Author's note: Thanks for the reviews and sorry once more for the delay!
A month was a painfully long time. Perhaps the only slight mercy was that her uncle was being… "quiet" for lack of a better term. He left her in peace more often than not. Oh, of course, from time to time, he appeared before her. She could see no real purpose or motivation other than to remind her that he was there, watching and that she had a job to do. For the time being, it seemed as if her purpose was just to stay discreet. She had to act as if nothing was up and do what she could to convince her family that everything was alright.
As far as she could tell, the ruse was working.
They were more relaxed around her. Ironically, it was something that would have suited her even if things had been completely normal. Kayo was someone who didn't care an awful lot for fuss. She could quite happily make do without the others watching her every move least she suffer from a moment's weakness, no matter how innocuous it might have been or to inquire after her as soon as they feared that she might be feeling a little bit down. She knows they only did so because they love her and are worried about her well being. It hurts though. Her secret burns away all the more at her when they're kind.
She sits in the jet and looks down at the bright blue waters beneath her. It's Gordon flying for once. He's the one who has been tasked with taking her to England and her appointment with a doctor to have a look at her wrist. She hasn't spoken but the prospect has her downright terrified. Not because of what might be done to her in the hospital - although if she's honest, she would rather avoid the place altogether - but rather the odd threat from her uncle. She knew the man well enough to be aware that it would be foolish for her to assume that he would be worried about harming those closest to her heart.
Is it poison? The thought has crossed her mind. Her uncle could have her slip it into the water supply, that would leave the Thunderbirds ripe for the taking when everyone else who was supposed to be piloting and guarding them lay dead. What would she do if she was told to kill them? She couldn't do it. She couldn't… But then she'd told herself that she could never betray her family, that she would never be her uncle's slave, that she was too strong… Six months have reduced her to little more than a puppet. Right now, to her horror, she doesn't know just what she's capable of with another pulling her strings.
"You okay back there?" Gordon calls out to her.
"Yeah… Just thinking."
"Must be nice to be off the island."
"Yeah… Yeah, I've missed the sky."
She'd spent hours in that cell. With no day or night, no sense of the passage of time, no set routine in so far as sometimes things seemed close together, others they were painfully drawn apart. How often had she dreamed of the sky? Of the deep and cloudless blue, to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin or a cloudy overcast day where rain fell and allowed her to feel alive. Now that she's back, it all feels… Dull. As if she's left some part of her behind on that island and now, no matter what she does, she can't go back and reclaim it.
It's probably best that it's Gordon taking her back. He's so preoccupied and nervous about meeting Lady Penelope again that he's not paying her as much attention as perhaps some of the other brothers would. She knows that she'll have to step up her game once they land on the tarmac. After all, this should all be relatively routine trip in theory. All she's going for is to have her wrist checked out with a certified GDF doctor… Easy and simple.
Eventually, they touch down. Already, she can make out a familiar bright pink Rolls Royce. No chances are being taken, she realizes that quickly.
This marks her first outing away from the island. On Tracy Island, she can only go so far. Out here, she could disappear. Similarly, they'll see any intruders long before they even reach their island home. There isn't such security on the mainland. Then, she knows that her family will be worrying about her fragility, whether or not she's ready for facing the outside world whilst simultaneously being aware that they can't postpone her outing indefinitely. What a predicament she's put them in… No doubt more of them would have become but between rescues and her father who now pursues the Hood with the dogged vengeance of a father who's only child has been harmed, away on yet another attempt to apprehend his brother, hopefully once and for all.
Penny and Parker are already there waiting for them (with Sherbert naturally). They wear pleasant smiles. For a few seconds, Kayo even allows herself to believe the safety that they seem to offer. There's a warmth there, a relief. It's worn off with the Tracys but for those who don't wake up and greet her every morning, their relief is still clear.
"Welcome back to Britain." Lady Penelope declares.
"It feels kind of strange." Kayo confesses, her gaze turning towards where she can hear cars in the distance. "I keep on expecting to see the ocean."
They nod understandingly in the way that people who have never lived through what someone else has lived through but feel obliged to try and express their sympathy all the same. She doesn't hold it against them. What else can they do?
They're quick to get her into FAB 1. She almost feels as if she's being bundled along like a VIP being escorted to the limousine waiting nearby. They're still protecting her. She should be angry, irritated, tell them that she's fine and can look after herself but she's a bit too weary for any of that. Instead, Kayo contents herself with sitting relatively quietly in the back of the car. She looks out of the window as the cars and buildings pass her by. There are so many people out there, coming and going about their business. It seems almost unreal to someone who has been cut off from the rest of the world for as long as she has. It isn't quite daunting, more unreal. A sight that she never thought that she'd see again.
"Get a look at the inside of the car." Her uncle's voice commands her.
She obliges as discreetly as possible. If she suddenly starts staring at all of the controls it will seem decidedly strange. So she gets him a few, brief glimpses. The men and women on the other side of the lens will be able to freeze the images, to go back over them and work things out. It isn't worth her blowing her cover.
She gets him all that she can before returning to her idle looking out of the window. She listens to Penny and Gordon's chatter. They seem content to discuss things among themselves, sometimes switching into some playful banter. She can't help but wonder if things would be any different if she weren't in the car with them. From time to time, they do try to include her in the conversation and she joins in, forcing the same old little smile that she's perfected these past few weeks: fake but seemingly convincing enough to convince them that everything is alright.
They arrive at the GDF hospital. It's secure and safe. Tanusha knows this but she's also aware that it can't be as safe as all that, otherwise the Hood wouldn't think that he was going to be able to sneak her something that she could use against her family when the time comes for them to strike… Her companions accompany her inside. They're expected apparently. Everything seems to be going along fine.
Kayo begins to feel nerves getting the better of her. Her heart flutters quickly. Every second, she finds herself looking around. Every corner, every shadow, she imagines seeing her uncle standing there. Yet she sees nothing. Only the occasional GDF soldier coming and going, no criminals or brutes to be seen. She gets a few stares, presumably rumors have spread among the troops. They must know where she had been and some of what she's lived through.
They make it to see the doctor.
It's a pretty routine visit, she's assured by the woman. Kayo plays ball; answering all of the questions when they're asked, not pretending that things are any better or worse than they are. She just presents the facts. As far as she can gather, everything seems to be healing up nicely. It's a relief given how badly the bones were initially shattered. All the young woman wants is for the cast to be off and for her to be able to have use of both of her hands. That will come in time. Although she's cautioned that she will almost certainly need some degree of physiotherapy before things are entirely back to normal.
Kayo manages to fight back her nerves as she sits there. Perhaps her uncle's plan has fallen through. Could it be that everything is safe? She makes her way to stand, preparing to part ways with the doctor. Penny's already partly out of the door, talking to Parker outside and discussing whether or not Gordon might appreciate seeing the Blackpool illuminations. The doctor calls her back suddenly. It's a soft voice, unbothered. She needs her pills. She only needs enough for a couple more weeks.
The young woman turns back to go and get them without so much as a second thought, promising to catch up with her friends in a few seconds. As she's handed a small paper bag, the woman nods inside. Cautiously, Kayo peers in, assuming that she's simply to check her medicine. Instead, she finds herself faced with a strange, metallic canister. For a moment, she thinks that it might be an inhaler of some kind, simply on account of its size. As she looks up though to the doctor for an explanation, she's presented only with a little nod.
Instantly, Kayo feels sick in her stomach. Her mouth opens, fearful as she realizes just who she's facing right now.
He's here… How is he here? Surely the G.D.F. must have… Maybe it isn't him. It could just be an agent. Terror begins to take hold.
"Kayo? Are you coming?" Gordon calls out to her. "Penny says we have to see this before we go home!"
"Y-Yeah! Coming!"
Terror causes her to turn her back and practically run. She only just manages to disguise her fear through her usual smile and eagerness to catch up with the others. With all of her might, she forces herself to forget about the gift from the mysterious doctor.
It isn't until that night, when all others are asleep, that she sits on her bed, examining it carefully. She treats it as if it might be an explosive. For all she knows, it could be.
"What is this?" She dares to ask eventually.
"Our solution to the Tracy problem..." She can almost hear him smirk. "Not long now niece and then you'll have your freedom."