I don't know why I'm uploading this so soon! I really hope I can get this whole fic completed before the end of the year, but we'll see. Some of my stories take years to finish! I'm gonna have to count on ya'll to keep me motivated :)
Anyway, hope ya'll enjoy this!
oOoOoOo
A chair clattered violently across the dark grey of the base's floor. A sharp crash and over-sized fists connected with storage containers, finally finding purchase against the cool surface of the lone table in the small room.
Fuse was furious, and a little desperate if he was being honest. He cursed the GDF, spitting fire at the walls. His sister was gone; captured. And this time, he knew they would be better prepared.
A new hatred burned in his chest, knowing with a solid completeness, what he would need to do. The GDF were just pawns in this game. He would need a greater leverage to win his sister's freedom. International Rescue. They had started this. They had alerted the GDF of the Chaos Crew's involvement during one of their latest rescues.
Taking a shuddering breath, he flicked the files that lay on the, now dented, table. He would need a fast setup. It was just him, since the Hood was off, focusing on his pet project in space. His eyes fell on the face, the craft, and the skill-set.
"Perfect." His toothy growl was punctuated by a quick lunge into a helpless crate, followed by a deep laugh.
oOoOoOoOoOo
The comm sounded in the lounge, drawing the attention of the three occupants. Scott activated the link with a swift press, allowing the hologram of his brother in space to fill the center table. Gordon and Virgil moved their attention from their tablets, and sat up to listen.
"Go ahead, John." Scott stood from his father's desk to join his brothers.
"We have a situation in the Kara Sea, just off the northern tip of Novaya Zemya. I'll send the coordinates. A commercial vessel has capsized. They've report all hands are accounted for except two." He stopped, silently handing over the rest of the situation to his older brother.
"FAB, John." Scott turned to the other two occupants who were already heading to their prospective launch locations. He gave a short laugh, nodding to Virgil who was shifting up and over the painting. This should be a fairly straight forward rescue.
oOoOoOoOo
They made it to the danger zone in time to see the bottom of the ship fall completely under the water. Spurred on by the short time frame, Gordon was quickly going through his launch sequence, mouth tight with the need to get to work.
"Releasing the pod." Virgil's voice came over the comm.
Gordon felt the jarring thud as the pod hit its mark on the swaying waves and grinned as the pod door opened, his girl tilting up and finally plunging into the sea. He'd never stop loving that sensation. It was the moment his rescues kicked off and it was just him and his 'bird.
The ship came into view, the mass settling onto the ocean floor with a swirl of sand as it caught the current.
"I've got the vessel in sight, Thunderbird 2. I'll attach with grappling arms and go EVA." He took hold of the arm controls, moving '4 into position. "How's it going with the crew up top?"
"They appear to have their lifeboats under control." Virgil sounded slightly surprised. "Everyone is calm. It looks like the authorities are on route for pick up."
Gordon nodded with satisfaction once the clamps were attached, securing '4 to the hull. His seat flipped, depositing him through the circular opening and into the icy Kara water. A sudden realization twisted his gut as he considered what the two crewmen would be dealing with once he was ready to get them to his 'bird. That's if they weren't dealing with the hypothermia-inducing temperatures already.
The vessel was about the size of a typical shrimping boat, about 74 feet, which limited the locations the crewmen could be. He would start with the crew quarters. Lifting his arm to view the holographic map detailing the ship, he scanned for life signs.
"That's weird..." He tapped at his wrist again, trying to refresh the image, but the image was the same. "Thunderbird 5, I'm getting a strange reading. Its showing two life signs, but they're floating above the ship. I don't see anyone."
There was a pause as his brother checked his readings. "I can see them in your vicinity, but nothing more specific. I hate to say it, but you might have to go in blind with this one."
Gordon switched off the map, his jaw set as he went over the task at hand. The crew quarters would still be his first search point. He would have to work his way through the areas that still contained air pockets, before moving to the flooded compartments. Pushing through the water, he found his entry point in a gap between the sand and the deck. He would have preferred cutting his way in, but that ran the risk of severing an air supply on board.
Steady hands gripped the railing of the ship, pulling him through the gap and into the shadowed pocket. He activated the light in his helmet, letting it follow his eyes over the wreck. The light flashed over metal and his breath caught, his brain telling him to run, but knowing it was too late. Something slammed into his chest, cables wrapping around him, pinning his arms against his sides. He kicked, frantically trying to relocate the gap and get away from his assailant. Without the use of his arms, he knew he wasn't going to make it. And when the first wave of energy surged through his muscles, stealing his breath and throwing spots across his vision, he knew there was nothing he could do.
oOoOoOo
Virgil hovered above the area he knew Gordon was searching. His eyes were still on the crew bobbing with the waves as they waited. He was too far away to see their expressions, but their general body language was setting off some strange alarms in the back of his head. No one had moved since their arrival in '2. He remembered one of the crew waving before he took a seat, but that was the extent of his interaction with them. Maybe their captain wasn't fond of rowdy-ness during an emergency? That could explain why everyone was so still. Maybe if the captain was a savage dictator.
His disturbed musings were interrupted by the harsh sound of VTOL engines blasting to life above him. It was enough of a shock to make him pull back, forcing '2 away from the assault. In an instant, he could see it. Purple and black metal, pushing its way into his previous location, and dropped closer to the water. Virgil could see into the cockpit now, noticing the empty pilot's seat, as well as the co-pilot's. It had to be on auto.
"Thunderbird 2 to base! We have a situation!" He was letting the panic rise. He wouldn't be able to get to Gordon in this position if his brother surfaced.
"Go ahead, Thunderbird 2." Scott responded, sounding a bit taken back by Virgil's distress.
"The Chaos Cruiser just showed up," He was trying his best to reign his fears back in. "I can't get to Thunderbird 4- … Scott."
Virgil's eyes were wide as they locked onto the figure who had emerged from the recesses of the cruiser. He could see the familiar blue being dragged and thrown to the floor. A grin spread on the larger man's face as he took the pilot's seat, letting his gaze move up to meet Virgil's. No no no! "Scott! He's got Gordon!"
oOoOoOo
The look on his face had been priceless. That alone was worth the trouble he was going through because of International Rescue. Taking hold of the controls, he began his ascent, keying open the channels he would need.
"International Rescue," He grinned, "I see I have your attention."
"Fuse." The growl came from someone other than the pilot he was staring at, "Return our pilot, immediately."
He let out a bark of a laugh, "Or what? You'll attack? Risk damagin' him any more than I have already?" Another reaction from the pilot across from him. "I didn't think so. And you might as well call the GDF, 'cause, you see, they have someone that needs returnin', if you catch my understandin'."
There was a pause, long enough for Fuse to hear the blond behind him start to stir.
"Havoc?" The disembodied voice was finally catching on. "There's no way the GDF would agree to release her, for any reason."
"Oh, you better find a reason, or else the fish here is cooked. Understand." Another groan and that was his signal to leave. He lifted the ship farther, revealing an empty sea below, the boat holograms completing their task. "You have twenty-four hours. When I call, you best have my sister."
He pushed the throttle to full, shooting past the hulking green Thunderbird. He set his heading for southeast, aiming for a base he knew they wouldn't be found. They would have no choice but to return Havoc.
oOoOoOo
Gordon tensed as he finally came to, feeling the cold, hard floor pressing into his shoulder and forehead. Sore muscles flexed against his bindings and the memories came back in full force. The terrifying grin and dark eyes piercing through him just before the air was forced out of his lungs and then darkness.
He rolled slowly, moving his legs up under his stomach as he tried to push himself off the floor. A thick, gloved hand shot out, gripping the collar of his uniform and pulling him up.
"Welcome aboard," the intent was anything but welcoming as he was shoved into the co-pilot's chair. The device encircling him jerked back as it magnetized to the seat, forcing him to stay up-right. "Looks like your team took the hint. Just us now."
Gordon watched as Fuse turned back in the pilot's seat. He took in the view around him, scanning over the console, glancing at readouts that might be of use, and finally landing on the clouded sky outside the ship. His heart was hammering inside his chest, kept secure by his bindings. The most he could do right now was keep this guy talking. Maybe he'd make a mistake.
"First of all," he coughed to clear the uneasiness from his throat, "ow, you couldn't just say hello like a normal person?"
"Now what kind of fun would that be!" The larger man laughed, taking the comment for what it was. "Besides, gave me the chance to try some new tech! You wouldn't believe the amount of gear we haven't even been able to try out yet." His tone was changing to something a bit more sinister, leaving Gordon with a renewed sense of dread.
"Great, glad I could be of assistance." He eyed his captor, who was facing the view outside. His sash was still on, although his hands were of no use, now wedged between his hips and the arm rests. His chin moved over the IR insignia, awkwardly pressing to activate the comm link. Nothing happened.
"No use tryin' to reach anyone over that." His voice made Gordon jump, having not seen him turn from the pilot's seat. "I've blocked the comms." He gave a toothy grin before his fist shot out, catching him in the side of his face, forcing his head back painfully. "That's for tryin'."
Gordon's eyes fluttered, blinking away flashes that sparked across his vision. Let's not do that again... He worked his jaw, noting that it wasn't broken, but freshly aware of the danger he was in. As his eyes readjusted, they caught the flashing indicator hovering over their location readouts.
"Not to be a-" ow, okay, talking hurt a little, "-a backseat driver, but is that a problem?"
Fuse turned a disapproving glare towards the aquanaut, but followed his line of sight to the map. He stared at the flashing icon as the ship edged closer to its location. Gordon took the moment to glance over the large shoulders to the view outside and his eyes shot wide.
"Mountain!"
A blur of purple shot around, grabbing the flight controls and pulling quickly to the right. It was enough to get them around the peak, but too much as a gust took hold, sending the ship into a stomach turning somersault.
He couldn't grab onto anything, but for the first time was thankful for the restraint holding him to the chair. Loose tech clattered dangerously across the cockpit, shattering as it slammed into consoles. He was vaguely aware of the weightlessness. The engine groaned into a roar and the crushing pressure was back as the cruiser began its plummet. There was no time, much less way, to tuck into a crash position as a deafening screech of metal and rock filled the space. Then everything went dark.