Scott couldn't work out if he was dreaming or awake. His head felt heavy and his eyes seemed glued together. His body wasn't obeying instructions but, gradually, he was able to crack open an eye to discover that he was in the back seat of a car, speeding along a motorway. He groaned, trying to sit up properly, despite the seat belt holding him back. He attempted to coordinate his arms but felt a firm hand push him firmly against his seat."

"Easy now, fella," said Ted. "You're not going anywhere."

Scott moved his head and focussed his eyes on the guy in the high-viz jacket he had met at the docks. He then looked down at himself and was shocked to see that he was wearing civilian clothes and not his uniform. He tried to organise his mouth to speak.

"What…..? Happening…..?"

Ted sniggered. "Don't worry, we've got your gear nicely packed away for your new owners."

"Owners?" Scott decided that he must definitely be dreaming this as it made no sense.

"If we get stopped by the police or even just at a traffic light, we don't want you looking too conspicuous so you'll have to make do with these clothes for now."

"Don't forget the beer," reminded Charlie, who was driving the car.

"Oh right, yeah."

Scott heard the sound of a can opening with a hiss and was then shocked by half a can of beer being splashed on his face and shirt. It didn't smell good but it made him more awake and he gave an exclamation of surprise. Charlie laughed. "Now if anyone asks, you're just our mate who has drunk too much and we're taking you home while you sleep it off in the car."

"What's going on here?" demanded Scott, his voice sounding to himself less like a victim and more like the Field Commander of International Rescue.

"You don't have to worry about us, mate. Just stay still and do as we say. It's the next lot that are likely to give you the grief." Ted and Charlie laughed and Ted checked his phone and whistled.

"Two million is the latest bid for our 'drunk' friend."

"Oh, we'll get much more than that," Charlie replied. "The word's only just getting around.

Scott's brain was trying to process what he was hearing. "I'm being sold?" he asked, confused.

"You're just a commodity to us, sunshine."

"Now look here!" said Scott indignantly. "Stop this car immediately! You're mad, both of you. I'm the member of a philanthropic rescue organisation, not an oil painting."

Charlie and Ted laughed heartily at this, much to Scott's chagrin, and Scott started to struggle in earnest, trying to find the seat belt release while simultaneously calculating his likelihood of survival if he threw himself out of the car at its current speed.

"Stab him." said Charlie and, before Scott could accomplish anything, Ted leant over and Scott felt a sharp pain in his thigh. The, now familiar, feeling of oblivion rushed towards him and he was out cold in seconds.

Ted and Charlie chuckled again as their prize ticket stopped struggling and fell back into his seat, head lolling. Ted glanced at his phone.

"Ruddy hell! I think we've hit the jackpot. Someone really wants this guy and has bid ten million!"


Gordon was keeping himself busy at the hospital. In the last hour he had checked on news of his Dad, reassured Tin Tin that her Dad was looking a lot better, fetched a pillow and blanket for Grandma in case she wanted a nap and acquired snacks and drinks for whomever wanted them (mostly himself).

Finally good news had arrived. His father's surgeon walked into the waiting room and had reassured them that Jeff had come through the operation very well. They had not only fixed the problem with his artery but had done some extra work to make sure that Jeff's heart would remain functioning strongly for many years to come.

As the surgeon left the room, everyone was smiling at each other with relief. Kyrano stood up.

"When do you think they'll allow us to see him?"

Before Gordon could reply, Kyrano suddenly let out a cry of agony and clutched his head.

"No! No! The power is getting stronger! It must not happen!"

Tin Tin rushed to her father's side in alarm but, before Gordon could join her, his wrist comm beeped the emergency alarm. John appeared on the face.

"What's up, John? Look, we've just seen the doc and Dad's going to be fine!"

"Thank God," said his brother in Thunderbird 5. "But we have a new problem. Scott's been kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?!" Gordon practically yelled it and everyone in the room turned towards him. "What the hell do you mean?"

"Exactly that. I've been on the dark web and someone says they have a member of International Rescue and have posted a photo of Scott's sash. The person who gives the highest bid in an auction, gets him. Not that I'm sure what they would do with him when they got him but I doubt it would be good. What the hell do we do?"

There was a short pause before Gordon squeaked a reply. "Bid for him!"

"What?"

"Bid for him, John!" We win the auction, we get details of where to collect him and get him the heck back. Oh, and somehow get our money back too but I haven't worked out that bit yet. The most important thing is we win that auction and get his location."

"Simple….but I like it. Okay, wait out. I'll get back to you."

Gordon turned his attention back to the room to see Kyrano on his knees, moaning, with Tin Tin by his side, tears running down her cheeks. He put a hand on Grandma's arm and spoke quietly.

"Go find a nurse."

Grandma nodded and left the room and Gordon reached down to Kyrano.

"Can you get up? Let's get you onto a seat." He carefully manoeuvred Kyrano onto a chair and sat beside him. "What is it, Kyrano, what's happening? Is it that evil guy again? Is he trying to make you do something?"

Kyrano took some deep breaths, trying to make an effort to answer Gordon. He gripped tightly to Tin Tin's hand.

"I….I don't understand. It feels like the same person trying to be in my head but this time he's not asking me questions. It is like he…keeps getting surges of power and I can feel them."

The door opened and a nurse came in with Grandma. She took Kyrano's pulse and checked for a temperature.

"What's wrong, sir?"

"My head, my head."

The nurse nodded and then addressed the others. "Is he usually unwell?"

The others glanced at each other. "Rarely," replied Gordon, truthfully. "He doesn't have any underlying conditions that doctors have ever found and he's usually as strong as an ox."

The nurse took this information in. "I understand that you have just found out that Mr. Tracy has come through his operation very well and I wonder if the issue here might be a migraine. Either stress itself or stress suddenly going away can be one of the causes of migraines and perhaps this gentleman's body is reacting the good news. I know that sounds counter-intuitive but relaxation after a period of intense stress can actually make you feel unwell. It's why a start of a holiday can be sometimes marred by illness. I will, of course, ask a doctor to come and check and they can prescribe some suitable medication. I see you have a blanket and pillow so perhaps your friend could try to have a brief nap to help?"

"Of course, thank you."

The nurse left the room as Tin Tin and Grandma started to fuss around Kyrano and make him comfortable. They all knew it wasn't a migraine but they needed to do something.

Gordon stood to one side thoughtfully. His mind was, as usual, working at a million miles an hour, taking everything in and putting it all together. He had been in the military and International Rescue and the experiences of both meant he didn't believe in coincidences. An idea was forming in his mind and it made him give a sharp intake of breath. His feeling of foreboding had been correct.

Meanwhile, Virgil and Al were sitting in silence, mulling over the new information about Scott and Gordon's idea, told to them by John, of bidding for him. They needed to get Scott back from wherever he was and whoever he was with. Virgil glanced at his brother. Alan Tracy – a champion racing driver who could throw a car around a circuit at 250 miles an hour and feel invigorated, not scared. Alan Tracy – astronaut who regularly travelled to and from space, always excited and never dwelling on the perils of the leaving and re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. Alan Tracy – member of International Rescue, always risking himself to save others. But Virgil knew that Al had one Achilles heel and that was his family. If someone was ill or in trouble in some way, Al's face would start to wear this slightly haunted look. He had never really known his mother and he seemed to fear losing the other members of his family too. Virgil sighed. The kid had had a rough day dealing with their ill father, then nearly drowning and now this madness with Scott. Time to take some action to distract him.

"Al, can you fly One?"

"Of course!" came the indignant reply.

"I mean, right now, after your little swim?"

Alan gave Virgil a wry smile. "I am a lot better. Certainly okay to fly."

"Great. I'll check with John that no aircraft have taken off from near here but I doubt it in this weather. Likewise with boats heading offshore. So I reckon that the kidnappers will have taken Scott somewhere by car. They would want to get him away from here. So, we'll assume that Scott's still in the UK…..somewhere. I want you to get over to One and go and fetch Gordon. I have a feeling we're going to need as many of us as possible to outwit the kidnappers. In the meantime, I'll take Two to Lady Penelope's and you and Gordon can meet me there. Hopefully, John will have got more information about Scott's whereabouts by then. What do you think?"

"Sure. Lady Penelope had got grounds big enough for us both to land and it would be a good base of operations."

"Okay, off you go. I'll wrap things up here."

"FAB!" Alan leapt to his feet, the call for action pushing negative thoughts away. Virgil looked after him with satisfaction and then set about contacting the Harbour Master with news of their imminent departures.


Of all the tricky things Virgil had done that day, he decided that trying to drink coffee out of a china tea cup and saucer was the hardest. The cup wobbled alarmingly on the saucer and he was concerned about it falling on the surrounding priceless antiques. One mouthful and the coffee in the tiny cup would have been gone but, in Lady Penelope's presence, he felt that he should sip delicately. During the last few hours he had been living on his nerves and he struggled to match the steely calm of the lady sitting across from him.

"That was a beautiful landing, Virgil. The gardener has a particular fondness for the rhododendrons and they came to no harm."

"Well, it was very kind of you to let me use your ranch….er…land as a place to touch down."

"It's a lawn, my dear, and you're very welcome. Anything to help International Rescue. Now, where are we? Are you sure that your father is fine? I would like to visit him as soon as possible but we must retrieve Scott as a priority."

Virgil, desperate to be doing something, couldn't stop jiggling his legs. He decided that the cup and saucer would be better on the table at his side and plonked them down and took a steadying breath.

"John has spoken to Dad's doctor directly and, provided the next 24 hours go well and he comes around from the operation with good numbers, then he should make a perfect recovery. He's going to need some rehab and to get back to full health slowly so I think the most difficult thing will be to make sure that he takes it steady and doesn't rush his exercises or go back to work too soon."

"I may be able to help with that. He could stay here and have a little holiday so he won't be tempted to overdo it."

"That would be great, Lady Penelope."

The aristocrat gave a gentle sigh. "But we need to be able to give him good news about Scott so let's concentrate on that."

"Gordon and Alan should be here shortly so we can see if we can formulate a plan between the four of us."

"Five if you count Parker. He is rather exceptional at liberating precious objects from reluctant people!" At that moment, the teapot in front of her beeped. "Ah, good news I hope." Lady Penelope turned the knob on the top. "Lady Penelope receiving you, International Rescue".

"Hi there, it's John," came the astronaut's voice from the pot. "Is Virgil there too?"

Virgil stood up, ready for action. "Yes, John, what's happening?"

"Not good news, I'm afraid. We lost the bidding war."

"What?! Bid higher!"

"I tried, believe me. The kidnappers shut down the auction saying that they want shot of him quickly and that they were happy with someone else's bid and have already started negotiations for the money transfer. They're not interested in negotiating further. I've tried everything but they've cut communication."

Virgil sat back down in his chair which with a thump made the 100 year old wood wobble much to Lady Penelope's consternation but she merely raised an eyebrow before replying.

"That's most unhelpful indeed, John. Although, if they are handing Scott over so quickly we can probably assume he's still in the UK."

"But where?" Virgil pounded his fist on his knee in frustration. "This country isn't exactly that big but it's still like trying to find a needle in a haystack. How do we find him?"

"Would you care to move to the sofa, Virgil dear? It's sturdier."

Virgil obediently moved, not caring why. His mind was racing. They had lost their one lead. John spoke again.

"You should be hearing Thunderbird One any minute now," he suggested, right on cue as the sound of jets filled the room.

"Excellent. Let's hope that they also miss the rhododendrons," answered Penny, as calm as ever.

Shortly afterwards, Parker arrived quietly in the parlour. "Mr. Gordon and Mr. Alan have arrived, your Ladyship."

"Please show them in, and stay for a moment would you?"

"Certainly, m'lady."

Virgil could see his brothers in the hall behind Parker, impatiently waiting for the protocol to finish. Parker gestured for them to enter the room and they lost their politeness in their anxiety.

"We just heard from John," said Gordon.

"We lost the auction!" continued Alan, rather too loudly. "What do we do now?"

"Good evening Gordon, Alan," said Lady Penelope gracefully. The two of them stuttered out their hellos and then looked to Virgil.

"Any ideas?" Alan asked him but before he could reply, Penny spoke.

"If Scott is, as expected, still in the UK, perhaps Parker could make a few enquiries of his…er…less savoury contacts to see if there is any news on the grapevine. What do you think, Parker?"

"I could give it a try, m'lady."

"Please do. You are excused."

"Yes, m'lady."

Parker exited the room but the three Tracy brothers were united in their frustration and the slowness of their response to the crisis. They wanted action to save Scott. Then Gordon spoke.

"Look, I have an idea. It might be crazy but it might not."

"Go on…," replied Virgil, feeling a tiny stab of hope that at least someone had some sort of plan.

"In the hospital waiting room Kyrano was really suffering. At first we thought he was just anxious about Father but then it became clear that he was being affected by the Hood again. The odd thing was that the Hood wasn't asking him for information about International Rescue. In fact, he wasn't asking him anything at all and Kyrano said that he could just feel surges of his power. So what if the Hood was one of the people bidding for Scott? What if every time he increased his bid to beat everyone else, his excitement was affecting Kyrano?"

The others digested this idea for a few moments.

"You could be right." said Virgil.

"But how does that help us?" asked John's disembodied voice from the tea pot.

"I'm not sure," replied Gordon. "But the Hood would have done everything to win the auction. I was just wondering that, if Kyrano could feel what the Hood is feeling, could he perhaps also see what he's seeing? Is there some way he could tap into the Hood's thoughts and see where he is meeting the kidnappers? Surely his mind will be concentrating on that location. What do you reckon?"

"You mean," said Virgil, thinking out loud, "we could ask Kyrano to channel his energies so that he is accessing the Hood rather than vice versa? It's worth a try. Alan, get in touch with Tin Tin and put the idea to her. Get her to talk to her father and see what they can come up with."

"FAB," replied Alan and took himself off to one side, raising his wrist comm to get in touch with Tin Tin.

"So what do we do?" asked Gordon.

Lady Penelope replied. "We wait to see if Parker or Kyrano can get us any clues to Scott's location. Because if they don't, I am rather worried that we will lose any track of where Scott might be."