Prologue: A Dark Place
When Gordon woke up he found himself in a bit of a tight squeeze. Quite literally in fact. He was sitting in a black box, his knees to his chest his head tilted forward a bit. The sides of the box were slick and cold as if they were made of stone. He wasn't claustrophobic, a year underwater had cured him of any hint of that, but he wasn't at ease either.
"Who are you," A voice echoed outside of the box. Gordon didn't know who the voice was talking to, if he was hiding from them, or if he was entrapped by them. The box shuddered and he could hear the splash of water. He couldn't see a thing, but imagined his box slowly dipping beneath the water's level. Then, his feet felt wet. Slowly the box started to fill with water, first covering his feet, then his ankles, his hips, waist, elbows, chest, face, and finally his head. He held his breath and closed his eyes. He would not panic. An accomplished swimmer and diver, Gordon could hold his breath for quite some time. Not near the time that the current record holder could at 13 minutes, but six to seven minutes easily.
It hadn't been near five minutes, Gordon was counting in his head, when the box shuddered around him and seemed to be pulled up. The water drained and he took a deep breath as soon as his face was clear of the water. He still couldn't move, and his legs were starting to ache from being in that position for however long it had been.
"I ask you again, who are you," This time Gordon was sure the voice was talking to him.
"I am International Rescue Agent #5, Aquanaut and Oceanographer, Pilot of Thunderbird 4," Gordon announced. Their father had assigned the numbers, for even in the beginning there was always the chance that someone would try to harm the members of the organization and gain their secrets.
"You are giving me information I already know," The voice replied smoothly. It wasn't a voice Gordon recognized, or even expected. The Hood was the only known person who had a vendetta against IR, maybe it was one of his henchmen.
"Who are you," Gordon ventured as he wiped some of the water from his eyes, "You don't sound like The Hood."
"You dare compare me to that criminal!" The voice sounded even angrier and disgusted. "That man may be able to slip through the fingers of the GDF time and again, but his plans are simplistic and worst of all failures. No, I am not The Hood. I am, however, a businessman who seeks to gain from the failure of International Rescue. To do so I need information." There was a pause and the quiet smooth voice was nearer, just on the other side of the stone wall behind Gordon, "I warn you, while you may fear The Hood, I am a far worse adversary than he has ever been. Who are you?"
"International Rescue Agent #5, Aquanaut and Oceanographer…"
"Do it," the voice ordered and the box jerked as it was dropped below the water. The box filled again and Gordon closed his eyes and held his breath, slowly counting the seconds as they ticked by.
Five minutes
Five minutes Thirty seconds.
"Who are you?"
"International Rescue Agent #5"
"Again!"
Six minutes
Six minutes Forty-Two seconds
Seven minutes.
"Who are you?"
"International…"
"Again!"
Eight minutes.
Eight minutes Twenty-Five seconds
Nine minutes.
Gordon had started to see flashes of color behind his eye lids. Rainbows in flashes and bursts. Again the box was pulled up and the water released.
"Who are you?"
"Inter…. amen…. 4…no… 5… thunderbird 4…," Gordon gasped as he tried to refuel his body with oxygen.
"Again!"
"NO!" Gordon yelled, the box jerked a second time and stopped.
"Who are you?"
"Agent 4, no 5 Thunderbird 4 aquanaut," Gordon rambled, he was still seeing flashes of color in front of him.
"Drop him." There was a splash and Gordon was thrown around the small box as it was dropped into the water. Slowly it sank on its own the water rising around him.
No.
He took a deep breath and started to count again. Ten minutes. Eleven minutes.
"Who are you?"
"Four," Gordon gasped.
"Again."
NO!
"Again"
No!
"Again"
no!
"Again"
no.
"Again"
no…