At first it had surprised Penny at how easy it had been to break into FAB1. But then she had watched as Brains had quickly climbed into the driver's seat, his had fingers flying expertly over the controls and she remembered that she was in the presence of the genius creator of the awesome machine.
"The drawing room …" Brains muttered as he frowned at the infrared image and blueprints on the screen before him.
Penny smiled despite the situation, suddenly desperate to add a murder weapon and suspect to Brains' revelation.
"We can take them out." Jeff offered quickly.
Brains turned to him, apparently unsure if this was a question or a request.
"Absolutely!" Penny agreed quickly, "We've so got the upper hand now!"
Brains turned back to the display. "Wait …"
"Ideas?" Jeff urged Penny.
Penny frowned, "Take out the window, fill the room with smoke from the rear emitters and in the chaos we can - "
A shrill alarm interrupted her suddenly. It was a sound that she had not before heard the car emit and it concerned her somewhat.
Autodestruct activated.
"WHAT!" Penny and Jeff exclaimed together.
"What the hell are you doing, Brains?" Penny demanded in panic – and more than a touch of anger.
Brains hastily entered several commands into the console, his face suddenly pale and glistening with sweat. "I … I d-d-don't understand - "
Countdown set for thirty seconds. Mark.
Brains removed his hands from the console and held them up in apparent confusion.
"Brains?" Jeff gasped and clambered forwards to lean over Brains' shoulder and examine the display for himself. "Turn it off!"
"I can't."
"What?" Penny shrieked and struggled futilely with one of the door handles. "Get us out of here!"
"I can't." Brains replied with a strange calmness and nodded towards the house.
Jeff looked up and watched in horror as the woman wandered slowly towards the car.
Penny followed their gaze and gasped in horror. The likeness was perfect and she stared in confusion and dread as she saw herself walking towards them.
The woman raised the object in her hand to her pink-glossed lips and smiled as she spoke. "De-activate autodestruct."
Acknowledged.
And the noise abruptly ceased.
"So." The woman stepped right up to the side of the car and grinned down at the three of them. "Do I have your attention?"
The momentary shocked pause had long since passed. Tom had gained nothing from the two gunmen but had received word that DCI Bryce was en route and the decision was made.
John winced as various monitoring cables were detached and the nurse quickly and clumsily disconnected the IV lines from the many ports that nestled beneath his skin.
"Virg!" Scott called into the comm. "Virg, you're gonna have to get down here and pick us up. We need to get the hell out of here."
"Roger that." Came the worried reply. "But how? Where?"
Scott turned to Alex for help and she shrugged an apology. "I'll get back to you on that, Virg." Scott sighed and switched off the comm. "Oh god, this is crazy! Where the hell are we gonna go!" He watched in concern as the nurse began to help John turn to sit on the side of the bed, eliciting a cry of pain from his injured brother.
"If we can get to my car." Alex began quietly, hurrying to John and holding him steady while the nurse left to find a wheelchair. "We can get to somewhere open and - "
"Why can't you guys just pick him up from outside the front?" Tom frowned.
"Because they'll be expecting that."
Scott and Alex gasped and spun towards the stranger that had suddenly appeared at the door. John groaned and collapsed back on the bed.
"Who are you?" Alex had stepped away from John and drawn her gun and watched Tom do the same. "Speak!" She ordered angrily.
"Easy …" The man raised his hands and nodded slowly. "Henry Shaw. MI5."
"Yeah, right!" Scott scoffed in disgust, kneeling on the bed to check his brother had only fainted. "That's a real comfort."
"Eva called me."
Scott paused and turned back slowly. "What?"
"Eva Miller. She called and said you needed help." Henry smiled thinly, "Well, she called a whole collection of us but it seems I'm the closest."
Satisfied that his brother was still alive, Scott stood slowly from the bed and stepped beside a still poised and ready to fire Alex. "Really …"
Henry nodded quickly, "She said she was using the alias of Mishka and that she and the lead IR agent – I'm guessing that's you - had not really hit it off at first." He shrugged slightly, not understanding the odd message he had been hastily given. "And that your colleague," He nodded in concern towards John, "Had saved her life."
Alex glanced at Scott warily but kept her aim firmly in the new player's direction. "Well?"
Scott took a deep breath and sighed it noisily into the room. "Oh, hell, I don't know. We're fucked anyhow." He threw his hands in the air and laughed suddenly. "Sure, Henry, whatever."
Henry smiled in relief and waited patiently for Alex and Tom to holster their weapons. "Right. I've got colleagues arranging your safe passage out of here."
"Yeah?" Scott enthused.
Henry nodded in reassurance. "Hurry. I've got a car waiting." He peered out of the room and frowned in concern. "I'll go and ensure we've got a clear route down to the front entrance."
Alex watched him leave and shook her head in dismay. "This could easily be a trap."
"I know." Scott sighed and looked down at John, who was slowly regaining consciousness and with it a whole heap of pain.
"Scott …" Alex urged.
Scott closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Look … he seems pretty genuine. He's got accurate Intel and he doesn't seem to know our names. I think it's worth the risk."
Alex glanced down at John. "Yeah?"
Scott looked down at her and smiled thinly. "Yeah. Just keep sharp, ok?"
"Abso-bloody-lutely!" Alex laughed and turned to Tom. "Where's the car?"
"A&E entrance." Tom replied.
"Get down there and be ready."
Tom nodded and hurried from the room, almost colliding with the nurse who was returning with a box of supplies and a wheelchair.
"Antibiotics and strong painkillers." The nurse explained quickly, shoving the box into Scott's hands. "All that I could grab, really."
"Thanks." Scott nodded and then watched in concern as John was eased down from the bed and into the wheelchair, each movement shuddering through him with a grunt of pain.
"He really shouldn't be moved like this." The nurse commented as she wrapped a blanket around John and watched his head hanging heavily on his chest. "I hope you guys get wherever you're going soon."
"Yeah, so do I." Scott agreed quietly.
Alex then groaned in dismay as her radio announced Bryce's imminent arrival and she gave Scott a warning nod. "Let's go."
Scott secured the box of supplies in John's weak grasp and hurried behind him to push the wheelchair, following a cautious Alex from the room. He was sure that he didn't breathe through the entire seemingly endless journey down through the hospital and his heart was pounding in his ears as they emerged into the ambulance bay.
"Wait!" Scott paused outside the entrance and looked from the waiting police car to the ambulance sitting behind it. "Just in case."
Alex turned to look in the direction he indicated and glance back at the somehow even paler slumped figure in the wheelchair. She nodded in agreement and hurried to the driver's door of the ambulance. "Police!" She opened the door and indicated for the two paramedics to vacate the vehicle.
The two men stared at her in disbelief.
"I'm not kidding!" Alex shouted suddenly. "MOVE!"
The two men scrambled from the ambulance and she climbed into the driver's seat, grabbing her radio and requesting that Tom lead the way.
Scott steered the wheelchair to the back of the ambulance and opened the doors. "Come on, buddy." He leaned down and slipped one of John's arms around his neck, trying to ignore the hiss of pain that shot from his brother as he pulled him to his feet. "We gotta go!"
John was stiff and sore but he had heard the panic in his brother's voice and that was more than enough. He climbed up inside the ambulance and sank on the stretcher.
Scott lifted John's legs up onto the stretcher and pulled the straps round to secure him safely. He then sat down on the passenger seat beside his brother and pulled on his seatbelt. "Alex! Go!"
"Okay!" Alex called back from the cab and relayed the order to Tom.
The police car and ambulance erupted into noisy life, blue lights flashing as they tore from the ambulance bay. They were joined at the front of the hospital by two unmarked cars and Henry waved a greeting before pulling in front of Tom and leading the convoy into the city.
Alex guided the ambulance after the fleeing lead cars and heard the radio crackle beside her. She grabbed the handset and acknowledged the call.
"Hyde Park." Henry ordered calmly.
"Hyde?" Alex confirmed, "St. James' is closer."
"And far too sensitive an area to risk it. Too close to royals and all that. No. Hyde is better. Tell your blokes to call their friends."
Alex smiled and relayed the message to Scott.
Scott watched his brother grimacing in pain as the ambulance sped across Waterloo Bridge and rocked wildly as they turned sharply onto The Strand. "It'll be okay." He reached out and grabbed John's hand, watching him nod in understanding. Scott then opened a channel and told Virgil the plan, praying that it would work.
They had no choice. The Penny impersonator had been holding all the cards. Well, that is to say the controls to a rather powerful weapon that they had been locked inside.
Jeff glared angrily at the strange woman and the two men that guarded over him.
"Who are you?" Penny demanded suddenly, struggling in vain against the ropes that tied her to the chair.
Jeff turned and saw that she was equally furious, although he wondered if perhaps the fact that this impostor was wearing one of her best (and unique) Vivienne Westwood trouser suits might have more to do with her own personal anger.
The woman stepped closer to Penny and grinned down at her. "Mmm … they paid one of the best surgeons in the world to work his magic … he'll be delighted to hear that it fooled even you." She giggled merrily, "Why, we could almost be twins!"
"Nah," Jeff offered lightly, "It's not that good. I mean, with that suit and a blonde wig hell anyone would - "
"Shut up!" The woman spun round and glared a warning at him.
Jeff held his head up defiantly and regarded her in interest. "So … what's the plan? World domination? Or do you simply share a fascination with all things pink and couldn't bare that - "
The slap was hard and almost unbalanced the chair he was tied to. Jeff shook his head to clear the slight dizziness and could taste blood from his split lip.
"You ruined everything!" The woman spat angrily.
Jeff frowned up at her in confusion.
"It was perfect. Flawless. Two of the greatest minds the world has ever known. And you and your bloody family wrecked all of it." She sighed in dismay and closed her eyes.
Jeff took the chance to study her features, trying to recall having ever met her. The likeness for Penny would necessitate a second look from a distance but up closer she had a longer, thinner face and nothing of the softness or grace of Penny's poise and manner.
"But," She looked up suddenly and smiled merrily. "Happily, they offered me a second chance. And the good people of our beloved British Intelligence kept all of my inventions all in one, rather accessible, place."
Inventions? Jeff looked past her and could see Brains was equally confused.
"It took me an age to gather all the necessary data and designs. But eventually I found a way to tap into the equally brilliant mind of Mr Hackenbacker here and simply stole what I needed." She spun and looked down at Brains. "Not such a genius when it comes to the distractions of the female variety, are we Professor? This makes it three times that I've beaten you."
Brains looked up into her face and suddenly all colour drained from his. "Oh good god, no."
Thunderbird Two hung effortlessly above the gathering clouds over the city and waited patiently for the command to descend. Virgil closed his eyes and listened to the quiet of the comm., praying that this insane plan would work. And that this mother of all weeks would finally end.
"Virg?"
Virgil opened his eyes and felt his fists tighten. "Yeah, Al?"
"The police have cleared the park and have posted patrols. It looks okay so far."
"Good." Virgil nodded.
"Thank god …" Gordon sighed beside him.
"You're gonna head straight home, yeah?" Alan continued.
Virgil nodded, "And we'll be with you as soon as Dad gives the word."
"Thanks." Alan's quiet voice told of his current state all too clearly.
"It'll be okay." Virgil offered carefully.
And it was if the powers that be had designated those words as the specific code for more trouble to launch their way. Virgil stared at the proximity alarm in disbelief and then checked the radar display.
"Shit!" Gordon gasped, "Where the hell did they come from?"
Virgil shook his head and could feel weariness dragging on his shoulders. He opened a new comm. connection and could hardly bring himself to say the words. "Scott. We got trouble."
And beneath them, somewhere midway along Piccadilly, Scott had his own trouble. He and John were being tossed about against their restraints as the speeding ambulance tore its way through the slalom of gathered traffic. DCI Bryce was now in pursuit and not far behind them and they were not even sure if they were heading into a park full of friends or more foes.
"Hang on!" Alex shouted in warning, turning the vehicle sharply and crossing the latest junction at crazy speed, passing bemused drivers on the wrong side of the road and praying that they moved out of her way in time.
Scott heard the chirpy tone of his comm. and opened the link. He listened to Virgil's warning and felt his heart sink. "Okay. We've got trouble this end, too. Listen, Virg. We're gonna have to make this fast."
"Understood." Virgil replied, "You'd better tell your driver that."
Scott closed the channel and called out to Alex, watching her lean towards the small gap between the cab and the main bulk of the vehicle. "Alex, we can't chance stopping in the park for even a second. Here's what you need to do."
Alex listened to the plan and gasped in alarm. "What? Are you crazy?"
"Probably," Scott shrugged, "After the week I've had."
Alex chanced a glance at him and saw his sincerity. She shook her head in dismay and clutched the steering wheel tightly as they reached Hyde Park Corner and the grass of the park was suddenly spread out before them.
Her heart was in her throat as the immense green craft sank down through the clouds, it's belly open and the huge mouth of its cargo hold yawning at her.
"It'll be okay." Scott called out eagerly.
"Yeah … right." Alex groaned and kept a steady course across the park. She grabbed her radio and called for more reassurance.
"Go." Tom replied quickly, "I'll cover for you. And I guess I'll see you around."
"Yeah. Thanks." Alex watched as the police car and lead secret service car veered off to the side, leaving her a clear path towards the enormous descending craft.
The bottom of the cargo bay ramp touched the ground and sank amid the grass, rolling up some of the damp turf. And there the green ship waited patiently.
Alex held her breath and slowed her speed. She needed enough momentum to get up the ramp but not to crash through to the other side of the craft.
The front wheels hit the ramp and they climbed upwards easily. As soon as they reached the top, Alex slammed on the brakes and closed her eyes.
Despite her efforts, the ambulance was still going too fast. The front wheels met only air as the vehicle shot up inside the cargo hold and the brakes were all but useless. But then the ship began its ascent away from the ground and cargo bay floor met rubber with a screech and skid.
The ambulance flew past the bright yellow of Thunderbird Four and careered through the cargo bay, suddenly meeting the not quite wide enough gap between the Thunderizer and the Firefly. With a painful grinding of metal and a sudden thud, the ambulance stopped abruptly, wedged between the solid bulk of the two machines.
Alex waited a few seconds before she dared open her eyes and then leaned back from the now deflating air bag before her. A smile of pride and surprise pulled at her mouth and she quickly undid her seatbelt to turn and check on her passengers.
Sat facing backwards and against the upright back of the stretcher, most of John's impact had been absorbed by the pillow and mattress behind him. He was dazed but had suffered no further damage.
Scott, on the other hand, had been thrown against the armrest and seatbelt of his side-facing chair and groaned as he slowly righted himself. He lifted his head and nodded at Alex. "Good job, dude."
Alex couldn't help but grin.
Scott smiled in understanding and turned to John. "You okay?"
John frowned in thought and considered the question for a moment. "I really don't know."
Scott sighed wearily and lifted his wrist comm. to his mouth. "All aboard, Virg."
"Yeah, we heard." Virgil replied, "Scott, you'd better get up here."
Scott nodded and stood carefully, grimacing as pulled muscles and bruised bones protested painfully. He paused beside John and turned to Alex.
"I'll watch him." Alex smiled.
Scott opened the back door and climbed down from the ambulance, hearing the cargo bay doors thud closed and staggering as the craft continued it's powerful ascent, pushing him down against the deck.
He headed round along the other side of the Firefly and peered through the gap to assess the damage. The two heavy machines were undamaged but they sort of owed London Ambulance Service a new set of wheels.
Scott made his way up to the flight deck and greeted his brothers. They visibly calmed at his presence but then indicated their concern on the radar. And two of the four craft could now be seen holding steady about half a mile away from them.
"Have they made their intentions clear?" Scott asked.
"Nothing." Virgil replied, "But no missile lock."
"Well," Scott sighed, "That's something at least."
"Maybe they're waiting for us to make the wrong move." Gordon thought out loud, "Trouble is, we don't know what the wrong move is."
The comm. then flashed and Virgil groaned slightly, "Maybe they're about to tell us." He leaned forward and opened the channel.
"Thunderbirds craft, this is Flight Sergeant Wellington, RAF. We stand ready to assist you."
The three men waited in silent disbelief.
"We are to offer you protection and kindly request details of your flight plan to arrange clear skies."
Virgil looked at Gordon. Gordon looked at Scott.
Scott grinned in delight. "Um … thanks. Thank you. We are … um … - "
"We understand the need for secrecy, Thunderbirds craft. We only wish to provide escort to ensure your safety. We do not wish to compromise your organisation."
Gordon punched the air in joy.
Virgil stared in wide-eyed disbelief at the comm.
Scott couldn't hold back a quick burst of laughter and placed a hand on each of his brother's shoulders. "Thank you. Stand by."
"Well?" Virgil turned to look up at Scott. "Where are we going?"
tbc …