A Hard Place Chapter Ten: Finding Earth
By Angel Mouse
Thunderbird Four
Gordon had set the scanners on Thunderbird Four to constantly watch the shore, waiting for his brother and the others to show up. So when suddenly he saw Lady Penelope come out of the forest, helping Captain Striker, he knew that something had gone wrong. He moved Thunderbird Four closer to the shore and ran it slightly up onto the foreshore. He then left the engine idling as he scrambled out of his seat and popped the hatch open. He climbed up and out of it and scrambled down the side.
"Penelope! Where's John?" He ran across the sad to them and quickly grabbed Captain Striker from Penelope's arm and began leading them back to Thunderbird Four.
"Everything's gone wrong Gordon. John met up with us as planned and we were coming towards the rendezvous point when suddenly a shot rang out and Nigel was injured. A voice rang out and then John identified it as Mason. He taunted John, calling for him to come out and he'd let us go, he just wanted John."
Gordon winced as he suddenly guessed what must have happened. He helped Captain Striker through the hatch to Thunderbird Four and sat him down. Penelope followed him in and Gordon handed her the first aide kit as he moved to the radio.
"Let me guess, John took off to lead him away and told you that he'd catch up?" Nigel gave Gordon a wry smile.
"Yes. Got it in one Gordon." Gordon gave a small smile as he sat down, beginning to strap himself in ready to move out.
"That sounds like John." Penelope sat down next to Nigel and began to treat his wound, firstly strapping them both in. Gordon remotely shut the hatch and began to move Thunderbird Four back into the water. "I'll call Scott and let him know what's happened." Penelope looked up from where she holding a bandage against Captain Striker's shoulder.
"Tell him to hurry Gordon. There was something about John's manner. He seemed frightened of this Mason person but determined. I think he's planning something, but I'm not sure what it is." Gordon nodded.
"Okay Penny, I'll tell him. Knowing John, it'll be something like keeping this Mason away from the rendezvous point and he'll most likely try to deal with him somewhat permanently, something John really isn't really qualified to do."
"I know Gordon, I know." Gordon sighed as he opened the channel to Thunderbird Two.
Thunderbird Two
Scott was standing behind Virgil as Thunderbird Two as they approached the island. If everything was going to plan, John would be arriving at Thunderbird Four right about now. Scott was holding onto the hope that John would be okay and fine. He found that these last few days without John's presence in the family had been strange to say the least.
He knew that when John was on Thunderbird Five he was away from his family but that had a completely different feel to it. At least he could call John whenever he wanted a chat. But this was a totally different situation. He hadn't been able to talk to his brother for almost a full week. He had no idea what his brother had been through this week, how it had affected him.
He knew that once that his brother was home he'd have to sit down and have a chat with him. Just then the radio beeped and Gordon's face appeared. Scott's heart immediately froze with fear at the look on Gordon's face. He skipped the preliminaries and got straight to it.
"Gordon! What's happened?" Gordon looked upset but delivered his report in precise, clipped tones.
"Penelope and Captain Striker are with me, Captain Striker got hurt. Mason caught up with them on the way to meet me and John took off to lead him away. We have no idea where he is right now." That tore it for Scott; time for sitting on the sidelines was way past gone for him.
"Okay, thanks Gordon. Get heading to the carrier, we'll meet you there." Gordon looked at him, confusion on his face.
"What are you going to do now Scott?"
"I'm going to get Virgil to drop these troops off and then we'll over fly the island, trying to spot John. Once we've found him, I'll go down and take care of this Mason myself." Scott's tone was hard and both the brothers knew that it was a tone not to be messed with. Neither of them objected as they felt the same themselves.
"Okay Scott. I'll meet you guys on the carrier. Let me know when you find him." Gordon paused for a moment and then looked Scott in the eyes. "Watch yourself Scott. This guy is dangerous."
"I will Gordon. See you soon. Thunderbird Two out." The channel closed and Virgil looked up at Scott.
"Scott?"
"You heard me Virgil; get us down near the island villa. We'll drop the soldiers off there and then you and I will go find our brother. It's about time we brought him home don't you think?"
"Way past the time Scott, it's more than time to bring our brother home." Scott squeezed Virgil's shoulder and went to move out of the cockpit.
"I'll go tell them about the change in plans. Take us down Virgil, hard and fast."
"FAB Scott." Virgil banked Thunderbird Two hard and fast, he was just as worried about John as Scott was. And if John was even in more trouble than they had first thought, he was going to do anything and everything in his power to bring his brother home and in one piece.
The Island
John watched with growing horror as Mason's body fell to the ground. His lifeless eyes stared up at the blue sky and that was what was most chilling of all. And that's what frightened John the most; that his lifeless eyes were staring up at such a clear, beautiful day.
John looked up as the figure emerged from the bushes and without thinking he stepped backwards in fear. But in all his dealings with Meriza, he always made sure that he kept his expression neutral, but he couldn't hide the fear in his eyes. Meriza had just shot Mason in the back with no warning at all.
John took another step back but froze when Meriza raised the gun slightly in his arms. He smiled at John and John felt his blood run cold. After a tense moment John shifted slightly and spoke.
"So, what's the deal? Why did you do that?" John nodded to Mason's body and then looked back at Meriza. He could feel the blood seeping through his fingers from his gun shoot wound in his arm. He could feel his fingers beginning to tingle with the poor circulation and blood loss in his arm. He knew that he would need medical attention soon but first he had to get out of this mess. Meriza just stepped over Mason's body and walked slowly towards John.
John began to circle around, keeping his distance as much as he could between them, but his eyes never left Meriza's. Meriza gestured with his free arm to Mason's body.
"You mean kill Mason? That was easy John. Mason knew everything about my operation, about who was here, how I carried it all out and everything. I didn't want that hanging over my head. He knew too much. And then I followed him as he tracked you, and then I couldn't pass up this opportunity." John frowned.
"But I thought you were going to have more of these so called hunts?"
"I am. But Mason was too unpredictable, too hateful to trust with the gathering of more prey for my next hunt." John was stunned. Meriza was mad, he must be to try and keep on with this fool hardy idea. John just kept looking at him as they kept circling one another. John had been slowly backing up slightly as he circled, hoping Meriza didn't notice him doing it.
"And just how do you think your going to pull that off Meriza? I mean, the world is going to be up in arms when it's discovered that you've killed a member of International Rescue." Meriza just laughed and shook his head.
"The world is never going to discover what happens to you John." John froze here, confused and frightened and just stared hard at Meriza.
"What do you mean?" John's voice was quiet but somehow, somehow he kept his voice level.
"Well, I don't want the world to know what happens to you John. The world will just think you have disappeared." John just shook his head, backing away in fright, ignoring the raised gun.
Meriza had finally found the one thing that John was the most afraid of. That his family wouldn't know what had happened to him. Completely forgetting for the moment that his family were near by and they were coming for him. His family were the most important thing in his life, he lived for his family. And to have Meriza say that his family wouldn't know what happened to him was the final straw for him.
"You're not even going to let them find my body are you?" John's voice was quiet, almost resigned as he stopped near the edge of the rocks where he had fled to when Mason was chasing him.
"I'm afraid not John." John swallowed hard, trying to push back his fear but he wasn't succeeding very well.
"So my friends, my family, they will never know what happened to me, will they?" Meriza just shrugged and nodded, smiling that smile of his that sent shivers between John's shoulder blades. He began to slowly raise the rifle in his arms as he watched John.
"Sorry John, that's the name of the game." John backed away slightly.
"So just what you will you be doing with my body?"
"Oh I'll see to it that you will have a decent burial John." John opened his mouth to retort when suddenly a very familiar sound was heard and he looked up. The smile on his face was a mile wide and he blinked at the sight. His brothers had found him.
Thunderbird Two
The soldiers had been dropped off by the compound and had quickly spread out, taking everyone into custody. They had then split up and began searching for the hunters, and took them into custody as well. Scott and Virgil had then begun to over fly the island, looking for any sign of their brother. As they went over the island they radioed in positions of the hunters that they spotted to the soldiers, to help make the round up quicker. Finally they reached one of the higher points of the island and Virgil spotted a familiar looking blue.
"Scott! Look!" Scott leaned over and glanced down. He smiled at Virgil and clapped him on the back.
"All right Virgil!" Suddenly their joy turned to fear when they saw John backing towards a cliff.
"Scott! No!" Scott stared and turned to run out of the cockpit.
"Virgil, get us down and close as you can. We have to get John out of there!"
"What are you going to do?"
"What ever I can to save him Virgil, what ever I can." Scott left the cockpit, shrugging on some body armour that the soldiers had left for them both. Virgil banked the large green craft down swiftly, aiming for the small area where they could see John.
He had no idea what Scott had planned but he didn't care as he could see clearly what had frightened them both. John was being confronted by a man with a gun. Virgil heeled his craft over hard and fast, hoping to hell that the appearance of the craft would frighten the man and give John what he needed, time to react, escape, do anything really.
"Scott, what ever your going to do, do it quick!"
"Virgil, open the lower hatch! Turn the winch on!" Virgil quickly flipped the switches and turned the cockpit camera on. He watched as Scott began to be lowered out of the belly of Thunderbird two. Scott was armed and armoured, thankfully. Virgil chewed his lip in frustration.
"Be careful Scotty."
Meriza looked up as he soon as he heard the sound of the large craft. He cursed loudly and fluently as he saw the large green craft. International Rescue had found him! He looked over at John and saw the relief, the sheer joy on his face as his eyes never left the craft of his friends.
Meriza cursed again and began to raise the gun in his hands, he would finish John off right now and have done with it. But before he could do anything a hatch opened out from underneath and a figure began to be lowered to the ground.
Growling in frustration he raised the rifle and took aim at the figure being lowered but before he could even get a shot off the figure coming closer raised his own rifle and got a shot off. Meriza jumped backwards as the rocks pinged by his feet as the shot landed nearby. He raised his gun again but another shot rang out once more, pushing him back.
By this time the figure was getting closer to the ground and Meriza cursed in frustration. Finally he took aim at John again but this time, the figure being lowered down didn't worry about trying to drive him away, he took aim right at Meriza himself and fired off a quick round.
The gun flew from Meriza's hand as the shot hit his hands. Meriza staggered back, holding his hand against his chest as blood poured from the wound in his hand. He stared daggers at the two International Rescue agents as John moved forward to help the other land on the ground.
The relief John felt at the sight of Thunderbird Two flying in over head was indescribable. To say that it was a sight for sore eyes was the understatement of the century. He watched with unrestrained glee as Scott was slowly lowered from the underbelly of his brothers big green craft.
And then to see Scott shoot Meriza actually brought a huge smile to his face. His big brother was finally here to save him and he could honestly say he was never more happy to see someone in his entire life. He ran over to where Scott was reaching the ground and reaching up, helped steady him to the ground.
Meriza was bleeding a lot and backing away slightly from them both. Scott landed gently on the ground and glancing at Meriza a moment he finally looked at his brother and smiled.
"John." John just looked at him and then grinned.
"Its about time Scott. I was starting to think you weren't going to come." Scott just laughed as he unhooked himself, keeping one eye on Meriza.
"I'll always come for you John. Heaven and Earth remember."
"Yeah I know Scott. And trust me when I say that I've never been so glad to see someone in my entire life." Scott just smiled, resisting the urge for the moment to give John a great big hug. He kept his eyes on Meriza.
"Is this the guy that took you from us John?" Scott turned to face Meriza head on, the rifle resting easy in his hands but John knew better than anything Scott at his most calm, most casual seeming was a deadly combination.
"Yes. This is Meriza. Your timing was great Scott. He was about to finish his hunt." Scott nodded in understanding.
"And our arrival has stopped him."
"Yes and I for one can't say I'm sorry about that." Scott then noticed the blood running down John's arm and he frowned.
"John, are you okay?"
"Yeah, just a fairly hairy flesh wound. I'll be okay once we get home." Scott nodded, he knew that John would wait until they were safe and away from this place before giving into anything as minor as a gunshot wound.
Scott just stared at Meriza and took a step forward towards him in anger. This whole mess, the worry, the fear they had gone through with worry for John was all down to this man. Scott wanted nothing more than to take this guy by the throat and squeeze the life out of him. Something of what he was feeling must have been showing on his face as Meriza took a step backwards as Scott moved forward to confront him but he was suddenly stopped by a hand on his arm.
"No Scott. He doesn't deserve your anger. Or your hatred." Scott just glanced at John, frowning at him. Here John was, kidnapped, shot, beaten and taken from his family, and he was telling Scott not to kill the man that had taken him. Sometimes Scott just didn't understand John at all. But he knew John was right. Killing this man would solve nothing and would make Scott just as bad as this guy. Scott sighed as he knew John was right.
"John sometimes you're more forgiving than you have a right to be." Just then there was noise coming from the bush and moments later six soldiers came bursting out of it. Scott grinned as he knew that Virgil must have called them in. He gestured to Meriza.
"Take him into custody Sergeant. He's the mastermind behind this whole mess." The sergeant nodded and his men quickly took Meriza into custody. Meriza just stared daggers at them both and tried to resist but the soldiers were used to it and subdued him quickly.
"You will regret this, I have powerful friends." Scott just shook his head.
"I think you'll find that our friends are a little bit more powerful. You really shouldn't have done this you know. Now your going to find out just exactly how much the world loves International Rescue. I think you've just gone from being a very rich and powerful man, to being the most despised person on the planet." Meriza said nothing and Scott nodded to the Sergeant and he gestured to his men and they moved out, taking him with them.
Scott knew that right now, amphioxus landing craft from the nearby carrier would be arriving to take all the prisoners away. They were soon left along and Scott could finally turn to his brother and look at him. Scott just smiled and reaching out, he wrapped John in his arms and hugged him hard.
"Oh Johnny, I am so glad to see you again. You don't know how worried I have been." John just chuckled slightly as he returned Scott's hug.
"Not as much as I've missed you I bet Scott. Oh Scotty, I have missed you so much." John's slight chuckle suddenly turned into a sob and Scott just hugged him harder.
"It's okay now John. I'm here and I'm not letting you go. I promised you I would move Heaven and Earth and I did. Nothing will take you from my side again, I promise you." John just rested his head against Scott's shoulder and Scott held him close. "I'm here Johnny, I'm here."
In our next chapter the family begins to come to terms with what's happened to John.
