CHAPTER EIGHT
Scott raced toward the unbelievable ship looming before him. He had to keep reminding himself it was a virtual projection from the VRVS back on the island. "It looks so real!" he breathed as he passed beneath it.
"They're following you," John's voice came through.
"Good. Is Virgil in the air?"
"Two minutes from you, Scott," Virgil replied. "Gordon and I are on the turrets."
"You're letting Alan fly Thunderbird 2?" Scott asked incredulously.
"Don't think I'm happy about it, but I'm a better shot than he is."
"Me, too." Gordon said.
Alan's annoyed voice was heard next. "I heard that, Gordo. The only reason you're on turrets is because I'm a better pilot than you are."
Scott laughed. "Okay, okay, I get the picture. I can see you now. John, I'm reading those fighters at six minutes out."
"Confirmed."
"All right, Alan," Scott said as Thunderbird 2 came along side Thunderbird 1. He looked out his port-viewing window and could see his brother at the controls of the great green ship. "Ready?"
Alan looked right back at him and smiled. "You got it. Let's go."
John's voice permeated both ships. "Good luck, fellas."
They lurched into motion. The fighters and the jet, having just gotten an eyeful of the impossibly large black triangle hanging in the sky before them, tried to grind their planes to a halt. But they continued forward, going right through the virtual projection. The pilots were stunned long enough for Thunderbird 1 to come from the right and Thunderbird 2 to come from the left. Before the fighters knew what was happening, Scott, Gordon and Virgil fired.
Kyrano gave a small cry and sank to his knees. His head held between his hands, he moaned in agony.
"Father!" Tin-Tin cried, rushing to his side. "Mr. Tracy, it's another attack!"
"Brains, stop this program!" Jeff ordered.
"Thunderbird 1 to Base."
Brains raised his arm and spoke into his communicator. "Brains here, Scott. What's the situation?"
"We got 'em," Scott replied. "All of 'em. Thunderbirds 1 and 2 returning to Base."
"F.A.B.!" Brains smiled. But his smile quickly turned into a frown as the VRVS began to hum. He dashed to the Control Panel and ended the program. "Get out, Mr. Tracy!" he cried, grabbing Jeff's arm and pulling hard. "Get out!"
Jeff ripped the glasses and gloves off, as the humming noise grew louder.
"Take cover!" Brains yelled.
He and Jeff, followed by Kyrano and Tin-Tin, had just enough time to make it inside the cliff hangar before the VRVS exploded. When at last they peeked back outside, there was nothing left of the machine but a lump of metal where once it sat and bits and pieces all over the runway.
"Thanks, Brains," Jeff said. "Guess that's the end of the VRVS."
Brains nodded. "A-And good riddance, too, I suppose."
Jeff ran to Kyrano, who seemed dazed…but not by the exploding machine. "What is it?" he asked softly.
"He-He's gone," Kyrano whispered.
"Who's gone, Father?"
Kyrano looked first at Tin-Tin, then into Jeff Tracy's eyes. "The Hood. He's gone."