The lounge appeared on Thunderbird 5's holo-projector and the residents looked up at the level of the portraits, a surprise was suddenly plastered on a few faces and John realised Anneka's hand was in his.

"And what is this situation John? A sudden relationship?" Gordon smirked from the sofa.

John rubbed the kiss mark off his cheek, "Never mind that. A submarine is taking on water; they'll sink if we don't get there now."

"Understood. Gordon, take Thunderbird 4 out there, Virgil go with him." Scott looked towards his brothers, and from Thunderbird 5 Anneka watched as the man who had been chilling out at the piano the previous day now in a stance of authority.

"FAB." Virgil stood up and walked over to the portrait of a rocket, he stood against it and Anneka watched as the painting tilted up and Virgil disappeared from the room.

"What the heck?" Anneka gasped and from her side she heard John laugh.
"That's how Virgil gets down to Thunderbird 2, standard procedure. Scott, are you going with them?"

"I don't see why not."

"You're not really needed unless you think you can haul the submarine back up."

Brains smiled, "Thunderbird 2 and 4 should be able to do this easily enough, Thunderbird 1 doesn't need to go out."

Scott immediately pouted and Anneka saw where Alan got it from, "Fine. We'll live stream though, I want to know what's going on whilst they're on the mission."

John nodded, "I'll patch one through when they get out there ok? For now, I'll check in on Captain Harper at the danger site, Thunderbird 5 out."

"So, what can I do John?" Anneka stood by the wall watching John swipe between screens.

"I need to go to the main control room, you're welcome to come but there isn't any gravity there."

Anneka felt uneasy inside but she didn't want to leave John's side, "I'll come with you."

John smiled and cupped her chin in his hands before he kissed her, "It's just zero gravity, you'll be fine. I'll look after you. EOS?"

EOS came back online, "Yes John?"

"Could you get me a link up with the captain of the S.S Manwell again please?" John opened the main door to the control centre and floated into it holding Anneka's hand tightly.

"Of course."

Back on the Island, Thunderbird 2 took off and set course for the Atlantic Ocean with Thunderbird 4 sitting comfortably in the Pod, Scott leant back on the sofa in the lounge with Kayo who draped her arm around his shoulders rubbing them gently, the holoprojector was glowing gently above the table ready to show the mission live for the rest of the family.

"Thunderbird 5 to S.S Manwell, come in please?" John frowned slightly in worry at the silence from the submarine, "Are you still receiving us?"

"International Rescue, yes we're still here. We're trying to get to the highest points in our sub but the faster we go down, the faster the water rises."

"Understood. Help is on the way, they're about fifteen minutes away."

Anneka's eyebrows rose in surprise, she already knew about the advanced capabilities of the birds, but only fifteen minutes away, "They're that close already?"

John nodded at her, "I'll tell you the speed in a minute. Hold tight Mr. Harper, we're going to get you out of there," He watched the symbols on the map move and the little green ship of Thunderbird 2 approaching the Atlantic.

"Thank you. Standing by." Captain Harper signed off and the globe reverted back to just showing the ship patterns.

"Thunderbird 2 is at top speed Anneka, which is 5000mph. They'll be there in no time."

"5000? That's crazy!" Anneka grinned.

"Thunderbird 2 calling Thunderbird 5?"

John activated Virgil's call symbol, "Go ahead."

"We're at the danger zone, launching Thunderbird 4. I've suggested he goes in from the side, have you tracked where they are in the submarine? Oh and good to see you're safe Anneka."

Anneka blushed, "I'm fine Virgil, thanks. Good luck."

John squeezed Anneka's waist, "We're fine. And yes Virgil, I have. They're on the second bridge, the lower deck is flooding fast, Gordon will have to cut in from an evacuation door and get the crew into dry tubes and possibly Thunderbird 4 itself."

Virgil nodded, "Ok then. You heard that Gordo?"

"FAB. Going EVA now."

"Be careful little brother, keep in contact."

"I will. I've locked Thunderbird 4 to the submarine but now we're both slowly going down, will report back when I have the first crew member. Out."

"Will he be ok John?" Anneka floated nervously, now not even caring about the non-existent gravity.

John pulled her close, "Hey relax, they know what they're doing. Gordon does this all the time, he'll be fine."

"If you say so."

Gordon swam down to the emergency hatch and pulled on the handle, with no movement he groaned, "Virgil, the door is jammed by something, possibly power failure from the flooding."

"Any way you can budge it?"

"I'm not sure."

Scott bounced his leg nervously and Kayo held it down, "Gordon, can't you cut the door open?"

"That would risk the water coming out even quicker and possibly drag us down further, I'll have to find another way in, this way won't work."

"FAB." Scott looked down in worry and felt Kayo's fingers brush his neck, he smiled slightly and reached up to squeeze her hand.

John scanned the submarine and found a corridor Gordon could cut into without endangering the crew's lives, "Gordon, there is a corridor coming up in a couple of meters, this seems the best entrance to get them in and out."

"But John, surely that will make us sink quicker?" Gordon swam around until he found the spot John was talking about.

"Trust me Gordon, this is the best option. They're just above this corridor."

Gordon frowned and began to cut, "If you say so."

"Virgil, what is going on down there?" Scott looked up at Virgil's hologram.

"I don't know Scott, I'm standing by in case Gordon needs help."

"It'll be fine boys, you've faced worse," Kayo smiled with reassurance as Scott and Virgil exchanged a worried look at each other, "We can do this."

"Thanks Kayo," Virgil sighed and gave her a smile from Thunderbird 2.

Gordon called the crew as he cut, "Thunderbird 4 to S.S Manwell crew, are you all in your suits?"

"Affirmative International Rescue."

"Good, because when I get to you, we'll need to swim." He cut through the hull and found himself in the corridor, the water began to flow in again and he swam up to the surface to the door between himself and the crew, "Open up."

Captain Harper turned to his crew and told them to put their oxygen masks on before he opened the door to let Gordon in, "Thank you for coming."

"How many are you?"

"Six including myself, it's not a very big submersible."

Gordon smiled, "That's fine. I'll take you two at a time, who's first?"

From up in Thunderbird 5 John watched the evacuation and the symbol of his brother moving back and forth between Thunderbird 4 and the submarine, "If he doesn't get on with this, Thunderbird 4 will be too low to be able to restart engines."

"Does Gordon know that?" Anneka frowned at the holo image of the ocean, "Should we warn him?"

John shook his head, "Not yet, he'll be focussed on the mission."

"Base from Thunderbird 4, going back for the last two now."

"Hurry it up Gordon, Thunderbird 4 can't go any lower or else you're going to find it very hard to get back to the surface," Scott frowned at his younger brother.

"It's fine Scott, I've got this." Gordon swam back into the hatch and to the last two crew members, Mr. Harper and a young technician, the sub continued to sink and Gordon pulled them out gently.

Anneka bit her fingernails absentmindedly, "Will they make it?"
"I don't know, Thunderbird 4 is dangerously close to being too deep to be able to get back to the surface."

Gordon looked back over his shoulder as he swam to the two crew members, "Hurry, we haven't much time before we're too deep."

"Lieutenant Bryson, keep up."

"Sorry Captain, I twisted my ankle in the bulk explosion, kicking with one leg is slowing me down."

Gordon went back to Bryson, "I'll help you, here."

Bryson smiled, "Thank you sir."

"Please call me Gordon."

The group swam up to the entrance to Thunderbird 4 and the three went inside, Gordon sealed the airlock and helped the two crew members into the passenger hold before taking his place in the cockpit.

"Gordon, I've got the dry tubes on board, the crew are fine. Have you got the last two?" Virgil asked over the intercom.

"Affirmative Virg, we're on our way up." Gordon unlocked Thunderbird 4 from the sub's side and prepared the engines, there was nothing, "Or not? Virgil, my engines have ceased to function."

"What's happened?"

"I can't explain it, we're still sinking but no longer attached to the Manwell."

John looked at the symbols, "Gordon, you're too deep. Thunderbird 4 has gone past her maximum diving capability."

"Oh shit. How do I get out of it?"
John shook his head, "I don't have any suggestions at the moment."

"So am I just to sit here sinking with two innocent people?" Gordon's eyes watered slightly.

"No, don't think like that Gordon."

Scott's voice came through the transmission, "What about the grabs? Shall I get out there?"
"The grabs? That could work you know." Virgil smiled and locked the targets over Thunderbird 4, "I'll try it Gordon, I'm going to have to get low though."

"Just don't damage my ship brother."

"You think I'm worried about yours? Mine isn't waterproof."

"Guys, enough joking, this is a serious situation." Scott looked between them shaking his head slightly.

Kayo laughed, "Relax Scott, they know what they're doing."

Scott shot her a glare, "I'm always relaxed."

"Sure you are. That's why your trainer has left an indent in the carpet from tapping."

Virgil lowered Thunderbird 2 to almost resting on the water and fired the grabs down to Thunderbird 4, they locked on and Virgil narrowed his eyes, "Hold on Gordon, lifting you now. Activate your engines as soon as you're in your depth, I'm going to need your help possibly."

"You've got it big guy."

Thunderbird 2 pulled back and Thunderbird 4 began to rise, the submarine fell away below them to the dark depths and soon enough Gordon was at the safe level to activate his engines, they purred gently and he smiled.

"Ok Virgil, Thunderbird 4 is back in service. I'll take it from here."

"It's alright, I'll get you to the surface. The pod is in place."

Scott sighed in relief and lay back against the sofa pulling Kayo into a hug to which she giggled, "Good to hear they're ok."

John smiled at Anneka, "This is our job."

"Wow, so much stress, how do you deal with it?"

"We do our best, hence why Virgil plays the piano and we have pool challenges. Keeps our minds off successes and fails."

Anneka sighed, "Just hope they're ok."

"Come on, we'll return to the Island for their arrival," He extended his hand to hers and smiled as she entwined her fingers around his, "Prepare the space elevator please EOS."

"Yes John." EOS flashed green at John and Anneka.