A Captain Scarlet & the Mysterons story
By Flic City
Centuries ago, a race of
supernatural beings attempted to forge a connection between Earth – the mortal
planes – and their homelands, the dark planes. They made pacts with humans,
playing upon their greed and violence to gain access to their souls – and
through them, to the mortal planes. But their plans were
thwarted by the Powers Above. The beings of the higher planes could not act
directly, for doing so would have destroyed the balance between the planes. But
they could inspire humanity to fight the demons’ influence. Those who were
especially strong in this were called heroes, and were honoured by the humans.
And the demons lost their hold on Earth, fleeing across the emptiness of space
to Mars, where they planned their revenge on those who resisted their influence. For a long time, the
demons had known that they would be hunted by the men of Earth. That was the way
it had always been, since that fateful time when the Powers Above first inspired
the humans. But this time, they would ensure that the heroes sent to fight them
would instead serve them...
Captain Black scowled
thoughtfully as he stared out of the window. He didn’t like being here, out in
the middle of nowhere – a Martian desert was the closest thing he could imagine
to nowhere at this moment – searching for the source of some mysterious
readings. He felt that there was danger coming from somewhere; danger and
dishonour. But his worries were not
sufficient reason to call off an expedition which had been planned for years,
and he knew it. Still… he decided to call off the search for the day if they
found nothing after passing over the latest ridge. With any luck, this
unsettling feeling would vanish by tomorrow. As the vehicle passed
over the rise, however, he found himself confronted with a completely unexpected
sight. There was a city here,
however impossible it might seem. A city that glowed, and wavered as though
viewed through a heat-haze. Black shivered. It was
ridiculous, but he could feel an evil presence watching him and his men. Evil,
and hostile, and old as time...
The demons noted the
arrival of the humans. They had prepared for this long ago. The identity of the
group’s leader was unexpected, but welcome. His parents had died in one of the
wars the demons had inspired on Earth, and he had spent most of his life trying
to make peace — peace which the demons, who fed on destruction and chaos, could
not allow. Their plans were altered
slightly by this discovery. Instead of destroying all of the men within the
expedition, they would use this one as a figurehead in their war of nerves; a
war in which they were about to strike the first blow... THIS IS THE VOICE OF THE MYSTERONS. WE KNOW THAT YOU CAN
HEAR US, EARTHMEN. ONCE, LONG AGO, WE CAME TO YOU WITH AN OFFER OF POWER BEYOND
YOUR IMAGINING. YOU REFUSED US, AND HAVE FOUGHT US FOR CENTURIES, DENYING US
WHAT WE ASK. NOW, YOU SHALL PAY. ALL
OF EARTH SHALL FEAR OUR WRATH, AND THE LEADER OF OUR FORCES WILL BE ONE OF YOUR
OWN. DO YOU HEAR US, EARTHMEN? YOU SHALL BE BETRAYED BY ONE OF YOUR MOST TRUSTED
MEN, AND WE SHALL CRUSH YOU UNDERFOOT.
Captain Black grabbed at
his head. There was a stabbing, burning pain at his temples...
THIS IS THE VOICE OF THE
MYSTERONS. HEAR US, EARTHMEN! FOR TOO LONG HAVE YOU HUMILIATED US. NOW WE SHALL
PROVE THAT IT IS USELESS FOR YOU TO RESIST OUR POWER. WE SHALL KILL YOUR WORLD
PRESIDENT. DO YOU HEAR US, EARTHMEN? YOUR PRESIDENT SHALL DIE!
Two men in the
distinctive uniform of colour-coded officers of Spectrum stared at each other in
shock as they drove to the nearest base, wondering about the strange message. Colonel White’s voice
sounded over their cap radios. “I assume that you are both aware of the threat
just made against the President?” “Yes, sir!” they both
chorused. “Captain Brown, you are
to go to the President immediately. I am placing you in charge of the operation
to safeguard him.” “S.I.G, sir,”
acknowledged the brown-haired man, casting a sideways look at his partner. “Captain Scarlet, I would
ask you to return to Cloudbase.” “S.I.G, Colonel,” the
black-haired man echoed. Their cap radios switched off. Blue eyes met brown as
the Spectrum captains looked at each other. “Well, your first big assignment,”
said Captain Scarlet finally. “I wish you luck.” “Thanks, but do you
really think I’ll need it?” asked Captain Brown sceptically. “Judging by what happened
on the expedition to Mars, these Mysterons certainly have the capability of
carrying out their threat,” Scarlet reminded him. Brown grimaced. “I wonder what they
meant, though. I’ve never heard of them before now, have you?” “No. The name doesn’t
sound at all familiar,” said Captain Scarlet, shaking his head. “I honestly
don’t think I’ve ever come across it before.” Brown nodded
thoughtfully; if Spectrum’s war historian didn’t remember any mention of ‘the
Mysterons’ before, they probably hadn’t been mentioned. “I wish that we were
fighting something we understood,” he half-muttered, trying to voice the aspects
of the situation that bothered him the most. “You know, something in three
dimensions.” Scarlet understood what
he was trying to say. “I know what you mean,” he assured Brown, his temporary
partner until Colonel White decided who to pair him with after Black’s
disappearance. “We only hear them over our radios,” he continued
in a quieter voice, “but I feel they are watching us all the time...” Before Captain Brown
could respond, one of the tyres suddenly burst, sending the car into a desperate
skid off the edge of the road...
The demons had indeed
been watching the two men, and listening to their conversation. It was decided
that they would be perfect choices as the first of the Mysterons’ allies...
Captain Brown was flung
forwards – to be caught by his seatbelt, saving him from a nasty collision with
the windscreen. Beside him, Captain Scarlet was similarly battered as the car
plunged from the road and smashed itself on the ground. For a few moments, they
gasped in silence, catching their breath and assuring themselves that they were
still alive as they catalogued the injuries they had received. “Captain Brown, are you
injured?” asked Scarlet urgently. “Uh – my neck feels
sprained, and I’ve probably got a doozy of a bruise on my ribs and my stomach,
but I think that’s it. You?” “Probably a cracked rib
or two, but nothing worse,” Scarlet assured him, recognizing the stabbing pain
from previous experience. “What caused that?” There was a sudden
feeling of evil that made the two agents shudder and look around. Brown was the
first to notice it – “Paul, look! What’s that glow?” Scarlet ignored Brown’s
breach of protocol by using his real name, and turned with difficulty, wincing
at the pain in his damaged ribs, to see what his field partner was talking
about. Perhaps a foot away from
the car, a pair of glowing rings slowly materialised. The sensation of evil
seemed concentrated within them. Captain Scarlet’s eyes
widened. “We have to get out of here,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “How? That crash ruined
the doors – look at them! We’ve no way of getting out of this car. And after
that smash, she ain’t going nowhere.” Brown sounded quietly frantic. The green
rings seemed threatening, dangerous – and their apparent innocence only made
them more disturbing. The rings suddenly began
to move, flowing over the ground. YOU SHALL BE THE FIRST OF
OUR SERVANTS. YOU SHALL AID US AGAINST THE EARTHMEN. There was no need for
either of them to ask if the other had heard that statement; the way that their
faces had paled, and the anger in their eyes, answered the question without it
being asked. “Never!” the Spectrum
Captains declared in unison. “We’ll never agree to work for you!” The demons laughed
viciously. DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE YOU HAVE A CHOICE IN THE MATTER, EARTHMEN?
they taunted, as the green rings – a manifestation of their magicks – swept over
the car, and zeroed in on Captain Brown. Captain Scarlet watched
helplessly as his friend writhed, screaming in agony. “What are you doing to
him?” he demanded. “Torturing him will get you nowhere. He’s stronger than
that!” The green rings suddenly
vanished, as though they were being absorbed into Captain Brown’s body. Brown
opened his eyes, and smirked coldly. “That’s better. I await Mysteron
instructions.” “What... Brown?” asked
Captain Scarlet weakly. The man beside him turned easily, his eyes cold. “Yes, Paul?” he asked,
his teeth bared to reveal that his canines were much longer – long enough to be
called fangs... Before Captain Scarlet
could recover from his shock, the green rings reappeared – and focussed on
him... Every fibre of his body
shrieked with pain. The light burned and froze him both at once, changing him
unnaturally, turning him into a monster... Then it was gone. He
opened his eyes and said calmly, “I await Mysteron instructions.” YOU WILL BOTH LEAVE THE
CAR. WE WILL PROVIDE ANOTHER, the demons told the two men – their first two
soldiers, in a war to decide the fate of humanity... Captain Brown tore the
seatbelt off, and ripped away the door, climbing out and stretching his arms and
wincing slightly at how bright the sunlight seemed now. Captain Scarlet watched
him contemptuously, then carefully unbuckled his own seatbelt. He slammed a hand
against the door where it had bent, and forced it open. “Why so careful?” asked
Brown scornfully as he watched Scarlet shield his eyes. “It’s just an Earthman
piece of junk.” Scarlet rolled his eyes
under the shadow cast by his hand. “And if you go around tearing everything to
pieces, you’ll draw the Earthmen’s attention,” he pointed out. “Why do you think
our masters want us to use a car in the first place?” He smirked maliciously as
his eyes adjusted enough for him to move his hand back to his side. “Or are you
too weak to run a few miles?” Brown glared at him. “I
can do anything you can,” he snarled. “Aside from thinking,
evidently,” Scarlet responded. Brown leapt at Scarlet
with a wordless howl of rage. Scarlet ducked, his hands raised defensively as he
evaluated the weak spots in Brown’s attack – ENOUGH! The force of the order
blasted the two combatants apart. Before they could resume their fight, the
green rings of light reappeared over the car. But this time, instead of
restoring and improving the original, they merely passed over it slowly and then
up to the road… …Where they created an
exact copy, in perfect condition. “Better than the original,” breathed Brown,
obviously impressed. “Like us,” Scarlet
grinned. And the grin bared his own fangs, long and sharp.
They drove to the nearest
Spectrum base, where Scarlet would catch a flight to Cloudbase. Neither of them
spoke during the trip; they no longer had anything to say to each other,
although just a quarter of an hour ago they had been chatting together easily. Shortly before they
reached the base, Scarlet turned to Brown. “We should be careful not to draw the
Earthmen’s attention to the fact that we’ve been changed.” “You think I need you to
tell me that?” asked Brown, his eyes flashing with anger. “If we aren’t talking
when we arrive, they’ll notice that something’s wrong,” Scarlet hissed, his eyes
narrowing. Brown rolled his eyes. “Fine, let’s have a chat
about the football results,” he said sarcastically. Scarlet pulled a face at the
suggestion – it sounded about as appealing as watching snail racing. His lip
curled, as he reflected that the Earthmen ran so slowly, that was probably an
accurate comparison. “Joke?” asked Brown, not
really caring. Scarlet shook his head.
“These Earthmen.” Brown smirked. “Yeah,
they’re
a joke.” They looked at
each other, and snorted with laughter. But there was none of their former
camaraderie there; only a shared disdain for humanity. The sound of the Spectrum
guard walking up to them drew their attention. They both watched his approach,
eyes focused on the pulse beating in his neck. Their new teeth ached at being
restrained; but there was no telling if there were any witnesses, and the sight
of them draining someone’s blood would be too strong a warning that they had
changed for the humans to ignore. Besides, they didn’t
need
the blood yet – their bodies could manage without it for several hours yet.
Still… “Wonder what
his blood’s like?” Scarlet muttered, too low for mortal ears. “Wonder if he
could put up much of a fight?” Brown returned, equally low. Scarlet looked
at him in disgust. “Did your mother never teach you not to play with your food?”
Colonel White watched
Captain Scarlet as he finished reporting on the accident which had made Captain
Brown late meeting with the President. “...so once Captain Brown was with the
President, I returned here, sir.” “You’re a very lucky man,
Captain Scarlet,” said Colonel White. ‘More than you realise,’
thought Scarlet, feeling the supernatural strength that now ran through his
body. Colonel White took in the
pale features of the man sat before him, and decided to be lenient. ‘I could
almost believe that he’s in shock,’ he reflected. ‘The coldness of his
reactions, and the pallor of his skin, both point to it. But what would have
caused it?’ He forced himself to ignore the unprofitable speculations. ‘Still,
it wouldn’t hurt to allow him a short break before his next shift,’ he decided. “Captain Scarlet? You are
off duty for the next – four hours,” Colonel White announced, dismissing Scarlet
with a gesture. “Thank you, sir!” said
Captain Scarlet, his eyebrows raised. He rose, and left the Command Room for his
private quarters. Before he reached them,
however, he ran into Captain Blue. “Hey, Scarlet! Where are you going?” Blue
asked jovially. “To – my quarters,”
Scarlet managed. He suddenly felt his connection to his masters grow weaker.
‘What is wrong with me?’ he asked himself, looking at his once friend. He
noticed the familiar chain around his neck, and fought the urge to hiss. ‘Of
course – Adam always wears a crucifix!’ But he also noted the
pulse in Adam’s neck. ‘Blood. And I haven’t fed.’ He forced his attention away
from Blue’s neck, and back to his friend’s face. ‘I’m no good to the Mysterons
if the Earthmen realise what I’ve become,’ he reminded himself, gritting his
teeth with the effort not to allow his fangs to lengthen. Blue noticed Scarlet’s
lack of attention. “Is something wrong?” he asked, concerned. ‘Pitiful. Worrying about
another – bleah! These Earthmen are far too weak to be a threat. I almost wonder
why the Mysterons insist that we fight them...’ He broke off, amused at the
realisation that he was trying to find a reason not to kill the human in front
of him. ‘It seems that there is more of the original Paul Metcalfe in me than I
realised,’ he reflected. Out loud, he said, “No, not really. I’m just feeling
somewhat tired, that’s all.” Adam was not convinced,
but as he couldn’t think of any reason why Paul would lie to him, he accepted
the comment. “Oh, right. I guess I’ll let you go have a nap, then.” Scarlet managed a quick
smile. “Sounds like a good idea,” he nodded. Blue watched him carefully as he
left. ‘You’re hiding something, Paul,’ he thought. ‘I just don’t understand what
– or why.’
Scarlet was careful to
take the less-used corridors to reach his quarters. ‘The less people I have
contact with, the better,’ he thought grimly. When he finally reached his
destination, he locked the door and slumped against it, his mouth open and his
fangs extended. ‘So many humans. So much blood... NO! I can’t risk feeding from
one of them. I have to keep them from getting suspicious.’ His limbs started
trembling faintly. ‘I have to find a source of blood soon. I need it,’ he
thought, aware of a gnawing pain inside him. It was not like what he remembered
of hunger; it felt as though his body was dying slowly. ‘It is,’ he realised. ‘I
need blood.’
Captain Brown was having
no such difficulties as he saw to the President’s safety whilst they waited at a
secure hotel for the arranged convoy to arrive and escort them to the Maximum
Security Building. During a quick stroll to check the guards, he found a young
woman who was taking a cigarette break in an out-of-the-way corner. “Can I help you?” he
asked politely. She looked around,
startled, then visibly relaxed as she recognised his uniform. Captain Brown
could practically hear her thinking, ‘It’s all right, I’m safe, he’s a
member of Spectrum.’ He fought down a laugh at how pathetically easy to trick
she was. “Thanks, but I’m just
here for my cigarette break,” she said pleasantly. “Do you want one?” She
extended the packet. “No, I’m not really in
the mood for a smoke,” Captain Brown answered. He let his eyes linger on her,
and added, “I’m actually feeling kind of hungry.” She smiled uncertainly.
“Yeah? ’Fraid you’re out of luck. I don’t have any food on me.” His lips curled
unpleasantly. “I never said that I was hungry for food…” The smile dropped from
her face. She began backing away slowly. “Uh, look, I don’t know what you’re
thinking of, but I’m not interested. Okay?” He bent his head, looking
apologetic. “Sorry if I’m upsetting you. I should be going now, anyway.” He
turned and left. The woman relaxed as she
watched him walking away. “Idiot,” she muttered to herself. “The guy was a
little peculiar, but that’s it. He wasn’t going to do anything to you… that’s
just your imagination working overtime again.” She shook her head, turning away.
“God, I really need a smoke to calm my nerves.” Before she managed to
light her cigarette, Captain Brown had clamped one hand over her mouth and
wrapped the other around her body, pinning her arms to her sides. He heard a
muffled crack from the woman’s ribs that indicated he’d been too rough with his
food, and smiled mockingly as she gasped in agony. “Oops.” He forced her head to the
side, ignoring her struggles as he bared her neck. His fangs sank deep into her
flesh, tearing through veins and arteries. She died almost
soundlessly, her coppery blood flooding his mouth as he drank thirstily. He dropped the body
carelessly on the ground, and threw his head back, flexing his muscles and
delighting in the way the new blood made his senses even sharper and his body
feel even stronger. ‘Now back to playing nursemaid for the President. I wonder
what his blood would taste like,’ Brown thought idly. He left the body where it
was. His masters would remove any sign that it had ever been there, after all.
Captain Scarlet left his
quarters as soon as he was sure of his self-control, and headed for the Sickbay.
There would be supplies of blood there, ready for transfusions, and although
that blood would lack the vital essence of living blood, it would have to do for
now. It suddenly occurred to
him that if he did attack someone, his masters could probably remove the body
and destroy any evidence of what had happened. His fangs extended at the thought
of fresh blood... but, he thought, even if the body vanished, there would still
be difficulty in explaining what had happened to the person. That was the
problem with being on Cloudbase; everyone was known by someone, and everyone had
someone watching out for them. ‘Ridiculous, the way
these Earthmen worry about each other,’ he thought disdainfully. He was careful
not to ask himself why he was searching for excuses not to attack these people.
It wasn’t that he cared for them; if they were to die, he would gleefully dance
upon their graves. But something stopped him from causing their deaths... He shook his head, and
concentrated on how to reach the sickbay without being seen.
When Scarlet got there,
he found that he was in luck: there was only one person around, a nurse who was
busy itemising the medical supplies. He smiled – then doubled over with the pain
in his gut. As the cramps lessened, a voice in his head mentioned, ~She’s
alone.~ ‘So what? I already
realised that I can’t afford to attack–’ ~Rationalised, not
realised. She. Is. Alone. There’s no one here to tie you to her death. And you
know that her blood will be much better than the supplies that you were planning
to steal.~ Scarlet held absolutely
still, not even sure why he was so resistant to the thought of attacking a
defenceless person. But… he was. She was a member of Spectrum, like him – ~You’re better than a
member of Spectrum now, remember?~ The woman shifted
position as if she was going to turn around – and Scarlet reacted instinctively. The nurse frowned as she
felt a cool breeze against her arms. “Who’s there?” she asked without turning
around. When no one answered, she looked up from her clipboard – to find that
she was alone in the room. She shrugged, and returned to counting the bottles of
chemicals in storage.
Scarlet grinned
as he left Sickbay. It had been child’s play, grabbing some of the transfusion
bags and leaving before the nurse spotted him. He ran lightly back to his
quarters, and locked the door again. Then he raised one of the bags to his
mouth, and sank his teeth into the plastic, sucking avidly. The blood tasted strange,
because of the anti-coagulants. But it was rich; he could feel the strength
returning to his limbs as he drained the bag. He gasped, eyes
half-closed, when he had emptied it. He licked the blood from his fangs, and
looked at the other bags in his possession; but he didn’t know how long he would
have to pretend to be an Earthman, and he didn’t need any more blood at
the moment. He was startled by the
effort it took him to resist emptying the bags immediately. His thirst had been
slaked for the moment, yet he still wanted more. Instead, he carried the bags to
his cupboard, and hid them on the bottom shelf.
Captain Brown rode in the
same car as President Younger. “Where exactly are we going, Captain?” Robert
Younger asked courteously. “To the Maximum Security
Building. You’ll be safer once we get there, sir. And if you look out of the
window, you’ll see that there are guards on the roofs – and of course, we have
the Angels flying overhead.” The President smiled.
“Angels is the right word for that team! I’m very reassured by the precautions
being taken. All the same, I’ll feel better when this is over. We still know
hardly anything about these ‘Mysterons’, after all...” Captain Brown nodded
gravely, concealing his boredom with the conversation. He knew more about the
Mysterons than President Younger realised. And his masters were powerful beyond
these Earthmen’s comprehension... They entered the foyer of
the Maximum Security Building, and were greeted with the sight of two guards
aiming guns at them. ‘As if those could harm me,’ Brown reflected. “Identification?” asked
one of the guards. Captain Brown fished out his Spectrum Identicard, and held it
out to the guard. He looked at it, and nodded, satisfied. The President stepped
onto a mechanised walkway, which carried him through a metal detector. Captain
Brown followed, but the alarm began to sound. Immediately, a shield dropped down
between Brown and the President, and the guards aimed their weapons at him. Brown was careful to make
it seem that he was moving fast for an Earthman as he reached into his left
pocket, saying, “It’s all right, don’t panic!” He pulled out his cigar case, and
threw it to the ground. It flew open at the impact, revealing the set of ten
cigars. The shield retracted.
“You had me worried for a minute there, Captain,” the President remarked. Captain Brown shrugged,
trying to seem apologetic. “It honestly never occurred to me, sir,” he said.
‘And I didn’t expect the warning sirens to be so loud,’ he thought, resisting
the urge to rub his ears. They both walked into the
elevator and stood in silence, watching as the numbers flickered above the door.
Brown clenched his jaw at the sound of the President’s heartbeat. ‘No. I – must
– not... the Mysterons need him to reach the safehouse alive and well, to prove
how utterly ineffective the Earthmen’s precautions are. I am not allowed to feed
from him!’ He couldn’t help giving a relieved sigh as the doors opened,
revealing the safehouse. “Welcome to our home for
the next few weeks, sir,” he said, allowing the President to leave the elevator
first. President Younger looked
around with approval. “It seems very nice.” He noticed a table set up ready for
a game of chess. “Do you play at all, Captain?” Captain Brown fought down
a smirk which would have revealed his fangs. “I play a very good game, sir,” he
assured the President, who blinked at a sudden glint. “What’s that?” “It’s electronic eyes,
sir,” said Captain Brown. “They’re watching our every move.” “Well, I can see that
with Spectrum guarding me, I shall have nothing to worry about,” smiled the
President. Captain Brown was silent.
Something had changed in his body, and he was trying to pinpoint the disturbing
sensation... as if the chemicals within him were being forced out of true
somehow, swiftly unbalancing his metabolism to the point where – ‘NO!’ he screamed inside
his head, staring at the ceiling. ‘YOU CAN’T DO THIS!’ But the changes had
already progressed to the point where he could no longer control his body,
leaving him helplessly aware of the fact that his masters were going to destroy
him with as little concern as he had felt for the woman he attacked. ‘Is this because I didn’t
attack the Spectrum guards?’ Brown asked desperately. There was no response.
“Captain Brown? I said,
I’ll have nothing to worry about... Captain?” Worried by the captain’s lack of
response, and what looked like smoke rising from the man’s collar, the President
quickly pressed a button on the side of his chair. The President was whisked
away to another location – just before Captain Brown exploded, and the Maximum
Security Building turned to rubble!
Colonel White looked
grim, as he regarded the President and Captains Scarlet and Blue. “Let’s review
what happened, and see what we can learn from it,” he said. “I don’t understand,”
President Younger said quietly to Captain Scarlet. “You’ll see in a moment,
sir. Fortunately, the recordings are kept in another building, so they’re safe,”
Captain Scarlet told him. Privately, he was as interested in seeing what had
happened as everyone else, although for very different reasons. What could have
gone wrong with his masters’ plans? “Play it back,” the
Colonel ordered Lieutenant Green. The large screen behind him lit up with an
image of the President and Captain Brown stood in the Maximum Security Building
foyer. “Roll on,” ordered the Colonel. He waited for a few seconds, then said,
“Right, try it now.” The screen showed Captain
Brown throwing his cigars to the floor. ‘Typical. How did he manage to forget
those?’ thought Scarlet, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. “Roll on!” ordered the
Colonel. He was frowning slightly. “Stop! Play back.” The two men were visible
inside the safehouse. Suddenly, smoke began rising from Captain Brown’s body.
The President pushed a button on his chair. A protective screen appeared around
him, and he was rushed to safety as the smoke around the captain thickened. Then
Captain Brown exploded, and the screen went dark. For a moment, the room
was silent. Captain Scarlet was particularly shocked. How could his masters have
done that to Brown? Sure, he was an annoying bastard, but he hadn’t deserved
that! “The first thing that
recording shows us,” the Colonel finally said, speaking to the President, “is
that you only just escaped with your life. And the second is that Captain Brown
was somehow responsible for the destruction of the Maximum Security building.” “Are you saying that
Captain Brown was somehow a part of these Mysterons’ plans?” asked President
Younger in surprise. “Captain Brown was one of
my finest men. That is one of the few things I am sure of,” Colonel White
responded. He continued with a sigh, “Since the expedition, there have been a
lot of peculiar happenings. Captain Black, again a trusted man and the leader of
that expedition, has disappeared. And now this!” He sighed. “Captain Scarlet,
you will take the President to a new location.” “S.I.G,” said Captain
Scarlet, scarcely able to believe his luck. “We must defeat the
Mysterons!” ‘Earthman, you have just
given the Mysterons the opportunity they need to defeat you!’ thought Captain
Scarlet. And however much he pretended otherwise, there was as much anger as joy
in the thought. When Captain Scarlet had
left with the President, Lieutenant Green turned to Colonel White with a bemused
expression. “Sir, Spectrum agents report discovering a wrecked SPC just off the
route that Captains Scarlet and Brown were taking earlier.” “What!” exclaimed the
Colonel, staring at him. “But Captain Scarlet
didn’t say anything to suggest that the car they were in got destroyed,”
Lieutenant Green continued. “And I’ve just checked, and he and Captain Brown
arrived at the rendezvous in a SPC.” “Something must have
happened at that accident. Something we don’t understand,” the Colonel mused. “Do you think it has
something to do with Captain Brown’s death?” asked Lieutenant Green. “Possibly. I don’t
understand why Captain Scarlet didn’t report it...” Colonel White’s eyes widened
with his sudden realisation. “Captain Scarlet! If whatever happened there is
responsible for Captain Brown’s treachery, the same thing might have happened to
Captain Scarlet!”
“Captain Scarlet, come in
please,” Lieutenant Green’s voice sounded over the plane’s radio. “You are to
return to Cloudbase immediately.” Scarlet rolled his eyes.
‘They’ve figured something out,’ he decided. ‘Fine. I was getting bored of this
masquerade anyway.’ “Captain, aren’t you
going to do as they say?” asked President Younger nervously. Scarlet turned to
him and grinned, revealing his long, sharp fangs. “Shut up,” he said, still
grinning. “I don’t take orders from you anymore.”
The Angels were flying
after the plane. “He is not responding,” Destiny Angel reported, her accent
thickening slightly. Colonel White scowled.
“Lieutenant Green, put me in contact with all of the aircraft.” He waited until
Green signalled that he had done so, then said, “Angels, I order you to shoot
that plane down!” He signalled for Green to cut transmission, and listened to
the acknowledgements of his order. “Now get me just the Angels. “Angels, belay that last
order. You are set up for a dummy run on the plane – and make sure you miss!” “S.I.G, sir!” came the
response.
“What’s wrong with you,
man?” demanded President Younger. Scarlet laughed. “Wrong with me? I’ve
never felt this good in my life!” “And you think you’ll
feel good when they shoot us?” asked Younger incredulously. “They won’t.” Harmony’s
Interceptor flew past, shooting towards them. President Younger flinched, but
Scarlet just shook his head pityingly. “Not even trying. I suppose the Colonel
gave them orders not to risk harming you.” The President set his
jaw. “We’ll see about that!” He grabbed the radio. “Angels, I order you to –”
Scarlet reached over and crushed the radio between his fingers. “Be quiet,” he suggested
to the President, who stared at him in shock. “Or I’ll crush you, next time.” He
turned his attention back to flying the plane. ~Why just crush the
radio?~ part of him asked. ‘Shut up.’ ~Come on. Breaking his
jaw would have meant that he couldn’t say anything to you. You know your masters
wouldn’t disapprove. So why just damage the radio?~ ‘Shut UP.’ ~You’re behaving like a
human again...~ Scarlet growled, his
hands tightening on the controls – but only slightly. Damaging the getaway
vehicle was not part of the plan. ‘If he speaks to me again, I really will crush
his jaw.’ ~You’re lying to
yourself.~ ‘SHUT UP!’
“Sir, the President tried
to say something, but the transmission cut off,” said Destiny urgently. Colonel White frowned.
“As soon as they are over solid ground, Angels, force Captain Scarlet to land.” “S.I.G.” “What is going on up
there?” Colonel White muttered.
Scarlet smirked as he saw
England. “Hold on,” he mocked, before sending the plane into a steep dive.
Younger clutched at the handholds desperately, wondering what this madman was
trying to achieve. The plane began to
shudder as the pressure of its descent increased. Scarlet’s smirk became wider,
his eyes almost glowing with suppressed laughter. “Stop! You’re going to
kill us both!” Younger shouted, profoundly aware of the complaints from a
machine pushed beyond its limits. Scarlet gave a wild
laugh, and forced the nose of the plane up. The stresses of the situation made
it seem inevitable that the plane would disintegrate...
The Angels watched in
horror as Scarlet appeared to attempt suicide, sending the plane plummeting to
the earth. They were astounded when he managed to guide it to a safe landing
without destroying it. “Captain Scarlet and the
President have both left the plane,” Harmony reported, her voice dazed. “Scarlet
– I think he’s gone insane!”
Scarlet opened one of the
doors, and jumped out. He reached back in, and pulled President Younger behind
him. “We’re going for a ride,” he said, baring his fangs again. He dragged
Younger along by the arm to a nearby car, then opened the passenger door and
gestured courteously for Younger to climb in. “Forget it!” Younger told
him. Scarlet’s eyes narrowed, and he snarled. The light gleamed on his
fangs. Younger swallowed, and climbed into the car meekly. “Good move,” applauded
Scarlet. He closed the door, and was in the driver’s seat before Younger could
open it again, reaching to hotwire the ignition. The tyres squealed as Scarlet
gunned the engine. The Angels tailed after it, in a bizarre parody of their
earlier display over the procession taking the President to the Maximum Security
Building. “M27, here we come!”
|
Captain Black watched the
roads. His skin was parchment, with black rings around his eyes and stubble
covering his chin. He looked as though he had been without food or sleep for too
long. SCARLET WILL BRING THE
PRESIDENT ALONG THE M27. WHEN HE DOES, YOU WILL TELL HIM THAT WE WANT THE WORLD
PRESIDENT TO BE TAKEN ALIVE. ONCE HE IS THERE, WE WILL MAKE HIM OUR FINAL OFFER
– AND IF HE REFUSES, WE SHALL DESTROY THE WORLD! “I hear and obey,”
Black responded. His eyes glittered in the light, as he resumed his watch. The
demons were well-pleased with the effectiveness of their decision that the most
fitting punishment for a man renowned for his love of peace, was that he should
become the figurehead of their army during the war.
Scarlet sped towards
London, ignoring his unwilling passenger. The Angels’ shadows fell over the car
as they flew overhead, and then circled around. As he approached the
junction, one of them peeled off from the formation. The bridge leading towards
England’s capital exploded. “So much for London,” he
sighed, turning towards the Car-Vu.
A few miles away, another
car parked hastily at a small waystation and a blond man climbed out. “Captain
Blue, here for Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle,” he said to the serviceman watching him
with interest. “I.D?” asked the
mechanic, wiping oil from his hands with a rag. Captain Blue reached into his
pocket, and flipped out his Identicard. The mechanic looked at it, nodded, and
pressed a hidden button. The nearby trailer collapsed, revealing the hidden
vehicle. “See you have an expert rating on these things. Must be hard, driving
backwards,” he remarked chattily. “You get used to it,”
Blue answered, smiling easily. He dropped his casual air as soon as he was in
the vehicle, feeling a cold knot in his stomach at the thought of what lay ahead
of him. He settled into the driver seat, and headed off down the M27. “Captain Blue, we have
Scarlet’s car in sight. It is a plain blue Saloon, heading towards the London
Car-Vu,” Destiny reported. “S.I.G. I should be in
sight of him in – five minutes. Keep me informed.” “S.I.G, Captain.”
Captain Black watched as
Scarlet’s car smashed through the barrier in front of the Car-Vu. “Captain
Scarlet, you will take the president to the top of the London Car-Vu. We have
control of Helicopter A42. Remember, we need the president ALIVE.” “Mysteron instructions
will be obeyed,” Scarlet acknowledged. Black raised an eyebrow. Was there a hint
of reluctance in that comment?
The demons had indeed
gained control of the helicopter, and were guiding it towards the Car-Vu. They
were not happy about having to alter their plans. Scarlet would need to prove to
them that he could handle this mission, or they would rid themselves of him...
Scarlet narrowed his eyes
as the car swung around the Car-Vu ramps. ~You aren’t having second
thoughts, are you?~ ‘Don’t be ridiculous.
These Earthmen are pathetic.’ ~You were an Earthman.~ ‘And I was as pathetic as
they are! I’m grateful to my masters for changing me into this; for making me so
much more than I was. I couldn’t bear to be merely human again.’ ~Good. Remember that.~
Blue drove after the
saloon. His training as a Spectrum officer had taken over, pushing his questions
as to why Scarlet would do this to the back of his mind. All of his conscious
attention was now focused on how to save the President.
The saloon reached the
highest level of the Car-Vu. “Out,” Scarlet said, exiting the car. The President
obeyed him, looking around for signs of Spectrum. The SPV screeched onto
the tarmac behind them. Blue called, “Captain Scarlet, let the President go! You
have no other options!” Scarlet rolled his eyes,
and dragged the President towards the edge of the platform. ‘That’s what he thinks.
My masters aren’t so easily defeated.’ Captain Blue frowned when
Scarlet didn’t respond. “Helicopter A42 in position,” came a voice over his cap
radio. “Good! Run an attack on
Scarlet; you’re in a better position than I am. And be careful, he’s right next
to the President,” Blue ordered. The helicopter lowered
itself to attack, and shot – straight at Captain Blue! “Angels! Helicopter A42
is attacking, and must now be considered hostile!” he called over his radio,
diving for cover. One of the Angels turned to defend Blue, spitting bullets at
the enemy aircraft. The helicopter began
defensive manoeuvres, but it was no match for the sleek Angel Interceptor. The
bullets tore through its rotor blades, and it plummeted to Earth, crushing the
supports of the Car-Vu. Captain Scarlet grabbed
hold of a support strut as the structure shuddered, and watched angrily as
Captain Blue pulled on a hoverpack taken from the SPV and flew towards him. “Captain Scarlet, surrender! You have no other choices!” “There’s always a
choice,” Scarlet hissed, his fangs fully extended. He snatched at his gun, and
aimed for Blue’s heart. The bullet missed, but it
was close enough that Blue flinched. “All right, Captain Scarlet,” he muttered
grimly. “If that’s the way you want it, it’s either going to be you – or me.” He
began to return fire. The Car-Vu swayed
suddenly. The President grabbed hastily at a support, trying not to fall off.
Scarlet spun around to check on him – and Captain Blue saw his chance. The bullet lodged itself
in Scarlet’s chest. Scarlet cried out, his face twisted. He stepped backwards –
off the platform... Captain Blue hurried to
secure the President before his grip on the support weakened. The Car-Vu swayed
again, tilting dangerously far. Blue caught hold of the President, and lifted
them both – just before the Car-Vu collapsed in an avalanche of concrete and
metal. They floated down to
earth in silence. As they landed, Blue noticed with absent surprise that someone
was trying to contact him. “Captain Blue! Report!”
Colonel White was going frantic trying to reach his officer. “Captain Scarlet took the
President to the top of the London Car-Vu. I ordered Helicopter A42 to shoot
him. Helicopter A42 proved hostile, and attacked me. One of the Angels shot it
down. It hit the Car-Vu supports. Captain Scarlet refused to surrender. I shot
him. He fell off the Car-Vu, and I rescued the President by hoverpack.” Blue was
aware that his report was disjointed, but he couldn’t forget the scream Captain
Scarlet had voiced as he fell. It had been inhuman... There was a pause. “I
see. Good work,” said Colonel White. “I’ll send some ground agents to recover
Scarlet’s body.” “S.I.G,” Blue remembered
to say. He closed his eyes for a moment, then looked at the President. “Are you
all right, sir?” he asked. President Younger looked
at him. “What was Captain Scarlet?” Blue’s brow furrowed as
he tried to understand the question. “Well, if you’d asked me that yesterday,
I’d have said that he was the best officer in Spectrum,” he began. Younger shook his head.
“Captain, the man who kidnapped me – the man whom you shot – he wasn’t human.” Blue stared at him
blankly. “What?” “He moved faster than I
could see, he crushed the radio in the plane with his bare fingers... That was
not a human being, Captain!” Blue was silent for a
moment. “Then it wasn’t the Captain Scarlet I knew,” he said finally. “Because
he was human.”
Captain Scarlet’s body
was sent to Cloudbase as soon as it was found. Almost four hours had passed
since the Car-Vu was destroyed... Doctor Fawn studied the
body carefully immediately it arrived in Sickbay. “Strange,” he muttered. “He
almost seems to be healing...” Captain Scarlet drew in a
deep breath. Doctor Fawn fell back in
astonishment. He called for security, not taking his eyes from the corpse that,
somehow, was alive. Under his orders the body was moved, and restraints were
applied.
Captain Blue ran to the
Sickbay as soon as he heard that Scarlet had revived. He found himself staring
into a quarantine room where Captain Scarlet was restrained, taunting everyone. “Do you honestly believe
that my masters will give up so easily?” he asked contemptuously. “Your time is
done, Earthmen. You will not survive the wrath of the Mysterons.” Blue stared at him,
taking in the pale skin and the long fangs. “What did they do to him?” he
breathed. Scarlet turned and met
Blue’s eyes. “Improved me,” he answered, with a fiendish grin. Blue shuddered. “No.” “Oh, but they did. Here,
I’ll prove it –” he tore free of the restraints as though they were tissue
paper, and flung himself through the observation window. Before anyone could
react, he caught Blue’s jacket, his rush propelling them both to the other side
of the room. “The only problem with
what I have become is, I need fresh blood every so often,” he smirked, one hand
tearing away the chain which held Blue’s crucifix and throwing it across the
room, while the other one lifted Blue off the floor by his jacket and held him
against the wall. Scarlet opened his mouth, his fangs growing even longer – and
froze. Slowly, his eyes moved up
from Blue’s pulse. Blue stared back, wondering what would happen to him. Sky-blue eyes stared into
their equal for a moment. Scarlet’s gaze began switching between Blue’s pulse
and Blue’s eyes, while Blue watched a struggle between the Scarlet he knew and a
terrible hunger. ~What are you waiting
for? Drink!~ ‘I – I can’t.’ ~You need blood.~ ‘Yes, but I can’t do
this.’ ~You will. You can’t
resist it forever. This is what you are now.~ ‘No! No, I won’t do this.
Not now. Not ever.’ ~Your masters will not be
pleased with you.~ ‘I’m not pleased with
them. And I’m not going to hurt someone just because I’m thirsty.’ Scarlet’s fists tightened
slowly, until the seams of Blue’s jacket started to creak. No one dared move,
for fear of disturbing the fragile balance and causing Scarlet to attack Blue. ~You can hear his heart
beating. Just one bite, and you’ll feel much better...~ ‘NO! I won’t do this!’ ~This is what you are.~ ‘This is what they tried
to make me. I’m not going to let them.’ ~Do you really think you
can resist what you are?~ ‘Yes. I have to. I will
not let them win.’ ~You’ll die without fresh
blood! Don’t you realise that?~ ‘Better than injuring
someone else so that I can live.’ Something seemed to
break; and the only thing in the blue eyes staring at Captain Blue was the shock
and remorse of his best friend. “Adam...?” he breathed quietly. He set him down
gently, his expression horrified. “Adam – I almost –” he turned and fled, moving
too fast for the men in the room to see. Blue stared after him for
a moment. “Paul?” he whispered, then set off after him. “Sir, where are you
going?” asked one of the security guards who had been there in case what had
just happened, happened. “After him,” said Blue
impatiently. “That’s not a good idea,”
came the immediate response. “He’s not human, he’s been changed – and he just
attacked you...” “He didn’t hurt me,” Blue
corrected him. “See?” he raised his chin, and tilted his head so that everyone
could see the lack of bitemarks. “He’s my best friend. I’m going after him.” He
set off again, and this time no one got in his way. ‘Only problem now is,
where is he?’ reflected Blue. ‘He’s not likely to go somewhere with other
people, so that leaves out the observation deck. And he’s definitely not going
to be in the gym. Let’s see... He’ll probably want to be alone – of course!’
Blue mentally knocked his palm against his head. ‘He’ll be in his quarters!’ He headed off, wondering
what he was going to say if he did find Scarlet.
Paul Metcalfe slammed the
door to his room shut, and tore the door of the cupboard off in his hurry to get
at the bags of blood still hidden in there. He bit one and drained it in
seconds, letting it fall and reaching for the next one. ‘I almost bit him! I
could have killed him!’ he thought, agonising over how close he had come to
seriously injuring his best friend. Someone knocked on the
door. He jerked his head up, panicking. The scent was familiar – “Adam?” he
asked. “Yeah, it’s me, Paul,”
came the response. “Are you... How are you?” “Don’t you mean what?”
Paul asked with a bitter laugh. There was a pause. “May I
come in?” “No!” Paul said quickly.
Adam opened the door and looked around it. “Are you –” he started,
but fell silent as he saw that Paul was crouched on the floor holding a
transfusion bag, his fangs dripping red. Paul looked down,
ashamed. “Paul?” He heard Adam
open the door further, and step into the room. He leaned back unconsciously.
“Are you going to be all right?” He closed his eyes
against the sudden sting of tears. “I don’t know,” he breathed, admitting his
uncertainty. “I don’t feel like I know anything, anymore.” “What happened to you?”
Adam asked, settling himself to one side of the distraught man. Paul swallowed, and began
to quietly describe his last clear memories. “I was going to the rendezvous with
Captain Brown. I wished him luck on his first big assignment, and we talked
about the Mysterons.” He frowned. “The tyre blew out – I don’t know how. I –
couldn’t control the car. We were thrown about a lot; the car ended up smashed
on the ground. We were both bruised and battered, but nothing irreparable...”
His eyes glazed over with the memories. “There was a sudden impression of –
evil. I know it sounds melodramatic, but – we were both scared stiff. We’d have
run, if we could, but the doors were damaged. We couldn’t get out.” He wrapped
his arms around himself. “There was a –” he stopped, and looked sideways at
Adam. “It sounds ridiculous, but there was a pair of glowing rings on the
ground. And then... the Mysterons spoke.” He shuddered at the memory. Adam
stayed silent, unsure what he could say that would help Paul. “They said that we
were going to be their first servants. We said never, of course.” His voice
became even quieter. “They asked why we thought that we had a choice in the
matter. The rings moved, until they were over Brown...” He started breathing
faster, the memory obviously scaring him. “He was – screaming. I thought they
were torturing him... and then it stopped, and he sat up and said, ‘I await
Mysteron instructions’ as though it was normal.” Paul buried his face in his
arms. “And then they turned the rings on me.” Adam waited for Paul to
continue. He was horrified by what he had heard, but he knew that his friend
needed to get this out of his system before he could heal. And he needed someone
to – not understand, but at least know what he had been through. After a few minutes, he
prompted Paul gently. “What did the rings do?” “This.” Paul gestured
towards his body. “I’ve been – changed. I heal faster, I’m a lot stronger and
faster, I can hear and see and taste and smell and feel more acutely than
before. “I’m a monster.” Blue blinked at the last
comment. “Why a monster?” he asked cautiously. “Look at me, Adam!” Paul
turned to face him, baring his fangs. “I need blood. I attacked you – I
almost...” he broke off, chest heaving. “I’m not human any more! I don’t know
what I am!” Adam stared at him for a
moment. “You’re an officer of Spectrum,” he told Paul firmly. “You’re the
youngest colonel ever in the WAAF. You’re my best friend.” Paul stared at him.
“After what I did?” he asked. Adam held his eyes, and nodded. “Shouldn’t I be asking
that? I’m the one who shot you, you know,” he reminded Paul. Paul frowned
thoughtfully. “When?” Adam stared at him
blankly. “On the Car-Vu. When you were trying to kidnap the President.” Paul sat up, looking at
him intently. “Trying to... Adam, when was this?” “Uh... maybe six hours
ago. Why are you asking?” Paul stared at him
blankly, then sat forwards, frowning in concentration. He raised his head, his
eyes wide. “Adam... I don’t remember.” “What?” “I... The last thing I
remember clearly before I attacked you is those rings. After that, it’s – hazy.
I remember odd things – leaving Captain Brown, your crucifix, putting these bags
in my cupboard, watching something in the Control room, flying a plane, driving
a car somewhere... and nothing else. Just flashes, moments when I broke through
whatever they did to make me obey them.” His eyes widened further. “Adam, what
did I do?” “Do you remember what
happened to Captain Brown?” Adam asked. Paul frowned.
“Something... I was angry that the Mysterons did that to him... What happened?” Adam took a deep breath,
and explained what had happened, beginning with Paul’s report on the minor
accident which made them late. Paul listened intently, fitting his memories to
the situations Adam described. When Adam had finished, he was still for a
moment. “So. What happens now?” Adam blinked. “What do
you mean?” Paul met his eyes. “I’ve
kidnapped the World President, laughed at everyone, attacked you... I don’t
think a firing squad would do me any permanent damage, and I’m not sure what
would. So a death sentence is probably out of the question. What will be done
with me?” Adam was silent. It had
never occurred to him to worry about that. He’d been too busy wondering what had
happened to Paul, and hoping that he was still himself. But now that the
question had been raised, he found that he didn’t have an answer. What would
Spectrum do to Paul, after what he’d done? “I’ll stand with you,
whatever they decide,” he said firmly. Paul searched his eyes, and found that he
was completely sincere. “You’ll probably damage
your career beyond repair,” he warned Adam. Adam laughed. “I’ll
survive,” he promised, then changed the subject. “How are you feeling?” Paul considered for a
moment, and shrugged. “I’ve had enough blood for now. Physically, I feel
wonderful.” “And mentally?...” Adam
prompted. Paul rubbed a hand over
his face. “It’s going to take some time for me to adjust to – all this,” he
sighed. “It helps, knowing that you’re here.” “That’s what friends are
for, buddy,” Adam grinned, finally daring to clasp Paul’s arm. Paul rested his
hand over Adam’s, his eyes filled with gratitude.
Colonel White stared at
Doctor Fawn as he reported what he had found out about Captain Scarlet. “He is
the same man, Colonel. But somehow, his body has been altered. The metabolic
processes have been sped up to the point where he can heal from any wound, even
a fatal one, in a matter of hours. His strength and speed have increased
drastically. You could almost say that he is no longer human. “But there is a price for
these changes. For an unknown reason, the haemoglobin in his blood is no longer
capable of carrying oxygen. He requires regular supplies of normal blood in
order to survive.” “Where would he get the
blood from?” asked the Colonel, his eyes narrowing. “Some of the blood
supplies for transfusions have vanished from Sickbay,” Dr. Fawn informed him. “I
would assume that he took them.” Colonel White considered,
leaning back. “So far, you’ve only described his physical changes. What has
happened to him psychologically?” he asked. Dr. Fawn sighed. “He is
the same man. But there seems to be something else... almost as though the
Mysterons managed to implant a new set of instincts. He’s fighting them; but I’m
not sure whether he’ll succeed...” There was a grim silence
for a moment. It was broken by an urgent call, “Doctor Fawn? Scarlet just
attacked Captain Blue, then ran off. Captain Blue has gone after him.” Colonel White and Dr.
Fawn stared at each other. “This seems to answer the question of which side of
his nature won,” Colonel White said grimly. “Ye-es... but why would
Captain Blue go after him?” wondered Dr. Fawn.
“Important! Captain
Scarlet has escaped from confinement. He is highly dangerous. Any personnel
spotting him are to report his whereabouts to Security immediately! Security,
use any and all force necessary to restrain him!” “Well, now we know how
the Colonel is going to respond to me,” said Paul helplessly, seeing that Adam
was as shocked by the announcement as he was. He shook his head, trying to
dislodge the self-pity and think. “They’ll probably come here any time now. I
should go – I should leave Cloudbase.” Adam nodded reluctantly.
“Where will you go?” Paul sighed. “I’ll have
to worry about that later. For now, I need to get off Cloudbase safely, without
letting them find out where I’ve gone.” Adam nodded again. “Come
on,” he said, holding out a hand. “We’d better hurry to the hangar before they
think to cordon it off.” Paul blinked at him, and
smiled gratefully – then stopped, realising that the smile revealed his fangs.
He climbed to his feet, and the two friends left his quarters, heading for the
hangar bay to borrow a plane.
Captains Ochre, Magenta
and Grey were all in the Officer’s Lounge when the announcement was made. They
looked at each other in surprise. “But – Scarlet’s supposed to be dead!”
protested Magenta. “Blue shot him!” “Yeah,” Ochre agreed. “So
what’s going on?” Grey shrugged, as
perplexed as they were. “I don’t know. But if Scarlet’s in trouble, he’ll
probably want to leave Cloudbase,” he pointed out. “Right. We’re going to
the hangar bay,” said Ochre decisively. “Who made you leader?”
asked Magenta, but he was already getting to his feet. Grey didn’t say anything,
just followed after his companions as they headed for the hangar bay – the only
exit from Cloudbase.
Paul and Adam stood at a
corner, watching the guards cautiously. “I think they’ve figured out where we’re
heading,” Adam remarked quietly. Paul nodded, his face
grim. “If they just look the other way, I’m sure that I can get past them before
they see me,” he said, his voice as low as Adam’s. Adam grinned. “Why didn’t you say so?”
He straightened up, and walked towards the guards. “Have any of you seen
Scarlet?” he asked. “No, sir,” they
responded, all looking at him. Paul flitted past them, and stopped as he reached
another empty corridor. Blue noticed a flicker
out of the corner of his eye. Remembering the speed with which Paul had attacked
him earlier, he felt sure that his friend had made it to relative safety. “I’ve
been checking these corridors,” he said, careful not to mention what he was
checking for. “I’m sure he isn’t in them.” Which was perfectly true. “Which
passages have you checked?” The guards pointed down
the corridor that led to the hangar bay. ‘Perfect,’ thought Adam, careful to
hide his relief at their answer. “So we know he isn’t there,” he said, lying
through his teeth. The guards shrugged, and nodded. “Has he been seen, do you
know?” “We haven’t heard
anything, sir,” came the response. Adam tried to look concerned, but inside he
was laughing with glee. “Has anyone checked his
quarters?” he suggested, secure in the knowledge that Paul was safely away from
that area of Cloudbase. The guards blinked. “That
never occurred... I’ll suggest it right away, sir!” “Good.” Adam walked past
them, and turned the corner. Paul raised an eyebrow at him as they walked down
the passage. “You just lied to
Security,” he said in a mock-serious tone. Adam looked startled,
then realised that Paul was teasing him. “Only one lie. And we know that no one
knows where you are, and Security are off on a wild goose chase to your
quarters. Not bad for a five minute chat, hmm?” Paul grinned, then
stopped, realising that his fangs were showing again. “Not bad,” he agreed. The
two friends hurried towards the hangar bay.
Ochre, Magenta and Grey
were also hurrying towards the bay. “You realise that we’ll probably be too
late,” Magenta said conversationally. “Not necessarily,” Ochre
corrected him. “Remember, Scarlet has to be careful to avoid being seen. We
don’t have that problem.” “He could just attack
anyone who sees him.” “That would draw too much
attention,” Grey pointed out. “And don’t you think that
a trail of unconscious bodies would be a little conspicuous?” added Ochre
sarcastically. Magenta began to answer, but fell silent as they reached a group
of security guards. “Where are you going?”
Grey asked them. “To see if Scarlet is in
his quarters.” “Why?” asked Ochre
incredulously. “Captain Blue suggested
it.” The three colour-coded
officers exchanged glances. It was certain that Captain Blue would realise that
Scarlet would have left his quarters by now, if he ever went there... which
suggested that he had a reason for aiming the guards in that direction.
Specifically, to stop them looking somewhere else... “This just keeps getting
stranger,” Grey muttered as they stood aside and let the guards pass. “Tell me about it. I
mean, is it just me or did it sound like Blue is helping Scarlet escape?” “This situation is
getting weirder,” Ochre complained. “First Scarlet kidnaps the President, and
Blue shoots him – then the next thing we know, there’s a message on the intercom
that Scarlet’s loose and dangerous, and now Blue seems to be helping him to
escape!”
They reached the hangar,
and looked around. “All of the aircraft are still here. See, Magenta? I told you
we wouldn’t be too late!” Ochre scoffed at his partner. Before Magenta could
respond, the doors opened, and Scarlet and Blue ran in – and stopped, staring at
the other captains uncertainly. Scarlet ran his tongue
over his fangs nervously. The gesture made the other captains stare, and he
realised that they didn’t know what had happened to him. “What happened to your
teeth?” Magenta got out, eyes wide. Scarlet forced his fangs
to retract, and tried to ignore the questioning gazes of his friends and choose
a plane. Blue was making his way to one of the small, fast jets that were
available for Spectrum officers. Ochre noticed what he was
doing. “Blue, why are you helping Scarlet?” he asked, careful not to look away
from the black-haired man. “Because he needs my
help,” came the simple response. Grey moved to block him off as he drew closer
to a plane, eyes flicking between him and Scarlet. “He attacked someone!”
protested Magenta. Scarlet winced. “Yeah. Me.” Everyone spun to look at
Blue in surprise, as he stood meeting Grey’s questioning glare. “Why are you helping
Scarlet if he attacked you?” insisted Magenta. “Because he needs my
help!” Blue took in a breath. “He didn’t harm me. I’m fine. And Security are
hunting him, and we don’t know what they’re planning to do if they catch him. So
I’m making sure that they don’t.” “We can’t let you do
that,” said Ochre, his jaw firming. He turned back to Scarlet. “Captain Scarlet,
I am placing you under arrest...” Scarlet rushed him,
landing a solid punch to his jaw. Ochre went down like a sack of potatoes, as
Magenta and Grey yelled and drew their guns. Blue clubbed Grey as soon
as he turned to draw on Scarlet, leaving Magenta alone and facing two opponents.
He looked from one to the other quickly, evidently afraid of letting his
attention leave either of them long enough for them to do something. But he
didn’t plan for Scarlet’s enhanced speed. Faster than Magenta could
see, Scarlet snatched his pistol out of his hand and knocked him out. “Are they still alive?”
asked Adam, seeing how still the three men were lying with a qualm. “Yes. I can hear their
hearts beating,” said Paul simply. Blue gave him a cockeyed look, but decided
not to comment. “All right, then, let’s
get going,” he remarked instead, looking towards the small jet. “We’d better get them to
safety first,” Paul pointed out with a worried frown. “Or the
depressurisation...” he didn’t need to finish. “You’re right.” Adam
looked around, slightly uncertain. “Where do you think... Oh, of course!” He
smacked his head with an open palm as Paul slung Ochre and Magenta onto his
shoulders, and started carrying them to a Spectrum Passenger Jet. Adam followed
him, hauling Grey along. “They should be all right
there,” Paul said with a sigh of relief as he shut the door on the unconscious
men. “Let’s go, before some guard has the bright idea of coming to see if I’m
here yet!” Adam nodded, and the two
friends climbed in to the jet and settled into the cockpit. Paul took the
co-pilot’s seat, giving Adam a quick smile. “Since we both know which of us is
the better pilot!” he laughed. “Like that was ever in
question!” Adam grinned in return. He noticed the forced quality to his friend’s
teasing, but there was nothing more he could do to help. Fortunately, no one had
thought to close down the lift and prevent the aircraft from reaching the
runway. The take-off was perfect, of course; Adam had been a test
pilot before joining Spectrum, and it showed in the way he handled the aircraft.
The two men both looked at Cloudbase as they left; they had enjoyed being
Spectrum agents... “Spectrum Control to Jet
64; what are you doing, Jet 64?” Lieutenant Green’s voice suddenly sounded over
the radio. “Leaving,” Paul answered,
with only the faintest hint of a tremor in his voice. “Captain Scarlet, bring
that plane back right now!” Colonel White ordered. The two captains looked
at each other in surprise. “Well, I would, sir,” said Paul, his blue eyes
suddenly lighting with amusement, “But Adam’s the one who’s flying it.” “What?” “Get me in trouble, why
don’t you,” grumbled Adam. “Well, it’s perfectly
true,” Paul retorted. “Then, perhaps you would
be so kind as to return to Cloudbase, Captain Blue,” Colonel White
stressed. The radio cut off. “I think he’s annoyed
with us,” said Paul. “So why are you smiling?”
asked Adam blankly. “Didn’t you notice?” Paul
gave a half-laugh. “He called me Captain Scarlet, Adam. I’m still a member of
Spectrum!” Adam paused to consider
what he’d said, then began smiling too. “Shall we go home?” he asked, already
guiding the plane back to land on the runway. “Let’s,” Paul smiled,
looking more relaxed than Adam had seen him since the ‘accident’. “Let’s go
home, Adam.”
They were surprised when after leaving the jet
they were greeted by a squad of medicos, instead of the expected security
guards. Adam and Paul were both given a hasty check over, and then Paul was
hurried off to Sickbay ‘for some tests’. Ochre, Magenta and Grey were all being
looked after as well, meaning that Blue was the only one fit enough to report to
the Colonel. “Would you care to
explain your recent behaviour?” Colonel White began, his eyebrows lowered. “Well, you see, after
hearing the announcement that Captain Scarlet was to be arrested, we thought
that you’d decided against giving him a chance,” Adam began. ‘Why did Paul have
to get himself carted off to Sickbay and leave me to face the Colonel alone?’ he
thought desperately. “So, we thought it would be best if he left Cloudbase, and
the only way for him to do that was by plane, and –” Colonel White held up a
hand. “Enough!” Adam gulped, looking even more uncomfortable. “While I can
understand your mistake about my decision, it does not excuse attempting to
steal a Spectrum craft.” “We’d have –” Blue began,
then bit his tongue. White raised an eyebrow at him. “Have returned it later?
How, if I may ask?” Adam blushed, looking
down. It had never really occurred to him – he’d been too busy worrying about
all the other problems they were facing to ask himself what they would do with
the jet once they were off Cloudbase. Colonel White watched his
officer blush with faint amusement, tempered with respect for his loyalty to his
friend. Mostly, however, he was irritated that two of his best men had
misunderstood the situation so thoroughly, and he intended to make sure that
they both knew it. And since Captain Scarlet was in Sickbay, that just left
Captain Blue for him to torment... “Very well. I assume that
if you ever find yourself in a similar situation again, you will please wait to
find out what is going on before you decide to flee the scene?” he asked with
heavy sarcasm. Blue winced and cringed slightly. “Yes, sir,” he mumbled,
head hanging and ears as scarlet as his friend’s tunic. “Good. Oh, and when you
see Scarlet, tell him that I want a word with him.” The Colonel dismissed him,
turning his attention back to the hundreds of minor details involved in running
an operational base whose staff seemed largely convinced that it was some form
of rest-centre – which he frequently reminded them it was not. Captain Blue gave a sigh
of relief as he left the Control Room.
“Sir, what are you going
to do about Captain Scarlet?” asked Lieutenant Green as soon as he was sure the
blond officer was out of hearing. Colonel White gave him a
discouraging frown, to remind him not to question his superiors. When the young
man seemed suitably crushed by it, he told him, “I’m going to keep him as a
Spectrum Captain, of course. Why would there be any question of it?” “I thought that – after
that incident with the President –” Green began, looking confused. “I am convinced that
whatever influence the Mysterons might have held over Captain Scarlet, it has
been broken – and the captain is not the sort of man to allow his enemies
another chance to control him!” Colonel White smiled, somewhat coldly. “No,
lieutenant, who- and whatever these Mysterons are, they seem to have been far
too confident of their control over him. That it has been broken, I have no
doubt. And in the coming war, Captain Scarlet may well prove to be our greatest
asset...”
In Sickbay, the man who
would be considered Spectrum’s ‘greatest asset’ sat on a bed talking with Dr.
Fawn about what had happened to him. “You should come in here
for a transfusion every other day, but apart from that, I can’t see any problems
with your new state,” Dr. Fawn told him. “Thank you, doctor,” said
Paul gratefully. He stood up, and then looked thoughtful. “Do you think it might
be possible for me to have a blood-pack with me on assignments, though? Just in
case...” he trailed off, unable to say out loud what he was thinking. “Of course. I’ll make
sure of it,” Dr. Fawn assured him, aware of what had crossed Scarlet’s mind. If
he should need blood in a situation where a transfusion was impossible... “I’ll
make sure of it,” he repeated. Scarlet nodded, but
stayed looking at the doctor. “Is there something
else?” “Magenta and Ochre. They
are all right...?” “Oh! Of course they are!”
Dr. Fawn smiled widely. “Although, if Patrick doesn’t stop flirting with my
nurse, I do believe that Chan might change that...” The two men laughed
together. “Goodbye, doctor,”
Scarlet called over his shoulder as he left the Sickbay, and almost walked into
Blue. “Colonel White wants to
see you.” Scarlet searched his face apprehensively. There were
definite signs of coming from one of the Colonel’s notorious tongue-lashings.
“Dare I ask about what?” “Go and find out,” Blue
responded, with a slight smile. Scarlet looked unconvinced, but headed off to
the Control Room.
Later, the Colonel looked
around at the staff he had called to a general meeting to discuss the results of
their first brush with the Mysterons. Captains Scarlet and Blue were still
subdued from his earlier reprimands over their behaviour; Captains Grey, Magenta
and Ochre were all giving Scarlet and Blue sideways glances, ranging from
questioning to dubious; Destiny Angel was watching the men in surprise; and Dr.
Fawn had one eyebrow raised and a wry expression on his face as he met the
Colonel’s eyes. “Well. As I am sure you
are now all aware, Captain Scarlet was attacked and changed by the Mysterons.
However, he has regained his – ah – self-control, and is as willing to fight the
Mysterons as any of us. There have been several changes to his body, but none to
his personality or memories. In truth, the only important difference between
Captain Scarlet as he is now and as he was before the Mysterons attacked, is
that he now possesses the ability to retro-metabolise. Captain Scarlet is now
virtually indestructible!” In the silence that
followed, Captain Scarlet blushed deeply, and wished that the ground would open
and swallow him whole.
If the demons had been
furious before, their wrath now knew no bounds. Their chosen vassal had somehow
broken their hold over him! This should be impossible! Eyes filled
with inhuman fury and malice glared through space at the unknowing humans. They
would have revenge for this latest insult to their power...
(Just for
anyone who was wondering: A vassal is ‘someone who is dependent on or
subordinate to another’. I thought it was a good definition of how the Mysteron
agents seem to act...) This story
is based on the pilot episode of the original series, written by Gerry and
Sylvia Anderson. I do not own any of the characters I have used here. I don’t
think that I borrowed anything from other fanfiction writers in this story. If I
am wrong, say so – and please don’t be too mad at me; I didn’t ignore it on
purpose... Please
let me know what you think of this story.
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