Thanks again to all my readers.

On Tracy Island...

Scott Tracy was tired, he'd just arrived back from an exceptionally long rescue, and could barely stay awake for the debriefing.

"Earth calling Scott Tracy."

"Huh? What?" Ok, more tired than he realized. "Sorry, Grandma. Where were we?"

EOS giggled. "The debrief is over. You fell asleep halfway through, but the others didn't notice until just now."

"And," Virgil cleared his throat. "That was me, not Grandma. She's in the kitchen."

"Don't embarrass him any further," Gordon teased.

"He didn't," EOS observed. "The Boss is asleep again."


Scott woke up several hours later, in bed. Realizing what had happened, he got up and wandered down to the lounge. His brothers were out in the pool, so Scott returned to his room.

Scott didn't often have time on his hands, his job was quite hectic after all. So, after preparing a hot bath and slipping into it, he relaxed and reflected on recent events.

So much had changed recently. No one had quite realized just how dangerous the Mechanic was until he nearly killed his former employer (and Kayo too, he'd shot down Shadow when she tried to retrieve the batteries from him at the Grand Sequoia).

It was amazing, Scott thought, what one could be talked into doing when you were desperate. He had certainly never dreamed of forming an alliance with his fathers probable killer, but here they were (mind you, Scott intended answers out of him at some point).

And Kayo...

She really hadn't wanted to work with her biological family, not that he could blame her. However, it was one of the Hood's conditions, and if he was stupid enough to trust his niece then Scott would willingly oblige...

Of course, Kayo would argue, she always liked to play the devil's advocate with him. He was convinced she had eyes on his position. But this had really ticked her off.

It hardly surprised him, he was actually glad the idea was so hateful to her, but then she had shocked him. Just as he was winning the argument, Kayo, what choice do we have? Had been his exact words, she'd broken down crying (fortunately, the others weren't around).

Kayo. Never. Cried.

It had rattled Scott to his core, he had immediately taken her in his arms, and then she got confusing.

As she was sobbing, she actually begged him not to send her, saying she couldn't forgive the Hood for what he did, she couldn't be near him and pretend to like it, how she would abhor herself for breaking another promise to her father.

He had actually been about to relent, prepared to apologize even, when she'd realized what she was doing, and where she was. Getting up, she'd gathered herself with a resolve Scott had never realized was there before, and said just try and stop her from going. And Scott had been so stunned he'd just let her.

Scott now regretted not trying, she shouldn't feel emotionally pressured to do it just because of him. They had spoken briefly just before she left, but all she said was to ask him not to tell the others about her outburst. Scott had at least agreed to that, if the others found out, they'd probably fly straight over and try and drag it out of her, not what she needed at the moment.

He wasn't sure himself why he had told the others that she had quit, a holiday would've sufficed, and Scott hated seeing the others suffer for his lie.

Maybe he should tell the others she really hadn't quit. It would be hell on earth, but he would feel better. He should also probably try and contact Kayo too, he hated the thought of her being so vulnerable, he would do anything to take the weight off her shoulders that he'd caught the briefest glimpse of. Anything at all, to genuinely make her smile.

Scott sat up. Yes, that was what he would do, Grandma and Brains first, then the others, then apologize to John for forcing his hand, then...

His wrist comm started beeping (it was right next to the bath). He checked the caller, it was EOS. Strange, he thought. Why isn't John calling. He accepted it.

"Hello boss, you might want to put some clothes on, Colonel Casey is calling, she says it's pretty urgent and that she'll only talk to you or Kayo," she said sounding flustered. Scott understood, Casey could be quite rude at times.

"Thanks, but why isn't John forwarding the call, is he that upset with me," Scott jumped out of the bath and grabbed a towel.

"Um mm..." EOS hesitated. "It's not that. He... can't come to the comms right now."

Ok, that was pretty strange.

"If you're just going to stand there boss, I can manipulate your avatar to appear dressed," Scott could hear the smirk in her voice.

"Select sound only," he ordered with a smile and a shake of the head. "You know John doesn't approve of you and holograms."

"He's no fun, father of mine or not," EOS huffed, before connecting Casey through.

"Good day to you, Colonel," Scott greeted while throwing clothes on hurriedly. "How may I help you."

"I'll be brief and to the point Scott," the older woman replied. "I need to talk to Kayo."

"She's not available at the moment," Scott explained. "I can connect you to Penelope if you need covert ops."

"I don't need covert ops, I need to know why Kayo isn't available."

Scott frowned, this was starting to sound like some form of personal news. At any rate, Casey couldn't know what Kayo was really up to, her network wasn't secure enough. "Well, actually, she quit about 2 weeks ago. Don't ask me why. is this information really for her ears only?"

"You didn't tell us she'd quit."

"Of course not. You would've tried to recruit her. Kayo knows everything about our systems that you can't know."

Casey started to turn purple, then calmed down. "Do you know where she is?" She spoke in a strained voice.

"No," that, at least, was the truth.

"Well," A hint of worry crept into the Colonel's tone. "I've got two people here swearing up and down that they saw her with the Hood."

Oh, *****

"Now, make no mistake. I don't believe them, and the way they're rambling on I intend to lock them up. But, from what you say, I'll have to set my agents out looking for her. I advise you to do the same."

Scott paled. "And who are these two?"

"Would you believe, Buddy and Ellie Pendergast?"

"..."

"They claim that they got caught in a cross fight between the Mechanic and aforementioned criminal over some Six Million Dollar Animals, if you get my drift."

"I don't know what that means, and I don't think I want to. But, Colonel, I don't think you need to worry," Scott said, thinking quicker than he had in ages. "Kayo told us she had a twin sister, it was probably her they saw."

"Oh," Casey was taken aback. "Alright then, I'll have to give the Pendergasts the benefit of the doubt and release them I guess. I'll still be investigating this of course. Ha, ha, and don't think I won't try and recruit her, I will."

"Not good. I hope you catch him."

"Casey out." Scott let out a huge breath and collapsed onto the bed. Rain Check on telling the others just yet, no need to worry them with these developments just yet.

"Well done, boss," EOS congratulated. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"Thanks EOS. Can you open a link to the Hood, I need to warn Kayo to watch her back."

"Certainly."

"And EOS, can John come to the comms yet? I need him to track the GDF's movements."

"Yes boss, John can come to the comms now."

"Ok, good."

"Captain O'Bannon is just leaving," she snickered as the Hood answered her call. Scott sat bolt upright but John's AI was quicker and her hologram flickered out.

How dare he? Scott fumed. He has no business entertaining women in Thunderbird 5 on active duty.

"You look worried," the Hood commented. Scott snapped out of his thoughts.

"Oh, hello Hood. I need you to put Kayo on the line, I have some bad news for her."


"COMMENCING LAUNCH IN 5, 4, 3, 2, 1." several dozen of the Mechanic's rockets launched, carrying each of their payloads of trillions of nanites into space.

Several minutes after launch, the rockets cleared the atmosphere. Detaching their loads, the tiny capsules carrying them maneuvered towards the destinations designated by the Mechanic.

Morphing into powerful magnets, hundreds of tons of space junk and debris began floating towards them (along with the satellites).

The nanites had their work cut out for them.

Sorry, not much action in this chapter. The Scott dialogue turned out a lot longer than I originally thought. Hope it adds to the story.