Gordon Tracy was quite jubilant in London - he had spent a great evening with the love of his life, Lady Penelope and wanted to take one more moonlit stroll down the park before they settled in for the night at her mansion.
However, Lady Penelope was preoccupied it seemed with the time instead of the sights. "Darling, I do think it's time we left," she said gently as they walked through a more remote part of the park.
Gordon chuckled. "Nonsense, the night is young, there's music in the air, what can go wrong?" he said as they sat down on a bench.
"Plenty at this time of night," the young woman said, shaking her head and looking around.
Gordon however, kept chatting. "Hey, you're safe with me, nothing's going to come and harm you," he said brightly, making Penelope wince slightly. "Is there something the matter Pen?"
The woman inwardly flinched at the man's concern for her. Though quite aware of the disasters the world could befall on him, Gordon seemed to be quite innocent of just exactly how harmful the world was around him.
Sighing, the woman shook her head and joined him. "Nothing that can't be quickly solved with a kiss," she said, smiling faintly.
Gordon smiled broadly. "Oh, is that all that's bothering you? I'll be happy to solve it," he said and leaned in to kiss Penny. She eagerly accepted the kiss, but knew that this time it wasn't all pleasure.
The aquanaut however didn't see it as anything but fun - at first.
The man tried to pull back to speak, but Penny pressed him closer to her, deepening the kiss.
It wasn't until he started to feel a sharp pain behind his ear where Penny was pressing down hard that alarm bells started to ring.
Gordon pulled back. "Ow! Penny, what are..." he said, only found his arms grabbed by someone behind him. He tried to struggle, but couldn't free himself. "Penny... Pen... what's going on? Why are you acting oddly?"
She leaned forward again, only briefly glancing up. "I'm sorry Gordon, but this really is for the best," she said in sympathy.
"The best? What do you..." he said, only to feel her reach around his neck again, toying with a spot behind his ear. Dread started to seep into Gordon, and looked into Lady Penelope's eyes, pleading for her to say this was a joke.
"I'm sorry my love..." she said, briefly kissing him again, possibly for the last time.
Gordon tried to protest, to yell for help, but was silenced when her other hand clamped over his mouth.
The aquanaut then felt the pressure at the spot on his neck again, only this time it made him feel faint. He knew what was coming next and tried to struggle, but the goon holding him kept him from escaping.
In the end, the only pain Gordon felt as unconsciousness took hold was Lady Penelope had betrayed him ...
Some time later, the aquanaut's eyes opened and he groaned. To his confusion, he was laying on a soft bed with a down quilt covering him. Sounds of birds chirping were mixed in with sounds of a train passing by miles away.
"Not Tracy Island - so, where...?" he said, his head spinning slightly as he sat up and looked around.
It was also light outside - not sunny like Tracy Island, but the brightness he was accustomed to for day in London.
"What the...?" The man rubbed his neck, wincing when he felt a bruise just behind his left ear.
The man knew he wasn't hit over the head during a rescue or even the stray bean bag Alan would throw to try and cheat his way to victory in a video game.
He then remembered - the park, the kiss, being accosted...
And then Lady Penelope knocking him out using a pressure point.
"Oh Penny, what did you do?" he said, though it was obvious.
Gordon didn't know what to make of it: his friend, well girlfriend in all but official title, had actually rendered him unconscious, and had someone - maybe Parker he mused - help betray him.
Now he was who knew where, and had find a way to escape. And all because she betrayed him for some enemy.
He turned to his left to start his plan, and to his surprise there was a vase of Birds of Paradise, his favorite flower.
There was also an embossed card addressed to him next to it.
"Huh... odd way to greet a captive," said Gordon, confused as he opened the card.
Inside was a note on cream paper - in Lady Penelope's distinctive handwriting.
"Dearest Gordon, please forgive me for my indiscretion last night. While you were getting us another bottle of wine at the restaurant, I had met an important contact who had information on a matter in London.
"Unfortunately, I also found out through the contact that your life was in danger, simply because you were in my presence. He had found out your family, and wanted to take you for ransom.
"The assailant was shadowing us, waiting for a time to strike, which was why I was trying to get us to leave."
Gordon frowned deeply. "That doesn't explain why the knock out Penelope," he muttered.
"When you refused to listen to my hints we needed to leave, and knowing the danger was imminent, I had no choice but to render you unconscious.
"I had hoped to succeed while you kissed me so you thought you blacked out from too much wine - or the perfect kiss, but apparently I didn't do it right. Parker came to assist, but I didn't want him to slug you. He is an excellent butler and dear friend, but he can sometimes be a bit 'enthusiastic' in help."
The aquanaut chuckled. "Yeah, thanks there Penny - I'd rather not be nursing a concussion or chloroform sickness," he said, having heard some stories of Parker's misspent youth.
"It was not my wish to harm you, and the look of betrayal you gave me will haunt me in the days to come. I truly regret what I had to do..."
Gordon scoffed slightly. "Not the kissing part I hope," he muttered, but laughed when he kept reading.
"...Not the kissing part mind you, but the latter. To fill in the missing details, after you were subdued, Parker carried you to FAB 1, unfortunately having to claim you were drunk, and brought you to my mansion. He has been keeping an eye on you ever since.
"Also, rest assured the problems that lead to my attacking you have been remedied. They will not be a problem again anytime soon.
"Now, there are clean clothes in the closet that will fit you, and the shower is to your left. I look forward to seeing you in half an hour after you read this for Tea - and to beg for your forgiveness.
"Love Penelope."
Gordon read and reread the letter, thinking as he scratched the spot behind his ear. Yes it hurt, and hurt badly what she did, not just the physical part, but the emotional.
Still, it was a comfort to know that she did it only to protect him - and that she and Parker were still on their side.
Sure he'd have to be careful around her in the future, and was definitely leery of her skills, but for the moment, he was willing to let her have a second chance.
Privately though - he was going to talk to Kayo for more lessons in self defense... just in case anyone tried to get the drop on him again - and make Parker promise that none of his brothers would hear the full story about that night.