GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Chapter Eight

Cobra Commander stood and crossed his arms, staring at the large television screen. It showed the black and white view from a security camera in the underground parking structure, where Destro and his entourage were getting into their vehicles. Destro and his gorgeous assistant got into a black limousine while his three armed guards drove in a black van. Cobra Commander continued to watch the screen until the two vehicles drove out of the camera’s range of view.

Major Bludd was still sitting at the conference table. Commander's body guard Storm Shadow stood against the wall, hands at his sides, resting on the two long knives sheathed at his hips. The ninja in white watched Bludd carefully, but Cobra Commander was less concerned. He stood so motionless, that a casual observer might have thought he was a mannequin at first.

Cobra Commander walked over to where Major Bludd was sitting. Bludd had one large black boot propped up on the knee of his other leg and was fiddling with a pipe. He glanced up as the Commander approached him, and casually struck a match against the sole of his boot. He put the pipe in his mouth, held the match against it, and puffed smoke.

“Can I trust him?” Cobra Commander asked.

“Depends on what you want from him,” Bludd answered. He inhaled deeply and smoke drifted from the edges of his mouth. “Can you trust him to sell you the weapons you need? Of course you can. That’s his business, and the man always does business.”

Cobra Commander studied Bludd for a moment and then returned to the row of television screens, each of them showing a different view. One of them showed the main entrance hallway, another showed a laboratory room, another the armory. The Commander switched rapidly between the different screens, as if trying to see everything at once.

Bludd set the pipe in his lap and flicked a stray crumb of tobacco from the front of his suit. “Can you trust him to keep this all confidential? Sure. Like I told you, he’s a business man. He won’t expose you, because he knows you’ll just expose him right back.”

“You have a way of saying a lot without actually saying anything important,” the Commander said. “Now, can I trust him?”

“No,” Bludd said. “I don’t think you can.”

“Why not?”

“Cause once Destro figures out what you’ve got going on here, he’s gonna want a piece of it. The man’s almost as greedy as I am, and once he smells a profit, he’s gonna do everything he can to gain control of it.”

“He’ll try to take it from me.”

“He might try it. And he’s got enough muscle to back him up.”

“Yes,” the Commander said. “You told me about his personal army.”

“He don’t have as many men as you do, but right now they’re better trained and probably better armed than yours.”

“Not for long,” the Commander said. “Speaking of that, when are you leaving?”

Bludd shrugged. “Whenever you want. Do you need me here?”

“I don’t think so. I want you in my town when the weapons arrive, so you can start the new training at once.”

“You’re the boss.”

Cobra Commander looked over his shoulder at Bludd and regarded him coolly. “Yes, that’s right.”

He left Bludd in the conference room and walked out into the hollow corridor, his black shoes clicking neatly on the shining floor, the metal walls reflecting his image. Two armed guards in the hall saluted when he passed them and he nodded.

“Hail Cobra,” they said in unison.

Cobra Commander continued down the hall and entered a brightly lit room with long rows of hospital beds. About twenty of the beds were occupied, but there were at least that many still empty. The floor was bright white tile, and shining metal pipes crisscrossed the walls and ceiling.

Men wearing plain white shirts and blue pants were lying on the beds, motionless, their arms hooked up to intravenous drips. Each of them had a pair of headphones sitting on his head, Two other men wearing blue uniforms and blue face masks attended them like nurses.

In the front of the room was a large computer display with a series of chemical apparatus set up on a long table with a black marble top. The bald man with the thin glasses was leaning over some of the equipment, muttering to himself in German.

“Mindbender,” Cobra Commander prompted.

The man spun around and quickly readjusted the glasses on the bridge of his sharp nose. The bright overhead lights shined off his bald head. “Ah, Commander,” he said quickly. “Yes, please come and take a look here.”

He hurried over to one of the hospital beds, where a man was lying unconscious. One of the nurses, who had been attending the man, ran off when Mindbender approached. Cobra Commander, his hands calmly folded behind his back, stepped to the foot of the bed and watched as Mindbender fiddled with the computer display hooked up to the man’s IV drip.

Mindbender was not his real name, of course, but like so many others in Cobra’s line of business, he chose to use an alias. But while many others who worked for Cobra, and other organizations of its kind, already had a criminal record or negative reputation that forced them to seek such employment, Mindbender was an exception. He was a highly-regarded and respected expert in his medical field, which further necessitated the use of an alias. Mindbender, as far as most of his associates knew, was a law-abiding citizen.

“Now, wake up,” Mindbender said in his clipped accent.

Slowly, the man on the bed opened his eyes and sleepily regarded Mindbender and Cobra Commander. He was average-looking, with short, light brown hair and brown eyes. He shifted in bed and lifted his hand to his face, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He cleared his throat and licked his lips, blinking a few times.

“Where am I?’ he mumbled.

“You are in a safe place,” Mindbender said. “We are taking care of you.”

“Oh, okay,” the man said.

“What is your name?”

“My name? It’s ... uh, my name is Fred.”

Mindbender nodded. “Good, tell me about yourself.”

Cobra Commander looked down at the man, his arms crossed. Fred looked up and could only see his own reflection in the Commander’s silver faceplate.

“I’m ... I’m twenty-eight years old. I’m from Oklahoma. I have a bachelor’s degree ...” Fred tried to sit up in bed a little and drowsily rubbed his temple. “I don’t remember what the degree is in. I’m not married ...”

“Who do you work for?”

“I work for Cobra.”

Mindbender smiled and patted Fred’s arm. “Good, good. How do you feel?”

“I feel pretty good, I guess. Just kind of sleepy.”

“That’s to be expected. Now, tell me what you know about Cobra.”

Fred blinked and said nothing for a moment. He furrowed his brow, as if he was confused, and then absentmindedly scratched at the IV drip. “Well, I like working for Cobra,” he said. “Our work is very important. Our job is to protect people. Because the government is dangerous, you know? We have to fight for justice. Cobra is dedicated to protecting our rights. Cobra helps us.”

“Wonderful,” Mindbender said, beaming. He turned a dial on the computer display and pressed a few buttons. “Okay, I can see that you’re still tired. We won’t bother you anymore. Why don’t you go back to sleep?”

Cobra Commander nodded and walked away as Fred drifted back to sleep. Mindbender gently placed the headphones back on Fred’s head and then walked away, rubbing his hands together and smiling proudly. He stood beside Cobra Commander as he studied the chemical apparatus.

“It is working perfectly,” Mindbender said.

“I’m still not completely convinced, though,” the Commander said. “He was half awake, and I could tell that he was confused about what he was saying. Are you sure he’ll behave the same way when he’s wide awake?”

“Yes, certainly. Once the serum has started the effects, they will only get stronger. Perhaps another day and he will be totally sure of himself.”

“What about the reconditioning?”

“It will be unnecessary,” Mindbender promised. “Once he is conditioned with this new serum, the effects will be permanent. He will be loyal to you until the day he dies.”

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