Maverick (A G.I. Joe Fanfiction)

Chapter 28: Trust and Loyalty

After setting the guys up with their crossbows out behind the house, I jogged into the kitchen for a drink to find Roadblock making dinner. I glared at him over my glass at first but after inhaling the aromas perfuming the air I decided to leave him to his cooking. I raced up to my room form my bow and quiver but before exiting grabbed my spare longbow and quiver form my closet for Storm. I felt bad that Duke, Snake, and I were leaving him out of the fun.

"Maverick," Roadblock called, knocking me free from my thoughts. "Any requests for dinner?"

"Ah...three grilled cheese sandwiches with chopped bacon cut diagonally," I answered cautiously due to strangeness of his question, standing there awkwardly.

Roadblock nodded and returned to his cooking. I took that as a sign to leave and shook off the confusion. I tapped Storm on the shoulder and offered him the equipment before descending down the porch steps to join Duke and Snake. After properly aligning my quiver against my spine and cocking back an arrow, I watched as the projectile flew right by Duke's ear and embedded itself into the dummy twenty yards away.

"That almost hit me," Duke exclaimed, pointing at the arrow and gawking at me, like a teenage girl who just so happened to meet Orlando Bloom.

"I could hit you if you really want me to," I admitted matter-a-factly, readying another shoot.

Snake it seemed, was taking our playful meaningless joking for face value. I smirked at this and adjusted my shot to compensate for Snake. Strom stood well within arm's length but made no attempt to stop me. I felt bad for Snake, not even Duke was trying to help the situation. Well if he's just going to stand there, I thought as I released the arrow.

"Awww... I missed!" I exclaimed, turning away the victim of my projectile. "I was aiming for his right eye, not his forehead but I guess that's not important now."

"I think it was a decent shot," Storm commented, still gazing over at the scene behind me. "A painless death either way."

"I agree it was a good shot but I believe we've taken our tasteless joke too far," Duke concurred, walking over to inspect Snake's still form. "Maverick's good at mind games and I'm not the least bit surprised you fell for one, Snake."

"It's nothing personal," I admitted, facing Snake's hard infuriated features. "All I was trying to do was test to see where our loyalties lie as a group, Snake-eyes. For instance, Storm could care less if I shot either of you. Snake-eyes, you care too much about the life of another that you would sacrifice your own life in the attempt to save theirs. And lastly, Duke was smart enough to know I was playing you like a violin but he didn't even try to tell you. It makes me wonder, can I really trust those that can't trust me or look out for each other with equal concern?"

I paused to allow what I had said to sink in, "I understand I've only just come into the picture and I'm still trying to understand the situation I've been thrown into, but that only means I've neglected to understand, as individuals, who you were before I was made a significant part of your life. I can tell that Storm, you and Snake share a story that I need to be told so we can sort out some type of method to find some kind of middle ground. Duke, I know you too well but I think telling the others when I'm joking might save us a few bodily injuries. As for you Snake, you think you know me when all you know is what's written in your Joe's database and the little girl that gave you a speck of color when all your world was nothing but black."

"I suggest we continue this at another time," Storm advised, gesturing behind me to the porch full of onlookers. "Our little discussion has drawn a crowd."

"Good idea," I agreed.

A/N (Read please)

If you've gotten this far, congratulations. Too bad there one more part after this. You see I was editing and I accidentally deleted a chapter. I'm super sorry but don't worry I've got it backed up on a flash drive and will repost it tomorrow 1/21/16.

Hope you can forgive me for the inconvenience.

Your gracious writer.

-Carrath 😊