Chapter 8: Surprise!
Scott was getting really antsy traveling back to the island. He promised to himself that this was the last straw. The Hood has tried to kill his family including himself before which has made him mad, but the Hood has now hurt Christine and that made him furious. 'The Hood is not going to walk away from this attack' Scott thought 'not if I get my hands on him.'
"Thunderbird 2 to Thunderbird 1" called Jeff, startling Scott out of his thoughts. "I just dropped off Thunderbird 4 and I'm now continuing towards home"
"FAB, Dad" said Scott, hoping that they will get out of this crisis in one piece.
When they landed in the hangar, Jeff and Scott walked out of their crafts with their hands in the air indicating that they weren't armed. The Hood was waiting there with the one called Mullion and a couple of guards. Scott noticed that one of them was a woman, but he couldn't see her face.
"Thank you Jeff, for being so punctual" grinned the Hood.
"I want to see my people" demanded Jeff. That received a punch in the stomach from Mullion. Scott rushed over to help him up glaring at Mullion.
The Hood motioned and the guards parted to show the back of the female guard. She turned around and Jeff was horrified that the guard was Christine. She walked up to the Hood and stood beside him. "Do you like my new personal guard Jeff?" laughed the Hood.
"You bastard, what have you done to her?" rasped Jeff, still trying to gasp for air from the punch.
"Why I have done nothing. Lt. Carter has been working for me the entire time" replied the Hood with a broad smile. The look of shock and horror on the two Tracy's was enough to make the Hood laugh even louder.
Scott walked up to Christine "Christine it's me Scott. How can you do this? I thought we were family?" Christine didn't answer and stared into nothing. Her eyes seemed to be devoid of the sparkle that he loved so much. Scott saw the area of her face where Mullion had hit her beginning to bruise. He stepped up to her until their faces were inches apart "Please Christine say something?" pleaded Scott, she didn't even flinch.
The hurt look on Scott's face made Jeff's heart break. Then Scott turned to the Hood with so much anger Jeff thought no human being could ever possess.
"What the hell have you done to her! That is not Christine, so I want to see her now!" he demanded shaking with rage and lunged for the Hood. Before Scott could even get within arms length of the Hood he was overwhelmed by darkness.
Jeff was stunned by the accusation Scott made at the Hood. Then Scott lunged at the Hood. Jeff tried to stop him because that move would have been the last that Scott would ever make. In a way it was fortunate that Christine brought out her pistol and knocked him out with it before he reached the Hood.
"Well I'm glad you're on my side" the Hood said to Christine "Now pick him up and carry him to the den…after you tie up Jeff" he ordered and walked away.
Christine grabbed some rope in the storage locker and proceeded to tie up Jeff and Scott. She slung Scott over her shoulder and started to the den. Mullion shoved Jeff in the same direction to follow her. During the walk Jeff thought he saw a single tear streak down her impassive face.
When they entered the den Jeff sighed with relief to see Brains sitting in the corner tied up, but in one piece. Brains looked up at Jeff and attempted a weak smile. "Are you okay Brains?" asked Jeff while he was being shoved down beside him.
"I'm ff…ff…okay Mr. Tracy" he replied. "What happened to Scott?" as Scott was being dropped unceremoniously to the ground by Christine.
"Christine knocked him out when he went after the Hood in the hangar… she's a lot faster than I thought" said Jeff. Then they heard a moan come from Scott. "Scott, son wake up" said Jeff.
Scott slowly opened his eyes and looked at Jeff "How long was I out?"
"Not very long" answered Jeff.
Scott slowly sat up realizing that his hands were tied and that Brains was with them. "Hey Brains, How's it going?" he said trying to lighten the mood a bit. Brains just smiled sadly.
"Scott, why did you ask the Hood what had he done to Christine?" asked Jeff "She seemed to be working for him"
"She's not dad. When I looked in her eyes there was no recognition of who I was" Scott answered.
"But she could be just doing that out of training" countered Jeff.
"True, she could have. But it wasn't just that, it seemed like there was nothing there in her eyes. No anger, disgust or gloating. They were just empty" said Scott
"He's right Mr. Tracy" said Brains "the Hood appears to have entered her mind and is now manipulating her thoughts"
"Do you think it could have been an act that they were putting on to make us believe that?" asked Jeff, thinking out loud.
"N…n…no, Mr. Tracy. When he invaded my mind a year ago tru…tru…believe me when I say he's very strong and it's very unpleasant" said Brains.
Jeff turned to Christine who was standing guard by the door and hoped what Brains was saying was true. All of a sudden she was starting to fidget and her eyes were beginning to wander in confusion instead of the blank stare just moments before. Then out of the blue she snapped out of her trance and her eyes went to them.
"Oh my God Mr. Tracy! What happened? What's going on?" she asked puzzled. Before Jeff could answer Transom and Mullion entered the room.
"Sir, Lt. Carter is awake!" Transom called in her comlink to the Hood.
"Mullion sedate her now so I can get control again. I'll be there in a few minutes" said the Hood over the comlink.
"Yes sir" grinned Mullion and pulled out a needle.
Christine spun around and kicked Mullion in the stomach with no affect. Mullion just laughed and continued towards her. Christine started backing away from him and secretly pulled her pocket knife out of her rear pocket, which she carried with her all of the time. She pretended to trip and fall beside Scott passing the knife off to him unnoticed by Mullion. She gave him a kiss on the cheek then attacked Mullion. He dodged her attack, punched her in the stomach and jabbed her in the arm with the needle. Christine stumbled and hit the ground hard, unmoving.
"Nighty Night" laughed Mullion.
Scott couldn't take it anymore. During the fight he cut his ropes and he now got up and rushed Mullion. His fist connected with Mullion's jaw.
Mullion stumbled a little and grinned at Scott "I've always wanted a challenge." He then did a roundhouse kicked that hit Scott's ribs. Scott flew into the wall with so much force it made the computer monitors shake. Surprisingly though Scott was still conscious and was attempting to rise. Mullion marched over, picked him up by the throat and proceeded to choke him.
"Please stop!" pleaded Jeff.
"Why should I?" asked Mullion.
"Because if you don't, I'll never tell you the location of Thunderbird 6" said Jeff. Both Mullion, Transom and Scott, still being choked, looked at him in disbelief.
"Everybody knows there are only five Thunderbirds" said Transom.
"There is a sixth one though and if you let him go I'll show you where it's located. Three ships are always better than two to rob the world banks" said Jeff.
"Alright" said Mullion and he let go of a gasping and barely conscious Scott. "But if you're lying he's dead" pointing at Scott and left the room to go inform the Hood of this new situation.
"Are you okay?" asked Jeff turning to Scott.
Scott had moved his way to Christine who was still unconscious and was cradling her in his arms. "Yeah, I'm fine" he winced. "Why did Mullion sedate her?" he looked at Jeff.
"It seems to be easier for the Hood to c…c…manipulate her" replied Brains. "He said that he's u…u…using her fears against her to gain control"
"Did he say what fear he was using against her?" inquired Jeff.
"Abandonment" said Brains, not elaborating to Jeff about the entire fear. It would break Jeff's and the boys' hearts if they knew that she was scared of them hating her for the death of Lucille Tracy.
Their conversation was interrupted by the Hood entering the room. His eyes changed again "Christine, you have to learn not to sleep on the job." Christine's eyes shot open and she got up out of Scott's grasp and stood by the Hood. She was pale and was starting to get dark circles under her eyes.
"Now Jeff, why don't you show us the hiding place of this Thunderbird 6 of yours" requested the Hood.
(TBC)