Chapter 8
The G6 on Penelope had revealed her links with both M15 and Jeff Tracy. It was too much of a coincidence; she turned up shortly after Straker had gone missing, presumed dead, in the same area of the South Pacific that was home to Tracy Island.
Freeman, reading through the report, came to a decision. 'Freeman to Security. You have a 'go' for operation 'Lady P'. Apprehend suspect and return her to HQ.'
Al he could do now was wait.
Lady Penelope picked up the hatbox and handed it to Parker. 'I think that's enough shopping for today Parker. Back to the Rolls and then home in time for afternoon tea I think.'
'Very good, m'Lady.' He doffed his hat and picked up the large ostentatious hatbox with its pink bow to carry it back to FAB1, Penelope close behind him.
The four SHADO operatives, who had shadowed her, waiting for an opportune moment, boxed her in with a swiftness and expertise that left Parker standing shocked and isolated on the pavement. She was inside their car and being driven away at high speed before he could do anything.
A quiet voice spoke behind Parker. 'Do not turn around. Lady Penelope will be returned to Creighton Manor, unharmed, in three hours if she co-operates with us. If you make any attempt to trace her, then you will not see her again. Do you understand?'
'You...... yes I understand.' Parker almost spat out his reply and listened, too petrified to turn around, as the speaker walked quickly away. Parker threw the hatbox onto the back seat of the Rolls with a carelessness that would have appalled his employer, then drove back to Creighton Manor at a speed that broke every restriction. Once back at the Manor, he paced the empty rooms, desperately hoping that she would be returned safe and unhurt.
Alec Freeman met the SHADO car at the main entrance to the studios. In silence he escorted the woman through the reception area and into the inner office. Miss Ealand watched impassively.
'Yours I believe?' he handed Lady Penelope a small electronic device. 'We found it hidden in here. Not very professional really.'
She stared at him, with contempt and loathing. 'What do you want?'
'To show you something.' His answer was curt. There was no response from her. What could she say?
He picked up the silver box on the desk. Opened it. 'Alec Freeman'
'Voice Print Identification Positive. Alec Freeman. Zero nine seven.' And the room descended.
The door opened. She stepped out ahead of Freeman. The sign on the plain white wall said SHADO. She read it and everything became clear. She realised that both she and Jeff had made a terrible mistake.
'Mr Freeman...' she turned to him
'Colonel Freeman,' he corrected her.
'Colonel Freeman. I understand now. Ed Straker, Commander Straker, as I understand his correct title to be, runs this SHADO organisation which is hidden beneath the studios. SHADO has been set up to fight against alien attacks, am I right?'
He nodded, impressed at the speed at which she had assimilated all the available information and come to the correct conclusion.
'Very good Lady Penelope. Now I need to get some details from you. It would be better if you volunteered the information to us. I really don't like torturing anyone, let alone an attractive woman, but be assured; I can, and will, resort to violence if necessary.' He faced her, his eyes burning with a coldness that chilled her to the bone.
'What do you want to know?' There was no point in prevarication. If the information they needed was that important, then she might well have to tell them.
'Is Commander Straker still alive and if so, where is he being held?'
The question stunned her. She was expecting questions about International Rescue, not this.
She looked at the blunt, heavy-set man standing before her and knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was more than capable of using extreme coercion if he felt it necessary.
'Very well, I shall tell you what I know, on condition that it goes no further than this organisation.' She wondered just how much information she needed to divulge. If she could avoid mentioning International Rescue so much the better.
'I will make no promises,' he warned her, 'but I will do my best.'
He led her into a neat office with interactive screens of the Lunar surface and Earth on the walls and a large abstract mural of constantly shifting colours behind the modern Perspex desk.
'Lady Penelope, please have a seat.' He pulled out one of the chairs at a large conference table and she smiled at him, acknowledging his action and sat calmly, her hands folded in her lap.
'As far as I know, your Commander Straker is a guest of the Tracy family on their island. He was taken there after being rescued from his jet which had crashed close to the island. Unfortunately none of the crew survived the impact. He was the only passenger?' she queried.
'Yes. So he is alive and well?' Alec heaved a sigh of relief and thanked whatever gods were listening.
'I believe he is suffering from amnesia and has been unable to tell his rescuers who he is. They, in turn were unable to get any information about his plane's registration or point of origin, which is why I was called in. I have contacts in MI6 you see and Jeff Tracy thought I might be able to help him.' She smiled. 'So, now you know. Your Commander can be picked up from Tracy Island; I have the co-ordinates here, and you can bring him back to his underground headquarters. And I can go back home in time for afternoon tea. I do hope Parker managed to get my new hat home safely. I ordered it especially for Ladies' Day at Ascot.' She stood up as if to go, but Alec Freeman stopped her.
'Not so fast Lady Penelope. I'm afraid we can't just let you go as quickly as that. You know far too much now about us. We need to discuss security and the Official Secrets Act. Can I get you a cup of coffee? Or would you prefer tea?' he asked.
'Oh tea please, I never touch coffee, so American.'
The tea arrived, not in her preferred bone china cups, but it was hot and refreshing and she sipped it appreciatively while looking round the room at the various murals and maps. She picked up Straker's glass globe and peered through it before replacing it carefully on its stand.
'So, Colonel Freeman,' she started to ask, but her eyes began to close and he reached forward and took the cup from her before she dropped it. He waited until he was sure that she was fully asleep and then opened the door. 'She's all yours.' He said to the medical team outside the room. 'Get her home safely won't you.'
Carefully they carried her out. Freeman watched, knowing that she would wake up with no memory of the previous twenty four hours. Good. He could do without aristocratic ladies interfering in SHADO business.
Now to work. Now to rescue Ed.
