With fuzziness akin to the start of a world-defining hangover, John lifted his head and groaned weakly. Blinking in the brightness of the large room, he frowned and peered at his surroundings. He was lying on a small cabin bed inside a fairly non-descript office and he took in the small desk and filing cabinets, frowning as he sat upright.

"Shit …" John clutched at his head and took a second to wait for the dizziness to subside. Remembering passing out and Josef's apology, he got to his feet and groaned angrily as he hurried from the office.

It was not dissimilar to the hangar on the island and his frown grew as he looked around the immense silver bay. The place seemed empty. John stumbled through the expanse of the hangar and checked the other offices. No one was there. His heart racing, he found what he assumed was the front door and opened it slowly.

Peering inside, John beheld another large hangar and then took in the vast rocket that stood at the far end. He moved further inside and stared in wonder at the craft. It was just as Scott had described; a little stubbier and wider perhaps and there were only two large engines at its base. But there was no mistaking the heritage. And this ship was even cheekier; John stepped closer and marvelled at the huge red rocket.

"Beautiful, no?"

John spun at the voice and saw Josef waiting by the door. "Bastard!" He spat in fury and broke into a run.

"Wait!" Josef raised the gun in his hand and aimed it directly at John.

John skidded to a halt and glared angrily at Josef. "(Why? Why have you brought me here?)"

"(To end it.)"

John frowned in confusion.

"(Come with me.)" Josef tucked the gun into his jeans and wandered back through to the adjoining hangar.

John followed slowly and padded at his pockets, groaning as he realised the phone was gone. He watched Josef cross to the office and wandered after him warily.

"(I'm impressed.)" Josef glanced back at John with a smile and took out a large roll of paper from one of the cabinets. He spread the map out on the desk inside the office. "(You have pieced together what has taken me years to figure out.)"

John stepped further inside the office and saw his notes and drawings.

"(In fact. You got way too close.)"

John looked across at Josef and his eyes fell on the soggy gauze on his neck. "(It was you that shot at us.)"

Josef's smile faded. "(I am sorry.)"

"(Why?)"

"(I had no choice.)" Josef shrugged, "(I had you tailed, followed your movements, saw how close you were getting. And I tried to warn you.)"

"Ted?"

Josef smiled again, "(Ted. Yes. The only one of my associates who could be a convincing American.)" And then he was serious once more. "(Yet you persisted.)"

John shrugged a reply.

Josef watched him for a moment. "(Alex will be alright, I hope?)"

John tensed and new anger began to build.

"(I needed you off the scene for a while. Needed time to prepare.)"

"(Prepare what?)"

Josef sighed, "(You'll see.)"

"(Who the hell are you?)" John whispered.

Josef moved round the desk and stepped close to him. "(A kindred spirit.)"

John watched Josef regarding him fondly and saw his chance. He lashed out, landing a solid punch to Josef's face and, as the elder man arced backwards from the impact, he grabbed the gun.

Josef stumbled back and regained his footing, rubbing at his cheek. He looked up as John fled from the office and a smile filled his face.

John ran across the hangar and headed for what he could now define as the outer door. The lock hung open and he paused for a moment in surprise before then stepping into the cool night air. The bright beams of a car's headlights then flashed up at him from the road and he gasped, retreating back into the hangar.

"(Everything that has happened has been for a reason.)"

John spun and aimed the gun at Josef.

Josef smiled. "(I'm not your enemy, John.)"

"Why!" John demanded angrily, waving the gun at Josef. "(Why me?)"

Josef shrugged, "(Bait.)"

John frowned in confusion and then heard the car pulling up outside the door. He froze and felt the colour drain from his face. "(Who … who is here?)"

"(I think you know.)"

John spun towards the door and heard the footsteps that were approaching. He backed away warily and raised the gun as the door opened.

The middle-aged man took a cautious step inside and gasped as he saw John. He then glanced behind him and gave the smallest of nods.

John frowned in confusion, his heart thumping in his head. The man was familiar but his mind was too muddled to quite figure out from where. And then the smart-suited man stepped clear of the door and Trangh entered the hangar.

John could not breathe. He watched Trangh wander into the building with confidence and, turning to John, his mouth grew into a wide smile.

"Thank you, Josef." Trangh sighed contentedly and faced John squarely, unperturbed by the gun that was pointed at him.

John faltered for a second, glancing at Josef and groaning in confusion. "What … what is going on …?"

"Master Tracy," Trangh stepped further into the hangar and held out his hands. "My name is - "

John snorted a brief laugh, "I know exactly who you are, Hood."

Trangh paused in surprise, a frown creasing his brow.

John saw the response and remembered the alias Trangh had somehow created. And the way he had controlled Ustin. He watched Trangh focusing on him, his frown deepening. And then he heard laughter.

"That won't work here, Trangh." Josef offered in broken-English amusement.

Trangh turned to him, his eyes flashing red.

Josef simply laughed harder.

John watched the interaction and could feel hope building as he then saw Trangh's companion backing off from him and now seeing the set up Josef had orchestrated. He was indeed the bait. The bait to draw out the Hood. And the Hood had somehow been neutered.

"(This is your chance, John.)"

John chanced taking his eyes off of Trangh and turned to Josef.

Josef reached up and tapped the back of his neck.

John frowned in uncertainty and then copied Josef, gasping as his fingers found the tiny device nestled amid the hair at the nape of his neck.

"(Do it.)"

John watched Josef's face become sincere and the greying man nodded in encouragement.

"(Do what needs to be done.)"

John remembered the gun in his hand and turned his focus from Josef to the cocked and ready weapon. His gaze then moved beyond the barrel to rest on the confused face of the man that had taken so much from him. And he paused.

He paused for a nanosecond too long.

Trangh suddenly understood Josef's deception and gasped in horror. He flung his hands into the air and cried out in anger.

It all happened at once. Sparks of purged energy crackled above them and the lights blinked out. John yelped in pain as the gun was ripped from his hand and he heard the weapon clatter across the floor somewhere behind him. And then a low rumble moved through the floor. John stumbled as the ground shook and something exploded. The room was then filled with a dull orange glow and he turned to see the bright light that shot between the gaps in the hangar wall beside him.

"Ventura!" Josef cried out in warning.

John gasped in horror and stared at what he now knew was the brightness from the ignition flames. He turned and looked for Josef in the strange amber light. And saw Trangh running for the door. "No!"

Trangh spun back at the door and glared in fury, the red of his eyes suddenly bright in the dimness. He raised his hand and barked a warning.

John was thrown back by the impact of whatever Trangh had shot at him. He was lifted from the ground and flung towards the rear of the hangar, landing on the floor with a thud and skidding across the concrete. He lay there, stunned, the roar of the powerful engines in the adjoining hangar suddenly drowning out all else.

Shaking his head and groaning dizzily, John rolled onto his knees and caught his breath. And then he saw it, lying there at the far end of the hangar by the wall. With a groan of anger, he grabbed the gun and clambered to his feet.

Outside, the night air was filled with the growing noise of the rocket and smoke was billowing out under the hangar doors. John searched the small courtyard and saw the smart Mercedes and the man that was clambering within. Without a second thought, he raised the gun and fired.

Trangh yelped in pain and crumpled over the steering wheel. John began forward and kept the gun trained on the still figure. His body trembling, he neared the car and frowned as he peered through the increasing brightness from the hangar behind him. And Trangh moved.

"Don't!" John shouted a warning and broke into a run, reaching the open car door and aiming the gun inside.

Trangh hissed in pain and grabbed at his shoulder.

John watched him warily, his grip tightening on the handle of the gun. "Don't move! Or I swear, I'll - "

"You'll what? Kill me?" Trangh turned to look up at him, pain filling his eyes but a wide smile growing. "I'm already dead."

John faltered for a moment.

"Trangh Belagant died in Kazakhstan. Remember?"

John frowned.

"Shoot me and you're murdering an innocent entrepreneur." Trangh continued, chuckling softly, "The guy that bailed out ISA. A damned hero!"

John considered this for a second, his frown growing. "Get out."

Trangh sighed in dismay.

"Get out!" John shouted angrily.

Gripping his bleeding shoulder protectively, Trangh turned and slowly stood from the car.

"Josef?" John called out.

Trangh frowned and peered past John, seeing the dazed man that stumbled from the hangar.

Josef beheld the two of them and smiled in delight.

"We need to get out of here." Trangh urged worriedly.

John turned his attention back to him.

Trangh nodded to the hangar behind him. "She's going to overload."

"(Josef, can you power down the Ventura?)" John called over the noise.

"(I can try.)"

"(Do it.)" John heard the hangar door open and close and regarded Trangh in interest. "You got a phone?"

Trangh nodded and reached inside his jacket, grimacing as the movement pulled at his injured shoulder. He held out the phone and shrugged slightly. "Look, we can work this out, can't we?" He began quietly.

John stared at him in disbelief and then shook his head in disgust. "Shut up." He cautioned and flicked open the phone. Keeping the gun trained on Trangh, he dialled in the scramble code and waited to check the contact.

"I've changed, John."

John lifted his head and watched Trangh in bemused interest.

"I was trying to do something good."

"Yeah, right." John sighed, "You're tired from that last outburst and you're buying time to recharge."

"It doesn't work like that." Trangh chuckled suddenly, "I wish it was that easy."

"Whatever."

Trangh's smile faltered. "You really don't understand, John."

"Shut up!" John sighed and entered in the phone number, lifting the handset to his ear.

Trangh smiled and glanced towards the ever-increasing glow and noise from the hangar. "You still don't appreciate just who you're dealing with." He muttered, his eyes flashing red and the hangar bursting into flames.

Tbc …