Chapter Fourteen

Moments Earlier

Mullion was startled when he heard a loud sneeze come from the control room's ventilation duct.

"Someone's up there," he said moving up to the duct and listening carefully. Then certain that he knew where they were he reached up having to stand on tiptoes a little to accomplish the manoeuvre, then he punched his hand through the concrete and metal wall of the duct and grabbed what felt like a human leg.

He immediately heard a yell of surprise and pain at the strength of his grip and Mullion hid a grin. His current grip was nothing he could easily turn rock or bone to powder if he gripped hard enough. The leg he was holding started thrashing as its owner tried to shake free. Mullion also felt hands slapping at his hand and wrist trying to make him let go. And there was more than one set of hands hammering at him so he knew that there had to be at least two people up in the duct.

Abruptly the leg stopped its mad thrashing and after a second Mullion felt what he could only describe as a tingle of power run down the leg. And suddenly his hand went right through the leg. Suddenly thrown off balance by the loss of the grip Mullion stumbled backwards and fell backward to land on his rump a cry of surprise being drawn from him. What on earth, he thought legs don't just suddenly disappear.

From above his could faintly here three voices talking and people scampering. The scampering almost immediately became yells as whoever it was disappeared down one of the lift shafts to the silos.

"Apparently the island is not as secure as you thought Mullion," the Hood said both annoyed and amused. Amused by how Mullion had fallen onto his backside though he didn't understand how his super strong henchman could have lost his vice like grip. Annoyed that someone on the island was still running around free and could conceivably pose a threat to his plans, and that was intolerable at this late stage.

For a moment he wondered who could be running around free on the island. He considered trying to get the information out of Kyrano or Brains. But his telepathic abilities were weak at the moment he'd expended so much effort already and he would need to rest them a little before he used them again. Then his eyes were drawn to pictures on Jeff Tracy's work desk, which had slid aside when the room had changed from Jeff's office/study to the control room for International Rescue. And seeing the pictures he realised whom it had to be.

"Children," he said incredulously. "Did you find any children Mullion?" Mullion shook his head.

"I'll find them," he answered getting back to his feet.

"You better," the Hood replied. Because if you don't I will be most displeased with you, he added silently. Though he maintained his normal stoic appearance inwardly Mullion shuddered in fear at the unspoken threat. The Hood was one of the few people in the world who he really feared, as the Hood could hurt you in ways that would make you wish you were dead.

"You won't have to go searching the island Mullion," Transom said breaking in. "I have found them already."

"Where are they Transom," the Hood asked.

"There in Thunderbird Two's silo sir. There are three of them. Two boys and a girl."

Mullion immediately disappeared out the door followed by two of the guards. Another two guards recently arrived ashore from the sub came into the room to take their place. The Hood immediately gave them an order.

"Put them in the fridge with the others," he ordered gesturing to Kyrano and Brains. The two guards came forward and took hold of Brains and Kyrano and manhandled them from the control room.

The Hood smiled soon the last people free on the island would be captured and he could then proceed with his plans without further interference.

The Fridge

Gear groaned softly as consciousness returned. The first thing he became aware of was that it was cold, very cold. The kind of cold that chilled you to the bone damned fast and could give you very nasty frostbite after prolonged exposure. The next that his head was pounding like he had the grand daddy of all hangovers and he groaned again.

"Easy their Richard you were thrown hard into that palm tree a few times," Peter's voice said.

At the sound of Peter using his real name Gear's eyes flew open in shock. He barely noticed the blast of pain that the bright overhead lights sent down his optic nerves he was so shocked, shocked and horrified that the identity he had kept secret for nine years had been compromised. How the hell does Peter know who I am, Gear thought and then realised that his helmet was gone. That's how, he thought remembering that Peter was one of those people who didn't forget faces. And as businessmen they dealt with each other on a reasonably regular basis so it wasn't surprising that Peter would recognise him without his helmet.

Struggling he sat up which wasn't easy as his hands were bound with what felt like zip cuffs and looked around. They were in a room that had been cut into the solid rock of the mountainside the residential complex straddled. The floor was covered in ceramic tiles of somekind, the side walls were bare rock he couldn't see the rear wall from his position, the ceiling was metal with inset lights strips and a larger circular vent from which icicles hung. Sets of shelves and large containers filled the room and everything was coated in frost and built up layers of ice. He could see two other people in the room with him, Peter and Onaha.

"Where are we," he asked shivering despite the fact that his uniform was made from a material of his own design, a material that was extremely resistant to extremes of heat and cold.

"The main fridge," Peter answered.

"Terrific," Richie replied even as he calculated the approximate temperature of the air and how long they had before hypothermia really started to set in. The results were not encouraging. They had about three hours before they froze to death.

"What?" Peter asked seeing a frown briefly appear on Gear's/Richard's face.

"I just realised how long we have before hypothermia really sets in and we freeze to death."

"Must you do that?"

Richie couldn't help but smile at the tone of Peter's voice, it was so like the tone Virgil would have used if he'd been here on Tracy Island. Though if Virgil had been here they wouldn't be in their current predicament in the first place. The Hood and his henchmen and henchwoman would have found themselves blasted into unconsciousness by energy bolts not to mention thrown into walls and held there by static cling. In short they would have got their butts kicked by one of the strongest metahumans around.

"Sorry," he said apologetically. "I can't help it. Static frequently moans when I do it but its something I cannot help. Having a brain like a supercomputer has its drawbacks you know."

"I can imagine," Peter replied then looked speculatively at Richie. "But when you say Static don't you really mean Virgil Hawkins." Again Richie was astonished.

"How did-?" he started to say.

"I guessed so to speak," Peter replied. "When I saw that your Gear it seemed logical to assume that Virgil is Static. From your reaction I guessed correctly."

Richie sighed wondering what both he and Virgil were going to do now that someone else – someone outside their close circle of family and select allies – knew who they were. Though he knew some of the greatest secrets of International Rescue now including who the Thunderbirds were. Maybe it was only fair that International Rescue knew that he was Gear and that Virgil was Static. Still he would seriously have to talk with Virgil about this next time he saw him.

Before he could speak again the fridge door opened and Brains and Kyrano were roughly thrown in before the door was closed again.

"Are you alright," Peter asked Brains and Kyrano.

"I am fine Mr Davison," Kyrano answered with the same formality he would use if Jeff Tracy had asked him that question.

"M…m…me t…t…to," Brains answered stuttering heavily in his obvious distress.

"What is happening out there," Richie asked before Peter could.

"T…the Hood's g…g…got con…control of t…th…the ," Brains answered. "He's tra…tra…trapped Mr T…Tracy and the b…boys on Thu…Thunderbird Five."

"What about the kids," Peter asked. I hope there okay, he thought, Jeff would take it very, very badly if something happens to Alan.

"They are free at the moment and evading capture," Kyrano replied concern for all three but especially Tin-Tin in his voice. "But Mullions after them."

"What," Peter exclaimed in horror at the news that the Hoods metahuman mercenary was hunting the kids. He would most likely catch them in no time.

"Don't worry too much," Richie replied. "Remember Alan has powers of his own. That might make things very interesting for Mullion."

"True but Alan is still new to the metahuman thing. He's scared of his powers and probably has no idea how to use them."

"Don't underestimate him Peter," Richie answered in a knowing tone. "When you're a metahuman using your powers is half training/half instinct. If he's put in a position where his powers can help him or Tin-Tin and Fermat Alan might well use them instinctively. And using them is only way he'll learn to control them."

"I hope your right Richard."

"If you're going to use my name call me Richie. And I hope I'm right too. Because Alan, Tin-Tin and Fermat are probably the only ones who can save us now."