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It was a chilly day on base. Flint looked up at the overcast sky as he walked into the medical center for his annual physical. There hadn’t been any sun for at least three days, and it was starting to wear on him. He’d had trouble getting up in the morning- he just wanted to sleep, no matter how well he’d slept the night before. His anxiety sometimes acted up when the weather was like this, and it made him slightly depressed, too.
“You need one of those sun boxes,” Lady Jaye had told him the day before.“Never heard of them,” Flint answered. “What do they do?” “They mimic sunlight,” she told him. “They won’t burn you- they’re not that strong- but they’re bright enough to help with ‘winter depression,’ as it’s sometimes called. I think that’s what’s got you down.” “Interesting,” he said. “Do you know whether our health insurance would cover the cost?” “Not offhand,” she said. “But it could be worth looking into. And maybe the doctors here would write a prescription for you. Ask about it when you’re at your physical tomorrow.”
Inside the medical center, Flint presented his ID at the check-in desk, and had a seat until his turn was called. He hated going to the doctor, even for something as simple as a physical. As strong and brave a man as he was, he was terrified of needles. He could never watch while his blood was drawn, or while he was given a shot. His recent experience of being hospitalized after he was rescued from a slavery situation had just made it worse- he’d had an intravenous line placed in his arm, and he hadn’t been able to look at that arm for a few weeks after getting discharged. “Warrant Officer Flint,” said the receptionist, “may I see you for a moment?” Puzzled, Flint walked over to the desk. “Is there a problem?” he asked. “According to our records, you’ve already been in for your physical.” He shook his head. “No way,” he answered with a chuckle. “My doctor knows I put it off as long as I can every year.” “Well,” she answered, “it’s possible there’s a glitch in our system. I’ll flag your record, and we’ll investigate later.” Just then, his name was called, and he followed the nurse back to an exam room.
A week earlier, Cobra Commander had been worried. Funds were starting to run low, and he was out of ideas on how to raise money. He and Destro were brainstorming ideas.
“Another telethon won’t work,” Destro told him. “GI Joe will just shut us down again, and besides, most people have figured out what Cobra’s aims are. There’s no way they will give us money willingly.” “Don’t you have any ideas at all?” sneered Cobra Commander. “Don’t tell me your genius is used up.” “There is one possibility,” said Destro. “People’s medical information is worth quite a bit of money on the black market.” “Medical information?” scoffed Cobra Commander. “How does that help anyone other than the person it belongs to?”
“There are plenty of unscrupulous people who don’t have their own insurance, or their medical history is bad enough that they have to pay a lot for it. All they need to do is get their hands on someone else’s information and they have insurance- at no cost to them, other than the- shall we say- initial investment. Besides that, we may well find some of the information to be useful to us more immediately. It would also be possible to hold the information for ransom- if we can break into the records of a large healthcare system, there are ways to lock those records so they can't be accessed by the staff until we are paid." “And how can the information be stolen in the first place?” asked the Commander. “I thought medical records were kept under lock and key, and now, with electronic records, they’re practically hack-proof.”
“All it takes is someone determined enough- and good enough. And our hackers are quite good, as you know,” replied Destro. “We could steal the information of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people in the blink of an eye, and I think we could cover our tracks effectively. Or,” he added, “we could infiltrate the facilities- there are several ways to do it- and steal the information that way.”
“Hmm. All right, let’s do it. And I think I know a good place to start- with the records of GI Joe.” He laughed. “That would throw them into confusion for quite a while, and if they could not access their medical care, they would all be unable to serve. It would put them out of action, at least temporarily. And without GI Joe to stand in our way… well, do I need to continue?”
“No, Commander. That is an excellent suggestion- I’ll get our hackers working on it immediately."
Flint walked out to his car an hour later, relieved to have his physical out of the way for another year. The doctor had pronounced him fit to continue serving and had asked about his experiences with anxiety and his abduction. Flint had been honest about where he was at, though it hadn’t been easy, and the doctor had been supportive. “These things take time to work through,” he told Flint. “I’ve seen a lot of soldiers with various degrees of PTSD and garden-variety anxiety. It’s not uncommon- in fact, anxiety is one of the most common mental disorders out there, in the general population as well as in the military. Just keep doing what you’re already doing- stay fit, know when and how to relax, make sure you’re getting enough sleep and eating well, and stay with your meds- and I have no doubt you’ll be fine. Your psych NP is one of the best- I’ve known her a long time, and you’re in good hands with her.” He added, “And I’m glad to hear about your relationship with Alison. She’s a good woman, and a strong relationship can really help people navigate anxiety and depression.” Though few people in the military were open about their experiences with trauma, depression, and anxiety, Flint was relieved to know he wasn’t alone. The doctor had even mentioned that a new, confidential support group was starting up on base, and Flint had expressed interest and had been given contact information. He had found that the more he learned about his condition and what could be done for it, and the more he engaged with those options, the better and more in control he felt. He hadn’t had a panic attack in quite some time, so he knew he was doing something right.
Destro rubbed his hands together in glee. They had just finished perusing the first set of stolen records from GI Joe. Not only did they have buyers lined up who were willing to pay top dollar, they had found some very valuable potential blackmail material.
“So, Flint isn’t as tough as he likes to pretend, is he?” asked Cobra Commander. “He is still dealing with the fallout from his time in our prison camp. And he is in a relationship with Lady Jaye? Very interesting indeed. And even better- he has deadly allergies to antibiotics and to latex. If we deleted that information, he could die while under medical treatment, and no one would be the wiser.” Though they hadn’t managed to uncover Flint’s real identity- the Joes’ code names were used even in their medical records- they still had good information in their hands.
“This opens up a whole new set of possibilities,” agreed Destro. “There is another avenue as well. We could start a gossip campaign that would eventually reach the top brass, and sow serious doubts about his ability to continue serving.” He smiled at Cobra Commander. “I know you hate Flint more than almost any other member of their team, and if he were gone, either dismissed or killed by ‘medical error’, our work would become easier.”
“It would, indeed,” answered the Commander. “That was the whole reason for abducting him in the first place. Since GI Joe managed to foil that plan, this may be the next best thing. And once we have done that, we can do the same to millions of people’s medical records. They will die, and then we can threaten to keep doing it, unless the world’s leaders surrender to Cobra!”
Mainframe sat at his computer, working on the latest security updates to the Joe HQ systems. All the weapons systems had been updated, and he turned his attention to the personnel records. In a way, these were even more important- they included code names, medical records, and financial information. He shuddered to think what might happen if Cobra got their hands on any of this.
Suddenly, something jumped out at him. It looked like there may have been a breach in security, and he started digging deeper. Fifteen minutes later, he felt sick as he stared at the screen. Warrant Officer Flint's medical records had been breached. He jumped out of his chair and ran to find his supervisor.
Duke was furious. Mainframe and his supervisor had just told him about the breach in computer security.
“How the hell did this happen?!” he shouted. Duke had a fearsome temper, and it was in full force now. “I don’t know yet, Duke,” answered Mainframe. “But the team is working on it as fast as we can, and we’ll let you know the second we find anything.” “You damn well better,” the sergeant replied, his blue eyes like ice. “And if I find out that anyone on your team was responsible…” “I know. If I find evidence that this was an inside job, the person responsible will be fired immediately. They can also be held legally accountable, with steep fines and even prison time if they did it deliberately.” He took a deep breath. “If it turns out that it was an inside job, I’ll also resign.”
Duke calmed down immediately. “Absolutely not. I won’t accept your resignation. You’re too valuable to us. If someone on your team is a bad apple, you might not necessarily know about it.” He laid a hand on Mainframe’s shoulder. “Just figure out who did this and do what you can to plug the hole.”
Flint and Lady Jaye were relaxing together after a thankfully uneventful week. They were at her apartment, having just had lunch on Saturday.
“How did your physical go?” she asked him. “Fine, except for getting my blood drawn,” he answered. Then he was immediately on guard and embarrassed- he hadn’t meant to tell her that. She saw the look on his face. “What’s wrong? If I had to guess, I’d say you’re embarrassed to have said that.” "Forget it, it's nothing," he answered, trying to brush it off. "You don't look like it's nothing," she pressed him gently. Damn, she was perceptive, he thought. He couldn't hide anything from her. He felt his face heating up. “I’ve never told anyone this, but” he had to take a deep breath before continuing, “I’m terrified of needles. I think the only way I got through it when I was in the hospital was that I was half out of it when they put that IV in my arm. I couldn’t look at it while I was there, and I couldn’t even look at that arm for a couple weeks after I was released. When I go to the doctor and have to get a shot or something, I have to look away, and my heart starts pounding like a jackhammer and I get really dizzy. I'll feel like I'm going to pass out. I’ve usually been able to hide it, but sometimes I start shaking and hope that no one notices.” He let out a shaky laugh. "I know- a grown man, and a big tough soldier, to boot, is afraid of a tiny, sharpened piece of metal. That's a joke, huh?" He looked at her, but she wasn't laughing. Her expression was one of gentle understanding. “I have no idea how I got through all those shots I had to get when I enlisted," he went on. "I've been like that all my life- I grew up at a time when the attitude was "boys don't cry," "be a big boy," and so on. I didn't get a lot of support when I scared of something, and especially this, so I learned to hide it. I know I can be arrogant sometimes, and I think that's part of where it comes from- it's me trying to hide the fact that I'm afraid." She turned to him and took his hands in hers. “It’s okay to admit that, Dash,” she said. “You’d be surprised by how many adults share that fear. Tell them that at the medical center next time you’re there.” “It makes me feel like I’m five years old. I don’t want them to think I’m a coward or something…” he began, but she cut him off. “They won’t,” she reassured him. “Health care workers know that a lot of people are afraid of needles and have found ways to help them. Just be honest about it.”
Flint let out a shaky sigh- it was a relief to talk about the fear that had plagued him all his life. “I will. Thanks, Allie. I've been carrying that all my life, and it's a relief to finally get it off my chest." It was wonderful to have someone to whom he could confide these things and know he wouldn’t be judged. He trusted her more than anyone and knew that she had the same kind of trust in him. He lay down in her lap and laid his head on her soft chest. Her steady heartbeat and gentle breathing were the most soothing sounds he could wish for at that moment. "Do you want me to make love to you tonight?" she asked tenderly, stroking his hair. "Yes," he answered, "but right now, I think I just need you to hold me." Her arms were strong around him; his heart felt open and vulnerable, but he also felt a deep sense of safety. He was learning to let her know what he needed, as much as that still scared him sometimes.
Lady Jaye laid her head against Flint’s as she held him close. She knew it wasn't always easy for him to open his heart to her, and she was always thankful when he did. “Thank you, Dash,” she answered. “I always feel honored when you can be this honest with me. I’m glad you feel safe enough to do that, and I’m glad I feel safe enough with you to do the same.” He looked up at her and kissed her. “We really have something good, don’t we?” he asked with a smile.
Mainframe rubbed his eyes and sat back with a deep sigh. He’d been working overtime to get everything secured after the breach had been discovered. His team had been doing the same, with no complaints. They all knew how serious the situation was and had jumped at the chance to help. It had meant a few very long days, but they were just about there.
“So, how is it looking?” Mainframe looked up to see Duke leaning against the doorframe.
“Well, we’ve got everything as secure as it’s going to get,” he answered. “That was the first priority- plug the hole and keep anything else from being stolen. Now we can start looking into the how and the who.” “Good,” replied Duke. “I want to be kept informed of any developments as soon as possible.” “You got it,” said Mainframe. “My supervisor or I will be in contact. Stay close to your phone, or your computer, for the next few weeks. This is going to be the harder part, and may take a while, so be as patient as you can.” “I will, I promise,” answered Duke. “I’m sorry I blew up at you earlier. I know this wasn’t your fault.”
“It’s okay, Duke. I know you were seriously pissed off and worried, and I don’t blame you. I am, too. We’ll get this figured out, and if heads need to roll, it’ll happen. We also need to notify Flint about it." "You look tired as hell,” Duke said kindly. “Go home and get some rest, already. That’s a direct order,” he added, when Mainframe started to protest. “I'll talk to Flint." “Thanks, Duke, that would be a big help,” answered Mainframe as he headed for the door.
Flint was in a panic. He had just gotten the notification from Duke that his medical records had been broken into. “How did that happen? Who did it?” he asked, pacing Duke’s office. “We don’t know yet,” answered Duke. “Mainframe and his team are working overtime to figure it out.” “Oh, God,” Flint said. “What if it was Cobra? What if they’ve found the information about my psych issues? They could leak it to the brass, and my career could be over!” His eyes were wild, and he was gasping for breath between words.
Duke saw that his friend was close to a full-blown panic attack. “Sit down, Dash,” he said calmly. When Flint did so, he pulled up his own chair, and talked him through it. Duke had become very good at this, though he was glad for both their sakes that he didn’t have to do it often. “The brass already knows about your anxiety,” Duke told him, “and they’re very understanding. I had to tell them after that little incident a few months back,” he added, referring to the time Flint had come close to being disciplined after his first panic attack at work. “The military is far more enlightened about mental health than it used to be. Don’t worry, you won’t be thrown out.”
Flint was glad to hear that, but he was still worried. “What will they think of me, though? And what if it gets out to the rest of the team? Will they still trust me?” “Of course they will,” Duke replied with a smile. “No one will think any less of you, I promise you that. The brass holds you in great esteem, and you know how the team looks up to you. Remember our conversation from back then?”
Flint thought back, and he did remember. Duke and Scarlett had both assured him that it was okay to let the team know when he was feeling shaky. “Maybe it’s time for me to lay all my cards on the table,” he said. “I would feel better knowing that there won’t be any surprises to anyone if Cobra decides to use this information.” “It’s completely up to you,” Duke answered. “Don’t feel that you have to do it, just because you feel threatened. Think it over for a day or two, once you’ve calmed down, and see what Allie thinks. If you do decide to tell the rest of the team, and you want me to be there when you do it, I will.”
Flint looked at him in surprise. “You know about me and Allie?” Duke laughed. “Of course I do,” he answered. “It’s obvious to everyone that you two are an item. Hell, Scarlett and I have had a thing for years, you should know that.” Flint realized that he had known, for a long time. “But isn’t that against regs?” he asked. “We could really get in trouble, couldn’t we?” “We could,” Duke replied with a sly look, “if anyone above me knew about it.” Flint got the implication immediately. GI Joe was a world unto itself, and Duke didn’t always tell his superiors everything. Once again, he was deeply grateful for his team leader.
“Damn!” exclaimed Cobra Commander. “The Joes have figured out our game and have blocked us.” They had been on the verge of cracking the most secure parts of the Joe computer system. “But it doesn’t matter. Let’s use what we have.” “Perhaps it’s just as well,” Destro told him. “No sense in getting too greedy too soon.”
“I suppose,” answered Cobra Commander. “It wouldn’t do to have them be able to track us down.” Destro was amused. The Commander had finally gotten it through his thick head that Cobra was not invincible, and that computer hacking was not always untraceable, no matter how good their hackers were. “Let’s start by using the information on Flint,” he suggested.
Flint looked around at the rest of the team, who were all gathered in the war room, the biggest space they had. Duke had ordered them all to assemble, that Flint had something important to tell them. Flint had talked things over with Lady Jaye two nights ago. He had been thinking for awhile now about coming clean with the rest of the team about his anxiety, and this seemed to be as good a time as any. She had helped him think it through and come up with the words he wanted to use.
He glanced at Duke, who gave him an encouraging nod. Flint took a deep breath and began to speak.
“First of all, thank you all for being here. I know that Duke told you it was important, and it is. You probably remember that when I was visiting my cousin and his family in Pleasant Cove, I was captured by Cobra, along with the rest of the town. Well, I had a couple of nasty panic attacks a few weeks later and was diagnosed with anxiety disorder. I’ve been seeing a psychiatric nurse practitioner for it, and she’s been a big help. I take medication every day, and it’s been nothing short of a miracle in how it keeps me on an even keel. I still don’t know whether this is a long-term deal, but I take it a day at a time. I’ve also found other ways to cope with it. Until today, Duke, Lady Jaye, and Scarlett, as well as the brass, are the only ones who have known about it.
“Why am I telling you this now? It’s because, as you have heard by now, Cobra has breached our computer systems. What you haven’t heard is that the breach includes my medical records. Who knows what they have, or how they plan to use it, but if they’ve found the information about my anxiety, I’m sure they think they’ve got one hell of a weapon in their hands. I didn’t want there to be any surprises to any of you on this score, if Cobra decides to use that information.
“I have had a few panic attacks since I started on medication, but they’ve been few and far between, and I always have some ‘rescue meds’ with me just in case. This is no different than if I had asthma, or diabetes, or anything else.
“I also want you all to know that if any of you are struggling with depression, or anxiety, or anything else along those lines, it’s okay to ask for help. It won’t end your career, and the military has some excellent resources. Finally, if anyone is worried that they might need help, or just needs to talk, my door is always open, and so is Duke’s.” He took another deep breath, and added, “Thanks for your attention, and if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them.”
Flint couldn’t have anticipated what happened next. A few people started to clap, smiles on their faces, and then the whole room burst out in applause and cheers. He looked around, stunned, and then the entire team converged on him, hugging him, thanking him, offering words of encouragement and support. He knew that mental health was still a taboo in the military, and it felt good to be part of breaking the wall of silence around the topic. Several people whispered that they needed someone to talk to and would be in touch in the next few days. He saw that Lady Jaye and Duke were both standing a little apart from the rest of the crowd and were both smiling at him. Duke, especially, looked proud.
Duke had watched as his teammate gave his talk. Flint had taken a huge risk, he knew, in opening his heart to the rest of the team this way, and Duke felt his own chest swell with pride at the honor of just knowing him. Flint was such a strong man, he thought, in more ways than one.
Lady Jaye was floored by Flint’s courage. It took a lot of guts, she thought, to be this honest with everyone, and it made her love him even more than she already did. She was grateful for the support the rest of the team showed him and was prouder than ever to be part of GI Joe.
“Well, now,” said Cobra Commander to his lead hacker, “how is our little plan working?”
“It’s done, Commander,” the man told him. “Flint’s medical records related to his psychiatric issues have been sent to every member of GI Joe, and to the leadership, too. I don’t think it will be long before he is dismissed from the team.” “Excellent! We will soon be rid of Flint. He has been a thorn in our side for far too long. Now we just have to sit back and watch the shit hit the fan.” The next day, Dusty was reading his email, when he came across a message from an unknown address, which just consisted of an attachment, and his inner radar immediately went on alert. Just then, Cover Girl, who was also in the computer center, called out, “Hey, has anyone else gotten a weird email?” Several other people replied that they had. Dusty stood up. “Don’t open them,” he shouted. “Forward all of these to Mainframe. He has the tools to deal with them.” Mainframe looked at the flood of suspicious emails that people had forwarded to him. He was glad they knew what to do, though his stomach clenched in anticipation of what the messages might say. Using his quarantine tools, he cautiously opened the first one. Sure enough, it contained a copy of Flint’s medical records. He didn’t read anything once he realized what it was. Instead, he picked up the phone and called his supervisor.
Flint was in Duke’s office again- he had gotten a call that his records had been sent to every member of the team. “What happens now?” he asked. “Now we move against Cobra,” Duke answered, a determined look on his face. “We’ve been able to trace their main hacking HQ, and we’re going to take it out. They won’t know what hit them.” “I want to be in on it,” Flint said immediately. “This was me they messed with. It’s personal, Duke. I have no doubt they targeted me deliberately. No one else has had their records sent out like this, have they?” “Not that we know of,” his boss replied. “All right, but don’t do anything stupid,” he warned Flint. He knew his friend too well- Flint was just the sort of man to take matters into his own hands in a situation like this.
A few hours later, the team was in position to attack Cobra’s hacking headquarters. Duke wasn’t too worried about encountering resistance- their reconnaissance had shown that security was surprisingly light. When he called out, “Yo, Joe!” over the radio, the team moved in, echoing him. The few guards were easily overtaken, and when they breached the door and moved inside, the hackers immediately surrendered. They had no other option, and they knew it. As usual, though, Cobra’s leadership was nowhere to be found.
After all the hackers had been taken away to jail, Mainframe came in to see exactly what they had on their hands. It was the most sophisticated worm he had ever seen. “No wonder we missed it at first,” he told Duke, who was looking over his shoulder. “This is as sneaky as it gets. I’m just glad we found it- it could have done a hell of a lot more damage than it did.” “I may not know what I’m looking at,” answered Duke, “but I’m glad you do.” He patted Mainframe’s shoulder. “Good work on this,” he told him. “I’m going to see to it that you and your team get some formal recognition from the brass. You guys toil in obscurity way too much. We couldn’t do what we do without your expertise.” Mainframe blushed- he wasn’t used to receiving praise like this.
Duke walked out of the building to where Flint was waiting with the rest of the team. “It’s over,” he told them. “The hackers are all in jail and will be charged with some very serious crimes. They could face up to ten years in prison and six-figure fines. And that's just under federal law- the state could also step in, and the military has some penalties that could apply, too." Flint let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Thank goodness," he answered. “I wish we could have nailed Cobra Commander and Destro, too, but this is pretty damn good. And my records are secure again. That’s what matters the most, at least to me.” “That’s what matters most to me, too,” Duke replied. “This could have been even uglier than it was. Who knows what else Cobra might have done. This may have been a test run on their part; they may have tried to get to your records figuring that if they could break into our systems, other people’s medical records would be a piece of cake.” “What I still don’t understand, though, is the why,” mused Flint, and several other people nodded in agreement. “From what Mainframe has found on their systems,” said Duke, “it looks like they may have been planning to sell the records they stole. Evidently, medical information goes for big bucks on the dark web. The people who buy it use it to get medical care on someone else’s dime. Or they may have been intending to hold the information for ransom."
"That's a scary thought," said Flint. “I know,” answered Duke. He put his arm around Flint, then nodded to Lady Jaye and Scarlett, and led them a short distance from the group; this was for nobody else’s ears. “There’s another possibility, though I hate to entertain it,” he said in a low voice. “What’s that?” asked Flint. “Cobra may have hacked your records in order to change them and cause you serious harm.” Lady Jaye looked horrified, and for once, was speechless. "I think that's the worst thing they've cooked up yet," said Scarlett, her eyes wide with fear. Flint shivered. He was severely allergic to penicillin and to latex, as all three of them knew.“I could have died,” he said with a lump in his throat, shaking, his eyes tearing up as the implications hit him full force. “Thank God we caught this before something happened. Mainframe just might have saved my life. And if it had worked, Cobra may have done the same thing to thousands, or even millions, of other people’s medical records. Oh God, this might have been a total disaster.” Duke hugged him. “It’s okay now, Dash. It’s over, and nothing happened to you.”
Flint was tremendously relieved, and he wept on Duke’s strong shoulder. This was possibly the closest Cobra had come to killing him. Lady Jaye and Scarlett hugged them both, also shaking badly. Flint looked at them, tears streaming down his face. “On the other hand,” he said with a wobbly grin, “this may mean we have Cobra running scared, if they’re stooping to these tactics.”
“I like to think so,” Duke replied, returning his smile. “Yeah,” added Lady Jaye. “I think they’re getting desperate. It would be nice if that means we could take them down permanently.”
“I’d love that,” answered Flint, “though it would probably mean the end of GI Joe. But that would be fine by me- we would disband for a good reason.”
Duke chuckled. “I think we all wish for that,” he said.
THE END