THE skies above England were turning a golden orange as the Sun began to set. FAB1 was on the road, making its way towards London. Having managed to get a location out of the henchman and leaving him and those who remained to be taken away by the local Police, Penelope and Parker were determined now to bring down the man who was responsible for sending them.
Parker, whilst wanting to see Cobblepot put behind bars, was still a little anxious about seeing one of the men he'd been responsible for forcing to flee the country. "H'I do 'ope we're doing the right thing, m'lady," he said.
"What do you mean, Parker?" asked Penelope.
"Ozzie is not your typical London gangster geezer," said Parker. "As you saw from the attack on the mansion earlier. 'e seems to 'ave cobbled together h'a small h'army."
"And you think that could be only a fraction of what he has under his control?" asked Penelope.
"H'Exactly, m'lady," said Parker. "There's only two of us. But there could be thousands of them."
"If we feel the danger is too great, we shall remain in the car, Parker," said Penelope. "We both know that FAB1 isn't easy to bring down."
"True, m'lady," said Parker. "But all the same, I do wonder if perhaps we should 'ave h'asked Miss Kyrano to join us for this."
"No, Parker," said Penelope. "Cobblepot's only posed a threat to us and my family, not to International Rescue. Until he does, I don't want to trouble Jeff or bring Kayo or the boys into dealing with our problems."
"Very well, m'lady," said Parker. "We should be arriving at the docks in h'about one 'our."
"Excellent," said Penelope.
Lightning flashed. Thunder rumbled. The wind howled and the waves crashed against the rocks and cliffs as Tracy Island became engulfed by the storm. It was of no concern to the Tracy family though as Brains had installed many safety devices to help protect the buildings from the elements. Strong metal sheets covered not only the swimming pool but also the windows of the roundhouse and the main villa itself.
Through concealed cameras, Brains watched as the rain lashed down onto the island from within the safety of the medical room where Grandma was tending to the bruise on Scott's temple. "Oh, my. It's a g-good job we managed to get inside when we did," Brains remarked. "That storm really is a big one."
"Stop flinching!" Grandma said crossly to Scott who wasn't keeping still. "I need to tend to this."
Scott was in a foul mood. "I wouldn't need tending to if someone hadn't hit me!" he snapped, giving Virgil a glare as he did so.
Virgil had been feeling rather guilty over what he'd done. "Scott, I'm sorry. I didn't even choose to do it. It just…happened."
"Yeah, whatever," snarled Scott. "The truth of the matter is because of yours and Dad's interference, The Hood is still alive. Where even is he?"
"That is of no concern of yours," said Grandma. "And if Virgil hadn't stopped you, I would have. I will not see one of my grandson's turn into a killer."
Scott stared at her. "Grandma…how can you defend a man who has caused us no end of pain and done things that had made so many people in the world suffer?" he asked, trying to hold back tears. "I…I…I don't want him on our island!"
"Do you think any of us want him here, Scott?" Virgil asked. "But it's happened. And at least he's not running amok on the island."
Brains slunk away whilst the others were arguing. None of them saw him go.
"Exactly," said Grandma. "And think about this, Scott. So long as he's being held in our containment cells, he's not out there causing misery to other people."
Scott couldn't argue with that, but it still didn't make him any happier.
Brains had gone down to the sub-basement far beneath the villa. It was here where the holding cells were located. He found The Mechanic standing outside the door, looking in at The Hood who was lying on the bed.
"Has he w-woken up yet?" Brains asked.
"Not yet," The Mechanic replied. "That said…I think he might be about to."
As they watched, they noticed The Hood twitch slightly. Then he opened his eyes and blinked. "Huh…" he groaned. "What the…" Then he seemed to realise what he was in. "NO!" he screamed, leaping to his feet. "NOT AGAIN! NOT THIS A-" He broke off when he noticed Brains and The Mechanic looking at him. Brains was looking alarmed whilst The Mechanic fixed him with a cold stare. This was the first time he and The Hood had come face to face in a very long time. The Hood's confused face then twisted into a wicked snarl. "You…" he growled at The Mechanic.
"It's been a long time, Hood," said The Mechanic. "I must say. You haven't been missed."
"LET ME OUT OF HERE!" The Hood demanded. "I CAME TO INTERNATIONAL RESCUE FOR PROTECTION! NOT IMPRISONMENT!"
"And you s-seriously think we would just let you in with open arms?" asked Brains, now scowling. "I don't think so. But if it's protection you w-want, I'd almost say you're in a very safe place. Whoever it is who is after you, will have a j-job to get to you now."
"Who was flying those other planes?" asked The Mechanic.
The Hood paced back and forward. "People from a group my brother ran many years ago," he said. "One that I tried to take over from, but was denied when Kyrano destroyed their headquarters."
Before Brains could ask anything else, his watch beeped. "Y-Yes?"
"Brains, it's Gordon. Kayo's ready to tell us about her visions. Thought you and The Mechanic might want to be there to hear it?"
Brains looked at The Mechanic who nodded. "We'll be r-right with you, Gordon." He then turned to The Hood. "M-Make yourself comfortable. It'll be a while before you s-set foot outside of that cell." He walked away with The Mechanic following behind.
"So you're just gonna leave me here to rot in the dark?" The Hood said, trying to sound threatening.
"Relax, Hood," said The Mechanic. "You have company." He then followed Brains into the elevator and out of sight.
The Hood was confused. "What company?" he asked.
A whirring sound answered The Hood's question as he saw something moving through the shadows next to the cell. Then a bronze robot appeared and came to stand in front of the reinforced glass cell door.
The Hood scowled as he recognised the robot. "Oh…you're that piece of scrap that the Tracy's thought me and my Chaos Crew over, aren't you?" he said.
Braeman said nothing. He just looked at The Hood blankly.
Silence fell for a few moments before The Hood spoke again. "I suppose I ought to blame you for all that has happened these past few years?" he said bitterly. "You were what picked up Jeff Tracy's distress signal, weren't you? If it hadn't been for you, he'd probably be long gone by now, and those wretched Tracy brothers would be orphans! So yeah…thanks a lot you disgusting PIECE OF SH-"
Before The Hood could finish, Braeman cut him off by singing. "Sailing! Sailing!"
"No…NO!" The Hood bellowed, covering his ears. "DON'T SING THAT!"
"Sailing! Sailing! Over the bounding-!"
"SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!"
During the 20th Century, London's docks had been mostly located within the city itself. In the latter part it moved to the Isle of Dogs and further down the river. With those areas now vastly developed, Port of London was now based primarily at Tilbury near Southend. This was where all the large container ships brought their cargo as they were too big to get any further down the River Thames. The port was always busy twenty-four hours a day. So much goods travelled in and out that it wasn't difficult for the occasional load of contraband sneaking past the authorities.
Many vehicles moved in, out and around the port at all hours of the day and night. It was now late evening once again and one of the vehicles coming close to the outside gates of the port was FAB1. Penelope and Parker were determined to locate Oswald Cobblepot aboard his ship – The Final Offer. But first, they were going to have to get past the port's security.
"We're approaching a checkpoint, m'lady," said Parker. "'ow do you want to play h'it?"
"We don't have time for a lot of diplomacy on this job I'm afraid, Parker," replied Penelope. "Activate the stealth-mode so we'll be hidden from the CCTV."
"Yus, m'lady," said Parker. He pressed a button on the dashboard. FAB1 was still visible to the naked eye but to CCTV cameras, it was invisible. Even Penelope and Parker themselves couldn't be seen by them.
The Security Guard on the gate was rather curious to see FAB1 pull up at the barrier.
"Good evening, officer," said Penelope.
"Er, good evening, Your Ladyship," the Guard said. "What brings you here?"
"I'm here to see Oswald Cobblepot," Penelope said. "I heard his ship was docked here so thought I'd come and pay him a surprise visit."
"I see," said the Guard. "Well, we don't normally allow unplanned visits, but I think we can make an exception just this once. You're clear to proceed."
"Thank you, officer," said Penelope sweetly as the barrier gate opened to let FAB1 pass through.
"That was easier than expected, wasn't it, m'lady," said Parker.
"Quite," agreed Penelope. "But I don't think we'll be having it as easy as that again tonight."
FAB1 drove through the docks until it was close to the berth where The Final Offer was moored. Not wanting to catch unwanted attention, Parker parked the car behind a large number of steel containers. "Will this do, m'lady?"
"Perfect," said Penelope. "We'll proceed on foot from here."
"But didn't we agree-"
"We can't get a good look at the ship from where we are, Parker. If we head up to that rooftop, we should be fine.
They left FAB1 on lock-down mode and made their way on foot towards the warehouse next to the berth. They had to duck into the shadows a couple of times to avoid being spotted by passing dock workers. Then they had to dive behind some crates when a forklift truck came round the corner.
"What the?!" exclaimed the dock worker driving the forklift. "Funny, I thought I saw someone. Must be imagining things."
Parker and Penelope lay still and silent until the forklift had driven off into the warehouse.
"That was close, m'lady," said Parker.
"Indeed, Parker," agreed Penelope. "Far too close."
They continued on their way and soon found their way up several flights of stairs onto the roof of the warehouse where they could crouch down and get a good view of what was going on aboard the ship. Men shouted to one another as crates were unloaded from the forward cargo hold of The Final Offer. A quick scan with her x-ray binoculars confirmed what Penelope suspected.
"That crate's got guns in it, Parker," Penelope whispered. "I can't say how many there are for sure but there must be at least twenty inside."
"Cor blimey!" exclaimed Parker. "Looks like we've busted a smuggling operation?"
Penelope looked over towards the superstructure of The Final Offer. Looking through the binoculars again, she saw two smartly-dressed women walking along the deck. One was blonde with a white coat, trousers and boots on, the other was dark-skinned with black hair and a dark blue dress with black trousers and brown boots on. And walking between the two ladies was a very short and stumpy man with a brown fur coat on and a cigar in his mouth. He was also carrying an umbrella in his left hand.
"Parker…" Penelope whispered. "Is that him?"
Parker lifted up his own binoculars and looked at the stout man Penelope had pointed out. "Cor!" he exclaimed. "'e's h'even h'uglier than 'e was before!"
"Shhh!" hissed Penelope. "Someone might hear you!"
"OI, WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP HERE?!"
Penelope and Parker jumped and looked round to see two dock workers had come up onto the roof for a cigarette break.
"Damn it!" said Penelope. "Let's go!"
As the two men approached, Penelope and Parker jumped to their feet. Parker tackled one of the men whilst Penelope sent the other one flying with a well-placed kick. The man went flying backwards and disappeared over the side of the building.
A klaxon started blaring out alerting the security personnel that something was wrong. Penelope and Parker tried to make a run for it, but before they were able to get to the stairs, a group of armed men, all with penguin heads on their clothes appeared and blocked them off. Another group of port security officers appeared from the staircase that they'd come up on. There was nowhere for them to go.
The entire Tracy family, including John who'd come down from Thunderbird 5, gathered around in the lounge along with Brains and The Mechanic. All listened intently as Kayo told them everything she could now remember from the visions she'd been receiving. She explained about remembering being tied up in the back of a van with Professor Kwak. She remembered a large stone temple in the Malaysian Jungle, one that looked identical to the one she'd seen the day before. She remembered and described being inside the temple being escorted through its dimly-lit passageways by a group of people in all-black suits that were called Shadows. But what disturbed them most of all was when she told them about the man she'd seen inside the tank and they were completely shocked when she told them who it was.
"Wait, back up a second!" said Gordon. "You're telling us that the man you saw inside that tank was your Dad?"
"My Father…yes, Gordon," said Kayo grimly.
"How is that even possible?" asked Alan. "You tried getting in touch with him for months after we found out Dad was still alive."
"I thought he'd retired?" said Scott.
"That's what I thought too," said Kayo. "He did tell me how and why he was there, but that part I don't remember. I have a feeling he said something about how he'd been experimented on and turned into some kind of cybernetic super-soldier. I could have imagined that part though."
"That seems very far f-fetched," said Brains.
"I'd disagree with you on that, Brains," said Virgil. "The Mechanic here is part cyborg now."
"Yes…I am," said The Mechanic. They all then noticed he was looking rather downcast. He then turned to Kayo. "Kayo…I'm afraid to say that what you thought your father said is true."
Kayo's eyes widened. Everyone else stared in surprise.
"How do you know that?" asked Alan.
The Mechanic hung his head. "Because it was me who turned him into what he was - at the instructions of The Hood."
"Oh…well that makes a lot of sense!" said Scott angrily. "Of course it would be The Hood who would have something so disgusting done to his own BROTHER!"
"Scott, be quiet!" snapped Jeff. He turned back to The Mechanic. "Go on, Juan."
The Mechanic sighed before doing so. "I had no idea who this man was when he was brought into my laboratory. I just assumed he was one of The Hood's many employees who'd either volunteered or been volunteered by The Hood for a cybernetics upgrade experiment. It wasn't until after the operation that The Hood let slip that this man was his brother Kyrano. I was horrified by what he and I had done. So much so that I actually allowed Kyrano to escape from the hideout. I wouldn't see him again after that. The Hood was enraged by what I'd done and punished me for it."
"What did he do?" asked Gordon.
The Mechanic looked at his hands. "He made me into what I am now. He made me into the villain I was. He made me into that monster that you first encountered with the Earthbreaker."
Everyone was still and silent. They all looked at each other, unsure of what to say.
The Mechanic then spoke again, addressing Kayo directly. "I'm sorry I couldn't have told you that before, Kayo. I guess The Hood had made me suppress that memory. I had presumed that your father had probably not survived his transformation. It would seem though…that he did."
Kayo walked slowly up to him. The others held their breath. They weren't sure whether Kayo was going to scream or even strike The Mechanic for withholding a secret like that from her. But instead of getting angry, she placed her hand on his right arm. "Thank you…for telling me, Juan," she said. "That…cannot have been easy for you to have done."
The Mechanic was surprised. "You're not angry with me?" he asked.
"Oh…I'm angry," said Kayo. "But not with you. You didn't choose to do that to my Father."
"No…" added Scott bitterly. "We all know who's really to blame. And he's down in our holding cells."
"And for now he shall remain there," said Jeff. "I will alert the GDF and inform them that he is in our custody. We shall then come up with a plan of action as to what to do with him."
"Could we not just keep him here, Dad?" asked Alan.
Everyone stared at him. "Have you lost your mind, Alan?!" exclaimed Gordon.
"Certainly not!" fumed Scott. "I'd rather quit International Rescue than have him live on the island!"
"Hey, I never said he should live here!" said Alan. "Hear me out here. How many times has the GDF had The Hood in their custody? And how many times has he escaped? Huh? We now know that he is alone. Nobody is actively looking for him. If he's in our cells, at least we A - know where he is, and B - nobody else can get at him."
There was a pause.
"I can't say you don't have a valid point there, Alan," said Jeff. "But I'm afraid I don't want him on our island any longer than necessary. The only thing that The Hood has had in his favor in the past is allies. From what we can tell currently, the only one he's had is now in GDF custody. The big mistake they made was keeping The Cabal all in the same place. If they're kept apart, there's no way they can attempt to reform."
"Not that they're likely to," remarked Gordon.
"That's besides the point, Gordon," said Jeff. "I know you all don't like it, and neither do I, but until the GDF can come and collect him, he stays right where he is. And nobody is to visit him. I repeat - nobody. Am I clear?"
There came a murmur of agreement.
John finally spoke. "What about Kyrano though?" he asked. "He was as much family to us as Kayo is. Shouldn't we try and get him back with us?"
"I don't know about that one, John," said Jeff. "Kayo, were those shadowy people you mentioned holding him against his will?"
"I don't think so," said Kayo. "I don't even remember why he was in the tank. I just remember it was him who was in there."
"I see," said Jeff. "Well, this is something to be figured out at another time. We still have a rescue organisation to run." He glanced at his watch. "It's getting late. You should all go to bed and rest up."
"Well, it's not like we could even go anywhere with that storm raging outside," said Alan.
"It's died down now," said John. "How else do you think I got down here?"
"That's…a fair point," remarked Alan.
One by one the brothers headed off to bed with Grandma and The Mechanic heading back to the kitchen and lower levels respectively. Only Jeff, Brains and Kayo remained in the lounge.
"How's our guest, Brains?" Jeff asked.
"Secure in his c-cell, Mr Tracy," answered Brains. "Braeman is k-keeping guard over him."
"Good," said Jeff. "I'll call Colonel Jennings and fill her in on the situation."
Brains nodded. "Good," he said. "Just s-seeing him makes my skin crawl." He too then headed off to bed.
Kayo then spoke to Jeff. "Mr Tracy…I know this is going to sound unusual but-"
"You want to go back to the jungle to find the temple?" Jeff asked.
Kayo nodded. "I just…I just need to know the truth," Kayo said. "I don't know how I got from being in the temple to being back outside when Kwak and I were discovered. Those shadows did something to us."
"Something that caused you to forget those few hours?" said Keff.
"Exactly," Kayo said. "I just…want to know why." She was trying to hold back tears, but eventually found that she couldn't.
Jeff got up from his desk and hugged her before handing her a tissue. He then looked around, making sure that they were the only ones there. "We'll go together," he said.
Kayo blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Tonight," said Jeff. "Once everyone's well asleep, we'll take Thunderbird Shadow and go take a look in that jungle. I want to see Kyrano as much as you do, Kayo."
Kayo sniffled then hugged Jeff. "Thank you, Mr Tracy," she said. "But…how can we explain our absence to the others?"
"Hopefully we'll be back before they've even realised we're gone," said Jeff. "Now go take a couple of hours. We'll launch at midnight."
Kayo nodded, then headed off, unable to take her mind off the secret mission that was coming up.
"Well this is rather distressing," Penelope remarked as she and Parker were hoisted over the deck of The Final Offer by the dock crane. Having been brought aboard the vessel by the henchmen of Oswald Cobblepot, they had been tied back-to-back before being attached to the hook of the crane and lifted up.
Cobblepot stepped forwards and took a puff on his newly-lit cigar. He was chuckling with delight as he watched his captives get positioned just above where he was standing. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward and Aloysius Parker," he said. "Oh, this is just perfect. The perfect payback for what your family did to mine!"
"It's been a long time, Ozzie," said Parker.
"I don't know what you mean by that remark, but don't think you'll be able to get away with this, Cobblepot," said Penelope. "The authorities will catch up with you sooner or later."
Cobblepot laughed. "Oh, no they won't, Your Ladyship," he said. "They'll keep their distance so long as I am 'ere. Nothing a few well-placed bribes cannot sort out, eh?"
"So, that's 'ow 'e does h'it," Parker whispered to Penelope.
Cobblepot turned to his two female assistants. "Maybe you can 'elp me out 'ere, loves?" he said. "Now that I've got Lady Penelope and that pathetic excuse of a bodyguard of 'ers, I don't exactly know what I should do with 'em. What do ya think, Tracey?"
The woman in white looked up at Penelope and Parker. "They have no right to poke their noses into your business," she said. "Kill them now!"
Cobblepot nodded thoughtfully. "Too right they bloody have no right to be 'ere," he agreed. Then he turned to the dark-skinned woman. "Candy, do you 'ave any thoughts?"
"Nah, killing them is way too easy, Oz," the woman said. "I think we ought to find out what they know before we dispose of them."
Cobblepot seemed to prefer Candy's idea. "The slow and painful way, eh?" he said. "I like 'ow you think, Candy."
Tracey sniffed slightly. Cobblepot always seemed to favour Candy more than he did her. She turned her head away in annoyance.
"So what do ya say, Lady Penelope?" Cobblepot called up. "What's it gonna be? A quick and easy death, or a nice slow and painful one?"
"I chose neither, thank you, sir!" Parker said defiantly.
"Shhh!" Penelope hissed.
"That's right, you tell 'im!" laughed Cobblepot. "I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR OPINION, DID I, NOSEY?! DON'T THINK I'VE FORGOTTEN ABOUT WHAT YOU DID EITHER! THANKS TO YOU, MY DEAR OL' PAPPY AND I HAD TO FLEE TO THE STATES! I've waited a long time to get even with you!"
Parker grimaced. He wasn't really listening to Cobblepot. Instead he was trying a trick he'd learned from his army days to try and wiggle his hands free for the rope tying them together. It was working and he could feel it loosening. Once he'd got his hands free he then began to carefully start to undo the rope binding Penelope's hands.
"Well?" Cobblepot asked. "I said what's it gonna be?!"
"What does it matter?" asked Penelope. "You're gonna get your arse kicked whatever you decide to do with us!"
"Ooooh, I'm scared!" Cobblepot spun himself around laughing loudly. "Did ya hear that, boys! Her Ladyship 'ere says I'm gonna have my arse kicked!" He then roared with laughter and several of his henchmen joined in. Candy began to giggle as well but Tracey remained silent. "Oh, you're a real funny one, aren't you, Penelope?" Cobblepot went on. "Let's see if you're still laughing after I show you what happens to people who MOCK ME!"
Cobblepot pointed his umbrella at the central cargo hold which up until this point had remained closed. One of the henchmen pressed a button and the doors began to open. It was filled almost to the top with water. At first, Penelope and Parker couldn't see any reason to be worried until they noticed a large grey object moving around inside.
"Blimey o'reilly!" exclaimed Parker. "It's a flippin' shark!"
"Swing them over!" Cobblepot said into a walkie-talkie.
"With pleasure," answered the man who was operating the crane. The arm of the crane moved round until Penelope and Parker were suspended directly above the cargo hold.
"Can you see my little friend down there?" Cobblepot asked, pointing toward the shark. "Meet Tiny. Who'da thought a big fish would be so useful? Not me, that's for sure!" He cackled. "He's like a mobile rubbish truck. Anything that I drop in that tank just vanishes. Hahaha! Problem gone! Just like those useless mugs who I sent to burn your 'ouse down, Lady Penelope!"
"You're insane, Cobblepot!" said Penelope angrily. "You can't keep a poor innocent animal in a tank like that!"
But Cobblepot only laughed again. "Do you really think I give a bloody toss about that?" he asked. "Tiny has only one use as far as I'm concerned and he provides it without any fuss." He then spoke to the crane driver again. "Dunk 'em!"
Penelope and Parker's hearts leapt slightly as the crane began to lower them down towards the tank. They could see the shark swimming just below the surface of the water. Penelope then felt the rope around her wrists slacken. Parker had done it. It was now or never if they were to escape from this predicament.
"Now, m'lady?" asked Parker.
"Now, Parker," replied Penelope.
They moved their arms quickly out from behind their backs and slipped through the ropes that had bound them together and to the hook of the crane.
"WHAT?!" shrieked Cobblepot as Penelope and Parker used their hands and feet to push themselves to the opposite sides of the shark tank where they both landed safely on the deck.
Penelope had landed on the side that Cobblepot was standing on. He backed away nervously with Tracey and Candy as Penelope began to approach them with a seriously stern look on her face.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU STANDING ABOUT FOR?!" Cobblepot bellowed at his henchmen. "GET THEM!"
The henchmen all raised their machine-guns and began firing at Penelope and Parker who had to dive behind some fixtures on the ship's deck to take cover.
"Are you h'okay, m'lady?" Parker asked via Penelope's watch.
"I will be when this is over, Parker," Penelope replied. "Let's just finish this, shall we? And try not to get yourself shot in the process, hmm?"
"Right you are, m'lady," replied Parker with a chuckle. He saw two henchmen heading towards him. He cracked his knuckles and threw himself into the fight.
Jeff had been busy working late into the night. He had lost track of time so it didn't seem long before Kayo returned.
"Are you still sure you want to come with me, Mr Tracy?" Kayo asked.
"I am," Jeff answered. "As I've said before, it's time we put this mystery to bed."
Kayo nodded. "Then let's go then."
They headed down to the lower levels, Kayo went her usual way whilst Jeff took another route. Once in his uniform, Jeff headed up to the cavern where Thunderbirds 1, 3 and Shadow were kept. He arrived just as the new Shadowbike was lifted into place inside the main body of the craft. Kayo opened the canopy and he climbed inside. The craft was then moved up the tunnel and the cliff swivelled around so that they were now outside. The storm had passed meaning it was safe for them to launch. Kayo then put the craft into stealth-mode, making it invisible and then fired the engines before releasing the clamp. Thunderbird Shadow silently raced away from Tracy Island, leaving behind no indication that it had even been there.
Inside the house, everyone was asleep, remaining none the wiser.
Once clear of the island, Kayo deactivated the camouflage and flew low over the surface of the Coral Sea as they headed West towards Malaysia.
"Did you get a chance to talk with Colonel Jennings, Mr Tracy?" Kayo asked.
"I did," Jeff replied. "She's going to brief her captains in the morning and then they'll be in touch to discuss a pick-up for your uncle."
"Good," said Kayo. "You know, I was thinking about what Alan was saying earlier. You can't deny he isn't wrong."
"No, I cannot," Jeff agreed. "Not knowing when or where The Hood was going to strike next gave me many sleepless nights. However, I'm equally not sure if I can sleep easily knowing he's on the island."
"In other words, he'd be better off imprisoned somewhere where nobody can get at him and he cannot go anywhere?" said Kayo.
"Precisely," said Jeff.
Kayo thought about it for a moment. She then looked up into the night sky. Now that the storm had passed, the night was clear and she could see stars as well as the Moon. "If only The Hex was still around," she said. "That would have been ideal."
"Hmm, yes," agreed Jeff. "Maybe we should suggest that to Colonel Jennings when they come to collect him?"
"They'd need to hold him somewhere else in the meantime," said Kayo.
"True, but that's a problem for them to sort out, not us," said Jeff.
They said no more as they continued to head across the ocean.
"TIME TO DIE, OLD MAN!" one of Cobblepot's henchmen shouted as he fired his gun at the location where he believed Parker was hiding. But when he went to look, he found that nobody was there. Then Parker jumped out from behind another crate and wrestled him to the ground before he finally finished him off with a knockout punch.
"Take h'a nap, h'old boy," Parker said as he went to tackle one of the other henchmen.
Penelope was facing off against two more henchmen who were blocking her access to Cobblepot. One of them was armed with a knife, the other with a steel bar.
"You wouldn't hit a defenceless lady, would you?" Penelope teased.
"Shut up, lady!" snapped the man with the bar. He lunged forwards and tried to hit Penelope but she ducked and then punched him in the face before he could swing back again.
"You're going down!" shouted the man with the knife now trying to cut her with it. Penelope managed to dodge the blade before grabbing his wrist and squeezing it so hard that he dropped it. She then kneed him in the groyne before kicking him in the stomach which sent him flying backwards. Cobblepot yelled and Tracy and Candy screamed as they ran to avoid getting hit.
Parker had managed to take down two more henchmen before he was faced by one with a mini-gun. There was no way he was going to tackle this one head-on.
"You're going to die here!" the minigunner said as he fired at the crates Parker was using for cover forcing him to make a run for it.
"PARKER!" Penelope cried in horror in between fighting another three henchmen. For a moment she thought he'd been hit, but then Parker came flying up from behind a container having used a piece of the ship's side rail as a high-jump stick to fling himself onto the top of the mini-gunner.
"HEY, GET OFF OF ME!" the minigunner shouted as he tried to throw Parker off, but in doing so he walked dangerously close to the shark tank.
"Oh, 'eck!" Parker exclaimed when he saw the shark's massive fin in the water and he jumped off the mini-gunner's back.
But the minigunner had gone too close to the edge. Due to the size and weight of his weapon, he lost his balance and fell into the tank. Less than five seconds later the shark came up from below and grabbed him in his mouth. His own screams were drowned out by those from Candy and Tracey as the shark then pulled him down into the water leaving a large pool of red to spread out across the surface.
Everything had gone eerily quiet. Penelope, Parker, Cobblepot and all the others just stared, shocked at the spot where the mini-gunner had been seconds earlier.
"KILL THEM YOU NUMPTY PRATS!" Cobblepot shouted once he'd found his voice. The fighting quickly began again as Candy and Tracey hastily escorted Cobblepot through a big steel door in the ship's superstructure before sealing it behind them.
Penelope saw the door close behind them and knew that they couldn't let them get away. "PARKER, TO ME!"
"COMING, M'LADY!" Parker shouted as he ran across the deck knocking two henchmen armed with baseball bats over in the process.
As Penelope and Parker made their way towards the door that Cobblepot and the ladies had gone through, they suddenly became aware of two red targeting lights shining on their chests from above. Looking up, they saw two henchmen armed with sniper-rifles on the bridge wing.
"GET DOWN, M'LADY!" Parker yelled, pushing Penelope behind one of the lifeboat davits just as the two snipers fired at them.
Penelope opened her eyes. She and Parker had only just managed to get to safety in time. "Oh, goodness me!" gasped Penelope as she tried to get her breath back. "That was a close one. Thank you, Parker."
"Just doing my job, m'lady," Parker replied. "Now 'ow are we supposed to deal with those geezers?"
Penelope then remembered a move that she'd been taught by Kayo. But in order to do it, she would need Parker's help and she hoped he'd remember it. "I have an idea," she said. "Let's try Manoeuvre Seven."
Parker's eyes lit up. "H'Excellent idea, m'lady!" he said. He then watched the snipers before making a dash towards the superstructure. The snipers saw him and fired their rifles but Parker was able to get where he needed to be where they weren't able to get a clear shot. He then bent down and put his hands down low together with the palms facing upwards.
But before Penelope could run out, one of the sniper's bullets hit a fuel barrel that had been placed inside the lifeboat. It exploded.