Hour Twelve

The following takes place between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed.

11:00:21

As the nurses wheeled Virgil out of the OR, Scott rushed to his side. "Virg," he said softly as the group made their way to the elevator. All told, eight people besides Virgil boarded, making for a crowded ride to the eighth floor. Megan eyed Scott and then Virgil, and had the sudden fleeting thought that perhaps these two were more than friends because they were...well, together.

God, I hope not. I can't imagine...they couldn't be gay! Goddammit, why are all the cute ones gay? No, I refuse to believe that...I won't believe it...it's something else...I can feel it... Then again, maybe it's just because I don't want him to be gay.

As they piled out of the elevator, she hung back, her mind racing as she tried to figure out what it was about all these operatives that nagged at her so, and wondering why she was wishing so fervently that Scott and Virgil weren't lovers. Suddenly, her pager went off. She studied the number carefully, but didn't recognize it. Wondering who on earth was trying to get hold of her, she made her way to a nearby pay-vidphone. She dialed the number, and it rang only once before someone picked up the line on Voice Only.

"Why, hello there, Dr. Crawford..."

11:04:02

"Thunderbird 4 to Base, initiating Emergency Launch procedure."

"F.A.B. Dr. Otayuki is, uh, still held tight in Containment One. Braman is ready to a-assist."

"Work fast, Brains."

"I-I am, Mr., uh, Jeff. I am. Good luck."

"Thanks. Thunderbird 4 out." Jeff turned to where Penny sat just behind him and to his right. She shifted in her seat as she buckled in, and winced. "Dammit, Penny, I knew you shouldn't have come along."

"Eyes on the road, Jeff. I'm fine."

He sighed and started up the small yellow submarine, more than aware it should be Gordon behind the controls and not him. "All right, hang on. Here we go."

Thunderbird 4 rose slightly on a cushion of air, and then moved quickly down Pod 4's ramp, through the hangar, out the secondary door and down the runway. Penny was amazed at their speed. Before she knew it, the end of the runway had tilted downward and they were diving into the sea.

"You know, I've never been in Thunderbird 4," she remarked.

"I don't go out in her much, I'm more of a flyboy by nature. But I stay up to speed on all the Thunderbirds. You know, just in case."

"Just in case of now."

He nodded, monitoring the instrument panel as they dove deeper and deeper into the murky depths of the Pacific Ocean. He turned on the front lamp and suddenly the world around them was illuminated, bringing light to a world few humans had experienced.

"It's beautiful," Penny breathed, leaving her seat and coming to stand next to Jeff. "No wonder Gordon loves it so much."

Jeff swallowed hard as her words hit home. He only prayed that he and Penelope made it to that sub before the Hood did.

11:09:16

The Hood stopped his subjet about two hundred feet away from his target, lowering the smaller craft to rest on the ocean floor behind a large underwater mountain. "Ah, there you are," he said to the large green square on his radar screen. "But are you really on board, Acronym?"

He considered his options. He could suit up and head over there, but breaking in would be difficult at best, even with his roving sphere and laser cutting equipment. He also desperately wanted to get his hands on Tin-Tin and probably, by default, the other operative that was with her...undoubtedly one of Jeff Tracy's sons. If he held them instead of Acronym, he'd hold all the cards, and at last International Rescue's secrets could belong to him.

Suddenly an alarm sounded from the radar. He peered at the screen, where a smaller green square was moving in from the east. It was fast approaching the submarine. "Well, what do we have here?" he said, his brow furrowed. "Could this be International Rescue themselves, coming to save their own?"

It was an interesting prospect. The Hood decided to sit tight and wait to see what unfolded. If it did turn out to be Thunderbird 4, he'd be able to get his hands not only on Tin-Tin and the other hostage, but whoever was manning their craft as well as the small sub itself. Things were beginning to look brighter and brighter.

11:12:12

Aboard Thunderbird 4, Jeff happened to glance up at his companion, who was still admiring the scenery around them. "Penny," he said softly.

She turned her face toward him, saw the look in his eyes and smiled. "Think nothing of it, Jeff. You would have done the same for me."

"But you...you could've been killed."

Her hand came to rest on his arm. "As could you," she reminded him.

"You shouldn't have...Penny, it was stupid to do what you did."

"Nonsense. I'm not one to stand by and let those I care about die senseless deaths."

He turned back to look out the cockpit window. "Those you care about?" he said, his voice barely a whisper.

She crouched down so that she was eye level with him. "Look at me."

He did.

"Yes, Jeff. Those I care about. Especially if they don't do so well at looking after themselves."

He smiled. "You're crazy."

"Yes, I suppose I am. Jeff..." She hesitated, her hand squeezing his arm.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the moment was broken by a frantic voice ringing out over the airwaves.

"Thunderbird 5 to Thunderbird 4!"

Penny rose and returned to her seat as Jeff answered the call.

"Come in, John, what is it?"

"Father, I'm picking up a transmission coming from six hundred twelve feet west of your present location."

"A transmission?"

"Yes. It's coming from the unidentified sub. But...Father..."

"What?"

"Its destination...it's the hospital in Arlington."

11:16:52

"I don't know who you think I am, Mister. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Come now, Dr. Crawford, you know exactly what I'm talking about. My son was killed when that madman bombed Washington, D.C., and it's all International Rescue's fault! There's a hefty price on their heads, and you are in a unique position to benefit from such rewards."

"Listen, the only reason I'm here is because I'm a doctor. Doctors work in hospitals."

"You are a forensic pathologist. And you operate out of Black Hawk County, Iowa. Not Arlington, Virginia."

Megan started. How in the world did this man she was talking to know where she was from? The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Something about this didn't seem quite right. There was more to this man than a grieving father who wanted revenge.

"You're close to them. I know you are. All you have to do is get my men inside that hospital. That's all you have to do. And you'll be a very rich woman."

11:18:40

"Thunderbird 4 to Scott!"

Standing between Alan and Virgil's beds, Scott raised his wrist so he could see his com watch. "Scott here."

"Are you on a vidphone call?"

"What? No, I'm in Alan and Virgil's room. They're both stable, the nurses just left. I was about to call Agent 53."

"Scott, listen to me. We're about five hundred feet out from the sub we think Gordon and Tin-Tin are aboard. John's just picked up a direct transmission from that sub to where you are."

"What?" Scott looked around the room and suddenly realized someone was missing. "Megan!"

"Find out who's on the line with that sub!"

Scott was out of the room before his father had even finished. He instructed two of the agents outside the door to stay in the room with his brothers, and told the remaining agent to get to the nurse's station and have them locate the source of the incoming call. He raced down the hall and rounded the corner. Clear down at the other end, he saw a sight that made his blood run cold.

Megan Crawford was standing in front of the vidphone on the wall.

"No," he whispered. "It can't be."

11:22:14

Tin-Tin and Gordon had been manhandled through the submarine into the control room. All was quiet for several long minutes until a man emerged from the Ready Room at the opposite end and came to stand in front of them.

"Very nice to meet you at last, Gordon Tracy," he said. Gordon just looked at him. "And you, Miss Kyrano. So lovely of you to have joined our little party."

"Who are you?" Gordon finally asked.

The man bowed slightly. "I am Acronym."

Tin-Tin gasped.

"I am afraid your father has made a grave mistake. It's such a shame, too. You really were my best hostage. But I suppose this young lady will have to do."

"What are you talking about?" Gordon asked in a near-whisper.

"I understand that Greg here has decided you shall be the one to die."

"No!" Tin-Tin cried, struggling against her captors.

Gordon's face remained unreadable as he said quietly, "My father will never give in to you."

"Not even if I kill his son?"

"Killing me will get you nowhere except higher on his shit list."

Acronym laughed. "Ah, you are so much like your father, it almost pains me to have to let this happen. But Jefferson must learn that there are consequences to his actions. As it is, I fear two of your brothers are already lying on their death beds."

"What?"

"Oh, yes, that's right, you've been locked away for so long, you've no idea what's going on, do you? Unfortunately, my operative failed in his attempt to kill your youngest brother Alan. But I think my new friend, the good doctor who has so gracefully ingratiated herself into the fold, will be coming through for me at any moment."

Large tears streamed down Tin-Tin's face as Gordon's shoulders sagged.

"You see, young Gordon, there truly is no way out of this for your family. Soon Virgil, Scott and Alan will be mine. I do apologize for what Greg is about to do to you, but all is fair in love and war."

"My father will kill you," Gordon hissed as Greg and another thug dragged him out of the control room.

"Valiant to the end," Acronym replied as they disappeared from view.

"No! Gordon! No! You can't do this! You can't do this! Take me instead! Kill me!" Tin-Tin cried, fighting to free herself from the strong hands on her arms.

"Oh, no, my dear," he said, cupping her face with his hand. "You are much too pretty to kill. Once this is all over, I have a feeling we're going to hit it off rather well."

"When hell freezes over!" she spat, jerking her head away. "Gordon," she whispered as he laughed and retreated to the Ready Room. "Oh, God. Gordon. No."

11:31:59

"Megan!" Scott called out as he ran down the length of the corridor. "Megan, what are you doing?" She jumped and turned to look in his direction. He reached her in no time and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Who were you on the phone with?" he demanded, shaking her, barely concealing his fury.

"Scott, what-? Stop, stop it!"

His grip on her tightened. "Megan, who were you talking to?"

"I-I don't know, Scott. Listen to me, listen! You, the others, they're in danger!"

"What are you talking about?"

"A man, he paged me," she said, the words tumbling out of her mouth almost faster than she could think. "When I called the number, he answered, he told me his son was killed in the attack on D.C. and that a price had been put on your heads!"

Scott let go of her and took a step back. "What?"

"It's one of the nurses, they're working for him. He knows everything, he knows the three of you are here...and Scott...he called you...he called you brothers."

He paled, his jaw dropping, then closing. He had no idea what to say to that. "What-why-why was he calling you?"

"He wanted me to get his men inside the hospital. He offered me an obscene amount of money," she said, her eyes pleading with him to believe her. "He knows I'm from Iowa, he knew so much!"

His mask slipping into place, Scott asked, "What did you tell him?"

"Nothing," she said quietly. "Only that I would do it."

"You did what?" He turned away from her, fighting the anger that surged within him.

"Scott, it was the only way!" she said, reaching out to touch his arm.

"How could you?" he said, shaking her hand off. "I trusted you."

"You still can. Scott, I'm not going to betray you! It was the only way I could get him to tell me which nurse was working for him!"

He turned around, eyeing her warily. "And then what were you going to do? Join that nurse and take us at gunpoint?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Scott, no. I know in your business it's hard to trust anyone. I understand that. But you have to believe me. I had no intention of going through with it."

"You're just backpedaling because I caught you red-handed."

"No. I'm not. I'll prove it to you."

"How?" he ground out.

Megan turned and headed for the ladies room, Scott following her closely. When they entered, she went to the second stall and crouched in front of the toilet. Reaching around behind it, she struggled with something for a moment before it came free. She turned around to face him. In her outstretched hand she held a laser pistol.

"I was supposed to take this, go find the nurse and get down to the loading dock to let his men in."

Scott looked into her eyes. He wanted so badly to believe her; to believe she'd never intended to do whatever it was the caller had asked her to. He reached out and took the gun from her hand, ripping the duct tape off it. "Which nurse were you supposed to meet?"

"Someone called Franklin. Joanna Franklin. Scott, please...you do believe me."

"I don't know what to believe," he said. "Where were you supposed to find this Nurse Franklin?"

"Fourth floor, OR 2."

"Then let's go," he said, waving the gun between her and the door.

Megan silently went ahead of him. What have I done? she thought. What have I done?

11:42:10

Jeff brought Thunderbird 4 down just one hundred feet from the medium-sized submarine that rested on the ocean bed. He turned to Penelope, who'd risen from her seat. "Are you ready for this?"

"What are we going to do, Jeff?"

"I don't know for sure. I don't want to risk injuring Gordon and Tin-Tin by firing on the sub. But maybe if I just damaged her so she couldn't get away..."

"Jeff!" she exclaimed, pointing out the front cockpit window. "What's that?"

His gaze followed her finger, and then he cut Thunderbird 4's lights. "It's another sub." They watched as a small, dark blue mini sub rose from behind an underwater mountain not three hundred feet in front of them. Without warning, Thunderbird 4's alarms began to wail. "Dammit! He's readying weapons!" Jeff said, gunning her motors. "We've got to get out of here!"

"Who is it?" she asked, holding tightly to the back of his chair.

"It's gotta be the Hood," he replied as Thunderbird 4 began to rise. "I can't just leave!" he ground out. "I can't!" The radar began to blip. "Strap in, Penny! Incoming!" Jeff jerked the yoke to the right, and Thunderbird 4 veered sharply, causing Penny to fall back into her seat. The torpedo screamed past, exploding into the rock face behind them. Jeff opened 4's front panel and two large barrels emerged.

Penny struggled to get her buckles fastened as Jeff fired his first shot. It just missed the intruding sub's tail section. The turbulence forced it to turn nose first and sink to the sand below. Just then, the larger sub's engines roared to life, turbines churning the water around them.

"No!" Jeff yelled. He took aim at one of the turbines and fired. His missile hit home, and the turbine blasted off the hull, shooting through the water and disappearing into the darkness. To his surprise, the small sub rose up as the larger one struggled to raise itself with only one working engine. "What the hell is he doing?"

They watched as it made its way toward the top of the mountain it had been hiding behind. The larger one continued its ascent, nose pointing directly at the mountain. Soon it had reached the peak, and climbed higher still. The Hood turned his craft and faced his enemy down. Thunderbird 4's klaxon sounded again as the submarine prepared to fire. But just as it did, the Hood's sub rose vertically, putting it out of harm's way.

Five long minutes passed as the blip on Jeff's radar screen that represented the huge torpedo streaked away. Jeff sank bank, watching it in disbelief. There was nothing he could do. Nothing at all. Then they heard an explosion the likes of which sent chills down their spines and into their very marrow. The ocean bed shook violently, shockwaves slamming into Thunderbird 4.

Her back screaming out in protest at being tossed about so violently, Penny managed to gasp, "What happened?" as the larger submarine, its second engine failing, began to sink.

"I don't know," Jeff replied. "That torpedo's hit something but good." Fighting Thunderbird 4's controls to keep her on keel, he checked the longitudinal map on one of the monitors and all color drained from his face.

"Jeff? What is it?"

"Fiji," he breathed in disbelief. "The Lau Group. My God."

He moved the yoke and Thunderbird 4 began rising through the water. Up and up and up she went until at last she broke through the surface. What Jeff and Penny saw stopped both their hearts.

For not five miles in front of them, a large plume of smoke and water rose into the air. Tidal waves careened into Thunderbird 4, engulfing her, tossing the small craft like a child's toy.

"What's happening?"

"It must have hit the rock bed on the outer islands, the Laus. God, Penny. The people. The people!"

11:54:06

Gordon was led back to the room he and Tin-Tin had shared earlier. He'd tried everything he could to escape the two thugs who had him, but at last Greg had cold-cocked him, sending his world tumbling out of control. He was barely conscious when they dragged him into the room, turning the light on from a panel outside the door.

Greg had spent the better part of the last fifteen minutes trying to bring Gordon to his senses on the premise that he wanted him fully aware when he met his end. He'd just begun regaining his balance when the floor jerked beneath them, sending all three sprawling to the floor. Two machine pistols flew from two hands. One landed right near Gordon's face and he grabbed it, fighting to make his brain work, fighting to gather his wits, to try and make sense of what was happening.

"What the hell was that?" Greg yelled.

"We've been hit!" the other thug replied. "Where's my gun?"

"Over here, asshole," Gordon said, his voice low and menacing. He'd scooted back along the floor and propped himself up against the wall. He now held the thug's gun level with his eyes as the sub tilted backwards. Gordon planted his feet on the floor, trying to keep from slipping. Truth be told, he was seeing about three thugs and, to his right, about four Gregs.

"Get him, Paul! He won't shoot you, he's a member of International Rescue."

"Don't bank on it," Gordon replied, swinging the gun in Greg's direction. He could tell by the sound of the motors that one engine had gone dead, while the other struggled to level the ship. Then another sound came to his ears.

The sub was taking on water.

Quick as lightning, Greg launched himself forward and grabbed his gun from the floor. He landed on his back and turned to where Gordon had been leaning against the wall. "What the-? Where'd he go?"

Before he or Paul could react, the door clanged shut. They heard the lock click, and both men sprang to their feet.

"No!" they cried in unison, pounding against the metal bulkhead. "No!"

Their cries sounded faint to Gordon as he closed his eyes and staggered back into the door. The hall was spinning and he couldn't make it stop no matter what he did. He sank to his knees, the gun in his hand falling to the floor. Stomach twisting and turning, he fell forward, hands stopping him momentarily until his arms gave out and he landed on the floor face-first, air whooshing out of his lungs.

The last thing he saw was the water rising to meet him.

11:59:58

11:59:59

12:00:00