Safety?

This flight was pleasant enough. Gordon let me undo my safety harness and look out the windows.

Scott was right. Virgil appeared part way through and told Gordon he was using too much throttle.

He was told, in no uncertain terms, that back seat drivers should keep their mouths shut. Virgil sat down beside me.

"How do you feel?" I asked.

"Better." He admitted. "I can understand what you say now, though it's still a little muffled."

"Thanks for coming to get me."

"Not a problem. It's our fault that you were in that predicament anyway. We thought something might happen so we put some of our top agents on the case to keep an eye on you."

I was about to ask how they knew where I was when Gordon announced that we were coming in to land.

"Easy on the vertical jets." Virgil said.

"I'm turning a deaf ear to you." He was told.

"Charming. See what we have to deal with." Virgil said to me in mock resignation. "No respect for the injured."

We touched down. The landing was only marginally rougher than Virgil's had been.

"Not enough vertical thrust." Virgil told Gordon.

Gordon turned and signed something.

"Now that wasn't very nice." Said Virgil mildly.

They reminded me of two kids playing together and wondered again about their relationship.
I had no idea in what part of the world we were in. It felt like it was early evening, although whose I had no idea. We certainly weren't in thick Malaysian Jungle. The terrain was sparsely wooded and elegantly landscaped.

Scott was there to meet us, along with a young blond woman and an older man, who was wearing a servants uniform.

"Chris," Scott said, "these are our top agents - Lady Penelope and her butler Parker."

"H-how do you do?" I felt as if I should be curtseying or bowing or something.

Lady Penelope extended a graceful hand. "How nice to finally meet you properly. We have met, but I have an idea that you were not quite yourself at the time."

Then I clicked. "Of course. It was you two who I met coming out of the lift when that - that - madman was kidnapping me. I wanted to ask for help but couldn't."

"We've had dealings with him before." Lady Penelope said. "That's why I took the precaution of planting a homing device on you."

"You did? How?"

She smiled. "May I?" she took my hand and examined my sleeve. "Here it is." She removed a tiny pin. "I planted it when we shook hands."

"So that's how you guys were able to find me."

She turned her attention to Virgil. "How are you dear boy? Scott tells me you were injured."

"Pardon?" he said and then smiled. "I'm fine, thanks Penny. The hearing's slowly coming back. I'm still hearing Alan's Heavy Metal 'music' though."

I pulled Gordon to one side. "How do I address a titled lady?" I asked in a mild panic.

"Huh? Oh - um. We just call her Penny."

"I can't call her that!"

He smiled reassuringly. "She's not stuck up. I'm sure Lady Penelope will do."

Scott decreed that it was time to leave. "We don't want to take any chances staying here too long, and Virgil should have a check-up."

"I'm fine." Virgil protested.

"M'Lady." Parker cleared his throat. "Hif you don't mind me sayin' so, hit his time we was moving also."

"Who hit who?" Virgil asked and clearly wondered why we all laughed at him.

"C'mon brother. Time we got you home." Gordon pulled at Virgil's arm.

'Brother! Was that the relationship?' I wondered

Virgil knocked Gordon's hand away. "I'm all right, I'm not an invalid." He said.

Gordon sighed. "Okay, Virgil. I got the message. So long Chris."

"I hope we meet again." Virgil added. "Only not in a professional capacity."

"Bye guys." I said. "And thanks again."

They headed back over to Thunderbird Two.

"Virgil!" Scott called.

Virgil turned. "Yes Scott?"

"Gordon's in the pilot seat, okay?"

Virgil held a hand to his ear. "What's that Scott? I didn't hear it."

"Yes you did" Scott scolded him.

Laughing Virgil headed into the great craft. We moved further away.

With a roar the mighty Thunderbird lifted off. "Gordon's using too much power to annoy Virgil." Scott commented.

The plane hovered briefly and then flew away.

When it was quiet enough that we could talk without shouting, Scott turned to me. "I'd better head off too. You've nothing to worry about now you are in Penny's capable hands."

"Thanks Scott." And thanks for getting us out of there."

"Not a problem, Chris. As Virgil said, hopefully next time we meet things will be more relaxed."

He bade farewell to Lady Penelope and Parker and climbed into his own craft. The rocket plane disappeared into the darkening sky.