CHAPTER NINE
Thunderbird 2 was approaching the danger zone.
"Say, look at that!" cried Gordon. They could both see the rig up ahead and it sure looked in a bad way. "This isn't going to be easy." said Virgil "You better standby in Thunderbird 4."
"Right." said Gordon and off he went take his post.
"Thunderbird 1 from Thunderbird 2," Virgil said into the radio, "Have arrived Danger Zone, about to launch Thunderbird 4."
"Hurry it up, Virgil!" Scott said "We've got to get this fire under control before the whole rig blows up."
Thunderbird 2 flew a safe distance away from the burning rig and released the pod.
The hatch wide, lowered its ramp, and Gordon launched Thunderbird 4 into the water. "Thunderbirds 1 and 2 from Thunderbird 4... I am seaborne now and am maneuvering to meet up with trapped Supercar."
"F-A-B, Gordon." said Scott "I've been in contact with Mike. He says if you just get enough of the wreckage cleared away, he can fire the engines and pull her out of there, but make it quick. We've got to get this rig fire under control and you've still got to seal that oil breech."
"F-A-B…!" Gordon said, and then suddenly he heard a familiar screeching noise that startled him. "What the…?" he peered round "Mitch?! What the heck are you doing here?"
"Hey, Gordon, what's going on down there?" asked Scott over the radio. Gordon immediately reported to the base that he had an unwanted passenger aboard…
"Mitch!" cried Jimmy "What are you doing there?"
"Well, I say… Now who's a fool?" muttered Beaker.
"Well, never mind that." Jeff said "Just as long as Mitch behaves himself. Right now we have a job to do."
While all this was going on, Masterspy and Zarin were finally awakening from the hypnosis. "Oh! Masterspy! Masterspy, wake up! Wake up!"
Masterspy felt every inch of his big fat had aching "What has happened?" he asked "Where are we?" It didn't take long for them to realize they were trapped in the diving sphere. "Masterspy, what can we do?" cried Zarin.
"Stop sniveling, you half-baked sunbeam, and I'm trying to think! It's hard to breathe in here. The air is almost completely out!"
While the two men argued, Thunderbird 4 approached Supercar and began to shove away some of the wreckage. "Give it a little more, Gordon." said Mike "I can feel her starting to give."
"Right…! Here goes." Gordon said "Hang on, Mitch!" Mitch did as he was told as Gordon steered the sub around knocking more of the wreckage out of the way. Soon, Mike regained control and was able to get forward thrust "Well done, Gordon!" cried Brains "We're free!"
"Jeff, Professor, did you hear that?" asked Mike.
"Yes, Mike; we heard." said Popkiss "But don't forget about the zee and the oil leak."
It was at that moment, that the oil leak was breaking the seabed harder than ever. The rig supports wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.
Jeff alerted Virgil and Scott that Supercar was free. "Right…! Now let's deal with that fire on the rig." said Scott.
"Okay, Scott;" replied Virgil "Preparing to fire aqua jet guns."
Thunderbirds 1 and 2 opened fire on the flames with their specialized water-cannons and soon all the flames on the rig were out, and down below, Gordon used the special sealing device to help lock up the oil leak and stop the destruction. He also used the suction pumps to suck up all the oily water so no pollution would infect the waters anymore.
Mike was more impressed than ever as he watched the Thunderbirds go. "Is there anything they can't do?"
"Oh, uh, very little, it would seem so, Mike." Brains said. "Then again, no one is entirely... uh... Perfect."
While the rescue operation was wrapping up, Masterspy and Zarin, still unaware of what had been happening the whole time, were still arguing in the diving sphere and starting to run low on air as they moved about, the sphere began to rock and thump about.
Mitch was the only one to notice, and began to tap Gordon's arms. "Not now, Mitch. I'm trying to fix these seals." but Mitch wouldn't leave him alone "Mitch, cut it out, now!" Gordon scoffed.
"Gordon, what are you shouting at?" asked his father over the radio.
But back at the base everyone could see on Gordon's monitor what was wrong.
"Mitch seems to be excited about something, Jimmy." Beaker said.
Jimmy agreed "Gordon, I think he's trying to tell you something."
That's when Mitch started to point out the port window, up ahead at an old rusted diving sphere that seemed to be thumping and bumping about, and it couldn't have been by the water currents. "Mike, Brains, do you see what I see?" Gordon asked.
"Yeah, I see it." said Mike "Guess there's someone stuck inside."
Scott and Virgil heard that, "But… if we try to rescue whoever's down there, we'll be seen." Scott said.
"Yeah, and we can't be photographed, but what if they tell the story and someone believes them?" added Virgil.
"Oh, don't worry about that." said Mike "I think it's time I showed you guys another one of Supercar's little toys." He referred to Supercar's magnetic-grab; a device that could lift up objects from below that weighed over one-hundred and fifty tons.
He maneuvered Supercar over the sphere and switched on the magnetic-grab. "Magnetic lock engaged. Hold on, Brains, I'm taking her up." and Supercar began to fly up and out of the water, and Mike figured it best to take whoever was trapped in the sphere far away to a safe place so as not to notice the Thunderbirds.
"There they go." Virgil said
"Yeah, sure hope whoever's in that thing is alright." added Scott.
Still, with the mission complete, they could now head back to base. The rig was fine and the oil leak was sealed. Jeff ordered all Thunderbirds back to base.
Scott, however, noticed that the photo alert had been flashing. "Someone's been taking my picture?" he asked "But how can that be, there's no one around here for miles."
"Oh, never mind Scott." Virgil said "Remember, whoever it is taking our pictures is due for a big surprise."
The Hood had taken so many different pictures of the Thunderbirds with automatic developing cameras, but much to his anger and shock, "I don't believe it! It isn't possible!" Every single one of his shots showed the rig, the ocean, even the sky, but no Thunderbirds anywhere! "International Rescue has outwitted me again!" he growled as he angrily ripped up the useless photos. However, he wasn't beat yet "There remains one chance…!"
Meanwhile, Mike set Supercar down miles and miles away near an abandoned warehouse and set the sphere down. Luckily it could be opened from the outside, but Mike and Brains were surprised to open the sphere to find, "Masterspy and Zarin!"
"Yes, Mr. Mercury." sneered Masterspy.
It didn't take much for Mike and Brains to realize they had been set up. "Well, Masterspy, you certainly hit a new low this time."
"And what is worse…" sneered Brains "You almost got yourselves killed!"
Even Masterpsy didn't know how to weasel his way out of this one, being unconscious for most of the time. "Someday, Mr. Mercury, I'll get even with your Supercar, and these Thunderbirds of yours."
"Thunder what…?" asked Mike as he played dumb to hide the truth "I don't think I've ever heard of them. Have you?" he asked Brains. "Uh, no, I can't say that I have."
Masterspy kept insisting that he and Zarin knew of International Rescue, but Brains and Mike just kept up their act, and decided to just leave the two villains where they were to fend for themselves. "Masterspy!" cried Zarin "We have failed again!"
"Stop your sniveling you poor excused imitation of a man!" growled Masterspy "Mark my words we will one day get our revenge."
