Captain Scarlet

Adventures

Disclaimer: All rights reserved. This is a fanfic collection of stories adapted from Captain Scarlet comic strips.

Runaway

A turbulent storm manifested in the sky above the Appalachian Mountains. The sea blue sky dimmed behind a thick blanket of ash grey clouds. A lone SPV traversed a spindly narrow road that hugged the side of the mountain. It was heading towards an unknown destination at an impressive speed. Lightning flashed above, each bolt charged the air around the rocks above. Thunder roared like an angry beast. Sat firmly behind the video monitor screen, Captain Scarlet fixed his eyes on the disintegrating road ahead. His brow was drenched in sweat as he carefully traversed the unstable terrain. Another flash of lightning, another growl of thunder and Scarlet felt his stomach tighten. A nagging voice echoed within his mind. He wasn't going to make the deadline that was set for him.

Observing him from a ledge above the road, Captains Blue and Ochre watched keenly with the aid of powerful binoculars. Lightning reflected off the shell of their helicopter which sat behind them. Peering away from the scene for a moment, Captain Blue commentated on the action.

"The SPV is handling perfectly," he said.

"Scarlet certainly picked a dangerous road to take the test," replied Ochre. "The storm is getting worse. Should we abort?"

Blue shook his head. "No, not just yet. He can still make it."

As the weather continued to deteriorate, Scarlet checked the time on his watch. He had Ten minutes to complete his test one. If he was going to achieve it, then he would have to step on the accelerator. He picked up speed, charging down the road at a staggering hundred and forty miles per hour. As he turned a sharp bend, he heard another loud crash coming from above. A stray lightning bolt struck the peak above him. A torrent of loose rocks tumbled down the mountainside towards him. Scarlet swerved to avoid the impact, but it was too late. He had lost all control. The SPV careened out of control and tumbled down the side of the mountain. Ochre and Blue watched in disbelief as the wrecked SPV exploded with a white flash. It then smacked into a lake below, vanishing beneath the milky green water. Blue and Ochre scrambled into their helicopter.

"We'd better get down there and recover the wreck," said Blue as he fastened his safety belt. "Did you pinpoint its position?"

"S.I.G," Ochre acknowledged. "Some of the equipment can be salvaged at least. I hope Scarlet isn't soured by this incident?"

Captain Scarlet sighed heavily as the TV monitor crackled to the white static. He hadn't been inside the SPV at all. It had all been a test to see if one could be piloted remotely from the safety of Cloudbase. He slouched back in his seat and mopped his brow with a huff. His test may have failed, but Scarlet realised that any mortal would have surely perished should they had been inside. His cap microphone swung down, opening a radio channel to Captain Blue.

"Phew, that was nasty!" he said. "I guess I did anticipate the storm properly. I should have corrected my speed."

"My apologies, Captain!" replied Blue. "We're going to fly down and recover the wreckage now."

As his friend broke transmission, Scarlet left the remote control station and turned to greet a well-dressed man in black and Sepia, sporting the Spectrum logo on his hat and breast pocket. Scarlet smiled at him.

"Well, Major, your remote control gear works, but it's cost us an SPV to test it."

The Major chuckled for a moment before wiping away his cheery expression.

"I'd still like to test it at full speed and in all weather conditions," he said bluntly. "If I can make it possible to control our vehicles by light-beam electronic impulse from a duel-control rig, then you field agents can make patrols without leaving Cloudbase."

Scarlet relished the thought of patrols which required minimum risk, but he knew it would require too much time and money to achieve. It wasn't for him to make the decision. It was Colonel White's.

Meanwhile, back in the mountains, the Spectrum Helicopter canvassed the sky around the lake where the SPV plummeted. Captain Ochre scanned the surface of the water using a high tech infrared telescope. He frowned when his results turned up empty. He couldn't find a single trace of the SPV. He looked over at Captain Blue with a perplexed look on his face.

"I don't get it," he said. "I can't see a thing. It's impossible I know, but this was the spot!"

Captain Blue paused in thought. His intense expression conveyed a serious cause for concern. Wrenching back on the controls, the two men left the mountain range and returned to Cloudbase. However, three miles away, the water began to bubble and ripple as if something had disturbed it underneath. A metallic shape pierced the waves. Its topside fin cut through the water like that of a shark Then suddenly, its white, curved nose edged up skywards from the water as it gently came to a rest on the surface. It was the SPV. As it drifted there for a moment, two green light rings scanned along its hull. When the rings disappeared, the SPV skimmed the lake towards the shore. It was now in the possession of the Mysterons.

"This is the voice of the Mysterons. We know you can hear us, Earthmen. Our next act of retaliation will be slow. We will destroy Alabama. We shall be avenged!"

Red alert sirens sounded throughout the halls in Cloudbase. Colonel White, already troubled by Captain Blue's report, slammed his fist into his desk. Every time the Mysterons threatened to destroy a state, it left Spectrum with an endless sea of scenarios. Each one had to be considered and investigated thoroughly. The Colonel sent his fellow agents and Angels hurtling to their stations. Out on the flight deck, the Angels speed off into the sky in a tight V formation. Spectrum ground forces and detector vans canvassed the streets below. Another hour had passed when Lieutenant Green brought a bizarre report to his attention.

"Colonel, I've just received a report from a Spectrum checkpoint. An SPV was crashed through their blockade without slowing down."

The Colonel raised his head. "An SPV? Did the guard give you an identification number?"

"He didn't sir, but I've got a fix on the position and I'm running it through the SPV database now."

Green pulled out a slip of printed paper with the answer. All the SPV's in Alabama were accounted for, except for one.

"Sir, It's SPV 6543," he said. "The same SPV that was destroyed during the Major's tests earlier today!"

The Colonel paused for a second. Then with a sudden realisation, he barked at Green.

"Alert all field agents in the Southern United States! That SPV is in the hands of the Mysterons. It must be found and stopped!"

"S.I.G, Sir."

A few minutes later, the exasperated Colonel explained the situation to Captain Scarlet and Major Sepia. His anger resonated as it swept through the command centre like a whirlwind. Major Sepia couldn't help but feel responsible. The thought of an SPV destroying a state puzzled Scarlet. How could the Mysterons ever hope to accomplish that? Sure they were powerful, but an SPV would barely make an impact. The Colonel gave the Major a grilling.

"I hate to say this Major Sepia, but your experiment was successful for the Mysterons, not for us. They now have an SPV under their control and are now using it to terrorise Alabama!"

"But...but Colonel White!" stuttered Sepia. "I had no idea that this would happen!"

"Well, it has happened. I'll make a report to Spectrum Headquarters once this matter is resolved. You may leave now!"

Enraged by the Colonel's accusation, Major Sepia marched out of the command centre. Scarlet followed him into the elevator. He rested his hand on the Major's shoulder assuringly.

"Don't worry, Major," he said calmly. "The Colonel didn't mean to blame you. I'm going to join Captain Blue, but I suggest you keep in touch. I may need your help."

Meanwhile, in Alabama, the Spectrum Helicopter hovered over a quiet neighbourhood, hot on the trail of the SPV. Captain Blue and Captain Ochre gasped at the devastation below. Trees had been pulled from their roots, garden fences had been ripped to pieces, and on the street lay wounded civilians, scared and traumatised by what had happened. The SPV had torn through the town like a missile, demolishing anything that stood in its way.

"It looks as if a cyclone has passed through here!" exclaimed Ochre.

"Yeah, and that means we're heading in the right direction," agreed Blue. "It can't be too far."

At that moment, in a small town, eight miles away to the west, the evacuation report sounded over the radios and TV sets, distracting the attention of the residents. The SPV was heading straight for them. Spectrum had asked local civilians to co-operate with the Army by blockading all roads in the Appalachian mountains. Understandably confused as to what was going on, a handful of locals obliged. A small gathering of people, armed with shotguns, congregated on the outskirts of town. One by one, they created a blockade that consisted of wooden barrels and crates. A vehicle sat at each side of the makeshift blockade. Uninformed of the SPV's power, the locals were confident that their handy work would stop the roving Spectrum tank. After a few tense minutes of ambient sound, the residents heard the sound of a motor up ahead. They locked their eyes on a shimmering metal shape that sped down the road towards them. The SPV closed in for the kill as its Mysteron driver increased speed. Springing into action, the residents trained their weapons on the vehicle and fired. The shells ricocheted off the SPV's heavy armoured plating.

Then suddenly, the SPV tore through the primitive, hurling the residents off the road. Another attempt had failed, and hovering in the sky above it, the helicopter pressed on. Captain Blue and Ochre surveyed the chaotic scene below. There was little time to dwell on the matter. Another report came through from one of their ground agents. Blue's cap microphone swung down within an instant.

"Message from Alabama Police. The SPV passed through Pine Bluff. It's heading in the direction of Cedar Creek."

Blue frowned at the name. "Cedar Creek? Of course! I should have known!

Ochre looked at him incredulously. "Known what?"

"Cedar Creek base is where the huge stockpile of Cobalt Bombs is stored! A few shots from the SPV's cannon could send the whole place sky-high and Alabama with it!"

Ochre felt his stomach tighten. "Then we must warn them!"

Blue shook his head in dismay. "Nothing they have will stop a Mysteronised SPV, only Electrode Weapons will do that."

Suddenly, Blue's epilates flashed a brilliant red. Captain Scarlet called in with an idea. Acknowledging his transmission, the two Spectrum Captains diverted their course towards a disused airfield that sat close by the base. When they arrived twenty-five minutes later, they noticed a Spectrum Passenger Jet sitting there in the dust. A figure stood beside it, shielding their eyes from the helicopter's downdraft. It was Scarlet! The helicopter lost its altitude, and Blue gently set it down alongside the Spectrum jet. They stood with their fellow Captain a few moments later. Scarlet didn't waste any time explaining his plan. He had to take action and fast! He held out his hands, gesturing his fellow Captains to hand over their weapons.

"Give me your pistols, quickly!" he said. "Using their power units, I can turn my helmet into an electrode bomb!"

Blue flashed a smile at him. He got the picture and he liked it.

"Sure, it might work," he obliged as he handed over his firearm.

Scarlet nodded. "The Angels are on their way, but it'll take them time to pick up such a small target, and our surface vehicles will be too late. It's up to us to the Mysterons from carrying out their threat."

Blue's smile morphed into a frown. "But Captain Scarlet, even if it works, an Electrode charge will destroy you along with the SPV!"

"That's a chance I've got to take, Captain!"

Without further ado, the indestructible Captain dashed for the helicopter. He was prepared to sacrifice his life in the name of Spectrum as he had done many times before, The future of Alabama was at stake.

At the five-mile security perimeter, outside Cedar Creek base, a company of tanks fanned out across the landscape to form a cordon. The SPV had been detected on ground radar and it was closing in rapidly. The tank commander exchanged information with Destiny Angel, who flew over the base in her supersonic jet fighter. The SPV appeared from behind a dirt mound as it thundered down the restricted dirt track towards the awaiting tanks. The tank commander radioed in his position.

"Defence Group A to Angel leader. Your target is heading towards our position. The position is ten degrees to..."

In a shocking twist of developments, the SPV's front cannon extended outwards from its compartment. Training its sights on the ground patrol, it opened fire with sporadic bursts, Destiny Angel witnessed the massacre below. The soldiers' cries haunted her. She could do nothing. If they moved in to attack now, they could inadvertently detonate the stockpile themselves. Her eyes widened in disbelief as the SPV tossed the tanks aside like they were made of plastic. She reported the sighting to Colonel White with much regret.

"Angel Leader to Cloudbase, the SPV has crashed through the Army blockade. We can't attack it so close to the stockpile."

But closing in on the base, Captain Scarlet took action alone. On his flight over, he had put in a call with Major Sepia who remained on Cloudbase. The two men worked together. They linked the helicopter's controls to the remote control computer on Cloudbase, then Scarlet got to work on his Electrode bomb. He looked out of the window to see the military base on the horizon. As he scanned the desert road below, a plume of dust caught his eye. It was the SPV. He quickly hooked up the electrode bomb to the helicopter's controls and activated the countdown mechanism. He was good to go. In the remote control room on Cloudbase, Major Sepia prepared to take over. Scarlet signalled him the all-clear.

"Major, you now have control. Is the light-beam remote working your end?"

"I...I think so." the Major stuttered nervously. "But there's no TV monitor! I'll be flying it blindly!"

"Don't worry! I'll talk you in." Scarlet assured him. "I'm over Cedar Creek base now."

Losing height over the advancing SPV, Scarlet guided the Mayor carefully. The helicopter descended, matching its course with the Mysteron death vehicle. Scarlet shuffled towards the cabin door and opened it. The wind lashed across his face, blowing dust in his eyes.

"Two degrees to starboard, Major, Keep her steady," he said. "I'm going to jump on a five-second countdown. When I get clear, you cut all power, understand?"

"S.I.G, Captain."

The base's main gate rapidly gained on them. Scarlet counted down from ten before hurling himself from the helicopter. His body hit the dirt with a crunch as he rolled across onto his stomach. Despite the agonising pain in his ribs, he gave the signal.

"Now!" he cried. "Detonation in five...four...three...two...one...Cut engines!"

The helicopter exploded into a huge fireball. The SPV disintegrated from the electrode blast, it's charred remains flickered away in the sand. Scarlet clutched his broken ribs as he limped towards the smouldering wreckage. The SPV was no more. His desperate plan worked. He lingered there, transfixed by the warm glow of the fire when another helicopter touched down behind him. He turned and beamed a smile of success when Captain Blue raced up towards him.

"Are your alright, Captain?" Blue asked him.

"I'm fine," Scarlet replied. "We did it! Sepia flew the helicopter in close and the blast did the rest. We ought to thank him."

"I know the Colonel will," Blue said with a chuckle. "I bet he'll approve the go-ahead to install more remote control devices by the end of the month."

Scarlet frowned. "I don't know. Maybe there are just a few too many things that could go wrong with Sepia's remote control gadget. We can't let the Mysterons exploit it in any way. Manpower will beat them, Adam. Not computers."

Blue helped his friend back towards the helicopter. After patching up his ribs, the two men reported another successful mission to Cloudbase. They had won another round in the war of nerves, but another round was fast approaching them.

END