KAYO

We had to…or rather, the GDF had to approach this place on foot. With a man's life on the line…John Tracy's life…we couldn't afford to let these guys know we were coming. Those GDF transport ships are loud! Aside from the fact that they would blow all the glass out of the windows if they parked within a hundred yards of the house. So, I have come on ahead alone, in Shadow. Warnings and injunctions from everyone to be careful ringing in my ears. As if I am ever anything else!

The place is a large squared-off building, painted white, very plain looking, with the roof painted a light green. It is not dissimilar to many of the other buildings I have seen on my silent flight across this country.

There is no other building in close proximity to this one.

No one close enough to hear a cry for help, or even…god forbid, a gunshot.

The countryside is very wide, flat and open grassland, and there is no way a large body of GDF troops could approach unseen.

I could really use Penny's help with this one. Parker is here, and he is very aware of what will come next, provided his cover hasn't been blown. He is an expert at hand to hand fighting, as I am; although he isn't getting any younger…not that he, or even Penny would actually admit the fact.

There is a large, wide, flat rock…like a low mountain of sorts a few hundred yards away, and just a mile beyond that, the GDF carrier Goliath is stationed. It has a fully staffed, fully equipped infirmary on board, a small military hospital.

Just in case.

There is no room for both John and myself in Shadow's cockpit, but I can load him into her, and remote pilot her to the Goliath.

You know, if I need to, which I suspect I will. In the meantime, a small number of troops in grass-green camouflage clothing are hurrying to join me on foot.

These people have chosen their position well. If they have any sense, they will already have their own quick escape method available. I don't know what, but one of the recent heli-plane models would be ideal. Or maybe an armoured truck? Mind you, a thing like that would be rather noticeable rushing along the almost deserted Icelandic roads.

Perhaps they will sit tight and make a fight out of it? I will soon find out.

I fly over the house, carefully observing every detail before I set Shadow down, remaining in stealth mode. From the air I had noticed one front entrance, and one rear, but the door at the rear has no access to anywhere but a yard surrounded by a high wall, with no visible gates.

My scans indicate no electronic security devices at all. In fact, I am not scanning any tech here of any kind. Are they really so confident? Something is flickering at the back of my brain.

Anyone, whether a person or a gang of persons who have kidnapped, or are in any way unlawfully holding someone prisoner would surely not leave themselves quite so open? Are they really this naïve?

I decide that the rear wall and back door would make more sense than the front door, although I scout silently around the perimeter of the house to observe what I can.

It is daylight here, so no lighting is visible inside. The windows I see have shutters, the lower ones closed, the upper floors stand open. Green and attractive against the stark white of the house itself. No joy that way. The rear it is.

If I find John…when I find him, I will have to take him out the front. It depends what state he is in, but I doubt he'll be up to climbing over a seven-foot wall.

I reach into my armlet pouch and remove the edible transmitter I always keep there. I dry-swallow it. Eos and I arranged that I would swallow my transmitter as a signal to her when I am about to enter the place where John is being kept. His signal is still registering from here, so she will be able to keep an eye on both of us. If anything should go wrong, she'll have eyes on both of us.

Once the transmitter has been swallowed, the signal is readable from Thunderbird Five for approximately twenty-four hours.

I take a run and scale the wall without any trouble. Thanks to Brains for his amazing gecko gloves. They are a standard part of our uniform now.

I am standing in a square yard, with a pair of glass doors in front of me. Through the glass I can see the huddled shape of someone lying on a low bed. I creep forward and try the door. It is unlocked, so I open it and approach the figure.

A faint smell reaches me as I crouch down, and I am unsure of the cause. There is a nasty wound on the shoulder, and the huddled figure is shuddering in the grip of a fever. I know who this is.

John.

I press my comm that links me directly to Rigby who is waiting for me to call.

"I'm in Rigs. John is here, but he's in a very bad way. He needs to get to a hospital fast or I think we might lose him."

"On our way. Out." Rigby replies softly, and I settle myself behind the door, as silent as I can, and alert. My job until help arrives is to keep John alive. I can't carry him alone through a building full of unknown enemies. If Parker comes into this room, we'd have a good chance, but I can't risk leaving John alone to search for him.

As much as it irks me, this time I have to wait for GDF assistance in the form of Rigby and his hand-picked band of troops.

I just hope Parker is ready when they arrive.

And Rigs…hurry up. I really can't lose my brother…