April 17th, 2060 - 17:55 JST
It was coming to the end of another busy day for John on Thunderbird 5 as the evening was starting to set in. John is currently scanning over the world map for distress signals and diverting some of the minor incidents over to local emergency services. The alert for any major emergencies is also set, to wake John up during the night if it were necessary. Suddenly, a call comes in from Tracy Island, its Alan.
"Don't you ever get lonely up there, John?" Alan asks.
"Lonely? With so much going on around me?" John comments, as he continues to scan the map.
"But it's not really around you, it's more below you," Alan says.
"Well, it feels like the right distance to me," John says, looking down through the clear floor before looking back at Alan's hologram, "Go back to your lessons."
"Go back to your lessons," Alan mocks and was about to continue when a clear voice comes through.
"Can't slow down. Going too fast," which causes John to locate the source of that signal on his map. Location: Japan.
"John? What is it?" Alan asks.
"Nothing that concerns you," John decides and cuts off the coms.
"I've tried everything. It's a runaway!" the driver says, "There's nothing that can stop her."
John zooms in on the emergency symbol that is now showing over Japan and expands to display a circle with a projection of the track represented through an orangedotted line. It shoes the train in a yellow circle and the passenger train in a red circle.
"Except the back of that passenger train it's closing in on," John mumbles to himself and presses the button on his shoulder belt, "International Rescue, this is Thunderbird Five. We have a situation."
5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Thunderbirds are Go!
Scott and Marion enter the lounge and sees John's hologram waiting for him to arrive, with a projection on the train in question highlighted in the centre of the table, he had quickly scanned over the brief report John had sent through and knew the severity of the situation.
"It was on a test run so the engineer's the only one on board," John explains.
"That's lucky, but what about the passenger train?" Scott asks.
"Filled to capacity," John stats.
"Doesn't anyone drive anymore?" Scott jokes.
"No. Mass Transit's cheaper and with magnetic levitation—" John starts but is cut off by Scott.
"Sorry, forgot to use my 'trying-to-make-a-joke' voice," Scott says with a sigh, "Is there any way to divert?"
"Not easily. It's a specialised track, so there aren't a lot of spur lines and even if there were, doyou know what would happen if it went off the rails at that speed? That wouldn't be a joke," John explains.
"Right," Scott says.
"What about cutting the power?" Marion interjects.
"Oh no, you couldn't do that," Brains comments as he walks into the room with Max following.
"Why not, Brains?" Scott asks.
"It would be like hitting a brick wall," Brains explains as he demonstrates by punching a fist to his hand, MAX also making an attempt to copy and whirs, "The power has to be turned down gradually."
"All right and how do you do that?" Scott asks, as he gets up to walk after Brains who continues to walk.
"Just refigure the power distribution in the trains conductor nodes. Simple," Brains says.
"But—" Scott begins but sighs as Brains leaves with MAX, "He's always doing that."
Alan then suddenly runs into the room, "Scott, can I—?"
"No," Scott says.
"Kayo's at the GDF base in Cape Town and Gordon and Virgil are still helping with that pipeline break in Alaska—" Alan starts.
"You can't come with me and Marion, Alan," Scott says.
"Why not?" Alan asks.
"There you are. Trying to save the world again no doubt," Sally says as she walks up from the kitchen.
"It's an emergency, Grandma," Alan tries.
"It's always an emergency that's what we do," Sally says, "But your lessons are just as urgent and you've fallen behind."
After the 2058 incident, Sally decided it was best to have Alan home schooled from Tracy Island instead. This was not only safer but it allowed Alan to also help out with International Rescue.
"Oh, don't look so hangdog. I'm gonna make you a nice dinner when you're done," Sally finishes which gets Alan to quickly look back up at her is horror.
"Dinner?" Alan cries.
"Have some cookies," Sally says as she holds out a plate of burnt cookies, making Scott's queue to leave and start preparing to leave, "They're fresh out of the oven."
"Hmmmm. I can tell," Alan says and whispers over to Scott, "Help me."
"Sorry. Got a train to catch," Scott says.
"You'll be just fine Alan," Marion say and runs down after Scott to the Thunderbird 1 hanger so they could talk to Brains.
"Brains! How do I reconfigure the power distribution in the train's conductor nodes?" Scott asks.
"First, you'll need to do a voltage scan to makes sure it's not fluctuating by more than 20%," Brains says.
"And if it is?" Marion questions.
"You'll have to replace the regulator," Brains explains, "But don't use the C-247 module. It'll blow up in your face." This causes MAX to beep and Brains to look over to him and back at Scott, "Or the C-247A."
"Brains. I think you're gonna have to do this," Scott says.
"No problem. I'll set up a video link and I'll be right beside you," Brains says, "Virtually, anyway."
"No. Not virtually. Really." Scott says, "You need to BE on that train."
"Very funny Scott," Brains says.
"Yeah... Think of this as a vacation," Marion says.
"Oh, yeah. With no extra charge for sudden dismemberment," Brains says and MAX beeps wanting to come.
"Sorry, MAX. No room for you." Scott says causing MAX to whir sadly, "Come on, Brains. Let's gear up."
5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Thunderbirds are Go!
From Tracy Island, as the pool starts to move back into place Sally goes out and starts picking up the sun loungers and shakes her fist at Thunderbird 1 in annoyance. Alan is watching from inside the kitchen with MAX there beside him. He then buzzes and whirls as Alan goes over to the counter and sits down.
"You and me both, MAX," Alan sighs.
April 17th, 2060 - 18:21 JST
Scott switches to horizontal flight and looks over his shoulder at Brains who is groaning and looking like he's about to throw up.
"Brains, I know you're a stay-at-home kind of guy, but once in a while everyone has to—" Scott says but is cut off as Brains vomits into a bucket that he put next to him, leaving Scott and Marion with looks of disgust on their faces, "Ye-ah."
April 17th, 2060 - 18:29 JST
A beeping sound comes from Scott's coms and he answers to reveal on the holo-screen and image of the train isdisplayed along with some of its data. John is to the top left and Alan to the top right, lookingcompletely bored with his head resting on his right hand.
"Scott, I'm having trouble accessing the train's computer," John says, "Something is blocking me."
"Could be a virus," Alan says standing up, "Do you think The Hood put it there? Maybe I can help?"
"It's not exactly a virus, Alan, and this doesn't seem like The Hood's style," John explains, "Also if it was The Hood I'd get Kayo to investigate..."
"And you should be studying," Scott concludes, "Your lessons can't be that boring."
"They're not. It's- it's just that this is important," Alan says.
"And so is studying," Sally calls from behind him, making her way over.
"Grandma, they need me," Alan complains.
"Oh, I think your brothers will be able to limp along without you this one time," Sally says as she picksup the still full plate of cookies, "You didn't eat your cookies."
"Hmm. Yummy," Alan winces as he picks up a cookie and he feigns biting into it, partially because it is difficult to doso. Sally smiles and puts the plate down and walks away. Alan then accidently bites into it and coughs; "Tastes like a foot."
April 17th, 2060 - 18:36 JST
Thunderbird 1 arrives overhead. The train is now on track P945, P358 and P467. ThunderbirdOne's under carriage opens. Scott is attempting to get a fix on the train. He then gets the lock light to turn from red to green indicating he got a lock and a grapple isfired, which latches onto one of the bars on the train's roof by the hatch.
Scott then leaves his seat to join Brains and Marion abovethe open hatch, with Brains kneeling down. Brains is now wearing a helmet and connected to the wire, "This'll be just like going down the slide in a playground," Marion says as she prepares herself, "Remember how much fun that used to be?"
"Always gave me a rash!" Brains complains, "Hey, what if we tried a psychic link? I saw it in a m-movie once!" Scott decided he had enough of Brains ranting and pushes him, and Brains goes sliding down the grapple until around halfway when the train speeds up just as Brains is heading down.
"Oh no, it's speeding up. Brains, hold on!" Scott shouts as he runs back to his seat, "I'm gonna have to detach!" He pulls the leavers on either side of his seat all the way back and detaches leaving Brains screaming as he hangs in the air.
"It's almost as if that train doesn't wanta stop," Marion says to Scott from the back.
"Standby, reattaching," Scott says as he tries to reattach, "Come on!" He then reattaches to the train and gives Marion the thumbs up.
"Okay, Brains, you can go down now," Marion tells him.
"I-I can't!" Brains says.
"How do you know until you've tried?" Marion asks.
"There are some things you don't have to try! Substituting an anode for a cathode." Brains says.
"Guys..." John says.
"Using a plasma torch as a toothbrush!" Brains says.
"Guys?" John asks.
"Or this!" Brains complains, and Scott smirks and attempts not to laugh but is held back by the look Marion was giving him.
"THUNDERBIRD ONE!" John yells.
"What's the matter Thunderbird Five?" Scott asks.
"Up ahead," John says and everyone looks up to see a mountain quickly approaching.
"Tell Max I love him!" Brains yells.
"Hold on, Brains!" Scott says as he detaches in time. He pulls the lever beside his seat to detach the cable and thenpulls Thunderbird 1 up. The train goes through the tunnel and Thunderbird 1 flies over it, all theway to the point, Brains dangles from the cable still, screaming all the way. Scott resists the urge to burst out laughing as he slows Thunderbird 1 down as they reach the train againbefore reattaching the cable for a third time.
"Okay, Brains, let's try again. I promise there are no more mountains." Scott says.
"The square root of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the remaining sides!" Brains says, "Cosine equals adjacent over hypotenuse."
"Sounds like basic mathematics to me," Marion comments.
"Should be both go down?" Scott asks.
"Better two level headed people than one," Marion says and Scott jetpacks down to Brains while Marion prepares a second line for her to go down.
"Sine equals opposite over hypotenuse," Brains cries, and Scott places a hand on his back.
"Thought you could use some company." Scott says and then pushes Brains who screams. They get onto the train safely with Marion not far behind.
"The square root of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the remaining sides!" Brains says as lands on top of the train crawling forward only for Marion to come up behind him and push him into the hatch on top of the train to were Scott and just disappeared down.
"Hi. We're International Rescue," Scott says causing the driver to turn around at the trio.
"I don't recognize you," the guy says indicating towards Marion.
"We're recruiting," Scott says and an explanation. Marion gives a small smile and looks over to were Brains who suddenly charges over to Scott and the driver in a panic.
"Negative to positive," he breaths leaning towards the driver and then Scott before looking over to the driver again, "Positive to negative."
"Not sure I'm glad to see you," the driver comments.
Brains gets to work right away and mumbles to himself as he looks at the different parts, "Okay, the voltage scan checks out and the conductor nodes have been bypassed."
"Once he's in his element, he's fine," Scott explains to the driver.
"If you say so," the driver replies uncertain.
"We'll be slowing down in 3... 2... 1," Brains says and presses the controller. Yet nothing happens. Scott and Marion look around as Brains shakes the controller, "Come on. In 3...2-" but is cut off as the electricity fizzes causing him to drop the controller, "Ow!" He kneels back down. "It should haveworked," Brains says to Scott, "It was the trains computer. There's no other explanation. Scott, I dideverything I—"
"Ok, I get it. It wasn't your fault, but we still need to slow down or we'll hit that train," Scott says.
"What'syour plan B?" Marion asks.
"Plan B?" Brains questions.
The train continues along the track. The Driver returns to his seat, Scott following, holding his radio connector on his tool belt. Looking out the window, they are approachingthe back of the passenger train, fast.
"Thunderbird 5, can we be switched to another track?" Scott asks.
John turns away from the holo-map, pulling a yellow circle around with him to bring up a diagramof the train track lines. He looks at the red line with has a switching point up ahead, but it is relativelyfar away and they are catching up on the red circle representing the passenger train. "There is a switching point ahead of you but—"
"Will we hit the other train before we can get there?" Marion asks.
"With you at full throttle, 'fraid so," John sighs, "But if you could slow down, even just a little..."
"There's no way. I tried. Whatever is messing with the computer has uscompletely locked out. And it's countering every move we make," the driver answers overhearing the conversation.
"Let me worry about that," John says as he watches the hologram, "What about adding some more weight to the train,Scott? Maybe land Thunderbird One on top of it?"
"Surely it'll fall right off," Marion says.
"But that gives me an idea," Scott cries and he and Marion put their helmets back on. Scott opens the hatch and emerges with Marion beside him. He looks over to Thunderbird 1 before tappingthe screen of his wrist controller to bring it to life. A hologram of Thunderbird 1 appears which hetwists around. He and Marion have to duck as Thunderbird 1 turns 180. He turns thethrusters on the hologram, which causes Thunderbird 1's engines to speed up with theiractivation.
"Scott, whatever you are doing is having an effect," John says.
"I'm using Thunderbird 1's thrusters to slow down the train," Scott explains.
"Ah, but it's not enough. Can you give it more thrust?" John asks. Scott holds down on his wrist controller which increases the thrust again. Marion turns around andholds onto the train as he looks towards the passenger train, which they are still gaining on. The barthe line is attached to begins to creak and break away.
"It's working! More, Scott, more!" John says.
"This is brilliant, why didn't I think of this?" Brains asks. The bar connected to the line breaksoff sending Thunderbird 1 flying forward. Scott (who has been stood with one foot on the hathand the other on the other side of the bar) tips backwards before regaining his balance again. Heputs his hand to the head of his helmet and tries to keep his eyes on Thunderbird 1.
"Ah! That's why," Scott sighs.
"Scott, I'm controlling the switcher from up here now. And the minute the othertrain passes it, I'm gonna put you on the other track," John says.
"Not the minute, John, the instant," Scott says, and the train continues to speed up.
The train catches up to the passenger train.Scott grits his teeth as they approach the passenger train, which then passes the switching pointjust as they almost connect. John flicks the switch and the train track switches just in time. Scott and Marion turn and lean against the train with a sigh.
"Scott," John calls.
"Yeah?" Scott replies.
"Remember when you asked if there was a switch up ahead and I said there was,but..?" John trails. John is still looking at the diagram where a new exclamation marked triangle is incessantly beepingthe background. The red track marked out leads to Unabara City, which has a label displaying 'Population 1.3 M', "Well here's the rest. The track you're on now leads to Unabara City's mainterminal."
"And right at rush hour," Marion realises.
"Any luck getting past that virus or whatever it is, John?" Scott asks.
"It's definitely not a virus," John says, "It's almost like it's thinking for itself."
"The Hood's up to something, I'm telling you!" Alan says jumping into the call again.
"No, it's too sophisticated for him and why am I talking to you?" John asks, "Aren't you supposed to be doing your lessons?" and hangs up on him.
April 17th, 2060 - 18:47 JST
"John?" Alan says.
"Alan, I told you," John says.
"It's okay. I finished my lesson," Alan says, "And I know all about game theory now. Turns out it's just a bunch of math."
"Oh, wonderful." John says.
"But it got me thinking," Alan says, "Whatever that thing is in the computer... John, I'm pretty sure it wants to play a game with you."
"Alan!" John says shocked but then realises, "A game?" and hangs up.
"John you still there?" Alan asks but gets no response.
John meanwhile was running back to the main call room and pulls up the virus program, "You wanta play? Let's play," and start to tap away at the screen.
April 17th, 2060 - 18:56 JST
"Good news, Thunderbird 1," John says, "The control of the Train's computer has been restored."
"That's great, John! How?" Marion asks.
"The thing that was in it, this artificial intelligence, it had game architecture, and when it thought that I was willing to play, it got distracted just long enough for me to get past it," John explains, "You'll have control of the train now."
"That may be a bit of a problem, Thunderbird 5," Scott says.
"Brains, we need you to hook everything back up the way it was." Marion says.
"Very quickly," Scott says.
"How quickly is very quickly?" Brains asks.
"You can do it. I know you can. All it takes is a little confidence." Scott tells him.
"Confidence isn't the problem. T-t... Time is. I don't work well under pressure," Brains explains.
"Then I'll do this myself," Scott says and picks up two of the wires and goes to plug them together. Brains quickly reaches towards him and he leans back slightly to try and move out of the way.
"Scott! Stop!" Brains cries and grabs the wire from Scott's left hand, "You can't connect those two, areyou trying to get us all killed?"
The train passes the signal post. Brains starts putting the control units back into their secure holds.They approach the station entrance as he puts the last box in. The driver pulls the brake level. Thetrain comes to a slowed halt just in time to connect with the buffers safely. The door opens andBrains exits first onto the platform, followed by Scott, Marion and the driver. The station tone beeps.
"We made it! I've never b-been so happy to be on the ground in my entire life," Brains says.
April 17th, 2060 - 22:18 NZST
"You guys okay?" Alan asks.
"Yeah, thanks to you," Scott says.
"See, you should have let me go," Alan says.
"If I'd let you go, you never would have been able to figure out that game thing," causing Alan to look down, "John told us."
"I might have," Alan responds.
"Guys, I captured a little piece of the AI's code before it self-deleted itself," John says.
"Any idea where it came from?" Scott asks.
"The Hood I'll bet," Alan says.
"No, not him." John says, "I think it might have come from me."
"Seriously!" Marion cries.
"It's old code, but it's definitely mine," John says, "Somehow its... evolved."
"What does it want?" Alan asks.
"As far as I can tell? To play," John says.
"Well, that's some game it was playing," Scott says, "Let's hope if we ever see it again, that it'll be a little more... playful."
"Let's hope," John says, "I'm trying to track it down."
"Good id—" Scott says, and his nose starts going, "Alan, what's that smell?"
"Beats me. It's been around all day," Alan says, "I've never smelled anything like it."
"It's food. Good food! But who could have made it?" Scott asks as Sally and MAX comes towards them.
"I did, but I had a little help," Sally says and looks at MAX. Brains greets MAX and heads down to his lab to talk about his adventure, "Oh well, it was fun while it lasted."
"Hey, that looks good," Scott says.
"Wow, hot apple pie!" Alan says rubbing his hands together.
"I don't know where to start," Marion comments.
"You'll start with one of my freshly baked cookies. Go ahead, take two," Sally says and Scott grabs one along with Alan while Marion stands there amused.
"FAB," Scott says and takes a bit almost spitting it out, "Hmm. Really good Grandma. Really good. Best yet." He then starts chocking on it and whispers "Argh, oh. Tastes like a foot."
"Urgh," Alan says.