| Major Players
The Joes: Dusty, Sneak Peak, Stalker, Ambush, Dial Tone, Dogfight, Hawk, Lady Jaye, Lift Ticket, Muskrat, Recoil, Roadblock, Stretcher, Tunnel Rat
Battle Force 2000: Dodger, Avalanche, Blocker, Maverick, Blaster, Knockdown, Dee-Jay.
Cobra: Cobra Commander
Other: Emir of Benzeen
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| Long Summary
As the battle rages on in the city of Benzheen, the scene opens in
front
of a Porsche Dealership at Talib Square with Recon Team Bravo
(consisting of
Stalker, Sneak-Peek, Dusty, Ambush and Recoil) being pinned down behind
parked cars by Cobra forces. To thwart an apparent stalemate, a
Frag-Viper
and an Alley Viper are ordered to break off and set up a crossfire
position
in an attempt to flank the Joes and get them to break their cover. As
they
make their way, the Alley Viper tells the Frag-Viper, "Pick out a good
spot... I want to rack up a good score today!"
Stalker calls for relief, but is informed that all other forces are
currently committed elsewhere. Dusty and Sneak-Peek take the
opportunity to
chow down on some M.R.E.s (Meals Ready to Eat). Sneak-Peek begins to
knock
the M.R.E.s, but Dusty states that at least they're better than the old
"C"
rations. The conversation leads to a discussion about the last time
they
both had a "good hot meal." They reminisce about the dinner that
Sneak-Peek's mom cooked up when they visited during Christmas leave.
Sneak-Peek's thoughts begin to wander as he warmly remembers how he got
stuffed and fell asleep on the living room couch, but is shocked back
into
reality as a bullet pings off the metal hood just inches above his
head.
"Can't afford to get too distracted by memories in a combat zone!" he
says
to himself.
Deftly aware that Cobra forces are trying to flank their position,
Stalker
continues to request support. Back at the command post, Hawk responds
that
he fully appreciates the severity of their situation, but there's
nothing
that can be done until the main forces break through. To further
complicate
matters, the Emir of Benzheen is in the command tent and is watching
the
Joes' every move. Hawk informs Stalker that the best he can do for now
is
to put the word out to have anyone momentarily disengaged to swing by
and
extract them. The Emir observes the battle map and asks what exactly
the
red marker, located in the middle of his reserve oil storage area,
represents. Hawk informs him that it's an advancing unit, Battle-Force
2000. This greatly upsets the Emir, as a battle in that location could
easily bankrupt him. Hawk states that it is a key route for his forces
and
he's gambling that Cobra doesn't want the oil reserves destroyed
either.
The Emir interrupts "--My oil is not yours to gamble with!" as he runs
off
to complain. "Better your oil than my troops, your Highness," retorts
Hawk.
Back in Benzheen City, the Alley Viper and Frag-Viper find a choice
spot
that is occupied by a woman and her young son. Observing that the
position
still doesn't give them a clean shot, they contemplate a plan to lure
the
Joes out into the open.
In the reserve oil storage, Battle-Force 2000 makes their advance.
They
talk about how dangerous their situation is, but Dodger says that Cobra
doesn't even know they're here. "One of the main reasons Cobra took
over... was to snag the oil tanks," he adds. A few moments later, they
are
told that the main forces have already overrun their objective; Hawk
then
redirects them to Abu Talib Square to relieve Recon Team Bravo.
Battle-Force 2000 acknowledges and proceeds.
Deep in the Benzheen sewer system, Deep Recon Team (consisting of
Roadblock,
Tunnel Rat, and Muskrat) have just disengaged from a Cobra ambush and
begin
to proceed to Recon Team Bravo's position as well. Backed into a dead
end,
Tunnel Rat finds a ladder leading up to a trap door.
Back at the square, Sneak-Peak throws himself over Dusty to protect him
from
what appears to be grenade, but is actually a stuffed toy. Suddenly,
the
little boy is shoved out into the line of fire and told by the
Frag-Viper to
get the toy. For fear that they will hurt his mother, the boy does as
he is
told. Sneak-Peek runs out to save the kid as Dusty, realizing it's a
trap,
tries to call him back. Just as Sneak-Peek is about to scoop up the
kid, a
Range Viper mows him down. The mother frees herself, grabs her son and
makes their escape. As Stalker restrains Dusty, his memory flashes
back to
the Christmas dinner they were discussing earlier. While Sneak-Peek
was
sleeping, Dusty was helping with the dishes. Sneak-Peak's mom said she
had
heard all about him, that he had served with her son in the Cobra
Island
Campaign and that he was a "fine soldier." She begins telling Dusty
about
how her brother had served in Vietnam and was listed as missing in
action
after his unit was overrun. She talked about how her family never got
his
body back and how the government didn't seem to care. "It was awful
for
mama--the not knowing," she said. She then asks Dusty to make a
promise... that if anything should happen to her son, that he would bring
him
back to her. Dusty says, "I promise" as he reawakens in the midst of
the
battle. Stalker informs him that they are moving out, but Dusty
refuses to
leave Sneak-Peek behind. Stalker won't allow him to go out after him
and
end up shot, as well. Sneak-Peek painfully calls out for help.
The Emir calls Cobra Commander and says that he would appreciate it if
he
did not attack the Battle-Force 2000 team while they were amidst the
oil
tanks. Cobra Commander then forces the Emir to make a deal so that
won't
attack, but the Emir only offers $500 million. Displeased, Cobra
Commander
calls for the battery to fire on Battle-Force 2000's location.
The resulting explosions from the oil storage tanks can be seen/heard
from
Recon Team Bravo's position. Dusty realizes that they are on their own
again.
Dodger pulls out of the smoke and flames, calls for his team to report,
but
realizes that he's the only one left.
Deep Recon Team makes their way through the lavishly decorated enlisted
quarters of the Benzheen Army. The team moves closer to area where the
sound of gunfire is coming from.
Stalker knows that his team has no choice but to extricate themselves.
He
decides that the best course of action is to rush the Cobras and
"collect a
little payback" before cashing in their chips. Ambush asks which
position
they are going to rush and Dusty answers that they should go after the
new
position, from where the kid was shoved. Recoil says that they will
get
mowed down before they get halfway across the open space. Stalker
replies,
"Yeah, well them's the breaks. Whatsamatter, Recoil? You sign up in
this
outfit for the nifty pension?"
As Recon Team Bravo rushes, Recoil and Ambush are hit. As Stalker and
Dusty
continue running, Stalker orders Dusty to leave Sneak-Peek behind and
keep
moving. Dusty disobeys and moves to recover Sneak-Peek's body. At the
same
time, Deep Recon Team breaks through a door directly behind the Cobra
forces
and begins to mow them down. Dodger rams his Marauder through the same
building and opens fire on the Cobras saying, "This is for the rest of
the
Battle-Force 2000!" Stalker continues rushing as Dusty throws
Sneak-Peek
over his shoulders. Stalker breaks through window and takes out the
Alley
Viper, but left open for attack by the Frag-Viper who is about to
shoot.
Suddenly, the Frag-Viper slumps to the floor as Dusty holds his smoking
gun.
Recon Team Bravo, Deep Recon Team, and Dodger make their way back to
the
command post. Stretcher rushes out to give them medical assistance and
checks Sneak-Peek. Realizing that Sneak-Peek had been dead for hours,
he
asks Dusty why he carried him all the way back here. Dusty replies, "I
promised."
The Emir calls Cobra Commander and demands to know why he destroyed the
oil
storage tanks. Cobra Commander responds that the offer was too low,
and
that they should bargain again now that they both know the rules.
Summary by: Charles Fincher
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