The Eyes of the Beholder

By Phoenix Sparrow

Chapter Four – Thunderbirds Are Go!

Scott pulled back on the controls and Thunderbird 1 shot out of its hidden hangar below their pool towards the cloudless sky.

"John, have you found her yet?"

"Affirmative, Scott. She's at these coordinates." Scott looked at his display and a set of coordinates appeared, which he programmed into the autopilot.

"Thanks, John."

"F.A.B., Scott, over and out."

Scott stretched and unclipped his safety harnesses. He climbed out of his chair and left the cockpit.

He wandered down to the cargo hold where his hover bike and mobile control console were. He checked them both over, but more so the bike. He would need that in top condition.

An alarm bleeped signalling he was nearing his target area and would be needed behind the controls.

Five minutes later, he'd landed the silver craft in the grassy marshes of Dartmoor. He jumped from the ship and landed in a knee-high bog. "Ugh, I don't believe this. Thank goodness for knee-high boots." He waded across the massive muddy puddle and climbed out, retrieved his hover bike and climbed onto it. He sat down and fastened the seat belt then pulled off his waterproof uniform boots and emptied the water that had managed to rise over the top of them.

He sighed as he put them back on then fished the locator out from under his seat. He switched it on and started off in the direction of the signal.

"These flippin' moors are too big," he said to himself twenty minutes later.

"No, they are not; they are perfectly sized for hiding."

Scott leaped and spun round then relaxed on seeing the face of the sixteen-year-old girl they'd spoken to earlier on.

"Kari Hunter?"

The girl nodded. "You must be an operative of International Rescue. That uniform is very distinctive."

Scott smiled. "Our, um, head may not, I don't know yet, but I believe you. I don't know why. Just something in the back of my mind says you're telling the truth. I rarely believe things like this."

Kari smiled back. "I thank you for your honesty. It makes little difference. Whether or not you believe, I know they happen."

Scott's smile faded. This girl made him feel uneasy.

"What is wrong?" Kari asked, seeing his expression change.

"Huh? Nothing. We should get outta here; we're not exactly well hidden. Come on, get on the back of here," he indicated the passenger seat of his hover bike, "and I'll find somewhere a bit more sheltered."

They got back to the Thunderbird and sat underneath it but not in the puddle.

"So, can you tell me how you found you had this gift?"

"Yes," she replied, looking away. "I wish I could not. A man, who refused to tell me his name, hypnotised me and I was unconscious for quite some time. When I came to, he informed me he had given me a gift which I had to use to help him."

"Why couldn't he just use it for himself?"

"He never told me fully, he simply said he was annoyed that he was incompatible."

Scott nodded thoughtfully. He couldn't understand how anyone could have the power to give someone else the ability to see the future but… He shook his head, this was making it hurt.

"You do not understand?"

"Is it really that obvious? I must admit, I'm baffled. I don't understand how anyone can give someone a power."

"I did not believe it at first, but he told me to try visualising the future and I did. I saw that I would escape him and that he would be trapped in a collapsing building. At first I thought it was wishful thinking, but the vision came true. I could not leave, though. I had to help him."

Scott understood. Even an enemy doesn't deserve to die. "So, what happened?"

"I helped him and he took me as a prisoner to serve him. I escaped him and hid out in the moors but he has found me again."

"You said previously that you became ill if you stayed near too many people. Which is true?"

"This version. I was afraid he may have been listening so I could not reveal the true reason, he frightens me." She put a hand on his arm, which he looked down then back at her. "You have to help me. I do not want to go back to him."

"Look, it's ok. We'll do all we can to help you." He smiled at her. "Seeing as you may be helping us."

He climbed into the craft while below Kari sat in its shadows. He activated the comm. system and contacted his father.

"Go ahead, Scott."

"Uh, father, I think we, uh… She needs help. It is the Hood after her, it was he who hypnotised her and gave her the gift."

Jeff's image on the view screen nodded thoughtfully. "Ok," he said after a considerable pause. "Virgil," he called over his shoulder. He turned back to Scott. "Remain where you are. I'm coming out to talk to her."

Scott looked back shocked. "You?"

"Yes, Scott. Me. Just remain at that position."

"F.A.B., father."

He slumped back down in his control chair. 'He must think this really important,' he thought to himself, 'if he's coming out here personally.'

Later on, Jeff and Virgil had arrived at Scott's coordinates. "Right, now Virgil, it is very important you follow this to the letter."

Virgil glanced briefly over his shoulder as he landed Thunderbird 2. "Yes, father."

"I want you to bring Kari into the pod. I will sit in the closed off laboratory." Virgil glanced round again. "Security." He received a nod in reply. "I need to speak to her in person, but she will recognise my voice and I have told her I am the head of the organisation."

Virgil nodded again and shut down the engines. He stood and smoothed the creases from his uniform. He turned as Jeff stood and did the same. He had a uniform for occasions such as these, though he very rarely used it. It was essentially the same as his sons' except his sash was a dark royal blue darker than Scott's sash and darker than the uniform itself.

Virgil smiled. He always thought the uniform suited his father. He exited the machine as Jeff made his way down to the pod.

"Over here!" Scott called, seeing his brother looking round with a puzzled expression gracing his face. He waved a hand then sat back down next to Kari. She was shaking and had become very frightened.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Scott asked. He looked at her carefully. Her eyes were half shut and she had become very pale. She'd started swaying slightly and her teeth were knocking together. "Kari? Kari, what's wrong? Are you ok?"

Virgil arrived beside him to take her over to Thunderbird. He took one look at her and knew straight away that something wasn't right.

"Come on, we've got to get her to the pod, quickly." Virgil scooped her up in his arms and took off towards the pod with Scott in tow.