Chapter 23 - Time for Action
John quickly grabbed up the rope and then turned back to the pit. He threw one side of the rope down to Alan and called out, "Are you sure that you aren't ready to come back full time? You're missing all of this danger and excitement, after all."
Alan snorted as he tied the rope firmly around his waist. "I have had enough danger and excitement this past week to fill my quota, thanks."
"Hold on. We're gonna make this quick." John pulled at the rope, bringing Alan up inch by inch until finally he was able to grab on to the edge of the pit. With a little leverage, John helped him up and they both ran quickly for the entrance.
Just as they reached the outside, one last explosion ripped through the air. John pushed Alan to the ground and then fell to the ground on top of him.
For precious seconds debris rained down on them, until finally Alan looked up. "We're alive?"
John slowly got to his feet and checked his watch. 00:00 flashed back at him. "If we had cut that any closer-"
Virgil rushed over to where they were. "Are you two all right?"
"We're fine, Virgil," John replied as he helped Alan to his feet. "The President?"
"Is fine," Virgil finished, pointing to the person in question a few feet behind him. "We need to get the president to safety, but what then?"
"I'm waiting for a call back from Gordon or Lady Penelope," John replied firmly.
Leading the rest of them back to the clearing, John looked at Thunderbird One, and then looked back at his Alan. "When's the last time you flew the flight simulator for One?"
Alan shrugged. "Logged thirty hours during this past spring break, why?"
John pointed to Thunderbird One. "We could use the support, and since Scott is not here-"
Alan nodded understandingly. "I can do it. Let's get going."
"Excellent. I need you to ferry the President to the nearest US carrier or destroyer in friendly waters, and then head straight back here, got it?"
Alan saluted and then motioned to President Winters. "FAB. Madame President, your ride awaits."
Virgil smirked as he watched Alan help the President into Thunderbird One. "Are you sure he's ready for this?"
John hooked his brother by the neck and steered him towards Thunderbird Two. "He better be, because we need all of the help we can get."
--
Flint Masters was not a man to be trifled with normally, but the sight of the girl with the weird eyes was unsettling to say the least. He tried scrambling to his feet, but found that his body wouldn't move, and it was getting harder and harder to take a breath.
Lady Penelope watched in horror as the man that had been the object of their interrogation grow deathly pale. If she did not do something, the object of their interrogation would be dead. She forced her voice to be as hard as she could muster. "TIN-TIN! Please!"
She watched anxiously as she saw a tear slide down Tin-Tin's cheek. The young woman's eyes went back to normal, and she would have collapsed if not for Parker, who quickly moved to catch her.
Flint collapsed to the table, breathing heavily and clutching at his throat. Penelope leaned in low. They had one last chance to get the information they needed. "Where is Shadow Force's headquarters?"
Flint glared up at her with barely concealed hatred. "Here are the coordinates-"
As they left the pub, Lady Penelope guided Tin-Tin into FAB-1 and quickly motioned Parker to drive off. Tin-Tin seemed to have recovered from her ordeal, but she wondered if the girl had been thinking straight.
As if the question had been posed out loud, Tin-Tin replied. "I was Lady Penelope, believe me. I was just worried about Alan is all."
Startled, Penelope realized what happened. In some way, she had to give Tin-Tin credit. Kyrano had warned her upfront about how powerful his daughter was, but reading minds was a new one on her. "Well, worried or not, that is no excuse to abuse one's gift." However, she had to restrain herself from congratulating the girl on effectively stopping the man in his tracks. "We needed information from him, and luckily he was able to give it, but you must promise never to go that far ever again, understood?"
Thoroughly chastised, Tin-tin looked at the floorboards of FAB-1. "I understand."
Lady Penelope touched a control on the back of the seat in front of her. A panel slid down, revealing a touch screen computer. She pressed an option and spoke her commands. "Emergency Protocol, secure communications, preset frequency 5."
The computer spoke as it complied with the command. "Acknowledged."
"FAB-1 to Thunderbird Two, come in."
--
John and Virgil was settling in on Thunderbird Two when they heard the hail. "FAB-1 to Thunderbird Two, come in."
Penelope was reporting in. John checked the communication panel and noticed that Lady Penelope had used the encrypted channel that he and brains had calculated. "We read you loud and clear, FAB-1. Did you find out anything from the Silver Mark Pub?"
"Boys, I have coordinates for you. I'm transmitting them now."
Moments later, Virgil heard a beep from Thunderbird Two and checked his flight controls. "Coordinates received Lady Penelope. You are a lifesaver."
"All part of the service," she replied, "Now go and take Shadow Force down."
--
"FAB."
Lady Penelope smiled when she heard the familiar sign off. She pressed a button, and the panel slid back into place.
She heard Tin-Tin ask the question that had been on her own mind. "Lady Penelope, do you think they will be in time?"
To answer her, Penelope leaned over and put a comforting arm around Tin-Tin's shoulders. "I have faith in Jeff, and I know he has taught those boys well. Now it's our turn to have faith in them."