March 21st, 2061 - 23:52 NZDT
Alan hears talking going on downstairs and decides to investigate it seeing as it is almost midnight on Tracy Island. Walking into the mission control room, he sees Brains, Scott, Marion, Virgil and Gordon gathered on the sofas talking.
"Midnight party and I'm not invited?" Alan asks.
"Not quite, Alan," Gordon says, "You remember Brains' girlfriend, Moffy, from our energy collider adventure?"
"Er, colleague, Gordon!" Brains reiterates, embarrassed, "Professor Moffat and I are simply old friends."
"Sure Brains. Like nobody can feel all that nerd-trino energy with the two of you in a room together," Gordon jokes causing the group to chuckle.
"Ah, well..." Brains stutters.
"John's keeping tabs on Lady Penelope while she, Kayo and Parker run bodyguard duty for the Professor," Scott explains, "They're heading for a Global Defence Force research facility in Iceland."
"Seems like while we were having all that fun with gravity her accelerator coughed up some kind of wacky new quantum particle." Gordon jokes.
"Moffy, Professor Moffat, is calling it Centurium 2-1. And her early research suggests it could be the big breakthrough in the field of zero-point energy," Brains explains.
"Colonel Casey says our friend 'The Hood' has already made several attempts to steal it from the GDF," Virgil informs.
"Fortunately, those were all decoys," Scott says, and turn to reach back and smack Alan's leg, who is currently snoring.
"Ow! What? I'm awake!" Alan yawns, "Why don't they just fly it there?"
"That's part of the problem, Alan. The Centurium 2-1 is stabilized in a gravitonic flask," Brains explains, "But at altitude, unfortunately it still reacts erratically to even micro-changes in the Earth's magnetic fields."
"The less genius level version... transported below sea-level. Literally," Gordon says.
March 21st, 2061 - 12:01 GMT
Sherbet walks through the corridor of the train with Parker following before putting his paws up at the door, whimpering and scratching. Parker walks over and opens the door for Sherbet to run and in. Inside, Penelope and Kayo are sitting opposite Moffat. Sherbet goes over to Moffat and whimpers at her feet, causing her to chuckle awkwardly.
"Aren't you a little energetic fellow?" Moffy asks.
"You seem to have yourself a furry fan club, Professor," Penelope smirks.
"Oh, I'm not really very good with anything larger than plankton," Moffy says and Penelope picks Sherbet up. Kayo's communicator then starts to beep.
"Ah, that'll be John checking in," Kayo states, tapping her wrist comms, "Go ahead, John."
"My tracking shows you're past the tunnel midpoint," John informs, "Just wanted to make sure there's nothing uh, 'out of the ordinary'."
"Not, it's all... how could you say, quite marvellously humdrum," Kayo says glancing over to Penelope with a smirk before looking over at Moffy, "Professor, how is our bright little spark?"
"Not even a tantrum," Moffy smiles as she opens the case to look at the Centurium 2-1, "The readouts all show the Centurium's stable."
"Good to know. Enjoy the rest of the trip." John says, "GDF is waiting for your arrival. Thunderbird 5 out."
"Well, Professor, I think we can afford to chill," Penelope notes, "With our arrival in 30 minutes, our worries will soon be far behind us."
Unbeknownst to them, a submarine is heading towards a section of the rail tunnel where the train is heading towards, and a bomb is set off.
5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Thunderbirds are Go!
The train shakes, causing everyone inside the carriage to grip their seats.
"That felt odd," Penelope comments.
In the corridor outside, Parker is carrying a tray with the tea but drops the contents of the tray as the train shakes. "Woah!" he wails.
"Attention passengers, this is not a drill. All passengers remain in your carriage! Remain in your carriage," the driver of the train announces.
"Belts Professor," Kayo says, "Emergency crash-dive." Sherbet jumps onto Penelope's lap and whimpers.
"That's it, Sherbet, crash-dive," Penelope says and leans forward, so her head is resting on their knees with her hands over her head, like Kayo and Moffat were doing. "Good boy." The train halts just in front of a flooding door that had shut after the explosion and the train creeks as the brakes are released. Parker emerges the carriage.
"What in the quivering?" Parker asks and looks up anxiously.
The train suddenly shakes, catching Parker off guard, who falls into the seat in front of him and is knocked out as a result. Water begins to pour in through the damaged section of the tunnel as alarms start to beep. It closes the train to rock alarmingly as the deluge engulfs it. Penelope clutches Sherbet in her arms.
March 22nd, 2061 - 00:13 NZDT
"International Rescue? This is Hugo Hallgren, the driver of the Reykjavik Express. Acknowledge please," the driver calls.
"Reykjavik Express, International Rescue receiving. Can you clarify your situation?" John asks as a hologram of the tunnel is brought up in front of him. Behind him, the large circular hologram of the Earth is displayed in the central control room. The smaller hologram in front of his shows the train that has been trapped in a section of the tunnel. Both in front of the train and behind it, two small explosion warnings show on John's screen indicating that a couple of bombs have been set up.
"We're in a bad fix here," Hugo says, before a magnetic pulse cuts the line.
"Hello? Reykjavik Express respond please," John replies as the small hologram disappears in front of him. Luckily, EOS has saved the data for John to view, "Am no longer receiving."
March 22nd, 2061 - 00:15 NZDT
On Tracy Island, John calls in and displays the hologram image that EOS had saved for him.
"With these tower explosions, seen from the Spectrum Satellite, I'm calling that double comms loss from the Express is jamming," John says.
"Nothing since from Kayo?" Alan asks.
"Same story. No signal," John replies.
"Okay, John. We're on it. Better alert the GDF," Scott orders, "They're probably seeing the same things we are."
"Though we should be working together on this," Marion interjects, "Maybe Gordon, you should launch Thunderbird 4. You that... 'Squid Sense' is it?"
"F-A-B." Gordon acknowledges with a nod of approval and starts up to head to the elevator.
"Scott, with the Professor, Kayo and Lady P-Penelope down there, this can only be deliberate s-sabotage," Brains says.
"Brains, you know everything we do. Until with gauge that danger zone, we've got no idea what we're up against," Scott states, standing up.
"Then I'm c-coming, too!" Brains demands.
"Not this time, Brains," Scott orders.
"Scott, you heard what John said," Brains says, "If Moffy... Well... I couldn't..."
"We know you wanna be there to help her, Kayo and Lady Penelope, but you'll be more useful to them and us here in that lab," Marion says.
"I—Sure," Brains sighs and bows his head, "You're right, of course."
"Good man," Scott nods and walks away.
5
Virgil's rocket painting tilts backwards as Scott descends down his launch tube to get suited up.
4
Thunderbird 4 is loaded into Module 4.
3
Gordon boards Thunderbird 2 via the passenger elevator while Marion is lifted into Thunderbird 1's hold.
2
Thunderbird 2 taxis down the main runway and comes to a halt allowing the ramp to raise.
1
Thunderbird 1 comes to a stop as the swimming pool above starts to retract.
Thunderbirds are Go!
March 21st, 2061 - 12:47 GMT
"All passengers remain in your carriage," Hugo says again as the electricity starts to spark and short circuit due to the water. Parker is leaning against the seat, just starting to come around, with the help of Sherbet licking his face.
"Argh! Get h'out of h'it. You dribble chopped menace," Parker cries as he finally awakes, causing Sherbet to bark and move away. Penelope reaches her arms out to keep Parker sat still.
"You're back," Penelope says, "Steady Parker. Are you alright?"
"Oh, your ladyship, H'I was having the most 'orrible dream," Parker complains.
"Then you'd best gird yourself," Kayo interjects, "I'm afraid we're in for a bit of a shit show here."
March 21st, 2061 - 12:57 GMT
As Thunderbird 2 swoops through the sky towards the danger zone, a call comes in from Brains. Virgil resists the urge to roll his eyes, suspecting that Brains is calling to make sure that Moffy will be safe.
"Virgil? I've been going over the underwater topography and I'm afraid there's a problem," Brains says.
"Shoot, Brains," Virgil states, suddenly becoming more alert.
"Thunderbird 2's c-cable is short of being able to reach the tunnel depth," Brains informs, "And Thunderbird 4 lacks the necessary l-lifting power."
"What about the remote airbag pods?" Gordon questions.
"M-My thoughts exactly, Gordon," Brains says, "I'm assembling them for you now."
Inside the module, several mechanical arms get to workaround Thunderbird 4. It collects different bits of equipment from several red boxes that litter the walls around the module. At this point, Thunderbird 2arrives on the scene, with Thunderbird 1 already circling the waters above the damaged section of tunnel.
"Thunderbird 4, you're clear for launch." Virgil says, "Airbag pods coming soon. Watch yourselves down there."
"Systems check complete. Docking clamp released, "Gordon says, "We are go for module deployment." Module 4 is then dropped into the water and Gordon waits for the hatch to open for him before pressing the button to go at a 45 degree angle.
"Thunderbird 4 is go!" Gordon says and launches Thunderbird 4 into the depths below, "Seaborne. Impellers are green." Gordon heads deep into the North Atlantic Ocean, its bright headlamps lighting the way for the small yellow submarine. It travels into the depths before passing over, rocks and metal gantries. "Sure is a mess down here," he muses.
"Brains was right," Marion says as she watches the live feed coming from Thunderbird 4, "The debris looks consistent with demolition charges."
March 21st, 2061 - 13:06 GMT
Moffat emerges from the carriage and starts down the hall heading to the front of the train, while Kayo does in the opposite direction to the back. Moffat proceeds to open a door, only to be met with herself.
"What? What is this?" Moffat asks.
"What? What is this?" the fake Moffat replies.
Back with Penelope, Parker returns to the compartment. "Still no word from the boys, m'lady?" he asks.
"No. But given the situation I suggest we're being jammed," Penelope explains, "Kayo sent the Professor off to the drivers cab, while she goes to the guards cab. You might see what's keeping Moffat."
"Yes, m'lady," Parker responds and starts off down the corridor. He continues down until he reaches the next compartment and stops and looks around. "Funny, feels h'almost like a draft," Parker mutters to himself coming to a sudden stop. Feeling it coming from above, he looks up only to see the open access panel in the ceiling of the train. "What the fu–?"he murmurs, climbing up and through the panel, taking a torch before opening the outer door of the train roof. He sees a hole in the roof on the tunnel and a ladder extended down through it. "Hoh! Hello."
March 21st, 2061 - 13:23 GMT
"Gordon, I'm p-piloting the remote airbags down to your position," Brains says.
"Good timing. We're at the danger zone," Gordon says as he stops the metal supports that hold the tunnel to the base of the ocean floor.
"The module's slipped but stable. The sections on either side are flooded from the blast," John says, "Are the module beacons working?"
"Yeah. It seems to have sealed in time," Gordon notes, "Switching to deep scan thermograph on the reverse. Trying to— Woah!"
"That's another ship!" Virgil gasps as Thunderbird4's scanners pick up another object that updates International Rescue's holograms.
"And I bet I know whose," Gordon scowls.
"The Hood?" Marion asks.
"Yeah," Gordon says.
March 21st, 2061 - 13:25 GMT
The fake Moffat enters the carriage where Penelope is sat as before with Sherbet sat on the case.
"Professor, I sent Parker out front to find you," Penelope says.
"Oh, I must have missed him. Is the Centurion safe?" the imposter asks.
"I'd say it's in good hands. Or paws to be precise," Penelope chuckles. The fake narrows her eyes as Sherbet growls from on top of the case when she sits down.
"Well, aren't you a feisty little guard dog. Who's a good boy?" the fake asks. The sudden change in behaviour in Sherbet towards Moffat causes Penelope to narrow her own eyes in suspicion.
March 21st, 2061 - 13:26 GMT
"Gordon, we've got to counteract that jamming and get to Lady Penelope," Marion says.
"You should fire a conductive amplifier across to the structure," Scott orders.
"F-A-B," Gordon says, firing the device towards the tunnel wall. As soon as it makes contact, he reaches over to his comm unit and calls Penelope.
"Gordon, am I relieved to see you," Penelope says answering, her hologram appearing.
"Lady Penelope, listen fast. This is all an elaborate heist. The Hood has a submersible latched to your tunnel section," Gordon explains.
"That's very distressing news," Penelope says.
"If he somehow boarded that train, he's after the Centurium," Gordon says, "And he could have assumed the identity of just about anybody there."
Inside the cabin, Penelope watches as the imposter starts to laugh nervously before turning sinister. "How about a nice game of fetch?"
"YOU!" Kayo shouts charging into the room and points an accusing figure towards The Hood. Sherbet tries to tug at The Hood's but it isn't enough to stop The Hood snatching the case from underneath him and making off with the Centurium. He pushes the real Moffat into the wall of the train as he passes, running out of the carriage. Kayo gives chase, with Penelope close behind her.
"Parker. Tackle him!" Penelope yells, when she sees Parker up ahead. Parker looks up and cracks his knuckles. The holographic disguise that is projecting Moffat's face, flickers revealing The Hood. The Hood reaches into his pocket and pulls out his red device which he lifts up as it charges. Parker dives towards The Hood but is blinded by The Hood's devices and falls to the ground. The Hood and Kayo quickly jump over him and make it towards the access hatch.
"Go, Miss Kyrano. Nab that blighter!" Parker cries as Penelope stops to help him up. The Hood jumps up through the access hatch and now Kayo is hot on his heals as she follows him as he ascends the ladder tohis submarine. However, the ladder is retreating back up so the chase cannot continue.
"So sad we won't be furthering our acquaintance, Tanusha," The Hood chuckles. He turns just quickly enough to allow Kayo to grab a tracker from her utility belt and throw it up, so it connects with the case unnoticed.
"Kayo, get back to the train!" Gordon shouts over the comms, "That sub's decoupling. The whole tunnel is gonna flood!"
As the submarine pulls away, the connecting tube detaches and more water from the ocean starts flooding into the tunnel. Kayo gulps as she turns to the make a quick run for it back to the access hatch. She manages to stay ahead of the rushing water, that laps at her heals a couple of times. When she is only a few meters away from the hatch, she jumps headfirst through the hole, performing a forward roll before standing up. As a result of her jumping, it gives Penelope enough time to quickly shut the hatch behind her. The water starts to completely flood the tunnel, knocking the train from its tracks.
"He's making a run for it!" Gordon shouts as he watches The Hood's sub get smaller and smaller as it gets further away from the damaged line.
"Focus Gordon," Virgil states, "Right now we've a pressurised tin can full of frightened passengers who need us. Let's keep our heads in the game."
Onboard Thunderbird 5, the holo-screens showing the flooded tunnel starts beeping from as a signal leaves the incident and head away. John follows the red signal trail and does a scan of it. Gordon's scan of The Hood's sub then reappears.
"You planted a tracker on the Hood?" John asks Kayo over the comms.
"The emergency locater. Never leave for a mission unprepared," Kayo says.
"Colonel Casey has GDF patrol circling. So, we'll nail him of he tries to surface," John says.
"Actually, I've a little idea of my own on that score," Penelope interjects, "Parker?"
"Yes, m'lady?" Parker asks.
"Bring the car around," Penelope says.
March 21st, 2061 – 13:38 GMT
Meanwhile, four of Brains' remote airbag capsules arrive on the scene. They dive towards the stricken tunnel and the caps pop off the top of each of the devices allowing the four yellow grabbers, to which the airbags were connected to, be released. They grip onto the four corners of the tunnels roof and three out of the four inflate. Thunderbird 4 approaches from underneath the tunnel, so Gordon doesn't notice that one of them has failed.
"Okay. Tunnel airlock doors open. Remote airbags attached. 5% buoyancy," Gordon informs, "Please confirm Reykjavik Express. What's the passenger status?"
"The Professor has moved all the passengers to this compartment, and we're sealed like a drum," Hugo responds.
"Perfect. Lady P?" Gordon asks.
"Thank you, Thunderbird 4," Penelope says, "All clear and good luck. Strong fix on The Hood's signal, Parker?"
"Like h'a regimental tattoo, m'lady," Parker smirks.
"Perfect. Then let's go fishing," Penelope nods.
"Deploying laser cutter," Gordon says, "Thunderbird 4 to Express diver, cut your Maglev power, please."
"Maglev off," Hugo states.
Gordon fires to laser torches towards each end of the tunnel section and detaches it from the rest of the tunnel. With the flood gates having gone down either side, the rest of the tunnel will remain undamaged. "The tunnel's detached," Gordon calls.
"Bringing up the airbag lifters," Brains says, "Going to full buoyancy."
The section of tunnel containing the train starts to float to the surface.
March 21st, 2061 - 13:41 GMT
A couple miles away in FAB 1, Parker is trying to use the locator's tracker to find the submarine. It had a decent head start on them and Parker is having difficulties getting a lock on the signal.
"Parker, you said we were dead on his tail," Penelope muses.
"Like glue, ma'am. But these ocean canyons keep wavering the locator signal," Parker explains, "He could be h'almost h'anywhere."
Sherbet starts barking as the light from the sun suddenly gets dimmer, causing Penelope to look upwards. "Oh no, he couldn't."
"Blimey O'Reilly!" Parker cries as he sees the large submarine above him. However, what catches his eye is a small device that has now been dropped from underneath it, "H'A transonic depth charge. Rig for h'impact." The depth charge detonates just above FAB 1 causing it to be knocked off kilter. "Blast! H'It h'appears he might 'ave nobbled our turbines!"
"That outcropping ahead. Try gliding her down and rebooting her engines," Penelope directs.
"Yes, m'lady," Parker replies and manoeuvres FAB 1over the edge of a rocky cliff.
"Ah! He's getting away," Penelope groans.
March 21st, 2061 - 13:46 GMT
Back with the tunnel, the impact of the failed airbag is starting to be felt.
"We're losing aft starboard buoyancy," Gordon shouts and moves Thunderbird 4 underneath the tunnel section and tries to lift it using Thunderbird 4's mechanical arms, "I can't make the lift power. My turbines are overloading."
"Gordon, it looks like that airbag pump has a blockage," Brains says, finally noticing the problem, "I can't clear it remotely."
"Blockage? Not a problem!" Gordon smiles and has Thunderbird 4 go up to where the airbags are and begins trying to unblock it, "Come on, un-block... un-block!" After a horrible sound of metal grinding, he manages to unblock it and the last balloons inflate.
"That's it!" Brains shouts, "You did it!"
The cut section starts to rapidly rise towards the ocean surface.
"Nice work, Thunderbird 4. I'll take it from here with the cable," Virgil compliments.
"The cable!" Gordon suddenly says, "Thanks Virgil, I just had an idea." Thunderbird 4 then breaks off from the mission and takes off into the ocean. He heads in the direction FAB 1 went and quickly catches up to The Hood and Penelope.
FAB 1 approaches from behind the sub, the radiator grill at the front of the car falling away to reveal a selection of eight underwater missiles, four per each side of the main engine. The sonar beeps as Parker presses the button to release them. Two are fired and they hit the sub.
"Shall we blow him another kiss?" Penelope asks.
"'appily, m'lady," Parker says and Penelope grins as Thunderbird 4 appears in The Hood's view with Thunderbird 1's cable which he wraps around the hull of the submarine. He hooks it to the roof.
"He's hooked. Now reel this guppy in, Thunderbird1," Gordon smiles.
"Reeling in the cable now," Scott says, and starts to real in the submarine towards the surface. However, the submarine breaks apart before it can surface, and an escape capsule is seen flying out of the water off to the side of Thunderbird 2.
"An escape capsule. After him, Parker," Penelope says.
"H'A little too nippy for h'us to catch up, H'I'm afraid, m'lady," Parker says, "Although, h'apparently, our locator seems to be still inside."
"Good. Let's call it in to Gordon and then we'll surface," Penelope says, "Time for a nice long walk and maybe a cup of tea?" Sherbet barks happily.
March 21st, 2061 - 02:27 NZDT
Back on Tracy Island, Penelope and Parker call in to check how Moffat is doing, after deciding that she'll stay on the island for a short while before getting back to her work.
"Couldn't have done it without you, Lady Penelope," Scott says.
"Well, we had a pretty good team," Penelope shrugs.
"I'm not so sure h'about that. Get off!" Parker complains as Sherbet is heard barking in the background.
"Thanks to Gordon and Kayo salvaging the gravitonic casket from The Hood's ship, we still got the Centurium 2-1 to the GDF facility in time," Scott says.
"H'And kept it out of that fucker's hands!" Parker adds.
"The particle's holding stable. It's all very exciting," Moffy says.
"So, 'Heroes of the Hour', huh?" Alan asks looking over at Kayo.
"Hey, improvisation's my specialty," Gordon calling from the other side of the room, "But the real credit should go to Brains."
"I, er... Imagine you'll be headed back to your research in Iceland, Moffy?" Brains asks.
"Hiram, it sounds like you're trying to get rid of me," Moffy says and Brains blushes slightly, "I thought you might at least tease me with this allegedly fabulous lab of yours."
"Of course!" Brains nods, "I have s-several interesting prototypes hot off the fabricator. If you like graphing polymers as much as I do. I..." Brains stops when he hears Alan and Gordon starting to laugh as he and Moffat walk away. "Oh, please, you guys."