Stars gently float by, and then a glint of light reflects off the camera, as we pan right to reveal the sun, burning brightly against the eerie blackness of space. We continue to pan right until we finally see the huge, shining blue Earth. The countries of the Northern Hemisphere are clearly visible, splattered only by a few odd clouds.

Slowly, a satellite passes in front of the camera. It is constructed of dark, dull metal, with only a few flashing lights on it. It appears strange, eerie, and mysterious.

Cut to:

The Moon hangs in the sky behind the ancient Malaysian temple. Snakes rattle and hiss in the surrounding forest, and there is the occasional rustle of trees and snap of broken branches.

Cut to:

It is dark and mysterious in the large main chamber of the temple. Tall, imposing statues line the walls. At the far end of the chamber is a circular pit of flames. Masks rotate around the pit, and in the centre stands an ornate statue which bares a striking resemblance to The Hood’s half-brother, Kyrano. In the centre of the chamber, is placed an elaborate golden throne, inlaid with diamonds and other precious jewels.

CU. THE HOOD

He walks into the chamber, decked out in ornate clothing - golden with embedded jewellery. His eyes are dark, and his face is expressionless.

RESUME SCENE:

The Hood walks across the floor, his footsteps echoing around the chamber.

CU. SILHOUETTE

In one of the walls, there is an alcove, covered by sheets of nearly transparent silk. A person steps out behind them, lights behind his back giving the appearance of a silhouette.

RESUME SCENE:

The Hood reaches the throne, and sits down.

THE HOOD

You have completed the device?

CU. SILHOUETTE

It is clear from his posture that he is slightly nervous as to how The Hood will react.

SILHOUETTE

Yes. The production and launch costs,

however, were slightly higher than

we had estimated.

RESUME SCENE:

THE HOOD

(coolly)

What is the new price?

SILHOUETTE (VO)

Three hundred million dollars.

The Hood stands up. He is furious, but he tries to contain it.

THE HOOD

That is five hundred thousand more than

we agreed!

CU. SILHOUETTE

SILHOUETTE

And yet, it is a price worth paying.

The rewards you could reap…

RESUME SCENE:

THE HOOD

Silence!

The Hood sits down. Casually, he rests his hand on the arm of the throne.

CU. THRONE ARM

The Hood’s hand presses one of the jewels down. Besides it, a gold-plated section of the arm flips over, revealing a touch-screen control pad. The Hood taps one of the buttons.

RESUME SCENE:

THE HOOD

Your laboratory was on the brink on

CU. SILHOUETTE

There is a strange sound behind the silhouette. He glances backwards, curious.

THE HOOD (VO)

I commissioned you, and now you demand

more from me! Be happy with what you

have.

RESUME SCENE:

The Hood taps the same gem on the throne’s arm, and the panel flips back shut. At the same time, another eerie noise can be heard from the silhouette’s direction. Then, off screen, the silhouette lets off a blood-curdling scream. The Hood remains emotionless.

Fade to:

Tracy Island, the most lyrical, beautiful island, is situated in the middle of the Pacific. The skies are dark, and the oceans tranquil.

Cut to:

The lights are switched on in the Tracy villa, shining out across the forecourt. The golden glow reflects off the gently rippling water in the swimming pool.

Cut to:

Jeff Tracy sits on the edge of his desk, reading a book. Virgil Tracy is sat at the piano, playing something relaxing. Tin-Tin and Alan are sat on a sofa, and Scott and Gordon are sat on another sofa, reading newspapers. There is quiet chatter between Tin-Tin and Alan.

Suddenly, a shrill bleeping resonates around the room.

CU. JOHN TRACY PORTRAIT

The eyes on the portrait flash in time to the bleeping.

CU. JEFF

He immediately stands up, then walks behind his desk. He punches a button on the desk as he sits down. A small, golden eagle statuette tilts up on his desk revealing a hidden microphone.

JEFF

Go ahead, John.

RESUME SCENE:

The John Tracy portrait suddenly morphs into a relayed television image from International Rescue’s space satellite Thunderbird 5.

JOHN

(filtered)

Dad, I’ve received a distress call

from a scientific research laboratory

in Manchester, England.

CU. JEFF

JOHN (VO)

(filtered)

There’s a massive fire, and three men

are trapped two levels below ground.

There’s no way to get to them.

JEFF

FAB, John. Scott, away you go.

CU. SCOTT

He stands up.

SCOTT

Yes, Sir!

RESUME SCENE:

Scott walks over to a panel on the wall, and pulls down on two identical light fixtures. The wall panel begins to rotate around, taking Scott with it.

JEFF

Virgil, take pod five.

VIRGIL

FAB, Dad!

Virgil walks over to the large painting of one of Jeff Tracy’s early rocket launches and presses his back to it. Automatically, the painting flips over, and Virgil disappears into the launching tube for Thunderbird 2.

JEFF

Gordon, you’d better join him.

Cut to:

A gantry, with Scott stood on it, starts to extend towards the huge Thunderbird craft, which is mounted atop a complex gantry.

CU. SCOTT

The gantry reaches the cabin of Thunderbird 1. The hatch opens, and Scott starts to climb in.

Cut to:

Virgil Tracy slides down the chute towards Thunderbird 2.

Cut to:

The launch tube slides into the dark cabin, and Virgil Tracy slides down through it onto the flattened chair. The tube begins to slide backwards out of the cabin. The chair folds into position. Virgil pulls a lever, and the lights automatically illuminate the cabin and the steering wheel extends towards Virgil.

Cut to:

Scott is sitting in his control chair, now wearing his International Rescue uniform.

Cut to:

The massive International Rescue rocket begins to move, carried by the complex mechanical cradle beneath it, towards a large section of the hangar wall, and then down a ramp.

Cut to:

As before, but Brains has entered, and Scott, Virgil and Gordon have left. Brains walks over to a worried Mr Tracy’s desk.

BRAINS

I heard the… ah… emergency call in the

l-lab, Mr Tracy. I-I’m worried about

all the… ah… chemicals there. The heat

could cause some of them to ah… heat up

a-and evolve toxic gases.

CU. JEFF

JEFF

Alright Brains, you’d better go with

RESUME SCENE:

The eyes on the Scott Tracy portrait begin to flash. Jeff punches the button on his desk, and the portrait morphs into a live television image of Scott Tracy in the cockpit of Thunderbird 1.

Cut to:

Thunderbird 1 has finished descending the ramp, and moves towards the platform directly underneath the Tracy swimming pool.

Cut to:

The Tracy swimming pool starts to retract, moving underneath the ground.

Cut to:

As before, but Brains has now left. Jeff Tracy looks up to the television image of Scott on the far wall.

SCOTT (VO)

(filtered)

Dad, Thunderbird 1, ready to go.

Cut to:

The swimming pool has finished retracting, leaving a large hole in the floor through which Thunderbird 1 can launch.

JEFF (VO)

Okay, Scott, you’re clear to go.

Cut to:

As before, Scott pulls a lever, and taps a few buttons.

SCOTT

Thanks Dad.

Cut to:

A shaft of light beams down on the now stationary Thunderbird 1. The hangar is silent for a moment. And then, incredible busts of noise as smoke billows out from underneath the great craft.

Cut to:

We are facing directly down over the hole where the swimming pool should be. Smoke plumes out, waving the palm trees, then suddenly, Thunderbird 1 blasts out towards the camera.

Cut to:

As before, but Tin-Tin is now standing on the veranda watching the mighty Thunderbird 1 power into the sky. The roar thunders through the building.

Cut to:

Thunderbird 2 is suspended on its landing struts. The pods move along beneath it on the automatic beltway, until pod 5 arrives beneath it. Then, Thunderbird 2 begins to descend on top of it.

Cut to:

As before, but Gordon and Brains are sat in chairs behind Virgil.

VIRGIL

Glad to have you aboard, Brains.

Cut to:

We face a large cliff face. Suddenly, a large section of it begins to slide down into the ground mechanically, revealing the Thunderbird 2 hangar beyond. The palm trees automatically flop down besides the runway.

Cut to:

The mighty craft begins to level off as it enters a blanket of cloud, then it powers off into the distance.

Cut to:

As before, Scott Tracy operates the controls.

SCOTT

Changing to horizontal flight.

Cut to:

The huge craft slowly rolls along the runway until it reaches a certain section of the tarmac. Automatically, the section of the runway tilts up to face the sky, and a small blast wall rises up behind the huge double engines at the rear of the craft.

Cut to:

As before, but Alan has now left. The portrait of Virgil is now a live television image from the Thunderbird 2 cockpit.

JEFF

You’re all clear to go, Virgil.

Cut to:

The massive engines on the back of Thunderbird 2 ignite powerfully, and the craft begins to lift off.

Cut to:

Tin-Tin walks back into the lounge. The television image has reverted back to a portrait of Virgil Tracy.

TIN-TIN

Mr Tracy, what do you make of this?

Tin-Tin sits down on the sofa.

CU. JEFF

JEFF

Well, Tin-Tin, at a laboratory like that,

there’s always the possibility of an

accident, but a fire in the middle of the

night… Well, it could be sabotage.

Fade to:

We see a four-storey laboratory. The windows are smashed and flames lick out from them. Smoke billows out. There are four large warehouses nearby the laboratory, which is in an industrial estate.

LOW ANGLE:

A road leads up to the burning laboratory. Fire engines skid down it, alarms blaring. Some skid to a halt. Firemen leap out and start to operate the computerised water ejectors mounted atop the engines. There is a lot of shouting.

Cut to:

The camera slowly moves through a corridor in the laboratory. Fire flickers all around. The corridor is dark, save for the amber glow of the fire, and it is quiet, but for its crackling. Debris falls from the roof, and huge metal girders block the way.

Fade to:

Slowly pan through the small, dark room. Huge metal girders are thrown to the floor. There is a large table in the centre for conducting experiments. Dust and debris cover it. Computers and electrical equipment have been blasted to the floor. On the walls, there are burnt cabinets and singed cupboards half-open containing dangerous multicoloured chemicals. The room is loud with the sound of the fire tenders outside, and of the crackling of fire.

Finally the camera falls upon the face of a middle-aged man - Craig Logan - in an extreme close-up. He has brown hair and his eyes are shut. His body is trapped beneath a girder, and debris and wires are scattered about his legs. His eyes flicker open.

LOGAN’S POV:

The rest of the laboratory can clearly be seen. In one corner there is a female scientist - Katie Zeiss - but she is awake. She is in her thirties but quite attractive, with black hair tied back in a pony tail. She too is trapped beneath a pile of rubble and metal. Nearer to Logan, on his right, is another awakened male scientist, in his fifties with grey hair. He is called Joshua Bennett. He is the first to notice that Logan is awake.

LONG SHOT:

We see all three scientists in their trapped positions in the laboratory.

CU. BENNETT

BENNETT

Katie, Craig’s come around.

CU. LOGAN

He is very disorientated, still not fully ‘with it’.

LOGAN

(disorientated)

Josh, what do you mean? What happened?

ZEISS (VO)

You passed out shortly after the fire

broke out.

CU. BENNETT

BENNETT

We’ve sent out a distress call, and I

think that the fire services have arrived.

I don’t really hold out much hope for

them getting through to us, though.

CU. ZEISS

ZEISS

The fire’s knocked out the radio for

now.

LONG SHOT:

LOGAN

(disorientated)

Fire… Wha… What started it?

CU. ZEISS

ZEISS

We don’t know. We were in here closing

things up, when Josh smelt smoke.

CU. BENNETT

BENNETT

By the time we knew what was happening,

the roof started to cave in.

LONG SHOT:

Suddenly, a group of glasses smash open. Shards of glass shower onto the floor.

Cut to:

Spotlights from the many fire engines point skywards above the burning building through the smoke. They are all directed towards the huge International Rescue rocket Thunderbird 1, which is descending through the smoke towards a car park near the laboratory.

Cut to:

As before, Scott Tracy sits in his control chair. He guides the craft down towards the car park. The Fire Chief from down below, a fifty year-old veteran called Kimball, is talking to Scott over the radio.

KIMBALL (VO)

(filtered)

There’s no way we can enter the building,

International Rescue.

SCOTT

Okay, Chief Kimball. Don’t worry; we’ll

be able to get through to them. The

heavy rescue equipment is only three

minutes behind me.

Cut to:

Thunderbird 1 swoops down onto the empty car park, its landing struts fully extended. Plumes of smoke roll up beneath it as it touches down.

CU. KIMBALL

Kimball is sat in the passenger seat of a fire tender. There is a radio set built into the driving computer.

SCOTT (VO)

(filtered)

Okay, get some men to help me with my

equipment.

We are facing a large window, overlooking all the action down below. Suddenly, a silhouette moves into the picture, holding futuristic, computerised binoculars. It is the Hood!

CU. THE HOOD

He lifts the binoculars to his large eyes to gaze down on the action below, then takes them away, revealing his face to the viewers. There is a sadistic smile on his face.

Fade out.

Fade in:

The mighty International Rescue craft flies powerfully through the dark sky.

Cut to:

Virgil is piloting Thunderbird 2. In the seats behind him are Gordon and Brains.

VIRGIL

There it is, guys.

Cut to:

Kimball is sat in the large cabin of the fire engine. We slowly zoom nearer to the windscreen. We see that inside, there is a large area with computers on the walls. Scott Tracy has set up his mobile control unit in the area behind the drivers’ seats.

Cut to:

Kimball is watching Scott operate his mobile control unit.

SCOTT

Virgil, you’re clear to land.

VIRGIL (VO)

(filtered)

FAB, Mobile Control.

Cut to:

Thunderbird 2 slowly descends in a plume of smoke besides Thunderbird 1.

Cut to:

As before, but Gordon has gone. Virgil pulls a lever on the console in front of him.

Cut to:

Thunderbird 2 is now rested besides Thunderbird 1. Suddenly, the main body of the craft begins to rise up on its mechanical landing struts, with pod five left on the ground.

CU. POD FIVE

Slowly and mechanically, the pod door swings open, revealing the bright inside, lit up brilliantly. The spotlights glint off the aluminium walls and pipes. We cannot see what is inside the pod, but suddenly, there is an incredible roar, and the Mole begins to drive down the ramp out of the pod.

Cut to:

Gordon is sat in the control seat of the Mole in his white heat protective gear. All around him, dials flash and computers chirp. There is a grim determination on his face.

VIRGIL (VO)

(filtered)

Gordon, you are clear to go.

GORDON

FAB, Virgil.

Gordon pushes a lever down, and through the windows in front of him, we can see the surrounding area move away quickly.

Cut to:

As before, but Kimball is watching the Mole move closer to the burning laboratory in awe.

KIMBALL

(amazed)

That’s some machine.

SCOTT

Gordon, you have the okay for drilling

to begin.

Cut to:

Slowly, fire tenders start to reverse away from the huge Mole as it starts to point downwards with its massive drill head. Once the tip has touched the floor, it begins to whir and rotate powerfully. Dust is thrown up from the ground, and it starts to crack under the incredible power.

CU. THE MOLE

Debris is thrown about as the drill tip of the mole begins to break through the ground properly. Slowly, it starts to move down beneath the ground.

Cut to:

As before. Kimball turns around to Scott, stunned.

KIMBALL

(amazed)

Surely it can’t survive that!

CU. SCOTT

SCOTT

You’d be surprised Mr Kimball. With

any luck, the Mole will be able to break

through the foundations and then move

up to the level where the scientists

are trapped.

CU. MOBILE CONTROL SCREEN

One of the screens on Scott’s mobile control unit show a computer image of the laboratory, and a white flashing silhouette in the shape of the Mole moving down underneath. There is a red warning dot beneath it.

CU. SCOTT

SCOTT

Gordon, obstruction ahead. Bearing zero. four zero.

Cut to:

As before, but it is slightly darker, with red and amber lights illuminating the cabin. Sweat is growing on Gordon’s face. A loud rumbling can be heard from the rear of the Mole as it powers down into the ground.

GORDON

Zero four zero, roger, Scott!

As before, but the flames are more intense, and a strange blue mist is stirring down by the ground, emanating from the smashed containers.

LOGAN

What was that that smashed? I…

I can’t see.

CU. ZEISS

ZEISS

It was the dioromide I think.

CU. BARRETT

BARRETT

It was. I can smell it.

CU. ZEISS

ZEISS

That’s not good. The flames must be

heating it up to evaporation point.

CU. LOGAN

LOGAN

Try not to breathe any of it in.

CU. BARRETT

Barrett coughs and starts to splutter.

ZEISS (VO)

Hey, d’you hear that?

RESUME SCENE:

A faint rumbling can be heard from below the ground.

CU. LOGAN

LOGAN

That must be it… The floor’s started

Cut to:

As before.

SCOTT

Gordon, you’re nearly there!

CU. MOBILE CONTROL SCREEN

Three amber dots can be seen in the building, and the Mole is seen to be approaching them.

CU. SCOTT

SCOTT

Just a few more metres.

Cut to:

As before, but Barrett is coughing and spluttering more. The rumbling noise has gotten louder. Suddenly, part of the far wall starts to crumble. Glass starts to smash near it, and sparks fly. Then, the wall finally collapses, revealing the curves side wall of the Mole, pointing upwards. The hatch opens and Gordon climbs out. He approaches Logan first and starts to shove the debris off her.

CU. GORDON AND LOGAN

GORDON

(struggling)

Come on, let’s get you out of here.

LOGAN

(coughing)

Who… are you?

Gordon clears the large metal beam off her, then pulls her to her feet.

GORDON

International Rescue.

RESUME SCENE:

Suddenly, there is an explosion from the roof as Gordon shows Logan into the Mole and hurries over to Barrett. The roof starts to cave in. Dust and debris crumbles down.

CU. ZEISS

ZEISS

(coughing)

The roof’s… caving in.

Cut to:

It is still dark. There is a large hole in the ground where the Mole dug into. Fire tenders are still trying to put out the blazing fire. Suddenly, there is a tremendous explosion from the roof of the laboratory.

Cut to:

Quick zoom in on the fire tender window. The explosion reflects in the window. Inside, Kimball sees the explosion and turns round to face Scott Tracy, horrified.

Cut to:

Continue the quick zoom, this time focus in on Scott’s desperate face. As before, but Kimball looks back at Scott shocked.

SCOTT

(shouting)

Gordon! Gordon, please respond!

Cut to:

There is another explosion, this time from the centre of the laboratory, then slowly, the building starts to collapse. Shards of glass smash all over the place as dust starts to blow up around the crumbling building.

Cut to:

As before, but Kimball is now watching in horror as the building collapses.

KIMBALL

(stunned)

It’s going over!

Cut to:

The rest of the building finally collapses. More explosions follow and dust is thrown up into the air. The dust slowly starts to settle.

Fade to:

As before.

KIMBALL

(stunned)

Nothing could have survived that!

Fade to:

As the dust starts to settle, we see something start to poke out beneath the rubble. It is the back end of the Mole and it starts to slide back up onto its tracked vehicle again.

Cut to:

As before.

SCOTT

Gordon, did you get them?

Cut to:

Barrett, Zeiss and Logan are all sat behind Gordon as the machine moves backwards.

GORDON

We got them, Scott. Everyone present

and accounted for.

SCOTT (VO)

(filtered)

Good work, Gordon.

Cut to:

The Mole is now fully fixed onto its trolley. The Mole is still at forty five degrees, but is now starting to move backwards into a horizontal position.

Cut to:

The Hood is still watching the events below from his vantage point at the window. He lowers his binoculars and steps back - he has seen all he needs to.

Cut to:

The fire tenders are dampening the fire with the main emergency now dealt with. The Mole is reversing towards pod five.

Cut to:

Fire Chief Kimball climbs down out of the cabin of the tender. Scott Tracy follows him.

CU. KIMBALL

KIMBALL

That was some act, Mr Tracy. How… How

can we repay you?

CU. SCOTT

Scott thinks for a second, then speaks.

SCOTT

Our work is our own reward.

RESUME SCENE:

Kimball is surprised by this answer. Scott walks off.

Cut to:

Extreme close-up on a newspaper, its banner headline reading "INTERNATIONAL RESCUE IN FIRE DRAMA". There is a long article beneath it, and a picture of Logan besides it. The newspaper then is pulled down, revealing the lounge from Jeff Tracy’s point of view. He is sat at his desk. Alan and Gordon are sat on the Thunderbird 3 launch sofa, with Virgil and Alan on the other sofa.

CU. ALAN

ALAN

So we’ve made the front page again, Dad?

CU. JEFF

The camera slowly moves closer to Jeff.

JEFF

Yes, but there’s something I don’t

like about the whole thing. It’s the

middle of the night. A laboratory

suddenly and mysteriously sets on fire.

CU. SCOTT

SCOTT

Sabotage, Dad?

CU. JEFF

JEFF

It could be.

Hold on Jeff’s face for a moment, and then

Cut to:

The rubble now lies amongst the floor silently. There is the quiet titter of birds in the trees. Barrett is amongst the ruins, searching for something.

CU. BARRETT

Slowly zoom in on Barrett. He is bent over near a pile of debris, slowly running his hands through it.

CU. BARRETT’S HAND

His hand brushes away dust, and pushes away a piece of rubble. There is something electronic beneath it. He wipes off some more dust and lifts up a small black box with red flashing lights on.

CU. BARRETT

Close up on the upper half of his body. He straightens out and lifts the box towards his face to inspect it. There is a timer beneath it, but the numbers are zeroed. He frowns.

Cut to:

The overgrowth is alive with flies, snakes and other creatures. In the background is the imposing ancient temple.

The main chamber is seen from a high angle. As before, but the Hood is sat in his throne. There is computer control console in front of him.

CU. THE HOOD

He looks down on the computer console, aglow with flashing lights, proudly. He starts to tap buttons on the console.

CU. CONSOLE

There are many different buttons and lights. In the centre is a small screen with an advanced radar system on it. There is a green dot slowly moving across the screen.

Cut to:

Logan and Zeiss are in the lounge of a house. It has modern furnishings and a large plasma screen television on the wall. The camera is facing the entrance. Suddenly, the front door bell chimes.

CU. LOGAN

He looks across to Zeiss, anxious.

CU. ZEISS

She looks back at him, then starts to stand up.

RESUME SCENE:

Both Logan and Zeiss stand up and turn to face the entrance. The door opens and Barrett walks in - they were expecting him. He has his hands behind his back, where he is holding the little black box, unseen.

ZEISS

(worried)

Did you find the console?

Barrett shakes his head solemnly.

CU. LOGAN

He has a puzzled expression on his face.

LOGAN

(worried)

Destroyed?

CU. BARRETT

He shakes his head solemnly again.

BARRETT

(solemn)

No. No trace.

CU. ZEISS

ZEISS

Stolen.

RESUME SCENE:

Logan sits down. His worst fears have been confirmed.

LOGAN

That’s why someone would want to destroy

our little lab.

CU. BARRETT

BARRETT

But I did find…

He unclasps his hands from behind his back and reveals the little black box, its lights still flashing.

BARRETT

…This.

Fade to:

A low angle. The Hood is sat at his throne operating the console.

CU. CONSOLE

The radar signal is still bleeping, and the green dot is steadily moving across the screen. The Hood taps a button. The radar image changes to include a large sphere in the picture, which the dot is slowly circling - it is obviously the Earth.

CU. THE HOOD

He smiles sadistically and taps another button.

CU. CONSOLE

The Hood’s finger taps a button besides the screen. Slowly, the image on the screen changes to a television picture relayed from space of the same satellite from the opening scenes.

Fade to:

The dark, eerie satellite slowly floats in space above the Earth, its lights flashing monotonously. Suddenly, its pointed tip opens out, revealing a strange array, with a bright white light within it shining outwards.

Fade out.

Fade in:

We are facing the Earth - the huge blue sphere shining brightly like a beacon. Slowly we pan away until Thunderbird 5 comes into view - International Rescue’s space relay satellite in a geostationary orbit.

Cut to:

John Tracy is sat in Thunderbird 5’s astrodome, in an elevated seat, peering down a huge telescope at the star systems beyond. Suddenly an alarm chimes from inside the control room. John climbs down from the seat and starts to walk into the control room. We track with him.

Inside the control room, there are lots of flashing panels and computer terminals. There is also a long window on the curved wall opposite the monitoring equipment, looking out onto the Earth below. John approaches the largest monitoring station, which is the source of the alarm and has red flashing lights on. John punches a button.

CU. JOHN

JOHN

This is International Rescue, we have

received your message.

CU. CONSOLE

Lights flicker and computer consoles measure the voice print automatically.

BARRETT (VO)

(filtered, flustered)

Oh, thank goodness, International Rescue.

Look, there was a fire at our laboratory

last night, and you guys came and saved

us…

CU. JOHN

JOHN

Okay, listen, calm down. What’s the

emergency?

Cut to:

The lounge is empty, save for Scott, who is sat on the sofa reading a magazine, and Jeff, who is sat at his desk. Suddenly, the lights on the John Tracy portrait begin to flash.

CU. JEFF

He punches a button hidden beneath his desk, and the small microphone on his desk flips up.

CU. JOHN TRACY PORTRAIT

The portrait slowly morphs into a live television image from the satellite.

CU. JEFF

JEFF

Go ahead, John.

CU. JOHN TRACY PORTRAIT

JOHN (VO)

(filtered)

Dad, I’ve just received a message from

JOHN (VO contd)

(filtered)

the guys we saved last night.

RESUME SCENE:

JOHN (VO)

(filtered)

Apparently, they’ve discovered a trigger

device that could have set off the fire,

and something they were working on has

been stolen.

CU. JEFF

JEFF

Look, John, this is a matter for the

police…

CU. JOHN TRACY PORTRAIT

JOHN (VO)

(filtered)

That’s what I thought, Dad, but this

computer console that’s been stolen

controls a satellite in a geostationary

orbit above the Earth.

CU. JEFF

Slowly zoom in on his face as John relays the news.

JOHN (VO)

(filtered)

This satellite could do untold damage,

Dad; it’s fitted with an infrasound

device.

JEFF

Infrasound? Why that could…

CU. JOHN TRACY PORTRAIT

JOHN (VO)

(filtered)

Yes, rupture the stomach cavity of

RESUME SCENE:

JOHN (VO)

(filtered)

And from a satellite in orbit, whoever

has control of it could target any

place on Earth, eliminating the

population.

CU. SCOTT

SCOTT

Dad, this is serious.

CU. JEFF

JEFF

(gravely)

John, contact the authorities and

warn them. We’ve got to try and put

that satellite out of action.

Jeff stands up and flashes a worried look to Scott.

CU. SCOTT

Scott reacts.

Cut to:

CU. CONSOLE

We face another computer screen with a map of the World on. A red box suddenly appears on the screen and moves over the map.

CU. THE HOOD

He is sat in the throne, as before, operating the console. He is tapping buttons and has a very concentrated look on his face.

CU. CONSOLE

The screen once again takes up the whole of the screen. The red box slowly moves across the map until it is on top of the United States region.

CU. THE HOOD

He punches a button.

CU. CONSOLE

The box gets smaller, homing in on a certain region of the country. The box suddenly grows in size; enlarging the section of the US it focussed in on. Next to it, in computer graphic text is the name "CALIFORNIA".

CU. THE HOOD

Slowly zoom in on his concentrating, yet excited eyes as he keys in the final codes.

Cut to:

The light behind the array of probes at the open tip of the satellite begins to shine even more brightly. The camera tracks with the satellite for a few moments, then turns to the right to face the Earth below. We see that the satellite is directly above the United States. There is a deep, quiet rumbling emanating from the satellite.

Cut to:

We see a low angle of a suburb of New York. There is part of a grassy field in front of us, with a long road to the left of the camera. Large family houses are placed along the road. A man is mowing the lawn in the nearest house. At the section of the road nearest the camera is a large sign reading "WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA".

Cut to:

A very close shot of the satellite’s front antennae as it slowly moves nearer the camera. The humming gets louder.

Cut to:

The Hood is sat in his throne still. He stares at the console, and then presses a button - the one which will activate the infrasound weapon.

Cut to:

The light behind the array begins to flash, the humming gets even louder, then there is a strange sound.

Cut to:

Low angle. As before. The man is still mowing his lawn. We hear the deep humming like on the satellite. Suddenly, the man stops moving.

CU. CALIFORNIA MOWER (AFTERNOON)

He squirms. The feeling in his stomach is unbearable. He yells, then collapses to the ground, dead.

Cut to:

A woman rushes over to the window to see why her husband yelled. Suddenly, she starts to feel a pain in her stomach. She grimaces as she opens the curtains. She cannot stand the pain.

Cut to:

We are in the garden, the man’s dead body in front of us. We are looking up at the window. The woman collapses backwards. The humming becomes even louder then suddenly, all the windows shatter.

LOW ANGLE:

We are in the original camera position. We see all the windows of the houses smash open, then everything falls silent.

Fade to:

Tracy Island again is peaceful and quiet.

Cut to:

We are in Brains’ laboratory. It is clean, with smooth lines. Computer equipment fills the room, and there is an experiment brewing on the desk. Brains, Jeff, Virgil and Scott are crowded around one particular computer console on the opposite wall.

CU. BRAINS

BRAINS

The i-infrasound idea is to, ah, create

such a low frequency sound th-that the

body cannot handle it.

CU. VIRGIL

VIRGIL

It eventually kills the subject.

WIDE SHOT:

All four people’s faces can be seen.

BRAINS

Until now, i-it has been impossible to,

ah, create a transmitter big enough for

SCOTT

The Americans experimented with it in

Vietnam but were unsuccessful.

CU. BRAINS

He is nodding. He reaches out to press a button on the computer console.

BRAINS

But, ah, now, the scientists, ah, we

saved, ah, last n-night, have managed

to concentrate the, ah, beam.

CU. COMPUTER SCREEN

A computer wireframe graphic of the satellite appears, and a computer demonstration of it in action begins.

CU. JEFF

He looks at Brains gravely.

SCOTT (VO)

Whoever controls the satellite can

target any position on the Earth.

WIDE SHOT:

SCOTT

And destroy the people.

BRAINS

L-leaving the buildings, ah,

r-relatively, ah, i-intact.

CU. VIRGIL

VIRGIL

But why would anyone construct such

a device?

CU. JEFF

JEFF

From what the scientists told John, it

would appear that they were on the brink

of bankruptcy, when someone came in to

pay them to make this device.

WIDE SHOT:

JEFF

Their head mysteriously disappeared, then

the control device was stolen. The

payment has not been paid.

BRAINS

I have, ah, m-managed to locate the, ah,

satellite, but it’s shell is, ah,

constructed of c-cahelium extract X.

Our, ah, missiles will not, ah, be a-able

to penetrate it.

The intercom crackles, then Tin-Tin speaks over it.

CU. JEFF

TIN-TIN (VO)

(filtered)

Mr Tracy, there is a news broadcast

which might interest you.

WIDE SHOT:

Jeff taps a button on the comm. system besides the computer.

JEFF

I’m on my way, Tin-Tin.

He turns to leave, then looks back at Brains.

JEFF

Brains, see if you can try and find

a way we can disable the satellite.

Cut to:

CU. TELEVISION

We are facing the television screen behind Jeff’s desk. NTBS News Reporter Eddie Kerr is delivering a newsflash. Behind him, there is a graphic proclaiming "SPECIAL REPORT". As he relays the news, the camera slowly pulls back from the television to reveal Tin-Tin, Jeff, Alan, Gordon, Scott and Virgil watching it.

KERR (VO)

(filtered)

The people of the Earth are in a state

of terror today as the World President

announced he had received a ransom

message from a man in control of a space

satellite carrying a deadly infrasound

device. If the price of five hundred

million dollars is not paid by midday

tomorrow, the blackmailer will destroy

the inhabitants of key cities around the

world, beginning with New York.

We have reached the end of our long zoom. Tin-Tin looks back at Jeff. She is almost crying.

TIN-TIN

(upset)

Oh, Mr Tracy!

KERR (VO)

(filtered)

The powers of the device were proven

earlier today, when, at 1 pm Eastern

Time, the inhabitants of a small suburb

of California were destroyed.

CU. JEFF

He is appalled by this news. He stands up.

JEFF

(gravely)

Alan, Scott, launch Thunderbird 3

immediately. Virgil, prepare

Thunderbird 2, we may need it for the

rescue operation tomorrow.

RESUME SCENE:

Alan and Scott walk over to the Thunderbird 3 launch sofa. Virgil stands up. Jeff walks over to his desk.

JEFF

Thunderbirds are go!

Cut to:

We are at the bottom of the very tall hangar, looking up at the roof with the long pole beneath bit which will carry the sofa down towards Thunderbird 3. Suddenly, the sofa begins to descend the pole.

CU. SOFA

Scott and Alan are sat on it as it descends.

Cut to:

Brains is working on a computer station. The intercom crackles.

JEFF (VO)

(filtered)

Brains, get in contact with the

scientists, we need to know a way of

disabling that satellite.

BRAINS

FAB, M-Mr Tracy.

Cut to:

The sofa has reached the bottom of the pole in the dark and echoic hangar. We track with it as it moves sideways through the hangar, until we see its destination: Thunderbird 3 - the majestic International Rescue space rocket, huge, and connected to the wall by a number of interconnecting tubes and pipes.

Cut to:

Jeff sits at his desk. Tin-Tin is sat on the sofa which replaces the one transporting Alan and Scott to Thunderbird 3.

JEFF

Tin-Tin.

TIN-TIN

Yes, Mr Tracy?

CU. JEFF

JEFF

Contact the President, Tin-Tin, tell

him we’re going to try to disable the

satellite.

CU. TIN-TIN

TIN-TIN

And what if we can’t?

CU. JEFF

JEFF

I hate to think.