The Eyes of the Beholder

By Phoenix Sparrow

Chapter Three – Sending Help

Back on Tracy Island, Jeff had started up the computer and connected it to the link with the satellite. "Right, here we go." He sat down in front of the monitor and flicked the switch on the microphone but left the digital camera switched off. "This is International Rescue. We have received your message."

"I know," she replied. Jeff stared. He'd heard her voice through the speakers.

"Forgive me, but I thought you couldn't communicate through a microphone."

"I am sorry to do that to your space operative, but I can only talk directly to you. You will forgive me?"

"I see." Jeff leaned back in his chair and looked at the others who were stood round the monitor. They could see her just as John could, but unlike with John, they could hear her. "Where do you come from? You don't sound like you come from Devon."

"You are correct, sir, I do not originate from Devon or even this country. I can not tell you, there are people listening to me."

Jeff looked worried at this. She was such a young girl. "How old are you?"

"I am sixteen."

"And you live by yourself in the middle of Dartmoor?" he asked, shocked.

"Yes," she said. She turned away from her camera then looked back, her eyes wide with fear. "I must discontinue this transmission. My enemy approaches." Jeff's eyes went wide with hers as he saw a familiar man walk in to her room.

"Before you do, please tell me this. I will send one of our operatives out to meet you somewhere secret. Can you tell me where to send them?"

"I will send an encrypted message to your space operative."

"Thank you," Jeff said to no affect as she'd already disconnected.

In the satellite, John sat in his chair with his feet up looking out the window thoughtfully. Who was that girl and why did she feel the need to send them a warning of something that might happen?

An alarm sounded behind him and he fell off his chair backwards not expecting to hear it so soon after his father's conversation had ended.

He got up, grabbing his hat from where it landed and ran over to the unit, tripping over his feet as he went. He looked the console over and saw it was indeed the expected message from Kari.

"Thunderbird 5 to base, come in…"

"Understood, John. Thanks." Jeff turned to Brains and handed him the floppy disc he'd downloaded the message onto. "Go and start work on decrypting this message. It's important that we find her. Whether or not we believe her predictions, she is in trouble from what I saw. I recognised the man that walked in while she spoke." He looked at them; they were waiting for him to reveal his observations. "It was the Hood. Maybe it was he who gave the girl her gift, if she does indeed have such a gift."

Scott looked over. "If that was the Hood, then she's either with him and an enemy or not and a friend in extreme danger."

"Yes, I know, Scott. That's why it's so important for us to get out there and find out."

Three hours later, Brains had finally found the encryption codes she'd used and also translated the message itself from the code she'd put it into. "Ah, ah, Mr Tracy, I, uh, have your me-message," he said, showing him the disc as he crossed the tech room and inserted it into the disc drive of the very same computer they'd used to contact the girl.

"To the head of International Rescue. I agree to your terms of meeting somewhere. I believe the best place to be in the moors. They are isolated and very few people cross them by foot. The few cars keep going until they reach the other side. I will take a homing beacon and activate it when I reach the rendezvous point. It is tuned to the frequency in the attachment. I will leave as soon as I know you have received this message.

I hope you can help me, I live in fear for my life."

That last sentence hit home and Jeff knew right away that he had to help her. If she was right with her prediction, she could very well aid his boys without being aware that her vision had happened.

"That's it, we're going! Scott, you know what to do," Jeff said. Scott nodded and turned on his heels to go to the lounge.

Jeff hit the button on the side of his watch and mentally noted Brains' cringe. "John, come in."

"Yes, father?"

"That message you sent down, there's an attachment. The frequency for a homing beacon. Find the frequency and locate it."

"Yes, father."