The Ransom (Part 22)
By Jenny Taylor
High above the Earth lays the space station of the world's most famous and invaluable organisation, Thunderbird 5 of International Rescue. John and the station's A.I. EOS is waiting for a certain call, the call that will lead to the location of his missing older brother, Virgil and their evil and criminal, masterminding nemesis who kidnapped the said brother, The Hood.
"Calling International Rescue!"
Right on cue, a call comes through, but this is no ordinary call and both John and EOS know it. Automatically they spun into action with EOS already tracking and pinpointing the signal while John answers the call in his usual manner of calm.
"This is International Rescue. What is your situation?" He chimed in a regular rhythm.
"I believe that this is your situation, Jonathan Glenn Tracy." Came the cold menacing voice of the world's most wanted criminal, which sent shivers of dread down the red-head's spine. "Namely the fate of your precious brother, Virgil Grissom Tracy… IF you would be so kind and put me through to your eldest brother, I have an important discussion with him."
"He's just been called out to a rescue mission about 5 minutes ago." John lied, hoping that he too can delay the Hood as much as he could too, so it can give EOS, Brains and himself more time to locate the villain. "He cannot contact you now as he's busy with the rescue situation."
"That's just too bad." The villain said darkly and sarcastically, "I might as well dispose of your brother right now, since you've all decided to save your precious International Rescue instead of your brother."
"NO! WAIT!" John almost panicked and then sighed in defeat. "Fine! I'll link you up with Scott." John swears that he can sense the Hood smiling.
"I am glad that you have changed your mind, Jonathan Glenn Tracy." The criminal mastermind replied gleefully.
Meanwhile in the cockpit of Thunderbird 2…
"How long do we have to wait until the Hood shows his face?" Alan asked his eldest brother. Several minutes ago he was excited, which a few minutes later he became bored and now, he feels worried and a bit frightened.
"Not long now, Alan." Scott replied, sensing the fear coming from the youngest of the family, sitting behind him.
Suddenly, the radio crackled into life."Thunderbird 5 calling Thunderbird 2. Scott, do you read me?"
"Loud and clear John. What's the update on the mission?" Scott answered his middle brother's call, knowing full well that this call is the one that they're waiting for.
"The Hood has just called, I tried to tell him that you're busy with a mission, but he threatened dump Virgil here and now IF I didn't connect you to him immediately!" Scott sighed and shook his head.
"This is it guys," Scott told the Terrible Twosome as Gordon leaves the room and heads down to Thunderbird 4 and Alan takes Gordon's vacated co-pilot seat. When Gordon is out of sight, Scott turns to speak to his space-bound brother's hologram. "Put him through John." John nodded and his hologram is replaced with the faceless figure of the most evil and wanted villain on the planet, The Hood.
On the Hood's ship above the Pacific Ocean...
The Hood stands at the outdoor main control console, glancing to one side and down towards the bound Tracy brother while he is waiting for the middle Tracy to connect him to the eldest Tracy brother. He had just spoken to the astronaut a couple of minutes ago.
Suddenly, a noise from the console draws the villain away from his victim and towards, to which now appears, the holograms of the eldest and the youngest Tracy brothers, sitting in what the evil-minded villain believes is the cockpit of Thunderbird 2.
"What do you want Hood?" An angry looking Scott asked. "I'm in a middle of a rescue mission here!"
"So I heard," The villain smiled slyly before returning to business. "It would seem that you've already decided on your brother's fate."
"What do you mean?" Scott quizzed angrily, not liking on what the Hood is going to say next, until Alan spoke.
"ETA 10 minutes until we reach the Danger Zone." Alan reported.
"F.A.B. Alan." Scott replied as he steered the controls.
"Have you forgotten the deadline Tracy or do I need to remind you?" The villain spoke coldly, with a hint of anger in his voice, as he shoots Alan with a deadly glare, which made the young astronaut shiver in fear.
"NO! Not Virgil! Please!" He cried in panic as he turns from looking at the Hood to Scott. "Scott! Please! PLEASE SAVE VIRGIL!" Fear has spread over Alan's face as his baby blue eyes, filled with sadness and tears are threatening to fall as he begs his eldest brother for an answer, hoping that Scott's answer would hopefully save the music-loving peacekeeper of the family from death.
"ALAN!" Barked Scott at him. His cold steel eyes met the eyes of his baby brother, silently telling Alan to be quiet. Alan backed down and reluctantly returned to his 'duty'. When Scott is satisfied on his brother's 'actions' he turned to look at the hologram of the evil, faceless man.
"Give me more time!" Scott demanded with a bit more force than he would have liked, plus a hint of begging-cum-pleading in his voice. "I haven't had a chance to think it through properly due to the back to back rescues we had ever since you contacted us," His voice rose in anger. "Including, the video showing my brother being tortured by your men!"
The villain smiled at the recollecting pleasure on seeing the strongest Tracy brother being reduced to a helpless, shivering wreck by the hands of his own men who dumped 4 buckets of freezing water and ice onto his prisoner, on that fateful incident nearly 26 hours ago.
On Thunderbird 2...
"I am glad to give you the pleasure upon seeing your brother's suffering." He smiled with evil delight. "And speaking of your brother," The villain clicked his fingers and then another hologram appeared showing three men, two wearing black helmets, flanking and holding the arms of the third.
"VIRGIL!" Alan screamed almost into Scott's ear hole at the sudden sight of their kidnapped brother. Scott gasped in shock. They can clearly see that Virgil's condition had deteriorated since they last saw him about 26 hours ago.
Scott can feel the anger building up inside him. He turned to look at a horrified Alan before turning to look back at the hologram of his intermediate younger brother. He can clearly see that Virgil will need medical attention once they rescue him. Suddenly, the voice of the calm space monitor broke the minds of the oldest and the youngest of the brothers.
"5 minutes until you reach the Danger Zone, guys." John informed his brothers. Scott snapped back into reality and responded to his space-bound brother.
"F.A.B. John." He replied as he pulled Thunderbird 2 to a hover position readying to deploy Module 4 into the ocean.
"As I said before, it looks like that you've made your decision on your brother's fate." The Hood spoke, sounding a little annoyed.
"I TOLD you that I've haven't!" Scott answered back as he pushed the button to release the Module.