Thunderbirds Are Go! Series 7 Chapter 5: ESTRANGED - Part Two (1), a thunderbirds fanfic

Previously on THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!...

Kayo receives a newly-built Thunderbird Shadow

International Rescue gets called out to a series of fires springing up in Rio de Janeiro

Scott discovers that Silver Swan is behind the attacks whilst searching the city for survivors

Kayo manages to get Swan away from the city and the two battle whilst learning that The Hood is missing

The Tracy brothers manage to put out the fires and seal a exploded gas main

Obsidian joins the fight and along with Kayo manage to capture Silver Swan

Silver Swan escapes the GDF Flyer and is chased across the world by Kayo and Obsidian to Malaysia

Crashing down in a jungle clearing, Kayo, Obsidian and Swan discover a temple and are knocked unconscious by a strange light

"Thunderbirds Are Go!"

"ESTRANGED - PART TWO"

HAZINESS would be the word Kayo would describe how she was feeling had she been awake. Inside her mind, everything seemed unusual, like she was slowly floating through a sea of multi-coloured bubbles only she was able to do it without any kind of deep-sea diving equipment. She felt at peace. At ease. It was like all her troubles had gone away and she was able to do whatever she wanted. And yet, she felt like she was in suspended animation, unable to do anything.

Eventually, she began to hear what sounded like a voice. A voice that was calling her name. "Kayo?"

Kayo finally seemed to come to her senses inside this strange reality. "Hello?" she called out. "Who's there?"

The voice seemed to be coming from one of the bubbles. It lit up as it spoke. "Kayo? Can you hear me?"

"Yes, I hear you," Kayo said. "I'm sorry…I know your voice…but I can't picture who you are."

There was a moment of silence before the voice spoke again. "Kayo, come on. You need to wake up." The bubble seemed to glow brighter, and Kayo found herself being pulled by some invisible force directly towards it.

"Woah!" Kayo exclaimed in surprise. She was picking up speed, unable to stop herself from being dragged towards this mysterious light. "WooooaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"AAAARGH!" Kayo suddenly sat bolt upright, gasping and sweating heavily. This was accompanied by some other yelps of surprise and some clattering. Kayo looked around and was surprised to find she was no longer in the strange reality. Instead, she was sitting in a bed in what she recognised as the Sick Room on Tracy Island. Brains was the one who'd fallen over and knocked over some equipment in his surprise. Jeff and Grandma were also there.

"Kayo!" said Jeff with relief, putting his hands around her to try and calm her down. "Thank God! I was beginning to think you'd never wake up!"

Kayo looked around and began to calm herself down. "Mr…Mr Tracy?" she said as she lay back down on the bed. "Wh…What happened? Why am I here?"

"D-Do you remember anything, Kayo?" asked Brains.

"Remember?" Kayo asked.

"Yes, dear," said Grandma. "Do you remember anything that happened yesterday?"

Kayo looked up at the ceiling and tried to remember anything. "Yesterday?" she said. "No…I had this very strange dream though."

"Can you tell us about that?" asked Jeff.

"I'll…try," said Kayo. "I seem to remember waking up and being given a brand new Thunderbird S. I then went to Brazil to help the boys in Rio with a series of fires that Silver Swan had set off as a means to draw us there as she was tearing the city apart looking for The Hood who was supposedly missing. I remember she and I were fighting on an island out in the bay when the GDF arrived and her brother Obsidian joined in. She tried to flee but we chased her to the jungle and together we managed to defeat her. She then later somehow escaped from the Flyer which we had to rescue the crew before they crashed into the ocean. Obsidian and I then chased her all the way to Malaysia of all places. And then…" She trailed off.

"And then?" Jeff urged.

Kayo screwed up her face as she tried to remember. "There was…a temple…" she said. "I seem to recall freezing. It looked like the one my father and I escaped from when I was still young. The one where…I lost my mother." She then covered her face and began to cry.

Grandma quickly grabbed some tissues and handed them to Kayo who gratefully took them and then blew her nose which was now streaming.

"Sorry," Kayo apologised.

"Don't you dare apologise, Kayo," said Grandma firmly. "You've had quite an ordeal."

"Ordeal?" Kayo repeated. "I feel like I've been through one. But one that was all in my head."

Jeff however was still wanting to know more. "I understand this is tough for you, Kayo," he said. "But do you remember anything else?"

"Jeff!" said Grandma sternly. "I really don't-"

"No, Mother, this is important!" Jeff cut her off. "I'm sorry, Kayo. You mentioned a temple. Anything else?"

Kayo wiped her eyes and tried to remember what happened. "This is where everything gets weird," she said. "Silver Swan said she'd been tracking a signal sent to her by The Hood which was why she was there. She said it was coming from inside the temple. But as we walked towards it, something rose out of the top. There was then this bright white blinding light. And then…that's the last thing I remember. I then seemed to be in some weird dreamy reality where I was floating for what seemed like an eternity…and then I heard a voice and got pulled towards it."

There was silence as Jeff, Brains and Grandma exchanged a mixture of bemused and worried expressions between them.

"Well, Brains?" asked Jeff.

"It would seem to f-fit in I'm afraid to say, M-Mr Tracy," said Brains grimly.

"Fit in with what?" asked Kayo, confused.

Jeff and Grandma exchanged a look. Grandma nodded as if she was telling Jeff to tell her a harsh truth. Jeff let out a sigh. "Kayo…" he began. "With the exception of the temple and that dream reality you mentioned, everything you just described is exactly what happened yesterday."

Kayo blinked. "Wait…what?!"

"After we lost contact with you, I diverted Thunderbirds 1 and 2 from returning to Tracy Island to assist the GDF in searching for you. When they arrived, Scott found you lying unconscious under some trees at the edge of a clearing along with Obsidian and Silver Swan. they were unconscious as well. The GDF took them away and we brought you and Thunderbird Shadow back to the island."

Kayo was left in a stunned silence. "Unconscious…but how?"

"That's what we were h-hoping you could tell us, Kayo," said Brains. "You mentioned a t-temple and a bright white l-light?"

"Yes," said Kayo. "That's the hazy part, but I definitely remember seeing the temple."

"That's the intriguing part," said Jeff. "None of the boys mentioned anything about a temple. Just that you were on the edge of a clearing. It's just like that time you were found along with Professor Kwak in that very same jungle back at the start of the year. Something's in that jungle. Something that's taken you and others out twice!"

A forgotten memory suddenly came back to Brains. "Wait a m-moment. Kayo, these attacks that you were having. Didn't you s-say you saw a temple visualised in those?"

"Yes, I did," said Kayo. "More inside than outside though."

Brains turned to Jeff. "Coincidence, Mr T-Tracy?"

"It's possible, Brains," said Jeff. "But that doesn't explain how Kayo saw a temple and yet neither the boys nor the GDF personnel did when they were there."

"And what about the light?" asked Grandma. "Any thoughts on that?"

Brains thought hard for a moment. "N-Nothing concrete," he said. "The only thing that does p-possibly come to mind is perhaps some k-kind of knockout hypnosis. But that's j-just a wild guess."

Jeff walked over towards the door leading out of the Sick Room. "I need to make some calls," he said. "This mystery has gone on for far too long. There's something out there in the Malaysian Jungle, and I want to know what it is." And with that he left the room.

Brains headed for the door as well, packing up the equipment he had as he did so.

"We'll let you rest, Kayo," said Grandma. "A good night's rest will do you some good. I'll bring you some food later."

Kayo managed a small smile. "Thank you, Mrs Tracy," she said gratefully.

Grandma returned the smile and followed Brains out of the room.

Kayo remained awake for quite some time despite being told to sleep. There was a lot to process. She was now trying to visualise the strange visions that she'd got when she'd had the unexplained mental attacks in her head. But thinking quickly became tiring and soon she'd fallen in a much more comfortable sleep than she'd been in before.

Jeff entered the lounge where the brothers were all relaxing as best they could. Virgil was playing Intercity Stomp on the piano. Gordon was taking a nap whilst Alan was playing a video game with his headset on.

Scott was busy filling in the rescue report on Jeff's desk but got up quickly when he saw Jeff coming. "Sorry, Dad."

"No, it's fine, carry on, Scott," said Jeff. "I can wait."

Scott sat back down. "Thanks, Dad," he said. "Although wait for what may I ask?"

"I just need to make some calls but they can wait a moment," said Jeff.

Gordon stirred at the sound of his father's voice. He yawned, stretched and then sat up. "Is Kayo awake yet, Dad?" he asked.

"Yes, she is," said Jeff.

Scott stopped typing. Virgil stopped playing and even Alan stopped what he was doing and took his headset off.

"How is she?" asked Virgil.

"A bit dazed but physically she's fine," said Jeff. "I asked if she could remember what happened yesterday. She remembered everything, but believed it was all a dream until I told her otherwise."

Gordon leant forward eagerly. "What did she say happened in the jungle?" he asked.

Jeff had been looking out of the window. He paused for a moment and then turned around to face his sons. "Scott, get John up, would you?" he asked. "He needs to be in on this as well."

"Okay, Dad." Scott pressed a button on the desk that directly called Thunderbird 5.

Within a few moments, John's hologram appeared from the portrait on the wall. "Go ahead, Dad?"

"John, Kayo has awoken," said Jeff.

John breathed with relief. "Thank God. Is she okay?"

"For the most part, yes," said Jeff. "She was able to recount the events of yesterday although she believed at first it was all a dream until I told her that it wasn't. There was however, one thing she said that made some sense but also doesn't add up."

"Well that sentence in itself doesn't," said Alan which resulted in some glares from the others which made him go silent.

Jeff chose to ignore Alan's remark and then continued. "Boys, when you found Kayo along with Swan and Obsidian, was there anything other than trees there?"

The brothers all exchanged looks.

"No, Dad," said Scott. "It was just an empty clearing surrounded by trees."

"So none of you noticed a temple?" asked Jeff.

This resulted in some very confused looks from the brothers.

"Temple?" repeated Virgil. "I didn't see one."

"Nor did I," said Gordon.

"Nothing at all," agreed Alan. "Just loads of trees. No buildings of any kind."

"What else did she say?" asked Scott.

"She mentioned there was a strange blinding light that came from the temple," said Jeff. "That's the last thing she remembers before waking up here."

The brothers were left in a stunned silence.

"A glowing light that knocks people out?" Gordon said. "Is that even possible?"

"With the amount of things we've seen over the years, Gordon, can anything surprise you anymore?" asked Virgil.

"Clearly, yeah," Gordon replied.

"What do you plan to do, Dad?" asked John.

"Well I intend to make some inquiries into this, John," said Jeff. "This is the second time Kayo's gone into the Malaysian Jungle and been found unconscious. There's something strange going on in that jungle and I intend to find out what it is. I also need to check in with Colonel Jennings and find out how Obsidian and Swan are getting on." He then had a thought. "John, could you make an aerial scan of the Malaysian Jungle? Focus on the clearing where Kayo was found. See if it shows anything."

"Okay, Dad, I'll get right onto that," said John and his hologram disappeared.

Scott moved to allow Jeff to sit at his desk. He then put out a call to GDF HQ where he was soon put on with Colonel Jennings.

"Hello, Jeff. I was just thinking about getting in touch with you. Any news on Miss Kyrano? Madison has been concerned about her. As have I."

"I am pleased to inform you that she has awoken, Abbie," said Jeff.

"That's a relief to hear," said Colonel Jennings. "Obsidian has also come around. Swan is in solitary confinement under heavy observation. She has yet to regain consciousness."

"Have you been able to talk to Obsidian like we discussed, Abbie?" asked Jeff.

"Yes, Jeff. He was able to recount everything in exact detail. Although his account of what happened in the Malaysian Jungle leaves more questions than answers."

"That's interesting," said Jeff. "Kayo was exactly the same. She recounted everything but thought it was all a dream until told otherwise. Let me guess, Obsidian mentioned a temple that nobody else saw and that the last thing he remembers is a bright light?"

Colonel Jennings didn't answer for a moment. "Y-Yes…" she said. "Did Kayo say that as well?"

"She most certainly did," said Jeff. "I'm guessing none of the recovery team said anything about there being a temple?"

"Not at all," said Colonel Jennings.

"My boys are the same," said Jeff. "I've got John making a detailed scan of the Malaysian Jungle as we speak." There came a beeping sound from the wall. "Speaking of. Go ahead, John?"

John's hologram reappeared. "Scan is complete, Dad," he said. "I'm putting it on the table."

Jeff, the four brothers and the hologram of Colonel Jennings all looked at the table in the middle of the lounge as a detailed holographic map of the Malaysian Jungle appeared from the projector. John then zoomed in on the clearing where Kayo, Obsidian and Silver Swan had been found.

"That's the clearing," said John. "But there's no temple there."

"That's…very strange," said Colonel Jennings. "We have two people with identical accounts talking of something that nobody else saw. It doesn't make sense."

"I agree," said Jeff. "And as this is the second time something like this has happened with Kayo in that jungle, I want to start an investigation into finding out what's really out in that jungle."

"I'd be inclined to agree with you, Jeff," said Colonel Jennings. "I have contacts in that region. I'll see what I can find out."

"That'd be much appreciated, Abbie," said Colonel Jennings. "Let me know what you find if you do."

"Will do. Jennings, out."

Jeff sat back in his chair and breathed out.

Scott broke the silence. "So what now?" he asked.

"There's not much we can do, Scott," Jeff replied. "Unless Kayo remembers something else, we just have to wait and see what happens next."

Penelope was tucking into the cooked breakfast she was having. It was the morning after she and Parker had visited Slade Prison and spoken with Light-Fingered Fred. Penelope had slept well, but it was very clear that Parker hadn't slept at all.

"Parker, are you feeling alright?" Penelope asked.

"I've been better, m'lady," said Parker as he put the teapot back down. "One lump or two?"

"One, please," said Penelope. "And, Parker?"

"Yes, m'lady?"

"Might I suggest you pour the tea into the cup and not onto the toast?"

Parker blinked and looked at the table before throwing his head in his hands. The tea he'd meant to put in Penelope's cup was now all over the toast and a large portion of the tablecloth. "Ohhhhhhhhhhh, crikey…" he groaned. "Sorry, m'lady."

"Just be thankful Mother and Father aren't here to see you do that," said Penelope. She helped him move things so he could get the tablecloth off to be washed. "Go get that sorted, Parker. I can pour my own tea."

"Very well, m'lady," said Parker who walked out feeling very embarrassed and angry with himself.

Penelope wasn't angry with Parker. She knew what was going through his mind and had the utmost sympathy for him. "Oh, dear," she said to herself as she poured herself some tea. "I'm so glad Mother and Father are away at the moment. They'd want to know what's gotten into him. I don't think I want them to know. At least not yet anyway." She sipped the tea and then finished off the eggs and tomatoes on her plate. She wiped her mouth clean and sighed before taking another sip. It was at that moment she began to sense something wasn't quite right. Potts, her Border Collie, was suddenly heard to be barking out in the main lobby. "Potts doesn't tend to bark unless he senses danger," she told herself. She got up from the table and came over to the window. She looked out across the front driveway and flowerbeds of the estate. In the distance she could just make out the shape of a Helicopter coming over the trees. It then began to descend towards the lawn. Penelope took her father's binoculars from a nearby drawer and looked through them at the Helicopter. It had no markings on it which automatically made her suspicious. A side door opened and a group of ten men armed with machine-guns began jumping out. They were all wearing strange outfits though. No military uniform. Instead they appeared to be wearing fur coats and white shirts with jeans and combat boots. On the fronts of the shirts was an identical black symbol that looked like a bird although Penelope couldn't quite make out what type of bird it was. "Well…this is rather distressing," Penelope said.

Just then Parker returned. "That mutt of yours is barking an awful lot, m'lady," he said.

"And with good reason," said Penelope. "We've got some uninvited guests, Parker. Look."

Parker came over to the window and Penelope handed him the binoculars. He felt his blood run cold when he saw the figures hurrying across the lawn in the direction of the house. "An attack in broad daylight?" he said. "Swipe me! Cobblepot's sent a small army!"

"How do you know they're Cobblepots?" asked Penelope.

"I think explanations should wait until after we've repelled them, m'lady?" suggested Parker.

"Yes, quite," said Penelope. "Although…we should at least get to see what Brains' new anti-intruder devices can do." She went over to the table and picked up her cup of tea before bringing it back over to the window. "Let's watch the show, shall we, Parker?"

The men had concealed themselves behind bushes out of sight of the mansion. They were in the belief that they'd been able to land without being noticed. The leader of the group, a man named Loose Lips Larry began to issue instructions to the others. "Okay, boys. You know what to do. Get in there, grab the target and bring him out here."

"And the Creighton-Wards?" asked one of the men.

"If you come across Lady Penelope, take her too," said Larry. "She'll make the perfect hostage for the Boss to ransom." He cackled. "Right, boys, it's time. Go in all guns blazing. We must get Parker at all costs."

"Yes, sir!"

"Then what are you waiting for?" barked Larry. "Get Parker. And don't let anyone stop you!"

The men broke cover and began to run up the driveway towards the house. Their weapons were pointed down at the ground as there were no targets for them to aim at.

At first, their progress was unimpeded. But as they got halfway along, it happened.

"HEY, WHAT THE-?!"

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

"GAAGH! WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"

Larry had stayed behind the bushes. But when he heard the men crying out, he dashed around to see what was going on. He stared in surprise. "What the blazes?!"

The men had disappeared in a cloud of smoke that had been released from a number of concealed smoke grenades designed to go off if the security system hadn't been set to a short period shut down. Now all ten men were completely blind and couldn't see anything. They ran around in a panic, bumping into each other and falling over those on the ground.

"I CAN'T SEE!" one of them was heard to shout.

"D-DON'T JUST STAND THERE!" Larry shouted into the smoke. "ATTACK!"

The smoke was slowly starting to clear and for some of the men, the house was now visible again. They hurried towards it, shooting their guns at the windows. But like the dome of FAB1, the windows were bulletproof, making their attack pointless. Parker had jumped back as bullets began hitting the window whereas Penelope remained where she was, observing whilst drinking her tea.

The smoke was almost clear now and Larry began hitting the men to get them back on task. But the garden then revealed more surprises. Concealed cannons in the hedges on opposite sides of the driveway began shooting out nets which caught a number of the men and trapped them inside.

"HELP!"

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

"Leave them!" Larry ordered those who were trying to help. "Keep attacking the house!"

Several of the men ran forwards when a number of sprinklers suddenly activated, spraying them with water.

"AAARGH!"

"I DON'T LIKE THIS!"

"THE WHOLE GARDEN'S A BOOBY-TRAP!"

"KEEP GOING, DAMN YOU!" Larry bellowed in frustration.

One of the men closest to the house had been running towards it only to stop dead in his tracks when the figure on the water fountain began swivelling round to face them.

"WHY HAVE YOU STOPPED?!" demanded Larry who appeared beside him.

"I don't like the look of that fountain," said the man.

Larry looked at the fountain. He hadn't seen it move and therefore so no danger. "Incompetent swine!" he snapped, snatching the machine-gun. "Give me that! Watch this!" He raised the machine-gun towards the fountain. But before he could pull the trigger, there came a great WHOOSH as a jet of water, as powerful as the ones on Fire-Engines came shooting out of the fountain, striking Larry and the other guy.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"

They along with others they collided with on the way were thrown back a good fifty metres along the drive and by the time they were able to recover themselves were now absolutely drenched in water.

Another of the men came up. "We've got five trapped in nets and the water's pushed us back!" he cried.

"THEN FIND A WAY AROUND, DAMN IT!" Larry spluttered after spitting water from his mouth.

"Me and some of the lads already tried!" said the man. "But they're all caught up in nets, too. The whole freakin' estate's full of booby-traps!"

"STOP…MAKING…EXCUSES!" shrieked Larry. "We're not leaving without what we came for!"

The two men looked at each other. "Then you're on your own," said one of them. "I'm outta here!" And with that he began to run back towards the Helicopter.

"No! NO! NO!" Larry shouted as he saw two other men who'd managed to avoid the water jets and nets also running back towards the Helicopter. "ATTACK THE HOUSE!"

"DO IT YOURSELF!" came the blunt response from the others.

Larry managed to scramble to his feet. He checked the machine-gun but it was now soaked and full of water. It wouldn't work properly now. He threw it to the ground in fury and ran back to join the four others inside the Helicopter. "TAKE OFF!" he shouted at the pilot.

The Helicopter lifted off the ground and disappeared over the trees.

"They're leaving, m'lady," said Parker.

"Indeed, Parker," said Penelope. "I think we can safely report to Brains that his defences worked wonderfully, don't you?"

"Yes, indeed, m'lady," agreed Parker. "But what do we do with those that they left behind?"

Penelope finished the last of her tea before putting the cup back down on the saucer. "I think a little interrogation is in order," she said. "I'm sure some of your, erm, skills will come in handy."

Parker cracked his knuckles. "Indeed they will, m'lady."

"But before we do," Penelope continued, "you were going to tell me how you knew they were Cobblepot's men?"

"Come outside and I'll show you, m'lady," said Parker.

Penelope and Parker headed outside along with Potts who led them straight to a tree around the right hand side of the mansion. One of the men was trapped inside a net that was hanging from one of the branches.

"OI!" the man shouted indignantly. "GET ME OUT OF THIS!"

"In time," said Penelope. "After you've answered some questions first."

"I AIN'T TELLIN' YOU NOTHIN'!" the man defiantly.

Potts stood right underneath, growling and snarling which made the man nervous.

"My apologies," said Penelope. "I regret to inform you that my dog isn't a vegetarian. He does like a bit of meat off a bone, doesn't he, Parker?"

"H'Indeed 'e does, m'lady," chuckled Parker.

Potts barked and tried leaping at the man who squealed in fright. "OKAY! OKAY! I'LL TALK!" he cried. "C-COBBLEPOT SENT US! HE WANTS REVENGE ON YOU FOR SELLING HIS FAMILY OUT DURING THE PALACE RAID!"

"So 'e did find out h'it was me and Fred," Parker muttered.

"And what does he plan to do with Parker if he does get his hands on him?" asked Penelope.

"YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO KNOW!" whimpered the man. "COBBLEPOT HAS SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF TORTURE! I'VE SEEN THINGS! I'VE SEEN HIM DO HORRIBLE THINGS TO SOME OF US IF THEY FAIL HIM!" He began to cry. "Oh, God…Oh GOD! I DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO TO US AND THOSE WHO GOT AWAY!"

Penelope and Parker looked at each other.

"Cooperate with us and the Police and we'll make sure you're kept safe from Cobblepot," Penelope said.

"That'll make no difference," sobbed the man. "No matter where we'd go, he'd find us somehow. He always gets what he wants…one way or another."

"I think he'll find that if he wants Parker, he's not going to get it easy," said Penelope. She turned to Parker. "I think we should oblige his request, Parker? Although might I suggest we keep him and his friends restrained until the Police get here?"

"Right you are, m'lady," said Parker. "Oh, by the way, m'lady. Do you see that bird symbol on his shirt?"

Penelope looked up at the man. Just visible through the net was the black bird symbol on the white shirt. "Yes, I see it," she said. "What about it?"

"That's 'ow h'I knew they were Cobblepot's men," said Parker. "Due to his somewhat deformed body, there's a reason why he's called The Penguin!"