Cobra kidnaps a French scientist named Dr. Emil Mettier, and Zartan replaces him before he arrives at the World Wide Defense Center to complete their database on terrorism. Spirit is suspicious of the doctor, and when he investigates, he is confronted, then captured by Storm Shadow. Freedom escapes, and leads Lady Jaye, Recondo, Doc, Gung-Ho and Stalker back to the Defense Center, only to discover that Zartan has replaced the doctor and has set up a bomb. While the Joes search for the bomb, Gung-Ho locks Zartan in a prison cell in plain view of Zartan's countdown watch, which unbeknownst to Zartan, Gung-Ho has set it two minutes ahead. Zartan is fooled, and reveals the location in time for the bomb to be disarmed. Zartan escapes, and Spirit and the real Dr. Mettier are saved from death by laughing gas by Storm Shadow. Cobra launches one more futile attack, the Joes counter it, and all's right with the world.