Chapter Twenty
Fab 01
Approaching Tracy Island
Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward grew increasingly concerned as Fab 01 closed on Tracy Island. During the flight from her mansion in England she had tried twice more to raise both Tracy Island and Thunderbird Five but had not received a response, not even an automatic acknowledgement from Thunderbird Five's transponder.
The total silence on all communications channels was very worrying, especially as it had never happened before. True there had been problems with the communications network in the past such things were inevitable but never before had the whole system gone silent. In fact Brains and Jeff had built so many safeguards and backups into International Rescue's communications network that total failure should have been impossible even if one of the main network hubs – like Thunderbird Five – should be put out of action. Yet now it seemed that the impossible had happened.
And as she sat in the back of Fab 01 Penelope got a very uneasy feeling. A feeling that something was very, very wrong. Possibly something more than a massive communications breakdown.
"Approaching Tracy Island my lady," Parker reported from the driver's seat. "The island security systems have just scanned us."
"Any communication?" Penelope asked. Normally when she was approaching Tracy Island Jeff would hail Fab 01 to greet her. The only times that didn't happen was when the Thunderbirds had been deployed on a mission. And she didn't think that that had happened here. There was nothing on the news about the Thunderbirds going to a disaster scene as there would normally be.
In fact the media was awash with speculation as to where the Thunderbirds were. There had been a number of accidents and disasters in the world that they would either respond to or offer to assist if needed but there hadn't been a peep out of them. And according to the news all attempts to get in contact with International Rescue had failed, no communications were answered or even acknowledged.
"No my lady," Parker replied confusion and concern in his voice. Penelope frowned thoughtfully more convinced now than ever that something was very wrong. That something bad had happened on both Tracy Island and Thunderbird Five.
"Parker switch to hydrofoil mode and bring us in on the beach closest to the villa complex."
"Yes my lady," Parker replied then noticed something on the sensors that set mental alarm bells ringing at full volume. "My lady sensors are picking up a large stationary contact in the lagoon off the beach near to the villa complex."
"Identify," Penelope order her own mental alarm bells ringing.
"It appears to be a submarine my lady. But the configuration and construction does not match any known design." As Parker spoke Penelope felt a chill. That sub whoever it belonged to should not be here. The fact that it was here was very alarming in its implications.
It implied that somehow someone had uncovered the connection between the Tracy's and International Rescue. Had uncovered it and attacked them presumably to plunder the islands secrets and steal the Thunderbirds. Sold on the black market the secrets hidden on Tracy Island would be worth billions and they could cause untold suffering if they fell into the wrong hands. In the wrong hands the incredible technological power the Tracy's commanded could be twisted to destroy life instead of save it. If terrorists or worse an aggressive government got their hands on Thunderbird technologies they would be almost unstoppable.
The presence of the submarine did explain a few things though. Like why there had been total silence on International Rescue communications channels. The Tracy's hadn't been able to respond because they'd been attacked and either captured or killed.
Compressing her lips into a thin line and a determined look appearing on her face Penelope vowed that whoever was on that sub would not leave here regardless of the fate of Jeff and the boys. She could not allow the secrets of International Rescue to fall into the wrong hands.
"Parker bring our weapons systems on line," she ordered. "Then target that subs engines." She wouldn't sink the submarine just yet but she would cripple it so whoever was onboard could not escape. Then she would go down there and find out what had happened to Jeff and the boys even if she had to beat it out of whoever was onboard that sub.
"Yes my lady," Parker replied opening a panel on the steering wheel and targeting the sub. "Ready my lady."
"Fire!" Parker pressed a button in the panel. A panel on the underside of Fab 01 opened and a mini-torpedo dropped into the water and sped towards the sub.
A second later an explosion erupted at the rear of the submarine and a massive spurt of water accompanied by steam shot into the air. The submarine visibly lurched in the water before its rear end disappeared beneath the surface and the bow came up slightly higher in the water exposing the tops of the forward torpedo tubes as the main engine compartment was flooded.
"Direct hit my lady they are not going anywhere," Parker reported.
"Excellent Parker. Now land us on the beach."
"Yes my lady."
Tracy Island
The Hood inwardly seethed as he listened to the report coming in over his comlink with the submarine. A torpedo fired from the approaching aircraft had slammed into the starboard engine fin literally blasting it apart. The main engine room had been flooded when the pacific had raced in through the resultant breach in the hull. The remaining main drive unit on the portside was therefore out as well since the flooding would have wrecked its power unit. Water tight bulkheads had sealed off the damaged area but there was collateral damage in all aft compartments from the shockwave. The main reactor was off line leaving only emergency batteries, three aft ballast tanks had ruptured. The secondary engines were still on line but were damaged and would only work at half speed.
Though furious with the damage his submarine had sustained the Hood believed that they were fortunate it was only one torpedo. A second hit would have probably broken the subs back and in that instance it would have sunk in seconds. As it was the sub while badly damaged was still operational and could be repaired though it would have to limp back to the secret facility where Transom had built it before the major repairs could be done.
And while it was infuriating the damage to the submarine would not hinder his plans too much now that they had the guidance processor for Thunderbird Two back. He could still rob the banks before returning to his own base of operations. By the time he would need it again the sub would be repaired. Especially if Transom had any say in the matter since the sub was her 'baby' and she took any problems with it or damage personally.
"Do as many repairs as you can here," the Hood ordered into his comlink. "Then head back to base at the best speed you can."
"Yes sir," the senior guard he'd left in charge on the sub replied his voice backdropped by the sound of emergency klaxons.
The Hood signed off with the sub just as the aircraft landed and revealed itself to be flying bright pink car as it set down on the beach. What an awful colour, the Hood thought as the roof opened as well as side doors. Two people got out but showed no signs of having seen them yet.
"Ambush positions," the Hood ordered.
The Hood, Mullion and both guards immediately ducked behind bushes and trees where the cars occupants would not see them.
Until it was too late.
Penelope was increasingly nervous and on her guard as she and Parker left the beach and began walking up the path towards the two swimming pools at the front of the main house/villa complex. She could tell that something wasn't right and she gripped the pistol she was holding tightly as she walked up the path. There had been no sign of anyone and no apparent reaction to the damage to the submarine.
Which was worrying. Either whoever the attackers were had left the island presumably on one of the Thunderbirds, they were aboard their submarine and busy with damage control, or they were waiting in ambush for her.
"Be on your guard Parker," she whispered softly.
"Yes my lady," Parker whispered back gripping his own weapon tightly. He too was uneasy with the lack of response from whoever it was who'd attacked the island.
After a few minutes the path led them out onto the lower sundeck besides the big main pool which in addition to being the pool that was primarily used just for swimming as opposed to games like the diving pool concealed Thunderbird One's silo.
From behind a voice suddenly spoke.
"Well what do we have here," a cold voice said. Penelope and Parker spun around to find themselves face to face with four people.
One was a bald man wearing a red robe with golden oriental dragon designs and black gloves, another was a huge dark skinned man who radiated menace and strength. The other two were a pair of ordinary looking guys who like the big man radiated menace. The big black guy and the other two wore black body armour of some sort.
"Lady Penelope," the Hood said recognising her from various news articles that he'd read. She was one of those goody-goody people that he so hated. "Of course. Jeff Tracy has his palace so why not have a princess."
"Flattery will get you no where you sad little man," Penelope replied starting to bring her gun to bear on the Hood.
Annoyed at being called a sad little man the Hood reached out telekinetically and yanked the guns from the hands of Lady Penelope and the man who assumed to be her chauffeur, before giving Penelope a hard telekinetic shove that sent her flying backwards into the pool.
Penelope hit the water with a shocked cry and coughed on water for few moments. How on earth did he do that, she thought looking at the bald man, he has to be a metahuman like Alan. Why do so many metahumans have to be evil?
Angered at seeing his mistress thrown into the swimming pool Parker charged towards the Hood pulling a fist back ready to break his nose. The Hood smirked in amusement seeing Parker coming for him. As if he would let him get close enough to punch him.
"Mullion," he said.
Mullion took a few steps forward and grabbed Parker by the lapels physically lifted him up as if he weighed nothing and then throwing him at Lady Penelope who was just climbing out of the swimming pool dripping wet and more than a little mad.
Parker cannoned into Lady Penelope knocking both of them into the swimming pool with a cry.
"Get them," the Hood said to the two guards as Penelope and Parker coughed and spluttered in the swimming pool. He was tired of these constant delays to his plans.
The two guards moved forward to comply just as Penelope and Parker started to haul themselves out of the swimming pool again. The guards grabbed them as soon as they were out the pool and wrestled them both to the ground and bound their hands behind their wrists with zip cuffs.
"Put them with the others," the Hood ordered to Mullion and the guards. "Then you two," he added specifically to the guards, "return to the sub with the others."
"Yes sir," Mullion replied then together with the guards took the two struggling agents away.
The Hood watched them go and smiled. Transom would be in Thunderbird Two by now reinstalling the guidance processor. In another few minutes he would leave this island behind for a while and be on his way to London. The final phase of his plan to ruin the reputation of International Rescue was about to start.
Smiling evilly he headed back to the main house after Mullion and the guards. Once Lady Penelope joined the others out of the way it would be time to leave.