Hour Twenty-One

The following takes place between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed.

08:00:10

Scott landed Thunderbird 1 on Sydney Hospital's helipad and offloaded the Turners, thanking them profusely for their assistance and arranging transportation for them to return to the United States. He then gave Ned Cook instructions for locating appropriate telecast equipment before heading down into the hospital itself to meet with the police, who were already waiting in the top floor observation lounge, a recent addition Scott had noticed the last time Virgil had been brought here after a rescue.

"Hello, I'm Deputy Commissioner Murray Abrams," said a tall, redheaded man dressed in a navy blue suit. He reached out and shook Scott's hand. "This is Detective Anthony Field." Scott shook a slightly shorter brown-haired man's hand. "The Minister of Police requested our presence here to help you find your mate. Our city is proud to be of assistance to International Rescue...although not at all proud that one of yours has been snatched right from under our noses."

"You've searched the hospital already?"

"Yes. No sign of Mr. Kyrano, I'm afraid. We've got a twenty-mile radius 'round here blocked off. We believe we have the ambulance this Acronym stole in our sights."

"I'm Dr. Evan Page, I'm the Director of Sydney Hospital." Scott watched as a balding older gentleman approached and shook his offered hand. "I must apologize for what's happened here, Sir. I don't know how they got out of here without anyone noticing."

"Acronym is nothing if not sneaky and well-informed," Scott replied. He turned back to Mr. Abrams. "You say they're in pursuit of the ambulance now?" Abrams nodded. But before he could say anything else, the detective's CB radio crackled to life.

"Unit Twelve calling Mobile Control."

"Come in, Unit Twelve." Scott managed a ghost of a smile at the use of those two words...words he had said more times than he could count.

"We've apprehended the suspect, Detective. The man he kidnapped is a bit lightheaded, but seems otherwise unharmed."

"They've got him?" Scott bellowed.

"Get them down to the station right away. We'll meet you there." Detective Field turned to Scott. "Yes. They've got him."

"I love Australia," Scott said, a broad smile gracing his tired features.

All present smiled and nodded as the detective asked, "You coming along?"

"You bet I am. I have a few choice words for that...sonofabitch."

08:11:23

The first thing the Hood did after being freed was make one well-placed vidphone call to New South Wales, Australia. He knew that his call would not go unnoticed, so he ordered his niece to take him to wherever International Rescue stored its weapons. And all in all, it didn't matter if these idiots did come down to Thunderbird 2's hangar and catch him. After all, he now had two bargaining chips...Tin-Tin and, very soon, Acronym.

He wasn't counting on the stroke of good fortune about to come his way.

08:13:16

"I don't get it. Everyone's accounted for but Tin-Tin. I can't raise her."

"But why would she phone Australia?" Gordon asked.

"Don't know."

"To check up on her father?"

Jeff shook his head. "I can't see her doing it. She's been hell-bent on getting the UH-3 counter agent into Thunderbird 3. Why would she suddenly be down in Thunderbird 2 hangar?"

The coffee cup Gordon was lifting to his lips stopped halfway there. His amber eyes looked directly into his father's blue-gray ones. They spoke their next words in unison.

"The Hood."

Jeff jabbed a line to the lab open. "Brains! Penny! Make sure you're secure in there! We think the Hood's gotten loose again!"

"Oh, no! Tin-Tin!" Penny cried.

"Securing now!" Brains called out as he headed for the main entry.

"Base to Thunderbird 5!"

"Here, Father, what's wrong?"

Gordon was already taking the passenger elevator down to the hangar. He tapped his foot impatiently on the metal floor as he clutched a laser pistol he'd grabbed. "Goddammit, you bastard," he spat. "If I get a clear shot, you're goin' down."

"John, we think the Hood's loose on Base again. And we can't account for Tin-Tin."

"She doesn't have her watch, Dad, I can't locate her. What do you want me to do?"

"That remote for Braman...is it functioning?"

"Yeah, I've used it already today."

"Right. He should be done manufacturing the counter agent. Even if he's not, take control of him and get him down to Thunderbird 2 hangar. He's the only one of us not susceptible to those damn eyes. And try a thermal scan of the island."

"I don't know, Dad. From this distance..."

"Just try it, son. Just try it."

"F.A.B."

Jeff ran and grabbed a laser pistol for himself. By this time the elevator had returned to the hall just outside the Lounge, and he stepped inside. He only hoped Gordon wouldn't do anything rash before he could get there to help him.

08:19:53

"Island dead ahead," Virgil said to Alan as he banked for final approach.

"I don't like this," Alan said, coming to stand next to his brother. "John says all hell's broken loose down there."

"I know, Al, I know."

They flew gracefully across the water and over the outer edge of the runway. But the palm trees had not fallen away, which meant the giant machine wouldn't fit between them. Virgil had no choice but to land his ship on the portion of the tarmac that, during take-off, would rise upward to help Thunderbird 2 launch.

"Now I know something's wrong." Virgil helped Alan down into the pod, where they found Grandma, Dr. Gray, Parker and a woozy Megan waiting for them. He then raised Thunderbird 2 until she stood one hundred twenty feet off the ground.

"Why did you stop us out here?" Ruth asked.

"Trouble, Grandma. You, Alan, Megan and Dr. Gray stay here. Parker, as Lady Penelope would say, get the Rolls Royce. We're going for a little drive."

"Yes, Sir," Parker replied with a smile as he unfastened the straps holding the car in place.

"I will not stay here!" Ruth cried.

"Grandma, please! Alan and Megan, look at 'em! They need you!"

Dr. Gray turned to Ruth. "He's right. If something's wrong, well, we can't just leave two invalids here alone to fend for themselves."

"I am not an invalid!" Alan cried. But as everyone watched, he paled considerably.

"Al? You okay?"

"Uh...yeah, Virg...fine."

"You don't look fine."

Alan began to sweat, beads of liquid appearing on his forehead. Dr. Gray became alarmed, and went to his side. "You need to lie down."

"No! I need to help Dad!"

"Alan, do as Dr. Gray says."

"Virgil..." Alan said, swooning a bit as a wave of dizziness swept over him.

"Alan!" Ruth exclaimed, coming to his other side. She smoothed his hair as his breathing became labored. "Dr. Gray, help him!"

Virgil was very concerned for his brother, but he took advantage of his grandmother being distracted and hopped into the back seat of FAB One. Parker started the engine, and before anyone else knew what was happening, the car was racing toward the cliff wall.

"That grandson of mine sure is sneaky," Ruth observed as she watched them go.

Dr. Gray was supporting Alan almost entirely now. "No, he's smart. Now come on, let's get Alan onto something more comfortable than this hard metal floor."

Megan watched as the doctor carried Alan in his arms to the far end of the Pod, with Ruth following close behind. She turned to look at where the red taillights of the most shockingly pink thing she'd ever seen had come to a stop. "I wonder if Scott's here," she whispered, sinking into a nearby chair Ruth had brought out earlier. She winced as her body cried out in protest. "God, what a mess I am."

"And about to become more of a mess!"

Megan jumped, but couldn't get herself to her feet. She peered into the darkness outside and her eyes widened as two figures appeared before her. One was a dark-haired woman about her age. The other was an older man with a bald head. He was holding a gun in one hand and the woman's arm with the other.

"Well, hello," he sneered, walking up the ramp and into the lit Pod. "I don't believe we have met."

"Who are you?" Megan asked as she began to shake. She wasn't sure why, but this man terrified her.

"Your worst nightmare."

08:26:02

Scott, the deputy commissioner and the detective arrived at the precinct only to find utter chaos. All three ran into the building, where they were greeted with what could only be described as a massacre. Policemen and women lay scattered throughout the large room that was the precinct's main hub. Fire fighters and medics scurried from body to body, but had thus far not found any survivors.

"Dear God," Abrams breathed.

Scott looked away from a redheaded woman's lifeless body. His eyes caught sight of something moving in the hall ahead of him. He drew his weapon and walked forward, but as he got closer he realized no weapon was needed.

"Kyrano!" The man fell into the wall, and Scott raced to his side. "Kyrano, it's me, it's Scott. Are you hurt?"

He looked up into cobalt blue eyes and smiled weakly. "No. I will recover. But Tin-Tin."

"What about her? She's safe, she's back on Base."

"No, Scott. She is not safe."

"What are you talking about?" he asked as he supported the smaller man's weight.

"It is the Hood," Kyrano said, eyes filling with tears. "He has her again."

"It can't be. It can't be! Detective!"

"You found him!"

"Where's Acronym?"

"They found the two men who escorted them in here. One is dead, but the other was able to give us an idea of what happened. Ten armed men stormed the building; they're the ones who shot the place up. They took Acronym."

"But why did they leave Kyrano alive?"

The detective shook his head sadly. "I don't know. But so many of our own are dead."

"Detective, please, I need to get back to Thunderbird 1, and quickly."

The man nodded. "I'll take you back in the cruiser."

Scott helped Kyrano out to the car. "Scott, my daughter...if the Hood takes her..."

"Don't you worry. We're gonna stop that bastard once and for all," he said as they slid into the back seat of the car. "First him, and then I'll find Acronym. This is gonna end. And it's gonna end now."

08:35:45

"There's no one here, Father!" Gordon called out from the other end of the conveyer belt.

"No one here, either!"

Braman exited the Maintenance Bay and headed for the center of the hangar. "No one here," he said flatly. "Please instruct."

"John," Jeff said as he approached the live feed coming from Braman's chest, "what about that thermal scan?"

"It's hard to get it pinpointed so closely from up here, Dad, but I think I've got a good idea of where there are life signs." He looked down at a panel on the console in front of him. "I read two coming from south of your position."

"That'd be Penny and Brains."

"I can see you and Gordon here, too. Dad! There are two forms directly outside the hangar!"

Jeff nodded. He motioned to Gordon, who nodded as well. They headed for the smaller door leading out to the tarmac. John took control of Braman again and stood him directly in front of it. In his hands the robot held a laser rifle. John lifted it and took aim. "Okay, Dad. Go."

Jeff punched a code into the control panel on the wall. The small hangar door began to slide down into the ground. Jeff and Gordon raised their guns, ready to fire. But they weren't greeted with the Hood and Tin-Tin. They were greeted with...

"Parker!" Penny cried, racing forward to meet them.

For there, cannon peeking out from its grill, was none other than FAB One.

Brains approached a little more slowly, but he had a huge smile on his face. "Boy, a-am I glad they're here."

"So am I. How are ya, Brains?"

"Good, uh, Jeff. We got the powder finished and loaded onto Thunderbird 3. The, uh, the only problem is that, uh, on our way down, we found the load of powder that, uh, Tin-Tin was supposed to have taken."

"Did you see her?"

"No, Sir. No sign of her. A-And you were right about the Hood. The door to, uh, Containment Unit 2 was, uh, wide open."

Virgil winced as Parker helped him from the car. No one noticed the flap to Pod 5 closing in the distance. "Dad!" Virgil cried as soon as he was free from the Rolls Royce. "Gordon!"

Jeff hugged him, and then watched as the brothers embraced. "Where's Alan?" he asked, looking off in the distance at the great shadow near the far end of the runway.

"He's back in the pod, he's not doing too well. Dr. Gray and Grandma are looking after him."

"Virg?" Gordon asked as he pulled away from his brother.

"Yeah?"

"Why'd you close the Pod door?"

Virgil hopped on his good foot, turning around so he could take a look. "I didn't. Maybe Grandma thought it would be a good idea. When John told us what happened, we all got worried." He turned to face his father. "What's this about the Hood?"

"We had him locked up in Containment Unit 2, but he's escaped. And we can't find Tin-Tin."

Virgil, Gordon, Penny and Brains exchanged glances with Jeff before they all turned to face Thunderbird 2 again.

"Oh, God," Jeff breathed. He walked to the control panel and opened a line. "This is Base to Thunderbird 2. Base calling Thunderbird 2. Come in."

He received no response.

"Oh, Jeff, you don't think he's on board?" Penny asked as she and Parker approached him.

"Dad, if he is..."

"I know, Gordon, I know!" Jeff said. He turned back to the panel. "Control calling Thunderbird 2. Answer!"

"Well, well, well, Jeff Tracy. It seems Acronym did not kill you after all!"

"The Hood," Penny breathed.

Pain shot through Virgil as his leg began to object to his use of it in earnest. He fell back onto the hood of FAB One. Brains rushed to his side and saw blood seeping through his pant leg. "Virgil, w-we have to get you to the Ward!"

"No," Virgil ground out.

"What do you want, Hood?" Jeff growled.

"Oh, I have what I want, International Rescue. At last, Thunderbird 2 is mine."

"Over my dead body," Jeff replied, his voice barely a whisper.

"That can easily be arranged. One shot into that hangar from this magnificent ship's cannons, and you can say goodbye to this world."

Everyone just looked at each other.

"Of course, I think I would prefer to start with those on board."

Another voice cut through the line. "Thunderbird 1 to Base."

"Scott!" Jeff said, hope rising within him. "Scott, come in!"

"Father, I have Kyrano! He's weak, but unharmed. Acronym's gone!"

"What do you mean, Acronym's gone?"

"I don't know, a whole gang of men stormed the precinct, Dad, they killed almost every officer on duty! And they took Acronym!"

The Hood's voice came through on the first line. "I think I might begin with this lovely young lady who won't tell me her name. It seems you have a new one in the nest. Perhaps she shall be the first to die."

"Father, what the-who the hell is that?"

"The Hood, Scott. He's got Tin-Tin and he's on board Thunderbird 2."

"Virgil..."

"No, Virgil and Parker are inside the hangar with me."

"Alan?"

"I'm afraid he's still on board. As are Mother, Dr. Gray and Dr. Crawford."

"What? Dad, I'm ten minutes out and I'm gunning it!"

"What're you gonna do, Scott, for Chrissakes?" Virgil asked, sweat beginning to run down his face. "You can't fire on 'em!"

"I-I-"

"Or perhaps I shall begin the carnage with this older woman here. She is, I think, your mother, is she not, Jeff Tracy?"

Jeff paled considerably. He reopened the line to Thunderbird 2. "I'll ask you again. What do you want?"

"It is quite simple. I am a reasonable man. And this is only business. I want Thunderbird 2."

Virgil began to protest, but Jeff held up his hand to silence him. "And what do I get in return?"

Thunderbird 2 lowered over her pod. They could do nothing but stand and watch. Then the side hatch opened, and stairs folded out. Soon two figures emerged. They could hear one of them crying.

"Mother!" Jeff cried as he raced out the hangar door. But Thunderbird 2's automatic weapons fired in a straight line directly in front of him, stopping him in his tracks.

"I have given you a gift, Jeff Tracy," the Hood's voice boomed over the ship's external loudspeakers. "I will leave with Thunderbird 2, and you shall have...Acronym."

"Acronym? You have him?"

"Yes. My men were successful in their attempt to take him from those simpleminded police in Sydney."

"What about the others?"

"They will be released as soon as I have reached my destination."

"How do I know you'll keep your word?"

The Hood laughed as Dr. Gray and Ruth came running toward Jeff. "You don't. But if you or Thunderbird 1 tries to stop me, I will kill everyone on board. Including your youngest son."

08:54:30

"I can see the island," Scott said as he flew in from the side opposite the runway. "Kyrano, we've got to do something!"

"But what can we do?"

"Scott, this is your father."

"Dad, I'm almost there, what's goin' on?"

"Is Ned Cook with you?"

"Yes, Father, and we have the broadcasting equipment."

"Set down behind the mountain and have Kyrano get Ned hooked up in the Lounge."

"But Dad, what about the Hood?"

"Mother and Dr. Gray have been freed."

"That means he still has Al, Tin-Tin and...Meg."

"Yes."

"Dad..."

"Son, you get to Thunderbird 3 and get her in the air. Brains, you go with him. We need that counter agent in place. And pick John up from the station. You'll need his help."

"But Dad..."

"No, Scott. No buts. There are millions of lives to be saved. It's your responsibility to do that now."

"Yes, Father," Scott whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

Virgil, Penny, Brains and Gordon all stared at Jeff. "Dad?" Gordon said. "What do we do?"

What could they do? If he allowed the Hood to leave in Thunderbird 2, his son, Kyrano's daughter and one of their agents would surely die. And the Hood would have his hands on a significant piece of their technology. But he couldn't use weapons on them, or he'd kill them all himself. He looked at each expectant face and his heart sank. They were all waiting for him to come up with something, a plan, a way out of this, a way to save the lives of those they loved.

But Jefferson Tracy was out of ideas. And the clock was ticking.

08:59:58

08:59:59

09:00:00