Apologies to everyone for the long wait, I have completed The Game, and I will update frequently. I have rewritten a few of the chapters and so I am reposting from the beginning. Loads of thank yous and virtual chocolates to my beta-reader - Quiller (thanks for all the commas).

Disclaimer: Don't own the Tracys or the Thunderbirds

The Game

A tall powerfully muscled man, his bald head glistening in the flickering light of fiery torches, stood over a stone altar. The man was dressed in a robe heavy with dazzling jewels. His eyes glowed amber as he held a knife over his bare arm. With a quick slash he cut his arm, and allowed his blood to drip freely into a wooden bowl. On the altar next to the bowl were three bamboo cages. One was filled with squirming toads; another held black scorpions, and the third, fist-sized spiders. Grabbing one of the toads, the man daubed it with his blood and chanted a spell. The creature grew limp in his hand. The man motioned to his servant who crouched in the shadows of the altar. The servant handed his master a primitive wooden statue. The statue was of a squat, naked woman; her stomach and bosom bulged, and her glass eyes were grotesquely enormous. The tall man wrenched the statue's head off and placed the stupefied toad into the statue's hollow belly. As the man reconnected the head to the statue's body, he murmured another spell. The eyes of the statue glowed red. With a satisfied smile, the man handed the statue back to his servant, who in turn presented his master with an identical one. Reaching into another of the cages, the man selected a scorpion.

Kyrano shot up in bed. His face was wet with perspiration, and his body was trembling. It had been a long time since he had dreams of his brother, and this dream had seemed all too real. With shaking hands he searched for and found the bottle of pills he kept in his bedside table. Taking the glass of water sitting atop the table, he threw the pills in his mouth, and gulped down the water. Breathing heavily, the manservant lay back on his pillow, closed his eyes and thought of his days as a carefree child running through his father's fields.

A pair of heavy iron gates opened onto a long gravel road. At the end of the road was an impressive 18th century Chateau. Known as the 'house of the forest', the chateau was surrounded by dense woodland. Home to the same family for decades, the locals at a nearby village also knew the Chateau as the 'house of secrets'. The building was heavily guarded, cameras scanning the property for any unwanted intruders. When curious tourists asked questions about the Chateau and its mysterious occupants, villagers would shrug and shake their heads...'they do not disturb us, we do not disturb them,' was the common reply.

Hugo de Beaumanoir sat near the fire in the Chateau's library. In his hand he swirled the contents of a wine glass as he studied the flickering flames of the fire. His companion, seated next to him in a matching leather chair, drained the contents of his glass and set it down on a nearby table.

"You must travel to Florida with me Hugo, the winter is too cold here."

Hugo snorted. "Nonsense, Luc you know I like my winters here in the Chateau, besides the game will be still be on."

"Ah, the game. I was wondering if you still played it. How many are in on it? I'm heartily glad I gave it up, too much stress."

"We have a number still going, some new members as well. I have upped the ante this time."

Luc chuckled. "Not a rare white rhino again, Hugo, that was impossible."

Hugo took a sip of his wine and gave his friend a sly smile. "A person this time."

Luc gasped. "Surely not, Hugo. You are not that depraved. We made that decision when the game began, that we were not to involve humans."

Hugo shrugged. "Times change, Luc. The new members have brought in lots of money and wanted a better game. I couldn't think of anywhere else to go."

Clearly agitated, the blond Luc got to his feet and started to pace the floor in front of the fire. "If you had nowhere else to go with the game it should have ended Hugo. It had surely reached its pinnacle years ago. We started it in University and to me that was when it was most enjoyable."

"The beast has not yet run its course Luc. I must say I did consider it at a time but there were others who wished to keep playing and I am protective of my game. I didn't want it to go beyond my control. It is my game and anyone playing, plays by my rules."

"But a human, Hugo, an innocent."

"As were all the animals we took Luc. Some argue that we are no better than the animals."

Luc raised his eyebrows at his friend's remarks and turned to the fire. "Is the human harmed?"

"We always return what is not ours."

"And what is the name of their category?"

"It varies. This year, the son of a billionaire."

Luc spun around to face his friend. "Children! No!"

"I should say the adult son of a billionaire. Most I know are lazy good-for-nothings, and deserve a little adventure in their lives, adventure that is not bought for them."

"The game is not a little adventure, it could be a very damaging experience to say the least."

"Luc, trust me. The game is controlled, there are rules to how it is played, and if any player breaks the rules, they are dealt with severely. I am not a man to be trifled with, and I can assure you we have had no breaches."

Luc returned to his chair. "As much as I enjoyed it, I know now why I relinquished my membership."

Hugo smiled at his friend and reached out a hand to touch Luc's. "As a co-founder of the game, you will always be a member, Luc. Come and play. You'll enjoy it.'

Luc looked at his friend of twenty years, and almost didn't recognise the face that looked back at him. Hugo was the only son of a millionaire and was always up for some fun. The game was invented by Hugo to pass the boredom while finishing off their final year exams in university. The game was exciting, and at the end of each game, the players ended up in Hugo's isolated Chateau, drinking the family wine, and waiting eagerly to see who had won. When the two friends began their careers as merchant bankers the game continued and the stakes got higher. Hugo was devoted to it. Luc was devoted to chasing girls, and after he had married and had children had ceased playing the game altogether. The two had lost contact for a long while until Hugo had contacted Luc out of the blue and they had resumed their friendship. Hugo's parents had died and he was left wealthy but with no family and few friends. The game seemed to be his only interest in life.

Now looking at Hugo's face in the dancing light of the fire, Luc noticed a hardness in the man's fine boned features. It seemed to Luc that Hugo was still very much devoted to the game.

Luc clasped his Hugo's hand in his own. "I remember our days playing the game with affection my dear friend but unfortunately our paths have diverged somewhat, and now the only games I play are football with my children."

Hugo nodded. "Of course, Luc. I have no family and therefore sometimes fail to see how important they are. Now, it is getting late, you must head home or they will worry."

"Yes, Charlotte will not be happy."

The two men stood and embraced before Hugo saw his friend to the door of the Chateau and into his car. Luc waved as he drove off down the long gravel road. Hugo smiled and returned to wave yet as soon as Luc's car had gone his face darkened into a frown. A short Asian man with glasses approached Hugo from the shadows of the night.

"Is he to be trusted? You told him more than he needs to know."

"He is a loyal friend. Luc knows not to talk. He played the game and was a master at it. If any knew, he would not escape punishment from the authorities. Luc risks too much to betray me or the game."

"We will watch him all the same. Come..." the man gestured into the Chateau. "My master wishes to speak with you. He wants to ask a favour, and the reward I believe will be quite tempting."

Hugo followed the man back into the darkened front hall of the Chateau.

He had made sure it was noted on his father's and brothers' computer diaries, and on the calendar in the kitchen just so every member of his family was clear when he was taking his holiday. That week was sacrosanct to Gordon. There was only a brief window of time when he could get the perfect wave and he had yet to miss the opportunity. Miraculously, World emergencies seemed to ebb when the waves were at their best. Gordon's luck, Alan grumbled.

As soon as the week dawned, Gordon was winging away from his island home before his dad or an emergency could stop him. The aquanaut's destination – the island with the perfect wave. The holiday isle not only featured a great wave but girls in bikinis, delicious food, and the best feature of all – no Thunderbirds.

A five hour journey later, the ginger haired young man collapsed onto a queen sized bed, and sighed, completely relaxed. The accommodation was as good as its internet site had promised. A Bali-style beach hut, simple yet comfy – big bed, mosquito net, private outdoor shower with a plunge pool, a wide sheltered verandah with a plantation style cane setting overlooking the golden sand and rolling surf. Gordon had planted his board in the sand right next to the door as a reminder that he was to spend every possible waking moment surfing. He had booked this beach hut knowing it was the closest to the ocean, and sure enough he could see a fantastic set of waves from his window.

The day was still early and there was no time to waste. Quickly changing into his summer wetsuit, Gordon grabbed his board and ran down to the surf. Limbering up before he took the plunge, Gordon reflected on how lucky he was that he could surf let alone walk. It had only been two years since the accident that almost crippled him, and even now he could feel the odd twinge in his back and legs from the extensive damage of the hydrofoil accident. He had been an Olympic swimmer, and due to his years of training and healthy lifestyle, his recovery had been relatively quick. Surfing was something he used to do in his downtime while training in the US and Australia – it calmed him and it got the adrenalin pumping when he caught a great wave.

Pushing out into the water, its coolness was refreshing, and the young man had a grin on his face as he paddled out to the back of the waves.