I really like how this chapter turned out so I hope you guys do too!

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year if I don't update before then!

Aquanas was seething.

The humans had made an absolute mockery of him with their escape plan and now that Titan and his lackeys had scarpered, it left the prince on his own to deal with the situation and recover his lost prisoners.

He marched down the main palace corridor on the way to the yacht terminals and was about to give his subordinates a piece of his mind when he heard Anath's voice call to him nearby.

"Your Highness, in here."

Aquanas turned to the door across from where he was standing and steamed inside, in no mood for games. He found his underling observing the communication screens.

"What in all the seas are you doing, Anath? Do you realize my prisoners have escaped? Sequalibra included! Treacherous librarian. When I find him I'll make sure to boil him alive in the pit of Danos, as well as the rest of them!"

"Forgive me sire, but I am observing a target."

"A target?" the prince huffed. "What do you mean?"

Anath pointed at the screen. "I was looking to restart the cyclone machine to stop our prisoners from escaping but found it had run out of charge. While I was preparing it for recharge, I found this odd looking object in the sky. Look sire."

Aquanas peered at the large screen mounted to the wall. At first all he noticed was clear sky. That was until a large green object honed into view, causing the prince to step back in astonishment.

"That thing… it's still there?"

"I believe it is a flying machine, Your Highness. A ship for the air."

"I am already aware of this air…ship." the prince snapped. He observed the aircraft closely, almost in awe. "I just didn't know the land people had access to the technology needed to develop something as advanced as that flying machine. I thought they were more primitive!" he sniffed. "I'm almost impressed."

"Apparently their technology is more sophisticated than we first thought." his servant acknowledged.

Prince Aquanas stared at the airship for a few moments longer, hoping to one day get his scaly hands on the schematics for it. Then he realized something. His eyes widened and he turned to his underling. "Great lakes! We have the perfect sitting duck right there!"

"That's what I thought, Your Majesty." Anath nodded. "A significant target."

"It's more than that, Anath." Aquanas placed a hand on his shoulder. "The kin of the clownfish boy is within that airship!"

"Are you sure?" exhaled his servant.

"Absolutely!"

Anath's mouth gaped excitedly as Aquanas opened up the radio channel.

"This is Aquanas calling underwater attack stations! Launch all missiles at that big, green airship in the sky! Immediately I tell you! Immediately!" he barked, eyes gleaming with hate as he watched the outside defense systems activate through the porthole.

He laughed and waited in anticipation for his missiles to launch.

Thunderbird 4 was jetting off at full speed with Stingray in tow, the heavier sub making things difficult for the smaller one.

As the sharp tugging movement rattled the cockpit, Troy wobbled on his feet. Once he steadied himself using Gordon's chair, he turned around to check on his friends. Phones was still talking to Marina in the back and didn't seem to feel the movement as much. He then looked back to Gordon.

"So…" Troy coughed as if to break the tension. "This submarine."

"What about it?" Gordon replied somewhat defensively as he focused on pulling Stingray out of harm's way.

"It… wouldn't happen to be part of International Rescue's fleet, would it?"

"What makes you say that?"

"A lot of things…" Troy pondered, eyes falling onto Gordon's controls.

"Would you believe me if I said no?"

"I would have done if not for the International Rescue logo plastered on your equipment here… and the fact this sub is yellow with red stripes… the colour of a certain Thunderbird 4 I've heard of."

"Mhm."

Troy paused for a moment, taking a moment to observe his old friend. "You're being awfully coy about all this."

"About what?"

"About the fact I've just discovered the true identity of International Rescue."

"That can't be helped." Gordon swiftly replied, feeling uncomfortably lost for words but wanting to maintain a stoic image.

"Gordon…"

Gordon sighed. "Look Troy, I have a job to do. I came here to rescue you because that's what I do. I knew this situation would potentially be on the cards when I met you in that prison, and I really hoped it wouldn't come to pass, but it did, and now I'm stuck with it."

"What do you intend to do if we ever get out of this mess?"

"Make a phone call to a wise old soul, and pray he doesn't chew my ass out for it. Then appeal to you, but you work for WASP, so-"

Troy frowned. "Do you really think I'd tell them about you? We're friends, Gordon."

"We WERE friends. And people change." Gordon placed his sub on autopilot, turning back towards the older man. "Secrecy is a huge part of my job, and if this ever gets out then-"

"Gordon, it won't. For one thing, Marina CAN'T speak, and she doesn't know what your organization is or what it stands for. And Phones? He's as straight as they come, and I trust him with my life. Both him and me will take this secret to our graves, I swear."

"It's not that easy, Troy." Gordon exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose before rubbing his face entirely. "I've gotta talk to my dad about this. So in essence, I'm afraid I'll be holding you hostage until we can get this mess cleared up."

Troy smiled. "Don't worry about it. After the day I've had I'm more than happy to stay with an old friend a little bit longer."

Gordon smiled, a look of guilt about him. "I'm sorry things turned out the way they did."

"I'm all the better for it, to be honest. You've evidently gone on to achieve better things." he chuckled. "At least I know the real reason you retired now. Partly injury and partly because of… this, I assume?"

Gordon thought there was no point in shielding the truth any longer. He nodded with a small smile. "Went along with Dad's crazy idea and ended up making magic. Who'd thought it?"

"I've heard about your exploits. You do some incredible work out there, Gords."

"Thanks. Saving lives for a living is something I could have never expected to do before and now it's my dream job."

Troy nodded appreciatively. "And I'm guessing the other Thunderbird pilots are Scott and the others?"

"That's enough outta me-" he paused and then facepalmed. "Oh shoot! I haven't even tried to contact Virgil yet! One sec while I-"

"Troy! Troy! Marina's spotted something!" interrupted Phones' panicked cry. "She's saying something about missiles!"

"Missiles?" Gordon frowned and glanced at his radar control, three blips now blinking on the screen. Before he could even prepare his submarine for defence, the missiles whizzed past the small sub and rocketed towards the surface.

"They missed! They missed!" Troy laughed in bewilderment.

Gordon's eyes widened as it suddenly dawned on him what the real target was. "They weren't aiming for us! They were aiming for- NO!"

Gordon could only look on in desperate horror as the underwater missiles rocketed towards his unsuspecting brother's aircraft above the water.

Virgil would be unaware of them until it was too late!