Chapter 17

"Oh god Haley, I'm so- so sorry." Halle hugged the weapons designer. "But you need to get to bed, maybe when you get to bed you'll think of something."

"But I've tried-,"
"No you tried with no hours of sleep. Come on- or I'll have Snake Eyes carry you."

Snake Eyes nodded and picked up the weapons designer and slung her over his shoulder and out the door. Halle cracked a smile and then when the door closed Halle was suddenly pinned against the wall with a sword to her throat.
Storm Shadow's lips were quirked in a smile.
"My my-Dragon Tongue slower than usual."

"Are you here to gloat?" Halle snarled and Storm Shadow laughed, it sent chills down Halle's spine.

"On the contrary I give you a way to save everybody in this facility."
Halle stopped struggling and looked at Storm Shadow sharply.

"What's the catch?"

Storm Shadow smirked and leaned in to whisper his terms.

...

Snake Eyes suddenly heard a shout of glee and triumph coming Haywire's room. "I did it- we did it!"
Snake Eyes turned and sprinted toward Haywire's room to find Haywire and Halle hugging fiercly. Then his eyes landed on the ninja leaning leisurely against a wall.
Snake Eyes unsheathed his sword and Haywire rushed up to Snake Eyes. "Storm Shadow brought the antitoxin. He's okay- besides he's not an enemy."

"Not today brother." Storm Shadow spoke, and Halle seemed nervous.

"It's alright- Haywire scanned it for nanomites and such. She found nothing." Halle seemed almost sad about that and when the remaining Joes arrived they got into the same stance Snake Eyes was in. Weapons pointed at Storm Shadow.

"What in the sam Hell is going on in here?" Hawk snarled and Haywire explained what happened.

"Haywire- a gift like this doesn't come with out a price."

"But there is general." Storm Shadow dared and walked in front of Haywire- and right in front of Snake Eyes.

"I get absolute power over my apprentice- and she returns with me to Cobra." Everybody stared at Halle and Haywire seemed shocked too. Snake Eyes felt cold dread wash over him- Halle was Cobra.

"Look it's complicated- when Snake Eyes and I were attacked and about to be executed we were rescued. Rescued by Storm Shadow. The only way to stop him from letting Snake Eyes bleed to death in that jet was to agree to become his apprentice. I only agreed because it wasn't just my life at stake- it was somebody else's too. This isn't up for debate- I'm leaving after this."

"That isn't your call Corporal," Hawk called out and Halle looked at him hard.

"You're not my comanding officer anymore."

"Halle- you didn't have to-," Haywire began and Halle cut her off.

"No? What's one life to two hundred? Any one of you in this room- exclude Storm Shadow, would give themselves up. Haywire- we only have an hour to deliver the antidote. Besides- if Storm Shadow lies about his word I will kill him and Cobra. That's a promise to you all and to Storm Shadow."

"I'll give you all a minute," Storm Shadow stepped the Joes and Jinx and Kamakura stepped out to follow him.

"Halle-," Haywire started again.

"Just give them the freaking antidote!" Halle snarled and stalked out of the room. Snake Eyes was speechless for the first time in his life. Halle had made the ultament sacrifice- a fate worse than death. Snake Eyes ran after Halle and into her room where she was stuffing her duffle bag.

"Go away Snakes."
Snake Eyes blocked the doorway and Halle made a frustrated sound that sounded strained. He blocked a swipe to his head and a punch and signed.

*Why?*

"Why? You think I know why? Cobra could have killed millions with that energy and you know what it was? It was a ploy-," Halle punched the wall and closed her eyes. "It was a ploy to force me onto Cobra. They've been playing us like a fiddle- every day- every hour- it's all part of something and I'm going to find out what before it's too late."

*That's too big of a job for you-,*

"I'm not a kid!" Halle snarled and Snake Eyes put a hand on her shoulder.

*No- you never were- that makes you different from me- or Storm Shadow.*

"Shut up," Halle snapped and Snake Eyes pressed on.

*That is why Cobra wants you- Storm Shadow won't kill women- they lost Baroness, so they want somebody lethal and cold blooded. They're going to make you kill Halle- don't do this.*

"I- I don't want to do this," Halle whispered and Snake Eyes found himself comforting a shaking and crying woman. Snake Eyes got over his suprise and stroked Halle's back.
After she calmed Snake Eyes lifted her chin softly to look at him.
Halle avoided him and Snake Eyes signed *Halle- look at me.*

"I can't look at you with that mask on genius." Halle sounded like her old self and Snake Eyes sighed. He lifted his cowl and removed it and lifted her chin to look at him. Snake Eyes searched her face for some sign of happiness- but at the moment she was calm. Snake Eyes drifted toward her, and when their lips were inches apart- a ghost of contact seemed to electrify Snake Eyes. He suddenly found Halle gone, and she was picking up her bag.

"Snake Eyes- in five more minutes- after I step out of this base we'll be enemies. I won't play with your feelings-or mine for something that could never work. I'm sorry but," Halle walked past Snake Eyes and handed him his cowl and in the doorway, she turned to look at him. "Goodbye," She finished and kept down the hall. Storm Shadow joined her around the corner and Snake Eyes could hear Storm Shadow's praise.

"Very good Dragon Tongue- you learn fast."
Snake Eyes turned around and looked at the clean room- the only thing that showed of Halle's passing through was her cinnomon scent filling the room and the hole in the ceiling where her hook sword was once impaled.

"Snake Eyes?" Haywire asked and Snake Eyes turned around to face the small inventor. Haywire's neon streaks through her blond hair had faded and dark circles were under her eyes.

"We finished the antidote- the Joes are healing. She's really gone huh?"

Snake Eyes nodded slightly and silence filled the room.

He wished Halle would pop in and say something like- "Fooled you! As soon as Storm Shadow and I stepped out of the base I kicked his butt!" But that wasn't even Halle- not truely. Snake Eyes knew that the Joes came first but right now- standing in the empty room he thought that the price was too high. Haywire touched his arm tentively before saying, "I'm sorry- she was important to me too."

Haywire crept out and Snake Eyes gave one last look at the room belonging to Halle and turned his back on what could have been. Dragon Tongue was Cobra's now- he couldn't stop to idle on what could have been. He shut the door to that room and walked down the oposite hall that Halle walked down. Almost every step closer to her were five steps away- and he forced the thoughts of her out- wishing he could no more than feel her touch and hear her voice. He just hoped she had a kind fate when she arrived at Cobra and hoped she never forgot GI Joe, the friends she had here, and him.

...

Halle walked through the base of Cobra with Storm Shadow at her side. Breaking away from that kiss almost tore her heart out of her soul- she never knew she cared so much for Snake Eyes- her eyes ran over the walls of the Cobra facility when Storm Shadow whispered in her ear, "They won't erase your memories- you need to remember why you came here and how we can break the Joes with a flick of our finger. You puzzle everyone in facility- which is why we will watch you forever. Go soft on my brother and we will kill every last person you care about. Now are you completely loyal to Cobra?"

"Yes."

"Yes what?" Storm Shadow hissed and Halle shut her eyes.

"Yes master," She whispered. Disgust followed- she was now Storm Shadow's- forever.

So if you want me to leave it at that- fine- BUT if you want a sequal- you'll tell me- cause I'm content leaving it like that. This would conclude When Dragons Breath Fire, and so... sorry if you all wanted a heated kiss and what not- but I decided to leave it at that. Vale!