G.I. Joe Classified, page 6
The hand that gripped Stan’s mouth was incredibly strong. And then in a series of lightning-quick motions, the person knocked his legs out from under him, caught him before he hit the ground, then rolled him under the nearest shelf.
Stan figured there was only one person who could move that fast, and a moment later his suspicion was confirmed when Zoro-me rolled under the shelf beside him.
“I don’t see anyone,” said Anastasia as she squinted into the dark room.
“They’re here! They must be!” snapped Zartan. “Where is that blasted light switch . . .”
Zoro-me looked over at Stan and tapped his lips, as if Stan really needed the reminder to stay silent. Then Zoro-me reached up, took a bottle from the shelf above them, and tossed it so that it broke closer to where Zartan and Michel were.
Anastasia grinned. “Got you!”
She ran past, then Zoro-me and Stan scrambled out from under the shelf and hurried through the door back to the subway platform. Stan didn’t see the others, so hopefully they’d already escaped up the elevator.
Behind him, Stan heard Zartan shout, “No, you fool! They must have slipped past you! They’re on the platform! Go! Go!”
Zoro-me and Stan sprinted toward the elevator. But as they got closer, Stan saw that the elevator doors were now closed. There was a security pad on this side, too, and they didn’t have the hacker tool that Julien used to open it.
Then Stan heard the unmistakable rumble of a subway car about to enter the station.
Zoro-me grabbed Stan’s arm and nodded to the tracks.
Stan could already see the train headlights glaring in the subway tunnel.
“Whatever you’re thinking, it’s a terrible idea . . .” he said to Zoro-me.
Zoro-me looked to where Anastasia and Michel, who was clutching the side of his face and looking absolutely murderous, were just emerging from the mad science lab.
“Well, yeah, I guess it’s not any worse, but—”
Zoro-me took that as a yes, grabbed Stan by the shirt, and rolled them both off the platform and across the first rail so that they lay between the tracks. A moment later, the train rattled over them and came to a halt with a hydraulic hiss.
Stan thought they would lay there until the train left and the coast was clear, but as soon as the train stopped, Zoro-me wiggled up the narrow gap between the tracks until he reached a junction between cars, then climbed up. Stan followed with a lot less ease, managing to lose part of his shirt and a bit of skin. Zoro-me helped him up, and once they stood on the narrow joint between cars, he gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
“Thanks,” Stan said dryly.
Stan peered into the cars on either side. They were both full of normal-looking adults in regular business clothes. They didn’t seem like mad scientists or evil henchmen, but if they were on this secret subway train, surely they had to be connected to Zartan somehow. Although he noticed they all wore Lyre devices, so maybe they were seeing something totally different.
“We should probably stay out of sight, just in case,” he whispered.
Zoro-me nodded.
They crouched down so passengers couldn’t see them through the windows. A moment later the train started up again, and they had to cling to the door handles for dear life while it zoomed through the tunnel.
Thankfully it was only a few minutes before the train slowed to a stop at a platform labeled Red Rocket Station. A few people got off, and then just as the train was starting to move again, Zoro-me tapped Stan and they both jumped onto the platform.
The train zoomed away. The few people who had gotten off were already far ahead and didn’t see them. They hung back behind a pillar as the people walked to the end of the platform where there was another elevator identical to the one at Springfield Academy Station.
Except this elevator was guarded by two men with machine guns. They were dressed in dark blue uniforms and helmets, with black masks that covered their mouths and noses. The front of their uniforms was emblazoned with the same red cobra symbol that had been on Zartan’s lab coat.
The businesspeople filed past the guards one at a time. Either they weren’t bothered by the weird paramilitary uniforms, or their Lyre devices were showing them something completely different.
Once all the people had gone up the elevator, Zoro-me indicated for Stan to stay put. Then he pulled his hood down extra low and stepped out into view.
Stan watched in amazement as Zoro-me casually walked up to the two guards. They seemed confused at first. They probably weren’t used to random teenagers showing up there. It looked like they asked him for something. One of them tapped their Lyre device. That’s probably how they could tell who belonged and who didn’t.
Zoro-me only stood there looking at them.
That seemed to make them mad, but just as they began to raise their weapons, Zoro-me did his thing, and a moment later, they were somehow both on the ground, unconscious. Zoro-me stooped over and retrieved a key card from one of them, then motioned for Stan to join him.
Stan jogged up the platform while Zoro-me tapped the card on the elevator key panel and hit the up button.
“Zoro-me . . .” Stan looked in awe at his friend, who had just taken out two heavily armed guards like it was no big deal. “How are you so amazing??”
Zoro-me shrugged and said, “I’m shinobi.”
Of course, thought Stan. He’d had it all wrong. The dojo wasn’t like an old samurai film. The Arashikages were a family of freaking ninjas.
CHAPTER
13
A REAL SHINOBI TOWN
The elevator let them out inside the Red Rocket diner. The platform sign had clued Stan in on that, but it was still such an abrupt shift that he stood there blinking in the bright, modern lightning. Then Zoro-me tapped his arm and nodded toward the exit.
“Yeeeah, good call,” said Stan.
They walked as casually as they could through the diner, and somehow no one noticed their torn clothes and smudged faces. Or maybe they just pretended not to notice. Or maybe their Lyre devices made Stan and Zoro-me look like giant pandas. Who even knew at this point. Stan had decided that he couldn’t take anything for granted in this town.
Once they were back out on the sidewalk, it felt weird to look around at this “Real American Town” and know that there was something very sinister going on underneath.
“Should we go back to the school clubroom?” he asked Zoro-me.
Zoro-me shook his head and motioned for him to follow. Stan wasn’t that surprised when he saw that their destination was the Arashikage Dojo.
“Yeah, this might actually be the safest place in town for us,” he said.
Zoro-me nodded.
As soon they stepped through the door, Scarlett rushed over to Zoro-me.
“Okaerinasai,” she whispered, and hugged him fiercely.
Stan stood awkwardly beside them as the two held the embrace.
“You want a hug, Stan?” offered Julien from where he sat on a cushion with a steaming mug of what looked like hot chocolate.
“Thanks, I’m good.” Stan plopped down beside his friend. He suddenly felt completely wiped out. Like he’d been running on adrenaline this whole time and now that he was somewhere safe, it had finally given out.
At last Scarlett released Zoro-me. “What happened to you guys?”
“Zoro-me saved my butt is what happened,” said Stan.
She gave him a weary smile. “Don’t feel bad. He saves everyone’s butt.”
“I did notice that was a pattern,” said Stan. “What about you guys? And where are the other students?”
“We didn’t want to risk the school nurse’s office, in case they were working for Zartan,” said Scarlett. “So we dropped them off at the hospital emergency room. It’s just down the street from the school.”
“We decided not to stick around though,” said Julien. “Just in case.”
“In case of what?” asked Stan.
But before either of them could answer, Tommy suddenly appeared. By this point, Stan wasn’t even surprised. Really, if he was going to hang out in a ninja dojo, he kind of had to expect it.
“Wow, you four look like you’ve really been through some stuff. Average Joes club in full swing, huh?” Then his tone grew unexpectedly grave. “Seriously, Shana, what have you been doing? There’s a lot of buzz right now.”
“Zartan took some kids, so we got them back,” she told him flatly.
His eyes widened. “I’m sorry. You did what?”
Scarlett looked away. “I don’t want to hear it, Tommy.”
“Wait. You’re telling me that they know about us?”
“No, of course not. Give me some credit.”
“But they know that somebody in town has wised up.”
Scarlett threw her hands up. “What did you want me to do—leave those poor kids to Zartan’s freaky experiments?”
Tommy’s face creased with anger. “Yes, that’s exactly what you should have done. You brought these two in, fine. Julien has a useful skill set, and my brother thinks Stan has combat potential, so I guess I can go along with it. But risking everything for some randos?”
“Nobody’s just a rando!” objected Stan.
But Tommy was so focused on Scarlett, he didn’t seem to hear. As he spoke, he emphasized his words with a pointed finger. “If they know that they’re losing control of people, they will tighten everything up. That puts you, me, my brother, and everybody else in jeopardy. Worse, it puts the masters’ goals in jeopardy. Is that what you want?”
“Of course not, Tommy.”
“Don’t forget, you were miserable and alone when we got here. The masters took you in, trained you, welcomed you into our home. They treat you like family. Does that mean anything to you?
“You know it does!” Scarlett’s face twisted with conflicting emotions. “But I can’t just—”
“Yes, you can!” His face was now flush with anger. “If these kids were taken, it’s because they’re weak, and you are better off without them!”
“Hey!”
Stan had heard enough.
“Tommy, why are you such a jerk?”
Tommy turned, and there was now a terrifying coldness in his expression that reminded Stan way too much of Hādo. His voice also switched to a quiet murmur that was far more intimidating than when he’d been shouting at Scarlett.
“I knew you were a stupid eighth grader, but I didn’t realize you were that stupid. When I do something stupid, my uncle beats the lesson into me. Maybe I should do the same for you.”
“You think I’m scared of you?” He was, actually. Deeply scared. But Tommy’s mentality of ignoring people who needed help upset him more than anything. “Bring your worst.”
Tommy struck so fast that Stan didn’t even see it coming. He should have been knocked to the ground instantly.
But he wasn’t. Instead, Tommy’s fist hovered inches from Stan’s face, stopped by Zoro-me.
“Stay out of this, brother,” growled Tommy.
Zoro-me shook his head.
“Fine!” Tommy pivoted toward him. “Then show me what the Hard Master’s favored pupil can really do.”
Stan could barely follow what happened next, partly because it was so fast and partly because it was so quiet. He didn’t hear the usual smack of knuckles on flesh, grunts, panting, and scuffling of feet. Their fists and feet darted in and out in a flurry of movement, yet they appeared to be so evenly matched that neither of them were able to connect a hit. It was almost like a chess game, where they feigned, and double feigned, delivering a seemingly clumsy strike to make it look like they were leaving themselves open, except it was only to lure the other one into leaving himself open. Except the other one saw through that and countered the counter.
Then, just as Stan was beginning to think it wasn’t a real fight and the brothers were merely flexing, Zoro-me must have miscalculated something. Maybe he’d leaned a little too far forward or not angled his feet exactly right? Stan had no idea. But suddenly his friend flew backward across the room and smashed through one of the screens.
Tommy dashed forward, his eyes blazing, looking for all the world like he fully intended to kill his own brother.
Then Hādo appeared before him, his deadly presence filling the room. He lifted one hand, palm facing out. It looked like he only tapped Tommy lightly on the chest, but Tommy was knocked back and barely managed to keep his footing.
Behind Hādo, Zoro-me jumped up from the wreckage of the screen, but before he could do anything, Yawarakai was there, still smiling as he twisted Zoro-me’s arm into a painful-looking hold.
“Brothers do not fight each other,” Hādo said in a voice as dark and heavy as the bottom of the sea.
“Most certainly not,” said Yawarakai.
“But Shujin . . .” objected Tommy. “He—”
“It does not matter,” Hādo cut him off. “What’s done is done, and further foolishness will not change that fact.”
Tommy’s face contorted with conflict for a moment, then he bowed. “My deepest apologies for my poor behavior.”
Hādo’s eyes swept the room until they stopped at Scarlett. “You have done enough for one day, Shana-chan. Take your club and go.”
Scarlett bowed. “At once, Hādo-sensei. Thank you as always for your hospitality.” Then she turned to the others. “Let’s leave the Arashikage family to their evening.”
CHAPTER
14
A REAL SHARING TOWN
There was an awkward moment as Stan, Julien, and Scarlett gathered on the sidewalk in front of the Arashikage Dojo. Stan didn’t think they had been permanently banned from the dojo. At least he hoped not. But regardless, they had clearly annoyed Zoro-me’s uncles.
“So,” Scarlett said finally. “Tommy may be a jerk, but he’s not wrong about one thing: We’ve stirred up the snake den. Even if they couldn’t identify us, we’re going to have to be a lot more careful going forward.”
“It’s funny you said ‘snake den,’” said Stan. “Did you see that red snake logo on Zartan’s lab coat? Zoro-me and I ran into these guards who had the same thing on their uniforms.”
“The cobra logo?” she asked. “As in De-Cobra-y?”
Stan gave her a skeptical look. “Would they really be that obvious about it?”
“I mean, why not?” said Julien. “When they can make it look any way they want for most people.”
“Good point,” admitted Stan. “But still . . . how could DeCobray be behind all this? My mom is always going on about how amazing they are. How much they’re helping people. And she was saying that before she got to Springfield and started wearing a Lyre.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time a corporation did shady things behind their employees’ backs,” said Scarlett. “Remember that candy company that was in the news because people found out they were getting their chocolate ingredients from places that used child slave labor? DeCobray is a huge, multinational corporation. They could be doing all kinds of stuff we don’t know about. Or they could have a front organization with its own employees, and these Cobra people are working behind the scenes. Or they could even be a totally separate organization, and Zartan is working for both companies, stealing tech from DeCobray and repurposing it for this other Cobra company.”
“Couldn’t it just be Zartan doing this on his own?” asked Stan.
“It’s possible,” said Scarlett. “But remember he said something about needing to come up with implementation strategies for someone. Like he has some boss that he answers to.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right . . .” There had been so much going on in that mad science lab, Stan had completely forgotten such a minor detail. It really was amazing how Scarlett was able to keep a cool head in situations like that.
But now she sighed, looking a little frustrated. “There’s just so much we don’t know.”
“What about the kids we rescued?” asked Stan. “They should at least be able to get Zartan in trouble, right?”
“They were still pretty disoriented when we dropped them off,” Scarlett said. “I’m not sure how much they even remember.”
“If the Lyre devices can mess with your emotions, there’s no telling what else they can do,” said Julien.
“Make them forget things, even?” asked Scarlett.
Julien shrugged. “Heck if I know. I’m a computer hacker, not a brain hacker.”
Stan groaned. “I wish we could just tell everyone to get rid of their Lyre devices.”
“Man, that would be like telling people to toss their smartphones,” said Julien. “It would take pretty compelling evidence to convince people to ditch the most amazing tech they’ve ever had.”
“Maybe instead we could . . .” said Scarlett.
“What?” Stan asked eagerly.
She shook her head. “I may have an idea, but I need to think about it some more. I’ll let you know. In the meantime, we should probably head home. Where do you two live?”
“I live on Main and Hama Street,” said Stan.
“For real?” asked Julien. “I’m over at Dixon just off Main.”
“That makes sense,” said Scarlett. “DeCobray usually houses its people in the same general part of town. And it’s a good thing for us. We can’t say for certain whether Zartan and Michel recognized us. It’ll be safer if you walk home together.”
“What about you?” asked Stan.
She grinned. “I grew up here and I hang out at a ninja dojo. Nobody’s going to find me if I don’t want them to.”
“Girl’s got a point,” said Julien.
“All right, I guess we’ll see you tomorrow,” said Stan.
“You bet,” said Scarlett. “Remember, for now we have to act like everything is normal. Wear your Lyre devices at school, and keep in mind it might be showing you things that aren’t real. If you see any of the kids we rescued, ask them if they remember anything, but don’t pressure them. We’ll meet up after school at the clubhouse to decide our next course of action.”
Stan and Julien said goodbye to Scarlett and started walking home.
“I wonder if she’s always that intense,” said Julien.
