nightly dreams are getting more violent. Dr. Stevens suggests that he should gather as much information about his past as he can, and they can talk about it at the next session.
In St. Louis, General Rey has tracked down Duke to ask him a favor. The favor he needs is for Duke to help him discover any and all information about his past. Duke is extremely angry off at Rey for his invasion. General Rey admits to his part as leader, but he was deceived by Cobra Commander and his agents, which actually disobeyed orders about shooting to kill. Duke agrees to help him, not because he likes him or even really wants to help. But he is going to keep an eye on Rey and keep him in line.
They go back to The Rock where Duke looks through a box of "lost" information about General Rey. Before Lady Jaye was killed by the Red Shadows, she was investigating Rey and his past. With very little unclassified information the records they look through aren't much. But Duke does find something, a wire transfer from a military account to a James Nurss. They then access The Rock's data desk files and a partial match comes up. Zandar has used the name as an alias.
So Duke and Rey go to the Everglades to ask Zartan about his brother. After a brief fight with several of the Dreadnoks, Zartan, Zanya and Zandar come down from above on a platform to talk to Duke. Duke asks Zartan how was James Nurss involved with the Jugglers. Zartan reveals that Zandar used that alias when he betrayed him and was serving the Coil and Serpentor. He also admits that Zarana stole his disguise technology when creating the Phoenix Guard. He kicks Zandar to the ground, level with the Joes and says "Zarana made her own bed, Zandar. She will face the repercussions without my help. James Nurss was something you enacted on your own. You'll have to deal with the fallout without me as well." He continues to the Joes, "Short of killing him, my brother is yours. A word of warning though, I doubt he'll offer you much without a fight."

In the Florida Everglades, Zartan has given his brother Zandar to General Rey and Duke so he can answer questions they have about Rey's past. After a knife fight, Rey is able to pin Zandar and Zandar starts talking.
Zandar explains several things: his persona James Nurss was used when he worked for the Coil and Dr. Mindbender, using Nurss he brokered a deal between Mindbender and the Jugglers, he made a big delivery and finally he tells them to talk to Rey's psychologist Dr. Stevens.
At the Rock, Spirit is looking at digital photos of his family, his family has been relocated and even he isn't allowed to know where they are located. Hawk expresses his apologies for sending Spirit on the mission to find Cobra Commander. That mission turned into a tortured year that he doesn't remember much of but as he remembers more he completely blames one person, Cobra Commander.
Stalker at his home is trying to sleep when his son Jamal jumps on him. His wife Lydia and other son Alvin also come into the room all wanting to know if he is going with them to the pool. He agrees, the kids leave and Lydia understands that Stalker is feeling the loss of not seeing them grow up. She reassures him that the work he is doing is important and she is very proud of him.
In Las Vegas, Shipwreck and Roadblock are at the annual Joe poker game sitting at their table is also Rock 'n' Roll, Clutch and Cover Girl. Roadblock asks when they are finally going to meet Shipwreck's mysterious girlfriend. Cover Girl speaks up saying that she is dating him. Everyone is completely surprised.
Duke and Rey confront Dr. Stevens.
Rey wants to know why Zandar would be sending him to see him. Rey attacks and Stevens says the word "Draculea", Rey's eyes gaze over and Stevens orders him to kill Duke. Rey immediately attacks Duke. As Duke and Rey fight, Duke keeps asking why Rey is attacking him. Eventually, Rey gets the upper hand putting a gun to Duke's head. Stevens says "It is good to see you be your true self again. Now its time for you to embrace your purpose to reclaim the role and title that is rightfully yours. My emperor. Your destiny calls with killing this Joe you reclaim your true name Serpentor."
Holding the gun to Duke, Rey asks Stevens to tell him the truth. Stevens then begins explaining the Rey/Serpentor story.
Serpentor is an amalgam of the greatest warriors of history, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Attilla the Hun, Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Genghis Khan, Ivan the Terrible, Vlad the Impaler and even Storm Shadow. Dr. Mindbender and Destro collected the DNA from all of these leaders (see Marvel GI Joe #49). Mindbender created 12 clones and aged two of them. The DNA was mixed into the aged synthetic clone. One of the clones became the 1st Serpentor. The second one Mindbender changed the look and with Crystal Ball's help programmed a series of post hypnotic triggers into this additional clone. Then Zandar was recruited to create the James Nurss identity that brokered the sale of the altered synthetic to General Gibbs of the Jugglers. The deal was made during the first Cobra Civil War. The 1st Serpentor was killed and that body destroyed in the buried freighter. (See Marvel GI Joe #75 & #126) Later, Cobra Island was seized by the UN and the 10 remaining unaged clones confiscated. The Coil using clandestine operations continued Mindbender's work creating the 2nd Serpentor (actually a new clone), which was eventually beaten and nearly killed by Cobra Commander in the second Cobra Civil War. (See DDP #22-25) The body of that synthetic also came into the control of US government. The US government activated their first synthetic and sent him after Cobra agents, assigning him to lead the GI Joe team and gave him the name General Phillip Rey. (See DDP #36-41) Later, the 2nd Serpentor and Jugglers were killed by the Red Shadows (see DDP #42-43). Eventually, Crystal Ball using the Dr. Stevens identity became Rey's psychologist, but this time Cobra Commander was in charge disguised as the Chief of Staff to the President of the United States. Using one of the post hypnotic triggers they activated Rey and used him to attack the Joes at The Rock (see America's Elite #14).
Now Crystal Ball is asking Rey to kill Duke so he can truly become Serpentor. Then they can destroy Cobra Commander and he can claim his rightful place as emperor of all. As Crystal Ball screams "DO IT" at Rey, Rey looks at Duke, then he knocks out Crystal Ball. Rey says "My name is not Serpentor. My name is Philip Rey."
Later, Duke and Rey are talking. Rey believes that he broke the hypnotic trigger by refusing to kill Duke, Crystal Ball was going to use Rey to gain power and Rey is now an unknown element. Duke feels like he should arrest Rey but at the same time Rey has shown great abilities in defending democracy. He needs to consult with General Colton, but he is willing to leave him as General Rey. But as they shake hands Duke says "I see even a trace of Serpentor and I will take you out permanently. Don't make me regret this" Rey's response "I won't let you down."