Chance for a Lifetime

a CAPTAIN SCARLET AND THE MYSTERONS story

by Mary J. Rudy

Captain Blue checked that the World President was holding on to the power jetpack and floated away from the London Car‑Vu. He had thought about returning to the Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle parked on top of the observation tower but decided against it. The tower was in danger of collapsing any second, its structure weakened so severely by the helicopter that had crashed into it a few minutes ago. The blond American officer resolutely gripped the jetpack's controls and started a slow, easy descent, all the while trying to find some explanation for the crazy events of the past couple of hours.

What was going on? Blue said to himself. The World President was supposed to be inside the Maximum Security Building in New York, guarded by two Spectrum field officers. It was supposed to be a routine escort mission to thwart a terrorist attack. Instead, one of those officers assigned to New York had very nearly killed the President. Here, on the other side of the Atlantic, on top of the observation tower built for the Hastings Millennium celebration. The helicopter that had shot at him was probably coming in to pick up the World President and his abductor, Captain Scarlet.

He didn't believe the message from Cloudbase when he first received it. Stop Captain Scarlet at all costs? He would have suspected Captain Magenta, with his background of organized crime activity, without hesitation. He would have even suspected Captain Black, Spectrum's top field agent who had disappeared shortly after the announced assassination threat. But this man? Scarlet was not only his fellow field officer but also his friend. He'd known him ever since they were selected for Spectrum training. They worked so well together, in fact, he thought for sure they'd be selected as field partners. After receiving their commissions, however, they were separated. They'd remained good friends throughout the short history of Spectrum, and Blue figured he knew Paul pretty well. That was part of this jigsaw puzzle that definitely didn't fit; why would Scarlet suddenly turn traitor? Why would someone he considered his friend try to kill him?

Traitor or not, Paul was now dead. And I killed him, Blue reminded himself. He shuddered as he remembered the man's pain‑contorted face and bloodcurdling scream as he fell mortally wounded from the tower. Blue had faced kill‑or‑be‑killed situations many times before, but the others had not left him with the same sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. He felt as though a part of him had plunged that 800 feet along with his friend.

A sharp beeping sound in his helmet quickly brought him out of his trance. "Captain Blue, come in please," said a distinguished yet anxious British voice. It was Colonel White, the commander‑in‑chief of Spectrum.

"Captain Blue here, Colonel."

"What's the situation? Is the World President safe?"

"Yes, sir, he's unharmed. We're currently descending to the surface via SPV jetpack‑‑"

"Jetpack?!" White repeated in surprise. "Captain, your orders were to retrieve the World President and secure him in either the SPV or Helicopter A42. Why the devil are you out in the open?"

"Colonel, Helicopter A42 was hostile. I ordered Destiny Angel to shoot it down. The wreckage fell right into the Car‑Vu and damaged the tower‑‑"

Blue stopped in mid‑sentence as he heard a loud cracking sound coming from above. He turned and saw the top section of the London Car‑Vu tilting precariously toward him. The car Captain Scarlet had commandeered and the Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle slid across the cloverleaf‑shaped observation deck as if they were toys.

Blue opened up the jetpack's throttle and sped away just ahead of the tons of falling concrete and steel. "Hold on!" he shouted to the World President as the air displaced by the collapsing tower slammed into them.

After they had reached a safe distance, Blue radioed Cloudbase back. "Colonel, if we'd gone to the SPV we'd be under that observation deck right now."

"Good thinking, Captain." There was a short pause. "Scarlet, I assume, is‑‑"

"Yes, sir," Blue sighed. "He's dead. I had no choice."

"Pity. I wonder what I shall tell his father."

Blue swallowed hard and cleared his throat, quickly changing the subject. "Request rendezvous with Maximum Security Vehicle."

It took but a few seconds for Lieutenant Green, the colonel's aide, to retrieve the proper information. "An MSV will arrive at the London road viaduct in approximately five minutes," the young black man replied.

"S.I.G."

"Your orders are to hand the World President over to Spectrum London personnel at the viaduct and return to the Car‑Vu. The colonel wants Scarlet's body brought back to Cloudbase."

"Doesn't Spectrum Medical Center usually handle an autopsy, Colonel?" queried Blue.

"Yes, Captain, they do. But I want Dr. Fawn to do the post‑mortems this time."

Blue noticed that the Spectrum chief spoke in the plural. "How many bodies do we have up there, sir?"

White did not answer the question, but instead he turned the frequency back over to Green. "Helicopter A38 has been dispatched to the Car‑Vu. You will be debriefed upon your return to Cloudbase. Out."

I repeat, said Blue to himself, what is going on?

Captain Blue, mentally drained and physically exhausted, sank into his usual chair in Cloudbase's officers' lounge. A pot of strong coffee bubbled invitingly on the other side of the room, but that wasn't what he wanted. A good stiff drink maybe, but that was against regulations‑‑not that anyone would blame him after this morning's events. What Blue wanted most of all right now, however, was just to relax and collect his thoughts.

He'd just found out that not one of his friends, but two, were dead. Captain Grey had told him about Captain Brown at his debriefing. According to Grey, Captains Scarlet and Brown were in a patrol car heading for New York when the car went out of control and crashed. Scarlet, who had been driving, was able to escape uninjured but Brown was killed.

Blue sighed and rested his face in his hands. First Paul and now Steve. While he had become good friends with the former upon joining Spectrum, he'd known the latter much longer. Steve Blackburn had also been a World Aeronautical Society test pilot. He was a great pilot, even better than himself, and the two had a friendly rivalry when it came to breaking speed and altitude records. The rivalry eventually grew into a warm friendship; not only was Steve a crack pilot, he was a good tennis player and surprisingly an excellent cook. Then Adam was transferred to the security department, and Steve stayed on to become head of the Flight Test Division. They didn't come in contact with each other too much after that until being individually selected for Spectrum.

Blue was actually surprised to see his friend again. He always figured Steve would take one chance too many one day and plow himself and his airplane straight into the ground. Either that, or the smoking would eventually kill him. It was ironic that he died in a simple car accident.

But was it that simple? Moreover, had it really been an accident? Maybe Scarlet got rid of Brown because he knew too much about the assassination‑‑

That was another thing. This terrorist group‑‑what did they call themselves, the Mysterons?‑‑had threatened to assassinate the World President. Why had Scarlet kidnapped him instead? He had every chance in the world to kill him before Blue was even alerted. This was no normal terrorist operation. Something was missing, something big. Maybe they'd find out the rest from Spectrum Intelligence's investigation.

If Intelligence was going to tell them anything, that is, after they turned Cloudbase inside out and interrogated the entire complement. Right now they weren't trusting anybody, least of all the senior staff. The officers weren't being confined to their quarters‑‑yet‑‑ but all two‑way radios were confiscated and certain areas of the hovering base were off limits. The tightest security was not in the control room but rather in the temporary morgue set up in Sick Bay where Scarlet's body had been brought.

Blue had noted two other white‑shrouded corpses in the morgue as he left. One was most likely Captain Brown, but who was the other unfortunate victim? Judging by what was left of Helicopter A42 after it crashed into the tower, he doubted if it was the pilot. Maybe Captain Black had been found after all and Grey just forgot to tell him in the commotion.

Blue ran his fingers through his blond hair and rose from his seat. There was something he could do while he waited to be questioned. He picked up a pen and a few sheets of Spectrum letterhead from one of the other tables and sat back down.

"Dear Mrs. Blackburn," he wrote, "It is with deep regret that I inform you of your husband's death‑‑"

Blue grunted and wadded the paper into a ball, tossing it unsuccessfully at the wastebasket. This was one job he could never get used to. Lord knows he'd written enough next‑of‑kin letters during his tenure at the World Aeronautical Society, and just two months ago he'd written to the widow of his partner Captain Amber. Starting the letter was the hardest part.

The wastebasket was half‑filled before the letter to Steve's widow was completed. Sighing heavily, Blue tucked the letter into an envelope and sealed it. "And that was the easy one," he muttered as he addressed the envelope.

Like Colonel White earlier that day, Blue had absolutely no idea what to say in his letter to General Metcalfe. Scarlet came from an old service family, a line of military heroes that went back for generations. The first and only time Blue had met Paul's father was just after the two Spectrum officers had received their field commissions.

General Metcalfe was every bit the sternfaced curmudgeon Blue expected him to be, but the Spectrum officer could tell immediately that the man had a soft spot for his son. It would be difficult enough to tell the general that Paul was dead, but how on earth was he going to tell him that the son he had brought up and trained to be a loyal military officer had died as an enemy?

"They're never easy, are they?" a soft female voice said, causing Blue to jump. He turned around to see Symphony Angel standing behind him.

"Karen," he sighed, taking her hand in his. "You are a sight for sore eyes. I really need someone to talk to."

The Angel pilot looked at him in surprise. "Seems to be a lot of that going around. I just spent the last hour calming Destiny down."

"What do you mean?"

"Destiny had strained her wrist during the mission, and she went to Sick Bay to have it looked at. Dr. Fawn asked her if she would do him a favor while she was there."

"What kind of favor?"

"He needed a witness to sign Captain Scarlet's death certificate. Boy, just let me get near that doctor. What an insensitive‑‑"

Blue stared blankly at Symphony, not even hearing the second half of her tirade. "Destiny did this an hour ago? Are you sure?"

"Positive. She's still pretty upset."

"But I only got back here with Scarlet's body a half hour ago."

Now it was Symphony's turn to stare at him. "She wouldn't make a mistake like that, Adam. Are you sure it was a half hour ago?"

"Yes, I signed the log when I came on board. That explains a lot."

"I don't follow you."

"Well, if Destiny identified Scarlet's body, and then I came on board with another body matching Scarlet's description, that means that there are two of them in Sick Bay right now. No wonder the guard wouldn't let me in."

"Two Captain Scarlets?"

"Yes, and that must mean only one thing. One of those men has to be an impostor."

Symphony nodded slowly. "Somebody killed him and put in a ringer, and you must have killed the ringer."

"Well, his marksmanship was sure identical to Scarlet's. I'm lucky to be alive."

Symphony nodded again, her eyes expressing silent agreement as well as relief that he was safe and sound.

"It's the only thing that would make sense," he went on. "Scarlet would never have behaved the way he did out there."

"And he certainly is no traitor like everyone is making him out to be. That has to be it."

Blue nodded and picked up the pen again. "Well, one thing's for sure, and that's that Paul is dead, and someone should break the news to his parents." He scribbled the date on top of the page, then looked up at Symphony again. "At least now I can tell General Metcalfe his son died in the line of duty."

Colonel White sat silently as what was left of his senior staff filed into the conference room. The Spectrum chief hoped he'd given himself enough time to prepare his speech. He'd called the meeting the moment the transport carrying the contingent from Spectrum Intelligence cleared the flight deck. It was necessary to get all of the officers together before they left Cloudbase for their next assignments. That way, they could inform their subordinates truthfully and avoid the spread of rumors.

He waited until the four men and the four off‑duty Angel pilots were seated before he spoke. "Members of Spectrum," he began with his customary greeting, looking at each of them in turn, "I'm sure you'll all be pleased to know‑‑Cloudbase has been returned to fully operational status upon completion of Spectrum Intelligence's investigation."

"I thought they'd never leave," Captain Magenta grumbled.

"I believe all of us feel the same way, Captain, but a full‑scale inquiry is always conducted after a major incident. The good news is that they've ruled out a conspiracy and reactivated the base." A collective sigh of relief was heard.

White paused and sipped from a water glass. "In the meantime, I've called you all here to fill you in as to what has been going on." He radioed the Control Room. "Lieutenant Green, will you run the videotape from Spectrum Information Center, please?"

"Yes, sir." The curtains on one wall of the conference room parted and a monitor appeared. The first pictures on the videotape showed Captain Black and several other men seated in a vehicle.

"This first portion is from the camera inside the Zero‑X Martian Exploration Vehicle," the colonel said as the tape began. "By now you all know about the Martian complex, the one that Captain Black and the Zero‑X crew destroyed in what they thought was self‑defense‑‑"

"‑‑and the one that reappeared out of nowhere," interrupted Captain Grey.

"Precisely, Captain. And then the men reported hearing this." The assembly listened as a slow, unnaturally‑deep voice filled the room. It identified itself as the voice of the Mysterons, a peaceful race that had interpreted the Zero‑X crew's actions as belligerent. The Mysterons went on to say that they vowed to avenge this "act of aggression" by assassinating the World President.

"Ooh, that voice gives me the creeps," remarked Symphony Angel, cringing. Blue shot a concerned glance across the conference table, hoping no one else would notice. Fortunately for him, everyone's eyes were riveted to the monitor.

One section of the ominous transmission caught Magenta's attention. "'Ultimate destruction of life on Earth'?!" he exclaimed.

"Calm down, Magenta," Captain Ochre said tiredly. "They also said their retaliation would be slow but effective. It's just a typical terrorist threat."

"But not from your typical terrorists," commented Blue. "Do you think these Mysterons kidnapped or killed Captain Black, sir?"

"We can't be sure. All we know is that Captain Black hasn't been seen since the Zero‑X returned from Mars."

"What do we know about the Mysterons, Colonel?" Ochre asked. "The transmission said something about reversing matter."

White radioed Lieutenant Green to pause the videotape. "The Mysterons, first of all, apparently do not possess bodies as we know them. We can obviously hear them, but we cannot see them. We do know, however, that they possess a unique ability. They rebuilt their city, exactly the way it was, before the eyes of the Zero‑X crew with less effort than it took to destroy it. This must be what they meant by reversing matter."

"OK, so they can re‑create objects. How about people?"

"At first Spectrum Intelligence thought Captain Scarlet and Captain Brown were traitors, paid assassins. But then when they saw the second Scarlet in the morgue‑‑"

Blue and Symphony exchanged knowing glances and nods as a murmur emanated from the officers.

"‑‑they ordered both bodies examined and found them to be completely identical," continued White. "Roll the videotape, Lieutenant." The next scene was a highway embankment. The video camera panned to the wreckage of a Spectrum patrol car.

"The bodies of Captain Scarlet and Captain Brown were found here, after the first attempt on the World President's life."

"First attempt, Colonel?" asked Blue.

"Yes. While the second Scarlet reported the 'accident' to Cloudbase, the second Brown went with the World President to the Maximum Security Building in New York according to plan." White paused as the videotape showed Brown seated and facing the World President in a sealed room.

Grey leaned forward in his seat and squinted at the screen. "Is that smoke coming out of his collar, Colonel?" That quickly, there was a flash and the screen went blank.

"Was that the explosion?" asked Destiny.

White nodded to both agents. "Apparently Captain Brown was a walking booby trap. He had a bomb on his person, we think some sort of trigger for a larger bomb that destroyed the building." He turned back toward the monitor and continued. "The World President, thankfully, was unharmed. His quick thinking saved him. But then the second Captain Scarlet took over."

The Spectrum commander at this time read from Blue's account of his gun battle with Scarlet. The videotape that followed showed the aftermath of the carnage‑‑the remains of the London Car‑Vu, the SPV and Spectrum Helicopter A42.

"This helicopter is also a Mysteron duplicate," White noted. "The wreckage of the original was found several miles away from its pickup point. Somehow the pilot survived, and his report states that all the controls went dead simultaneously."

Ochre whistled. "Colonel, how can we be sure the World President is safe right now?"

"We can't. As nothing else has happened in the past few hours, we can only hope the Mysterons are finished."

"A better question would be, how can we stop these Mysterons before they clone a whole army?" remarked Captain Grey.

"An emergency meeting of the World Government is being held later today, at which time we will discuss our plan of action. I will put you in the picture when I return." White reached for the glass again, his voice growing hoarse. "Before I leave, however, there will be a short memorial service for our three men in the base chapel. That should start in about fifteen minutes. I trust all of you will attend." The colonel gathered up his notes and rose from his seat. "You are dismissed, ladies and gentlemen."

There was a murmur of voices as the eight officers stood up and headed for the door. The colonel called out, "Captain Blue, will you please remain behind? I'd like to have a word."

"Yes, sir, of course."

White waited until the others had left and the door to the conference room was closed before he spoke. "I have a special request, Captain."

"Name it, sir."

"It has been brought to my attention that our deceased officers' next‑of‑kin have not yet been notified. Spectrum Intelligence ordered that information withheld until after they finished the inquest."

Blue pulled from his vest pocket the letters he had written in the officers' lounge. "I'm way ahead of you, Colonel."

"That's not what I mean. I want you to visit the survivors."

Blue stared at his commanding officer. "Sir?"

"I'm asking you to perform an unenviable task, Captain Blue. As you are returning to Spectrum Headquarters London today, I want you to deliver my‑‑our‑‑personal condolences to Brown's widow and Scarlet's parents before you report for duty. I'd do it myself but for that World Government meeting."

"Colonel, I never know what to say to these people."

"Neither do I. I chose you because you're the only other one on base who has done this sort of thing before." White quickly added, "It's not an order, Captain."

"I understand, sir. I'll do it, of course."

"Thank you."

"When do you want me to leave?"

"Straight away, if you could."

"In that case, Colonel, I'll ask one favor. Since I won't be here for the memorial service, I'd like to be able to pay my last respects before I leave. I was friendly with both of them."

White placed his hand on his junior officer's shoulder. "Of course, son, how thoughtless of me. Take all the time you wish."

Dr. Fawn, the chief medical officer on Cloudbase, swung open the door to Sick Bay and greeted Captain Blue. The doctor, clearly exhausted, stifled a yawn and said, "Has Colonel White finished the meeting?"

Blue nodded.

"Then you know about the duplicate Captain Scarlet. I'm sorry, but I couldn't say anything to you when you brought the body in. Spectrum Intelligence ordered me to keep my mouth shut."

"Yeah." The younger man shifted nervously. "I figured they had something to do with it based on the amount of security down here."

Fawn motioned down the corridor. "The colonel said you wanted to get one last look at 'em."

Blue nodded as they walked. "Yes, I'm going down to the surface in a few minutes. I got volunteered to deliver the bad news to the families."

"Better you than me, mate," replied Fawn, patting him on the back. He gestured toward the temporary morgue. "Do you want me to stay outside?"

"No. I might need you to hold me up."

"I rather doubt that, Captain." The Australian officer smiled slightly and unlocked the door. Blue winced at the blast of refrigerated air that hit him as the door opened. He shivered, more from the thought of the job before him than from the cold.

The bodies were still there, in the same state as when Blue saw them last. Fawn approached the slab nearest to them and reached for the sheet, then stopped. "I have to warn you, Captain, it's not a pretty sight. The Spectrum mortician hasn't got here yet."

"I did this two months ago, if you recall."

"Yes, too right." The physician pulled back the sheet. "This one is Captain Brown."

"The original?"

"Yes, Captain Blue. There wasn't much left of the duplicate after the Maximum Security Building‑‑"

"I get the idea, thanks." Blue rearranged the dead man's hair over the bloodless cut on his temple. "Did he suffer, Doc?"

Fawn shook his head. "Broken neck. Most likely he didn't know what hit him."

"Thank God for that. At least that'll be some comfort for his wife."

Fawn nodded and covered the body, then removed the sheet from the next one. "This is Scarlet number one, the other victim of the car crash. He wasn't so fortunate. The saloon was already afire before he was thrown from it. You can see the burn marks on the back of his neck."

Blue sighed heavily. "Why did you ask Destiny to identify him then? I realize she's known him longer than any of us, but‑‑"

"I didn't make her do it, Captain. I just mentioned it in passing. When she offered, I tried to talk her out of it. But she insisted, and I made certain I only uncovered his face, but she still got rather upset."

"No matter how tough you think you are, it's difficult to do when it's an old friend." Blue pointed to the other shrouded corpse. "Can I see the impostor again? I want to compare the two."

"Sure." Fawn crossed to the other side of the room. "It may be a bit difficult to see, you know, with the beating he took in that fall."

"I brought the body back, Doc. I know what it looks like."

The blond American officer stared incredulously at the body of Captain Scarlet number two, the man he had shot through the heart and the man who had fallen 800 feet to a grisly death. The bruised and broken body he had brought into Sick Bay hours before was almost completely unmarked; only a nasty cut, strangely still bleeding, remained on the forehead. The skin was supple and pink where it should have been bloated and discolored.

"What the‑‑?" Blue gasped. Fawn, who had turned back the sheet without looking at the body, now saw what had startled the young field officer. The doctor said nothing but placed his fingers on the man's throat.

"My God," he whispered. He stared at Blue in disbelief. "Blue, this man is alive!"

Blue's jaw dropped. "But‑‑but that's impossible! There's no way he could have survived that fall!"

"Well, he apparently has." Fawn put his stethoscope to the man's chest. "I definitely have a heartbeat and shallow breathing."

"I'd better get the colonel."

Fawn shook his head. "We first need to hook him up to a monitor. Go and get an orderly‑‑then get Security down here."

"Security, Doc?"

"Captain, this man came very close to killing both you and the World President. We don't know what will happen when he regains consciousness. I only hope that bed restraints and an armed guard are enough."

"Yes, I guess you have a point." Blue turned toward the door of the morgue. "It's just that putting a guard on Scarlet doesn't feel right."

"I understand, Captain Blue, but you know that's what the colonel would have us do. Now let's get that orderly in here."

"Yes, Doctor."

"Good God," gasped White as he entered the recovery room. He looked first at the unconscious man on the bed and then at Blue, who had come in behind him. "Captain, please forgive me for having doubted you."

"It's all right, sir. I didn't believe Dr. Fawn myself," the junior officer replied. The doctor nodded silently in agreement, listening as he adjusted one of the many pieces of equipment in the room. "It's not every day that one of his patients falls 800 feet and recovers without his help."

White turned his attention to the Spectrum medical officer. "Is this body healing its own wounds then? Internally as well as externally?"

"Yes, Colonel. We've been scanning him every few minutes."

"Aren't frequent doses of X‑ray radiation dangerous, Doctor?"

Fawn smiled. "Colonel, you're behind the times. The only doctors I know who still use X‑rays are brain surgeons. Dr. Magnus, the top man in that field, swears by them, won't use anything else in fact. What we use up here is much more sophisticated." The doctor handed White two pieces of film. "These were taken only ten minutes apart."

White's eyes widened. "That fracture's completely healed!"

"That's correct, sir. I estimate he'll be right as rain within the half hour."

"Will he have regained consciousness by then?" White continued.

"He's already got full brain activity, Colonel. He can wake up any time he wishes, but I can't predict his actions when he does."

"I don't understand."

"Last time this guy was conscious he was trying to kill me, sir," Blue reminded him.

"Yes, quite." White smoothed his silver hair. "I trust all necessary precautions have been taken?"

"Yes, Colonel," Blue replied. He nodded at the armed Spectrum security guard standing in the doorway. "Besides Jarvis outside there, we have heavy‑duty restraints on the bed, and Dr. Fawn has prepared a strong sedative just in case."

"Good." White turned to leave. "I'll tell Lieutenant Green to recall Spectrum Intelligence. If there are any developments, I'll be up in the Control Room‑‑"

Suddenly the unconscious man emitted a loud groan, stopping the colonel before he reached the doorway. He whirled around to see Fawn beckoning to him, Blue standing expectantly over the body. "He's coming round, Colonel!" the medical officer exclaimed.

The security guard stared at the scene from the other side of the instrument table, a tight grip on his weapon.

The man's eyelids fluttered and slowly opened. He blinked several times, his eyes adjusting to the bright light of the room, trying to focus on the faces above him.

"Dr. Fawn!" he finally said, attempting to move against the restraints. His voice was weak but coherent. "Am I on Cloudbase, then?"

Fawn nodded, not knowing how to react.

His patient looked up at him blankly. "Why the long face, Doctor?" He paused and then frowned. "How's Brown?"

"Sorry?"

"Captain Brown. Did he survive the crash?"

Fawn and White exchanged glances. This man was behaving exactly as they would have expected a loyal Spectrum officer to act, not at all like the homicidal maniac Blue had described. "Er‑‑no, he didn't make it," Fawn finally replied.

"He was a good man," the patient sighed. "Did the rest of the mission go smoothly?"

"Not quite," answered Blue. "But I did deliver the World President safely."

"You?" the man said in surprise. "The President was in New York, but you were in London‑‑" His voice trailed off and he passed out.

"Me and my big mouth," grumbled Blue.

Fawn shook his head. "No worries, Captain. It's better if he rests."

"It's better if we let Spectrum Intelligence question him," White added. "Our primary concern is to find out whether this man is our own Captain Scarlet before we make our next move." The colonel turned toward the door again. "Until then, Doctor, keep your patient comfortable. He should be afforded the same treatment you give to all our other officers."

"S.I.G., Colonel."

"You sent for me, sir?"

"Ah, yes, Captain Blue. Do come in." White pressed a button on his console and a stool rose from the floor. "I wish to discuss Spectrum Intelligence's findings with you and Dr. Fawn before this evening's senior staff briefing."

Blue smiled at the Australian medical officer as he sat down, but the smile was uneasy. "Me, Colonel?"

"Yes. I'll explain in a moment." White picked up the report on his desk. "Spectrum Intelligence have concluded that the man in Sick Bay is definitely our Captain Scarlet. Senior Agent Wade, who questioned him, could find no evidence of his being anyone other than whom he claims to be."

"I knew it was him!" Blue exclaimed, smacking his right fist into his left palm. Now he was grinning from ear to ear in his usual way. "When he asked about his partner, I had no doubt."

"Yes, Captain, but we had to be sure," continued the colonel. "That's why I insisted upon the lie detector test."

Dr. Fawn nodded. "And according to Agent Wade, Scarlet was none too pleased about taking it either."

"That's typical for him," agreed Blue. "And if I know Scarlet, he probably turned Agent Wade's questions around and started grilling him."

Fawn smiled. "That's exactly what he did. I'm convinced that he's telling the truth, that he knows nothing about those six hours when he was under the Mysterons' control."

"Are you convinced, Colonel?" asked Blue.

"You have to admit it's possible, sir," added Fawn. "If the Mysterons can duplicate the human body in such detail, surely they've done the same to the brain. Perhaps this Mysteron presence is similar to hypnosis or amnesia and this trauma has broken the spell."

"I'd thought of that myself, Doctor. But no, I'm not totally convinced. I would still advise caution."

Blue nodded slowly. The colonel was right; they couldn't take any chances at this point. "What do you suggest, sir?"

"He shall have to be watched constantly, by someone who has worked with him for quite some time and understands the way he thinks. The ideal candidate for that duty would be his field partner."

"Who is dead," noted Fawn.

"Right." White put the report down on top of the pile on his desk and stared at Blue. "My next choice would be you, Captain."

The younger man smiled again. "I was hoping you'd say that, Colonel. I always thought we'd make a great team."

"I agree. That's one reason I want you for the job." White picked up his silver pen and tapped the report with it. "The other reason is that I know I can trust you not to let personal feelings get in the way. You proved that to me at the Car‑Vu."

"Do you mean‑‑"

"Yes, Captain, that's exactly what I mean," White interrupted. "If you feel he's a threat, do what you have to do. That's an order."

"Yes, sir," Blue replied heavily. "I just hope it doesn't come to that."

"Well, he won't be much of a threat for a while, anyway," interjected Fawn. "I want to run some more tests before I release him from Sick Bay, and then the psychiatrist from Spectrum Medical Center wants to have a go at him."

"Where do I come in, Colonel?"

"For now, Captain, just observe his actions while the tests are going on. You'll be informed of any developments."

"Yes, sir. How long should the tests take?"

"No more than a few days for the first set," began Fawn. "If all goes well, I'll recommend that he go home for a 48‑hour furlough. Then he's to report to Spectrum Headquarters London for duty as a non‑essential ground agent for a few weeks."

Blue cocked his head and looked askance at Fawn. "You mean a desk job?"

"I know what you're thinking, Captain. That's Spectrum Intelligence's recommendation, not mine. The only way Senior Agent Wade will allow him to come back as a member of senior staff is if he goes through a trial period on the surface and a final series of tests here in our Sick Bay. I don't like it any more than you do."

The junior officer gritted his teeth. "Then you explain it to him, Doc."

"Don't worry, I will," interjected White sharply. "If he doesn't accept these limitations, he'll be court‑martialed for treason based on his actions at the Car‑Vu."

"You're willing to trust him on the surface, Colonel?"

"Yes, Captain Blue, but to a limited extent. You'll continue your surveillance as you've been ordered the whole time he's down there."

"That won't be easy," Blue sighed. "He always knows when he's being watched."

"I should think that he would expect it, Captain, if he is his old self. In fact, I would be more worried if he doesn't suspect something."

Blue reddened. "Of course, sir. Will that be all for now?"

"Yes, until the briefing this evening. I'll let the rest of the staff know at that time that Scarlet has returned to life and we feel he may be useful against these Mysterons once he's cleared for active duty. I won't tell them, however, that he is under surveillance. No one is to know of your assignment."

"S.I.G., Colonel." The American officer rose from the stool and took his cap from the crook of his arm, then stopped. "Oh, sir, one more thing. Has a decision been made yet about‑‑uh‑‑"

"The body?" offered Fawn. Blue nodded.

"Not yet, Captain," sighed White. "How in blue blazes can I tell General Metcalfe his son is dead when he isn't?"

"A suggestion, sir. Why don't you leave that up to Captain Scarlet?"

"Scarlet?!" Colonel White straightened in his seat.

Blue shrugged and held up his hands. "Let that be his first test of character."

The colonel nodded slowly, a faraway look in his eyes. "That's a good idea, Captain Blue. I suppose I could ask him‑‑"

"No offense, sir," Blue interrupted, "but it'll be better coming from his field partner and friend. That's why you picked me, isn't it?" He smiled and saluted, then exited the Control Room.

"Spectrum Jet Charlie‑One‑Two, you are cleared for takeoff," a pleasant female voice crackled over the radio.

"Roger, New York Control," Blue replied, releasing the brakes. The silver and blue passenger jet trundled down the runway, gathering speed, and climbed into the heavens effortlessly. He tapped the brakes again to stop the spinning wheels and raised the landing gear.

Once he had set the course, Blue relaxed and glanced toward the copilot's seat. The other occupant of the cockpit sat quietly, staring directly ahead, clutching a small cardboard box in his lap. He appeared uncomfortable although he was dressed in loose‑fitting civilian clothes.

"You all right? You haven't said a thing since we left Spectrum HQ."

Scarlet sighed. "It's just that-‑well‑‑" He shifted uneasily in his seat. "I just wonder if I'm doing the right thing. It didn't hit me until we picked up this parcel from the Medical Center."

"I thought you made up your mind before we left Cloudbase. Didn't you discuss it with Dr. Fawn and Dr. Weiss?"

"Yes, and the base chaplain as well."

"The chaplain?" Blue managed to suppress a smile, just barely.

"I may not be the God‑fearing, churchgoing man you are, but yes, I do occasionally seek Father Ivory's guidance."

"Then what aren't you sure about?"

"Keeping this a secret from my family." He picked up the box as he spoke. "Don't they at least have a right to know what's happened to me?"

"Do you think they'd understand what happened?" Blue replied quickly. "Listen, would you want to put your father‑‑or maybe your mother‑‑through the grief of losing their only son? Especially when they wouldn't know how to act because that same son is standing there in front of them?"

Scarlet bowed his head. "No, of course not," he muttered.

"Look, pal, I know how hard this must be for you, because I'm glad I'm not the one going through it. But you have to pull yourself together. If you don't have that usual stiff‑upper‑lip attitude when your parents see you, they'll know you're keeping something from them." Blue gazed at the radar display. "We're just coming up on West Point now. Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," his colleague sighed. His grip on the box tightened.

"10,000 feet and minimum speed. Internal and external air pressure equalized."

Scarlet slid open the copilot's window and flipped up the lid of the cardboard box. As he held the box out of the window, the ashes of his former self trailed slowly into the slipstream and diffused into the atmosphere above his alma mater. When the box was empty, he crumpled it and flung it downward angrily.

As he relaxed and closed the window, Scarlet noted that the jet was turning around, but not in the usual smooth way its pilot handled her. He turned and saw that Blue only had his left hand on the yoke. His right hand was at his brow, in rigid salute to a fallen comrade. Scarlet was about to mumble his thanks when he saw the tear running down the American's well‑tanned cheek.

Blue eased the red Spectrum patrol car to a stop in front of a large Tudor‑style home just outside of the ancient English city of Winchester. He automatically checked his appearance in the rear‑view mirror, even after his partner had exited the vehicle and retrieved his suitcase.

"Well, come on," called Scarlet impatiently. "What are you waiting for?"

"If your father notices one hair out of place, I'll never hear the end of it," he grumbled in reply, polishing the clear visor of his uniform cap with his handkerchief.

"Right you are," Scarlet laughed. "He'll have a go at me as well for being out of uniform. I'll probably have to remind him straight away I'm off duty."

Blue picked up his friend's red‑and‑black suitcase, then looked up at the rustic building before him. "Any chance he's not at home?" he groaned.

"Afraid not," Scarlet replied, shaking his head. "He's got nothing better to do, has he? He's retired now."

"How does your mother stand his being at home all the time?"

Scarlet smiled. "Fortunately, the garden needs a lot of work this time of year."

The pair approached the front door of the house, Blue finding himself wishing he was doing something‑‑anything‑‑else. He put down the suitcase and reluctantly reached for the door knocker, trying to think of a way to get out of a visit with General Metcalfe. "Are you sure you need me?" he asked one last time.

"You know more of the story than I do. Now get on with it."

Blue nodded in defeat and rapped on the door. Shortly, a middle‑aged but still beautiful woman appeared, smiling as soon as she saw Scarlet.

"Hello, Mum," the younger man said, kissing her on the cheek and embracing her affectionately. He gestured toward his partner. "You remember Captain Blue, don't you?"

"Yes--Adam, isn't it?"

It was easy to see where Scarlet got his good looks, Blue mused. He found himself breathing a bit easier that it was Mrs. Metcalfe who answered the door rather than his father. "It's good to see you again, ma'am," he answered with his customary smile and a warm handshake.

Mrs. Metcalfe waved the pair into the library. "Shall I put the kettle on?" she asked over her shoulder. "I'm sure you'll want to relax for a bit before your father comes home. We weren't expecting you this soon."

"Thank goodness‑‑" muttered Blue, gasping as his partner poked him in the ribs. "‑‑everything in England stops for tea," he continued without hesitation. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Scarlet smile contentedly.

The dignified woman promptly returned with tea and scones. "We were ever so glad to hear you were all right, Paul," she began, glancing at her son with obvious concern. "All the news reports said that you were killed."

"There was a lot of confusion, Mum. I would have phoned you sooner."

"Your father was most upset. He started ringing all his connections, but no one could tell him anything."

Good, thought Scarlet. He had acted in time.

The young officer knew for a fact that his father had no direct contacts in the Spectrum organization‑‑it was indeed one of the reasons he had volunteered for the group. Before he left Cloudbase, he persuaded Dr. Fawn and Colonel White to assign the highest security clearance to any reports about him. No one outside of Spectrum, other than the World President, would have access to them without the written approval of White.

The grandfather clock in the hall chimed a quarter hour, and Blue automatically looked at his watch. "Please forgive me, Mrs. Metcalfe," he blurted, smiling at her and reaching for his uniform cap. "I really must get going--"

Just then a yellow Labrador retriever bounded into the room, its joyful barking drowning out Blue's words. The canine jumped into Scarlet's lap, nearly knocking his chair backwards, and licked his face repeatedly, the young officer laughing as he tried to pet the dog while avoiding its affections.

"Stop that!" Mrs. Metcalfe scolded, clapping her hands at the dog. "We're all glad to see him, not just you!"

"I was wondering where you'd got to!" said Scarlet, still laughing as he gently shoved the retriever to the floor. The dog, not quite sure how to take his master's rejection, promptly returned to licking his master's face. Blue, who had been trying to avoid being lashed by the dog's rapidly switching tail, found it all quite amusing, but not so his partner's mother.

"Humphrey!" she cried to no avail. "Paul, can't you please stop him?"

"Right, Humphrey, get off," said Scarlet. The animal immediately sat on his haunches and put his head on his master's lap. "That's a good boy," the captain said as he scratched the dog behind the ears.

"He only listens to Paul, you see," she finally explained. "He's been that way since he was a puppy." Blue nod