24 by TB's LMC RATED FRT

The Tracy family is used to cries for help. As the family behind International Rescue, danger is their business. They have saved so many lives over the years. But when they become the target of a madman, will they be able to save themselves?

Hour Thirteen

The following takes place between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed. 

12:00:13

"...it's hard to believe I know. Ladies and Gentlemen, for those of you just tuning in, you are watching a live feed from a local television station in Fiji. There's been an explosion of some sort, an atomic explosion. You can see the cloud rising into the sky. We're hearing from this local station that the explosion occurred beneath the Lau Group of islands off the east coast of the main Fijian islands."

Ned stared at the monitor in disbelief. Fiji? Could this have anything to do with Acronym? It couldn't. He had never threatened Fiji.

"One moment...one moment, please. This station is receiving a call from a Fijian resident. Can we put this call through? Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, on the line right now is Loaloa Itau. Sir, go ahead."

A second voice was soon heard. A voice with an accent that seemed strange to Ned's ears.

"Oh, it is terrible, terrible! The destruction in the Fijian islands is catastrophic! Almost every island is shaking, the earthquakes...the people. I saw it...I saw it with my own eyes. I saw who is responsible for this, for such chaos here in my country!"

Phil Epstein's voice was the next heard. "Sir? Mr. Itau? Who is it? Who's responsible?"

Itau's next words stopped Ned's heart.

"International Rescue! It was one of their Thunderbirds! Can no one stop them? Why didn't they just do what that man told them to? Why? Why do my people have to--"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I apologize...we have lost both the caller and our live feed from Fiji, undoubtedly due to the massive earthquakes now rocking the area. You heard what he said..."

"No," said Ned. "It can't be." All energy left him as he deflated into a nearby chair. "There has to be some mistake." And then a thought occurred to him. The name the caller had used. "Loaloa Itau?" He turned and dialed a number on the vidphone. A beautiful, dark-skinned woman with curly black hair answered.

"Ned! Why on earth are you calling me?"

"Adi," he breathed. It had been so long since he'd seen her...he gave himself a good mental shake. He couldn't think of that right now. "Adi, listen to me, I'm sorry, but I need to know something."

"Always after your story. After all these years, you can't even say hello."

God, but she was beautiful. What a fool he'd been to let her go. What an utter fool. "Adi, please, I'm sorry. I need to know...Loaloa Itau. What does it mean? It's urgent, please."

She sighed, shaking her head. "Ned Cook, you will never change. Loaloa means black. Itau means friend. Why?"

His face changed from soft remembrance to confusion as his mind considered her words. "Black friend?"

"Yes. Why are you asking?"

"You're not watching WNN?"

"Oh, no," she said slyly. "I never watch anything but NTBS."

"Very funny, Adi. That's the name of a guy who called WNN," he explained, not wanting to get into the specifics of what was happening in Adi's homeland. She'd find out soon enough.

"A name?"

He nodded.

"That's an awfully strange name. Calling someone loaloa itau in Fiji is like calling someone a backstabber here in the States. Like a false friend. Ned, what's going on?"

"Adi, I'm sorry, I have to go. I'll call you." Before she could even reply, he'd severed the line. "Backstabber...false friend...it couldn't be. Could it?"

He turned an ear back to the television screen in time to hear Phil say, "Could International Rescue be responsible for this? If so, how? I didn't get the chance to ask this man why he thought International Rescue was involved. Should we believe Loaloa Itau's words? Should International Rescue just give themselves up? Even if they aren't to blame for what's happening now in Fiji, what right have they to put peoples' lives in danger for the sake of their own supposed security? Stay tuned to WNN for further developments."

"That stupid, opinionated, ignorant, sonofa--!" Ned sprang from his chair, knocking it over in the process. He began pacing the floor as a handful of people milled about, staring at him like he'd lost his mind. "There has to be something I can do!" he mumbled. "It's all falling apart. It's all falling apart! They didn't cause that explosion. They couldn't have!"

He walked the floor and walked the floor until at last a woman in her fifties approached him. "Mr. Cook?" He stopped in mid-stride and stared blankly at her. "Mr. Cook? I'm Rose Turner, a fellow IRee. What's happened?"

Ned just shook his head. His throat seemed to have tightened. He felt so helpless. So damned helpless.

"We just arrived, Mr. Cook. Me and my son Barry. We, uh, we came by hydrofoil."

That got Ned's attention. "Hydrofoil?" he repeated. "How fast does it go?"

"Uh, I don't know for sure. Barry! Barry, come over here!"

An athletic-looking man sporting dark hair and a mustache approached them. "What's up, Ma?"

"Mr. Cook, this is my son, First Lieutenant Barry Turner of the World Navy." They shook hands as she continued. "Barry, how fast does that hydrofoil of yours go?"

"Nearly three hundred miles per hour," he replied proudly.

"Barry, Mrs. Turner," Ned said, laying a hand on each of their shoulders. "You've just gotten yourself an assignment."

12:05:27

The Hood thanked the spirits for his good luck. Thunderbird 4 had gotten away, but he'd escaped unharmed, and the sub holding the hostages was now damaged and, more than likely, taking on water. That meant chaos on board, which meant he could now carry out his plans.

He suited up and exited the airlock of his sub, which he'd brought to rest on the other side of the mountain again. The ocean bed shook beneath him, but he gave not one single thought to what that meant for the islands of Fiji. He rounded a crag in the rock and headed for the downed sub. Now was his moment of triumph. He could almost taste success.

He didn't see the small shadow descending a few hundred yards away.

12:07:12

"Father!"

"John, tell me what I think just happened, didn't."

"Father, I--I--yes, yes, the torpedo, it's hit the continental shelf beneath the Laus. But Dad, the news!"

"News? What news?"

"It's bad, Dad, it's real bad. Some guy from Fiji got on the line and said International Rescue was to blame for what's happened over there. Phil Epstein's yanking everyone's chains that we're responsible!"

"He's what?"

"Oh, Jeff, no," Penny breathed.

"John, get hold of Ned Cook, and fast. Tell him we didn't fire that torpedo, tell him it was the sub holding the hostages...tell him anything, just get him on the air!"

"F.A.B. What're you gonna do, what's going on down there?"

"I'm going back down. I blasted one of the turbines off; she's probably taking on water. I have to get to Gordon and Tin-Tin!"

"What about the Hood, Dad?"

Jeff growled. "If he gets in my way, he's gonna regret ever having heard of International Rescue."

12:12:43

"Well, where is she?"

"I don't know. This is where I was told to meet her."

Scott wouldn't look directly at Megan no matter what. All she could do was lean against the operating table while Scott hid behind the portable X-ray machine.

"Scott, please, I can't--" She was cut off in mid-sentence as the door to OR 2 opened. There stood a full-fledged nurse, white uniform, hat and all...with a gun in her hand. Megan froze, suddenly afraid.

"You Dr. Crawford?" the nurse asked. Megan nodded. "Joanna Franklin. Come with me. We have to hurry."

Having no idea what Scott was or wasn't up to, Megan scurried out of the room with Nurse Franklin. They headed for the elevator as Franklin put the gun into her uniform pocket. "Canton's real generous with the payouts, isn't he?" she said.

"Canton?" Megan said as they stepped into the elevator.

"Oh, he must've used his alias with you. Acronym."

Her eyes went wide and she just stared at the nurse, who whistled a nondescript tune as the elevator began to descend. "Acronym," she breathed.

Franklin raised an eyebrow at her companion. "Can you shoot to kill if you have to?"

"Uh," Megan swallowed, her throat dry, "sure I can."

"Good."

Megan thought for a moment, then an idea came to her. Changing her demeanor slightly, she said, "How'd you get this work?"

"Why do you wanna know?"

"Well, I don't know. I guess it's just that I sure coulda used this kind of money a few months back, and if there's a train I can get on somewhere after this is all over, I wanna know how to buy a ticket."

Franklin smiled knowingly. "Oh, it's easy if you know the right people. You'd be surprised how you meet 'em. For example, I met Canton right here. He came in with acute appendicitis. I was on midnight shift."

"And what, the two of you just started talking about smuggling guns into the hospital?"

She laughed. "Yeah, something like that. He had a lotta money, I told him I could use some, we got to talking, one thing led to another and he hired me."

"But where'd you learn to shoot a gun?"

"Oh, Michael paid for everything. You?"

Megan hesitated only a moment before replying, "My father taught me. He was big on guns."

The elevator ground to a halt. Joanna stood in front of the opening doors. "Get ready."

Megan pulled the laser pistol from her back pocket, thankful Scott had decided to let her keep it. It wouldn't look very good if she had to stammer some excuse as to why she didn't have the damn thing. It probably wouldn't bode well for her health, either. Not to mention the fact that in spite of her earlier statement, she barely knew how to hold a gun, let alone aim and fire.

"I don't get it," Megan said as they exited the elevator. "If Acronym had you on the inside, why did he need me?"

At that moment, Scott sprang out of the stairwell, his own machine pistol aimed right at them. In a flash, Franklin whirled around and grabbed Megan, whose pistol clattered to the floor. She held one arm around Megan's neck, nearly crushing her windpipe.

"He only needed you for one thing," the nurse replied, training the gun on her head and staring directly at Scott. "Insurance."

12:16:15

Gordon choked himself awake, spluttering and coughing as water tried to go down his windpipe. He jerked into a sitting position, wiping the expelled water from his mouth and nose. It took only seconds for him to realize the sub was in trouble. Water had risen in the hall until it was nearly a foot deep to his left. The corridor to his right was still dry. He turned and looked at the door behind him. He heard nothing but silence. At first he wondered if he should see whether or not Greg and Paul were all right.

But what if he went to look in on them, only to find them lying in wait? They'd overpower him for sure this time. And Tin-Tin needed him. To hell with my humanity, he thought. Slowly he turned from the door and walked away.

12:18:00

Tin-Tin lifted herself up off the floor. The two thugs who'd been holding her were knocked out, having been thrown back into the floor-to-ceiling computer-generated map behind them. She looked toward the Ready Room as she came to her feet, wondering where Acronym was. Then another thought entered her mind.

"Gordon!" Stepping over one of the thug's bodies, she saw he had a laser rifle strapped to his shoulder. I might need that, she thought. She gingerly began unstrapping it, only to have the thug begin moaning, his head rolling from side-to-side. Undaunted, Tin-Tin methodically pushed the strap beneath its fastener, blessing her father for teaching her patience and calm above all else.

Just as the strap came loose, the man's hand reached out and grabbed her arm. She shrieked and did the only thing that came to mind: brought the butt of the rifle down onto his head. She just stared in surprise for a moment as he went limp, his hand flopping to the floor. "I'm getting dangerous," she said aloud as she made her way to the door. "Now to find Gordon."

Tin-Tin stopped in the hall and closed her eyes. She'd found Gordon's mind once before. Could she do it again?

12:24:17

"All right, Penny, that sub's pretty badly damaged, but she's probably taking water on slowly from the looks of it. We need to get over there. Why don't you get changed while I scan for the Hood's vessel?"

Nodding, Penny headed back into Thunderbird 4's midsection and pulled two DDS's and two skin suits from the hold. She stripped down to her underwear and began pulling a skin suit over her legs. The knife wound hurt terribly, but she bucked up and pushed the pain aside. Jeff needs me, she thought. I'm not going to fail him now. By the time she got herself zipped up, Jeff was knocking on the door.

"Come in," she called, reaching for a DDS. It was with no small amount of pleasure that she noticed Jeff averting his eyes. After all, the thermal suit she'd just put on was like a second skin, conforming to every nook and cranny of her body.

He cleared his throat as he reached for the remaining suits. "You're certain about this. About coming with me."

"You're not getting rid of me that easily," she replied, sliding her legs into the bulky DDS.

He stopped and looked into her eyes for only a moment. "Good," was all he said. She didn't even get a chance to ask if he'd found the Hood's sub, for he had disappeared back into the cockpit. She couldn't help but smile.

12:28:41

Brains toiled away at his workbench, duly noting that with each passing minute, his head hurt a little more...with each passing minute, he felt hotter and hotter...with each passing minute, the beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead grew larger and more persistently dripped onto the table beneath him. He looked sidelong where, not two feet away, Braman, his android robot, was mixing together what was to become part of the compound he needed to stop the surface of the UH-3 bombs from eroding.

"Braman," he said, his voice small and quiet.

"Yes?" came the tinny response.

"I don't...I don't feel so good."

"Are you ill?"

"I...I think so...God, what...what...?" The room began to spin again, like it had when he'd collapsed in the hospital ward. "Oh...oh, no..." he said, his voice quivering. "I-It's not...a...concussion...it's...it's...the C-60...oh, no...Braman...call...J-J...Joh..."

Braman watched in confusion as his creator fell to the floor. He cocked his head and knelt down beside him. "Message not complete. Brains," he said, reaching one mechanical arm out to touch his back. "Brains. Wake up. Wake up, Brains."

But Brains did not move.

12:32:04

Ned found himself sitting next to Rose Turner in one of five seats behind the pilot's chair occupied by her son, Barry. They were speeding away from the coast of California. Ned thought at any moment he might just turn green, the water was so choppy. And Barry was going so fast.

"How'd you get your hands on this thing?" Ned asked, trying to forget his penchant for being seasick. "Well, Mr. Cook, I guess you could say I, uh, borrowed it."

"Borrowed it? As in, without permission?"

"Yes, Sir!" he grinned, mock-saluting the reporter. "Once Ma got the call from the IRee board, she told me she had to get to California fast. When you live in Hawaii, this hydrofoil's the way to go!"

"Seems top of the line."

"Oh, it is! Only the best for the World Navy, you know! It's the VDHP16 model, fastest hydrofoil the Navy's got."

"VDHP?"

"Vertically Dampened Hydrofoil Prototype."

"Did you say Prototype?"

"Yes, Sir."

"You mean it's not in production?"

"No, Sir. We've been testing her out for a couple of weeks now."

"Oh, God," Ned moaned, sinking back into his seat and adjusting his life jacket straps.

"She's sixty feet long, ten feet wide and ten feet high. Top speed three hundred forty miles per hour. Although, I've personally never done above three hundred."

"How fast are you going now?"

Barry looked down at the gauge, then shot a smile at Ned. "Nearly three-ten!"

Ned closed his eyes. "Dear God in heaven."

"What'cha gonna do out in the middle of the ocean when we get there?"

"You mean if we get there," Ned mumbled.

"What?"

"I said I have no idea. All I know is that International Rescue's in trouble out there."

"And how do you think we're going to be able to help?" Rose asked.

"Well...I haven't exactly thought that far ahead..."

12:34:48

The Hood moved toward the damaged portion of the sub, whose name was printed along its hull. "Poseidon Seven," he intoned appreciatively. "How ironically appropriate." Upon investigation, however, he found the hole too small for him to squeeze through in the bulky DDS he wore. "I see I shall have to do this the hard way."

He pulled a metal rectangular box closer to his body and opened it up. Inside was something that looked like a blowtorch, but was in reality a powerful laser cutting device. He let the box drop to the sand beneath him and turned the laser on, directing it around the one-foot breach in the sub's hull. He knew that cutting a larger area into it would also cause the ship to take on more water. But what did he care? After all, he was wearing a suit. If the rest of the ship's complement perished, it would only make his job that much easier.

Suddenly he stopped. He flicked the laser off and closed his eyes. He was feeling something...no, someone. "Ah," he breathed at last. "My niece. So, you are still alive." Turning the laser back on, he began his work anew. "Kyrano, my brother. You fear so for the lives of those pathetic fools in International Rescue. What will you do when I have taken your daughter for my own?"

12:37:38

Gordon made his way along the hall. The pistol he'd had before was now soaking wet, and rendered useless. Discarding it along the way, he forged ahead. How was he ever going to find Tin-Tin? He groaned as his head throbbed mercilessly. The last place he'd seen her was the control room, but who knew where Acronym had taken her? And what if he had her now? Without a weapon, Gordon felt despair begin to creep into his mind...and something else.

He was brought up short when he heard a voice. But the voice wasn't coming from anywhere around him. The lights in the hall flickered as it came.

Gordon. Gordon, can you hear me? Gordon, where are you?

"Tin-Tin?" he said aloud. The lights flickered once more before giving out completely.

Gordon?

"Tin-Tin!" he called out.

Gordon, you're alive! You're alive! The lights...where are you?

"Here! I'm here!"

Gordon, help me find you. Please. Concentrate.

"I don't believe this. If I ever tell anyone about this, they're gonna think I'm nuts," he said, closing his eyes. He allowed one thought to fill his mind...a picture of the hall he was standing in as he'd last seen it before the power failure. He concentrated on every little detail he could remember, thinking as hard as he possibly could, doubting at all that it was going to work.

You're...you're in the hall...the hall near the room we were kept in...I'm coming, Gordon. I'm coming!

Gordon's eyes popped open. "Well, I'll be damned. It worked."

12:40:32

Having been forced to drop his weapon and kick it aside, Scott now found himself seated in a small storage closet, his hands and Megan's tied together behind their backs. They'd been working at the knots wordlessly for long minutes now, and both pairs of wrists had begun to chafe from the rope. Finally, Scott spoke.

"I'm sorry," he said simply, as his fingers found the largest knot.

"Don't worry about it. You don't know me from Adam."

"Or Eve," he replied, his fingers slipping. "Damn! I can't even reach my watch to activate the emergency beacon. Can you hit it?"

"No...don't think so," she grunted. "My hands aren't in the right place."

"We've gotta get outta here."

"I'm trying."

"Meg, if Franklin gets those men inside..."

"I know, I know. Don't worry, your brothers will be okay. We'll get to them in time." There was a moment's silence before she continued. "Scott, what he said...what Acronym said to me about Virgil and Alan. That they're your brothers. That is true."

He sighed as his fingers found the knot again. The strict code of security his father had drilled into him...into all of them...kept him from replying.

"And John, and one of the hostages...they're your brothers too, aren't they?"

He didn't answer.

"So Grandma really is your grandma."

Again, silence.

"And Jeff. He's your father."

On the one hand, Scott regretted the fact that their secret was now known to her. On the other hand, however, he was glad she knew. It meant there was one more person he didn't have to guard his tongue around...at least not where his family was concerned. If he chose to acknowledge her statements as correct, that is.

"It's okay, you don't have to say anything. I was kinda hoping it was true."

"That what was true?"

"You guys were brothers."

"Why?"

"Well, the way you were so worried about Virgil...you know..."

Scott thought for a moment, then blushed furiously. "Oh. Yeah. I see."

"Well, you know, given the alternatives...what can I say..." Her fingers bumped into his. "Sorry."

"You know, I think we'd do much better at this if we worked together."

"Agreed. I've never been tied up back-to-back with someone before, though. Any suggestions?"

"My sash," he said, mentally kicking himself for not remembering it sooner. "There's a small Swiss Army knife stowed on the inside of it."

"Okay, where in your sash?"

"Right side, on my waist. You think you can reach it?"

"I can sure as hell try, if you don't mind my teeth being that close to you. Hang on."

Meg twisted her body to the left, wrenching her arms and Scott's painfully between them. He groaned as she strained her head around until it rested against his arm.

"God, I think I've dislocated my shoulder," she said, moving her head down until she reached his elbow. "Okay, now whereabouts is this knife?"

"Straight down from where you are," he replied.

She moved lower, using her lips to feel along the fabric until she felt the harder material of the sash.

"About an inch to your right," he said. "And watch what you do with those teeth."

She snorted as she pushed herself forward, knocking down a large broom in the process. She heard it thunk and then rattle to the floor.

"Ow!" he cried. "That was my head!"

"Sorry," she ground out as her teeth grabbed the edge of the sash.

"Yeah, that's it...right there. Can you feel it?"

"Mm-hmm," she replied, twisting the sash inside-out. She moved quickly to grab the knife...and got a chunk of Scott's body along with it.

"Youch!" he yelped. "Watch it!"

"Awwee," she mumbled around the knife in her mouth.

"Jesus! That'll leave a mark. Can you get it into my hands?"

"Mah fink so." Holding the knife with her lips, she aimed for the spot between their backs and took a deep breath. Then she poofed it out of her mouth, and it fell into his waiting hands.

"Eww," he said.

"What?" she grunted, pulling herself upright. She heard the clicking of the blade as Scott opened it. "You'd better not cut me."

"Yeah, well, you know what they say about payback."

"Scott Tracy..."

"What?" he said. And then he realized his mistake. He'd just answered to his full name. Well, I guess she just got her answer. "You're a slick one."

"Just get us out of here. You can reprimand me later."

12:56:25

Tin-Tin moved through the hall, using her hands and feet to feel her way along. She vaguely recalled the route used to reach the control room, but was using her wavering connection to Gordon as most of her guidance, trying to hone in on his location. She sensed that he was moving as well, bringing himself closer and closer to her. Her heart leapt when at last she heard a noise further ahead.

"Gordon?" she called out. When no reply was forthcoming, she froze. Lifting the rifle, she tried again. "Gordon?" Something began moving toward her. She could it see it. Or rather, could see them. Squinting in the darkness, she said, "Who's there?"

The two glowing objects came closer and closer. They bobbed up and down slightly, almost as though...as though they were being held by someone walking. What could they be? Lights of some sort? Was it one of the thugs? If it was Gordon, why wasn't he answering?

Suddenly a figure came into view. A rather tall figure. And the glow...the glow was coming from...a pair of eyes. A wave of panic washed over her as she realized who it was. Realized it seconds too late...

12:59:48

Kyrano sat bolt upright in his hospital bed, ripping the electrodes from his body in the process. His eyes widened in horror as the monitors around him started blaring their alarms in protest at the loss of a heartbeat.

"No," he whispered, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "No. Not my daughter. Not Tin-Tin. Please! No!"

Two nurses bolted into the room and were on either side of him in an instant. They spoke, but he didn't hear their words. All he could hear was her voice inside his head, crying out, terrified beyond reason.

"Tin-Tin!" he cried, struggling to free himself from the two women who were trying to calm him. "Tin-Tin!"

12:59:58

12:59:59

01:00:00

Hour Fourteen

The following takes place between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed.

01:00:48

Jeff and Penny made their way across the short distance between Thunderbird 4 and the submarine. Penny was having a somewhat tougher time than he, due to her inexperience with diving in general, and stuffed into a DSS in particular. But she fought hard to keep up with him, determined to do everything she could to be an aid and not a hindrance. Her back had begun to ache, though, and she started wishing she'd taken some sort of painkillers before leaving the safety of Thunderbird 4.

"You okay?"

"Yes. What's that contraption you have with you?"

"Inflatable sterozene airlock. One of Brains' finest. And an oxyhydnite cutter. We're going to have to set up the airlock, then cut through the hull."

"Will the airlock work this deep?"

"Brains says it'll hold up to six hundred feet. We're four hundred eighty-five down, so yes, it'll work."

They came around the side of the sub and Penny remarked, "Poseidon Seven. Isn't there an old movie about a ship named Poseidon sinking?"

"Yes. It's one of Gordon's favorites, actually."

She noticed the strangled sound his voice took on when he mentioned his son. "He'll be all right, Jeff. We're about to rescue him. He'll be fine."

When they reached the Crow's Nest, Jeff tried the hatch. Of course, he found it locked tight. Just then, three simultaneous bursts reached their ears through their helmets. They turned and watched as three small, round balls jetted away from the sub.

"What are those?" Penny asked.

"Escape pods," Jeff replied grimly. "The crew uses them to get out of a sinking sub."

"Do you think Gordon and Tin-Tin might be on one of them?"

"God, I don't know. If they are, that means they're safe for now. If they're not..."

"Right. Let's get in there."

Jeff opened the airlock case and flipped a switch. It inflated rapidly, taking the shape of an eight-foot by eight-foot square. It was made of a material Penny had never before seen. Once it was opened all the way, Jeff maneuvered them into it and activated the magnetic seal around its perimeter with a small remote, attaching it securely to the top of the hull. He then pressed another button, and a two-inch flap opened, a small but powerful vacuum inside it pulling the water out. Penny watched in fascination. Brains' inventions never ceased to amaze her.

"All right, stay behind me," Jeff said, readying the oxyhydnite torch. To himself, he mumbled, "Brains, I sure hope this sterozene is spark-proof."

01:11:08

As surely as he'd known Tin-Tin was with him before, that's how certain he became that she was no longer. It had been as though a wall went up between them, quite suddenly, and so violently that a sharp pain had pierced his skull. Now Kyrano, having been sedated by the nurses, lay in bed with tears streaming down his face. "Tin-Tin," he whispered, his heart breaking.

And then a thought occurred to him. Gordon. Tin-Tin had told him she'd reached Gordon's mind. Perhaps Kyrano could as well. He closed his eyes, fighting the medication as it took over his body's systems, shutting his brain cells down one by one.

Gordon. Gordon, hear me.

01:12:51

The world around him still black as night, Gordon continued feeling his way along the corridor, wondering why he hadn't heard Tin-Tin's voice inside his head since she'd told him she was on her way. He also wondered what had happened to the emergency lighting. Every sub had it. Could the darkness surrounding him mean it had been disabled on purpose? If so, by whom?

He knew there was a turn he had to make up ahead...he remembered it from when Greg and the others had taken him and Tin-Tin to the control room. But he had a hard time judging the distance he'd come, so he was uncertain as to his ability to find the right passageway.

Suddenly he felt something that he could only describe as strange. His skin began to tingle, almost like when he'd been mildly electrocuted while toying with one of Brains' inventions. He felt his arms become heavy, then his head, then it felt as though a great weight was pressing into him, pushing down on him, making him feel heavier than he was.

"What is this?" he breathed, leaning against the wall.

Gordon. Gordon, hear me.1

"Who the--?" Gordon frowned and closed his eyes. Another voice in his head? "I'm going insane. That's the only explanation," he said.

I haven't much time. Hear me.

"Kyrano?"

Tin-Tin...is in danger...the Hood...Gordon, please, help my daughter.

"The Hood?!? Here??? Kyrano, are you sure?" But he received no response. Pushing himself off the wall, he noticed the heavy feeling had left his body, as had the tingling sensation. "Tin-Tin!" he cried into the darkness. "Tin-Tin!"

And that's when he felt it on his feet. Water. The water had risen. He thought fleetingly of Paul and Greg, the two men he'd locked in that room in the aft section. If the water was already this high...he shuddered. Yes, they'd been the ones who'd kidnapped him and Tin-Tin for Acronym. Yes, Greg had been this close to killing him. But that didn't mean he himself could stomach the thought of being responsible for their deaths. Now he had that on his conscience as well as the myriad of images that filled his mind where the Hood and Tin-Tin were concerned.

"Dad," he whispered as he began trotting through the corridor. "Dad, where are you?"

01:15:30

"Swiss Army knife. Always comes in handy," Scott said, flipping the blade closed as he ushered Megan out of the closet.

"You're a regular Boy Scout," she intoned. "Would you look at this? That idiot Franklin left our guns right here on the shelf."

"No one said henchwomen were smart," he replied, taking his offered gun and sliding it into his sash.

"Lucky for us."

"Meg, get to the nurse's station. Have them inform Security as to what's going on."

"Right," she said, and headed around the corner.

Scott turned and ran for the stairwell, taking the steps two-at-a-time. He and Megan had been out of commission for so long...he hoped with every fiber of his being that Acronym's men hadn't gotten to Alan and Virgil yet.

When he burst onto the eighth floor, Nurse Blevins, seated at the station to his right, gasped and came to her feet.

"Has anyone been on this floor?"

She shook her head. "No, not since Jane, Maxie and Janet left after making Virgil comfortable."

Having started down the hall to his brothers' room, Scott came up short at her words. He turned and walked back toward her, his hand on the machine pistol in his holster. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "How did you know his name was Virgil?"

Her face revealed nothing as she replied, "I heard you say it."

"No," he said, hand tightening on the butt of his gun. "I never said it out here. I never said his name."

"Maybe it was Dr. Crawford."

Now Scott knew something was wrong. How could this woman know Megan's last name? And that she was a doctor? His mind worked through it at lightning speed, trying to think if he might've said it himself. But no, he hadn't. He'd used only her first name when calling out to her earlier, when she'd been on the vidphone in the hall. He pulled the pistol from his side and pointed it at her.

"What on Earth are you doing?" she asked.

"Where are the agents that are guarding those men?"

"How should I know? Still down there, I suppose." Before he knew what happened, Blevins had whipped out a gun and pointed it directly at him. "Except for the one you call 98."

Staring down the barrel of her gun, Scott gritted out, "What about 98?"

"You know when you sent him to ask me about an incoming vidphone call?"

Scott nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Well, I gave him the last answer of his life."

"You killed him?"

She nodded. "Just like I'm going to kill you. Acronym will be pleased. I'm sure to get a bonus for this."

"Is that all you care about is money? You're doing this for money?"

"Makes the world go ‘round, Scott. After all, not everyone gets to be the son of a billionaire."

And she knew about his father, about who they were...if she knew, how many others knew? He concentrated on her hand, on the finger she held over the trigger of her weapon. If she fired, could he fire back and duck in time to dodge the bullet? If he fired, it posed the same question...could he get out of the way in time to avoid her firing on him?

"You won't shoot me," she sneered. "International Rescue is about saving lives."

He clenched his teeth.

"I, on the other hand, have no such qualms."

Two shots rang out. And two people fell.

01:29:36

The Hood was more than pleased with himself. Here he was, walking side-by-side with his niece, who was completely under his control. Her mind was so easy to dominate. Much easier than her father's, his disloyal half-brother. She wasn't as powerful mentally, but he would teach her in time. She was his prize, his trophy. His triumph.

He led her to a room ten feet from the Crow's Nest, where a plethora of diving suits hung in rows. He instructed Tin-Tin to remove her clothing as he selected a suitable thermal suit and DDS. Then a sound caught his attention. He stepped outside the door and peered into the darkness. Above him, in the ceiling, he saw little sparks coming through the bulkhead. "Now, who could that be?" he wondered aloud. "Perhaps...International Rescue?"

01:32:14

"Nearly through," Jeff said. He'd begun sweating inside the two suits and was itching rather uncomfortably in places. "How you doin'?"

"It's hot as an oven in this suit, Jeff."

"I hear you. But you'll be glad for it once we hit the water again. Pull out your pistol, Penny. Here we go."

Jeff stomped on the three-foot square he'd cut. The metal clattered into the sub below. Opening the front of his DDS, he reached down and pulled his own gun out of an inside pocket. Then he knelt down and peered into the darkness. "Flashlight," he said, holding his hand up and back. Penny placed it firmly into his hand and he turned it on, scanning the area below.

"How does it look?"

"Well, this part isn't underwater yet. I don't see anyone. Let me go down first."

Hands on each side of the newly created entrance, Jeff used his arms to lower himself into the ghostly quiet vessel. Though it looked deserted, his gut told him something wasn't quite right. He removed his helmet and let it drop to the floor. Flashlight in one hand, gun in the other, he crossed them and turned left-to-right and back again, scanning for any signs of life. He saw none.

In spite of his unease, he said, "Okay, Penny."

She sat on the edge of the hole and jumped the seven-foot distance to the floor. Landing in a crouching position, she resisted the urge to groan in pain as it felt like the knife stabbed into her back all over again. Pulling out her own flashlight, she mimicked Jeff's stance, standing back-to-back with him.

"I don't like this," he said softly.

"Neither do I."

"But I do!" came a low voice.

Penny whirled around to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Jeff. The light from their flashlights revealed a man stepping out from a room roughly ten feet in front of them.

For the first time ever, they saw the true face of the Hood.

01:41:02

Megan flew through the elevator doors before they'd even opened all the way, four policemen hot on her heels. The sight that greeted her made her cry out.

"Scott!"

She rushed to his side, kneeling next to where he lay on the floor, a small pool of blood gathering next to his head. Fighting the tears stinging her eyes, she touched her fingers to his carotid. He moaned softly, head turning from side to side, eyes open, but unfocused, mouth working, but no words coming out.

Two officers knelt on either side of him as the two remaining International Rescue agents raced toward them.

"We heard shots!" 182 cried.

A third officer approached them. "The nurse is dead," he said. "How are the two you were guarding?"

"Fine. Still unconscious, but fine otherwise," 164 replied. "What happened?"

"Looks like they had a showdown," the fourth policeman said as he approached them. "How's he?" he asked, nodding towards Scott.

"We've got to get a doctor here, now!" Megan said, bending lower to examine the wound on Scott's head. She was so intent upon her task that she didn't notice one of the officers sneaking off down the hall...

01:43:33

"At last we meet face-to-face, International Rescue," the Hood said, his smile making Jeff want to vomit. His flashlight illuminated the faces of those before him.

"The Hood," Penny breathed.

He nodded in her direction. "Yes. You are Lady Penelope, are you not? I am very pleased to meet you at last. And you, Jeff Tracy."

"What are you doing here?" he ground out, his voice full of loathing.

"The same as you, I would imagine. Rescuing my loved ones!" With that, he reached into the room and yanked someone out.

Penny gasped, "Tin-Tin!"

Jeff swallowed hard, his gun never wavering even though Tin-Tin now stood between it and the Hood. "Loved ones? You're a coward," he spat. "Using an innocent woman to save your ass."

"No, using my niece where I could not use my brother."

His words hit Jeff's brain like a speeding train. "Kyrano," he breathed.

He laughed. "You fool! You never knew why Kyrano was having those attacks of his." He continued to laugh as Jeff's anger rose. "And now I have his daughter."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Jeff menaced.

"Ah, but you don't. She has joined me. Haven't you, my lovely?" he said, stroking her long hair with his hand.

"Yes," was her monotonous reply.

"You've hypnotized her!" Penny exclaimed.

"In a manner of speaking," he said. He placed the gun he'd been holding to Tin-Tin's head into her hand, closing her fingers firmly around the cold metal. He whispered something into her ear, and slowly she raised the gun to her temple. "That's right," he said a little louder, so his audience could hear. "That's right."

"You fiend!" Penny cried.

Jeff fairly shook with rage, but he didn't dare fire on the Hood and risk hitting Tin-Tin by accident.

"Tin-Tin," Penny said softly, taking a step closer and lowering her weapon.

"Penny, no!" Jeff hissed.

"Tin-Tin, it's me, Penelope. Don't let him do this to you. This isn't you. Please."

"Penny..."

The Hood just laughed. He was rather enjoying this game. He whispered again and Penelope stopped short not five feet away as Tin-Tin slowly moved her hand until the gun was pointing straight ahead.

Jeff was nearly out of his mind. Now Tin-Tin was pointing the gun at Penny, and he still didn't have a clear shot at the bastard who was causing it to happen.

"You see, Jeff Tracy," the Hood said, a mirthful tone to his voice, "she belongs to me. She will do as I will her to do."

"She won't kill Penny. You can't change who she is inside."

"Can't I?" he asked, one dark eyebrow rising. He lowered his lips to Tin-Tin's ear again, and she moved the gun from Penny to Jeff. "If I tell her to shoot, your life is over."

"I don't believe that."

"Ah, there's nothing I like better than a challenge. Let's just see then, shall we?"

Penny turned her head to look at Jeff. He glanced at her and their eyes met. The scene from the lab ran through both their minds. Don't you dare, Penny, he thought.

The Hood whispered once more, and Tin-Tin's finger tightened over the trigger.

Jeff tore his eyes from Penny's and turned them to Tin-Tin. The light from their flashlights glowed against her large, green eyes, which stared straight at him but did not see him. She won't do it, he thought. She won't kill me. He didn't realize the Hood's attention had turned elsewhere.

Penny's jaw dropped as she looked into the Hood's eyes for the first time. They began to glow a soft yellow. A frightening feeling overcame her, like a fog descending upon her brain. She fought to regain control of her senses, but couldn't escape it...couldn't escape the black velvet curtain as it settled into place over the stage of her mind.

The Hood read her thoughts. "The closing act, your ladyship." Then he said to Tin-Tin, "Kill him." "Damn you," Jeff whispered. He heard footsteps approach from behind him. "Who's there?" he called out.

"Father!"

Jeff gasped and turned his head. He couldn't believe his ears. "Gordon!"

"Dad!"

Relief surged through him as he heard his son's footfalls coming nearer. But he didn't get the chance to turn back toward Tin-Tin and the Hood. A shot rang out, and Jeff grunted as a bullet tore through his right shoulder. The force of impact threw him backwards, and he landed on the floor with a thud.

"Dad!" Gordon cried.

The Hood pivoted to look behind him, letting go of Tin-Tin, who still held the gun in her outstretched hand. But the bullet had not come from her.

"I don't know who you are," said a voice from the shadows, "but I must thank you for making my job that much easier."

A man stepped into a circle of light cast by the flashlight Jeff had dropped as he fell. "Who are you?" the Hood asked.

"I am Acronym."

Gordon knelt on the floor next to his father. "No, Dad, no," he whispered. He pressed the palm of his hand over the bleeding wound, applying all his weight to the effort. Jeff raised his head even as he began to lose consciousness.

"Son..." Jeff said, his voice barely audible. "So...glad...you're...okay..." Then his eyes closed and his head dropped to the floor.

"You are Acronym?"

"I am. And who would you be?" he asked, leveling his gun at the intruder.

"I am the Hood."

"Ah, yes. Master criminal. You've caused International Rescue no small amount of consternation these past years."

Lifting his chin, he stepped out from behind Tin-Tin and replied, "That is correct. And their secrets belong to me!"

"Somehow I doubt that, friend."

"You will not take that which I have worked so long for!" he spat.

Gordon looked up at them. Penny and Tin-Tin's bodies were rigid. Acronym was pointing a gun at the Hood's head...the Hood...Acronym...who had shot his father? Then he saw the gun in Tin-Tin's hand. Noticed how glassy her eyes were. It couldn't be. Had...had Tin-Tin shot him? If she had, Gordon knew it was only because the Hood had instructed her to do so.

Filled with unmitigated fury, Gordon roared to life. Within seconds he shot across the distance between them and tackled the Hood to the ground. Acronym jumped back in surprise as the two men wrestled in front of him. He looked to the right and noticed Jeff Tracy was not moving. Thinking he'd killed him, he considered his options quickly.

His attention turned towards the beautiful blonde. Her eyes blinked slowly. Whatever had been wrong with her, she seemed to be coming out of it. Similarly, Tin-Tin's eyelids began moving as the gun in her hand rattled to the floor. He smiled as the solution came to him.

He attached Penny's helmet to her DDS and followed suit with Tin-Tin before putting on his own. Waving his gun at them, he said, "Climb the ladder."

Still in a daze, the women complied without hesitation. Michael Canton II hesitated as he placed his foot on the bottom rung of the ladder leading to the Crow's Nest. He looked down and to his left at the man who lay there motionless; the man upon whom, it seemed, he had taken the ultimate revenge.

"Goodbye, Jefferson Tracy," he said. And then he was gone.

Finally winning the upper hand, the Hood hauled back and punched Gordon square on the jaw, sending him crashing back into the bulkhead. He heard the hiss of the airlock up in the Crow's Nest and fumed. But before he could come to his feet, the submarine gave one loud groan. He stopped moving and looked around in horror.

"It's breaking up," he said, scrambling to come to his feet.

The vessel shuddered, throwing the Hood off-balance. He landed on the floor again just as he heard the squeal of metal being torn apart. The sub tilted, sending his DDS helmet skittering just out of reach. He pushed himself to his hands and knees as the telltale hiss of leaking water reached his ears. Crawling to his helmet, he grabbed it and began lifting it to his head as he rose to his feet.

The ship's hull screamed in protest as the seam just above his head broke. Water rushed in, straining at the four-inch pipe that stood in its way. The pipe broke, one end falling...right into the Hood's head. He collapsed back onto the floor, the helmet flying from his hand, as blood trickled down into his eye. Dazed, he lay propped against the wall, water pouring in over him.

Gordon rose unsteadily to his feet and fought through a torrent of water to the room across the way. He'd seen Acronym escaping with Tin-Tin and Penny, but hadn't been able to gather his wits enough to do anything, and he cursed himself for it. Foregoing the thermal suit, he grabbed a DDS and hurried into it, fastening the helmet on as he emerged into the hall. The water rushed down toward his father, mixing with the blood he'd lost and carrying it down the hall.

Another suit and helmet in hand, Gordon raced to unzip Jeff's punctured DDS, yanking and pulling with all his might, working as fast as he could. He was on autopilot, the shock of recent events beginning to catch up to him. All he knew was that he had to save his father. The man who had come to save him...and now lay dying because of it.

It seemed to take forever, but finally Gordon secured Jeff into his suit. He hiked him up into a fireman's carry and headed for the ladder. But he stopped just as his hand reached out to grab one of the rungs.

The Hood was bewildered...he flopped about in the water, struggling to come to his feet, but not seeming to have the balance necessary to stay up once he'd gotten there. Gordon watched mesmerized as he floundered and suddenly realized something.

He held the Hood's life in his hands. And the world's better off without him. He turned to begin climbing the ladder as the ship groaned around him. It was clear the Hood wouldn't survive.

The back wall of the diving suit storage room blew outward, the force yanking the Hood inside. As Gordon looked back in surprise, the door clanged shut, and he heard the Hood's body slam up against it. The metal wall began to bulge from the weight of the sea trying to press in from the other side. Gordon knew he had no time left.

Steadying his father, he continued the ascent. The ship groaned again and he heard the door finally give way, water rushing faster into the space beneath him. Reaching the airlock, he opened it and hoisted Jeff upward before following himself. He closed the lower hatch and double-checked his DDS as well as his dad's. Then he pressed a button and the airlock flooded.

As he turned the metal wheel to open the hatch, the ship shrieked one last, loud objection to the strain on her hull. He pushed his father up out of the opening just as the sub imploded.

01:59:58

01:59:59

02:00:00

Hour Fifteen

The following takes place between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed.

02:00:48

"Brains. Wake up. Brains. Wake up."

But no matter what Braman tried, he couldn't get his creator to regain consciousness. His mind, made up of a complex positronic brain and a myriad of other things only Brains could ever hope to explain, moved quickly. It worked through the problem as any computer, with logic and binary equations producing and then dismissing potential solutions to his current predicament faster than any other machine in existence.

Recalling Brains' last words, he tried to deduce what he'd meant by, "Braman...call...J-J...Joh..." He worked and worked the problem until at last he came up with a seemingly logical possibility.

"I must call John Tracy on Thunderbird 5," he intoned as he rose to his feet. He moved to a nearby com panel and pressed the button that opened a line to the space station. "This is Braman calling Thunderbird 5. This is Braman calling Thunderbird 5."

"Braman? This is John. What's going on?"

"Brains has lost consciousness."

"He's what? Braman, what happened?"

"I do not know."

"Play back the last two minutes before he lost consciousness."

"F.A.B." Braman cocked his head as John watched and waited. Then the recording began.

"Braman."

"Yes?"

"I don't...I don't feel so good."

"Are you ill?"

"I...I think so...God, what...what...?...Oh...oh, no..."...I-It's not...a...concussion...it's...it's...the C-60...oh, no...Braman...call...J-J...Joh..."

"Message not complete. Brains. Brains. Wake up. Wake up, Brains."

"End of recording."

Concern evident on John's face, he said, "Braman, begin visual two-way. Take me to Brains."

Braman's chest plate slid downward, revealing a blank vid screen. It blinked to life, and John's live feed could be seen. He walked over to Brains and tilted forward so John could see him.

"Brains!" John cried, when he saw his unconscious, sweat-soaked friend. "Braman, I'm activating remote command."

"F.A.B."

John placed his right hand on something that looked like a joystick. This would turn Braman's head, body, arms and legs in any direction John chose based on whichever button he'd pushed with his left hand. Allowing Braman to be controlled remotely had been useful to Brains if he'd needed something done while on Thunderbird 5 and Tin-Tin wasn't available. Brains couldn't have known this small luxury might help save his life.

Kneeling Braman on the floor, John maneuvered the robot's right hand so that it gently poked Brains' back. "Brains, wake up! Brains, it's John, can you hear me?"

When he received no response, he had Braman turn Brains over and lift him into his arms. He then instructed the robot to take Brains to their Hospital Ward. While Braman complied, John tried getting hold of his father.

"This is Thunderbird 5 to Jeff Tracy. Come in, Dad."

He received no response.

"Thunderbird 5 to Thunderbird 4. Come in, please." Nothing. Something was wrong. He could feel it. "John!" came a voice through his speakers.

Eyes widening in surprise, John whispered, "Gordo?"

"Yeah, John, it's me."

"Gordon!" John cried. His chair rolled backwards and tipped over as he flew to his feet. "Gordon! Gordon, my God! Where are you? Where are you?!?"

"In the water, trying to get Dad back to Thunderbird 4."

"What do you mean, trying to get Dad back to Thunderbird 4? What's going on? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Dad's been shot, John."

John's elation at hearing his brother's voice took a nosedive right into unadulterated fear. "Shot?" he squeaked.

"Yeah, listen, I can't talk...too well...right now...almost there..."

"Gordon, what the hell is going on?"

"Hang on...get Scott..."

John opened another line. "Thunderbird 5 calling Scott Tracy. Come in."

02:17:18

Megan jumped when she heard a funny sound coming from her body. Then she remembered Scott's watch. She still had it in her pocket! She yanked it out and said, "Come in!"

John's face appeared, and from his expression, she knew something was just as wrong on his end as it was on hers. "Uh...is this Dr. Crawford?"

"Yes!"

"Where, uh, where's Scott?"

"Oh, something terrible's happened, he's been shot!" She watched as John nearly fell backwards, having forgotten his chair wasn't right behind him. He grabbed the console and managed to keep himself upright.

"What do you mean, shot?"

"I don't know what's going on, Nurse Blevins, she was dead, they're in the ER now, it looks like it just grazed his temple, but...I don't know, I don't know!"

"Dammit!" John swore as he watched Braman place Brains in a bed. "Braman, turn on the life monitors and report his condition immediately!"

"F.A.B.," came the robot's tinny voice.

"Gordon, can you hear me?"

"Yeah, John, just got Dad aboard. John, Acronym...he took Penelope and Tin-Tin!"

"He did what? What are you telling me, Gordon?"

"It's so crazy, I'm not sure what's happening...the Hood was there, Acronym...Dad, Penelope...Tin-Tin had a gun...she was under the Hood's control...the sub imploded...Aaaaa!!!"

"What?!? What???"

"Shit, a hunk of that sub just landed on top of us. I can't get Thunderbird to move, John! I have to go fix Dad up, getting outta here will have to wait."

"Is he okay?"

"I'm not sure, he lost consciousness back on the sub, he was shot through the shoulder, but I haven't had time to get a close look at the wound."

"Right, tell me how he is and we'll figure you a way outta there. Dr. Crawford!"

"What?"

"Is Scott all right?"

"Looks like it, they're wrapping his head now, I think he'll be all right once he comes to." John watched as Megan turned her head left, then right, then moved herself in a complete circle. Her face paled.

"What is it?"

"That policeman...they all came down here to the fourth floor with us...but one of ‘em's missing. Oh, God! Alan and Virgil!"

"What about ‘em? Megan? Megan!"

But Megan had stuffed the watch back into her pocket. All he could hear was her yelling, but he couldn't make out the words. "Jesus!" he exclaimed, his frustration mounting with every passing second. "Braman! Report!"

"Heart rate eighty-nine beats per minute. Blood pressure one-seventy-five over ninety and rising. Oxygen levels decreasing rapidly."

"Braman! What was in the containment unit when it exploded?"

"C-60 and nitrozine."

"What the hell is C-60?"

"Primary component: carbon tetrachloride, comprising seventy-two percent of--"

"Don't recite it, Braman, for God's sake! Analyze components of C-60 and nitrozine and cross-check with Brains' physical symptoms!"

"F.A.B. Processing."

"Gordon!" he yelled, watching as his brother stripped their father's DDS off. "How's Dad?"

"Not good, John, he's lost a lot of blood. I've got the first aid kit, but there's not much I can do without staying here and applying pressure to try and stop the bleeding. And that means I won't be able to get Thunderbird 4 outta here."

John turned back to the second monitor. "Braman, come up with a solution to the following problem: patient on Thunderbird 4, gunshot wound, right shoulder, heavy bleeding, unable to utilize pressure from hands to stem blood flow!"

"Processing." Mere seconds passed before he continued. "Solution Number One, probability of success eighty-one percent: utilize absorbent medical gauze number three as compress; utilize Grab-Jack in reverse position to apply continual pressure to wound. Solution Number Two, probability--"

"Stop, Braman! Gordo, you hear that?"

"Already on it, hang on!"

"Braman, have you completed analysis of Brains' condition?"

"Affirmative. Probability ninety-six percent: unusually high exposure to carbon tetrachloride via inhalation and skin absorption resulting in lack of oxygen to bloodstream. Affecting liver, kidneys, nervous system, brain, circulatory system. Result: Fatal if not treated--"

"Fatal? Solution, Braman! Solution! Keep him from dying, for God's sake!"

"F.A.B. Gathering materials now."

"Dr. Crawford?" John could hear nothing. "Megan! Can you hear me? Megan!!!"

02:35:52

Megan and three police officers had just reached the hall leading to Virgil and Alan's room. They found both posted International Rescue agents lying dead outside the door. One officer pushed Megan out of the way while he and his companions raced into the room, weapons drawn.

"Stop right there!" he hollered.

The missing officer froze with the end of Virgil's IV line only two inches from his lips. He contemplated his options. Could he blow into the line before the other three shot him down? To do so would cause certain death, pushing air into Virgil's bloodstream. But was he willing to die just to kill a man he didn't even know?

Rapid footsteps approaching from the end of the hall made Meg turn her attention away from the room. Rounding the corner were four huge men dressed all in black, their faces smudged black as well. They were carrying large automatic weapons and barreling down on her in full attack mode.

"Jesus!" she cried. "Out here! Hurry!" She whipped her machine pistol out and took a shot at the leader of the pack, but it just sunk into his bulletproof vest. He and the one just to his right aimed their weapons at her...and fired.

02:38:19

Gordon stripped the thermal suit off Jeff's torso, baring him down to his waist. He lifted his father's shoulder and noted no exit wound, which meant the bullet was lodged inside. He placed four absorbent gauze pads right over the entry wound, then pressed a button on the Grab-Jack. It was a one-inch thick one-foot square of metal with four metal arms extending from the top. He turned it upside-down over Jeff's shoulder, fitting one bendable rod around under his armpit, one at the side of his arm, and the other two over his shoulder.

Pressing another button caused the arms to lock into place. Another two quick jabs to the tiny control panel extended a five-inch square platform downward. Gordon moved it so it was right over the bullet hole, then extended it until it began pressing down on the wound. He allowed it to continue its slow descent until at last he brought it to a stop. He checked and rechecked the gauze pads and the amount of pressure being applied until he was fairly certain the Grab-Jack was doing its job.

"John! I've got the jack in place, it seems to be working!"

"Okay, Gordo, now what about getting outta there?"

"Thunderbird 4 wouldn't budge. I'm gonna have to go out there and see if I can dislodge the piece of hull that hit us."

"Gordo...God...be careful. Please be careful. I--"

"What is it, John?"

"I thought I lost you once. I don't wanna lose you again."

Gordon smiled cheekily. "You aren't getting rid of me that easily, bro."

John, though he appreciated what Gordon was trying to do, was not in a smiling mood. "I'm keeping you on an open line."

"F.A.B. I'll be out there in two shakes."

02:42:12

Megan dropped herself to the floor like a lead weight just as two of the policemen came bolting out of the room. They were pelted with machine gun fire as she scurried forward on her belly into the room. The officer with Virgil's IV line in his hand dropped it and reached for his pistol. Megan saw the officer nearest her fire his weapon, and the other one fell to the floor.

Gunfire rang out in the hallway amidst yells and screams. Meg crawled around and pulled herself up between Virgil and Alan's beds, shoving the dead fake policeman closer to the wall with her feet. She noticed the bars on the room's one window had been cut off, most likely by the officer before he'd attempted to kill Virgil.

The situation seemed hopeless. Any second now those men would be rushing into the room. She looked over her shoulder at Alan, then down at Virgil. "I'm so sorry, Scott," she whispered as hurried footsteps grew nearer. "I'm so sorry."

02:44:55

"Braman! What're you doing about Brains?" John shouted as he watched the robot jabbing needles and IV lines into the engineer's body.

"Have applied 100% humidified supplemental oxygen via face mask. Have removed all clothing to aid in decontamination."

"Yeah, I can see he's naked, Braman, what's in the hypos?"

"Administering N-acetylcysteine to combat hepatotoxicity in liver. Administering 16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 to block accumulation of intracellular lipids. Administering three indole antioxidants. Changing humidified supplemental oxygen to high-level dose of hyperbaric oxygen to counter effect regional tissue hypoxia and damage. Administering blood thinner 4c-8 to prevent blood clots and possible stroke."

John's head was beginning to hurt. "Braman! Is it working? How are his vitals?"

"Heart rate seventy-nine beats per minute. Blood pressure one-thirty-four over eighty-one and decreasing. Oxygen levels rising."

"Oh, thank God! Braman, I think you just saved Brains' life!"

"Yes," was all the mechanical man said.

02:48:32

"Gordon, what do you see?"

"Oh, boy," Gordon said through pursed lips. "It's a good-sized chunk, about twenty feet long, ten or so feet wide. I can't tell if there's any damage to Thunderbird. I'm gonna go back in and get the hydro lift."

"Hurry, Gordon, and check on Dad."

"F.A.B."

02:51:59

Megan and the remaining officer almost fired on the man who charged into the room. Luckily, though, they realized he was from the Arlington Police Department, and managed not to shoot him.

"Who are you?" the officer bellowed.

"Dr. Megan Crawford!" she replied, her gun still pointed directly at him. "What happened to those men with the machine guns?"

"We got ‘em, Ma'am," another officer said as he entered the room. Two more came behind him, followed by a sight that was more than welcome to Megan.

"Grandma!" she exclaimed, shoving her weapon back into her pocket.

The elderly woman entered the room, gladly accepting a fierce hug from this person she hardly knew. "Oh, I'm so glad we got here in time."

"How did you--what did you--?"

"When I woke up I was down there in the Emergency Room," Grandma explained as she went to check on her grandsons. "Those men and a nurse were barreling through there like a stampede. I knew something wasn't right and started after them, yelling like a Banshee. These police officers had just arrived and came after me."

"A nurse?" Megan asked as she examined Virgil's severed IV line. "What nurse?"

"I don't know. Kinda stocky woman with short brown hair, wore glasses."

"Where is she now?"

Ruth turned to look right at her. "I don't know."

02:56:06

She crept to the abandoned nurse's station, paying little heed to her comrade lying dead on the floor in a puddle of drying blood. Joanna Franklin edged her way out to the corridor. To her right she saw two hospital guards standing outside of the secured Emergency Room ward. The rest of the ER bustled with activity, but there was only one thought on her mind now. There must be someone from International Rescue in there.

Taking stock of the situation, she decided that killing the guards would be easy enough. After all, Canton was paying her an awful lot of money. Those goons she'd let in would take care of the two upstairs. Whoever this was would be all hers. And with a gun in her hand, she'd easily get out without any of the other staff stopping her. What did she have to lose now?

Raising her pistol, she fired. One guard fell and the other whirled to face her, gun drawn. He pulled the trigger, and she fired back before ducking behind the wall. But she wasn't quick enough to dodge the bullet that tore through her left arm. She screamed in agony as blood poured from it, turning her lily white uniform to scarlet. Staggering against the wall, she sank to her knees, staring with shock at her mangled arm.

Her brain began to slow as the life force ebbed from her body. She didn't even notice the screaming patients, nurses and doctors running for the exits. Rage overtook her. International Rescue. It was all their fault. Whoever was in that room was going to die with her. She would not be going alone.

She grabbed hold of the metal rail on the wall and hauled herself to her feet, grinding her teeth, breath coming hard and heavy. Saliva gathered at the corners of her mouth as her half-crazed brain propelled her down the hall foot-by-foot, step by unsteady step. Barely noticing the two men she'd just killed, she reached the door to the ER room and leaned heavily on it, nearly falling down as it swayed open beneath her weight.

"You!" she cried, her voice dripping with venom. "How did you get out?!?"

Franklin made her way to the bed, just barely catching herself on it in time to keep from tumbling to the floor. She dragged her body up the bed until her face was mere inches from that of the dark-haired patient who had several strips of gauze wrapped around his head.

"Guess your girlfriend didn't wanna stick around for the p-party!" she slurred, spittle landing all over his face and chest. Her remaining hand, which still clutched at the pistol, raised and lined the barrel up to Scott Tracy's temple, right where the small spot of red from his previous wound showed through the white gauze. "I'll see you in Hell, hero!" she spat.

Then she pulled the trigger.

02:59:58

02:59:59

03:00:00

Hour Sixteen

The following takes place between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed.

03:00:03

Click.

Nurse Joanna Franklin's face changed from twisted glee to disbelief. Her gun was out of bullets. Sinking to her knees, she never took her eyes from Scott's face as she wobbled back and forth, her strength waning.

"You will die!" her hoarse voice ground out. "I'm just...making it...to Hell...before...you..."

With that, she lost her balance for the last time. She fell to the cold, hard floor, eyes wide open, breath coming in little gasps. Blood gathered, forming what almost looked like angel's wings on either side of her still figure. And then Nurse Joanna Franklin breathed no more.

03:02:21

Under John's careful guidance, Braman sponged Brains down to try and remove any last traces of carbon tetrachloride. He then moved him to a clean bed and took the soiled clothes and bedding and placed them into the hazardous waste container. Braman's two-way vid screen showed John the life monitors. Satisfied that Brains was on the road to recovery, John turned his attention back to Gordon.

"How's it going?"

"Okay. I've got the lift attached to the edge of hull that's over top of the cockpit window. Activating lift now."

Being he was patched into Gordon's DDS helmet, John couldn't see what was going on, but he knew the giant balloon would be inflating and beginning to rise. The hydro lift Gordon was using was a much larger version of the one Gordon and Scott had used to lift the column off Brains in Lake Anasta after the Hood had attacked him.

The Hood. John wondered if he'd escaped from the submarine. He fervently hoped he hadn't.

03:04:57

Battered and bruised, the Hood cursed himself for having lost Tin-Tin in the melee aboard the Poseidon. He'd just barely gotten his helmet on after being sucked into the diving suit room, and still wasn't quite sure why he hadn't died. Except that he took it as a sign from the Fates, a sign that he was meant to continue with his mission to destroy Acronym. And he was now doubly rankled, for Acronym had his niece as well as Lady Penelope, and had most likely killed the patriarch of International Rescue.

"That should have been my pleasure," he hissed.

He'd made it back to where he left his subjet, and wasn't completely surprised to find it missing. Cursing loudly, he knew Acronym must've stolen it. As chunks of the Poseidon floated down through the water, the Hood decided to try his next best bet: Thunderbird 4.

03:07:06

While Ruth and two officers remained in Virgil and Alan's room, Megan and the other three raced down the stairwell to the fourth floor. When they saw the two dead guards outside the ER and the trail of blood down the hall, all four feared the worst.

They barged into the Emergency Room bay and just stood for a moment as they took in Nurse Franklin's lifeless body on the floor next to the gurney. Megan went around to the other side of the bed. She could see Scott's chest rising and falling, and a check of his carotid revealed a nice, steady pulse. She let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"He's fine. We should get him outta here," Megan said. "Can you help me wheel him upstairs?" The men nodded and moved to help her with the bed. Adrenaline finally leaving her, she began to shake.

"You okay, Ma'am?"

"No!" she cried as they approached the elevator. "I'm not! I'm just a forensic pathologist! I work on dead people, for God's sake! I'm not a cop or a hit man! This is insane!!! How many more of you are on Acronym's payroll!?!? Jesus Christ!"

"I'm not, Ma'am. I'm not on anyone's payroll but this city's. I'm George."

"Same here, I'm not on the take," the other officer added. "I'm John."

"John? Oh, God, John! He has no idea what's going on!"

The officers watched in confusion as she whipped a watch out of her pocket. She could see the interior of what she assumed to be Thunderbird 5, but John Tracy was nowhere in sight. "John! John, it's Megan, can you hear me?"

George and John the Officer looked at one another as the elevator doors opened. Both thought the woman before them had snapped. George whispered, "She's talking into a watch." John just shrugged. After what he'd seen so far today, nothing was surprising him anymore.

03:08:15

John, who'd taken a much-needed bathroom break, was just returning to his console when he heard Megan's voice. He ran the rest of the way and slammed down into his chair as he took in her pale face.

"Megan? You're shaking! What's going on? What happened?"

She shook her head and opened her mouth, but no words would come out. Right before his eyes, she fainted and fell to the floor.

"Megan!"

The picture from the watch whirled and rotated as men's voices floated to John's ears. He could tell one of them had picked Megan up, but the watch swung wildly in her free hand, so he couldn't make out exactly what was happening. It seemed to be forever until the picture became still.

"Megan! Somebody! Tell me what the hell is going on!"

"John, what's happening?"

"I don't know, Gordo, Megan just collapsed."

"Who's Megan?"

"She's one of our agents, she's with Scott at the hospital." John turned back to the monitor in time to see a very familiar face appear. "Grandma!"

"Hi, John," she said, smiling tiredly.

"Grandma, are you okay? Is Scott okay? What's going on?"

"I'm fine, John, and Scott looks to be just fine, too. Megan's fainted, I'm afraid. Too much excitement today."

"You're not kidding. I'm about ready to fall down."

"Don't you dare!" Ruth ordered.

"I won't, Grandma," he smiled. "I promise. Now, what happened over there?"

"All I know is that two nurses are dead, Scott's temple was grazed by a bullet, someone tried to kill Virgil...John, there are dead bodies everywhere!"

"But you're okay?"

"For the moment. How are Jeff and Penny?"

"Grandma..."

"John, tell me."

"Well...Gordon's okay. He's with Dad."

"He is? He's all right?!?"

John nodded. "But Dad...and Penny...and Tin-Tin..."

"John..."

"Gordon says Acronym kidnapped Penelope and Tin-Tin off the sub."

"Oh, no!" When John didn't continue, she said, "Jeff. Where's Jeff?"

"He's on Thunderbird 4, Grandma. He...he's been shot."

Ruth's face twisted as she tried to hold her tears at bay.

"I don't know for sure how he is. Gordon's got him set up best he can in Thunderbird. He's trying to move a piece of the sub that blew on top of her so he can get them back to Base."

"And we all fall down," Ruth whispered, reaching down and grabbing Alan's limp hand.

"What?"

"It just seems like...we're dropping like flies, John. One by one. And now Acronym...Canton...has Penny and Tin-Tin?"

"Yeah. Seems that way." Despair had started to creep over John, but he tried to shake it off. They were the Tracys, for God's sake! But truly, with so much against them, with so many things going wrong...how could they make it out of this alive?

"Johnny, what are we going to do?"

Strengthening his resolve, he replied, "Survive, Grandma. We're gonna survive."

03:12:01

Penny blinked. She felt hot and sweaty, and recalled feeling that same way as she and Jeff had entered the Poseidon 7. She remembered coming face-to-face with the Hood...she remembered Tin-Tin pointing the gun at her and at Jeff...but she couldn't remember anything else. Where was she? And why couldn't she move her hands?

Struggling through the fog that was slowly lifting from her mind, Penny felt someone against her. She looked down at the shiny black hair and gasped, "Tin-Tin!" Tin-Tin moaned and stirred. Penny soon realized her hands were tied in front of her, as were her companion's. They were still wearing their DDSs, but the helmets had been removed. "Tin-Tin, wake up!"

"Huh? What....Penelope?"

"Tin-Tin, wake up!" Having regained most of her sensibilities, Penny scanned the area. They were leaning against the wall of what looked and sounded like a small submarine. She was startled when a shadow appeared over them.

"Ah, I see my beautiful ladies are awake."

She looked up and saw a man in his sixties with gray hair and gray eyes. They could almost have been Jeff's eyes had they not been so cold. The thought of him caused her to cry out, "Jeff!"

"You can forget about Jefferson Tracy," the man spat.

Tin-Tin had pretty much worked herself back into full consciousness. She looked up and shrieked, "Acronym!"

"Acronym?" Penny repeated. "You're Acronym?"

He bowed. "At your service, your ladyship." He turned his attention toward Tin-Tin. "And you, my dear, should be thanking me. A rather nasty man had you in his clutches, but I saved you from him."

"You call this saving?" she muttered, twisting her hands against the rope that bound them.

"Where's Jeff?"

"Ah, Lady Penelope. I seem to think you've taken a fancy to dear Jefferson. I'm sorry to report that he's most likely shark bait by now."

"What?"

"I killed him. And the Poseidon is no more. I'd wager he's scattered throughout the ocean in little bits and pieces."

Penelope's lower lip quivered as tears filled her eyes. Not Jeff. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't be. He was Jeff Tracy! He is Jeff Tracy, her mind corrected.

"Mm, so I was right. It looks like you were taking dear Lucy's place in his life. When he had his life, that is. If she had only given me a chance, she would still be alive today. It's Jeff Tracy who killed her with all those bastard sons! Now he has paid his price. He has given his own life in return."

"Stop it!" Tin-Tin cried. "Stop it at once!"

Acronym just laughed. "I've got my sights set on Thunderbird 4 as we speak," he said. "It seems my former hostage is trying to get her going. Amazing contraption, that balloon he's using. Surprising it would work this far down."

The women knew he meant Gordon. But since neither of them had been aware of their surroundings at the time, they had no idea how the young man had gotten to Thunderbird 4, nor whether or not his father was truly dead. Acronym turned and walked away, clanking a door shut behind him.

"Penelope..." Tin-Tin began just as the heiress let out a gut-wrenching sob. "Oh, Penelope."

"He can't be dead, Tin-Tin! He just can't!"

03:20:41

Gordon got beneath the rising hunk of metal, planting his feet on the top of his small sub and using the back of his head and his shoulders to help push it upwards. His lower back screamed in agony, but his need to save his father kept him going in spite of the excruciating pain. At last the piece of hull lifted enough so its own weight caused it to slide down Thunderbird 4's side, metal screeching horribly against metal.

"I've got her free, John!"

"Is there any damage?"

"Doesn't look like it. She's pretty badly scraped... the dorsal looks a bit dented. But she'll make it back to Base. I'm going back in."

"F.A.B. Let me know how Dad is."

"I will."

Gordon moved to turn off the hydro lift. As the balloon began to deflate, he watched to make certain the metal didn't shift down onto one of his craft's side fins. He didn't see a lone figure enter Thunderbird 4's airlock hatch.

03:22:49

What was left of Arlington's police force swarmed into the city's largest hospital. They were stretched so thin due to the destruction of Washington, D.C. and the general mayhem in the surrounding area that they had no more than ten officers to spare for what had happened in the place that was supposed to heal people, not produce a dozen dead bodies.

Ruth and the few policemen that had been there explained what they knew of the situation to one officer, while the other nine spread throughout the hospital in search of anything suspicious, and to check on the patients and staff.

Just as Ruth finished giving her statement, she heard a soft moan from across the room. She jumped to her feet. "Alan!" she cried.

He licked his dry, cracked lips and tried to speak, but couldn't. Ruth grabbed a cup, filled it with water and plopped a straw into it, then brought that straw to Alan's mouth. He suckled it weakly, but did manage to get enough to wet his throat.

"Gr-Grandma," he croaked.

"Oh, Alan." Fresh tears trickled from her eyes as she stroked his singed hair and baby-chub cheeks. "You're going to be all right now."

"What...happ--happ...?"

"Shhh, don't you worry about a thing. You're safe now. You're safe."

Alan nodded slightly and closed his eyes, slipping back into unconsciousness. Ruth stared at him for long moments until she heard a throat clearing behind her. She turned to find large, golden-brown eyes staring at her. "Virgil!"

He smiled briefly before his mouth twisted in pain.

"Officer!"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Get a doctor or a nurse or something. A real nurse! He needs painkillers!"

"No...Grandma."

"But Virgil, you're in pain," she soothed, stroking his chestnut-colored hair.

"No meds, Grandma," he said. "Gotta...get...outta here."

"Virgil Tracy, you're as stubborn as your father." Thinking of Jeff, though, caused Ruth's face to fall.

"Grandma? What is it?"

"Never you mind, now, never you mind."

"Where's...Scott?"

"He's right here, just against the wall over there."

"How...what...?"

"Shhh, now, just rest. Scott will be fine."

"Alan..."

"Alan will be fine, too. You'll see."

Virgil swallowed and closed his eyes. The pain emanating from his leg was nearly unbearable. All he could remember was the gas line exploding, and flying through the air towards a wrecked car. But why had his grandmother looked so strange when she mentioned his dad? And if Scott was in the room, why wasn't he coming over? Despite his grandmother's protests, Virgil pushed himself into a sitting position. His eyes came to rest on his older brother, lying on a gurney directly in his line of sight.

"Scott!"

"Virgil, calm yourself. I told you he's going to be fine."

Someone appeared in the doorway. Virgil turned to look and saw a woman he recognized. "113?"

She nodded, smiling. She looked pale and drawn, but seemed otherwise to be okay. "Hi, Virgil," she said, approaching his bed. "And it's Megan."

He nodded. "What's going on?"

"Insanity. Complete and utter insanity." She turned to look at Scott. Virgil noticed something in her eyes, something he hadn't seen in a woman's eyes for a long time. He followed her gaze as she asked, "Grandma, is he okay?"

She nodded. "Yes, dear, he's fine. How about you? You had me pretty worried there for a minute or two."

"I'm okay. I guess it was all just a little too much for me."

"What was a little too much?"

Megan turned back to face Virgil, her hand resting lightly upon his arm. "I'm so glad you and Alan are okay. Scott was so worried--" Suddenly a white strobe light began blinking. "What's going on?" Megan asked the nearest policeman.

"I don't know. That's the lockdown alarm. I'm gonna go see what's up."

Just then the officer's radio crackled to life. The words everyone heard come next froze them all with fear.

"A bomb! There's a bomb down here! It's a bomb! A bomb!!!"

03:37:48

Gordon had successfully pulled Thunderbird 4's nose out from under the edge of the sub's broken hull and was now speeding back to Tracy Island full-blast. Although his father was white as a ghost, his pulse was still holding, but thready and weak. He prayed he'd get him back there in time. Prayed for his father's will to survive.

"John, who's back on Base that can help with Dad?"

"Well, Brains is there, but he won't be of any use to you right now."

"Why not?"

"He was hit with carbon tetrachloride when the containment chamber blew."

"What??? Wait a minute...you mentioned a hospital before...why is Scott at a hospital?"

"Oh, God, Gordo, you have no idea what's been going on."

"Apparently not. Isn't there anyone else on Base?"

"Just Braman. But he'll be able to help you. He saved Brains' life."

Gordon was surprised. John had never acknowledged Braman as anything but a glorified computer. "He? What happened to it?"

John smiled in spite of himself. "Well, if it wasn't for Braman, Brains would be dead right now, or well on his way to it. I figure anyone who saves a member of our family deserves to be called he."

"You got that right."

"Dad still holding?"

Gordon turned to look back at his father, who lay on the floor behind him. "Yeah, but John, he's not doin' well. Make sure Braman ready for us."

"Will do. Best speed, Gordo. Best speed."

Gordon nodded, oblivious to the extra passenger he carried back near his craft's engines. And to the small subjet that had begun to follow...

03:41:50

Braman returned to the laboratory. John had given him specific instructions to continue with the work he and Brains had been doing before the engineer's untimely collapse. He was able to work faster than any human being, but even as part of his positronic brain finished the formula to counteract UH-3, the other half was running calculations based on what Brains had originally told him of the necessary timeline.

In order for this to work, Braman had to not only develop the necessary compound in just the right quantities, but also had to mass-produce it, get it aboard Thunderbird 3 and wait for Scott to come back so it could be taken above the rarified atmosphere. Considering what he'd overheard about Scott Tracy's condition, Braman's computations brought him to only one conclusion.

"There is not enough time."

03:43:43

"Get this hospital evacuated now!" the officer yelled into his radio. He raced out of the room, the guards hot on his heels.

"They're half out already!" they heard a fading voice reply.

"Grandma!" Megan cried.

"Right. We've gotta get the boys outta here!"

Ruth moved to Alan's bed and unlocked the wheels. She began pushing him toward the door as Megan started unlocking the brake on Virgil's bed.

"No," he said calmly, placing his hand over hers. "I'll walk. You get Scott."

"You can't walk!"

"Just watch me," he ground out, removing the IV needle from his arm.

But Megan didn't stay to watch him. She raced to Scott's bed and put it in motion, pushing it to where Virgil had risen unsteadily to his feet. "Hop on board," she said.

He hesitated for only a moment before climbing up onto the bed, half-laying on his brother. "Go!"

Megan raced them down the hall with Virgil holding on for dear life. They met Ruth and Alan at the elevator just as it dinged and the doors slid open.

"Quickly!" Ruth said. They wheeled the beds into the elevator and she jabbed the button marked with an L. The doors closed and they began their descent.

"We have to get these people outta here."

"Virgil Tracy, you can't even walk, how are you gonna rescue all these people?"

"Grandma, that's what we do! We can't just let all these patients die!"

Megan grabbed Scott's watch from her pocket just as it beeped to life. "John! John, are you there? Come in!"

"Here, Megan! What's goin' on, I just heard the police scanners, there's a bomb in the hospital!"

"Yes, we're getting Scott, Virgil and Alan outta here! But John, the people...all the patients!"

"How much time is left on the bomb?"

"I don't know! The police officers we were with left before we could find out!"

"Wait...hang on..." John turned to listen to something, and then faced Megan again. "Ten minutes, Megan. You have ten minutes!"

"Oh, God," Megan moaned as the elevator came to a stop.

The Lobby was chaos. Gurneys and wheelchairs and people hobbling and dragging themselves through the throng of people with IV lines dangling from their arms...open-backed hospital gowns flapping open...yelling and screaming and crying...it was mass hysteria.

Suddenly someone rushed at them and began pulling Alan's gurney out of the elevator.

"Dr. Gray!"

"Come on, there's an emergency exit just down the hall!" he said. He pushed Alan's bed with one hand while pulling Scott and Virgil's with the other.

Megan and Ruth looked at each other, the same thought occurring to both of them. "Dr. Gray," Megan called out, "can you handle them?"

"Yes!" he yelled over his shoulder.

"We're going back up!" she cried. She saw him nod his head, then she and Ruth re-entered the elevator. "Those two people," Ruth said as the doors swished closed. "The prisoners on the eighth floor."

"I know," Megan breathed. Into the watch, she said, "John, Dr. Gray's getting your brothers out of here."

It didn't even occur to John at that moment that Megan had called the three men his brothers. But Ruth Tracy noticed, and filed it away for later.

"Why are you still in the elevator?"

"There are two patients up on the eighth floor! We have to get them!"

"God, Megan...Grandma..."

Ruth leaned over so she could look her grandson in the eye. "We'll be fine, John, just don't you worry about us."

03:55:12

Gordon was almost home. Almost safe. Almost there. He brought Thunderbird 4 up through the depths of the sea, nearer and nearer the surface. Nearer and nearer to Tracy Island. "We're gonna make it, Dad," he whispered. "You're gonna make it."

"Shit! Gordo!"

"What?"

"I haven't been paying attention...shit! There's a sub on your tail!"

Just then Gordon noticed a blip on his radar screen. It was at the far outside edge, but closing in on him rapidly. "What the hell???"

Gordon considered his options. Whoever was following him, if he went ahead and used the ramp up to Tracy Island's runway, they'd discover the secret base of International Rescue. He turned and glanced down at his father, who was looking worse and worse by the minute. He had to get up there. He had to save his dad. But what if the approaching vessel was hostile? They'd be in ruins, and it'd be his fault. And Jeff would die anyway.

"John!"

"Gordo, it's closing in fast! You can outrun it, get outta there!"

"John..."

"He's gaining on you!"

"I'm surfacing. I'm getting up on the island."

"Gordon..."

"I have to, John! Dad risked everything to save me! I won't let him die!"

"He's readying weapons!!!"

"No! Shit!" Gordon swore, spinning Thunderbird 4 around. At first he couldn't see anything through the pale light that filtered down through the water. But then his eyes caught movement. Soon he saw a small vessel appear. It slowed as it approached, then came to a dead stop only thirty feet away. Gordon opened the front panel of Thunderbird 4 and two canons emerged. He readied them to fire.

"No! Gordon! Wait!"

"What?"

"It's Penelope! Her GPS! It's weak, but...she's on that sub!!!"

"Goddammit, John! It must be Acronym! Tin-Tin's probably on there, too! What the hell do I do?"

"I don't know! Damn!"

"I will tell you precisely what you will do," came a menacing voice from behind.

Gordon whirled around and found himself staring into the eyes of the Hood.

"Gordon! Who is it?!? Who's there???"

"John! The Hood!! The Hood!!!"

His eyes began to glow. "You will do as I tell you."

"No! Gordon! Don't look at him!"

But it was too late. Gordon was mesmerized. He stared into those awful yellow eyes. He couldn't help himself. He couldn't tear his gaze away no matter what he tried.

"That's right," the Hood said as he wiped dried blood from his face. "Now you will turn around and you will fire on that subjet."

Gordon turned and placed a hand over the firing control. His eyes stared down at it blankly as his hand moved closer and closer to the button.

John's voice filled the cockpit. "Gordon! No, don't! Gordon! Gordon!"

03:59:58

03:59:59

04:00:00

Hour Seventeen

The following takes place between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed. 

04:00:26

Suddenly the Hood felt something hit his legs, taking them right out from under him. He fell backwards, hitting his head on the doorframe leading into Thunderbird 4's midsection. Then he didn't move. Deprived of the connection that had been so strong, Gordon hesitated, his finger hovering only millimeters above the firing button.

"G-Gor-Gordon--"

He raised his head. He knew that voice.

"Gordon!"

There was coughing coming from behind him.

"Gordon!!!"

Hand lowering back to his side, Gordon blinked. In a voice far too child-like to be coming from a grown man, he said, "Father?"

"Gordon! Gordon, it's me, John! What happened?"

Gordon turned slowly, his mind a jumbled mass of thoughts and images, ideas and feelings...few of which belonged to him. Then he felt something else...a calm, benevolent presence. He knew it to be Kyrano. His eyes focused as he looked down onto the floor.

Jeff had awakened to find the Hood towering over him, his eyes glowing as they bored into the back of Gordon's head. He'd moved as swiftly as possible, swinging his leg around to sweep the Hood off his feet. Now he lay propped on his elbow staring at his son. His face was anxious as he struggled to keep himself up.

"Gordon," he said softly. "Son."

"Father..." Gordon whispered. Then it hit him. His father was awake! "Dad!" He rushed forward and knelt by his side. "Dad, are you all right?" He turned to see the Hood lying unconscious in the doorway. "Did you do that?"

"Never...underestimate...a Tracy..." Jeff ground out, sinking back onto the floor.

John's voice interrupted. "Gordon! The sub! It's gonna fire!"

"Shit!" Gordon raced to the controls and jammed the yoke forward, causing Thunderbird 4 to dive nearly vertically into the depths. He heard a torpedo sail by and brought his sub out of its rapid descent.

Jeff fought to keep himself from rolling around the cabin as Gordon turned the ship this way and that. He felt his momentary strength slipping away. Things began to get fuzzy. "Gordon..."

"Hold on, Dad, just hold on..."

"What--Gordon..."

"Gordon! I have an idea!" John exclaimed.

"Now would be a good time to share!" Gordon retorted.

"Can you hit her jet engine? On the back?"

"You bet I can," Gordon replied. "But what if I misfire?"

"You...won't..." Jeff whispered. And then he slipped back into nothingness.

"Dad!" Gordon cried. He turned to leave the controls, desperate to make sure his father was okay.

"Gordon!" came John's agitated voice.

He stopped and gave his father one last look before returning to his seat. He moved Thunderbird 4 up, and was behind the subjet in no time. But he was suddenly mystified. Why would such a fast craft be sitting dead still in the water, just waiting for him to take a potshot? "John, what's going on with that subjet?"

"I don't know. Her weapons are still fully armed, but I can't figure what she's waiting for."

04:14:01

Tin-Tin had succeeded in using her hands to untie Penelope's bonds. Penny then reciprocated, and the two women looked around the small room for something to use as a weapon. Tin-Tin found a one-foot length of metal pipe, while Penny grabbed a sailor's knife she found in a cubby. They crept up to the door. Penny stood in front of it while Tin-Tin waited at the control panel. When she saw Penny nod her head, she jabbed a button.

The door slid open, revealing the sophisticated, yet small, cockpit of the subjet. In the pilot's chair sat none other than Acronym, who swiveled in surprise. "Very well done, ladies," he said as they rushed him.

Tin-Tin swung the pipe, connecting with Acronym's head and knocking him clean out of the chair. Penny dug her knee into his back as he groaned in pain. She held the knife to the side of his throat. "Just because we're not Tracys doesn't mean we're easy," she said bitterly, her mind straying to Jeff.

"Penelope, it's Gordon!" Tin-Tin cried, her eyes focusing on the readout next to the radar. "He's readied weapons!"

"John!" Penny cried into her wristwatch. "John, come in!"

"Penelope?"

"John, tell Gordon not to fire!"

"Gordon! Stand down! Penny's on the line!"

"Oh, thank God," Gordon breathed. "John, I've gotta get to Base now. Dad's started bleeding again!"

"Penny, you think you can make it to the island?"

Tin-Tin spoke next. "I think I can manage these controls enough to get us there, John. Tell Gordon we're right behind him."

"F.A.B.," John replied, breathing a sigh of relief.

04:10:44

Ruth and Megan had no trouble getting the female prisoner out of her room and into a stairwell, where she was able to escape under her own power. But the male prisoner was still unconscious. Piling the various IV lines and bags onto his torso, they raced his bed toward the elevator. But they could only stand there watching in desperation as it went from Floor 7 to Floor 6...Floor 6 to Floor 5...Floor 5 to Floor 4. Realizing they were out of time, they both took one more look at the large, unmoving man before turning the gurney and wheeling it toward the stairwell.

"We'll never make it!" Ruth had cried as they slammed the door open.

And then their world shook.

04:18:19

Virgil rolled off the gurney he'd been sharing with Scott and onto his working leg just as the corner of the hospital blew off behind them. He stopped and turned to stare as the first two floors of the wing they'd been in crumbled. Over the next several minutes, the third and fourth floors began sagging, until finally they gave way as well.

"Grandma!" he yelled. He was surprised when someone appeared beside him, a hand grabbing tightly to his arm. "Scott!"

"Virgil! Where are Grandma and Megan?"

He pointed wordlessly up toward the eighth floor. Fire billowed out from the ground floor of what was once the ER. Sparks flashed in the just-after-midnight darkness.

"No!" Scott cried, racing toward the hospital. "Grandma! Megan!"

Virgil began hobbling after him, gingerly using his injured leg more like a stiff crutch than a moving limb. He couldn't hope to keep up with his brother, who suddenly seemed awfully spry as he ripped the gauze from his head and tossed it aside. "Scott! Scott, come back!"

But he'd disappeared around the corner of the wing. It was only when Dr. Gray raced up from behind and said, "Uh, Sir..." that he stopped trying to follow him.

"Um, I'm Dr. Gray, and...well..." The doctor waved his finger at Virgil's backside. Blushing furiously, Virgil reached behind and pulled his gown together, covering as much of his exposed rear end as possible. "Here," Gray said, holding out a sheet.

"Thanks," Virgil mumbled, taking the offered piece of cloth. He hastily folded it into thirds, wound it around his waist and tied a tight knot, rather making it look like he was wearing a short skirt. "You watch after Alan!"

"I will!" Gray said. "I will!"

Virgil continued limping toward the end of the wing, pain causing him to break out in a sweat. "Dammit!" he cursed. "Scott!"

04:25:33

Scott jumped up and grabbed the fire escape ladder. It clanged downward. As he began climbing, he felt himself sway, his mind suddenly confused as the world spun. He shook his head, clinging desperately to the ladder, willing himself to go on. He had to. For Grandma. And for Megan.

He reached the first level of the fire escape just as the building shuddered. He heard a series of small explosions and held on to the metal railing as it moved beneath his feet. "Gotta...get up...there..." he heaved, starting for the first set of steps.

"Scott!" he heard from down below. He stopped and looked, only to find Virgil hauling himself up the ladder using his two powerful arms and one good leg.

"No! Virg! Stay back!"

"Not...on...your...life!" he ground out, moving upward rung-by-rung.

The building shifted again just as Virgil reached the landing, sending him sprawling onto his face. Scott was already up to the fourth level of stairs. He grabbed the railing and looked back down. "Virg! You okay?"

Virgil waved him on with his hand as he struggled to his feet. His mind seemed to be clogged; he was hurting so badly he couldn't even think straight. Up, he thought, heading for the stairs. Have to go up.

Scott continued to fight the pain coming from his temple and the dizzying fog that seemed to swirl before his eyes. He took the steps two-at-a-time, racing against the clock.

Megan. He thought of how they'd been tied together in the closet, of how she'd bit him...of how she'd spit the knife into his hands...God, she had to be okay. And his grandmother, the woman who had always been there, always been there for all of them. They had to have survived the blast. They just had to!

Virgil struggled up the stairs by hopping from step to step, his right leg now completely useless to him. He made it to the fourth landing just as he heard Scott break a window at the top.

"MEGAN!" Scott hollered as he stepped through the window. "GRANDMA!"

Please let them be okay, please let them be okay, Virgil thought as he continued his arduous journey.

04:35:26

Braman was waiting in the middle of Tracy Island's single runway with a hover stretcher when Thunderbird 4 came to a stop right next to him. The side hatch opened, and Gordon appeared, dragging his father through the door. Braman came forward and lifted Jeff into his arms, depositing him onto the stretcher and strapping him down.

Just then the subjet surfaced at a small dock to the side of the runway. "Get him to the Ward!" Gordon cried over his shoulder as he ran toward the water. "Tin-Tin!" he yelled. "Penelope!"

The top hatch of the sub opened and Tin-Tin squinted in the light as she raised a hand to shield her eyes. "Gordon!" she cried, scrambling out of the sub and skidding down its side to the dock. She raced up the stairs and met him at the top, enveloping him in a fierce hug. "Oh, Gordon, you're safe! You're safe!"

"Tin-Tin! God!" He held her tightly, then looked up as another figure picked her way over the subjet's hull and down onto the dock. "Penelope!!!"

"Gordon!" Penny joined them on the tarmac and was brought into the hug. She wrapped her arms around them both, then noticed movement in the distance. Stepping back, the others watched as she took in Braman, who was moving a hover stretcher into the elevator...a hover stretcher that held...

"Jeff!"

Penny sprinted toward the elevator with Tin-Tin and Gordon right behind her.

"Gordon, your father..."

"He's been shot, Tin-Tin. We've gotta help him!"

Tin-Tin nodded as they reached the elevator, which had already left with its cargo. Unable to wait, Penny ran through the small, open door into Thunderbird 2's hangar and headed straight for the elevator within. By the time it came to rest on the hangar floor, Tin-Tin and Gordon were on either side of her.

"He's not dead." Penny said, tears streaming down her face. "He's not dead!"

"No," Gordon replied as they began to ascend. "He's been shot, but he's hanging on."

"God!" Penny cried as Tin-Tin placed an arm around her. "Oh, thank God."

04:39:55

Scott found himself in a room that held nothing but the body of a dead police officer. He raced out into the hall but staggered as a wave of dizziness swept over him. He put his hand out and braced himself on the wall. "Not now! Not now!" he gritted through clenched teeth. Forcing his feet to move, he started down the corridor again.

Virgil had reached the top floor at last, but was having a hard time getting his bum leg in through the window. "Scott!" he called out frantically as he felt something trickling down his leg. He looked and saw the syntheskin over his wound had torn slightly, causing blood to leak out. "Dammit! Scott! Where are you?"

When he received no answer, he entered the building the only way he could...by diving headfirst through the window. It turned out to be an effective method for getting in, if not somewhat boneheaded, he thought, as sharp pain shot from his leg right up through the rest of him. Groaning as he pushed himself to his feet, he slipped and fell face-first into a body. It was only then that he realized the sticky substance he'd slipped in was the dead officer's blood.

Scott had picked up speed and rounded the corner, but saw no sight of his grandmother or Megan. "Grandma!" he called out. "Meg!"

The building shuddered again and he heard a loud crash. Assuming the fifth floor had just fallen to its doom, he spun around in a circle, trying to figure out where they'd be. "Grandma!!!"

And then he heard it. It was faint, but it was a voice. It was Ruth's voice!! "Grandma! Where are you?"

"Stairs!" he heard her call out.

He ran to the stairwell door and pushed on it, but it wouldn't budge. "Dammit! It's been security locked!" he cried, banging on the door with his fists. He backed up and kicked it, then kicked it again, and again, and again, and again. It wouldn't give.

Panting now from the effort, he stopped to peer through the small square window. He saw Ruth down on the landing, halfway between the eighth and seventh floors. She was struggling to get out from under a rather large man and an upside-down gurney. "Grandma!"

Movement in his peripheral caused him to look right. What he saw made his blood run cold. "Virgil!"

Holding himself up with the railing, Virgil dragged his leg along beside him as he shuffled toward his brother. He knew he probably looked a sight, but why the hell did Scott act like he'd seen a ghost? And then he looked down. His entire front and left side as well as his arms and hands were covered in the dead officer's blood.

"Jesus! Virgil! My God!" Scott cried, racing towards him. He stopped him, hands on his shoulders. "What happened? Where're you hurt?"

"Not mine, Scott..." he said, sweat pouring down his face. "Dead cop..."

Scott closed his eyes for a second, trying to keep from either pulling his soaked brother into his arms in relief or slugging him. "Don't you ever do that to me again!" he bellowed, running back to the stairwell door. "I can't get the goddamn door open!" he roared, throwing his body against it. "Grandma's in there!"

Virgil was at his side faster than he thought possible, and before long the two brothers were taking turns slamming their shoulders into the door, one at a time. It began to creak and groan under their continued efforts until at last, when Scott gave it one more go, it broke wide open. He tumbled through, barely catching himself on the railing.

Ruth's legs were caught under the dead prisoner's weight. Scott tore down the steps and hurled the gurney to the side, then pulled the man off his grandmother. He helped her to her feet and she smiled her thanks.

"Are you okay? Where's Megan?" he asked as Virgil appeared at the top of the stairs.

The hospital moved beneath them again, and another loud crash told them the sixth floor had just given way.

"I'm fine, just a few bruises. Megan...she fell over the railing when the bomb went off!" Ruth cried, pointing down to the next landing. Then she looked up and saw her other grandson soaked in blood. "Virgil!"

"Grandma, come on, we've gotta get you outta here!"

"You're hurt!"

"No! It's not mine, come on!" he yelled, holding the railing with one hand and reaching out for her with the other.

"My God, Meg!" Scott cried as he took in her twisted body. "No!"

Virgil glanced over the side of the stairs and whispered, "Oh, no." His eyes met Scott's and he saw the same horror he'd seen when Alan had been hurt. "Go after her," he said. "I'll get Grandma out."

Scott went down the next flight of stairs so fast his feet barely touched the floor. He landed on his knees next to her body, his hand reaching out to touch her bruised face. He didn't actually understand why his gut was churning so badly. All he knew was that he didn't want her to be dead, and that's the only thing he could wrap his mind around at this point.

"Megan...God, Meg...no..."

04:50:06

Penny, Gordon and Tin-Tin burst into the infirmary, where Braman already had Jeff moved onto a bed. Tin-Tin rushed to Brains' side and checked his vitals. She had no idea what had happened to him, but he seemed to be fine. Then she headed over to the sink and scrubbed her hands.

"Gordon! Get over here and wash up! You too, Penny!"

They did as instructed while Braman removed the Grab-Jack and compress from Jeff's shoulder. Finally cleaned up, all three returned to his side.

"What do we do, Tin-Tin?" Gordon asked.

"We've got to get that bullet out. Braman, I need a scan of his shoulder, I need to know where the bullet is lodged and what's been damaged."

"F.A.B.," Braman replied, heading for the imaging unit.

"Gordon, get me a set of med tools from the cabinet." As he ran to the other end of the room, Tin-Tin continued. "Penny, pull out the syntheblood, the one marked with Jeff's name. It's in the cabinet to your right."

Penelope nodded. In the cabinet she found rows of what looked like real blood, but was in reality something Brains and Tin-Tin themselves had created. Keeping a fresh supply of blood on the island was nearly impossible without drawing attention to themselves, and so syntheblood had been invented. On the top shelf were the packages marked Jeff. Penny grabbed the tray and placed it on a metal table, then wheeled it over to the bed.

"Braman, after you scan his shoulder, set up the BTU!"

"F.A.B."

Pictures spit out of the scanner, and Tin-Tin hung them on an X-ray viewer on the wall, and then flipped the light on. She and Gordon studied them. To their relief, it didn't seem that any bones had been broken, but Tin-Tin knew it wouldn't be easy to extract the bullet. "Damn," she said softly.

Penny grabbed Jeff's hand tightly, and was surprised when his hand squeezed hers back. "Jeff!" she said breathlessly as his eyelids fluttered open. "Jeff, can you hear me?"

"Pen..." he whispered, his voice all-but-gone. "Have...to tell...you..."

"What, Jeff?" she asked, bending closer to his face.

Gordon and Tin-Tin watched as his lips moved but no sound came out.

"I can't hear you!" Penny exclaimed softly. "Jeff, please don't leave me. Stay with me. You're going to be fine. You will be."

"I...I--" He stopped as a wave of pain washed over him. Jeff squeezed her hand once more before his arm dropped to his side.

04:57:20

Scott gently turned Megan onto her back. He moved his hand in front of her nose and choked on the lump in his throat as he realized she was breathing. But how badly was she hurt? "Megan?" he said softly, gathering her into his arms. "Can you hear me?"

But she didn't stir. He stood and lifted one foot to place it on the step before him when, without warning, it began to shake. "Oh, no," he breathed. Adrenaline pumping through his veins, he leapt to the third step, but the building gave one great lurch, sending him flying back down to the landing with Megan still in his arms.

He moved out from beneath her as the floor continued to sway. Over in the corner he saw the concrete begin to crumble. "No!" he yelled. He lifted Meg up over his shoulder and took to the stairs again. But as he reached the landing, the gurney he'd tossed to the side earlier slid right into his legs, buckling them beneath him.

Scott and the gurney flew right back down the steps. It landed on top of him, pinning him against the wall. Megan had slipped from his grasp at the top and was half on the next landing, half on the stairs. He struggled to push the gurney off him, and wound up tossing it over toward the next set of stairs down. It was only when he didn't hear it hit them that he realized what was beneath.

Quite literally...nothing.

The gurney fell down into the darkness beyond until finally it crashed to the ground. Scott noticed for the first time the flames far below that were left over from the initial explosion. The concrete beneath his feet cracked, but he managed to throw himself onto the staircase as the floor crumbled. Crawling up the stairs, he grabbed for Megan's legs.

He reached one hand up toward the metal railing bars just as the stairs beneath him fell away.

04:59:58

04:59:59

05:00:00

Hour Eighteen

The following takes place between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed.

05:01:19

"Gordon! Tin-Tin! What's going on down there? Braman, begin two-way vid!"

Braman's chest plate slid down and John's live image winked into existence on the screen behind it.

"John, we need to work fast!" Tin-Tin replied as she helped Braman set up the Blood Transfusion Unit. "I have got to get that bullet out of your father! But it's in there tight...I don't know if I can do it!"

"Braman can," John said simply.

They all stopped and looked at Braman's chest, from which John's solemn face looked right back at them. "You can't be serious!" Penny said.

"I've never been more so in my life, Penelope. He saved Brains. You should've seen him."

"You know, he's got a point," Gordon said. "Braman's more accurate than any human hand."

"Braman?" Tin-Tin said.

"Yes."

"What's the probability you can remove the bullet from Mr. Tracy's shoulder without complications?"

"One hundred percent."

The four humans looked at one another. Finally Tin-Tin said, "Gordon? John? Penny?"

Gordon nodded. John nodded. Penelope bit her lip. She looked at the pale face of Jeff Tracy lying on the bed beneath her, then back up to her companions. She'd never been comfortable with a mechanical human-like thing walking around, but Jeff...slowly she nodded.

"Braman?"

"Yes."

Tin-Tin pulled surgical gloves onto his mechanical hands. "Remove that bullet."

"F.A.B."

05:12:48

Scott grabbed the bar just in time. His shoulder was nearly ripped from its socket as he hung precariously from seven floors up. Megan's body began to slip. He tightened his hold on her legs. "No..." he growled. "Don't."

But gravity continued pulling at her until at last she fell toward the gaping hole beneath them. Scott cried out in pain as his hand caught her pant leg, the force of her weight yanking hard on his arm and shoulder. He tucked her legs up further into the crook of his arm, his face twisting as his body begged for mercy.

And then he heard a voice.

"Scott! Scott!!!"

"Virg!" he yelped as the building moved again. He strained to look up and saw Virgil's face along with a second one before he had to bow his head again.

"Hang on, Scott, we're coming!"

"Funny...Virg...what's it...look like...I'm doing?" Suddenly the second man was in his line of sight. He recognized Dr. Gray. "Get...Megan..."

Gray nodded and perched on the unstable landing. He reached out, but couldn't quite touch her. "Can you swing her over here?"

Just the thought of moving made Scott break out in a cold sweat, but he hadn't brought them this far only to allow them to fall to their deaths right before his brother's eyes. He felt a warm hand close over his own that held so tightly to the railing. He knew it was Virgil's.

"You can do it, Scott."

Gritting his teeth, Scott swung Megan back and then forward, letting out a gutteral roar as stars exploded before his eyes and pain ripped through his body. Then suddenly he felt her become nearly weightless.

"I have her!" Dr. Gray shouted. He lifted Megan up over his shoulder and headed for the stairs. "Can you get him?"

Virgil nodded. He wound himself down around the edge of the banister and held his hand out to Scott. "I can't...hold on...Virg..." he gasped, tears of pain escaping his eyes. The hospital shook again. One hand slipped from the railing as the other flailed to find purchase.

"Scott!"

05:18:05

Penny held one of Jeff's hands while Gordon hovered near Braman, watching his movements carefully. Tin-Tin observed the syntheblood as it flowed from the BTU into Jeff's body. The hand that came to rest on her shoulder startled her. She turned to find one very pale engineer standing behind her.

"Brains!" she cried, wrapping her arms around him.

He returned the hug and mumbled into her hair, "Y-You're here, Tin-Tin! Y-You're h-here!"

"Yes, I am," she smiled, sniffling a little. "And look who else is here."

Brains backed out of the hug and looked across the bed at Gordon, who smiled. "Gordon," he breathed. "Thank God. M-Mister...I-I mean Jeff...was so worried..." Gordon looked down. Brains' eyes followed and then widened as he saw precisely who was lying on the bed in front of him. "Jeff!" he cried out. "What happened?"

"Acronym shot him," Gordon said, his voice low and dangerous. "The bastard."

"W-What is Braman doing?"

"He's getting the bullet out, Brains," Tin-Tin said. "Mr. Tracy's going to be fine. His blood pressure's rising even as we speak."

"Oh, God!" Penny exclaimed.

"What?!?" they asked in unison.

"Acronym! The Hood! They're still outside!"

"Oh, no!" Tin-Tin cried. "We forgot them! How could we have forgotten them? Brains, how are you, can you get out there with Penny?"

"Uh...I-I'm fine, I guess. Just, uh, drained. A-And a bit, uh, woozy."

"Gordon?"

"Penny, come with me," Gordon said. "Brains, you stay here and help Braman and Tin-Tin."

Penny looked at Jeff one more time before following Gordon out of the ward. They ran to the elevator and waited impatiently as it descended to open onto the tarmac. As they raced across the asphalt, their worst fears were confirmed.

Thunderbird 4 still sat on the runway where Gordon had left it. But the subjet...was gone.

05:24:11

Virgil had reached out just in time to grasp his brother's free hand as the one holding the railing lost its grip. He groaned under the strain as Scott tried to bring his left arm up. But his shoulder was dislocated; he couldn't get the arm to obey him.

"Come on..." Virgil ground out. "Come on, Scott." He used one hand to haul himself slowly up the railing, pulling Scott up inch by inch until he gave one large heave-ho and yanked him clear of danger. The brothers landed atop one another on the stairs just as the structure swayed.

Scott grunted as he looked into his brother's eyes. "Virg..."

"I know, Scott. That's another one you owe me. Now let's get outta here."

Scott winced as he tucked his arm into his sash, which had somehow managed to remain intact through everything. Virgil tried to walk up the steps, but he tripped over his bad leg and lost his balance. Scott reached out with his good arm and steadied him, and together they finally made it to the top of the stairs.

Using Scott's arm as a makeshift crutch, Virgil managed to keep up with him as they headed back toward the end of the hall; back toward the room that had once held them both...back to the fire escape. Scott's arm came around Virgil's waist, and before he knew what was happening, he'd been lifted into the air, enabling him to pull his bad leg up and stick it through the window with his good one.

Scott gave him a push out the window and followed suit as the building moved again. Dr. Gray was part way up the fire escape ladder when he saw them emerge. "Quickly! It's gonna give way any minute!" he yelled up.

"All right, Virgil, onto my back."

"Huh?"

"Piggyback."

"I'm not six, Scott."

"No, and I'm not nine. But you're getting onto my back and that's an order!"

Virgil harrumphed, but knew Scott's logic was sound. There was no way he'd make it back down those steps in time. "You're askin' for it." He wrapped his arms around Scott's neck and hiked his 6'1" frame onto his brother's 6'2" one. "We look ridiculous."

"Better than looking dead," Scott said. Then he yelped. "Dammit, Virg, watch the shoulder!"

"Sorry."

Scott started racing down the steps. One of Virgil's legs was wrapped around his brother's waist, but the other dangled lifelessly near Scott's right leg, and kept banging into the railing on the way down. Virgil kept his comments to himself. He knew it wasn't Scott's fault. It didn't really matter anyway. At this point, his leg was so battered it had started going numb.

"Thank God for small favors," he mumbled.

"What?"

"Never mind. We're almost there."

"I can see that, Virg," Scott replied testily.

When they reached the first landing, Scott backed up and handed his brother down to Dr. Gray, who waited on the ladder. Gray helped Virgil descend, with Scott close behind. Once on the ground, they forced Virgil between them and lifted him, running with all their might toward the crowd gathered over eighty yards away.

Scott looked up and saw his grandmother pushing her way to the front. A great cheer erupted from the onlookers as a second person emerged to stand by her side. "Alan!" he cried.

Sighing like an enormous, exhausted giant, the entire north wing of Arlington Memorial Hospital fell at last.

05:33:07

"It can't be! They can't both be gone!" Gordon cried as he emerged from Thunderbird 4.

"And why would they take the subjet rather than Thunderbird 4? Especially the Hood? All he's ever wanted is your technology!"

"I don't know. Do you still have your watch?" She nodded and removed it, handing it over as she looked out toward the ocean. "Thunderbird 5, come in."

"I'm here, Gordon. Did you find them?"

"No, John. They're gone. Both of them. And so's the subjet."

"What? Oh, God, they've escaped?"

"Looks like it. Unless..." Gordon stopped and looked at the ground beneath his feet. Then he looked up toward the rock cliff.

"What is it, Gordon?" Penny asked.

"Footprints," Gordon said, pointing down to the asphalt. "Wet footprints. And they lead..."

Penny followed the direction his finger was pointing. "Oh, no! The Hood! He's inside!"

They raced for the hangar, but just as they reached the small door it moved upward, cutting them off. They were too late.

"God! Penny!" Gordon cried, heading for the elevator to their right. "Dad's in there! And Tin-Tin, and Brains!"

"No!"

05:38:47

John opened a line to Braman. "Thunderbird 5 to Braman! Come in!"

"Braman speaking."

"Braman, quickly, the Hood's inside Base! Open two-way vid!"

John saw Brains removing the rest of his father's DDS and thermal suit as Tin-Tin sealed the wound with syntheskin. "Tin-Tin! Brains!"

"What, John, what is it?"

"Tin-Tin, listen to me. The Hood's inside Base!"

"He's what?" Brains exclaimed.

"Penny and Gordon are in the elevator on their way up...but the Hood's in Thunderbird 2 hangar. Who knows where he's heading? Seal the Hospital Ward now!"

"But Penny! And Gordon!" Tin-Tin cried as Brains ran for the control panel at the ward's entrance. She pulled a clean sheet over Jeff's body and turned to find Braman heading toward the next room. "Braman! Where are you going?"

"To help Gordon and Lady Penelope," his monotone voice replied. "I will seal secondary entrance upon leaving."

"Brains! What's he doing?"

Returning to Jeff's bedside, Brains watched his greatest invention ever leave the room. "He's doing just what he said."

"But how can he help them? He's not meant for combat! He can't possibly know what to do!"

"With John controlling him, he can."

05:43:25

Scott reached down and pulled Alan into a gentle hug, mindful of his burns. Virgil came over next, and the three brothers held on to one another for a moment, their heads touching, silently drawing strength from their bond, trying to give themselves the energy they'd need to face whatever came next, grateful just to be together and safe. Ruth hugged Dr. Gray just as someone yelled, "It's International Rescue!"

The crowd of nearly fifty people, who moments before had been cheering, became silent when they took in the uniform worn by one of the men who'd just escaped from the hospital; the man now standing huddled with two others who wore hospital gowns. Another voice yelled out, "It's their fault this happened! They're the ones to blame!"

"Oh, God," Dr. Gray said, his arm remaining protectively around Ruth's shoulders. "We're gonna have an angry mob on our hands in a minute!"

Scott, Alan and Virgil just looked at the throng of people, some of whom wore hospital gowns, many of whom looked as though they'd gotten out of bed just to come and see what all the ruckus was about.

"How many more people have to die before you tell us who you really are!?!" a woman screamed.

"They're not responsible for this!" Dr. Gray yelled, waving his free hand toward the ruined hospital. "Acronym is!"

The people murmured until another voice was heard. "That's only because he wants them to give themselves up!"

A chorus of ‘Yeah!' and ‘That's right!' showed the crowd's agreement.

"Grandma, where's Megan?" Scott whispered as he and his brothers began to back up.

"Dr. Gray put her in Thunderbird 1," Ruth replied.

"You guys get outta here," Gray said, pushing Ruth away from him. "I'll try to stall them."

"No, Dr. Gray, we won't leave you! We need you!" Ruth protested as Scott grabbed her arm.

Virgil and Alan stopped and turned. "Come on, Doctor," Virgil said. "Come with us. Grandma's right. Megan's hurt, and we're not in that great of shape either. We do need you. If you want to come."

Dr. Gray turned back to face the masses. As much as he hated to do it, he raised an arm above his head and pointed behind them. "There's one of ‘em now! He's getting away! After him!"

They turned like a herd of cattle, a great cry erupting from their lips, and headed in the other direction. Only one woman and her small child remained. Gray turned and followed the others to Thunderbird 1. By the time he reached the rocket plane, Scott had unlocked the hatch, and Ruth and Alan were already inside. He helped Virgil climb the ladder, then started up himself.

Scott was surprised to see a small boy who couldn't have been more than three run up to him. He moved to one knee so he was more eye-level with the youngster. He could see a woman in the distance jogging toward them. Scott reached out and ruffled the towhead's hair. "You'd better stand back, young man," he said, a sad smile forming upon his lips. "We're gonna blast off soon."

By this time the horde realized they'd been duped, and were now heading straight for Scott and the boy. "It's not safe for you here," he said. "What's your name?"

"Joshie," the boy replied. "What's you name?"

"I'm Scott."

The people had reached them, but stopped short when they saw the toddler hold a dandelion out to the man they'd wanted to capture. The boy's mother ran up and stood right in front of the two.

Scott took the bedraggled flower, a lump forming in his throat.

"Scott. You Intoonashnoo Wescue?"

"Yeah," he chuckled. "Intoonashnoo Wescue. That's us."

"What happened you awm?"

"I hurt it."

"Be okay?"

He nodded. "Yeah. It'll be okay."

Suddenly Joshie threw himself on Scott, wrapping his arms around his neck and jarring his shoulder, but Scott held his grunt of pain in. The boy placed a slobbery wet kiss on his cheek and said, "You save my Mommy. I no be here if you no save my Mommy. I wuv you."

Joshie's mother began to cry, her hand flying to her mouth. Yes, International Rescue had saved her life once. Hers, her older son Tommy's and her husband Joe's. Scott couldn't help the tears that formed in his eyes as Joshie let him go. He looked up as he rose to his feet, watching the boy go back to his mother. And when he looked at Joshie's mom...he knew exactly who she was.

Blanche smiled. "We still believe in you," she said, holding her son close.

"Thank you," he whispered. Then he looked up as Ruth's face appeared from above.

"Scott..."

He turned back to look at Blanche and Joshie. "We have to go."

Blanche nodded. The crowd, only a moment ago bent on hauling Scott and the others off for a proverbial tar-and-feathering, stood in stunned silence.

"Bye, Joshie."

Grinning from ear to ear, the little boy waved his small arm with all his might. "Bye-bye!" he called out.

Scott waved and disappeared into his ship. The ladder retracted and the hatch slid closed. Several long minutes passed as Virgil and Dr. Gray worked Scott's shoulder back into place. He nearly passed out, but managed to remain with them as he grasped Joshie's dandelion in his good hand. When at last he made it to the pilot's chair, Scott fired up the engines. The crowd, moving as though it were one single being, stepped back.

"What happened out there?" Virgil asked from one of the seats just below and to the right of Scott's suspended pilot's chair.

"Yeah, Scott. Why didn't those people attack you?" Alan asked from his position next to Virgil.

"A weed," Scott replied, placing the dandelion on his leg. "A weed and a little boy who's got more sense than fifty people ten times his age." He fired Thunderbird 1's booster rocket and the ship began lifting into the air. He hovered for a moment, looking out the right viewing window. Blanche and Joshie were waving. And to his surprise, so were the rest of the people. "Thanks, Joshie," he said, wiggling his fingers one last time.

And they were gone.

05:58:30

Brains and Tin-Tin paced the floor, alternately looking out of the ward's windows and checking Jeff's vital signs. Suddenly there was banging and yelling from the door. They recognized the voices.

"Penelope!" Brains cried.

"Gordon!" Tin-Tin yelled.

They raced to the door, but just as Brains' hand moved to unlock it, he saw a sight that froze him solid.

Standing right behind Gordon and Penelope was none other than the Hood.

05:59:58

05:59:59

06:00:00

Hour Nineteen

The following takes place between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed.

06:00:32

Brains jabbed the button and the door swished open. Penny and Gordon rushed inside, with Brains starting to close the door before they'd even made it all the way. The Hood lunged after them, but only succeeded in slamming himself against the two-inch thick metal. He moved to the side and glared at them through a window, his eyes starting to glow.

"No!" Penny cried, covering Brains' eyes with her hand and closing her own. "Don't look at him! Turn away!"

All four ran to Jeff's bedside. Gordon raised his wrist, upon which he now wore Penelope's watch, to his face. "John! Come in!"

"Gordon! Where are you?"

"In the Ward. John, the Hood's right outside, he's trying to...to do whatever it is he does with his eyes!"

"Don't look, Gordo!"

"We won't! We have our backs turned, we're over by Dad!"

"Braman's on his way! Is the Hood still out there?"

Gordon turned to glance behind him. Indeed, their archenemy still stood at the window. "Yes! He's right outside the main door! Why the hell is he just standing there?"

"Braman's got a laser rifle. We're almost there. Take cover! Get Dad back!"

"F.A.B.!" Gordon replied. He, Penny and Tin-Tin wheeled Jeff into the next room, a room normally used for lab tests run on patients...a room that had no windows.

"Brains! Where's Brains?!?" Tin-Tin exclaimed.

Gordon raced back into the main bay, then over to the bathroom, where he found Brains ripping a mirror off the wall. "What are you doing?"

Brains turned, mirror in hand. "I-I'm gonna give that guy a-a taste o-of his own medicine," he said.

Gordon watched in fascination as Brains approached the front wall, out of the Hood's line of sight. He'd never seen their engineer...his friend...sport such a set of steel ones. The rather small mirror was hidden behind his back, and suddenly Gordon knew what he was about to do. Seeking to distract their enemy, he made a great show of grabbing a scalpel and waving it in the Hood's direction. The evil man's only response was to laugh. It was a laugh that sent chills down Gordon's spine.

Suddenly Brains moved. He leapt to the window, mirror held in front of his face. He had no idea if this would work, but even if it worked a little, it might buy some time for Braman to get there.

The Hood was startled. He'd fully intended to mesmerize one of them enough to get them to open the door, but wound up with only a few seconds to process what was happening before his mind began to cloud over. The rage that began building inside him fizzled like a dud firecracker as he stared at his own reflection.

"It's working, Brains!" Gordon exclaimed, running to the engineer's side. "It's working!"

The Hood staggered back, then his body went stiff as a board. He just stood there in the middle of the hall. At last his eyes stopped glowing, and Brains lowered the mirror. Gordon clapped him on the back. "You did it!"

"Yes, but where's, uh, Braman?"

"There!" Gordon cried.

Penelope and Tin-Tin joined them, and together they watched Braman, with John's face looking out from his chest, approach the Hood's statuesque form.

"John!" Gordon said into the watch.

"What happened to him?" John asked.

"Brains gave him a dose of his own medicine," Gordon replied triumphantly. "Do you think Braman can get him down to Containment before he comes to?"

"I'll see that he does. Wait! Gordon! Call coming through from Thunderbird 1! I'll patch him through. Then Braman and I are getting the Hood locked away. Listening out."

"Scott?"

"Gordon?!? Gordon!"

"Scott!" Tin-Tin cried.

"Tin-Tin!! My God, where are you???"

"We're home!" Tin-Tin said, smiling into the watch face. "Where are you? Where is everybody? Where's Alan?!?"

"Virgil, Alan and Grandma are in Thunderbird 2. I'm in Thunderbird 1 and we're on our way home."

"Everyone's all right?" Gordon asked.

"Yes, for the most part. We're all pretty banged up, and Megan's still unconscious, but Dr. Gray's looking after her in Thunderbird 2's Med Bay. They'll be taking off as soon as everyone's settled. Gordon, my God...you have no idea..."

"Yeah, Scott, I kinda think I do."

"How's Dad? And Penelope?"

"Right here, Scott," Penny said, moving slightly so she could see him. "I'll be fine. Your father seems to be recovering nicely. His blood pressure's returned to normal. Tin-Tin says he'll pull through."

"What's that John said about Braman and the Hood?"

"John's got control o-of Braman, uh, Scott. H-He's going to, uh, take the Hood down to Containment."

"How'd you keep hold of him long enough to do that?"

"I-I'll tell you a-about it sometime, uh, Scott."

"Okay, Brains, I'll hold you to that. ETA to Base exactly forty-five minutes. You gonna have that UH-3 counter agent ready for me?"

"O-Oh...oh, no, the counter agent!" Brains moaned. "I-I've been so...damn!"

"Brains, what do we need to do?" Tin-Tin asked.

"I-I'll need you and Gordon...and Braman, once John's, uh, finished with him...down in the Lab. I-I have no idea how, uh, far Braman got on the formula."

"Can we do it, Brains?"

"I have one hour?"

Scott nodded.

Brains looked at Gordon, who gave him the thumbs-up, then turned back to face Scott. "We can do it."

"What shall I do?"

"Penelope," Gordon said as they unlocked and opened the main door. "You stay here with Dad."

"But Gordon, I need to do something!"

Gordon thought a moment. "Where's Parker?"

"Oh, my goodness! He's still off the coast of California in FAB One!"

"What? What's he doing there?"

"Gordon!" Brains exclaimed. "I have it! Uh, give the watch back to, uh, Lady Penelope!"

"Here!" Gordon said, tossing the watch to her. He turned to look at Brains. "Now what?"

"Uh, Lady Penelope, get Parker to, uh, call California right away! And have him try to find, uh, Ned Cook. I just got it! Now I know w-why, uh, Jeff sent all the I-International Rescuees there to begin with! Make sure, uh, they're all i-in place. I-It's essential!"

Penny said, "F.A.B.," and turned to walk into the next room where Jeff still lay on his movable bed.

"International Rescuees?" Gordon and Tin-Tin asked together.

"Later," Brains said, rushing out of the room. "We've got to get that formula finished!"

06:30:29

Ned Cook realized rather quickly that he hadn't properly thought the whole thing through. Not only was the hydrofoil now out of fuel and stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but he'd spent the last hour emptying the contents of his stomach directly into said ocean. It hadn't helped that he and Barry had nearly come to blows when Ned had asked why the hell he hadn't been told how much fuel the hydrofoil held and Barry had retorted that he hadn't been told they were trying to get to Fiji.

Mrs. Turner approached him with trepidation. "Um, Mr. Cook?"

"What?" he heaved, willing his stomach to stop flip-flopping.

"Barry's just received a call. Someone from International Rescue is looking for you."

That got his attention. He stood up straight, took the bottle of water Rose offered him, and headed into the cabin. "Someone on the line for me?"

"Yeah, some guy named Parker. He talks kinda funny." Barry handed him the microphone. "Uh, you okay, Mr. Cook? You look...bad."

Ned gave him the look of death. "Thank you for pointing that out." Then he raised the microphone to his mouth. "This is Ned Cook speaking."

"Mister Cook, so there you h'are."

"Yes. Is this Parker?"

"Yes, Sir. I'm wiv H'International Rescue, h'in a liaison role, you might say."

"I see. What can I do for you?"

"H'International Rescue requests your h'assistance with the members h'of H'International Rescuees."

"Well, I'd love to help you out, but right now I'm stranded out in the middle of nowhere."

"Yes, I 'ave a fix on your position. I will h'arrange transportation for you h'and your h'escorts."

"Oh, thank you!" Ned cried, praising the heavens for his good fortune. "And when will this transportation arrive?"

"Just h'under twen'y minutes, Sir."

"Great! We'll be waiting!"

"Very well, Sir. In the meantime, h'if you wouldn't mind, please check in wiv your 'ome Base h'in Los Angeles to confirm placement h'of your group."

"Will do. Cook out." He turned to Barry. "How do I get my IRee Base on here?"

Barry flipped a couple of switches. "You're on," he said.

"This is Ned Cook calling International Rescuee Mobile Base. Come in, Mobile Base."

06:34:32

"All right, Parker, we'll stop and winch them up on our way back to Base. You sit tight."

"But Scott, what about the two people with Cook?" John broke in as Parker severed his connection. "How do we know we can trust them?"

"We don't," Scott replied. "But we can't just leave them stranded in the middle of the ocean. Where's Parker now?"

"Same spot, 200 miles off the coast of California."

"All right. I'll have Virgil pick him up on his way home. How'd it go with Braman?"

"Fine. We've got the Hood locked away in Containment 2, and I had Braman check on Dr. Otayuki in Containment 1. He's mighty pissed off, but otherwise none the worse for wear. Braman's gone to the lab to help out with the formula."

"F.A.B. Any more news on Dad?"

"No, Scott, he isn't awake yet."

Scott sighed. The day's events were taking their toll. His shoulder still hurt like hell. He cringed as he recalled the indescribable pain he'd felt when Dr. Gray had popped it back into place with a sickening crunch. His body was drained. And time was running out. Could they save Southern California? And where had Acronym gone?

His thoughts were interrupted by John's somewhat excited voice. "Scott? Get in touch with Virgil. Here's what Brains wants him to do..."

06:38:18

"Thunderbird 1 to Thunderbird 2."

"Here, Scott," came Virgil's tired voice.

"You okay? How you holdin' up?"

"I'll live."

"Well, that's good to hear," he replied sarcastically. "Listen, Virg, you've gotta make a few stops on your way home. You know the new Invisi-Shield Brains invented?"

"Yeah, there's a whole pile of about a hundred of those gadgets down in Thunderbird 2 Lab. Why?"

"You need to drop those off in San Diego, Los Angeles, Palm Springs and Barstow. Just drop them by parachute. From there, they'll be transported around the southern half of the state to all the groups of International Rescuees."

"Oh, I get it!" Virgil exclaimed. "Dad's a genius."

"No, Dad's the one who came up with the plan. Brains is the genius. He's the only one who figured out why Dad wanted those people there in the first place!"

"Gotta give the guy credit."

"Virg?"

"Yeah?"

"How's Megan?"

"Still unconscious, last I heard from Dr. Gray. Grandma's back there with 'em, she made Alan go back to the Med Bay, too. He started fading on us shortly after lift-off."

"Damn. Who's gonna help you get those Invisi-Shield units ready?"

"Don't worry. We'll have 'em ready."

"And your leg?"

"Still attached."

Scott shook his head. "You're a big help. After you're done with the Shield units, drop the Pod and pick up Parker. You should be able to get him on your scanners, he's a couple hundred miles off the coast."

"F.A.B."

"Virg?"

"Yeah, Scott."

"Never mind."

"Scott?"

"Yeah?"

"I told you, she'll be fine."

"I have to pick up Ned now. Goodbye, Virgil."

Virgil couldn't help but smirk as Scott cut the line.

06:43:22

Penny paced miserably to and fro the entire width of the room. Biting her lip, she checked in with John for the tenth time. He calmly told her...for the tenth time...to stay right where she was in case his father woke up.

"You should listen to John."

Penny nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned slowly to find Jeff sitting on the edge of the bed, legs dangling over the side. He'd pulled the sheet around his waist, leaving his chest...and the syntheskin covering the wound on his shoulder...bare. At first she couldn't do anything but stare at him. Except for being a bit pale and drawn, he looked as though nothing had ever happened...right down to the smile on his face.

"Hi, Penny."

"Jeff..." She walked up to him and grasped his hands firmly, trembling as she fought to control her emotions. "Jeff. How are you?"

"I feel like the hind end of a mule. How 'bout you?"

"Perfect now that you're back with us."

Jeff looked around the deserted room and asked, "Speaking of us, where's Gordon? And Tin-Tin? And Brains?"

"They're all in the laboratory trying to get that formula worked out. Scott's on his way home, as are Virgil, Alan, your mother...oh, Jeff!"

"Pen...what?"

"It was terrible! Acronym told us...when we were on the sub...he told us he'd...that he'd killed you!" Wrapping one arm around her, Jeff pulled her close. Her hands enveloped his neck as her cheek rested upon his shoulder. "I'm trying awfully hard not to cry," she whispered.

He chuckled. She knew tears were something the Tracy men didn't handle well.

"Jeff..."

"Yeah?"

"When you awakened here in the ward earlier...do you remember?"

He swallowed hard. "Yes. I do. I thought I was going to die."

"You did?"

He nodded.

"Is that why you...is that the only reason...Jeff, what were you going to say to me?"

He pulled her body away so he could look into her soft blue eyes. Images of the past came into his mind, memories of a time that seemed so long ago...a time when he'd spoken those words to only one woman...and vowed he'd never speak them to another for as long as he lived. His mouth opened...and he found he couldn't do it. He couldn't say it to Penelope. He felt it. God knew he felt it. But...he just couldn't.

At first, Penny felt hurt. But then, as she looked into his beautiful gray-blue eyes, the hurt simply vanished. She knew. And she understood why he wasn't ready yet. Well, it didn't matter if it took forever. She hadn't come this far just to discard him like yesterday's news. And a Creighton-Ward never gave up that easily.

Ever the Lady, Penelope smiled graciously. "I think we'd better tell the boys you're awake."

06:53:34

"You sure you're up to this, Alan?"

"Yes, Dr. Gray. I'm sure. We have to get these things bundled and ready to drop."

The doctor eyed his patient warily, and then turned his attention to the most energetic and unbelievable ninety-year old woman he'd ever met in his life. "What about you, Ruth?"

"One hundred percent!" she smiled, carrying a two-pound Invisi-Shield unit over to where Alan was stacking the triangle-shaped devices into a tarpaulin. "As my mother always used to say, many hands make light work!"

"I used to hate it when my mother said that."

"Why's that, Doctor?" Ruth asked, genuinely interested.

"Because that meant it was my turn to help with the dishes."

06:55:24

"Thunderbird 2 to Thunderbird 1."

"Thunderbird 1 here."

"Alan, Dr. Gray and Grandma are working on those Shield Units as we speak."

"Great! Ned and the two International Rescuees are on board and seated rather uncomfortably in the back."

"How'd they take to the ride in the harness?"

"Oh, Rose and Barry Turner loved it. Ned, on the other hand..."

Virgil chuckled. "I figured as much."

"Uh...Virgil..."

"She's fine, Scott. Dr. Gray said she broke her left ankle and left wrist, and she's got a whopper of a concussion, but other than that, from what he could tell she's all right."

"That's good," he breathed. "Has she regained consciousness yet?"

"No, Scott. Gray gave her a sedative to help with the pain."

"What about you? Did you get some of that?"

"While I'm flying? Not on your life!"

There was almost a full minute of radio silence before Scott spoke. "Virg?"

"Yeah?"

"Why is the channel still open between us?"

"Uh...I don't know. It's just...it's kinda quiet, that's all."

Scott frowned. "I know what you mean. Too quiet."

"Exactly. Makes you wonder when the other shoe's gonna drop."

06:58:15

Dressed in a HazMat suit, Gordon began pouring the perfected anti-UH-3 compound into a machine that would take the liquid, freeze-dry it and grind it into a powder. While he worked at that, Braman was mass-producing the liquid, working so fast it made the humans' heads spin. Brains tested the formula on his last sample of UH-3, praying the results were the same...neutralization.

At first, no one noticed that Tin-Tin had looked up from where she was preparing the membrane-thin sacks that would serve as transportation for the newly created powder. No one noticed that her eyes became glassy. No one noticed that she stiffened, that her eyes filled with tears.

"Father," she whispered inaudibly.

Gordon moved to take the first pan of yellowish powder over to her and stopped dead in his tracks. "Tin-Tin?" When she didn't respond, he placed the pan on a nearby table and closed his eyes. Could he do it again? Could he reach her?

Brains finally looked up from his microscope long enough to realize something was wrong. "Gordon?" he said, coming to stand next to them. "Tin-Tin?"

Suddenly their eyelids opened wide and they stared at one another. "No!" Gordon whispered. "It can't be!"

"What?" Brains asked, looking from one to the other then back again. "What can't be?"

"Tin-Tin?" Gordon said, taking a step closer to her.

Her jaw dropped and tears began running down her face. "No! Father!"

"Tin-Tin, what is it?!?" Brains practically shouted. "Gordon!"

"Father! Father!" she cried, stumbling back into a metal table. "No! Father!!!"

"Gordon!" Brains screeched. "What the hell is going on?!?"

Removing his HazMat helmet, Gordon looked at Tin-Tin for a few seconds before turning to meet Brains' eyes. "It's Kyrano," he said, voice full of anguish. "Acronym has Kyrano."

06:59:58

06:59:59

07:00:00

Hour Twenty

The following takes place between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed.

07:00:29

When Jeff and Penny entered the lab, they didn't expect to find the humans standing dead still while Braman still worked furiously in the next room. They didn't expect to see tears streaming down Tin-Tin's face. They didn't expect to see Gordon and Brains staring at one another, eyes round as saucers.

The movement of them approaching caught Gordon's eye. When he took in the sight of his father fully dressed and walking under his own power, his normally laid-back manner disappeared as he rushed to stand before him. "Dad!!"

Jeff reached out and pulled his son into a hug. "Gordon."

"Dad, you're--you're okay!"

"And you?"

Gordon pulled away. His face was pained.

"What's happened? Tin-Tin?" Jeff approached the young lady he'd always treated like a surrogate daughter. She launched herself into his arms and began to cry in earnest. Jeff cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Tin-Tin?"

"It's Acronym, Dad," Gordon offered as he and Penelope joined them. "He's got Kyrano."

"He what?" Jeff roared, gently pushing Tin-Tin away. "Where are they?"

"I-I don't know, Mr. Tracy!" Tin-Tin cried. "I held his thoughts for only a moment before something happened and now I can't reach him!"

"Gordon, get on the line to the hospital and police in Sydney."

"F.A.B.," he said, scurrying out of the lab.

"Brains, how's the UH-3 counter agent coming along?"

"Uh, just fine, erm, Jeff."

A small smile graced Jeff's face in spite of everything. He found it amusing that someone he'd known for so long had such a difficult time calling him by his given name. "Do you need help?"

"I-I could use a-an extra pair of hands."

"I'll assist you, Brains, if I can."

"Thanks, Lady Penelope. I-I'll need you to get into a-a HazMat suit."

"Very well. I know where they're stored."

"I'm gonna give Scott a call," Jeff said. He and Penny exchanged a look Brains couldn't quite read before Jeff headed for the Lounge.

07:16:39

Kyrano couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't reach out with his mind. All he could do was lay there on the gurney as he was wheeled through the hospital, watching the lights pass one by one above him.

Canton strode confidently to the elevator. He looked for all the world like a doctor just transporting a patient. He wore a white lab coat and a stethoscope was hanging around his neck. Had anyone taken a very close look at the badge on his lapel, they would've realized it wasn't a true hospital ID...but as it was, Michael had made it this far without being questioned.

The elevator opened into a back hall of the hospital. He wheeled the gurney down the hall and right out the rear doors, where an ambulance awaited him. Loading Kyrano up into it, he secured the gurney, and then closed the double doors on his newest hostage. Smiling with satisfaction, he got into the driver's seat of the ambulance, started it up and sped away.

Bound to the gurney in the rear of the ambulance, Kyrano lay helpless. One lone tear escaped his eye.

07:21:00

"Thunderbird 1 from International Rescue."

"Father!"

"Hello, Scott."

"You're all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

Jeff grinned. "What do you want from an old man who's been shot?"

Scott chuckled. The old man bit was a running gag between him and his father. His brothers had even started calling him ‘Old Man the Second', a title he wasn't particularly fond of except when it gave the two "old men" a good laugh.

"Listen, Scott, bad news."

"I knew it was too quiet. What is it?"

"Acronym has Kyrano."

"No."

Jeff nodded. "I'm afraid so. Tin-Tin doesn't know exactly where they are. She's lost her connection to him. I've got Gordon on the line to the hospital and police to try and stop Acronym. But..."

"Don't worry, Dad. I'll detour to Sydney. That's good, actually. I can drop Ned and the Turners off while I'm there."

"Ned...Ned's with you?"

"Yeah, Dad. He got a wild hair up his ass to try and make it as far as Fiji on a World Navy hydrofoil and ended up getting stranded in the middle of the Pacific."

"Not the brightest of moves," Jeff replied absentmindedly. His son watched him work through something in his mind before he continued. "Scott, while you're in Sydney, have Ned get hold of some broadcasting equipment."

"Broadcasting equipment? Why? What're you up to?"

"Never you mind, Scott. But I want Ned and that equipment back here as soon as you've seen to Kyrano."

"But Dad, Ned Cook's a reporter! You want him to know where our Base is?"

"He can't see the route from the midsection of Thunderbird 1."

"But he'll know we're in Sydney, and it's only a short ride from there home."

Jeff sighed. "I have to trust him, Scott. He put himself on the line for us. He's helped us immensely. I just have to trust that he won't let us down. And anyway, if Acronym succeeds in destroying Southern California, it really won't matter anymore."

Scott nodded solemnly. "All right, Father. I'll let Virg and the others know what's going on."

"No...Scott...I'll call Virgil myself."

Scott understood completely. Jeff hadn't seen Virgil at all since this had started so many hours ago, and the last time he'd seen Alan was when he was fighting for his life at Arlington Hospital. He nodded and said, "F.A.B. Thunderbird 1 out."

Jeff ran a hand through his hair, realizing that this was now the third time he'd been sitting behind his desk and done just that. Asking for the broadcasting equipment...Jeff only hoped he was doing the right thing. Penelope had brought him up-to-speed before they'd gone to the lab, and he'd been watching WNN since arriving in the Lounge.

He was relieved to discover the earthquakes in Fiji hadn't been as catastrophic as he'd feared, but still, more than one hundred people had died. And all those lost souls in D.C. Every one of his loved ones had been hurt in some way...and more people in Arlington were dead because of Canton's vengeance upon International Rescue. It had to end. Somehow, somewhere, it just had to end. And Jeff knew it was time.

He sighed as he opened a channel to Thunderbird 2. The world as he knew it, the world he'd worked so hard and so long to build, the organization he and his family and friends had poured their lives and souls into, was about to end. As much as it hurt, he knew it was the right thing to do. He had to work hard to keep his voice steady.

"International Rescue to Thunderbird 2."

07:32:40

Virgil jumped when he heard Jeff's voice. "Father?"

"Hi, Virgil. How are ya, Son?"

"Dad! You...they said...I thought you'd been shot!"

"I had. I mean, I was. But between Braman, Brains and Tin-Tin, I'm just about good as new. How's your leg? Speaking of which, how the hell is it you're flying Thunderbird 2 with only one leg?"

"Rudder controls by hand, Dad, remember? Brains just installed ‘em about a year ago, but I've never had to use ‘em before."

Jeff chuckled. "I can't believe I forgot that. I must be getting senile in my old age."

Virgil knew the old man routine and chuckled. "Funny, Dad. Although right now I'd bet I feel a helluva older than you do." Right on cue, a bolt of pain shot right through Virgil's body. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, praying he wouldn't pass out.

"Virgil? You all right?"

"Yeah, Dad."

"Don't go passing out on me before you get home."

What was he, a mind reader? "I won't."

"How's Alan?"

"Seems to be holding up pretty well, all things considered. He's in a lot of pain, I can tell, but he refuses to stay in sick bay. He's with Grandma and Dr. Gray dropping the Invisi-Shields from the hatch."

"You tell him to get back to bed!"

"Dad. Have you ever tried making Al do something he doesn't want to do?"

Jeff sighed. "I see your point."

"We've hit Barstow and Palm Springs and are just about on the drop point for LA. After that it'll be San Diego and then out to pick up Parker off the coast."

"Thank God Brains figured it out."

"Yeah. We would've lost time if we'd had to turn around and come back from Base."

"This Dr. Gray...you trust him?"

"Yeah, Dad. He fixed Al and me up, and he's helped us a lot. I trust him. I say we make him an agent for International Rescue."

"If there's an International Rescue left," Jeff replied grimly.

Virgil frowned. "Are you gonna go public?"

"I'm gonna have it set up so I can if the situation calls for it."

"But Dad, with the Invisi-Shields and the UH-3 counter agent, we'll be able to keep the people of Southern California safe."

"That's true. But how many more people are going to die because of Michael Canton's personal vendetta against me? We can't run around putting Invisi-Shields up every time he threatens a large population."

"So if we don't capture Canton..."

"I'm letting the cat out of the bag."

"Does Scott know this?"

"Well, I didn't tell him but I'm sure he's guessed," Jeff sighed, rubbing his chin. "I don't want that on his mind. He needs to find Kyrano."

"Kyrano? What do you mean?"

"Canton's got him."

"Damn."

"I know. Son, pick Parker up and get back here as soon as you can."

"F.A.B."

"Base out."

"Dad?" Jeff looked up as Gordon approached him. "Did I just hear you right? Are you outing us?"

"Not yet, Gordon. But I have to be prepared to. If for no other reason than to save Kyrano's life."

Gordon sank onto the settee. "I can't believe it could all end in just a few short hours."

"I know, Son. I know."

"We can't let it happen, Dad. We just can't! Not everything you've worked so hard for."

"Everything we've worked so hard for, Gordon." Jeff sighed and rose to his feet, coming around to perch on the edge of his desk. "This may have been my dream, but it's you boys who've made it a reality." Gordon watched his father carefully. He seemed...so sad. Not at all like Gordon was used to seeing him.

"You know, after your mother died, I--I just didn't want to go on. No...it's not that I didn't want to, I couldn't. I couldn't face the world without her. I couldn't face our sons." He stopped and looked directly into Gordon's eyes. "I started feeling that way again when Acronym told me he had you."

"Dad, I'm--I'm sorry."

Jeff dismissed the apology with a wave of his hand. "It's not your fault." He stopped and a flash of pain shot across his face as his hand touched the gunshot wound. "I don't know how it happened exactly...one day I woke up and realized...realized that even though Lucy was gone, I still had part of her with me, living right under the same roof I was. Five parts, actually."

Gordon smiled. It had been a very long time since his dad had talked about his mom's death so openly.

"That's when I knew I had to do something...something that would make her proud, something that would show her I'd take care of our boys for her. I couldn't let her down." Jeff came to his feet again and moved to sit down in the chair behind his desk. "But with all these people dead...I feel like I have."

Gordon stood and approached his father's desk. "I knew a man once," he said, "who got hurt real bad in an accident. The doctors told his dad he'd never live, or even if he did, that he'd never walk again." Jeff looked up at him, recognition evident on his face.

"But that man's father didn't listen to what everyone said was going to happen to him. He sat down right next to him one day after the doctors left. He sat down, he held his son's hand, and he said, ‘You will walk again. You will live and you will walk.' The man didn't believe him at first. He couldn't move anything, his arms, his legs. Nothing. Day after day, his father came to him and told him, ‘You will walk, Son. You will walk.'"

Gordon hesitated. He wasn't any more used to baring his soul than his father, but he felt this needed to be said...needed to be acknowledged between them. "And the man had such faith in his father, such belief in him as a person, that he started accepting his words. He started to believe that he would live. That he would walk." Gordon stepped away from the desk, raised his arms in the air and turned a slow circle. "And look at me now. You didn't give up on me, Dad, and I made it. Don't give up on International Rescue."

Jeff rose to his feet, steadying himself on the desk with his hands. He watched Gordon walk to the kitchen. Walk.

Walk.

And he smiled.

07:44:11

"Okay, Virg, I see Parker below in FAB One. Go ahead and release the Pod."

"F.A.B., Alan."

Pod 5 hit the water with a mighty splash, and then Virgil lowered the front flap. Parker turned off FAB One's hydrofoils and drove up the ramp. He secured the pink Rolls Royce, then signaled to Virgil that he and the car were ready to be picked up. Virgil slowly lowered Thunderbird 2 over her missing Pod like a giant bird settling in atop her egg. All clamps clicked into place, and Virgil fired his VTOL rockets to raise them back into the air.

While Ruth and Dr. Gray spoke with Parker inside the Pod, Alan headed for the cockpit to speak with Virgil. He had a notion...it sounded crazy given everything that had happened that day, but what started out as a niggling thought had blossomed into a full-out idea, and he couldn't let it rest.

"Hey, Virg?"

"Alan, what're you doing up here? You should be in bed."

"I need to talk to you," he said, wincing with each movement. He'd overdone it with the Invisi-Shield units, and he knew it. But at least it was done.

"Okay. What about?"

Alan seated himself in one of the chairs behind his brother and sighed. "When I woke up outside the hospital, Grandma was there with me. She helped me off the gurney and I followed her to the front of the crowd, where I saw Scott and Dr. Gray running toward us with you between them."

"Yeah..."

"And then when the crowd of people started in about this all being our fault...the destruction of D.C., the hospital, all the deaths...well, when Dr. Gray tried to tell them it was Acronym's fault, someone yelled out it was only because he wanted us to reveal ourselves to the world."

"Right..."

"Virgil? What if Acronym isn't doing this to get back at Dad?"

"I'm not following."

"What if he's got some other agenda, and he's just using us as a...well, as a smoke screen?"

Virgil turned sideways in his chair to look at his youngest brother. Alan's hair was cleaner now than it had been before, but it was misshapen thanks to having been scorched. And there was a large piece of gauze taped over his Adam's apple, where one of the worst burns had been. His IR uniform covered the rest of him, but Virgil knew that beneath its fabric there were many more scars that would need time to heal. Both inside and out.

He wondered if Alan were trying to justify what had happened to him in some way other than their current belief that it all stemmed back to their father's youth. As though somehow if he gave Acronym some other reason for doing what he did, it would absolve Jeff of any responsibility for what had occurred today.

"I know what you're thinking, Virg. And no, I'm not looking for excuses for Dad or anyone else. Besides, I don't blame him for any of this. Even if the only reason Acronym's doing this is to get back at him, it's not his fault the guy's a lunatic. I just...I can't help thinking there's something more, something we're missing."

"Have you talked to Dad about it?"

"I haven't talked to Dad at all."

Virgil turned and opened a com line. "Then maybe it's time you did. Thunderbird 2 calling Base."

"With you, Virgil."

"Someone here to speak to you, Dad."

Jeff watched as Alan's face replaced Virgil's in the portrait screen. "Alan. You look a lot better than the last time I saw you."

"Hi, Dad. I am, thanks." His face twisted as his uniform rubbed hard against a particularly large burn on his stomach. "You got shot, huh?"

"Yes, and it hurts like hell. Remind me never to do it again."

"Ditto for me firing nitro pellets into unexploded bombs."

"You should be resting."

"Not yet. I have to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"I have this idea..."

07:54:09

Tin-Tin had forced herself to get back to work. As much as she feared for her father's safety, she also had complete trust in Jeff Tracy that he'd do everything in his power to get him back. After all, he'd both directly and indirectly rescued her and Gordon from a seemingly hopeless situation. Besides, there were millions of lives to be saved in California. And right now, Tin-Tin was an integral part of making sure that happened.

She'd just finished putting together a load of the powdered counter agent and was transporting it down to Thunderbird 3 silo on a hover stretcher. As the monorail she was riding in passed the Containment Units, a sudden feeling came over her. A terrible feeling. A feeling like...like...

"Oh, no," she whispered.

Her hand reached out and hit the monorail brake. Then she opened the doors. Stepping out onto the access tunnel platform, she blinked her eyes once...twice...then closed them completely. She could hear his voice in her mind...the voice of someone she knew she shouldn't trust, yet somehow...his words made her want to trust him.

I know where your father is, my niece.

She began walking toward Containment Unit 2.

Come, my child. I will help you save him. Only I can find him. You know we share a powerful connection.

Half of her mind fought against the overwhelming urge she felt to go to him, this man of Darkness. But the other half wanted to find her father so badly, to ensure his well being. Logic failed her as a mist appeared before her eyes. Her breath came fast as she looked through a small window to the containment room. There, staring right back at her, were two eyes blacker than coal, two eyes that had inspired fear the world over, that had seen more death and destruction than any other in existence.

But Tin-Tin was not afraid. Her ambivalence toward this man that in reality she despised so greatly came not from her, but from the power he had over her. One phrase fed continuously into her mind.

We'll find your father. We'll find your father. We'll find your father.

He was right. She had to release him. He shouldn't be locked up. Not here. Not now. Not when he could find Kyrano. Not when he and he alone could save him from Acronym's clutches. Tin-Tin raised her hand to the control panel on the door's left-hand side. Her fingers flew over the number pad as she keyed in the unlock code. There was a loud click, and the door swung open. A deep, evil, throaty laugh echoed in the silence of the tunnel.

The Hood was free.

07:59:58

07:59:59

08:00:00

Hour Twenty-One

The following takes place between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed.

08:00:10

Scott landed Thunderbird 1 on Sydney Hospital's helipad and offloaded the Turners, thanking them profusely for their assistance and arranging transportation for them to return to the United States. He then gave Ned Cook instructions for locating appropriate telecast equipment before heading down into the hospital itself to meet with the police, who were already waiting in the top floor observation lounge, a recent addition Scott had noticed the last time Virgil had been brought here after a rescue.

"Hello, I'm Deputy Commissioner Murray Abrams," said a tall, redheaded man dressed in a navy blue suit. He reached out and shook Scott's hand. "This is Detective Anthony Field." Scott shook a slightly shorter brown-haired man's hand. "The Minister of Police requested our presence here to help you find your mate. Our city is proud to be of assistance to International Rescue...although not at all proud that one of yours has been snatched right from under our noses."

"You've searched the hospital already?"

"Yes. No sign of Mr. Kyrano, I'm afraid. We've got a twenty-mile radius 'round here blocked off. We believe we have the ambulance this Acronym stole in our sights."

"I'm Dr. Evan Page, I'm the Director of Sydney Hospital." Scott watched as a balding older gentleman approached and shook his offered hand. "I must apologize for what's happened here, Sir. I don't know how they got out of here without anyone noticing."

"Acronym is nothing if not sneaky and well-informed," Scott replied. He turned back to Mr. Abrams. "You say they're in pursuit of the ambulance now?" Abrams nodded. But before he could say anything else, the detective's CB radio crackled to life.

"Unit Twelve calling Mobile Control."

Scott managed a ghost of a smile at the use of those two words...words he had said more times than he could count.

"Come in, Unit Twelve."

"We've apprehended the suspect, Detective. The man he kidnapped is a bit lightheaded, but seems otherwise unharmed."

"They've got him?!?" Scott bellowed.

"Get them down to the station right away. We'll meet you there." Detective Field turned to Scott. "Yes. They've got him."

"I love Australia," Scott said, a broad smile gracing his tired features.

All present smiled and nodded as the detective asked, "You coming along?"

"You bet I am. I have a few choice words for that...sonofabitch."

08:11:23

The first thing the Hood did after being freed was make one well-placed vidphone call to New South Wales, Australia. He knew that his call would not go unnoticed, so he ordered his niece to take him to wherever International Rescue stored its weapons. And all in all, it didn't matter if these idiots did come down to Thunderbird 2's hangar and catch him. After all, he now had two bargaining chips...Tin-Tin and, very soon, Acronym.

He wasn't counting on the stroke of good fortune about to come his way.

08:13:16

"I don't get it. Everyone's accounted for but Tin-Tin. I can't raise her."

"But why would she phone Australia?" Gordon asked.

"Don't know."

"To check up on her father?"

Jeff shook his head. "I can't see her doing it. She's been hell-bent on getting the UH-3 counter agent into Thunderbird 3. Why would she suddenly be down in Thunderbird 2 hangar?"

The coffee cup Gordon was lifting to his lips stopped halfway there. His amber eyes looked directly into his father's blue-gray ones. They spoke their next words in unison.

"The Hood."

Jeff jabbed a line to the lab open. "Brains! Penny! Make sure you're secure in there! We think the Hood's gotten loose again!"

"Oh, no! Tin-Tin!" Penny cried.

"Securing now!" Brains called out as he headed for the main entry.

"Base to Thunderbird 5!"

"Here, Father, what's wrong?"

Gordon was already taking the passenger elevator down to the hangar. He tapped his foot impatiently on the metal floor as he clutched a laser pistol he'd grabbed. "Goddammit, you bastard," he spat. "If I get a clear shot, you're goin' down."

"John, we think the Hood's loose on Base again. And we can't account for Tin-Tin."

"She doesn't have her watch, Dad, I can't locate her. What do you want me to do?"

"That remote for Braman...is it functioning?"

"Yeah, Dad, I've used it already today."

"Right. He should be done manufacturing the counter agent. Even if he's not, take control of him and get him down to Thunderbird 2 hangar. He's the only one of us not susceptible to those damn eyes. And try a thermal scan of the island."

"I don't know, Dad. From this distance..."

"Just try it, son. Just try it."

"F.A.B."

Jeff ran and grabbed a laser pistol for himself. By this time the elevator had returned to the hall just outside the Lounge, and he stepped inside. He only hoped Gordon wouldn't do anything rash before he could get there to help him.

08:19:53

"Island dead ahead," Virgil said to Alan as he banked for final approach.

"I don't like this," Alan said, coming to stand next to his brother. "John says all hell's broken loose down there."

"I know, Al, I know."

They flew gracefully across the water and over the outer edge of the runway. But the palm trees had not fallen away, which meant the giant machine wouldn't fit between them. Virgil had no choice but to land his ship on the portion of the tarmac that, during take-off, would rise upward to help Thunderbird 2 launch.

"Now I know something's wrong." Virgil helped Alan down into the pod, where they found Grandma, Dr. Gray, Parker and a woozy Megan waiting for them. He then raised Thunderbird 2 until she stood one hundred twenty feet off the ground.

"Why did you stop us out here?" Ruth asked.

"Trouble, Grandma. You, Alan, Megan and Dr. Gray stay here. Parker, as Lady Penelope would say, get the Rolls Royce. We're going for a little drive."

"Yes, Sir," Parker replied with a smile as he unfastened the straps holding the car in place.

"I will not stay here!" Ruth cried.

"Grandma, please! Alan and Megan, look at 'em! They need you!"

Dr. Gray turned to Ruth. "He's right. If something's wrong, well, we can't just leave two invalids here alone to fend for themselves."

"I am not an invalid!" Alan cried. But as everyone watched, he paled considerably.

"Al? You okay?"

"Uh...yeah, Virg...fine."

"You don't look fine."

Alan began to sweat, beads of liquid appearing on his forehead. Dr. Gray became alarmed, and went to his side. "You need to lie down."

"No! I need to help Dad!"

"Alan, do as Dr. Gray says."

"Virgil..." Alan said, swooning a bit as a wave of dizziness swept over him.

"Alan!" Ruth exclaimed, coming to his other side. She smoothed his hair as his breathing became labored. "Dr. Gray, help him!"

Virgil was very concerned for his brother, but he took advantage of his grandmother being distracted and hopped into the back seat of FAB One. Parker started the engine, and before anyone else knew what was happening, the car was racing toward the cliff wall.

"That grandson of mine sure is sneaky," Ruth observed as she watched them go.

Dr. Gray was supporting Alan almost entirely now. "No, he's smart. Now come on, let's get Alan onto something more comfortable than this hard metal floor."

Megan watched as the doctor carried Alan in his arms to the far end of the Pod, with Ruth following close behind. She turned to look at where the red taillights of the most shockingly pink thing she'd ever seen had come to a stop. "I wonder if Scott's here," she whispered, sinking into a nearby chair Ruth had brought out earlier. She winced as her body cried out in protest. "God, what a mess I am."

"And about to become more of a mess!"

Megan jumped, but couldn't get herself to her feet. She peered into the darkness outside and her eyes widened as two figures appeared before her. One was a dark-haired woman about her age. The other was an older man with a bald head. He was holding a gun in one hand and the woman's arm with the other.

"Well, hello," he sneered, walking up the ramp and into the lit Pod. "I don't believe we have met."

"Who are you?" Megan asked as she began to shake. She wasn't sure why, but this man terrified her.

"Your worst nightmare."

08:26:02

Scott, the deputy commissioner and the detective arrived at the precinct only to find utter chaos. All three ran into the building, where they were greeted with what could only be described as a massacre. Policemen and women lay scattered throughout the large room that was the precinct's main hub. Fire fighters and medics scurried from body to body, but had thus far not found any survivors.

"Dear God," Abrams breathed.

Scott looked away from a redheaded woman's lifeless body. His eyes caught sight of something moving in the hall ahead of him. He drew his weapon and walked forward, but as he got closer he realized no weapon was needed.

"Kyrano!" The man fell into the wall, and Scott raced to his side. "Kyrano, it's me, it's Scott. Are you hurt?"

He looked up into cobalt blue eyes and smiled weakly. "No. I will recover. But Tin-Tin."

"What about her? She's safe, she's back on Base."

"No, Scott. She is not safe."

"What are you talking about?" he asked as he supported the smaller man's weight.

"It is the Hood," Kyrano said, eyes filling with tears. "He has her again."

"It can't be. It can't be! Detective!"

"You found him!"

"Where's Acronym?"

"They found the two men who escorted them in here. One is dead, but the other was able to give us an idea of what happened. Ten armed men stormed the building; they're the ones who shot the place up. They took Acronym."

"But why did they leave Kyrano alive?"

The detective shook his head sadly. "I don't know. But so many of our own are dead."

"Detective, please, I need to get back to Thunderbird 1, and quickly."

The man nodded. "I'll take you back in the cruiser."

Scott helped Kyrano out to the car. "Scott, my daughter...if the Hood takes her..."

"Don't you worry. We're gonna stop that bastard once and for all," he said as they slid into the back seat of the car. "First him, and then I'll find Acronym. This is gonna end. And it's gonna end now."

08:35:45

"There's no one here, Father!" Gordon called out from the other end of the conveyer belt.

"No one here, either!"

Braman exited the Maintenance Bay and headed for the center of the hangar. "No one here," he said flatly. "Please instruct."

"John," Jeff said as he approached the live feed coming from Braman's chest, "what about that thermal scan?"

"It's hard to get it pinpointed so closely from up here, Dad, but I think I've got a good idea of where there are life signs." He looked down at a panel on the console in front of him. "I read two coming from south of your position."

"That'd be Penny and Brains."

"I can see you and Gordon here, too. Dad! There are two forms directly outside the hangar!"

Jeff nodded. He motioned to Gordon, who nodded as well. They headed for the smaller door leading out to the tarmac. John took control of Braman again and stood him directly in front of it. In his hands the robot held a laser rifle. John lifted it and took aim. "Okay, Dad. Go."

Jeff punched a code into the control panel on the wall. The small hangar door began to slide down into the ground. Jeff and Gordon raised their guns, ready to fire. But they weren't greeted with the Hood and Tin-Tin. They were greeted with...

"Parker!" Penny cried, racing forward to meet them.

For there, cannon peeking out from its grill, was none other than FAB One.

Brains approached a little more slowly, but he had a huge smile on his face. "Boy, a-am I glad they're here."

"So am I. How are ya, Brains?"

"Good, uh, Jeff. We got the powder finished and loaded onto Thunderbird 3. The, uh, the only problem is that, uh, on our way down, we found the load of powder that, uh, Tin-Tin was supposed to have taken."

"Did you see her?"

"No, Sir. No sign of her. A-And you were right about the Hood. The door to, uh, Containment Unit 2 was, uh, wide open."

Virgil winced as Parker helped him from the car. No one noticed the flap to Pod 5 closing in the distance. "Dad!" Virgil cried as soon as he was free from the Rolls Royce. "Gordon!!!"

Jeff hugged him, and then watched as the brothers embraced. "Where's Alan?" he asked, looking off in the distance at the great shadow near the far end of the runway.

"He's back in the pod, he's not doing too well. Dr. Gray and Grandma are looking after him."

"Virg?" Gordon asked as he pulled away from his brother.

"Yeah?"

"Why'd you close the Pod door?"

Virgil hopped on his good foot, turning around so he could take a look. "I didn't. Maybe Grandma thought it would be a good idea. When John told us what happened, we all got worried." He turned to face his father. "What's this about the Hood?"

"We had him locked up in Containment Unit 2, but he's escaped. And we can't find Tin-Tin."

Virgil, Gordon, Penny and Brains exchanged glances with Jeff before they all turned to face Thunderbird 2 again.

"Oh, God," Jeff breathed. He walked to the control panel and opened a line. "This is Base to Thunderbird 2. Base calling Thunderbird 2. Come in."

He received no response.

"Oh, Jeff, you don't think he's on board?" Penny asked as she and Parker approached him.

"Dad, if he is..."

"I know, Gordon, I know!" Jeff said. He turned back to the panel. "Control calling Thunderbird 2. Answer!"

"Well, well, well, Jeff Tracy. It seems Acronym did not kill you after all!"

"The Hood," Penny breathed.

Pain shot through Virgil as his leg began to object to his use of it in earnest. He fell back onto the hood of FAB One. Brains rushed to his side and saw blood seeping through his pant leg. "Virgil, w-we have to get you to the Ward!"

"No," Virgil ground out.

"What do you want, Hood?" Jeff growled.

"Oh, I have what I want, International Rescue. At last, Thunderbird 2 is mine."

"Over my dead body," Jeff replied, his voice barely a whisper.

"That can easily be arranged. One shot into that hangar from this magnificent ship's cannons, and you can say goodbye to this world."

Everyone just looked at each other.

"Of course, I think I would prefer to start with those on board."

Another voice cut through the line. "Thunderbird 1 to Base."

"Scott!" Jeff said, hope rising within him. "Scott, come in!"

"Father, I have Kyrano! He's weak, but unharmed. Acronym's gone!"

"What do you mean, Acronym's gone?"

"I don't know, a whole gang of men stormed the precinct, Dad, they killed almost every officer on duty! And they took Acronym!"

The Hood's voice came through on the first line. "I think I might begin with this lovely young lady who won't tell me her name. It seems you have a new one in the nest. Perhaps she shall be the first to die."

"Father, what the--who the hell is that?"

"The Hood, Scott. He's got Tin-Tin and he's on board Thunderbird 2."

"Virgil..."

"No, Virgil and Parker are inside the hangar with me."

"Alan?"

"I'm afraid he's still on board. As are Mother, Dr. Gray and Dr. Crawford."

"What?!? Dad, I'm ten minutes out and I'm gunning it!"

"What're you gonna do, Scott, for Chrissakes?" Virgil asked, sweat beginning to run down his face. "You can't fire on 'em!"

"I--I--"

"Or perhaps I shall begin the carnage with this older woman here. She is, I think, your mother, is she not, Jeff Tracy?"

Jeff paled considerably. He reopened the line to Thunderbird 2. "I'll ask you again. What do you want?"

"It is quite simple. I am a reasonable man. And this is only business. I want Thunderbird 2."

Virgil began to protest, but Jeff held up his hand to silence him. "And what do I get in return?"

Thunderbird 2 lowered over her pod. They could do nothing but stand and watch. Then the side hatch opened, and stairs folded out. Soon two figures emerged. They could hear one of them crying.

"Mother!" Jeff cried as he raced out the hangar door. But Thunderbird 2's automatic weapons fired in a straight line directly in front of him, stopping him in his tracks.

"I have given you a gift, Jeff Tracy," the Hood's voice boomed over the ship's external loudspeakers. "I will leave with Thunderbird 2, and you shall have...Acronym."

"Acronym? You have him?"

"Yes. My men were successful in their attempt to take him from those simpleminded police in Sydney."

"What about the others?"

"They will be released as soon as I have reached my destination."

"How do I know you'll keep your word?"

The Hood laughed as Dr. Gray and Ruth came running toward Jeff. "You don't. But if you or Thunderbird 1 tries to stop me, I will kill everyone on board. Including your youngest son."

08:54:30

"I can see the island," Scott said as he flew in from the side opposite the runway. "Kyrano, we've got to do something!"

"But what can we do?"

"Scott, this is your father."

"Dad, I'm almost there, what's goin' on?"

"Is Ned Cook with you?"

"Yes, Father, and we have the broadcasting equipment."

"Set down behind the mountain and have Kyrano get Ned hooked up in the Lounge."

"But Dad, what about the Hood?"

"Mother and Dr. Gray have been freed."

"That means he still has Al, Tin-Tin and...Meg."

"Yes."

"Dad..."

"Son, you get to Thunderbird 3 and get her in the air. Brains, you go with him. We need that counter agent in place. And pick John up from the station. You'll need his help."

"But Dad..."

"No, Scott. No buts. There are millions of lives to be saved. It's your responsibility to do that now."

"Yes, Father," Scott whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

Virgil, Penny, Brains and Gordon all stared at Jeff. "Dad?" Gordon said. "What do we do?"

What could they do? If he allowed the Hood to leave in Thunderbird 2, his son, Kyrano's daughter and one of their agents would surely die. And the Hood would have his hands on a significant piece of their technology. But he couldn't use weapons on them, or he'd kill them all himself. He looked at each expectant face and his heart sank. They were all waiting for him to come up with something, a plan, a way out of this, a way to save the lives of those they loved.

But Jefferson Tracy was out of ideas. And the clock was ticking.

08:59:58

08:59:59

09:00:00

Hour Twenty-Two

The following takes place between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed.

09:00:00

Scott landed Thunderbird 1 and headed for the house with Ned, Kyrano and the broadcasting equipment in tow. With every fiber of his being he wanted to run full-boar to the other side of the mountain and help his family get Alan, Tin-Tin and Megan back. But he knew his father was right. He had to get Thunderbird 3 into the air. Still and all, it took every ounce of willpower he had to sit down on the settee next to Brains, who'd been waiting for them in the Lounge when they arrived.

"You all right?" he asked the engineer. "You look a little pale."

"And you look like you have a headache."

"I do. Ned? Kyrano? Will you two be okay?"

Ned gave him the thumbs-up as he stood in awe of his surroundings. Kyrano simply nodded.

The settee moved downward, carrying the eldest Tracy son and the island's resident genius far below until it came to rest on a gantry. The gantry began moving them sideways and they passed through a long tunnel before finally emerging into Thunderbird 3's silo. Then the settee lifted and they rose upward into the space ship until the gantry came to rest in Thunderbird 3's Lounge, the magnetic seal locking their piece of floor into place.

"Take up launch positions," Scott said, rising to his feet and heading for the elevator.

"F.A.B.," Brains replied, moving to a nearby chair.

As the elevator rose, Scott's stomach dropped lower and lower until he was certain it had reached his feet. "Al," he whispered. "You should be here with me." Then his thoughts turned to Tin-Tin. So much had happened to her in the last twenty-one hours. Had she survived being kidnapped by Acronym only to die at the hands of their archenemy, the Hood? And Megan. A lump rose in his throat. He swallowed hard as the elevator deposited him onto the cockpit level.

Scott stepped out and seated himself in the pilot's chair. He ran through the systems check, but his mind was elsewhere. It was with Megan. Would he ever see her again? Would he ever see any of them again?

09:07:19

"Father! I've got it!"

"What, John?"

"Braman!"

"Braman?"

"It's dark outside, right?"

"Yes, of course it is. What of it?"

"If Braman closes his chest plate and hides my feed, he'll be camouflaged enough to where the Hood won't be able to see him coming. And with Thunderbird 3 launching, well, it'll create a diversion."

"But what can he do?" Virgil asked. He had now seated himself on the floor. His strength was waning along with his hope. "Any move he makes, the Hood will start killing..." He couldn't continue.

"Thunderbird 2's failsafe, Virgil."

Virgil's eyes opened wide. "Yes. Yes, that's it. That's it!!"

"Failsafe?" Penny asked. "What on earth is that?"

"It's a way to kill Thunderbird 2's VTOL rockets, Penny," Jeff explained as a glimmer of hope began to shine through. "I get it and I like it. Now here's what we're going to do."

09:09:13

Scott frowned in consternation. He'd been just about to fire Thunderbird 3 up when his father had come on the line and told him to wait until Gordon gave him the word. He sat in his seat and fidgeted. What was his dad about to do?

"Goddammit, I should be up there!" he cried, slamming his fist into the console.

09:10:42

"Well, Jeff Tracy? I have waited long enough. What is your answer?"

Jeff walked calmly over to the control panel and pressed a button. "If you want to make a deal with me, you'll have to do it face-to-face. Like a real man."

Everyone held his or her breath as silence reigned. Finally the Hood's voice was heard. "Very well. I should like to stand face-to-face with you again, my enemy. Just to see the look in your eyes when you have to give me what I want."

Jeff's face twitched in anger.

"But no tricks! Or these three will die!"

"No tricks. Just you and me."

"Very well."

Penny laid a hand on Jeff's shoulder. He turned to face her and to everyone's surprise, gathered her in his arms. "If anything happens to me, Penny...take care of my boys."

Her eyes filled with tears. "Nothing will happen to you. You're Jeff Tracy."

He smiled and released her. "You always say that. Gordon, close the hangar door as soon as I'm out."

"Father!"

"Son, do it. If something goes wrong and he fires a missile in here, you, your brother and everyone else will die."

"Yes, Dad," Gordon replied, hanging his head.

"Parker, go get FAB One and bring her inside."

"Yes, Sir."

"Dr. Gray, you take care of Virgil. And thank you."

"You're welcome, Sir. I will."

"Dad, don't. Please don't."

Jeff knelt next to where Virgil was now mostly lying on the floor. "Don't worry. This will work. And if it doesn't...get up to the Lounge, go on the air with Ned Cook and tell the world who we are."

Virgil eyes darkened and he bit his lower lip. All he could do was nod.

"If I die, you have to stop this. I'm counting on you."

"I will, Dad. You have my word."

Jeff nodded and rose to his feet. FAB One was now inside the hangar. Everyone gathered in front of the small door and watched as he stepped out onto the tarmac. Jeff turned and nodded to Gordon. He heard soft crying from Penelope as the door began to move upward, closing him off from any modicum of safety.

Taking a deep breath, he turned to face Thunderbird 2. He heard soft scuffling off to his left. "Okay, Braman. Let's hope you get this right. Here goes."

09:16:11

Michael Canton was frightened. He had never been this frightened in his entire life. The men who had taken him from the precinct in Sydney had been interrogating him mercilessly since their arrival at what appeared to be an abandoned factory. All but one had left him in a small room. That man glowered at him, a smirk upon his face.

"What are you going to do to me?" Canton asked, his voice quivering.

"Since you'll only tell us half of what we want to know, we're going to have some fun. The others will return shortly."

Michael recoiled against the wall as though he'd been hit. They had asked him to reveal everything he knew about International Rescue, as well as why he'd gone after them to begin with. He'd complied with the latter request, but refused to reveal his extensive knowledge about Jeff Tracy's organization. In his mind, that was his hard-earned trophy, and he wasn't about to give it away so easily.

He'd told them that going after International Rescue had just been a smoke screen. His true agenda involved destroying every major city in the world until Earth caved in and accepted him as their leader. He'd been planning this for so many years it had become the focus of his entire life. Along the way, he had also been tracking Jefferson Tracy's movements, and had stumbled upon the fact that his boyhood enemy was none other than the head of International Rescue.

Using them had been a remarkable stroke of genius, he thought; a way to turn public opinion against them, and then sweep in at the last minute to become the hero of the world. And if the world refused to accept him as their leader, he would continue killing people until either they did accept him, or until there were so few humans left it wouldn't matter. The combined pleasure of seeing the gallant Tracys brought to their knees and gaining power over the entire planet had been almost more than he could bear.

But now it was all crashing down around him. Sure, his men had their orders, and they would destroy Southern California whether or not they heard a broadcast by International Rescue that told the world who they really were. But after that...what if these men began to torture him? What if he didn't get out of this alive?

For all his machismo and talk, without his gadgets and gismos, without his inventions and the thugs on his payroll, Michael Canton was, at his very core, a coward. As the man watching him opened the door and stuck his head out into the hall, Canton began to shake uncontrollably. He reached down and plucked something from his left sock. It was a cyanide capsule.

He would rather die than live to see his dream crumble around him. He would rather die than see Jeff Tracy triumph. He would rather die...than fail.

09:21:57

Jeff approached Thunderbird 2 with trepidation. His mouth had gone dry and his shoulder hurt so badly the pain was almost blinding. But he walked on; fully aware that at any moment the Hood might decide to just kill him and be done with it. Suddenly he saw movement in his peripheral and shifted his eyes to his left. There, to the right of Thunderbird 2, stood Braman. He heard a panel clink open and smiled to himself. It would work. It had to. He just had to keep the Hood distracted long enough.

The great ship's side hatch opened once more. Two figures stumbled down the steps, a third coming close behind. The light from inside the vehicle revealed the figures to be Alan, Megan and the Hood. Tin-Tin was nowhere to be seen. Jeff stopped walking and tried to swallow as Alan staggered ahead of the villain and Megan cried out with nearly every step she took. The Hood held a gun in each hand, keeping his prisoners in front of him at all times as he neared Jeff's position.

"You coward!" Jeff spat. "I thought we said man-to-man."

"A little insurance. You would like nothing better than to kill me where I stand."

"Well, at least you've got that right."

Alan began to lose his balance and fall. Pure parental instinct forced Jeff to lunge forward in an attempt to help him, but the Hood waved one of the guns at him and said, "Ah-ah-ah!" He then grabbed the back of Alan's uniform and hauled him to his feet.

"You bastard! Let them go, can't you see they're injured?"

"Tell me what I want to hear and I'll consider it."

"What do you want to hear?" Jeff asked, stalling for time.

"Give me the plans to the other Thunderbirds and I'll give you Acronym."

"And what about Tin-Tin?"

"We are not here to discuss my niece! We are here to discuss a deal."

"Tin-Tin is part of that deal!"

"No she is not!"

"You listen to me, you sonofabitch. I get Tin-Tin, Alan and Megan, or you get nothing!"

"Foolish words when I'm the one holding all the cards."

Jeff noticed Braman out the corner of his eye. The robot was slowly approaching Thunderbird 2's nose, and the Hood wasn't any the wiser. Or so he thought.

Having sensed Jeff's thoughts, the Hood whirled on the robot, releasing his hold on Megan and Alan. Jeff grabbed one of them in each arm as they fell forward, and began dragging them back along the tarmac. He only hoped Braman and the upcoming surprise could keep the Hood busy long enough for him to get them to safety. He lifted his wrist, outfitted with a new watch communicator, to his face. "Now, Gordon! Tell Scott to go now!"

Moments later, Jeff heard Thunderbird 3's rockets fire. He glanced up and saw the Hood turn toward the roundhouse, startled by the sound. Braman's chest plate slid down, and Jeff knew John was taking control of the robot. Thunderbird 3 roared up through the center of the roundhouse, rockets flaring. The Hood didn't even know what hit him as Braman's metal arm came down on the back of his head. He sank to the tarmac in a heap, both pistols clattering to the concrete.

"John! Get Tin-Tin! She's inside Thunderbird 2!" Jeff raised the watch to his face again. "Gordon! Open the hangar door!"

The entire cliff face began rumbling downward, sinking into the slot directly beneath it. Then a metal drawbridge opened, traversing the gap left by the false front's retreat. Gordon and Penny rushed out and half-carried, half-dragged Megan and Alan into the hangar. Dr. Gray was upon them immediately as Jeff ran back toward Thunderbird 2. "Parker! Help me out here!"

"Yes, Sir!" Parker called out as he raced after him.

Braman appeared at the top of Thunderbird 2's steps just as Jeff and Parker reached the bottom of them. In his arms he held Tin-Tin, who was unconscious. "Parker, take her into the hangar," Jeff said quietly. Tin-Tin's body covered Braman's chest, but Jeff knew his son was still there by the glow that emitted from it. "Thank you, John. You did it."

"Yeah, but now I have to undo it so you can get 2 back into her hangar."

Jeff watched Parker gently take Tin-Tin from the robot and head back along the runway, then turned back to John's live feed. "Well, it's a quick fix, and besides, it would've saved our asses if this hadn't worked. Have at it, son. I'm gonna take care of the Hood."

09:36:04

Scott and Brains listened as Ruth explained what had happened, and that everyone was now safe. They both heaved huge sighs of relief. Once the conversation was through, Brains decided to begin explaining to Scott how the distribution of the UH-3 counter agent would take place. They patched John in from Thunderbird 5 and the three discussed logistics.

"You think we'll make it in time?" John asked at one point.

Scott looked him straight in the eye. "We've got to, Johnny. We've just got to."

09:39:08

Kyrano knew his daughter was safe. He'd been watching from the cliff house patio as the incident had played out. Now he moved back into the cliff house proper and seated himself upon the floor. Crossing his legs and flattening the palms of his hands together in front of him, he closed his eyes and concentrated. Concentrated hard.

At last he found his quarry. He felt great fear. Fear and the knowledge that a life was about to end. He probed the man's mind, probed deeply into it. He had to know what had been behind Michael Canton's wish to destroy International Rescue. Jeff and Ruth, it seemed, had understood. But Kyrano had not. And above all, he needed to understand. That was just part of who he was.

But what he discovered surprised him more than anything. International Rescue was just a red herring...something of a diversion from Canton's true intentions. Then Kyrano felt a stab of pain through his head and gasped as his eyes flew open. He knew what had happened. He knew it as surely as he knew his own name. Acronym had ingested poison.

Michael Canton...was dead.

09:43:51

Jeff entered the Lounge, where Ned Cook was waiting impatiently. "Ned, are you set up?"

"Yes, Mr. Tracy. What the hell is going on around here?"

"Never mind, it's a long story. Ned, I want you to patch me into NTBS."

"What?" Ned asked, crossing the room to where Jeff had just seated himself behind his desk. "That's why you wanted this equipment here? You're gonna reveal your identity. Aren't you?"

"Well, what did you think it was for?"

"I don't..." Ned's voice trailed off. Deep down, of course he'd known. He just hadn't wanted to admit it to himself. Hadn't wanted to admit the time would actually come.

"Ned, I have to. The Hood may be down, and his men may have Acronym, but I figure whoever's controlling the UH-3 bombs is gonna drop ‘em unless I go on the air."

"But you have those shields in place, and the counter agent!"

"That doesn't mean people won't die," Jeff said. "Hook us up, Ned."

09:45:18

Ruth, Penelope and Dr. Gray managed to get Virgil, Alan, Megan and Tin-Tin to Tracy Island's Hospital Ward. Penny and Ruth did what they could, but it was mostly Dr. Gray who attended to each patient's needs. Tin-Tin was unconscious, but Dr. Gray's scans of her brain and body turned up nothing untoward.

Next he moved to Alan, who was sweating profusely and seemed to be delirious. The doctor administered several drugs and was able to sedate him enough so that he fell asleep. He redressed Alan's burns with clean bandages and moved on.

Dr. Gray had to sedate Virgil as well. His leg wound had opened nearly 1/8 of the way. After knocking him out, he spent time resealing the ripped area and replacing the torn syntheskin. Once that was accomplished he moved on to Megan, who was in bad shape.

Her broken ankle, though well held in place by a contraption Gray had found on Thunderbird 2, had taken an awful beating out there on the tarmac as the Hood had forced her to walk. He was certain it was even worse than before, and decided after viewing some X-rays that immediate surgery was the only option. He recruited Ruth and Penelope as quasi-nurses, and set about getting ready to fix Megan up.

"I'm so glad you're here," Ruth said as she and Penny scrubbed their hands.

"Yes, I think we're all grateful for your presence," Penelope chimed in.

"Well, I'm glad to be here," Gray replied. "I just hope you two don't get squeamish over blood."

"We won't," Ruth replied. "Bet on it."

Dr. Gray smiled. "Odds?"

Penelope smiled. "When it comes to helping someone, Doctor, the odds are 100% in our favor."

"Then I'm glad I'm on your side."

"You'd better be," Ruth admonished, waving a rubber glove in his direction. "You've never seen me royally pissed off."

None of them had any idea what was happening in the Lounge.

09:50:25

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Ned Cook coming to you live from a secret location. A secret location that will soon be secret no more."

Jeff's heart was heavy as he watched Ned speak into the vid camera. He was standing in front of a geisha statue in the other corner of the Lounge as he gave his live report. Jeff closed his eyes, willing the nausea he felt to leave him. He had to do it. It was right. It was the right thing to do. He just kept telling himself that over and over and over again. His family might be safe, but all those people in Southern California and in New York City, Canton's next target...and what had happened in D.C. and Arlington. And Fiji. It has to end, he thought, reopening his eyes. I'm sorry, Lucy.

"I have the sad task today of bringing to you live the head of the International Rescue organization. An organization that's been put under fire by a madman, a madman bent on their destruction, and on the deaths of innocent people. This is a noble organization, Ladies and Gentlemen. They have dedicated their lives to saving mankind, but because of a sick, sick man, lives have been lost today, and all in the name of vengeance. This reporter has seen with his own eyes how hard International Rescue has worked throughout the day to save as many lives as they could, even in the midst of this impossible situation. And now they are about to make the ultimate sacrifice to save more lives in ten minutes than they could ever hope to in a lifetime of rescues."

Ned looked away from the camera to where Jeff sat behind his desk. Tears sprang to his eyes as Jeff bowed his head and nodded. The reporter turned back to face the camera, tears spilling over onto his cheeks.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I will be honest with you. I don't want to do this. It's not right, or fair! It is not International Rescue's fault that Acronym has caused so much grief among you! They have given and given to us for ten years, and asked nothing in return! They don't accept payment, they don't accept anything! And now...now I'm forced to reveal their identities to you all. Forced to assist them in making this horrible sacrifice, all because of someone who wanted to turn you against them. To turn your minds away from the good they've done and make you think all of this is their doing."

Jeff couldn't keep tears from stinging his eyes as he stared at Ned Cook. He didn't want to do this. God, he didn't want to do this. It was all going. Everything. Just going.

"In a few short minutes, it's all going to be over," Ned continued. "Once they're unmasked, they'll never be able to operate as International Rescue again. Do you know what that means? Whenever a building's on fire and you're trapped in the elevator, there will be no one to save you! Whenever a mine caves in, there will be no one to tunnel beneath the earth and pull you out! And when a plane's about to crash? Who will save you from certain death now? Or that cruise you're planning on taking...what if the ship begins to sink? Do you realize what the world is about to lose?"

Ned was practically yelling now, he was so worked up. It was all Jeff could do not to lose his cool and join him up there in the rafters.

09:57:56

"No," John breathed, staring at Ned's face in his monitor. "It can't be. It just can't be. Oh, God. Father."

09:58:26

"Brains..."

"I-I know, Scott. I know," Brains replied, wiping tears from his eyes. They were listening to the broadcast, too.

"He can't do it. He just can't."

"I-I think he feels there's no o-other option, uh, Scott."

"I know, but...God...Dad..."

09:58:43

Gordon stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the Lounge. He could barely think or breathe. He just stared at his father, who looked like such a broken man that he could hardly stand it.

This can't be happening.

09:59:03

Ned took a few deep breaths and wiped the tears from his cheeks.

"I can't believe you all started calling for the tarring and feathering of these self-sacrificing men and women. I can't believe you would be that gullible! And for those of you who've continued to support International Rescue, on their behalf, I thank you. As I once thanked them from the bottom of my heart for risking their lives for me and my cameraman Joe, I thank them now again. And I say I'm sorry. On behalf of the world, I am truly sorry. And now..."

Ned faltered. He looked over to Jeff again, then back at the camera. "Now...Ladies and Gentlemen...I give you...the head of International Rescue."

09:59:58

09:59:59

Hour Twenty-Three

The following takes place between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed.

10:00:01

Ned swung the camera around. In doing so, it lost focus. He stopped and looked through the view piece only to find that Jeff Tracy looked like nothing more than a smattered blob against an even less clear background. His hand reached out to touch the focusing controls.

"NO!" came a voice from across the room. "NO! STOP! WAIT!!!!"

Jeff leapt out of his chair and ran across the Lounge. "Kyrano!"

Kyrano grasped Jeff's arms tightly. He was out of breath and wheezing horribly as his bruised heart muscle raced. Gordon was at their side in an instant. "Stop...don't tell...don't...need...to..." he gasped, leaning heavily upon his friend.

"Kyrano, what are you talking about?"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please wait for a moment," Ned said into the still-unfocused camera.

"Acronym..." Kyrano breathed. "Dead..."

"What? Acronym's dead?"

No longer able to speak, Kyrano just nodded before completely losing his internal battle and going limp in Jeff's arms.

"Kyrano!" Jeff and Gordon cried. Jeff lifted the man into his arms. "Ned, stop transmission!"

Ned smiled. He smiled broadly. "Ladies and Gentlemen, there has been a change of plans. You will not be meeting the head of International Rescue today." With that, he turned the camera off. He was quite sure there'd be hell to pay back at NTBS after this was all over, but suddenly Ned Cook didn't care. He rushed to where Jeff stood holding Kyrano. "Is he okay?"

"I hope so. I'll have to get him to the Hospital Ward. Listen, Ned, everything you said..."

Ned held up a hand and shook his head. "Don't say another word. Everything I said was true, and it's how I feel." He turned to face Gordon as Jeff left the room with all speed. "You're Gordon, right?" Gordon nodded and smiled, holding his hand out. Ned shook it vigorously. "I never got to thank you personally for saving my life all those years ago."

"That's what we do," Gordon replied. "Don't mention it."

Ned could only watch as Gordon jogged after his father. "Unbelievable," he whispered. "Thank God Kyrano came in when he did." Ned dropped into a nearby chair. "Thank God."

10:08:49

John sank back into his chair. He was drained. Completely drained. His father had been on the verge of telling the world who they were, of ending it all. He wasn't quite sure what had stopped him, but he was thankful something had. And now, Scott and Brains would be arriving in less than half-an-hour. The danger of International Rescue being torn asunder was gone for the moment. But the danger to the people of Southern California hadn't even begun.

10:10:15

Brains couldn't help himself. When Ned said the world wouldn't be meeting the head of International Rescue today, he hugged Scott fiercely. He was mildly surprised to feel him returning the gesture. "Gordon Tracy to Thunderbird 3."

Scott pulled away from Brains and hit the com channel. "Thunderbird 3 here."

"Did you hear what happened?"

"Not all of it. Only that Dad was saved from having to reveal our identities."

"Yeah, Kyrano came flying into the room. He said Acronym's dead."

"Dead?" Brains and Scott repeated.

"Dead. That's what he said. Then he collapsed. We're in the Hospital Ward now."

"How's everybody else?"

"Well, Tin-Tin looks like she's stirring a little. Virg and Al are knocked out. And Dr. Gray's in the operating room with Penny and Grandma. It looks like they're working on Dr. Crawford."

"Dr. Crawford?" Scott said, frowning. "What are they doing?"

"Can't tell for certain, Scott, but it looks like they've got her foot open."

"Her ankle. Her ankle was broken," Scott said. "Gordo, let Dad know we'll be arriving to pick John up in eight minutes."

"F.A.B.," Gordon replied. "And Scott?

"Yeah?"

"You and John and Brains...be careful. I've got a bad feeling about what you guys are doing."

Scott smiled. "You're starting to sound like Dad."

Gordon rolled his eyes. "Oh, God, a fate worse than death."

"I heard that!" Jeff said from across the room.

Brains, Scott and Gordon chuckled as Scott said, "Thunderbird 3 out."

10:14:26

The Hood awoke with a miserable headache. He'd been hit on the head so many times in the last few hours it was a wonder he was able to wake up at all. His anger grew has he remembered how he'd had Thunderbird 2 literally in the palm of his hand. And then he'd had to let that fool Jeff Tracy goad him into leaving its confines. Now here he was in a dark, dark place. Somewhere so dark he could see nothing at all.

"Where am I?" he growled. His voice filled the space he was in. It was only when he tried to move his arms and legs that he realized just how tight that space was. For his prison could only be described as a capsule. A metal capsule. He was lying inside what he presumed to be something like a torpedo tube. He couldn't raise his head more than eight or ten inches off the bottom of it.

"Very clever, International Rescue," he ground out. "Now to find someone to help me."

10:17:16

Ned paced the Lounge floor. He felt so useless right now, and had no idea where this Hospital Ward was that Jeff had spoken off. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a walking hunk of metal entered the room. In its chest, he could see John's face, a face he'd only seen twice before. He backed away as the robot approached him.

"Don't worry Ned," John said, trying to keep from laughing. "Braman's harmless."

"Braman? It has a name?"

"Yes, he does."

"He?"

"Yes. He."

"Ah," Ned replied. He wasn't altogether sure about this thing John was referring to with a human pronoun.

"Listen, Dad wanted me to ask if you could find out how the members of International Rescuees are doing. Thunderbird 3's on its way with the counter agent."

"Oh, so that was the deafening roar I heard earlier."

"Yep."

"Sure, I can get a report on their progress. Um, how do I get a line out?"

Braman walked over to the vidphone behind Jeff's desk. "Right here," came John's voice.

Ned approached cautiously. Braman turned so John could see him, and John laughed out loud. "Okay, okay, I'll back off. I have to get Braman back to the Hospital Ward anyway."

"Say, how do I let you know what goes on in California after you leave?"

"You see that button marked H on the panel to the right of the vidphone?"

"Yes."

"That's a line into the ward. Just press it and someone will answer."

"Okay." Ned watched as Braman walked out of the room. "Jesus Christ, they even have mechanical rescuers," he said as he dialed the number for IRee base. "What's next?"

10:20:39

John watched the approach of Thunderbird 3 on one monitor while he listened to the chaos breaking out on television stations all over the world. Phil Epstein was having a fit, while live feeds from different locations around the globe came through with one resounding theme: public opinion had changed thanks to Ned Cook's broadcast. John was grinning from ear-to-ear. Now all they had to do was pull off the biggest rescue of their lives.

"Okay, Thunderbird 3, I'm ready for you."

"F.A.B., John. Extend docking tube."

"Docking tube extended."

"You know, no matter how many times I hear you say that, it never fails to strike me as just being plain wrong."

John laughed. "Just slip her in tight, Scotty, and watch the tip."

Scott groaned. "John, you're completely hopeless."

"Now that's the pot calling the kettle black. I've heard you and Virg when you're doing a mid-air refuel between 1 and 2."

Scott had the good sense to turn an appropriate shade of pink as he fired retros. John just laughed some more as his brother maneuvered the rocket's long nose into the docking bay. "Yes!" he cried as it clicked into place.

"John..."

"Sorry. I couldn't help myself."

"All right, we don't have time to come on board. Set auto-relay and get over here."

"F.A.B."

John switched on the auto-relay and walked to the round door. It slid open, and he stepped into a long tunnel. He had with him his usual traveling bag as he walked quickly through to the airlock and stepped inside. One door swished closed behind him and he waited as Thunderbird 5 did a check to ensure the connection between it and Thunderbird 3 was airtight. Then the door in front of him opened, and he found himself facing his older brother at last.

They hugged and Scott said, "You're the only one of us who looks halfway decent."

"Thanks a lot, you just jinxed me," John replied as he pulled away. "I'll head down to the Lounge and stow my stuff."

"F.A.B. Bring Brains back up with you. I'm gonna head for the skies above California."

John nodded as he entered the elevator. He waited as it descended, then opened onto the Lounge area. Brains was kneeling next to a funny contraption that surrounded the square where the settee usually was. But the settee had been removed and pushed to the side, leaving only empty space.

"Brains," John said, stepping out of the elevator.

The engineer came to his feet and smiled. "John." He held out his hand, which John began to shake, then was surprised when he was pulled into a hug.

"Boy, am I glad you're okay," John said.

"Me too. Uh, thanks, John. I hear you saved my life."

"Naw," John replied as he pulled away. "Braman did all the work. I just yelled at him."

Brains chuckled.

"What is that thing?" John asked, nodding toward the circular apparatus on the floor. "Powder storage?"

He nodded. "Yes, the, uh, UH-3 counter agent is stored in there. Once we, uh, get into position, one o-of us will, uh, have to be just below Thunderbird 3's tail with the diffuser I put together, while the other releases the powder."

"Lemme guess who gets outdoor duty."

"Well, uh, it's probably up to you a-and Scott to decide that."

John thought for a moment. "I think Scott should handle flying Thunderbird 3. After all, I'm in better shape than he is and can probably handle things out there much more easily. He looks like he's been through the wringer."

"Oh, he has."

"You don't look much better, Brains."

"I-I'm fine, John. I-I'm a lot tougher than I look."

"I guess you are. Come on, Scott wants us back up in the cockpit."

"All right. I guess everything's, uh, ready to go down here."

As they entered the small elevator, John asked, "You really think this'll work, Brains?"

"Uh...well...keep your fingers crossed."

"That's not the answer I was hoping for."

10:33:14

Ruth came out of the operating room to give the others an update. But first, she hugged her son so hard Jeff was amazed at the strength she still seemed to have. "How's it going in there, Mother?"

"Oh, they're doing okay. Dr. Gray's just finished inserting rods and pins into Megan's foot. She'll be hobbling for a while, but she'll heal." Ruth's eyes wandered and she saw Kyrano lying pale and unconscious on the bed next to Tin-Tin's. "Kyrano!" she gasped, rushing to his side. "Jeff, what happened?"

"He collapsed. I don't know where he was or what happened, but he came running full boar into the Lounge just as we...as I..."

"Jeff?"

"I was on the verge of telling the world who we are."

"No."

Jeff nodded. "But Kyrano stopped me at the last minute. Somehow he found out Canton's dead."

"He is?"

"That's what Kyrano said just before he lost consciousness."

"I've got to get Dr. Gray out here. His vitals are awful weak."

"I know. How close is he to finishing up on Megan?"

"Pretty close, I think. I'll tell him to hurry."

Ruth disappeared back into the OR as Gordon frowned. He walked slowly to Tin-Tin's bedside, and reached out to touch her. His hand rested on her arm and he closed his eyes. Jeff checked Alan and Virgil's life monitors, and then turned to watch Gordon, wondering what he was doing.

Gordon could hear them. In his mind, he could hear them.

10:39:04

Braman peeked through the door to one of the containment units. John had given him specific instructions before leaving Thunderbird 5 to check on the Hood and then proceed to the Hospital Ward. Not only was the Hood lying within the empty torpedo tube, he was also inside Containment Unit 2 again. But this time Jeff had entered a high-level code known only to him and Scott. Even if the Hood managed to get out of the tube and con someone into trying to release him, they'd never be able to do so without that code.

Satisfied that their prisoner was staying put, Braman boarded the monorail. His mind worked through a multitude of equations and problems, events and timelines. It was only as the monorail came to a stop at its destination that he came to one particular idea that caused his inner alarm to go off.

"The diffuser," he intoned as he headed for the Hospital Ward. "The diffuser."

10:44:14

The Hood had sensed a presence nearby, but hadn't been able to locate a mind to go with it. He reached out beyond the confines of his makeshift prison and found his half-brother and niece together in the Great Void. Both were unconscious here, and would be of no use to him. He discarded that contact and decided the best course of action was to try and manipulate the capsule's sealing mechanism. If he was right about what exactly it was, he should be able to unlock it with his mind. It would take nearly every ounce of power he had, and in his weakened condition, he knew it was a long shot. But he had to try. If for no other reason than to put a stop to Jeff Tracy once and for all.

10:48:38

Tin-Tin?

Gordon?

Kyrano?

Yes, Gordon. We are here.

Where are you?

We are in the Great Void. Gordon, quickly, I must explain to you about Acronym. I haven't much time left.

Gordon heard Tin-Tin begin to cry. He couldn't see them, he could only hear them.

What do you mean you haven't much time left? What are you talking about?

My heart is failing. The strain of finding Michael Canton's mind and running from the Cliff House to the Lounge to tell your father has been too much for it, I'm afraid.

No! Kyrano, you're not going to die! Father won't let you!

Tin-Tin's crying moved to all-out sobbing.

Listen to me, Gordon. Listen to what I must tell you. It is important for the world to know.

10:50:52

Jeff watched in fascination as Gordon's lips moved but no sound emerged. He had an idea that his son was somehow communicating with Tin-Tin, Kyrano or both and was amazed. He had no idea Gordon had those capabilities and wondered how he'd come to learn of them.

Jeff grew alarmed as one of the indicators above Kyrano's head bleeped a warning. The man's heart rate was decreasing and his breathing had become shallow and forced. He looked through the window of the operating room and saw that Dr. Gray was closing up Megan's foot with a laser. Then he went to the bed that held his friend.

"Kyrano," he whispered, grabbing his hand and holding it tightly.

10:53:19

"This is Braman calling Thunderbird 3."

"We're here, Braman."

"Scott. There is potential difficulty with the diffuser."

"Difficulty?" Brains asked. "What difficulty?"

"There is a six.point.three percent probability that the suspension apparatus will not withstand the pressure caused by Earth's gravitational field. If it becomes dislodged it will not properly spread the UH-3 counter agent throughout the atmosphere and there is a fifteen.point.three percent chance it will pull Thunderbird 3 off balance."

"Brains, he worries too much."

"He can't worry, John," Scott said. "He's a robot."

"Braman," Brains said, "uh, don't worry. It'll be all right. Six.point.three is an a-awfully slim chance. We'll, uh, just be careful."

Scott cut the channel and turned to face their engineer. "Brains? Is this really something that could happen?"

"Uh, well, yes, I-I suppose it is."

"Then you were right. We will have to be careful."

"Yeah, and don't forget who's gonna be hangin' alongside that thing," John said. Outside he projected joviality. Inside, he was just as worried as Braman had sounded.

10:57:05

So you're saying it wasn't about going after Dad at all?

That is correct, Gordon. You must ensure the world is told the truth. You must.

Kyrano, you're going to make it through this.

Father, Gordon is right. We will share our life force with you. You will survive.

Do not, my child. Please. And do not trouble yourself so about my passing. I will always be here for you in this place.

Tin-Tin began to cry again. Father, no! I won't let you go!

Kyrano! Gordon could feel the older man's mind slipping away. Kyrano, no! No!

Jeff looked up in horror as the warning bleeps coming from the monitor turned into one steady tone. His attention was ripped from that to Tin-Tin, who suddenly sat bolt upright in bed and screamed, "Nooooooo!!!"

10:59:58

10:59:59

11:00:00

Hour Twenty-Four

The following takes place between 11:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. on the day Washington, D.C. was destroyed.

11:00:03

"Kyrano!" Jeff roared. "Dr. Gray!"

He bent down and began performing CPR on his friend, puffing air into his mouth, pumping his chest with his hands. Gordon's eyes snapped open as Tin-Tin grabbed hold of him and pulled herself off the bed, then pushed him aside as she reached for her father. Gordon grabbed her arms, hauling her away as she cried and screamed in her native Bahasa Melayu.

"Ayah!! Ayah!!!! Adalah tercantum! Jangan cuti! Bukan! Ayah!!!!"

Dr. Gray burst into the room, followed by Penelope and Ruth. He came 'round to the other side of the bed from Jeff and shined a pen light into Kyrano's eyes. There was no response, his pupils did not dilate. Braman approached and stood at the end of the bed, oblivious to Penny, Ruth and Gordon, who were trying valiantly to keep Tin-Tin as far away as possible.

"I need a defibrillator, do you have one?" Dr. Gray yelled.

"Yes..." Jeff said between puffs. "Braman, get it!"

"There is a ninety-nine.point.seven-eight percent chance that the atrial defibrillator will not restart his weakened heart."

Jeff and Dr. Gray stopped all movement and stared at the machine. Jeff became livid. "I don't give a rat's ass about percentages, godammit! Get it now!"

Tin-Tin had given up fighting and sank to the floor with Penelope, tears streaming down both their faces. Gordon ran into the adjacent room and grabbed the ADF, returning to Dr. Gray with lightning speed. Braman inched closer to the head of the bed. "I can save him."

"How, by standing there and doing nothing?" Dr. Gray retorted.

"You must not waste time with the atrial defibrillator. His brain requires direct stimulation. I can provide the charge he needs in the most effective manner possible. The electrodes of the atrial defibrillator will destroy the damaged tissue of his heart. He will not survive."

Jeff opened his mouth and closed it again, his eyes wide. Sure, Braman had saved Brains' life, and been instrumental in saving his own. But could he trust the mechanical man to save Kyrano's by sticking something into his brain?

"He's right," Dr. Gray said quietly as he scanned Kyrano's chest with a portable MRI. "If I apply those patches directly to this man's chest, it won't do any good. And if I open him up and directly stimulate his heart, it'll tear the muscle apart. It's just too damaged."

Jeff looked at the doctor, then back at Braman. "What do you need to do?"

11:05:26

Ned was satisfied his Rescuees were doing their jobs. They all had received the Invisi-Shield devices and were nearly finished setting them up throughout Southern California. His finger reached for the button marked with an H, when suddenly he stiffened. "What the hell--?" he whispered.

And then his mind went blank.

11:06:16

"I-I think the modifications I've, uh, made to the diffuser will o-offset the possibility of Earth's gravity...what the hell is that?"

Scott and John turned to look at the radar screen mounted on the wall next to the elevator. Three objects had come into range of their sensors, flying in formation.

"My God. They're heading the same place we are," John whispered.

"Those must be the craft that are going to drop the UH-3 bombs!"

"They're moving into position," Brains breathed.

"We can't be too late. We just can't be."

"No, John. We won't be. They won't drop the bombs until just before midnight," Scott said. "By that time, our counter agent will already be in the atmosphere."

"But we have no defense against them. What if they attack?" John asked.

"Then we'll knock 'em outta the sky with our bare hands," Scott replied.

And from his tone of voice, they knew he meant it.

11:08:10

Ned emerged from the elevator into Thunderbird 2's hangar. The one controlling his mind was surprised to find the great ship backed into position within instead of sitting out on the tarmac. But it didn't matter. It made his pawn's job that much easier. An evil laugh echoed inside Ned's mind. "Soon, reporter, soon I will be free. And then...we shall kill Jeff Tracy together."

A tear trickled down Ned Cook's cheek.

11:09:32

Jeff watched as Dr. Gray shaved a bit of hair from Kyrano's temple. His stoic face belied none of the turmoil Jeff Tracy was feeling inside. Precious seconds were slipping away. Even if Braman was successful in bringing Kyrano back, would he be the man he had always been? Deprived of oxygen for so long, could his mind survive? Or would the charge Braman was about to impart not give them the chance to find out?

Braman moved in as the doctor attached clamps to each side of Kyrano's head to hold it steady, then backed out of the way. Everyone held his or her breath as the end of Braman's index finger opened, and a thin needle emerged. He reached down, poking the needle into the flesh of Kyrano's temple. He turned to look at Jeff. "Tell Brains...I said goodbye."

"What?" Gordon said from the foot of the bed. "What do you mean goodbye?"

But Braman did not respond. He faced his patient, extended the needle to edge of Kyrano's skull, and then began rotating it to cut through the bone. Everyone heard it whirring, and then the sound stopped. They next heard a soft click, and Kyrano's body twitched. When Dr. Gray looked at the monitors, he was astonished to see the brain wave line begin to move. There was another click and a zapping sound, and the line moved again.

"It's not working," Jeff said. "It moves, but then it falls flat again."

Another click. And another zap. Another click. And another zap.

There was one more click, and a steady electrical charge flowed into Kyrano's body. All at once, the brain wave and heart rate lines lurched into motion. They began showing a steady rhythm and Kyrano's eyes flew open. The high-powered charge surged throughout his nervous system, coming full circle to return to the point of contact...to the needle extending from the end of Braman's finger.

It shot back up into Braman and he gave an audible cry as his hand jerked away and his body stiffened. He stood motionless for several moments before crashing to the floor.

Brains' greatest invention, the machine who had proven he was quite nearly a man, would never move again.

11:14:36

"Ten minutes to destination," Brains said. "John, we'd, uh, better get down to the Lounge and get suited up."

John and Scott exchanged a look. Brains envied their bond, the bond of brothers, a bond that required no words to express their thoughts. He turned and entered the elevator.

"Hey, Brains?"

"Y-Yes, Scott?"

"You be careful too."

Brains smiled. His connection to the Tracys may not have been coursing through his veins as theirs, but he knew it existed, and he knew it was strong. "I-I will. Just keep her steady."

"F.A.B.," Scott replied before turning back to the console in front of him. "Well, this is it, Scott," he said as the elevator descended and he watched the three ships on his radar screen come to a full stop. "Time to kick some ass." He flipped open a channel to home. "Base from Thunderbird 3. Come in, Base."

11:17:47

Jeff heard the control panel near the Ward's main entrance signal an incoming transmission. He raced to it and opened the line. Scott's face appeared on screen. "Base here, go ahead, Scott."

"Father, we're nine minutes out from Danger Zone."

"Is everything in place?"

"Yes. Brains and John are suiting up now. Father..."

"What? What is it?"

"There are three unidentified ships hovering directly over where we need to be."

"To drop the UH-3 bombs."

"Must be."

"How're you gonna get past 'em?"

"I'll have to come in below them, closer than originally calculated. I only hope they're on some sort of prerecorded mission and not manned. Do the International Rescuees have the Invisi-Shields in place? Just in case we don't succeed?"

Jeff frowned. "Come to think of it, I haven't heard a peep from Ned. He was supposed to call us as soon as he got in contact with them."

Penelope came to stand next to Jeff. She placed one hand on his arm and said, "Do you think he's all right?"

"I don't know, Penny. Let's get up to the Lounge and find out what's going on. Scott..."

"Yes, Father."

"Whatever you do, however you have to play this out..."

"Don't worry, Dad. We've come too far to fail now."

"Just be careful. I--I love you, son."

Scott just stared at him. How long had it been since he'd heard those words from his father? Finally he whispered, "I love you too, Dad. Thunderbird 3 out."

Jeff swallowed hard as Penny squeezed his arm reassuringly.

"Gordon, you stay here and help Dr. Gray and your grandmother."

"No, Dad, if something's wrong, I need to be with you!"

"If something's wrong, you may be everyone's last line of defense. Arm yourself to the teeth and secure the ward as soon as we're outside."

Gordon looked into his father's eyes and nodded. "I'll keep them safe. And...I love you too, Dad."

Jeff smiled and grasped Penny's hand before turning and heading out the door. No matter what happened, he'd never been more proud of his five sons than he was this day. And he knew that somewhere, Lucille was just as proud as he. He could've sworn as they made their way through the hall toward the elevator that he heard her whisper, You did well, Jeff. You did well.

11:20:16

"Decreasing altitude," Scott said into the microphone. "You fellas ready down there?"

"Ready as we'll ever be, I suppose."

"John, you're not helping here."

"Sorry."

"Brains, how's the equipment?"

"Functioning at one hundred percent, Scott."

"Scott, what're those ships up to?"

"They've lined up just above the ionosphere. They're ready to drop 'em."

"How are you gonna get past 'em?"

"We're goin' in low, John, midway to the mesosphere. We should have all the counter agent released by the time they begin to let loose."

"Should have is not giving me a lot of confidence. Don't forget I'll be swingin' in the breeze down there."

"Don't worry. A quick vertical drop'll shoot you right up into the fuselage. Brains has good reflexes. He'll catch you."

Brains chuckled as John replied, "Funny, Scott. Ve-ry funny."

11:24:32

Tin-Tin sat on her father's bed, talking to him softly, explaining what had just happened. Gordon and Dr. Gray lifted Braman and carried him to the last empty bed on the far side of the room. Ruth stripped Tin-Tin's former bed of its sheets and replaced them with fresh ones. Then Gordon and Dr. Gray moved into the operating room, where they hoisted Megan onto a hover stretcher and brought her out into the ward proper.

Ruth helped them get her onto the bed. Beyond Kyrano and Tin-Tin, Virgil began to stir. Moments later, Alan's head moved. Ruth rushed to stand between them. "Virgil? Alan? Doctor, should they be awake?"

"It probably wouldn't hurt. They could use a good checkup, and it's better if they're conscious so I can ask questions."

Tin-Tin's attention was drawn away from her father. For the first time, she saw Alan's hair, his neck and the bandages on his now-bare arms. And she gasped.

"Go to him, my daughter," Kyrano said quietly. "He needs you now."

"No, Father, I won't leave your side," she replied.

"Tin-Tin, somehow, in some way, I was allowed to come back to you. You need not fear for me. Your love for him is strong, my child. Go to him. I will still be here."

Tin-Tin smiled and kissed her father on the cheek before rising to her feet. She walked to Alan's side as Ruth stepped closer to Virgil. Each of the women reached down and grasped the hand of the man in the bed beneath them.

Virgil's eyes fluttered open. It took a few seconds for them to focus, but when they did, he smiled. "Grandma."

"Hi, Virgil. Welcome back."

Alan smiled as he felt two soft, small hands raise his hand to a pair of even softer lips. When those lips kissed his knuckles, he opened his eyes. "Tin-Tin," he whispered. "Tin-Tin, you're safe."

"Yes," she replied, tears stinging her eyes as she took in his general state of being. "Yes, I am. And so are you."

Dr. Gray had just finished making Megan as comfortable as possible. He turned and watched those before him, noting how thick the air seemed to be with emotion...with love. "You are the most remarkable people I have ever met," he said softly. "Ever."

11:29:11

"I don't understand, Jeff. Where could he be?"

"I don't know, Penny, but I don't like this. Not one bit."

"Last time you said that, the Hood showed up."

He looked her right in the eye. "I know."

"We should split up. I'll take the lift down and start from the laboratory."

"No, Penny. We're not splitting up. We have to stay together. If the Hood did get loose, we don't stand a chance on our own."

Penny smiled and reached out, cupping Jeff's cheek with her hand. "Don't you worry about me, Jeff Tracy. I've got a big gun," she said, lifting an automatic rifle into the air with her other hand.

He chuckled as she turned to go, but grabbed her hand just as it left his face. "Penny..." He pulled her into his body and their lips met. Her gun dropped heavily to the floor as she wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. When at last they parted, he looked into her eyes and whispered, "I love you, Penelope."

She smiled and choked back a sob. "I know you do, Jeff. I love you, too."

11:31:22

"All right, get ready, I'm moving into position."

"No movement from the, uh, ships?"

"No, Brains, nothing yet. I don't think they're manned, they must be running on autopilot as I suspected. Is John ready?"

"Ready to go. Just tell us when."

"Right. Moving into vertical position now."

Scott kept one eye on the radar screen as he brought the great rocket's nose around until it was pointing straight up toward the stars. "Okay, Brains. Open her up."

"F.A.B."

Brains gave the harness around John's body one last tug, and then did the same to his own. He smiled at John through the visors of their space suit helmets. "I won't let you fall."

John winked and smiled. "You never have, Brains. You never have. Let's get this over with."

Brains nodded and popped the rectangular square of floor out of the way, revealing the long, dark entry tunnel below. He slid the piece of floor to the side and said, "E-Extending diffuser."

A large titanium ring, which had been clamped to the underside of Thunderbird 3's tail, released and the unit dropped to ten feet below the rocket's body. "O-Okay, John. You need to get down there before I turn on the net."

John grinned, giving him the thumbs-up. "Anchors aweigh!" He stepped out over the opening and the cables attached to his harness grew taut. Brains started the winch, and slowly but surely, John moved downward. When he reached a point just inches below the ring, he said, "Okay, stop!"

Brains halted the winch. "Can you get a-around to the side o-of the ring now?"

"Yep, think so. Just a coupla swings oughtta do it."

Brains watched via monitor as John began to swing back and forth until at last his legs vaulted over the ring and his hands grabbed hold of it. "How's this?"

"Perfect. A-All right, now. I'm firing up the, uh, net."

"Have at it."

Brains pressed a button and a grid of blue lines criss-crossing the ring in a tight mesh came to life. John could hear them humming, and said, "Okay, seems to be working."

"Right. Scott, we're ready to, uh, drop counter agent."

"Go ahead. Everything's green up here."

Brains pressed another button and portions of the tube surrounding the hole in the Lounge floor slid back, leaving a half-inch wide gap all the way around. Another button pressed shot small spikes into the pouches lining the tube, and powder began to pour out.

"Coming your way!" Brains said.

John began to swing slowly left and right. The powder passed through the entry tunnel and hit the diffuser, making it hum even louder. He then stopped that motion and moved forward and backward, swinging the ring the other way in order to widen the range. "Okay, Scott. Point A's taken care of. Let's hit Point B."

"F.A.B. Hang on."

"You don't need to tell me twice."

Half the rocket's retros fired and, along with its flywheel, pulled it sideways. It barely tipped at all as Scott kept it as upright as possible with the pitch and yaw jets. Within two minutes, Thunderbird 3 was in place over its second target. The powder continued releasing and again, John swung the titanium ring around this way and that. Then they moved on to the final area.

"Nearly through, John."

"Yeah, Scott. And boy, am I glad. I'm all for space walks, but usually all you can see are stars. It's a little creepy being able to see the Earth like this."

Scott smiled and checked the three ships' locations once again. They still weren't moving. It looked like they were actually going to pull this off.

11:40:25

Penny had torn herself from Jeff's arms, retrieved her weapon and left in the elevator. He'd finally told her. He'd finally said it. She smiled as she touched a hand to her lips. "You won't regret it, Jeff Tracy. It's a whole new beginning for us now. For all of us." Then she raised her automatic weapon and turned off the safety. Her face hardened. "As soon as we get rid of the Hood, that is."

11:41:01

Jeff pushed his emotions to the side. As much as he wanted to run after Penny and not leave her alone right now, he knew she'd been right. They had to split up, to more effectively locate Ned and...if he had escaped...the Hood. He was just about to walk out onto the balcony to see if either of them was outside when a low, gravelly laugh froze him in mid-stride.

He turned around, and his worst fears were realized. There stood none other than the Hood. And right next to him was Ned Cook. His face was blank, his eyes glassy and unfocused. Jeff took a few steps into the room, looking from Ned back to the personification of evil next to him. The Hood raised his hand and took aim with a large laser pistol. Suddenly, Jeff was very glad he'd told Penny he loved her.

For he doubted he'd get the chance again.

11:42:59

Just as the last of the UH-3 counter agent filtered down through the diffuser, Scott leapt to his feet. "The ships," he said. "One of 'em's beginning to move. Brains! Brains, get John up now! Now!"

Brains frantically started the winch and turned the diffuser off just as a gleaming silver triangle streaked by. Its wake caused John and the ring to spin around wildly. "Aaaaaaaaa!" John cried.

"Shit! It's coming back! Hang on down there!!!" Scott strapped himself into the pilot's chair and fired the retros full-blast. Thunderbird 3 moved down, narrowly avoiding a collision. "Brains, is he up? I've gotta fire the chemical rockets!"

"No, Scott, no! He's tangled in the ring straps! Don't fire rockets!"

"Brains, it's coming at us again!"

"Damn!" The winch groaned in its futile struggle to pull John back up. Brains grabbed a small hand-held torch, released his own winch and jumped into the tunnel, falling rapidly until he caught himself on the titanium ring. Wrapping his legs around John's torso, he reached up and fought to burn through the twisted cables emerging from the harness. "Hold on to me!"

"Yeah..." John gasped, clinging to the engineer's smaller frame.

Two of John's cables were now free, leaving just one more to go. When Brains was about halfway through it, Scott fired the pitch jet and Thunderbird 3's nose swung downward as the attacking ship streaked by again. The torch flew from Brains' hands.

"No!" he cried.

"Go on. Get back up there, Brains," John said, their helmet visors touching.

"Not without you," Brains replied. "Help me jerk it free!"

John's face took on a look of steely determination as he reached up with one hand. Placing it on the half-severed cable just below Brains' hand, he said, "1...2...3...tug!" They yanked on the cable, but it didn't give.

"Again!" Brains cried. John counted down and they pulled again as they pirouetted beneath the careening ship.

"John! Brains! I've gotta fire chemical rockets! I can't stay outta this thing's way forever!"

"No, Scott, no!" Brains cried.

But before Scott could even reply, the ship came at them one last time. He blasted the retros and the giant rocket moved sideways.

"Jesus, Brains, look out!" John hollered, his eyes widening in horror. He wrapped himself around the engineer and braced for what was coming.

The triangular ship, less than 1/3the size of Thunderbird 3, crashed into one of the larger craft's three nacelles. Brains and John whipped violently, smashing against the bottom of the rocket as Thunderbird 3 spun end over end, losing height as it fell towards Earth.

Suddenly the last cable holding John to the ship snapped, and his full weight hauled him and Brains down through the ring. They both cried out, clinging desperately to each other as the ship tossed wildly in the air. Flames spewed from the particle gun inside the damaged fin as the rocket apparatus fell away.

Scott heard their cries and fought to bring Thunderbird 3 back under control as his safety straps held him to his chair. All he could do was get her nose pointed straight downward. "Brains! John!" he yelled. "Answer me!"

His only reply was grunts and groans and shrieks of pain. "Are you in the Lounge?" he cried. "Are you in the Lounge?"

Brains moved one hand that had been clinging to John's space suit and strained to reach the pad on his other sleeve. The force of Thunderbird 3's nosedive left him and John twisting and turning behind the rocket like a sick rendition of a sign advertisement being pulled along behind an old bi-plane. At last his finger reached the pad and he pressed a button. Slowly the winch began to haul them up.

The fire spread forward, licking the bottom of the silver ring that housed Thunderbird 3's retro rockets. There was a small explosion, and suddenly the retros fired, jarring the ship as it tried to slow. Brains and John found themselves hurtling toward the end of the fuselage and yelled in unison, bracing themselves for what would surely be a fatal impact.

But to their shock, they cleared the small rectangular opening and John catapulted from Brains' grasp, hurtling through the entry tunnel and slamming into the ceiling of the Lounge, coming to rest against the elevator door. He watched as Brains, now tangled in his own cables, made it as far as the hatch itself. "Brains!" The engineer crawled forward as John pulled himself to the upside-down settee.

Scott's frantic voice rang in their ears. "John! Brains! Get in now! I have to detach escape pod!" John's vision grew fuzzy. "No...shit..." he gasped, struggling to clear his mind. His helmet visor had cracked, and blood trickled down from his forehead into his eye. He kept blinking, trying to see if Brains was inside, if he'd make it in time.

The ship jerked again as the retros misfired. They heard Scott yell, "Shit!" as the missing piece of floor fell towards Brains.

"Brains, look out!" John cried as he and the settee crashed to the floor.

Brains grabbed the edge of the slab just as it started to careen away again. He fought with it for a few seconds before turning on the magnetic seal, which pulled it securely into place. "Scott!" he cried. "Detach now! Detach now!"

Scott jabbed a red button located to the far right of the control panel. There was a soft hiss as the nose detached from the rest of the fuselage just above the retro rocket ring. A large parachute erupted from the nose, and whipped it around so it was upright again. Brains and John fell to the floor with a thud, the engineer on his back and John facedown on top of him.

John lifted his head weakly and smiled at his friend. "Well," he whispered, "you did let me fall. But at least you caught me."

"Brains! John! You okay?!? I'm coming down!"

"O-Okay, S-Scott," Brains ground out through clenched teeth.

Scott soon appeared in the elevator shaft. He crossed to them and pulled John off Brains. "You two had me worried," he said as he removed John's helmet.

"We had us worried," John replied.

"We did it," Scott murmured as Brains pulled himself into a sitting position and took off his helmet. "We actually did it. And with five minutes to spare."

"Yeah. I-I just hope those I-Invisi-Shields do their job."

11:55:51

Ned suddenly felt something wash over him. Something pure, something that felt completely different from what had control of him. He heard a voice.

Rise. Rise to consciousness. He cannot hold you. Do not let him. Fight it, Ned. Fight it.

Ned blinked his eyes. When at last they began to focus, he saw Jeff standing across the room near the wall of glass. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung open slightly. Then Ned turned his head. He saw a horrible man standing next to him, and fear rose through him like bile. For in his hand, he held a gun. And that gun was pointed directly at Jeff.

There was a noise behind them and Ned turned his head further to see what was causing it. He watched as Lady Penelope entered the room, then stopped short at what she saw. She raised her rifle as Ned looked down at the Hood's hands. His finger tightened on his gun's trigger ever-so-slightly, and as much of Ned's senses as had returned told him Jeff Tracy was about to die.

Ned lunged for the Hood just as he fired his weapon. "Noooo!" Jeff cried.

Ned grabbed the Hood's collar, putting his body between the laser pistol and Jeff, who had started across the room. The Hood cried out and fired again as he and Ned tumbled to the floor. The blast ripped through Ned's stomach, spraying blood everywhere as he grunted from the force of impact.

"You bastard!" Penny screamed as he raised his gun toward Jeff and prepared to fire once more. She lowered her rifle, took aim at the Hood's head and fired.

The Hood was no more.

Jeff cried out as he reached Ned's side, sinking to his knees in a pool of blood. He rolled the man over, cradling him in his arms as he sputtered, blood running out of his mouth. He opened his eyes one last time and looked into Jeff's face.

"Ned...oh, God, you idiot, why? Why?"

Ned tried to force a smile, but couldn't quite make it. He took two labored breaths and gasped, "Never...give up...Jeff T-T-Tracy..."

Ned Cook died in his arms.

He bowed his head over the reporter, their strongest ally and supporter, a man he'd come to know and trust with his life. A man who had just saved his life. Today...it had been too much. Just too much uncertainty and fear, too much anguish and pain; and now this. Another dead friend. At last, Jeff let the tears begin to flow.

Penny looked up toward the television screen just to the side of Jeff's desk, where WNN had been tuned in the entire time. She watched as pictures from a helijet camera accompanied Phil Epstein's voice.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, what you are seeing is a live shot from the skies over Southern California. I don't know how they did it, but somehow International Rescue has diffused nearly every small bomb that's falling through the sky. They're reaching the skies above Los Angeles and look, just look! They're bouncing off something that can only be an invisible force field of some sort! Those that are still live are exploding, but they're causing no damage! I can't believe it! They did it! International Rescue has saved millions of people. On behalf of those in Southern California and people the world round, I say thank you. They did it, Ladies and Gentlemen. They did it!!!"

Lady Penelope's rifle clattered to the floor as she looked back to where Jeff held Ned's lifeless body. "Yes, they did it" she whispered, tears filling her eyes. "But at what price?"

11:59:58

11:59:59

12:00:00

<< back to part one