EPISODES INTERVIEWS FAN FICTION MERCHANDISE FORUM GUESTBOOK TOY SEARCHES: THUNDERBIRDS GENERAL STINGRAY COMPETITION SURVEY LINKS CONTACT US - Disclaimer - Thunderbirds and all related elements are © Carlton International Media Limited. This site is intended for educational and enjoyment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. The contents of this page are © Fran Lavery.
				EXPOSURE by Fran Lavery Chapter Eleven       "Welcome, my friends," The Hood said predictably, from the other side of the dull warehouse. "Please, come closer to me. My poor, old eyes can barely see in this dim light." He chuckled, but John, content that the light really was bad enough that The Hood couldn't properly see them yet, signalled to Virgil who dipped behind the control banks used when testing aeroplanes occupying the hanger, and began making his way along the wall in the shadows. He moved slowly and silently. His father had decided that the only way to have a chance against The Hood, with his strange powers and brute strength and Jessica in his clutches, would be the element of surprise. He would get behind The Hood, pump a few tranquilliser darts into his back and escape with Jessica (provided she was actually there), handing him over to the authorities on the way out. That was, of course a best case scenario. Anything could happen while he made his way painstakingly around the huge hanger. Where exactly was he, anyway?       "Over here, my friends," said The Hood, making Virgil jump, though he was clearly talking to John and Penelope, still stood at the door.       Their eyes adjusting to the gloom, Penelope and John stepped foreword cautiously.       "Ok, mister, what do you want?" demanded John, seeing the shape of The Hood before him. "We've got better things to be doing than playing your little games."       The Hood laughed again, confident that he was in control. "My my, John Tracy, you are impatient!"       "You know why, too," his voice was hard as flint as he eyed The Hood. "We're leaving right now if we don't see Jessica alive."       "Touching!" The Hood mocked, as he bent to retrieve something behind him. "I was actually hoping that Scott would be here to rescue his girlfriend. That's what heroes do isn't it?" He glanced at John, whose face could've been carved from ice. He smirked. "Then again, perhaps his heart's too broken to engage him in his usual swagger."       "Where is Jessica?" asked Penelope in a soft voice, although a hard insistence could be heard in her words.       "Do not worry yourself, my lady. Here is the precious Jessica."       In moving several empty sacks behind him, he revealed the unconscious form of Jessica, not bound anywhere or to anything. This convinced John that she was hypnotised and not likely to revive without instruction, making tying her up fairly pointless. Still, his throat went tight at the sight of her slumped there, looking pale and ill. What had he put her through?       The Hood's voice was scathing, "Worry not, my sentimental simpleton. Miss Howe merely sleeps."       "I want to check," said John stubbornly, trying to buy Virgil more time. "Stand aside."       With a slight, mocking bow, The Hood stepped to his left, while John went to check Jessica's breathing and pulse, and Lady Penelope covered The Hood with her machine pistol. Taking his time to make sure she was all right, John looked hard into her strained face. Perhaps it was better she was in this state, since she knew him and Virgil so very well, and there they were wearing International Rescue uniforms. She couldn't be a security breach. It would make her life even more dangerous to live.       The Hood spoke up, "Alright Tracy. You see she is alive. Now let us talk about this boy you rescued."       "What would you like to know?" asked John, without getting up from his crouch beside Jessica.       "Only his location now, so that we can talk about his Father."       John actually laughed at this. The Hood couldn't be nutty enough to think that he would tell him such a thing!       Suddenly, The Hood did something very odd. He poked John in the back, making him react and look up. This was his mistake. In reacting to his natural instincts, he was now looking up into The Hood's eyes, eyes that were glowing weirdly into his own. In a menacing voice, The Hood asked again where Matthew was. John found that he was helpless to do other than to answer.       "He is living at the Creighton-Ward Mansion in Kent, England."       Penelope gasped. He spoke without looking up at her,       "Do not get any ideas about shooting me, my lady. If I die, however will Miss Howe recover?"       Then John collapsed with the intensity of The Hood's power, and The Hood jumped on Penelope. Unable to use her gun, and now unable to employ her usual fighting techniques that he had so often fallen victim to, Lady Penelope was unconscious in a moment. The Hood laughed quietly as he looked at them, before bundling the three still figures unto the huge sacks that had covered Jessica, and dragging them out of the side door.       Virgil was absolutely stunned at what had happened so quickly. He had been waiting for John to move from his position by Jessica, so that he had a better chance of hitting The Hood behind him. He wasn't as good a shot as he would've liked to be, and he wanted to be sure. But then, as he suddenly hypnotised his colleges, had wanted to surprise The Hood, to jump up and tranquillise him while he was bundling up his friend.       But he controlled this urge when he remembered his words, "If I die, how would Miss Howe recover?" Now there were three of them in his strange power, and he knew nothing of how to fight it. He watched The Hood go, confident that he had made the right choice. The Hood didn't think that International Rescue could catch him now, but he hadn't counted on Virgil's presence. Quickly, he turned on his wrist radio and called base.       It had taken Scott about thirty minutes to reach London in Thunderbird One. He was pretty sure that his Father hadn't really wanted to send him, but he must've noticed the sudden energy that he felt surge through him at the prospect of doing something constructive. A mission. A race against time. A fight to the death. He lived for it!       They had to get Matthew away from Kent, where The Hood was sure to go looking for him now. His hostages secured his safety, but they would not allow him to get his hands on Matthew too. So Scott had called ahead with the lo-down, and upon his arrival Parker had been prepared with his young charge on the roof, ready to fasten him into the harness Scott lowered to them.       "You ok buddy?" Scott smiled to the excited-looking Matthew as he helped him out of his harness and lowered it down to Parker. Matthew signed something to him, and Scott answered,       "Oh, I'm much better now, thank you for asking."       Parker set the remainder of the booby traps and alarm systems for the mansion via remote control as Thunderbird One gathered speed to head for the island. Full of hiding places and protection systems of its own, armed by the Thunderbirds and not where The Hood was expecting to have to go, Matthew would be safe there for now, Jeff was sure.       For the millionth time in the last two days, Scott's thoughts drifted to Jessica as Parker made sure Matthew had strapped himself in properly. What was that freak doing to her? Could she handle it? She was tough, but that guy was in another league. As the unanswerable questions plagued and tortured him again, he wondered how he could've ever have been so selfish. Thanks to him and his weird life, she may end up dead. The thought drained his energy all over again, but was saved from his depression by Matthew rapping on the perspex that separated them. Since Scott was having a hard time reading the signing in his mirror, Parker translated through the intercom.       "'E says 'e was just wondrin' as to 'ow many years it took you to get a Thunderbird One licence, sir."       Scott smiled at the little boy in the mirror. He really was a Godsend; chirpy and cute and good for morale. 'Everything will be fine', he told himself. Looking at the optimism in Matthew's little face, he couldn't help but revive his own. 'Just fine.' On to Chapter Twelve.