Cobra Commander leaned back in the red velvet chair, crossing his arms and looking out at the five men and one woman seated in front of him. His last few words spoken clung to the air like a palpable mist, slowly seeping into the ears and minds of the people surrounding the table. They were in the meeting room once again, the lights dim and the atmosphere tense and foreboding. Adding to the tension, silence almost echoed from the walls in its intensity. Cobra Commander’s enthusiasm, his speech and his gestures had filled the entire room, invisible energy threatening to burst through the walls and roll through everyone present in the room. Now that he had stopped speaking, stopped moving and merely sat there, the room seemed very, very empty. Destro was the first to utter a sound, a low, deep growl of a laugh, starting out as a mere chuckle but before long, laughter roared from his mouth in strong gusts.

"Bravo!" he shouted, obviously pleased. "Cobra Commander, you have outdone yourself! When do we put this plan in motion?"

"Destro, old friend…" Cobra Commander started, leaning back a little more. "It has been in motion for a week now. You’ll notice we have an empty seat at our table…Zartan is putting the finishing touches on phase two right now."

"Zartan knew the ‘master plan’ before you told us, Commander?" Scrap Iron asked, appearing slightly annoyed.

"He knew what he needed to know, Scrap Iron. He is integral to the first part of phase three. It would not be possible without his talents, and the talents of his…family."

"Zandar and Zarana are on board for this one?" Destro asked. Next to him the Baroness coughed. The mere mention of Zarana’s name caused her eyes to roll and her lips to curl into a snarl.

"Yes. Zartan was finally able to turn them around. For this phase of the plan anyway. When he told them what they were doing, the siblings were more than eager to join the fun."

"As long as they don’t stick around afterwards…I don’t trust those louts!" Baroness snarled again.

"We are all well aware of your animosity towards Zarana, Baroness." Destro placed a calming hand on his consort’s arm. She seemed to sooth right down. "So, Commander," Destro continued, now turning his attention back to the hooded man at the head of the table. "When do we begin phase three?"

"Aleph has already initiated the first part of phase three…he and a small group of Night Vipers are preparing for the assault as we speak. You and The Baroness will be joining him promptly. The timing will have to be impeccable. On all parts. If one group moves too soon, the whole mission is jeopardized. We must make sure all of our movements are synchronous. This whole plan revolves around timing…that is the core of it."

"Are Zartan and his siblings aware of this, Commander? It would seem to me, that Zandar and Zarana are the weak link in this whole equation." Dr. Mindbender pointed this fact out.

"Zarana and Zandar are icing on a well baked cake. They are not vital to the plan’s success, but their existence and participation make it that much more viable. They are important, but their parts in this are mere extras in this great production. I’m sure none of you doubt Zartan’s credentials. He will make sure everything flows smoothly."

"We will take your word for it, Commander," Destro said, and stood. "Well, we do not have time for too much socializing. We’ve got a country to cripple, my brothers," he said with pride, turning to his fellow Cobra members. "Cobra Commander has put his faith in us, and I am certain that this is a feasible plan of action. One that, if pulled off correctly, will put our organization in the history books. Come now, we have much to prepare for!" Destro raised a triumphant fist. "COBRA!!" he screamed defiantly. For the first time in a long time, Destro’s emotions were solidly behind this battle cry. The remaining men stood as well, raising their own fists.

"COBRA!!" They all replied. Cobra Commander smiled broadly underneath his cloth hood, which swayed slightly as the men walked by him towards the exit. Overlord hung back and waited for the others to leave then approached his leader.

"Cobra Commander. I do not know how to say this." He said slowly, his eyes nervous behind his monocle. He ran a hand through his short, slick black hair, and tugged at his red tunic.

"Get on with it, Overlord." Cobra Commander said, exasperated.

"I’m afraid that I am going to have to terminate our partnership," he said, finally composing himself.

The silence reverberated after the statement as Cobra Commander cocked his head and glared at the man in front of him. He placed his gloved hands firmly on the table and stood slowly. "Oh, really?" He was face to face with Overlord for the second time in less than two days.

"Yes. If this plan you are suggesting fails…well, my business fails with it. I have sunk too much money into this endeavor as it is."

"I grow tired of this constant pessimism, Overlord. What makes you think this plan will fail?"

"I don’t know, Commander…but even if it succeeds, I don’t think I want my company name affiliated with what you are proposing! It would be monetary suicide!"

"Your continued arguing with me may be considered another form of suicide, Overlord. Your company is in this lock, stock and barrel whether you like it or not."

"I was not aware of the consequences of—"

"Shut up, Overlord! You were well aware and you know it! That little twisted heart inside your chest loves the idea of this masterpiece that I have devised. Your soul is just as black as mine is, if not blacker! Do not pretend that you didn’t know what you were getting into just to alleviate your conscience!"

"You’re right, Commander! I do like this plan!" Overlord stepped closer to his Commander, their masks now almost touching. "If this succeeds, then this organization will be the most feared organization on the planet! I don’t want to be a part of that organization. I want to LEAD that organization!" Overlord punctuated that last point by slamming his closed fist hard on the wood table. Sweat slowly ran down his face and over his gold mask that covered his mouth. He began to compose himself. He stood back slowly, brushing himself off, then swiftly drew a pistol from a holster on his thigh. It was an automatic pistol, the barrel hovering just inches from Cobra Commander’s broad chest. The silver Cobra emblem seemed to be glaring menacingly at the weapon. The Commander maintained his composure and actually smirked behind the hood.

"Well, you’ve got guts…I admire that, Overlord. I admire that very much." He shrugged and appeared very composed, relaxed even. "That admiration won’t stop me from ripping your spine from your lifeless corpse, however."

Overlord growled and raised the weapon to fire. A nearly silent metallic sound echoed in the dark, closed room. Just as Overlord prepared to pull the trigger, a cold sensation drifted across his neck. He paused, his eyes wandering, his trigger finger shaking just centimeters from the point of contact. Just at his jugular, a long, silver katana pressed firmly against his skin. The flesh actually puckered slightly where the glimmering sword touched. The weapon was firm and lifeless, as if held there by some magical force, and Overlord could see no one holding it. He shifted his gaze slightly. Cobra Commander swatted the gun from his hand and cursed. "I wouldn’t look if I were you. If you do see her face, then she will have to kill you." Cobra Commander was surprisingly calm and articulate. Overlord stood motionless next to the table, a stock still human statue. The shadows fell around the room, completely blocking off the holder of the weapon. The sword was at a slight upward angle, so whoever held it was shorter than the would be victim.

"Overlord, Overlord, Overlord," Cobra Commander muttered, pacing comically in front of the petrified masked man. "What am I going to do with you?"

"C—Commander…I—"

Cobra Commander lunged suddenly, all composure drained from his body and left floating in the air. With his left fist he grabbed a handful of red tunic and pulled Overlord’s frightened, sweating face just inches away. The sword pressed harder against his neck as he was pulled forward.

"You DARE? You would point a weapon at ME? I should have you decapitated where you STAND!" The Commander’s eyes were a raging inferno, boring deep into Overlord’s psyche. "But…"Cobra Commander released his grip slightly and stepped back. "Against my better judgement…I am going to let you live."

Overlord let out a breath until the cold hard steel pressed again, just slightly, to remind him of its presence. "Commander…I’m sorry. I don’t know what came ov—"

"Speak one more word, Overlord, and I will use your severed head for a soccer ball."

Overlord halted his speech and nodded briskly.

"As I have told you in the past, you do have a devious tactical mind. In the coming weeks, I will have need of such a mind. Also, we may need extra funding. You will provide that funding with no questions asked. Am I correct in that assumption?"

Overlord nodded briskly again.

"I thought so. Let me make something very clear though, Overlord. Do not misconstrue this as mercy on my part, for rest assured, it is not. As much as I hate to even think it, Overlord, at this point I need you. Your money and your planning will help ensure this plan’s success. But I will have no more rebuttals from you, verbal or physical. If you try my patience again I will have you drawn and quartered, then skewered and placed on my mantle. Are we clear?"

Overlord nodded again, shame coming over his face. He sighed like a man beaten and the sword whipped away. Overlord winced as the blade was pulled away, but a little too close. A long red smear drew from one side of his neck to the other. Blood slowly trickled from the wound and the masked man placed a hand over it.

"You see, I am never alone…you will never catch me unaware. My guardian angel is always close by."

Overlord spun quickly, but whoever had been holding the sword had somehow vanished in a small, locked room. The defeated man hung his head slightly and walked out the door towards the command center, from which a corridor would lead him to his quarters. The room was left in silence.

"I could finish the job, father. I would enjoy it." Whisper emerged from the shadows as the door swung shut, and stopped by her father’s side.

"I will call on that favor, my dear…some time. But now is not the time for in-fighting."

"I understand, father."

"There is much to be planned for, my dear. The very thing you have trained your whole life for. In a mere four days, that training will culminate. Are you nervous?"

"No, father. I know I will persevere. I have been given other assignments…all completed with no hesitation and no consequences."

"Yes, my dear Whisper, I know. Many of my followers are either highly dedicated idiots, or very intelligent traitors-in-waiting. You, my wonderful daughter…you are skilled, intelligent, and devoted. You are my prize." The proud father smiled underneath his hood, and placed a consoling hand on his daughter’s shoulder. "Come now, darling Whisper…you must prepare. I want you in your special training room until you leave tomorrow morning. Leave some time for rest, but not too much. I want you to be in top form. It will take you all week to prepare. Do not let me down, Whisper. I do not tolerate failure, even from you. Do not forget that." Cobra Commander’s eyes became stern and unforgiving under the hood. Whisper’s gaze never faltered.

"I know, father. If I fail, I will be fully prepared for my punishment."

"That’s my girl," Cobra Commander smiled again and hugged his daughter. She returned the hug, then broke free and melted back into the shadows. Cobra Commander smiled admirably underneath his flowing cloth cowl then turned and walked out the door into the command center. Two Crimson Guard Immortals immediately joined his side from their posts on either side of the door, and matched pace with him as he began his walk across the large, round room. His eyes wandered throughout the sprawling banks of computers, Tele-Vipers and Techno-Vipers diligently monitoring every one of them, from radar screens and world wide news programs, to stock quotes and island mounted video cameras. Snakebite was overseeing the whole process, then when he spotted the Commander, he quickly left his post and rejoined him.

"What went on in there, sir?" he asked. "Overlord came out, looking like he saw a ghost."

"Perhaps he did, Snakebite…how are the stocks performing?"

"Excellently, Commander. Pretty soon we should have no need for that swine Overlord and his filthy company money."

"Good news." They continued their walk side by side, out of the command center and into the main hallway. "Tell me, how did Project: Shadow operate last night?"

Snakebite shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Mindbender’s got all of the information on that. I do know that there was one of them left for interrogation, but the others are all gone and ‘buried at sea’, shall we say?"

"More good news. And they were able to stay within the time constraints?"

"Yes, sir." Snakebite shook his head yes and let his left arm dangle by his side, his shotgun swaying slowly from his clenched fist. The two Immortals had lagged back some to give their two bosses their time for conversation, but they still matched paces, only a few feet behind. Each of them carried an AK-47 for the Commander’s protection.

"Very good. I’m going to tour the grounds, my good man. Resume your duties at the Command post, and I will rejoin you later."

"As you wish, sir." Snakebite nodded and broke off the walk, turning and walking back into the central chamber. Cobra Commander strode proudly down the hallway, thinking back to when he’d started construction on this underground fortress. He had actually gotten the idea from the GI Joe team, an irony that pleased him to no end. After an attack on the GI Joe base of operations in Staten Island, New York, Destro and he were trapped in their underground base for several days. That experience plus, the Commander’s memory of an earlier attack fueled his creative juices. The earlier battle was pretty early in the GI Joe history books. They had been willing to sacrifice an above ground headquarters simply to keep their massive underground base of operations hidden. The Pit, Cobra Commander remembered with a hint of a shudder going through his body. He had been trapped down there for a while, and was thought dead…it had been a horrendous several days of hopelessness and claustrophobia until Destro located that drilling machine that provided their escape. Frankly, Cobra Commander was surprised that he could even tolerate being underground both with that traumatic experience and being buried in a shallow grave after being shot by a traitorous Crimson Guard. Surprisingly, the underground fortress was soothing and relaxing to the Commander; an escape away from public view, a sanctuary and a home. Vipers and Crimson Guardsmen wandered about the hallway, coming from different sections of the base, and Cobra Commander took a sharp left, his bodyguards close behind. He could hear the sounds coming from the training room as he approached. Sporadic gunfire, martial arts class, and even the muffled explosion of a shaped charge going off. The metal door stood before him, a Viper on each side of it, weapons raised. They stood down immediately as the Commander approached and the door slid open with a soft whoosh. Two Vipers stood on the other side of the door as well, and they lowered their arms and stood at a stiff attention as he wondered by. The training area sprawled out before him, almost the size of a large arena, but only half filled with instructors and eager students. Cobra Commander was impressed by the sheer size of it, and satisfied with the result of a decade of hard work. Much of the construction had been done using a rugged column of land that anchored the island to the ocean floor. The column was the size of the island and attached it to the floor almost a mile below the island’s surface. After a barrage of tests and studies, the Techno-Vipers had determined that the column was strong enough to dig into and construct their massive underground bunker. They had done the majority of the work after Cobra Commander’s return from the dead, disguising construction vehicles as military weapons of destruction, and working primarily under cloud cover and at night. Once Cobra had been thought disbanded, the task got more difficult, but thanks to Destro’s inside sources they were able to avoid recon satellites and spy planes. By that time, too most of the building had been completed, and they only needed to furnish the underground fortress with computers, weapons and other such necessities. It had felt like forever, but Cobra had finally regrown to almost its normal amount of men, and there was a definite plan of action, and Cobra Commander felt truly alive for the first time in many years. His eyes soaked in the entire training area. The Dreadnoks were in one corner of the massive arena, demonstrating explosives and other such forms of wanton destruction. Vipers at this point were doing much of the teaching, seeing as Zartan was occupied, and Destro and The Baroness were setting about to finish off their part of the master plan. A Night-Viper was instructing men in blue fatigues and black facemasks on the principals of marksmanship, sniping, and night vision. A Tele-Viper was leading the class in a lecture on the ins and outs of the Cobra communications system and how to read much of the worlds radar information. In the center of the big room, a new addition to the Cobra team, a Phantom Viper was teaching martial arts and stealth practices. This special forced Cobra trooper also demonstrated the benefits of close quarter combat and infiltration. The Phantom Vipers were formally known as the Night Creepers, a group of technological ninjas, relying on a combination of martial arts prowess and technical savvy to achieve the goals of their employer whomever it may be. After the last battle with GI Joe, both the Night Creepers and Cobra had been nearly finished off by the combined attacks of the Joe military unit and the Ninja Force commandos. Unfortunately, most of the Ninja Force members had perished in the conflict, but the Night Creepers were beaten and broken, their numbers nearly dwindled to nothing. The Night Creeper Leader, Aleph and Cobra Commander came to a mutual agreement to join forces, and the Phantom Vipers were born. A team of Special Forces stealth commandos, specializing in infiltration, espionage, and even assassination. Aleph now served as the Phantom Viper leader, and was allowed some respect in the Cobra hierarchy, stock options and all. It was a beneficial agreement for all involved, giving Aleph and the Phantom Vipers financial security, and giving Cobra some highly skilled, vicious agents and Aleph’s connections to the terrorist underworld, which had helped Cobra Commander’s recruitment efforts endlessly. To the right of the arena area, a SAW Viper and Alley Viper were leading a class in the uses of machine guns and urban warfare, including marksmanship, loading and unloading, and general weapons expertise. Cobra Commander turned to the right and bypassed the elevator leading down to the training area, instead walking to another door situated in the right wall of the training room’s spectator balcony. Three Vipers and one Crimson Guard, which alone signified an area of great importance guarded this door. The Commander proceeded through the door with no interference and ended up in a small elevator with room for him, his two Immortal bodyguards, and maybe two other people. The Immortal on the right pushed a button marked ‘L’ and the elevator hummed softly and descended briskly. A quiet ding signified the elevator’s destination and the doors slid smoothly open, revealing a medium sized room packed to the gills with computers, monitors and other technological marvels. The room looked like something out of a science fiction movie, although each item in the room was a useful and important item to the operation. Two Techno-Vipers turned and stood at attention as Cobra Commander walked in, his head turning slowly to take in the hustle and bustle around him. More Techno-Vipers and Medi-Vipers scurried around as Cobra Commander entered, flipping switches, moving levers and watching readouts. In the center of the room six large, human sized test tubes loomed high above everyone in the room. Each clear tube contained a thick, cloudy liquid with human forms barely visible behind the glass. Oxygen masks were submerged in the liquid and placed over the subject’s faces, which were indeterminable inside the tube. Cobra Commander walked slowly around the left side of the tubes and saw who he was looking for, the bald, mad scientist hurriedly adjusting various things. Dr. Mindbender had gone back to wearing his long, flowing black cape, but out of necessity, still wore the cybernetic attachment on his eye and the large black device attached to his chest to keep his heart going. Mindbender could no longer live without this large makeshift "pacemaker" a result of being buried with the other Cobra hierarchy in the freighter by Cobra Commander himself. The Commander had later regretted this decision and cloned Mindbender with raw material he had, but could not perfect the clone, which needed the pacemaker merely to keep his heart beating. Dr. Mindbender was surprisingly forgiving, figuring that even though Cobra Commander had killed him, he had also brought him back to life as well. Mindbender squatted down and adjusted two more dials near the base of the contraption that housed the six tubes. As he stood, he brushed off his dark purple pants and looked over at Cobra Commander.

"Cobra Commander…I just saw you at the meeting. To what do I owe this honor?" he asked in his best imitation mad scientist voice.

"I am coming to check the progress of Project: Shadow, Mindbender. Can you fill me in? How did my children perform last night?" Cobra Commander looked up at the tubes and ran his gloved hand along the smooth surface of one of them.

"They did very well…the new stealth suits need improvement."

"Why is that?" The Commander asked, turning slightly.

"Well, apparently last night, the noise dampening field malfunctioned on suits one and three. Machine gun noise was heard quite clearly and alerted the patrol to their presence. They were spotted and nearly shot."

"Being spotted and being shot are two completely different things, Mindbender. Even without the stealth suits, these magnificent Shadow Vipers would be a force to be reckoned with."

"Definitely, Commander. Using the Star Vipers’ already enhanced bodies as a template was a stroke of genius. The new scientific marvels these days allowed vast and numerous improvements over the reflexes, speed, and ruthlessness of even the Star Viper."

"How long must they stay in these tubes, Doctor?"

"They need the chemical bath for nutrients to adjust to normal life. Their quicker metabolism forces them to consume much more nutrition than an average human. We are using the chemical baths to ween them down to normal food consumption. They should be out of the tubes full time in a few days."

"Excellent. How are the bikes coming along?"

"Well, we have one motorcycle completed and it passed last night with flying colors. The sound dampening field and new composite stealth alloy we came up with is successful in hiding it from all sources of electronic detection. Motion sensors, infrared, thermal, night vision, and sonar, anything you can think of. The only way to make it more undetectable would be to make it invisible! It is a great improvement on the Python Patrol technology we used as a basis."

"I am proud, Mindbender. After years of failure, it seems that everything is finally coming together. Keep up the good work, Doctor!" Cobra Commander patted Mindbender on the shoulder and returned to the elevator still flanked by his Crimson Guard Immortals. The door hissed shut and the elevator rose, bringing the blue clad dictator back up to the balcony. He emerged from the elevator and walked briskly to the main hallway again, turning right and heading back to the command center. His shiny boots clomped heavily on the concrete floor and his majestic hood swayed over his shoulders. The Commander felt like whistling, but decided that would be unbecoming of a man of his stature. Just as the Commander entered the central chamber, he turned slightly right, heading towards a door wedged in between computer terminals on the right wall. The door led to the Cobra hierarchy’s quarters and was not public domain. Two more Crimson Guard Immortals stood guard by this door, and snapped straight up when he approached. There was another door directly across the room from this one, which led to the motor pool, currently packed with vehicles under construction as well as fully assembled ones, which were ready for action. Cobra Commander toyed with the idea of a surprise inspection, but decided he didn’t want to bother Wild Weasel and Scrap Iron, the current Cobra motor pool supervisors. The motor pool contained another way out of the underground headquarters, a long, spiral staircase that ended up in the broken down watchtower at the west end of the former Cobra Airfield. There was a third exit and entrance as well an escape shaft that led from Cobra Commander’s very bedroom up into the bunker like citadel which sat in the center of what was formerly Cobra Headquarters above ground. The door slid open and Cobra Commander walked in, his two guards stopping and joining the other two in guard duty by the door. It eased closed behind the Commander, and he was in a nicely lit hallway with soothing lighting and a plush red carpet. Doors led off of the right and left of the hallway, each room guarded by a retinal and voice scanner to allow access only to those allowed. Of course Cobra Commander could open any doors he wanted, but he had little desire to see what happened in those rooms, especially The Baroness and Destro’s. He shuddered slightly at the thought, but continued his walk down to the end of the hall where his master suite sat. He approached the door and stool still as the red beam cris-crossed over his hood and into his eyes.

"King Cobra, Alpha-One," he said in monotone.

"Confirmed," the tin voice replied and the door slipped open. The room was large and elegant, a huge king sized bed in red with canopy and all on the far wall. Bookcases packed the walls of the room, covering two and a half of them. In the far wall next to the bed, his walk in closet stood, door open, and battle gear hung neatly on hangers. A blue helmet with a silver faceplate sat on a pedestal next to the large bed, and the florescent lights flickered and gleamed off of its sheer surface. A large bathroom was off of the left wall, bookcases covering the wall right up to the entrance. On the right wall, across from the bathroom, was a nicely organized study, with even more books and a cutting edge computer and alarm system on a thick, oak desk. From this computer, Cobra Commander could access anything in the base, from radar and camera feeds from the command center, to footage of the training area or simple Internet access. He wandered into the study and sat at the desk, turning the computer on and leaning back in his comfortable chair.

"I hear you’re looking for me," a gravely voice whispered from behind the Commander, and he leaped from his chair. He spun with a shout and drew a pistol from his thigh-mounted holster, then leveled it at the intruder. His breathing eased slightly when he saw whom it was, and he lowered the weapon slowly.

"You have got to learn how to knock!" he said nervously.

"I try to remain incognito. My job requires that, Commander. Besides, I find defeating supposedly unstoppable security systems…stimulating."

"I understand. Still, if I die of a heart attack, who pays your expenses, Firefly?"

The masked man stepped out of the shadows, his gray camouflaged uniform somewhat out of place in this setting. "Well, your next of kin, of course…you do still have a daughter." His voice was a thick hoarse whisper, a lifetime of speaking in hushed tones and living in silence. His sabotage skills were known throughout the world, but in recent times, he had devoted his time to Cobra.

The Commander cringed slightly at Firefly’s unintentional barb. "Well yes, Firefly…I have been looking for you. I see your inside sources are as good as always."

"Yes, Commander." Firefly was a man of few words.

"This is the next phase of our plan." Cobra Commander reached below his desk and produced a locked, security guarded briefcase. "I want you to assure Whisper’s safe passage."

Firefly huffed slightly. "I’m no babysitter."

"Firefly, you are the one person I can fully trust. Your allegiance is your wallet, and nothing else. There is payment in your numbered account already. Please."

"All the details in here?" he asked, lifting the briefcase. Cobra Commander nodded. "Don’t think this is going to become a habit." Firefly looked deep into Cobra Commander’s eyes, his eyes squinting and piercing behind the gray camouflage facemask. His brow was furrowed in mild frustration, but he knew it was an easy assignment. He had checked his Swiss Bank account earlier in the day, too. The Commander was paying quite handsomely for this particular service.

"I knew I could count on you, Firefly."

Firefly nodded slightly and dashed past the Commander and out the door into the bedroom, briefcase in hand. The hooded man heard the door whisper open, then close easily. He hoped Firefly wouldn’t change his mind once he read about all of the details. In the back of his mind, Cobra Commander knew he would consider it a challenge, and that he could count on him. He sat back down in his chair and pressed his fingers to the keyboard. As he began by checking stock prices, he couldn’t hold in the emotion any longer and began whistling a mysterious happy tune.