A
Penny for Your Thoughts
By Lady Livingstone
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own the
Thunderbirds. Gerry Anderson does. I’m not making money out of this. I’m just
amusing myself and hopefully others.
Author’s
note:
Do
you remember the episode ‘The man from MI 5’? IR helped a guy from the British
Secret Services to get a stolen plan for a nuclear design back. Lady Penelope
was kidnapped by the thieves and held captive in a desolated boathouse, tied to
her chair and with a bomb on her feet.
This
story is from Jeff POV, describing what he is going through.
Yes
I know, it’s another Jeff/ Penelope story. What can I say? I can’t help myself.
I like them so much.
And
now, on to the story…
dddddd
You
did it again. You scared the hell out of me today. Does that surprise you?
Maybe you think that I have got used to it. I send my sons out to danger almost
every day. But every time I do, I fear for their lives, and every time they
come back I thank heaven that their are home safely.
What
you don’t know is that I fear for your life too. No one does. Today I really
thought that I was going to loose you. It was a very close call. Again. You
always get yourself in danger somehow. You are one of the bravest persons I
know. That’s what I love about you. And what I hate about you.
A
few days ago John was hailed by a man from the British Secret Services. They
needed our help to get a nuclear design back, that had been stolen. I had my
doubts from the beginning. I didn’t set up International Rescue to do police
work. But John convinced me to take action. And you saw it as a challenge.
In
a few days you had set up an arrangement, as you called it. You didn’t tell me
what you where up to. If I had known what you where planning, I would have
stopped you. If I could. But you told me not to worry.
As
a matter of fact, your exact words where: ‘dear Jeff, I will be perfectly
alright’. You seemed so confident, so sure. And you always know how to convince
me.
So,
against my own better judgement, I did things your way. I was worried the whole
evening and around nine o’clock we received your emergency call. Your face
appeared on the screen. It seemed calm and confident, as always. But I have
learned to look behind that mask. I looked into your eyes and saw how serious
the situation was. And how afraid you was.
You
signed. ‘held captive’ ‘boathouse’ ‘boathouse next to the bay’ ‘submarine’ and then… ‘bomb’ A hand as cold
as ice closed around my heart. I wanted to scream, ‘not again!’ I’ve been
through this once. I once lost the woman I loved. Don’t make me go through that
again.
But
I couldn’t act upon those feelings. I had to held myself together. I had to
act. Then the view went flying. Suddenly we where looking at a control panel. I
could only guess what happened. And hope that whoever was there with you had
not hit you.
I
had a brief talk with my sons and then I tried to contact you with contactcode
five. Hoping that your kidnapper wouldn’t notice it. I sat there, tapping on my
desk for what felt like an eternity. Then suddenly, we heard something.
The
voice of a man filled the room. ‘it has stopped’. Then your voice answered. ‘It
must have been rats. I mean, even you must have some friends’. Remind me to
have a talk to you about not insulting man who have a gun pointing to you when
you are tied to a chair.
Then
you asked, ‘Do you think the rats will flee from the boathouse when the bomb
goes off? Or do you think they will die to?’ So now we knew what was going on.
A part of me admired you for you cleverness, another part was shocked by the
risk you’d just taken. Then we heard a strange, scrapping noise and after that…
nothing.
I
send the boys to the rescue. Scott in Thunderbird 1 and Virgil and Gordon in
Thunderbird 2 and 4. I tried to keep my voice neutral, I tried to keep my
emotions intact. But I couldn’t help saying: ‘Penelope is in live danger boys,
so let those machines of yours fly faster than they have ever done before. I
think they’d understand.
Then
the worst part began. The waiting. I continued tapping, but without answer.
Those minutes where the worse of this entire ordeal. Tin Tin brought me some
tea and I couldn’t help spilling my fears to hear. That girl has a perfect
sense of timing.
Then,
finally, I heard your voice. It was just a distant sound and I couldn’t make
out what you where saying, but I felt a surge of joy. At least you where alive,
at least I heard you voice.
Something
of that relief must have shown. I can’t hear you Penny, you have to come closer
to the phone, I practically yelled. Again you said something, I tried to make
out the words, but I just couldn’t. You have to come closer, I said again,
hoping that you would hear me.
I
heard a noise and then the view jumped. And jumped again. We heard strange,
thumping noises and the view went up and down like a frog. My mind was racing.
What where you doing? What could you mean by this. I tried to translate the
jumping and thumping with every contactcode I could possibly think of, but it
still did not made any sense.
What
is Penelope trying to say? I heard Tin Tin ask behind me. I don’t know, I
answered her, but whatever it is, I hope the transmitter will survive the
treatment. I could not think of the possibility that the transmitter would
broke down and we would loose contact with you. But, luckily, there was Brains
to offer some comfort. He may look like a nervous person, but that’s where you
wrong. He has nerves of steel. ‘I don’t think so, he said, the transmitters in
lady Penelope’s powder box are very small, that counts for the low receive, but
they are extremely robust.
Then
we heard your voice again. It sounded a lot closer now, but I still couldn’t
make out the words. It’s no use Penny, I spoke in the receiver, you are still
to far away. And so the thumping started again. I couldn’t help myself, I
leaned closer to the microphone and started whispering: come on Penny, Come on!
Then
Scott called in. He was closing in on the danger zone and he needed details.
Details I didn’t have. And suddenly the fear hit in again. Half an hour had
gone by. What if we couldn’t make it in time? What if we run into a trap? What
if you wouldn’t be able to get close enough to the microphone?
I
heard your voice again. It sounded so close now. I could almost make out the
words. Almost not completely. It was so frustrating that I wanted to yell. But
I didn’t. Instead I urged you one more time. You HAVE to get closer to the
microphone Penny!
Then
you nearly gave me a heart attack. With a loud crash you felt into view.
Suddenly you face lay in front of the monitor. You where lying on your
side.
I
couldn’t help it, I jumped up and yelled ‘Why Penelope, are you all right?’ You
started talking immediately. About from where the bomb was fired, what the best
course of action would be, but I found it hard to concentrate on what you where
saying.
From
what I heard later, you shuffled your chair forwards, with your tied feet. You
managed to cross the room, but you where still to far away from the microphone,
so you decided to swing your chair from the right to left, until you felt. It
must have hurt a lot. Sometimes you are so stupid and so careless about
yourself. But you are also so brave.
I
tried to calm you down. I told you that Scott would find the submarine using
his sensor, and that we would stop the kidnappers. I sought contact with my
sons one more time, urging them to move on. Then the terrible waiting- part
started all over again.
But
at least I could see you now. I noticed that you wore one of your pink dresses
and that your wore your hair down. It was tousled from moving through the room
and it felt in strands over you face. I felt the urge to brush tem away. But I
couldn’t. You seemed so close now, and yet you where so far away.
Virgil
called in again. He had launched Gordon in Thunderbird 4. It was ten minutes
for ten. Ten minutes to go, before the bomb was fired. It seemed impossible. It
was going to be a very, very close call.
I
heard you moaning. Of course those robes where beginning to feel very
uncomfortable to you. You tried to free yourself from them. But it was to now
avail. There where tied too strong. I tried to comfort you. ‘Hang in there
Penny, the boys will get there!’ You send me a smile, a brave smile, but I
could see the fear behind it, in your eyes.
Five
minutes to go. There was nothing I could do. I couldn’t hail Gordon. He was to
busy saving you now, he didn’t need distractions from me. Scot didn’t say
anything either. There was nothing to say.
I
looked at your face. You had stopped struggling and lay still now, waiting for
what would happen. And suddenly it hit me. In a few minutes it could all be
over. You could be dead. You could die and not knowing how I feel about you. I
hesitated. Should I tell you? This might be my last change to do so.
I
drew a breath to say the words, but before the air had filled my lungs I had
lost my nerve. I couldn’t. There were to many people around me. And what if you
did survive? There could be no us. Because of various reasons. International
Rescue, our age difference… I just couldn’t tell you.
One
minute to go. I kept on staring into your face. I would memorise this moment
forever. This might be the last moment I saw you. Your big, blue eyes where
locked onto mine and the rest of the world faded.
The
minute ticked away, dead slowly and quickly at the same time. Then I heard Scots’ voice. The
patroullieboat is in the bay, and nothing has happened.
I
released the breath I didn’t realise I was holding. ‘thank heaven for that’, I
said, ‘I hope Penelope is all right’. I’ll know that in a few minutes, Scott
answered.
He
told me later how he found you. Lying in boathouse on your side. He freed you
from the robes and helped you to the couch. You could hardly walk, because you
feet didn’t get blood for such a long time. Scott rubbed your ankles for a
while to help the bloodstream running. He asked you how you where feeling. You
said you where fine. ‘that it kept life interesting’. And then you started
worrying about the nuclear plans. But you can’t fool me, lady.
Eventually
everything turned out to be all right. Bondson got his plans back and you
returned to London. Rumours tell that Parker has lost your yacht in the casino.
That’s
something else you don’t know about. This evening I contacted Parker. I always
do that after your mission. Parker is one of the few people who know what is
really going on inside you. I told him to take care of you, to make sure that
you where all right again. He promised. Like he’d promised he would never tell
you about these calls.
I
lay awake in my bed, staring at the ceiling. It was a close call today. But you
are all right. We managed to save you, once again. Sometimes I wonder how many
close calls there will be. It frightens me. I nearly lost you today. But for
now, you are safe. I will go to sleep now, with you on my mind. As always.
The
End
