This page is a transcription of the revised third draft screenplay for the cancelled 1999 Thunderbirds movie, dated 24th October 1997.
Screenplay by Karey Kirkpatrick
Story by Peter Hewitt & Karey Kirkpatrick
BLACKNESS...
VOICE: We live in a peaceful world...
FADE IN:
EXT. WASHINGTON D.C., 2026 - DUSK
Still has the monuments that we know and love: Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument. And a new building. Towering behind the Capital. Sleek, almost rocket shaped. As we MOVE IN...
PRESIDENT (over): ...an ever changing world of big ideas and bold new technology...
INT. WORLD SCIENCE CENTER - NIGHT
The PRESIDENT stands at a podium addressing a crowd of at least 200. All nationalities, creeds, colors. A sign above him reads "10th ANNUAL WORLD SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM"
PRESIDENT: And that is why as President of these United States, I stand before you - the greatest minds of the 21st century - in awe and admiration.
WE MOVE THROUGH THE CROWD. A waiter hands a GERMAN MAN a message. He reads it. Looks puzzled. Leaves his seat. Across the room, an INDIAN WOMAN receives a note. And so on...
PRESITENT: May we continue to explore this technology for the benefit of out future and betterment of mankind.
A WIDER SHOT reveals 12 DIFFERENT PEOPLE - call them EXPERTS - hastily exiting the room as the others APPLAUD the President.
INT. WORLD SCIENCE CENTER/LOBBY - NIGHT
An AIDE waits outside the doors. One Expert exits. Asks a question. The Aide points down the hall where one of the other Experts has just rounded a corner. Another Expert steps out of the assembly, urgently asks a question. The aide points...
As the Experts hurry away, the Aide checks to make sure no one is watching. Then follows them, around the corner into...
INT. ELEVATOR -
Where all 12 EXPERTS have assembled, all holding slips of paper. Puzzled. They show them to one another. Something's not right. The Aide enters the elevator, turns toward us -- and peels his face off. It's a latex mask. And the burly bald man beneath it is simply known as - THE HOOD. He puts on A GAS MASK.
And it doesn't take an expert to figure out -- this is odd. Before they can react - HSSSSSSS - smoke fills the elevator. One by one, the Experts collapse. The doors close and then -- PULL AWAY FROM US. Surprise #2. The elevator is actually the back of a delivery truck which is driving away.
EXT. WORLD SCIENCE CENTER - NIGHT
The truck pulls onto the street. As it disappears from sight...
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!....
A rippled explosion wraps around the building. Bursts of light. The building rattles. A few seconds later, people begin spilling out - SCREAMING. PANICKED. With good cause because...
THE GIANT WORLD SCIENCE CENTER COLLAPSES IN ON ITSELF...
...and smashes to the ground. One massive heap of rubble. Smoke fills the screen and when it clears...
WE'RE STILL ON THE SAME SCENE - NOW IN MID RESCUE
Moving in. Past the futuristic firetrucks dousing the flames. The propellerless HOVERCOPTERS air lifting victims. RESCUE WORKERS dashing in and out of frame. Chaos. Pandemonium.
Continuing in, we hear snippets of dialogue as we pass people... "where's that forklift?!"..."we've gotta move some of this rock" etc. We pass a FIRE CHIEF on his radio...
FIRE CHIEF: It's a mountain of concrete, I'm telling you! ...A hundred feet thick!...YES I KNOW THE PRESIDENT IS STILL DOWN THERE!!!
...still moving in, up to a SECRET SERVICE AGENT on a portable short wave radio, tapping a button furiously...
SECRET SERVICE: Mr. President! You're breaking up. Mr. President?!...
...past him, into a CRACK BETWEEN TWO HUGE PIECES OF CONCRETE... down, down, down...past mountains of slab, shards of rebar, flames, smoke, squashed tables, finally stopping on...
THE PRESIDENT
...trapped in a cramped space beneath a smashed podium. Crisscrossing steel girders keep the rest of the building from crashing down on him. A SECRET SERVICE AGENT lies motionless beside him. The President speaks into the agent's radio...
PRESIDENT: Running out of air...can't breath (sic)...tell the Vice President...
The President collapses, still breathing but barely. Suddenly...
There's a loud RUMBLE. The rubble begins to shake. Bits of concrete fall. The President stirs, sheltering his head as...
A SLEEP METAL NOSE CONE BURROWS THROUGH THE RUBBLE. A device we've never the likes of (sic). Spinning like a corkscrew. Followed by the rest of it - a missile shaped fuselage on tank-like caterpillar wheels. It bores through the concrete, wipes past frame -- the words "THE MOLE" plastered on its side.
It stops beside the President. The hatch door opens. A bright light shines on him. He shields his eyes as a SILHOUETTED FIGURE appears at the door. A hand reaches out of the light...
SILHOUETTED FIGURE: It's okay, Mr. President. Help is here.
PUSH IN on the emblem on the chest of the uniformed figure -- a LOGO of a hand reaching across a globe bearing the initials "I.R."
TITLE CREDITS ROLL. And the logo becomes the opening graphic of...
INT./EXT. WORLD NETWORK NEWS (MONTAGE) - DAY/NIGHT
Network news MUSIC. And the V.O. of an ANCHORMAN. Very Cronkite.
ANCHORMAN (V.O.): A Rescue organization...
The graphic of the globe begins to spin...
ANCHORWOMAN: ...known the world over...
Quick cut aways Various FOREIGHNERS. The only English they utter is "Thunderbirds" or "International Rescue"...
ANCHORMAN: ...with highly sophisticated, technologically advanced equipment.
Reporter NED COOK stands in front of the World Science Center bombing site, filing a report to camera...
NED COOK: ...where International Rescue has done it again. They have saved the President of the United States from... (listening on his ear piece) Okay. They're about to leave. Over there. See if you can get a shot!
SHAKY CAM WHIP PANS. We see a split second of the Mole entering what looks like a LARGE GREEN PORTABLE GARAGE (POD 1). Then, the images goes fuzzy. Pans back to Ned.
NED COOK: No? Okay. Well, that's what usually happens, but at least we tried.
ANCHORMAN (V.O.): The pilots of these amazing rescue vehicles are, for all intents and purposes, international superstars.
Crowds of people. At various rescue sights. Holding up signs. With drawings of the pilots. Men in high tech, colorful flight uniforms. Some even have ACTION FIGURES.
CUT TO a frostbitten SWISS MAN, bundled up in front of a fire.
SWISS MAN: ...and we were in drift, ya? And he pull us up, but face was covered, ya? And into radio, he say "F. A. B."
INTERVIEWER (O.S.) F.A.B.?
SWISS MAN: Ya. F.A.B.
INTERVIEWER: Any idea what that means?
The Swiss Man just shakes his head. Hasn't a clue.
ANCHORMAN (V.O.): They are, without a doubt, the most famous organization in the world. And yet -- we know nothing about them.
The "I.R." logo returns. A stamp slams down over the logo branding it "TOP SECRET"...
More QUICK CUT-AWAYS Man on the street interviews. "I like Thunderbird 2." "It had this red nose cone" "It was a big red rocket ship" "We were sinking and then this yellow submarine..."
As the voices continue, artist renderings of the THUNDERBIRD CRAFT spin onto screen. THUNDERBIRD 1. Sleek. Silver. Jet-like. With a red nose cone. THUNDERBIRD 2. Green. Bulbous. Forward slanting wings. THUNDERBIRD 3. Red. Futuristic rocket ship. THUNDERBIRD 4. Yellow. One man sub.
We CUT TO the White House Pressing room. The scraped and bruised PRESIDENT stands at the podium addressing the news corp.
PRESIDENT: I don't know who they are or where they come from -- but I thank God they're out there.
Back to the "I.R." logo...
ANCHORMAN: Tonight. Another probe into the never ending question: Who is International Rescue.
From the logo we DISSOLVE...and now we're racing over the ocean - AN ISLAND - that juts out of the South Pacific like a mirage. As we race closer, we see a modern house built into the side of the cliff. There's a FLASH OF LIGHT.
CUT TO:
EXT. TRACY HOUSE - DAY
THE TRACY FAMILY - a father and four sons - poses by the pool for a photo that has just been taken.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Thanks, Jeff. That one was for Time. Should be beaut.
The photographer shakes the hand of JEFF TRACY...
JEFF: My pleasure, Tom. Now enjoy yourself. This is supposed to be a party.
Jeff's in his mid 50's. Handsome. Charming smile. Twinkle in his eye. A face that makes you say, I like this guy. The boys disperse into the party inside. More on them later.
MAN READING BOOK (O.S.): ...and on March 5, 2002, the Mars Pioneer 1 touched down.
Jeff turns to find a crowd has gathered
INT. TRACY HOUSE - DAY
A MAN reads from a book entitled "JEFF TRACY - AMERICAN HERO."
MAN READING BOOK: ...and when I took that first step onto the surface of Mars, I remember asking myself, "how did a Kansas farm boy get so far from home?"
The GUESTS "Aww" and applaud. Jeff breaks through the crowd, reaching for the book. Practically blushing.
JEFF: Okay, okay. That's enough...
MAN READING BOOK: A toast! (the others raise their glasses) To Jeff Tracy -- the nicest filthy stinkin' rich guy I ever knew.
LAUGHTER. CLINKING OF GLASSES. A few cry out, "Speech!" Jeff humbly clears his throat.
JEFF: This isn't supposed to be about me. It's about those of you who honored me by putting this terrific book together. (a pause, holding up the book) The book's about me... (laughter from guests,) But seriously, to all you who've worked so hard, my heartfelt gratitude.
He raises his glass in a toast toward the books writer, a striking BLOND WOMAN, as well as the others involved in the book.
JEFF: Also, I should thank my own support team. My chief engineer and right hand man at Tracy Technologies, Hiram Hackenbacker...
Hiram Hackenbacker, a.k.a. BRAINS, is a bookish looking man with short hair, high bangs and blue rimmed glasses. He nods.
JEFF: Kyranu (sic), who keeps my life and this house in order, and his lovely daughter Tin Tin who has become the daughter I never had...
KYRANU, Jeff's late 40's Malaysian valet, and his beautiful daughter TIN TIN nod their appreciation.
JEFF: And last, but certainly not least, my sons. Scott, Virgil, Gordon...
During the above introduction, we meet THE TRACY BOYS. SCOTT (29) - square jawed, intensely serious, ruggedly handsome. VIRGIL (27). Also very handsome, but less severe than Scott. Kinder. Gentler. A warm smile. GORDON (24), has wave blond hair and a playful happy-go-lucky air to him.
JEFF: John, who couldn't be with us today. And Al...where's Alan?
UPSTAIRS HALLWAY -
ALAN TRACY. 19. Blond wavy hair. Boyish good looks. He strolls up to a BEAUTIFUL BRUNETTE girl. She's been waiting for him. He puts both arms around her shoulders, leans in close.
He kisses her. Hard. He hears his name being called O.S...
JEFF (O.S.): Alan?
ALAN: Remember where we left off.
He takes off, round the corner, down the stairs and into...
THE LIVING ROOM
He's headed right for the piano. He leaps over it. Gordon slides an ottoman into place. Alan bounces off it, does a flip and lands next to his brothers. The crowd APPLAUDS. Alan bows.
JEFF: Alan's the teenager, And everything that word implies.
LAUGHTER from the guests. Tin Tin can't help but smile. Until she sees Alan looking up to the balcony, winking at the busty Brunette who hangs over the railing. Tin Tin rolls her eyes.
THE PARTY - (LATER)
Guests mingle. Cocktail chatter. VIRGIL sits at the piano playing jazz. GORDON sits beside him. BRAINS stands off the the side, staring at...
TWO WOMEN ACROSS THE ROOM.
One is drop dead gorgeous. The other has her back turned.
SCOTT: You okay, Brains?
BRAINS: N-n-negative, Scott. There's a woman over there I'd like to engage in conversation, but I d-d-don't know how to i-i-initiate the, um, discourse.
Scott puts a manly arm around Brains, nearly crushing him. Scott speaks like a drill sergeant giving battlefield advice.
SCOTT: Simple. Walk up, introduce yourself. No frills. Be bold and direct. Confident, but not cocky. Women like a man who knows what he's about.
BRAINS: R-r-right.
SCOTT: Good man. Go get her.
Scott pats Brains on the back - a little too hard. Brains moves through the crowd. Nervous. Repeating Scott's instructions...
BRAINS: B-b-bold and direct.
He walks out of frame. We hold on TIN TIN, caught in a tedious conversation with a plump, MATRONLY WOMAN.
MATRONLY WOMAN: You mean to tell me a beautiful young woman like yourself, educated at Harvard, with such a charming disposition, has no man in her life?
TIN TIN: Oh there's a man in my life... (staring at Alan) I'm just not in his.
She looks over. Alan is now talking to a beautiful BLOND. Brains walks in front of them. We follow him as he walks across the room in a dace, bumps into the piano where Virgil and Gordon sit. Virgil Continues to play.
VIRGIL: Something wrong Brains?
GORDON: Wait a minute. I know that look. That's his I-want-to-talk-to-a-woman look. Am I right or am I right?
Brains node, motions across the room. They take note of the drop dead gorgeous woman talking with her friend.
GORDON: Whoa! Brains. That is some major babeage.
BRAINS: I n-n-know. What do I say to her?
VIRGIL: Don't over think it. Just be yourself. Say the first thing that comes to mind.
GORDON: Really? "Make me your love slave you Aphrodite goddess you?" Think she'd like that?
VIRGIL: I said the first thing that comes to his mind, not yours. He's brilliant. You're pathetic.
GORDON: Saying the first thing never works.
VIRGIL: Worked last night.
GORDON: Last night? You mean the girl with the...and the... (making hand gestures) Really? What happened?
VIRGIL: I don't kiss and tell.
GORDON: So there was kissing involved...
Gordon and Virgil continue, Brains just walks away. As he gets closer to the woman. He passes
ALAN - flirting with that Blond we saw earlier. She's the author of Jeff's book. 28. Sophisticated. A real woman.
ALAN: ...and your next book could be about my life.
BLOND WOMAN: Getting a tan, spending daddy's money? Not really best seller material now is it? (leaning in) When you get a life, I'll write about it.
She walks away revealing Brains who has just seen the whole exchange.
BRAINS: H-h-how do I avoid s-s-such a cr-cr-crushing rejection?
ALAN: Don't know. That's never happened to me before.
Alan watches the Blond walk away, past the woman Brains has his eye on. Brains sighs.
BRAINS: If only w-w-women were like Fermats last theorem --
Alan gives him a confused look. Brains shrugs.
BRAINS: -- then maybe I c-could figure them out.
Kyranu passes with a tray of champagne. Brains takes one, throws it down in the most manly way he can, and crosses to...
THE TWO WOMEN
But he isn't after the gorgeous one. He taps the other one on the shoulder. He turns. She's a female version of him. With high cut banks (sic) and red rimmed spectacles.
BRAINS: Um...um...hi.
FEMALE BRAINS: (blushing, smiling) Hi.
ACROSS THE ROOM - the four brothers are together. They see the woman Brains had her eye on -- and try desperately not to laugh.
CUT TO:
EXT. SPACE - NIGHT
The Earth floats against a starry black background. A SHUTTLE flies by. We follow it as it charts a course for THE MOON.
EXT. THE MOON -
The SHUTTLE flies in through THE MOON COLONY which lines the banks of the Sea of Tranquillity. One bulbous tower looms large over the other buildings. The shuttle lands at a docking bay beneath it.
INT. MOON TOWER/DOCKING BAT - NIGHT
The Experts are led off the shuttle. Nervous. Uneasy. Ushered forward by armed guards into an elevator.
INT. MOON TOWER CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT
Elevator doors open. The guards point to a large CONFERENCE TABLE in the middle of the room. Folders await them, each with their names on the cover. "AHMAD SHRAIBATI - Biogenetic Engineering" "YANS SPINKLE - Hydroponic Herbology", "CHET GRAHAM" - Atmospheric Biology", etc.
The Experts study the folders, confused.
CHET: Would someone please tell us what is going on here?
STONE (O.S.): With pleasure.
Everyone spins to find, standing in a doorway...
THADDEUS STONE
- and it ain't a pretty sight. He's a decaying shell of a man. Pallid, gaunt face. Lips, dry and cracking from the constant flow of oxygen that HISSES from a collar-like apparatus around his neck. He wears and exoskeleton suit of gears, rods and pulleys that aid his movements with mechanical WHIRS and BUZZES.
The Experts are startled at the sight of him.
STONE: Forgive my appearance...
They are even more startled at his voice - a synthetic, Stephen Hawking-like computerized enhancement which emanates from a box at his throat. When he speaks, his lips barely move.
STONE: Twenty years. In low gravity. Does take. It's toll. But. What the muscles. Lack. Technology. Has. More than. Made up. For.
GEARS SPIN, MOTORS WHIR as Stone walks toward them.
STONE: Please. Be seated. Assuming. You all share. Dr. Graham's. Anxiety. I will skip. The formalities. As they say. Cut. To the chase.
Stone hits another button on his remote. The middle of the conference table slides open. BZZZZ. TSSSH. HMMMMMM. The lights dim and a brilliant blue HOLOGRAPHIC EARTH rises up through the opening, complete with cloud swirling atmosphere.
STONE: In the beginning. God created. The heavens. And the Earth. I. Feel slighted. That my great. Grey rock. Was omitted. From those passages.
A HOLOGRAPHIC MOON orbits around the Earth.
STONE: Perhaps it was. Too dull. For the prophet's pen. Perhaps. The Creator. Was unsatisfied. With his creation. Therefore. I give you. Chapter one. Verse one. Of the new. Genesis...
The holographs of a large machine - call it THE DEVICE - floats out from behind the moon toward to Earth. Experts lean forward. What is this thing?
STONE: Let there be. Air.
Stone flips a switch. The atmosphere is drawn away from the Earth, through the machine and onto the moon. Within seconds, the Earth is the big gray rock and the moon is a beautiful blue.
The Experts shift uncomfortably in their seats.
STONE: You. Ladies and gentlemen. Will be. The architects. Of this brave. New world.
The experts look to each other -- can't think of what to say. Chet is looking particularly nervous.
GERMAN EXPERT: Is extrordinary hypothesis, Chancellor. But to construct a machine of ziz magnitude...
INDIAN EXPERT: ...would require enormous expense. Not to mention the time it would take...
STONE: -- five years. Three months. Twenty seven says...
Stone motions to an assistant who turns a huge dial on the wall. The ceiling slides open and the only thing between us and space is a thick layer of glass. A GIANT SHADOW moves across the glass. The Experts' jaws collectively drop as...
THE MASSIVE DEVICE FLOATS INTO VIEW
They all stare at is, absolutely thunderstruck. Stone gazes upward - like Michelangelo staring at his just completed ceiling.
CHET: Stripping the atmosphere off the Earth? This is why you abducted us...?
STONE: Selected. Dr. Graham. Not abducted. You are. The chosen twelve. This will be. The greatest challenge. Of your scientific lives. Not to examine. The elements. Of your world. But to create. A new one.
CHET: This is the most insane thing I've ever heard! Why don't you just go back?
STONE: I have. Reached. As they say. The point. Of no. Return.
The German expert tries to calm Chet down, fearing the consequences. Chet collects his thoughts.
CHET: You're a bold thinker, sir. We all respect that. Your colonization of the Moon was a pioneering milestone. But you have remained in this unhealthy environment against doctor's warnings and are consequently suffering the result. And I for one don't believe that millions should have to pay with their lives because you refused to heed their warnings. I can't speak for everyone else, but as for me, I'll have no part of this. Respectfully -- you can count me out.
Stone WHIRS and BUZZES his way around to Chet. Studies him. The others cringe. What will he do? Surprisingly...
STONE: Very well.
Stone motions to his guards who escort Chet across the room to a set of doors - but not the elevator doors. They let Chet enter first, and then close the doors behind him.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOORS
Chet is in a stainless steel windowless room -- which might as well be called his coffin. And just as Chet makes that realization for himself... CL-CLANK! - ZHZHZH! - TWOOMF! -
HE IS SUCKED OUT INTO SPACE.
The Experts watch through the glass above as Chet soars past the massive device and out into the endlessness of space.
STONE: Anyone else. Want. Out?
The Experts uneasily settle back into their chairs. Stone WHIRRS and BUZZES out of the room, followed by his guards, into...
INT. MOON TOWER/CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
A circular room. Elaborate control consoles. Huge screens. Hundreds of radar monitors. MR. NAGIMOTO, a nervous Japanese man, meets Stone at the door. Practically bowing.
NAGIMOTO: Everything ready as planned
Stone sits in his seat, winded from even that short walk. He takes a deep breath from his oxygen supply, exhales...
STONE: Phase 1 complete. Begin. Phase 2.
CUT TO:
EXT. NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL HELIPORT - DAY
A limousine pulls past the heliport sign, onto a tarmac outside a hangar and joins a line of other limos. Crowds of people are gathered as well as MEDIA.
The HOOD, the burly bald man we met earlier, drives the limo. Dressed in a chauffeur’s uniform. MR. RICH, a Texas fat cat in a ten gallon Stetson, sits in the back seat. Rich talks really fast.
MR. RICH: Tell you what, pardner, this here Skythrust is the thing of the future. Three thousand miles an hour and safe as a bear in a cave. Course I paid a goldarn arm and a leg for the dang ticket, but hell, it's worth it, ain't it there pardner? Good cause and all that cock-n-bull. And boyhidey, that Lady Penelope, she sure is...
THWWWT! A bullet in the chest. The Hood holds the silenced gun through the privacy window.
HOOD: (Eastern European accent) Shut up.
The Hood casually steps out of the limo, opens the rear door, steps in. SECONDS LATER, the opposite rear door opens and the Hood steps out, now disguised as Rich. He smooths the seams on his neck. Reaches in the limo. Takes out the Stetson, the flashy jacked, and a gold lined envelope.
HOOD: Thanks for the invitation -- pardner.
He casually strolls toward the loading steps of...
THE SKYTHRUST
a bulky blue and white luxury jet with three different levels, forward slanting wings. The future of first class travel.
Reporter NED COOK stands nearby, addressing camera...
NED COOK: ...for this charity flighty of the Skythrust, which carries fifty passengers from New York to London in a remarkable fifty-eight minutes. Hosting the invitation only event is Britain's own ambassador of goodwill, the beautiful and glamorous Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward... (seeing something o.s.) There she is now! Lady Penelope...!
Ned joins a throng of other REPORTERS and CAMERAMEN who are all following Lady Penelope. We track her from behind. Even from this view, we can tell she's classy. Stunning attire. Graceful walk. Silky blond hair bouncing on her shoulders.
Questions fly. Flashbulbs FLASH. Ned thrusts a microphone in.
NED COOK: Lady Penelope! In the last month alone you've hosted four charitable events, three fashion shows and six dinners with various heads of state. Tell the folks at home -- what does a woman like you do in her spare time?
She stops and turns. And it was worth waiting for. Her blonde locks, cut in a stylish bob, frame the perfect Cover Girl face. Is the a mature 24 or a young 35? She'll never tell.
LADY PENELOPE: A woman like me must have her secrets, Ned. And she must keep them.
She raises an eyebrows to Ned as if to say - nice try. She turns and sashays up the steps and into the plane. The door shuts.
Chocks are pulled away from the wheels. Ground crews wave the craft into position with red flashlights. The Skythrust engines ignite. The jet lifts off vertically.
A BREATHTAKING VIEW OF 21st CENTURY NEW YORK as the Skythrust soars out of the skyline, around the Statue of Liberty and out toward the Atlantic.
INT. SKYTHRUST - DUSK
The PILOT and COPILOT sit at the controls.
Course set for Alpha-Delter-Niner One Dash Five. Altitude, 85,000 feet. Air speed, Mach 5. Switching to auto-pilot.
The pilot flips a few switches, removes his headset.
PILOT: I'm um, gonna go back and check on the passengers.
COPILOT: You mean passenger. I saw her too. She's kinda cute.
PILOT: Cute? More like the most beautiful and glamorous woman in the world.
With a confident wink, he exits the cockpit.
INT. SKYTHRUST/MAIN CABIN - NIGHT
The inside of this jet is basically a living room with wings. Lady Penelope sits at the bar, surrounded by five MEN of various nationalities, hanging on her every word...
LADY PENELOPE: ...and his Majesty pointed at the stained glass and said, "Now that is what I call a Royal pane."
The men laugh -- maybe a little too hard. She puts her long black cigarette holder to her lips. Give lighters thrust forward. Penelope smiles graciously as her cigarette is lit.
The Pilot steps in, nervously clears his throat.
PILOT: Lady Penelope. Captain Meddings. On behalf of the flight and cabin crew, I just wanted to say it's been a pleasure having you on board.
Penelope takes his hand with both of hers. Earnest and sincere...
LADY PENELOPE: I assure you, Captain, in your able hands, the pleasure has been all mine.
The star-struck Captain moves on, a little weak in the knees.
Mr. Rich (the Hood) checks his watch, moves towards the front of the plane. Enters the lavatory.
INT. SKYTHRUST LAVATORY - (CONTINUING)
Mr. Rich unhooks a panel in the floor, lowers into the opening.
INT. SKYTHRUST/ENGINE COMPARTMENT - (CONTINUING)
Mr. Rich makes his way toward the MAIN ELECTRICAL PANEL. He opens it and traces a circuit marked "NAVIGATION". Using clamps, he interrupts the circuit with a bulky electronic device.
He moves to the rear of the plane. Removes his cowboy hat. Packed inside the hat's band are two COMPLEX MECHANICAL DEVICES. He attaches them to the door marked "ENGINES." Runs their feed wires to an electronic detonator. Arms his remote/watch.
EXT. SKY - NIGHT (LATER)
The Skythrust soars majestically through the clouds.
PILOT'S VOICE (V.O.): Ladies and Gentlemen, we are beginning our descent into London. We'd like to ask at this time that you return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts.
INT. SKYTHRUST CABIN/COCKPIT - (CONTINUING)
(CUTTING FROM COCKPIT TO CABIN...) Mr. Rich fastens his seat belt. Checks his watch, flips up the face revealing a small red button. He readies his finger.
PILOT: It's been a pleasure serving you, and on behalf of myself, copilot Rimmer and the entire Skythrust crew, I'd just like to say...
BOOM! There's a small explosion.
PILOT: SON OF A B****!
An UPPER CRUST WOMAN clutches her chest, offended.
UPPER CRUST WOMAN: That hardly seems appropriate.
The Skythrust is suddenly jolted. Passengers stumble.
Alarms scream and lights flash red as the Captain struggles to keep control of the damaged aircraft. The plane veers left.
COPILOT: You're changing course?!
PILOT: I'm not doing anything. She's steering herself!
The crippled craft dives helplessly forward.
Passengers brace themselves. The G-force rattles their jowls.
INT. LONDON TOWER - NIGHT
Big circular control tower. Lots of uniformed men and women scurrying about. The COMMANDER turns to the RADAR OPERATOR.
PILOT (OVER RADIO): London Tower! This is Skythrust! I have no control of the craft! Repeat! No control! I'm getting a malfunction reading on the navigational control!
COMMANDER: Jennings. Calculate their flight path and rate of descent. Give me a point of impact.
The radar operator hits buttons on his keyboard. His eyes widen at the result. He spins the monitor around for the Commander to see.
COMMANDER: Good heavens.
EXT. BIG BEN/LONDON - NIGHT
DUM-DUM-DUM (that's a big dramatic music cue). London's famous clock towers into the misty night sky.
The Skythrust flies through the fog bank. Passengers hang on for dear life.
The Pilot sees the face of Big Ben break through the fog, right in front of them. He reverses thrust. But it's too late...
THE SKYTHRUST SMASHES INTO THE FACE OF BIG BEN.
INT. SKYTHRUST - NIGHT
Passengers topple forward. Hundreds of air bags inflate and cushion the blow.
EXT. SKYTHRUST - NIGHT
The clock's machinery punctures the hull. Momentum thrusts the ship further into the tower and into a CLUMP OF MACHINERY BEARING THE ATOMIC SYMBOL.
The ship's mangled front explodes out of the other side of the clock. Exposed wires ship around the Skythrust engines. The fuselage screeches to an unstable stop, precariously teetering on the edge of the tower.
INT. SKYTHRUST ENGINE ROOM - CLOSE ON CLOCK - NIGHT
A Blue spark skips along a wire now running from the ATOMIC MECHANISM to the ATOMIC CORE OF SKYTHRUST'S ENGINE. THE COMPUTER CLOCK flashes and then -- BLEEP, BLEEP, BLEEP... The time appears, counting down. 9:01:31...32...33...
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Panic. Traffic stops. People SCREAM and DASH for cover.
INT. LONDON TOWER - NIGHT
Stunned disbelief. No one moves. They're all in shock.
RADAR OPERATOR: What do we do, sir?
COMMANDER: (with much bravado) In a situation this grave, there's only one thing to do.
He picks up the radio and we...
CUT TO:
EXT. OUTER SPACE - NIGHT
A SPACE STATION rotates against the starry background. We see the words THUNDERBIRD 5 on its side. We hear STATIC and various VOICES crackling through speakers.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 5 - NIGHT
John Tracy, the fifth brother. Needless to say, he's handsome. He sits in a chair attached to a pole in the middle of the craft. It can move him to any position at the button clustered control panel that encircles him.
We hear static. John hears something else. He turns a knob. Glides over to a dial. Checks the oscilloscope. Flips a switch. Noises fall away until we hear nothing. But John still hears something. He hones in on the sound as if his head were a divining rod in search of water. Finally, he finds the culprit...
A TINY LOOSE SCREW ON A METALLIC PANEL. We now hear it vibrating. BZZZZ. He puts his finger on it. The buzzing stops. And John breathes a huge sigh of relief. Until...
COMMANDER (ON RADIO): International Rescue. Calling International Rescue.
John hits a button on his chair. It moves him to the main radio. He picks up the microphone.
INT. LONDON TOWER - NIGHT
The Commander and his subordinates gather around the radio.
COMMANDER: ...as quickly as you can. This is an emergency!
JOHN (ON RADIO): F.A.B. London Tower. Help is on the way.
The commander screws up his face.
COMMANDER: F.A.B.? What the devil does that mean?
CUT TO:
EXT. TRACY ISLAND/RUNWAY - DAY
Jeff's private jet sits on a concrete pad adjacent to the swimming pool. Most of the guests are in the plane. Brains helps his "date" up the steps.
FEMALE BRAINS: You'll c-c-call me?
BRAINS: Um...affirmative.
She kisses him on the cheek, he blushes and backs up beside Jeff. He has the biggest smile on his face...
BRAINS: Gr-gr-great party, My. Tracy.
The jet lifts off. Girls wave at the brothers who wave back from the balcony as it soars away. Kyranu appears behind them.
KYRANU: Mr. Tracy. We have a call. Line Five.
Instantly, Jeff and the boys leap into action.
CUT TO:
INT. TRACY HOUSE/JEFF'S OFFICE - DAY
Jeff and the boys hurry in. Jeff depresses a button - AND THE ROOM TRANSFORMS INTO WHAT IT REALLY IS - THE NERVE CENTER OF INTERNATIONAL RESCUE.
Portraits of his sons hang on the wall to his left. The eyes on the portraits of JOHN blink. Jeff hits the LINE 5 button on his telephone. The portrait dissolves to a live video image of John.
JEFF: What is it, John?
JOHN: The Skythrust, Dad. Fifty passengers en route to London and she's crashed into the top of Big Ben. Could fall any minute.
JEFF: Brains?
BRAINS: Um, Pod 3 I'd say.
JEFF: F.A.B. (turning to his sons) Let's move it, boys. Thunderbirds are go!
VERY QUICKLY, THE FOLLOWING HAPPENS...
- Scott backs to a spot on the wall and grips two wall sconces just over his shoulders. The section of the wall spins. WHOOSH. He's gone.
- Virgil's chair slides over beneath a painting. WHOOSH. His section of the wall flips up. In a flash. The wall returns to normal. The chair is there. But no Virgil.
- Alan and Gordon on the sofa. THOOMP! It's sucked into the floor.
INT. TRACY ISLAND/CAVERNS BEHIND WALLS/SECRET TUNNELS - NIGHT
The boys whiz down a series of secret tunnels and tubes into the enormous underground caverns that hold the Thunderbirds. With speed and expert prevision, they are deposited into their craft, complete with flight gear and helmets.
THUNDERBIRD 2 LOWERS ONTO POD 3.
THUNDERBIRD 1 MOVES INTO LAUNCH POSITION.
EXT. TRACY HOUSE - DAY
The swimming pool slides open revealing a huge concrete silo. Then, THUNDERBIRD ! is silently but forcefully jettisoned into the air. At a safe distance away, the engines ignite.
The rock face just beneath the Cliff House slides up revealing TB2's secret hangar. Thunderbird 2's main ramjets ignite as it blasts out of the hangar. The palm trees lining the runway fold down allowing room for the wings to pass.
The huge green craft takes off and soars into the sky.
EXT. BIG BEN - NIGHT
A large crowd has gathered, all pointing up at the Skythrust which teeters on the edge of the crumpled Big Ben.
INT. SKYTHRUST/MAIN CABIN - NIGHT
Airbags deflate. Emergency lights shine. Lady Penelope collects herself, then instantly checks on the passengers around her. The one closest to her is MR. RICH.
LADY PENELOPE: Are you alright?
MR RICH (THE HOOD): (perfect Texas accent) Good as gold.
She moves amongst the other passengers, helping them.
LADY PENELOPE: Remain calm, everyone. Everything is going to be fine.
Wrong. We crane down into the ENGINE ROOM OF THE SKYTHRUST. The clock continues to dountdown: 9:11:28...29...30...
EXT STREETS BELOW BIG BEN - NIGHT
There's a loud RUMBLE O.S. The crowds look up. News crews have arrived. The mood is tense until suddenly...
THUNDERBIRD 1 BREAKS THROUGH A CLOUD
The crowd erupts into a UNIFIED CHEER as Thunderbird 1 zooms around Big Ben, assessing the situation.
SCOTT: Alan! Ready the clamps. Fire on my order.
ALAN: Say the word, Thunderbird.
THUNDERBIRD 1 P.O.V. - Skythrust teeters precariously on the crumpled edge of Big Ben.
BACK TO:
INT. TRACY ISLAND/JEFF'S OFFICE - DAY
Jeff, Brains and Tin Tin huddle around Jeff's desk. The two center monitors offer views from TB1 and TB2's P.O.V.
SCOTT (ON RADIO): Dad, are you seeing this?
Jeff observes the wreckage on the monitors and purses his lips.
JEFF: Looks tricky, Scott.
SCOTT (ON RADIO): She could go over at any minute. I'd say our best shot is to secure her then airlift the entire main cabin, over.
JEFF: Roger that, Scott. Brains is transmitting structural plans of the Skythrust now.
BACK TO:
EXT. BIG BEN - NIGHT
TB1 continues to survey the wreckage.
INT. SKYTHRUST/MAIN CABIN - NIGHT
The passengers see Thunderbird 1 float into view. Excited, they move towards the windows - "it's them" "Thunderbirds!" etc.
LADY PENELOPE: No!
The sudden weight shift causes the ship to tilt. Lady Penelope tumbles all the way down the aisle, then - THWACK! - comes to a painful halt. She grabs a loose hatch outside the cockpit.
EXT. BIG BEN - NIGHT
With a scream of scraping metal, Skythrust starts to slowly slide out of the top of the clock.
SCOTT IN TB 1 sees the ship shifting.
SCOTT: Now, Alan! FIRE!
Scott spins TB 1 into position. Alan fires! CLANK! A magnetic harpoon clamps onto the tail of Skythrust. Yanks TB1 down. Scott increases power. Pulls her up -- if only momentarily.
Lady Penelope slips and falls into the cockpit, smashing into the main control panel.
TB 2 arrives on the scene. We cut between the brothers.
SCOTT: Virgil. This won't hold for long. Have Gordon fire the winch.
GORDON: Fire the winch? I never hired her in the first place.
ALAN: The comedy stylings of Gordon Tracy ladies and gentleman...
GORDON: Thanks, I'm here all week.
SCOTT: Quit kidding around. We've got work to do.
VIRGIL: F.A.B.
EXT STREET BELOW BIG BEN - NIGHT
CROWDS clear as Thunderbird 2 lands. It raises up on its telescopic legs revealing POD 3. The door to the pod opens and Gordon drives out on a tank-like gunners device.
Huge steel staples are shot into the concrete. Inch thick cables are tethered to them and feed into Gordon's gun.
GORDON: Hey, Virg. Hundred bucks says I hit her right on the "S."
VIRGIL: You hit her on the "S", she might hit you.
GORDON: Ba-dum, tssh. Thank you folks. Drive safe, don't forget to tip your waitress.
JEFF (OVER RADIO): Alright, you two. Quit yappin' and make it happen.
Thunderbird 2 rises up - minus its mid-section where the Pod used to be. It hovers over Skythrust beside TB1.
INT. SKYTHRUST COCKPIT - NIGHT
Lady Penelope tumbles and falls through the shattered front window. She hangs onto the nose cone for dear life as the ship continues to tilt.
WITH GORDON IN THE GUNNERS DEVICE
Gordon fires. The cables fly and SMASH right on the 'S' of "Skythrust".
GORDON: Damn, I'm good. You owe me a Benny, Zen man.
VIRGIL (ON RADIO): Put it on my tab.
Gordon hits a button. A winch winds. Pulls the cables taught. Pulls the tail down. Lifts the nose up. Skythrust is safe - for now.
Gordon attaches a device to one of the lines and - ZZZZZIP! - speeds up it to the top of the clock.
TB 1 releases its magnetic grip.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1 COCKPIT - (CONTINUING)
Structural blueprints of Skythrust appear on Scott's monitor.
SCOTT: Transmission received. Moving in.
ALAN: Keep my seat warm, Sergeant.
Scott didn't like that. But Alan is out the door.
EXT. BENEATH THUNDERBIRD 1 - NIGHT
A long pole, set in a groove, extends from the front of TB1. A small hatch opens. Alan attaches a hook to the pole and leaps.
His fall is short. Using a pack on his back, he glides up and down the wire like a puppet on strings. In effect, he can fly.
He flies around expertly setting small EXPLOSIVE CHARGES in strategic locations on Skythrust's hull. He sets a charge on the side of the ship, waves in at the passengers before shooting back to the top of the main cabin. He lands beside Gordon.
GORDON: We've got to stop meeting like this.
Alan sets charges while Gordon pulls a complex drilling/laser device off his back. He drills into the Skythrusts hull. In seconds he has cut a small hole through to the passenger section.
GORDON: I'm through, Scott.
SCOTT: Good work, Gordon. Assemble the passengers in the main cabin.
GORDON (ON RADIO): F.A.B.
INT. SKYTHRUST/MAIN CABIN -
Gordon drops in, his identity protected by his helmet and tinted pull down shades. Now, he's all business.
GORDON: Everyone. International Rescue are here and in control. We'll all make it out of here alive if we calmly move toward the center of the cabin.
The passengers ease their way toward Gordon. Gordon pulls himself back up through the hole.
EXT. SKY ABOVE BIG BEN - WITH TB1 AND TB2 - (CONTINUING)
TB 1 rotates. Virgil positions TB 2 above the wreckage.
SCOTT (ON RADIO): Secure the lines, Gordon. Let's seat this baby down.
GORDON: That's a big fat F.A.B., Scott.
ON THE HULL - Gordon pulls himself up and grabs the line Virgil is lowering from TB 2. He starts to secure it.
MEANWHILE - Alan swings along the side of the hull setting the last few charges.
EXT. SKYTHRUST NOSE CONE - NIGHT
Penelope starts to lose her grip. She slides down the cone and catches herself on the long radar antennae.
Searchlights pan past the wreckage and shine on LADY PENELOPE.
Alan notices the spotlights and leans out to see what's wrong. He spots Penelope on the nose cone.
ALAN: Look! At the nose cone. I'm going over.
SCOTT: Negative. Stay with Gordon. I'll lower a harness.
But Alan's got his eye on the glamour job and is on his way.
INT. TRACY ISLAND - DAY
Jeff sees Alan flying toward the nose of the Skythrust.
JEFF: Scott. What's Alan doing?
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1 COCKPIT - NIGHT
Scott looks down and sees Alan. And oooh boy, is he p***ed.
The crowd below cheers. And what does Alan do? HE WAVES - like a rock-n-roll star. Showing off, he "flies" over to Penelope who is turned away.
ALAN: It's okay, miss. Help is...
She spins around and it is now that he realizes who she is. He raises his visor to get a better look. With his oxygen mask on, all she can see are his clear, blue, captivated eyes.
ALAN: Whoa...somebody pinch me.
LADY PENELOPE: I'd rather grab you, if you don't mind.
ALAN: Mind? I dream about it. Often.
Yes, even in the face of deadly jeopardy, she is that cool. Alan, for once in his life, is speechless as this beautiful woman wraps an arm around him and squeezes tight.
LADY PENELOPE: Too tight?
ALAN: Not possible.
He punches a button on the control panel of his flight vest and the pack on his back rapidly lets out the line. He falls.
The crowd below gasps. Cameras aim at the two of them, falling.
Within a few feet of the ground, their descent slows to a perfect soft landing. Alan sets her down - but doesn't let go.
EXT. TRACY ISLAND - DAY
Tin Tin, Jeff and Brains watch the television coverage which now features a CLOSE UP of Alan and Penelope, locked in an embrace.
Tin Tin sighs, looks to Jeff and rolls her eyes.
EXT. STREET BELOW BIG BEN - NIGHT
Reporters and Cameramen move in.
LADY PENELOPE: I think we're on the ground now.
ALAN: Speak for yourself.
QUESTIONS FLY, CAMERAS FLASH. Alan reaches out to shake a few hands when he is suddenly yanked into the air by the strings on his harness. AS HE'S BEING RAISED UP...
ALAN: Whoa! What are you doing?!
SCOTT: This is a rescue, remember?
ALAN: Hey, I rescued her, didn't I?
SCOTT: Are the charges set?
ALAN: Old news.
SCOTT: Quit messing around and stay in position. Gordon. What's the passenger status?
ON THE SKYTHRUST HULL-
Gordon has secured the passenger section. He looks down the little hole he made earlier.
The passengers are huddled in the middle of the cabin.
GORDON: Shaken, but not stirred. I saw we get 'em outta there.
SCOTT: Stand clear. detonating charges.
A dozen SMALL CONTAINED EXPLOSIONS ripple around the hull of Skythrust, releasing the central passenger section from the rest of the craft. When it moves, the rest of Skythrust shifts again. Huge bits of Big Ben fall and smash to the ground below.
SCOTT: Take her up, Virg!
Thunderbird 2 pulls up on the lines.
The staples in the concrete wrench upward.
The passenger section eases up toward TB2.
The crowd below "ooohs" and "ahhs" and applauds.
EXT. THUNDERBIRD 1/UNDERSIDE - NIGHT
Alan carefully watches as the Skythrust cabin is pulled clear. It is now that he sees ...THE MANGLED ATOMIC MACHINERY...He furrows his brow, lowers a MONOCULAR in front of his visor.
THROUGH THE MONOCULAR P.O.V.- he can see the CLOCK COUNTING DOWN.
Thunderbird 1 cranks up the thrusters.
SCOTT: All clear, Alan.
ALAN (ON RADIO): Wait. I'm going back in.
SCOTT: Negative. You will...
But Alan has already lowered beside the atomic mechanism.
SCOTT (ON RADIO): Alan, I told you to get back here!
Alan inspects the mechanism. Something isn't right. He traces the wiring. Realizes...
SCOTT (ON RADIO): I'm pulling you up. Now!
Alan REMOVES HIS HARNESS.
Scott flips a switch then watches on his monitor. Alan's harness rises, but he isn't on it.
SCOTT: What are you doing?
The Skythrust lurches forward. A magnet springs off the hull.
ON THE GROUND - one of the steel staples wrenches, bends, then POPS out of the ground. Scott fires a new line - and this is the only thing holding the Skythrust in place.
SCOTT: Alan! This is no time for your stupid games. This thing's going over any second!
ALAN, IN SKYTHRUST - leaps down to the engine.
ALAN: I'm not playing games! The engine has fused with the clock's atomic timing mechanism. She's gonna blow at the next toll.
Scott looks to the clock. 9:28.
SCOTT: Switch on your Visor Cam.
INT. TRACY ISLAND/JEFF'S OFFICE - DAY
When Jeff sees the contraption on his monitor, he snaps to attention, concerned. This is serious. Brains looks it over.
JEFF: Good God. An explosion of that magnitude could...
TIN TIN: Destroy half of Northern Europe.
BRAINS: Un-unless.. (into radio) Scott. Load the engine onto Thunderbird 1, an-an-and jettison it into space.
SCOTT (OVER RADIO): F.A.B. Alan! Get out of there!
INT. SKYTHRUST/ENGINE COMPARTMENT - NIGHT
Alan has raised his visor and unhooked his oxygen mask.
ALAN: No. I can diffuse it. I think I found the cable.
Alan grabs a thick yellow cord. Hears Brains...
BRAINS (OVER RADIO): NO! N-n-not that one.
The Skythrust SHIFTS. The engine SLIDES. And the yellow cord comes off in Alan's hand.
ALAN: AH!
He winces. But there's no explosion. Alan opens one eye.
THE CLOCK IS COUNTING DOWN TWICE AS FAST!
ALAN: Oh God. Brains! BRAINS! What do I do!?
BRAINS: The atomic core! R-r-remove the atomic core!
Alan and the engine steadily slide across the floor toward a HUGE GAPING HOLE. Beyond that -- a 200 foot drop to cold hard cement. He retracts a small PNEUMATIC DRILL from his vest and starts unscrewing -- ALL THE WHILE SLIDING TOWARD THE OPENING.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1
Scott struggles with the controls. The strain is too much.
SCOTT: Alan, get out! I've got to let her go!
Scott struggles. The final magnet disengages itself and swings clear as the whole wreckage, with Alan still inside, starts to fall. The first toll of Big Ben sounds.
A MIGHTY EXPLOSION - but not a nuclear one - blasts from the center of the wreckage.
Alan, thrust by the explosion, soars through the air clinging with both hands to the SHINY METAL ATOMIC CORE. As he flies through the air, he passes THE FALLING MAGNETIC CLAMP FROM TB1.
Alan raises the core toward it and - CLANK - makes contact.
Thunderbird 1 rises as ANOTHER EXPLOSION hurls the flaming Skythrust wreckage out over the Houses of Parliament like some giant meteor. It just misses Alan and plunges into the Thames.
The CROWD cheers. TV cameras swing around to capture the sight.
JEFF, TIN TIN, and BRAINS - cheer back at Tracy Island
Even Scott musters a smile of relief as he reels Alan in.
TB2begins (sic) its descent toward Westminster Bridge.
The wealthy passengers all hug each other in relief. Except for MR. RICH - who slips away, unnoticed.
EXT. STREET BELOW BIG BEN - NIGHT
TB2 lands. Emergency services rush in and assist the passengers.
A PINK ROLLS ROYCE pulls up and a rosy cheeked, cockney chauffeur, PARKER, steps out, holding the door open for LADY PENELOPE - who straightens her hair and her dress and gracefully moves toward the car, illuminated by a flurry of camera flashes.
PARKER: Turbulent flight, m'lady?
LADY PENELOPE: Quite.
She steps into the back seat of her customs Rolls. Parker shuts the door and steps in behind the wheel.
LADY PENELOPE: Home, Parker. I need a nice warm bath and a hot cup of tea.
PARKER: Yes, m'lady.
As the Rolls pulls away, Thunderbird 2 rises back up.
Alan is hoisted into TB1 as the two massive ships pull up.
REPORTERS rush in. ARMY CAPTAINS and POLICE INSPECTORS man their radios, all of them talking over each other.
REPORTERS/ARMY/POLICE: They're leaving...get a fix...moving off southwest...track them this time...
IN THE THUNDERBIRD 1 COCKPIT...
SCOTT: Thunderbird 1 to Thunderbird 5. Preparing for departure.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 5 - NIGHT.
John surveys his control panel.
JOHN: F.A.B. You'll be happy to know that 48 different tracking devices are currently locked onto you. (chuckling) You have to admire their persistence.
He flips a switch marked RADAR SHADOW SYSTEM.
The THUNDERBIRDS blast through the sky and soar out of sight to a cacophony of cheers and applause.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 5 - NIGHT
On colorful monitors, we see blips that correspond to Thunderbirds 1 and 2.
QUICK SHOTS OF VARIOUS RADAR TRACKING STATIONS
Tracking, following then -- the two blips splinter off from the originals. Blank screens. Puzzled faces. After a few seconds, a graphic slowly materializes and reads:
"INTERNATIONAL RESCUE THANKS YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST"
We PULL BACK from one of those screens and find ourselves in...
INT. STONE TOWER - NIGHT
A flurry of activity. Stone stares at the message on the screen. Not amused.
STONE: Is he. On board?
Nagimoto nods as he monitors a FUZZY MASS on an infrared screen. The mass resembles a soundwave readout on an oscilloscope.
NAGIMOTO: So far, so good.
Stone turns to a COLONEL is military uniform.
STONE: Have your. Forces ready. When. The coordinates. Of the secret base. Are received. Commence. Your strike.
The Military Man salutes and leaves.
STONE: Mr. Nagimoto? How long?
NAGIMOTO: Once we have power core -- thirty minutes. Tops.
Stone smiles in anticipation of what will be his finest hour.
EXT. SKY - NIGHT
Thunderbird 1 streaks across the night sky.
IN THE TB1 COCKPIT --
Alan sits behind Scott in the copilot seat. Alan unbuckles himself and leans over Scott's shoulder.
ALAN: Scott. Let's switch. Let me take her in.
SCOTT: Negative.
ALAN: C'mon. You never let me fly.
SCOTT: Get back in your seat and buckle in. That's an order!
ALAN: You know, this whole drill sergeant thing is getting really tired.
SCOTT: (through gritted teeth) If you don't zip it, I'm gonna hit you so hard, Gordon will feel it.
Scott means it. He's p***ed as hell. He gets this way often with Alan. So Alan just keeps pressing his buttons...
ALAN: Okay, I get it now. You don't want me to prove once and for all who's the better pilot.
SCOTT: You think this is some kind of joke, don't you? You don't even realize what you did back there.
ALAN: Give it a rest, Scott. You're about as much fun as a heart attack.
Alan buckles in. Scott counts away his anger.
SCOTT: TB1 to TB5.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 5 - NIGHT
John monitors the various radar screens.
JOHN: Go ahead, Scott.
SCOTT (ON RADIO): Accelerating to Mach 10. I gotta get home before Dad has one less son.
John grins. Knows the routine all too well.
JOHN: F.A.B. All clear from here.
He looks to his left and notices an odd readout on an oscilloscope type device. Looks puzzled. Grabs a pair of headphones. Plugs them into the device. Listens.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 2 COCKPIT - NIGHT
Virgil and Gordon are cruising along.
VIRGIL: So we go back to her place and she opens a bottle of wine...
GORDON: C'mon. Get to the good part. I want details.
VIRGIL: (a reluctant pause) Okay. It was Sancere, '99. Very good year. Oaky, with just a hint of...
GORDON: Um, Virg? Not the kind of details I'm looking for.
VIRGIL: (smiling to himself) Right. Well, let's see. She did ask me if I'd ever had a Tantric massage.
GORDON: Tantric. Oh yeah...
VIRGIL: You know what that is?
GORDON: No. But that word. Tantric. Sounds all forbidden and nasty. Go on...
There's a BEEP O.S. John appears on one of the screens.
JOHN (ON SCREEN): Thunderbird 5 to Thunderbird 2.
GORDON: Not now, John. We're talkin' tantric.
JOHN (ON SCREEN): I think we've got a problem.
And they both know -- when John says that, he means business.
JOHN: Listen to this.
He turns up the volume on one device. We hear static. He turns up the volume on a different device. More static.
JOHN: Hear that?
Gordon looks to Virgil. Raised eyebrows.
VIRGIL: Um...I hear static, John.
JOHN: There it is again. Let me see if I can isolate it.
More knob twisting. ON JOHN's SCREENS. Sound waves cross and separate until finally, we hear a very faint, rhythmic GROWL.
JOHN: Hear that? Down in that 80 megahertz range.
VIRGIL: Is someone tracking us?
JOHN: No. That's what's weird. It's coming from Thunderbird 2. (thinking, then...) Change course, Virgil.
And even more serious look from Virgil and Gordon. Virgil snaps into action. Steers the ship to a new course.
INT. MOON TOWER/CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Nagimoto monitors the infrared screen, turns to Stone.
NAGIMOTO: The signal is changing direction?
INT. THUNDERBIRD 2 COCKPIT - NIGHT
JOHN (ON SCREEN): Better run a scan just in c...
VIRGIL: Yep. I'm on it.
Virgil flips switches, turns dials. Checks monitors.
ON THE MONITOR - a visual scan of TB2 from top to bottom.
GORDON: Looks normal.
But Virgil has seen something odd. He backs the scan up, holding on a crate. Keys in some buttons.
ON THE MONITOR - view switches to x-ray. There's a skeletal outline of a man inside the crate, holding a gun.
GORDON: Funny. I don't remember packing a skeleton. Did you pack a skeleton?
Virgil looks to Gordon, nods toward the door. Gordon acknowledges, moves off.
VIRGIL: (into radio) Thunderbird 2 to Thunderbird 1. We've got company.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 2 CARGO BAY - (CONTINUING)
Gordon inches through the cargo bay, armed with a gun of his own. He cautiously approaches the crate, aims the gun.
GORDON: Alright. Inside the crate. Throw down your weapon and step out slowly with your hands where I can see them.
Gordon steadies his aim. Suddenly, the crate comes flying at him. Knocks his gun out of his hand. Gordon stumbles backward into the EMERGENCY SUPPLIES KIT.
MR. RICH stands where the crate was, having just kicked it at Gordon. He aims his gun and FIRES. Gordon rolls out of the way, grabs a glare gun and with pin point accuracy, fires a flare that hits MR. RICH in the hand, searing it.
MR. RICH (THE HOOD): AHHH!
He drops his gun and removes the flaming flare. Gordon charges. Rich throws the flare at him. Gordon ducks. Rich charges Gordon and slams into him. They SMASH into the EMERGENCY EXIT. The door opens and both of them are sucked out of the craft.
EXT. THUNDERBIRD 2 - NIGHT
Gordon and Mr. Rich cling to the wing of TB2.
Virgil realizes what's happened.
VIRGIL: Gordon!
He quickly decelerates.
The sudden change in momentum sends Gordon and Rich sliding across the top of TB2 as it lowers toward the ocean surface. Rich grabs Gordon and the two of them roll around.
Rich's fist flies at Gordon. He ducks. Rich punches the hull. Gordon cold cocks him. Rich falls backward. Gordon leaps for him. Rich kicks Gordon in the gut. Gordon stumbles backward.
Rich reaches into a holster in his pant leg and draws another gun with this char-broiled hand. He aims.
Gordon smacks a button on his flight suit. We hear a CL-CLANK at his feet as his MAGNETIC BOOTS ENGAGE.
GORDON: (to Virgil on intercom) Virg! Roll her over!
IN THE TB2 COCKPIT - Virgil throws the plane into a roll.
Thunderbird 2 flips 180 degrees. Rich flies off. Gordon stands upside down on the hull of the great green ship.
Mr. Rich falls about fifty feet and bounces across the water like a skipping rock before he plunges into...
EXT. OCEAN - NIGHT
He twists and turns, getting caught up in his disguise as it peels off his body. He swims to the surface and emerges, gasping for air, just in time to see...
THUNDERBIRD 2 STREAKING AWAY TOWARD THE HORIZON.
CUT TO:
INT. MOON CONTROL TOWER - NIGHT
ON THE INFRARED SCREEN, the signal holds in one place. Nagimoto leans forward over the shoulder of the Technician.
TECHNICIAN: It stopped moving. Forty-six degrees north, seven degrees east.
NAGIMOTO: Give me visual.
Technician hits a few buttons. An image of the Earth appears. Zoom, zoom, zoom - down to the ocean where the Hood treads water. He pulls a cord on his jacket. It inflates. He floats.
Stone seethes. His breathing becomes labored...
NAGIMOTO: I don't understand. We took every precaution. Hid signal inside hidden signal. It was fail safe.
...and for the first time, we hear Stone's real voice. Raspy and gritty. Something from beyond this world. Or beneath it.
STONE: AND YET IT FAILED!
And that little bit is enough to wind him. He buries his head in his breathing apparatus. Takes calming breaths. Raises his head. Back to his computer assisted voice.
STONE: Five years. Of planning. Seven hundred. Billion. Dollars.
NAGIMOTO: But sir...
STONE: Do you. Understand. Mr. Nagimoto. Without. The power core. The device. Is useless?
NAGIMOTO: Yes sir. But I think we underestimate the sophistication of Internation Rescue's technology.
Stone calms. Paces. Thinks.
STONE: Every. Organization. Has. Its weakness. (standing to leave) Find. Theirs. And find it. Now.
A WHIR and a BUZZ -- and Stone strolls away.
CUT TO:
EXT. TRACY ISLAND - DAY
Thunderbird 1 flies back to the island. It hovers over the pool, then rotates into vertical position. Thrusters turn and TB1 lowers into its silo.
INT. TRACY HOUSE/JEFF'S OFFICE - DUSK
Jeff and Brains watch through the huge windows as Thunderbird 2 approaches the island.
JEFF: Something's up, Brains. We've seen some crazy stunts in our day, but no one has ever stowed away on one of our birds.
BRAINS: I c-c-concur, Mr. Tracy. Any thoughts?
JEFF: If it were just one man, I wouldn't be worried. But he was sending a signal. Who to? (thinking, hitting a button) Base to Thunderbird 5.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1 HANGAR -
Alan and Scott exit TB1, still arguing as they go through their post flight routine; flipping switches, refuelling the ship with metal cylinders from the base's huge POWER CORE.
SCOTT: ...because I told you not to.
ALAN: If I had listened you (sic), Switzerland would be beach front property right now.
Scott spins on Alan and gets right in his face.
SCOTT: Let me tell you something. When you're out there it's your job to listen to me. And to tell me what you're doing!
ALAN: Why? So you can tell me not to do it? No one listens to me out there.
SCOTT: You just don't get it, do you?
ALAN: Get what?
SCOTT: Exactly.
Scott walks away. Alan hates it when he does that.
ALAN: Don't do your little say-the-last-word-and-then-walk-away-bit. (Scott keeps walking) Scott... (still walking) SCOTT!
BLAM! A door slams. Alan grits his teeth in frustration, then hurls his helmet across the hangar.
The hangar door opens and Thunderbird 2 taxies in.
INT. JEFF'S OFFICE - DAY
Scott hands his post flight COMPUTER CARTRIDGE to Brains at the wet bar/central control panel. Brains shoves it into a slot. Jeff is wrapping up with John who appears on the monitor.
JEFF: ...and see if you can trace the origin of that signal.
JOHN: F.A.B. John out.
John's live image is replaced by his portrait. Virgil and Gordon enter from one door. Virgil carries his post flight cartridge to Brains while Gordon follows, hanging on his every word.
VIRGIL: ...so she lights all these sassafras candles. Says the aroma opens the sensual passageways...
GORDON: Sensual passageways? I dream of a woman using those words with me. Either word. Sensual or passageway. Okay, go on. Candles are burning...
VIRGIL: She asks me to take off my shirt and...why am I telling you this?
GORDON: Because I'm a sad little man. Pity me.
Alan enters, the slams the door, marches up to Scott.
ALAN: Get. What?!
SCOTT: What? What are you talking about?
ALAN: Tell me what it is that you think I don't get.
SCOTT: If I have to tell you, it defeats the purpose.
ALAN: (to Gordon and Virgil) He's making this up, isn't he? Do you get it?
GORDON: Not as often as I'd like.
ALAN: See, Scott. They don't get it either.
SCOTT: Oh, they get it.
ALAN: GET WHAT?!
SCOTT: WHAT WE'RE DOING OUT THERE!
ALAN: I know what I'm doing. You just can't admit that I saw something you didn't. That I was right and you were wrong.
JEFF: No he wasn't You disobeyed orders.
Alan is taken aback by Jeff's interjection.
ALAN: I made an on-the-spot assessment. What, you don't want me thinking for myself?
JEFF: Thinking for yourself? Sure. Thinking of yourself is what I can't tolerate.
ALAN: I don't believe this. I prevent this huge explosion, save half of England -- and that's a bad thing?
JEFF: When you're on a mission -- there is no I. We all work together, as a team! (calming, putting his hands on Alan's shoulder) Look -- your instincts and your bravery are not in question here. Your judgement is. You broke communication. You took matters into your own hands. And that is not only unacceptable, it's dangerous. Do you understand? (no response, more pointed) Do you?
ALAN: Yeah, alright already.
Alan walks away, heading toward the back of the house.
JEFF: Where are you going?
ALAN: To the bathroom. Is that okay, or do I need to wait for Scott's order?
Alan leaves. Jeff shakes his head, not quite sure how to handle him. Scott steps up.
SCOTT: You're not gonna let him talk to you like that, are you?
JEFF: I'm gonna do what I think is best. Is that okay with you, Scott?
Scott raises his hands in surrender, realizing he's been put in his place. Jeff walks away to think.
ON THE PORTRAIT OF JOHN - the eyes blink. Jeff hits a button. John in TB5 appears.
JEFF: What is it, John?
JOHN: Still nothing on the origin of that signal. But I just received a report from London. Looks like the Skythrust crash was caused by sabotage.
JEFF: Sabotage?
Everyone gathers around. This is serious business.
JOHN: Traces of complex explosives were found in the engine compartment, and the navigational circuits had been altered. Someone steered it right into Big Ben.
Jeff looks weakened by the news. He has to sit down.
JEFF: What kind of sick mind...?
JOHN: I ran a passenger check to see who was on board. Turns out this man - Mr. Vernon Rich - did check in, but he was found dead in the back of his limousine at the Skythrust launch pad.
Mr Rich's photo appears on John's screen.
GORDON: Wait a minute. That's him! That's the guy who was on Thunderbird 2. Let me tell you, he punched pretty hard for a dead guy.
JEFF: (reprimanding) Gordon...
Gordon shrugs. What'd I say? Jeff paces.
JEFF: Brains. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
BRAINS: I, um, th-th-think so, Mr. Tracy
GORDON: What? What'd I miss?
BRAINS: It would, um, appear, G-G-Gordon, that an imposter b-b-boarded the Skythrust and created a d-disaster that would insure our arrival...
TIN TIN: ...so he could stow away on Thunderbird 2...
SCOTT: ...and get to our base.
GORDON: You got all that...from that?
Jef walks to the window and stares out. This is devastating news. Everyone looks pensive.
JEFF: I feared this day would come. If our technology falls into the wrong hands, the result could be devastating.
JOHN: It gets worse. The explosives used on the Skythrust are the same as the ones used in the World Science Center bombing.
VIRGIL: The missing scientists.
Brains' gears are spinning.
BRAINS: All laws of p-p-probability would suggest a connection between the two events. The p-p-possibilities are, um, quite numerous.
JEFF: Then I want you and Tin Tin to narrow it down to one. Let's quit yappin' and make it happen.
John signs off. Brains and Tin Tin leave. Jeff sits at his desk, deeply troubled by the news he just heard. Alan enters the room, putting on his leather jacket. Heading for the door.
ALAN: There's this new club opening in Paris. I'm gonna meet some friends there.
JEFF: I don't think so. I want you to prepare Thunderbird 3 and relieve John. He needs a rest.
ALAN: Relieve John? But I'll miss the party.
JEFF: You have responsibilities here, son. There'll be other parties.
ALAN: You never let me...
JEFF: I've got too much on my mind to get into this. The conversation is over. Understand?
Alan is about to explode. He storms across the room, deliberately bumping into Scott.
SCOTT: Watch it.
ALAN: What, you don't like getting pushed around? Welcome to my world!
CUT TO:
INT. BRAIN'S (sic) LABORATORY - DAY
Brains works at the chalk board. Yes -- a chalk board. He still prefers the old ways. Tin Tin sits at her computer.
BRAINS: Let's um, c-c-compile all the information we have on those missing scientists, Tin Tin.
TIN TIN: (absently) Right.
She's supposed to be working but instead, she's staring out the window down to...
INT. THUNDERBIRD 3 HANGAR - DAY
...a 220 foot bright red rocket that towers up into its silo.
Alan is fuelling her up. Walks to the large circular POWER CORE. Grabs MAGNETIC CLAMPS. Cl-CLANK, SSSSSS. Connects them. Turns a handle. Removes a long metal cylinder. Carries it to TB3. Inserts it. Locks it in place.
His watch BEEPS. Alan clicks it. Two guys (SHANE and DAVID) appear on the tiny screen. They stand in the midst of a huge crowd, camera flashes going off behind them.
SHANE (ON MONITOR): Yo, Trace?! Where are you? Almost here?
ALAN: I, um, don't think I'm gonna make it. I've got some things I gotta do.
DAVID (ON MONITOR): (poking his head in) What?! What could you possible (sic) have to do? You're a millionaire playboy. This is what you do!
SHANE (ON MONITOR): Everyone who's anyone is here!
DAVID:Let me just say you are missing the event of the year. Later.
The screen goes black. Alan grits his teeth in frustration.
ALAN: Damnit!
He spins around the finish his work and bumps into Tin Tin.
TIN TIN: Rough day?
ALAN: I'm missing that party.
TIN TIN: You'll live.
Alan resumes his button pressing, fueling Thunderbird 3.
ALAN: If you call this living.
TIN TIN: Come on, Alan this is me. What's bothering you?
Alan drops the brooding pretense. He can be himself with her.
ALAN: I don't know how much more of this I can take. You saw them up there. No one listens to what I want.
TIN TIN: I'm listening.
Alan chuckles, too obsesses with his own problem to hear her genuine concern -- and to see that she is in love with him.
TIN TIN: No, really. What do you want?
He's actually never given the question much thought...
ALAN: I don't know. I'm just sick of being bossed around. Does her care?
TIN TIN: Of course, he cares. Your father is one of the most caring men I know.
ALAN: Yeah. He cares. About this. (gesturing all around him) He cares about "saving the world." What a joke. We don't save the world. We fly in when someone else screws up and steal their thunder. Well, maybe I wanna make my own thunder.
TIN TIN: Then do it. You know what your father would say. Quit yappin'...
ALAN/TIN TIN: ...and make it happen.
Alan thinks about it, begins to nod. He's getting an idea.
BRAINS (O.S.): Tin Tin?
Tin Tin turns up to the lab and sees Brains in the window. She motions that she'll be right there. Alan now has a smile on his face that says he's up to something.
ALAN: (patting her shoulder) Thanks for listening, Tin Tin. You're like the sister I never had.
Tin Tin forces a smile. Not what she wanted to hear. But by now, she's used to it. Alan walks away, lost in thought.
CUT TO:
INT. TRACY HOUSE GYM - DAY
Hi-tech exercise equipment. Scott does sit ups while watching an Air Force General on TV discussing flight strategies. His body is picture perfect. Electrodes are attached to various muscles with wires that feed back into a computer.
There's a BEEP across the room. Scott stops exercising. Stands in front of the mirror as the machine speaks back to him.
VOICE ON MACHINE: Congratulations, Scott. You are in peak physical condition.
Scott stares at his physique in the mirror and nods as if to say, "Yes. I am" He hears a RUMBLE O.S. Looks up.
INT. VIRGIL'S ROOM - DAY
We hear the peaceful stringed twang of Asian music. Virgil goes through the slow, methodical movements of T'ai Chi. We hears a rumble as well.
INT. GORDON'S ROOM - DAY
Gordon's going through some complex moves of his own. Taking cheese balls from a can. Throwing them into the air. Catching them in his mouth. He hears the rumble, looks off. The cheese ball hits him in the head.
INT. JEFF'S OFFICE - DAY
Hears the RUMBLE. Instantly realizes what it is. Dashes out to
THE BALCONY
He looks down. The pool slides open and...
THUNDERBIRD 1 IS JETTISONED INTO THE SKY! The engines ignite and she blasts off.
Jeff runs back inside, gets on his radio.
JEFF (INTO RADIO): Alan! Alan, this is your father. Turn that craft around and get home.
Scott, Virgil and Gordon run in from one direction, Brains and Tin tin (sic) from another.
SCOTT: Was that...?
JEFF: Yes, Scott...
SCOTT: You mean he took...?
JEFF: Yes, Scott...
SCOTT: Well, you'd better....
JEFF: Will you let me handle this, Scott?! (back into radio) Alan, you listen to me...
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1 COCKPIT - DAY
Alan switches to horizontal flight. He cruises along, a little nervous. Voices crackle over the radio.
JEFF'S VOICE: Turn that craft around immediately. (pause) Alan? I know you hear me. Now...
Alan flips a switch. The voice shuts off.
ALAN: You're already in trouble -- might as well make it a night to remember.
He dials a number on his wristwatch/video phone. We hear a series of BLIPS. Then SHANE and DAVID appear on the screen.
ALAN: It's Trace. Plans have changed. I'll be there.
SHANE: Tres bien, mon ami! We're already in. It's Le Club. Look for the spotlights.
ALAN: F.A... (catching himself) ...be right there
He switches the watch off. Notices a light blinking beneath the "RADAR SHADOW" plaque.
ALAN: Shoot.
He flips a switch. The light goes solid. He thinks for a second. Does he want to go through with this? Sure he does. He pushes the throttle full forward. His head slams back against the seat.
THUNDERBIRD 1 SCREECHES ACROSS THE SKY.
INT. JEFF'S OFFICE - DAY
Jeff is on line with John.
JOHN: He's activated the radar shadow system, dad. But he flew for at least five minutes without it...
SCOTT: Someone could've detected it. I don't think he's aware that someone out there...
JEFF: Let's not lose our heads and jump to conclusions. We know where he's going. It's out job to get to him before someone else does. (to Virgil, Scott and Gordon) You three. Take Thunderbird 2. (to John) John. Find out what new club is opening in Paris and send a coded message to our London Agent. Let's move.
The boys head out.
SCOTT: What does he think he's doing?
TIN TIN: Making thunder.
They all give her a look. She smiles sheepishly and shrugs.
EXT. TRACY ISLAND - DAY
Thunderbird 2 blasts off. We TILT UP into the sky and...
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. THE MOON - NIGHT
...and continue to move in on Stone's control tower.
INT. STONE TOWER/STONE'S PRIVATE CHAMBERS - NIGHT
Stone is suspended in a Plexiglas tank filled with a bluish gel which supports his weak, withered body. Wires and tubes feed into his throat and chest. Doctors hover outside the tank.
We hear the door open. Nagimoto steps in between the doctors, anxiously approaches the tank and presses the "TALK" button.
NAGIMOTO: Sir, sir...!
Stone's head turns, his eyes open and he looks to Nagimoto as if to say "this had better be important."
NAGIMOTO: We have detected a craft. Jumped from Mach 2 to Mach 10 before disappearing. Only one ship in the world travels this fast.
Stone takes a deep breath. His computerized voice sounds through the intercom device
STONE: Where. Did it launch. From?
NAGIMOTO: Somewhere in the South Pacific. Unable to locate exact coordinates. But we have intercepted this transmission.
Nagimoto nods to the technician who raps a few keys on his keyboard. Information appears on the various screens, accompanied by the audio.
ALAN'S VOICE: It's Trace. Plans have changed. I'll be there.
SHANE'S VOICE: Tres bien, mon ami! We're already in. It's Le Club. Look for the spotlights.
A sardonic smile from Stone. He takes as deep a breath as he can.
STONE: Notify. Out nearest agent. Find the pilot. And the base. Is ours.
Nagimoto excitedly hurries away. The doctors close back in around Stone and we...
CUT TO:
EXT. PARIS - NIGHT
Cloud coverage hangs over the City of Lights.
EXT. WOODS NEAR VERSAILLES - NIGHT
Thunderbird 1 lowers out of the clouds and silently flies down into the woods...
...INTO A LARGE DILAPIDATED BARN. Alan putters out of TB1 on a HOVERBOUT (picture a jet ski that hovers) and speeds off.
EXT. LE CLUB - NIGHT
A quintessential Parisian street. The cafes, the accordion player on the street corner, the Eiffel Tower in the background.
Spotlights crisscross through the sky in front of Le Club. A red carped, lined with paparazzi, leads to the entrance. Alan pulls up on his hoverbout.
MONOCULAR P.O.V. - someone is watching him as he dismounts the hoverbout and struts through the pararazzi, snapping photos.
Reporters recognize him. Flock to him.
REPORTER: Look! It's Alan Tracy!
CAMERAS FLASH! MICROPHONES are thrust in his face. And Alan just loves it.
INT. LE CLUB - NIGHT
The party is in full swing. Pounding music. Lots of lights and pulsating bodies. Alan, David and Shane stand on the perimeter, scoping the babes.
DAVID: How 'bout her?
He points to an energetic young girl doing a shimmy.
SHANE: Oh baby. Can I get fries with that shake?
ALAN: She's a girl. I'm through with girls. I want a woman.
A waiter taps him on the shoulder and hands him a note. Alan reads it, looks at the waiter confused. The water points across the room where...
LADY PENELOPE SITS IN A QUIET CORNER, coyly smoking a cigarette through a long black holder.
Alan straightens his tie, runs a hand through his hair.
ALAN: And you know me -- I always get what I want.
David and Shane turn to see Alan approaching Penelope.
SHANE: Does he know who that is?
They watch for a moment as Alan sashays up to the table. A few seconds of idle chatter. She extends her gloved hand. He kisses it. She motions to a chair. He sits and winks at them.
DAVID: He's a god. When I grow up, I wanna be Alan Tracy.
AT THE ENTRANCE
A distinguished man in a tux enters. Looks like David Niven. Call him NIVEN. He speaks into the rose on his lape.
NIVEN: (British accent) I'm in. Tracking target.
He watches Alan strut up to Lady Penelope's table. Oh so suave and sure of himself. He sits down. A WAITER approaches.
With Alan and Penelope at the table in the corner...
WAITER: Bon soir, madame et monsieur. Somzing to drink?
LADY PENELOPE: Pernod. I always have Pernod in Paris.
WAITER: Monsieur?
ALAN: What's good enough for the lady...
He smiles coyle, thinking he is such the little Don Juan. The Waiter leaves. Now Alan can make his move.
ALAN: Decisive, aren't you?
LADY PENELOPE: I know what I want.
ALAN: (stroking her hand) What a coincidence. So do I.
Penelope remains perfectly poised, staring at him.
LADY PENELOPE: I'm curious. What would possess a young man to assume such a gesture is acceptable?
ALAN: (shrugging) You picked me out of the crowd.
LADY PENELOPE: And last week I picked out a stray poodle from the kennel.
ALAN: Did you take him home? (she nods) Did he spend the night?
Alan shrugs, oh so sure of himself. Penelope leans in.
LADY PENELOPE: On a pillow, in a basket, on the floor.
ALAN: Floor, pillow -- hmm, haven't tried a basket.
AT THE BAR...
Niven takes a seat, keeping an eye on Alan and Penelope.
There's a television above his head. It's playing the show LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS with hose, ROBIN LEACH, III. We see footage of Jeff, the island, the boys...
ROBIN LEACH, III: (same annoying accent) ...estimated worth of this luxurious island retreat, a staggering 4 billion dollars. Each son receives a reported 2 million a year stipend. Now that's a lot of coconuts!
The report continues. Penelope raises an eyebrow to Alan.
ALAN: Impressed?
LADY PENELOPE: Amused. I amuse easily. I'm hard to impress.
Alan is caught off guard. She's not like the others. He leans across the table, lowers hid voice.
ALAN: What if I were to tell you that's not the real me?
LADY PENELOPE: We all have our secrets.
ALAN: Not like mine.
LADY PENELOPE: Don't be so sure.
Penelope takes a drag of her cigarette and lets it escape her sultry lips with a cool HISS.
ALAN: Aren't you gonna ask me what it is?
LADY PENELOPE: Why should. (sic) You're about to tell me?
ALAN: What makes you so sure?
LADY PENELOPE: Your eyes. It's the same look I received last week. From that poodle.
A coy smile. Another drag of the cigarette. Alan tries to wait it out, but let's face it. She's better at this. While he searches for a snappy response, she notices...
NIVEN, SITTING AT THE BAR
casually adjusting his bow tie. A CLOSER LOOK at the tie...at the knot of the tie...it's a CAMERA LENS.
ALAN: So if I tell you my secret, does that mean I get to be this week's lucky dog?
LADY PENELOPE: Down, boy.
ALAN: I was about to sit up and beg.
A discreet look to Niven, then back to Alan.
LADY PENELOPE: Ask me to dance instead.
How can he resist those big sultry eyes? He takes her by the hand and leads her onto the floor. Past a drop-jawed Shane and David. They dance. A slow number.
Penelope keeps an eye on Niven who's keeping an eye on them. Alan whispers something in Penelope's ear. She raises an eyebrow...?
LADY PENELOPE: A Thunderbird pilot. Is that so?
ALAN: Doesn't this feel familiar? You in my arms. It was only a few hours ago that I saved your life.
LADY PENELOPE: You could've seen that on television. You'll have to do better than that.
ALAN: Have you heard this one...
He pulls her closer. His mouth is right on her ear...and also very near a BROACH ON HER DRESS. We move in on the broach...
ALAN: I flew here in Thunderbird 1.
LADY PENELOPE: And did what? Left it with the valet?
...and as we get macro close, we see the broach is a MICROPHONE.
EXT. PARISIAN STREET/NEAR LE CLUB - NIGHT
Parker sits in the Rolls, listening on the radio...
ALAN (ON RADIO): I hid it in the big red barn behind Versailles. We could go there...
Parker puts it in drive, peels out onto the road.
INT. LE CLUB - ALAN AND PENELOPE - NIGHT
The dance ends. He looks into her eyes.
ALAN: So. What now?
LADY PENELOPE: This is where you say, "your place or mine?"
Alan gulps. What a woman.
ALAN: Okay. Your place or mine?
LADY PENELOPE: Yours. Take me to your island.
ALAN: Now?
LADY PENELOPE: No time like the present.
ALAN: I'd rather go to your place.
LADY PENELOPE: That basket isn't very comfortable.
Big gulp. Alan's knees go a little weak.
ALAN: I'll get my coat.
Alan hurries across the room. Lady Penelope keeps an eye on...
NIVEN
...who, seeing Alan alone, readies himself to approach. Penelope removes the cigarette from her holder, puts the holder in her mouth, aims at Niven and blows. FFFFT!
Niven clutches his neck like a mosquito just bit him. Looks puzzled. Then looks faint. Then passes out on the bar. The people around him notice but seem annoyed. Lousy drunk.
Lady Penelope removes a compact from her handbag, speaks into it.
LADY PENELOPE: Parker. Work quickly. We may have company.
EXT. WOODS NEAR VERSAILLES - NIGHT
Parker steers the Rolls toward the large Red Barn.
PARKER: Yes, m'lady.
He parks it in a thicket near the bar, heads toward it on foot.
EXT. LE CLUB - NIGHT
Alan and Penelope speed away from the club on his hoverbout.
INT. RED BARN - NIGHT
Parker stands beneath a hatch on the underbelly of the craft. Inspects the lock.
PARKER: Blimey. Crackin' safes was easier than messin' with this lot.
He pulls what looks like a cigarette case from his coat pocket. Opens it. Various lock picking devices. He selects one. Removes a stethoscope from the other pocket. Listens. Picks.
EXT. ROAD OUTSIDE PARIS - NIGHT
Lady Penelope and Alan speed out of town.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1/FUSELAGE - NIGHT
Parker slides in on his back and pulls himself into the narrow wiring compartment of Thunderbird 1 (like a mechanic pulling himself under a car). He finds a circuit panel and opens it.
INT./EXT. BARN - THUNDERBIRD 1 - NIGHT
Alan and Lady Penelope cruise in. Moonlight shines on TB1. Alan rubs the belly of the craft as if it were a thoroughbred.
ALAN: Impressed yet?
She coolly shrugs while...
...INSIDE THE FUSELAGE...
Parker hears their voices over his headset. He freezes. Hears them entering the ship.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1 COCKPIT - NIGHT
Alan enters the cockpit, followed by Penelope.
ALAN: How about now?
Lady Penelope coolly shrugs. Alan tosses her a helmet.
ALAN: Put this on and buckle up. You're gonna be.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1/FUSELAGE - NIGHT
Parker listens, trying to figure out what's going on. Suddenly, the engines fire full throttle. The ship lurches forward. He slides the opposite way.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1 COCKPIT -
ALAN: I thought we'd have dinner first. I know this great little Chinese restaurant...
Alan pushes the throttle forward. The G-force throws both of their heads back against the seat.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 5 - NIGHT
John sits in front of a screen. Honing in on a faint signal. He flips some switches, turns some dials...
JOHN: Come on, come on...
More switching, more honing, until finally a BLIP appears on his screen. Moving across India.
JOHN: Gotcha!
INT. JEFF'S OFFICE/TRACY ISLAND - DAY
John's eyes blink on his photo. Jeff hits the button.
JEFF: What is it, John?
JOHN: I've descrambled the shadow system. He's setting a course for Hong Kong.
JEFF: Calculate intercept point and notify Scott.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 5 - NIGHT
John monitors the two craft on his screen. Thunderbird 1 is leaving India. Thunderbird 2 is over the Philippines, headed north. It turns and heads straight for Thunderbird 1.
JOHN: I've got you an open frequency, Scott. You should be able to get through.
Two two blips get closer and closer, near Hong Kong.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 2 COCKPIT - DAY
Scott pilots, Virgil sits beside him, Gordon sits behind. They fly down through a cloud bank and lower right beside...
THUNDERBIRD 1. They can see it out the left side window.
VIRGIL: Thunderbird 2 to Thunderbird 1. Come on, Alan. Set her down.
They can see Alan in the cockpit, ignoring the call. Scott hits his radio button.
SCOTT: Give it up, Alan! That's an order!
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1/COCKPIT - NIGHT
Alan keeps his eyes forward, showing the slightest bit of panic.
LADY PENELOPE: So, you're a fugitive?
ALAN: Worse. I'm a little brother.
He looks right. There are his brothers. He slams the throttle forward and speeds away toward. Scott does the same as they soar toward...
EXT. HONG KONG - DAY
THE CHASE IS ON! TB1 heads for a small range of hills with TB2 on its tail. It crests the hill and Alan finds himself staring right at...
A TALL, GLASS SKYSCRAPER
ALAN: Ah!
Alan banks left, just missing the building. Scott does the same.
THEY ARE NOW FLYING THROUGH HONG KONG.
...which has become a towering concrete jungle of modern high rises - twice as dense and tall as its 1997 layout.
Alan and Scott zigzag through the buildings at amazing speed.
The CITIZENS OF HONG KONG below stare and point and, in am homage to Godzilla films, one says...
HONG KONG MAN: Thunderbird! Thunderbird!!
INSIDE THUNDERBIRD 1
Alan is looking scared. He never intended it to go this far. But here they are, in the thick of it.
ALAN: No way he can keep up with me through here.
Alan makes a sharp left. Heads out to the Pearl River. Swoops under a bridge. Back into the city. A 180 degree turn around a building. And TB2 never misses a beat.
ALAN: Damn, he's good.
CHINESE NEWS CREWS gather in the street below and begin filming.
INSIDE THUNDERBIRD 2
Scott stares straight ahead with steely eyed determination.
SCOTT (INTO RADIO): This isn't a game, Alan. Give it up!
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1 COCKPIT/CONTROL PANEL
The CAMERA DETECTOR light blinks. Alan is too busy flying to notice.
INT. TRACY ISLAND/JEFF'S OFFICE
Jeff sits at his desk, monitoring the activity on his radar. John's portrait dissolves into his actual image.
JEFF: What is it, John?
JOHN: You aren't going to like it, but you'd better turn on your television.
JEFF: T.V. On.
A painting on the wall dissolves into a TELEVISION IMAGE of an AHCORWOMAN sitting at a news desk.
ANCHORWOMAN: ...and for the first time ever, we've captured footage of Thunderbird 1. We are unable to photograph the other craft, though sources on the ground tell us...sorry, what was that, Dan?
ON T.V. - Thunderbird 1 soars over the camera, then, as Thunderbird 2 begins to enter frame, the image goes fuzzy. Camera pans down to a REPORTER.
REPORTER: Connie. I can confirm that Thunderbird 1 is being chased. But, are you ready for this -- it's being chased by Thunderbird 2. Repeat. Thunderbird 2!
TIGHT ON JEFF'S FACE - he purses his lip in frustration.
BACK INSIDE THUNDERBIRD 1 -
Alan is looking rattled, trying not to let it show. And Penelope isn't exactly calm, cool and collected.
LADY PENELOPE: Your brother's right. You should give up. Now.
ALAN: I know what I'm doing.
He banks hard left. There's a tall building right in front of him. He pulls up. Clips his tail wing on the top of a building. Rips a hole in the bottom of the plane.
The wing hits the ground below. People scramble to stake their claim to this valuable souvenir. A small riot ensues.
INT. JEFF'S OFFICE/TRACY ISLAND -
Jeff sees the small riot on TV. It sickens him. Brains joins them. Tin Tin turns away, unable to watch any more.
EXT. SKY OVER HONG KONG - DAY
Thunderbird 1, with no tail wing and a hole in its belly, SPINS OUT OF CONTROL. It blasts like a rocket out toward the China Sea.
IN JEFF'S OFFICE
He listens over the radio at Alan in sheer panic.
ALAN (ON RADIO): Oh God! I'm losing her! I'm in a spin!
SCOTT (ON RADIO): Fire auxillary (sic) ramjets! Throttle down on boosters five, seven and nine! Turbine rotaters back a third!
ALAN (ON RADIO): I'm trying! She won't respond!
Jeff's face quivers with fear and anxiety. All he can do is listen. Tin Tin has to sit.
IN THE THUNDERBIRD 1 COCKPIT
Alan tries to regain control. The attempt is futile. Sweat beads down his frightened face.
ALAN: Hang on! We're going down!
Lady Penelope and Alan brace themselves for impact as...
KER-PLOOSH! THUNDERBIRD 1 PLUNGES INTO THE SEA.
Thunderbird 2 arrives and fires a magnetic harpoon. It CLANKS onto the tail just before it disappears underwater.
News Hovercopters arrive and swarm around.
REPORTER: I don't believe it. Thunderbird 1 has crashed. Repeat. Thunderbird 1 has crashed!
SCOTT IN TB2 raises his visor, staring in disbelief.
WITH JEFF IN HIS OFFICE -
when cameras turn toward TB2, the signal is scrambled. Jeff speaks into his radio.
JEFF: Get them to safety. Now!
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1 - (UNDERWATER)
Water GUSHES in. Lights flicker and die. Emergency lights CLICK ON. Alan jumps out of his seat, tries to open the cockpit door. It's jammed shut. He quickly helps Penelope out of her seat.
ALAN: This way!
They move toward the rear of the cockpit.
THUNDERBIRD 2 HOVERS ABOVE THE WATER
The cable holds TB1's tail which is the only thing we see sticking out of the water. POD 4 drops onto the ocean surface. The door folds down forming a ramp toward the water.
THUNDERBIRD 4 - THE YELLOW ONE-MAN SUBMARINE - BLASTS DOWN THE RAMP AND INTO THE OCEAN.
INSIDE THUNDERBIRD 1 COCKPIT
The water rises. Penelope and Alan struggle to keep their noses above it. Alan forces open a door and they head deeper into
THE TB1 FUSELAGE
They swim toward the tilting craft as Parker floats down from the other direction. Alan sees him, grabs him.
ALAN: Who the hell are you?!
LADY PENELOPE: He's my driver. But this is hardly the time for introductions.
More water gushes in. The three of them tread it the best they can, but they're running out of air.
UNDERWATER
Thunderbird 4 speeds toward the sinking craft. The front portion of it separates from the main engine and unfolds like a Swiss army knife revealing all sorts of complex gadgets.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 4 -
Gordon has Thunderbird 1 on his monitor. He activates an ULTRA SOUND LOCATOR.
ON THE SCREEN - we see a scan of TB1's hull. Starting at the cockpit. Outlines of the equipment. Wiring. Pipes. Scanning down. He finds them. Three greenish figures, huddled together.
GORDON: There they are. In the mid section.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 2 -
VIRGIL: Hurry, Gordon. She's filling with water and dragging me down.
BACK WITH THUNDERBIRD 4
A tether fires. CLANK! A donut-shaped ring is attached to the hull. From out of the ring, a huge clear plastic bubble inflates. A device on the ring spins and cuts a hole.
INSIDE THUNDERBIRD 1
Alan, Penny and Parker are now completely underwater. Alan sees the hole being cut. They swim toward it and as the hole falls away, they all three spill into it.
A filter in the bubble expels all the water as the bubble is sealed. It separates and rises up toward the surface.
ON JEFF'S TV -
News cameras are trained on the ocean surface as the bubble - like a giant clear beach ball - plunges up through the water.
REPORTER: There they are! They're alright!
Jeff, Brains and Tin Tin breath (sic) a sigh of relief. But Jeff knows, it's far from over.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 2 CARGO BAY - DAY
The bubble is now on board. Scott mans the controls that raise Pod 2 (sic) back into place inside the cargo bay. Alan staggers out of the bubble. Scott hurries to him.
SCOTT: Are you hurt? Do you need to sit down?
ALAN: No, I'm alright.
SCOTT: Good.
Scott punches Alan in the face. They start slugging away at each other like school kids.
Penelope pulls herself out of the pod, politely clears her throat. Scott stops punching and notices Lady Penelope. He's instantly smitten. And a bit embarrassed.
SCOTT: (a nod of acknowledgement) Miss. Excuse us, please.
Scott drags Alan into the cockpit of Thunderbird 2. Parker rises from the backside of the bubble.
LADY PENELOPE: Parker. Are you alright?
PARKER: Peachy, m'lady.
His eyes roll back and he faints.
IN THE THUNDERBIRD 2 COCKPIT
Scott shoves Alan down in one of the passenger chairs in the rear of the cockpit. Hard.
SCOTT: Is that Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward?
Alan nods. Scott sucker punches him across the jaw again.
SCOTT: You're even dumber than I thought.
Alan lashes back. Virgil tries to separate them with one hand while holding TB2 steady with the other.
VIRGIL: Hey. Cut it out you two, and give me a hand. Thunderbird 1 is sinking!
Scott hears this and turns. Alan seizes the moment and punches him square across the jaw. They resume fighting. Gordon enters. Tries to separate them. He gets a fist in the face.
GORDON: Hey, what'd I do?!
The struggle continues until Lady Penelope enters unbeknownst to them and sits in the copilot seat. She dons a headset and picks up the radio microphone.
LADY PENELOPE: International Rescue, this is London Agent.
The fighting stops. The boys' jaws drop - downright stupefied.
SCOTT/VIRGIL/ALAN/GORDON: London Agent?!
GORDON: Man, when dad keeps a secret he really keeps a secret.
JEFF'S VOICE: Go ahead, Penny. What's the situation.
LADY PENELOPE: Target secured, but I think we're losing Thunderbird 1.
INT. JEFF'S OFFICE - MORNING
Jeff, with Brains and Tin Tin at his side, watches on the television as the TB1 tail dips into the water. As TB2 lowers into frame, the screen goes fuzzy..
Jeff knows what he has to do, but has difficulty giving the order.
JEFF: Release cables. Retreat to safe distance. Activating self destruct.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 2 -
This gets everyone's attention. TB2 lurches toward the water.
SCOTT: What?! No! (into radio) Dad. You can't.
VIRGIL: It's Thunderbird 1. The cornerstone of International Rescue.
JEFF'S VOICE: And if she falls into the wrong hands, the results could be catastrophic. Release cables and retreat. That's an order!
Scott doesn't want to obey, but he has been born and bred to. TB2 lurches downward again. Virgil looks to Scott in disbelief. Scott nods his head. Reluctantly, Virgil hits the switch.
Cables release. Thunderbird 2 rises up to a safe distance.
IN JEFF'S OFFICE...
Jeff swallows the lump in his throat, looks to Brains, gives the go ahead with a resolute nod. Brains folds up a secret console on the wet bar/computer center.
He removes a key. Jeff removes one as well. Each slides his key into a slot.
BRAINS: On your c-c-command, Mr. Tracy.
JEFF: Three, two, one.
CLICK! Keys are turned. A countdown begins.
BRAINS: I-i-ignition. Seld destruct in 5, 4...
IN THUNDERBIRD 2
Everyone has found a window to look out. They stare down at the water dumbfounded.
BRAINS (ON RADIO): ...3...2...1.
W H A - B O O M!
TELEVISION FOOTAGE
The explosion rocks the surface of the water.
REPORTER: I can't believe what I'm seeing. One of the greatest rescue vehicles the world has ever known -- has been destroyed.
INT. JEFF'S OFFICE/TRACY ISLAND - DAY
Jeff, Brains and Tin Tin stare in stunned disbelief. There is a thick silence. Jeff remains calm but pensive. Like all the life has been sucked out of his body.
REPORTER (ON TV): It's a sad, sad day.
INT. MOON HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT
Stone exits his quarters, one again in his exoskeletal suit. He marches down a corridor. Determined. Steps into...
THE CONTROL ROOM
Nagimoto and his team of technicians scramble at their computers.
NAGIMOTO: Transmission arriving...
Nagimoto hits some buttons, turns some dials....
ON THE MONITOR - horizontal lines scan until finally, the image of Alan in the club with Lady Penelope appears on the screen.
STONE: Alan Tracy? (a pause, thinking) Thunderbird 1. Launched from?
NAGIMOTO: Somewhere in the South Pacific.
A triumphant smile...that turns into a full on chuckle. Nagimoto and the others haven't made the connection.
STONE: Tracy Island.
They still aren't with him...
STONE: Jeff Tracy. Is. International Rescue. His sons. Are. Thunderbirds. And Tracy Island. Is. Their base.
Stone sits in his chair. He takes a deep breath.
STONE: (in his real voice) Take it.
We push in on the image of Alan and...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. TRACY ISLAND/LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Alan stares out the window. Silent. Everyone has gathered. Tin Tin sits beside Kyranu. Brains stands near the bar.
And needless to say -- the tension is very thick.
The door opens and Jeff enters with Lady Penelope. Parker follows. We've never seen Jeff this angry.
JEFF: That was the most sickening display I've ever seen. (turning to Tin Tin) Tin Tin. Draft a letter. Our apologies to the world for what they saw on television. Assure them it was a momentary lapse in communication and that International Rescue is still in business.
Tin Tin makes notes of Jeff turns to Alan.
JEFF: Do you have anything to say for yourself?
And Alan gives the typical teenage response - a sullen shrug.
JEFF: Well, that troubles men, son. Because I've got a list a mile long of all the irresponsible things you did out there -- of which, destroying a billion dollar craft is the least worrisome. Do you understand that someone out there is trying to get us? Do you understand that the reason for our secrecy is to prevent that very thing from happening? Do you understand that every time you take to the skies in one of those birds, your first and foremost concern should be that lives are at stake!? And what did you do? -- you put lives in danger!
Alan leaps off the sofa and explodes - years of pent up anger.
ALAN: Well, do you understand, dad, that maybe I never even wanted that responsibility? Huh?! When you were mapping out my life for me, did you ever stop and think to ask me if this is what I wanted? All I wanted to do tonight was go out and have a life. My life! But you wouldn't let me. Why? Because we aren't living our own lives. We're living the lives you want for us...
SCOTT: Speak for yourself.
ALAN: I wish I could. But everyone else around here does it for me.
Jeff is still angry, but some of what Alan says has rung true - enough to silence him in his own guilt. Lady Penelope rises, motions to Parker.
LADY PENELOPE: Perhaps we should leave.
ALAN: At least you can.
JEFF: If that's the way you feel, Alan, I won't hold you here.
Alan is stunned. He didn't expect this. Neither did the others.
JEFF: What can I say, son? You're right. Here I am angry that you can't admit when you're wrong. Well how can I expect that of you -- if I can't do the same.
Now Alan is caught in a "be careful what you wish for" situation. His pride won't let him back down. He looks to his brothers. They remain silent.
ALAN: This is some kind of reverse psychology trick, right? To get me to stay.
Jeff turns, resolute.
JEFF: You're an adult. And being an adult means you make your own decision. If you want to leave, then leave.
ALAN: On my own, though, right? You're gonna cut me off without...
JEFF: Alan. You're my son. That will never change. What's mine is yours.
Alan furrows his brow. He doesn't understand. The other brothers are a little stumped themselves. Alan almost doesn't want to say it now, but he's gone this far. No turning back.
ALAN: Okay then. I'm out.
One last look to his brothers, to his father, to the others and then he slowly walks across the room toward the bedrooms. Tin Tin takes a step toward him, then restrains herself and swallows her emotions. Lady Penelope notices her.
There is a long, uncomfortable silence.
JEFF: If any of you feel the same, I made the same offer.
He looks to Scott who shakes his head no, to Virgil. No. To Gordon. Even Gordon is at a loss for words.
Jeff, emotionally drained, leaves the room.
CUT TO:
INT. JEFF'S PRIVATE GARAGE - NIGHT
A pristine garage. Like ones used to store vintage cars. Filled with books on cars, photos from Jeff's days in the Air Force, NASA, etc. He stands beneath a hydraulic lift doing what he does to relax - tinkering on a car. Penelope enters.
LADY PENELOPE: Penny for your thoughts.
Jeff cracks a smile at her pun, continues to tinker on the car.
JEFF: I've had that confrontation before. Only the one asking to be set free was me. To a father whose only dream was to see his son take over the family farm. (getting lost in a memory) Ever seen the stars from a Kansas wheat field?
Penny shakes her head, sits and listens...
JEFF: Some nights, it's all you can see. He used to point them out to me. Bet he never realized he was willing my head with dreams of my own.
He hits a green button on the wall. The car lowers into view and we now see it is a beautiful, silver, 1958 Thunderbird.
JEFF: This was his father's. Handed down to him. On its way to me. But I just couldn't wait Took her out of the barn one night for a little joyride across the plains. Just had to see if she could do a hundred.
LADY PENELOPE: The more things change...
Jeff steps into the car, sits behind the wheel. Penny steps in, sits beside him. They look like a couple at a drive-in.
JEFF: I look at Alan and I see all the stupid things I did at his age. And I just wanna shake him and say, "don't make the same mistakes I did."
LADY PENELOPE: You turned out all right. Something must've turned that headstrong farm boy around.
Jeff nods. Something did all right. Something he doesn't like to think of. But he's thinking of it now...
JEFF: He met a woman. Married her. She gave him five sons.
Penelope smiles. Sounds perfect so far. But Jeff is lost in thought...
JEFF: Then, one day, he watched helplessly as she perished in a fallen high-rise because no one could get to her.
LADY PENELOPE: And International Rescue was born.
Penelope didn't know the whole story. Now she does. She puts a comforting hand on his.
JEFF: I wouldn't wish that pain on my worst enemy, much less one of my boys. I relive it each some someone needs our help. The others understand that. But Alan...
LADY PENELOPE: ...needs to drive those Kansas plains and see the stars for himself.
He thinks about what she said, nods. Knows she's right.
CUT TO:
EXT. TRACY ISLAND/RUNWAY - NIGHT
Alan tosses his hags into the back of Jeff's private jet.
TIN TIN (O.S.): Alan...
Alan turns to find Tin Tin standing near the plane, her hair blowing in the wind.
TIN TIN: I came to give you this.
She holds up a MALAYSIAN CHARM NECKLACE...
TIN TIN: Father says it will keep you safe. My years of education tell me it's silly Malaysian superstition. But it can't hurt, right?
...and fastens it around his neck. They're very close. He stares into those big brown eyes. Enough to make most men stay. He looks up to the balcony where Gordon, Virgil and Scott have gathered, looking down at him.
ALAN: I have to do this. You understand that, don't you?
TIN TIN: Not really. You live a life most people only dream about...
ALAN: But no one knows what I really do.
TIN TIN: Is that why you do it? (a shrug from Alan) Then you should leave.
Ouch. Alan scoffs. Tin Tin walks away. Jeff approaches.
JEFF: Got everything you need?
ALAN: Yeah. Thanks for the loan of the plane. I'll bring it back when...
JEFF: Keep it. As long as you need it.
Alan can't believe he's making this so easy. He's confused. A final look up to his brothers. Scott, still angry, walks inside. Virgil nods before stepping in. Gordon gives him a little salute.
ALAN: Okay then...
Jeff shakes Alan's hand.
JEFF: Good luck, son. I hope you find what you're looking for.
With a little nod, Alan boards the plane. And...
THE PLANE TAKES OFF.
Jeff watches it. Penny steps up beside him.
JEFF: He's out there on his own. And as his father, I should respect that. But as the head of this organization...
LADY PENELOPE: ...he's a risk to security.
JEFF: (thinking it over) Penny. I think I've got your next assignment.
CUT TO:
INT. MOON TOWER/CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Stone sits in his chair, angrily staring at
THE SCREENS - where we see various images of Tracy Island: satellite photos, cross sections, grid views, rows of data. One view shows a dome-like strata over the island.
COLONEL: ...and it is protected by, well frankly sir we don't know what it's protected by. A shield of some sort. Decoy scouting craft on approach to the target were involuntarily overtaken and diverted. In short -- penetrating this island is next to impossible.
STONE: Colonel. I find. Your pessimistic analysis. Another way. Of saying. You failed.
Uh oh. Colonel's getting a little nervous...
COLONEL: Not failed sir. Miscalculated.
Big uh oh. Disagreeing with Stone. He takes a deep breath from his oxygen tank and makes a very slight gesture to his guards.
The guards strike like cobras. Grab the Colonel. Hold him as Stone steps off his chair and
...REMOVES HIS OXYGEN PACK. The mask apparatus unsnaps from his exoskeleton. He straps it on to the struggling Colonel's face. The Colonel's breathing quickens.
STONE: Do you. Feel that. Colonel? Your last breath. Is now. In my hands. You trust. That I. Will not. Fail. In your time. Of need.
Two dials on Stone's chest control the amount of each. He turns one up, the other down.
STONE: The slightest. Mistake. Could prove. Fatal.
The Colonel's eyes begin to roll back in his head as Stone continues to turn the dials.
STONE: Tell me. Does it. Easy your mind. To know. That I have not. Failed? I have merely...
The Colonel's body goes limp. He collapses on the floor.
STONE: Miscalculated.
Silence in the room. Stone returns the dials to normal settings. Clicks the oxygen mask back on his exoskeleton.
STONE: Mr. Nagimoto. Your assessment. Of this. Situation?
NAGIMOTO: Seems to me -- the only way to Tracy Island is if you are invited.
And we can almost see the light bulb light on above Stone's head.
STONE: Or. If you are. One. Of the family.
Stone hits a few buttons on his char. The image of Alan appears on the main screen. Stone studies it.
STONE: (to a technician) Prepare. My shuttle.
One of Stone's DOCTORS steps forward.
DOCTOR: Sir. I must warn you. You will not survive more that an hour in Earth's gravity.
STONE: Duely (sic) noted. Doctor. (to Nagimoto) More. The device. Into place. And might I suggest. You check. Your calculations.
Stone leaves. Nagimoto looks at the Colonel's body collapsed on the floor. Gulps.
CUT TO:
INT. PLUSH HOTEL/LOS ANGELES - NIGHT
Alan steps into a huge penthouse suite, followed by a BELLHOP who pushes his bags in on a card. Alan flips a switch. Curtains open revealing a panoramic view of glistening Hollywood. He breathes it all in. Nods resolutely.
BELLHOP: You're, um -- you're Alan Tracy, aren't you?
At last. Some recognition. Alan cracks a cool smile.
ALAN: One and the same.
BELLHOP: Wow. Must be great to be Jeff Tracy's son.
The smile fades. Alan holds open the door for the Bellhop.
INT. BRAINS' LAB - NIGHT
The boys and Jeff gather around Brains' chalkboard. John is present via monitor. ON THE BOARD - are the names of the 12 Experts and their fields of expertise along with various formulas and calculations.
BRAINS: ...so we formed the hypothesis which asks which are of study would benefit from the sum of their collected expertise. We f-f-found, um, this common denominator...
He writes the word on the chalk board as he says it...
BRAINS: Atmosphere.
He turns, hoping to see looks of revelation. He gets blank stares instead.
SCOTT: Sorry Brains. I'm still not making the connection.
TIN TIN: Not just atmosphere alone but all things relating to it as well. From advanced meteorlogical (sic) studies to basic photosynthesis.
GORDON: Yeah, that cleared it right up.
JEFF: I'm afraid I'm with the boys on this one. Hoe does this relate to someone trying to get to our base?
BRAINS: Um...John?
JOHN (ON MONITOR): I ran a check on our stowaway, dad. This is surveillance footage from the Skythrust launch.
ON THE MONITOR - footage of a limo pulling into the Heliport. Image freezes. ZOOMS IN to the HOOD in the front seat.
JOHN: Eyewitnesses have placed this man at the scene of the World Science Center bombing.
HOODS' (sic) criminal record appears. A "W.B.I." file. World Bureau of Investigation. He's on the world's most wanted list.
JOHN: I decoded an encrypted message to him on that date, much like the one we found emanating from Thunderbird 2. It was bounced off ten different satellites, but I was able to trace it back to it's originator -- a satellite registered to Moonoleum Incorporated.
SCOTT: Moonoleum...
VIRGIL: Of course...
GORDON: Whoa. Back up. What'd I miss?
SCOTT: Moonoleum? It's what they discovered when they mined the moon.
BRAINS: The c-c-corelation can be found, Gordon, by assigning the exponent "x"...
GORDON: Brains, you should talk to me like I'm three.
TIN TIN: The moon has no atmosphere. We believe the scientists are there to create one.
BRAINS: And a m-m-machine that could accomplish such a f-f-feat would require tremendous power.
Jeff is up and pacing.
JEFF: So that's what they're after.
BRAINS: (nodding) Th-th-the power core on Tracy Island. They must have c-c-calculated its potential.
JEFF: (turning to monitor) If it has to do with the Moon, only one man comes to mind. John. See what information you can pull up on Thaddeus Stone. (turning to others) Listen, everyone. We deal in disasters every day. This is no different.
VIRGIL: Yeah, but we're short one man and minus one ship.
JEFF: Not for long.
INT. ELEVATOR - NIGHT
The boys stand in the elevator with their father and Brains. A grid shows a diagram of the island and the elevator descending beneath sea level. They get to the bottom.
Jeff reaches into his pocket, pulls out a key ring. Locates a special one. Folds open one of the number buttons on the elevator keypad. There's a key slot. Jeff inserts the key. Turns it. A new section is added to the grid - deeper down.
Scott looks to Jeff. What's this? The elevator moves again, then stops. The doors open into...
INT. UNDERGROUND ASSEMBLY ROOM -
An enormous room. With metal crates stacked twenty feet high. Marked with their ports of origin; Taiwan. Korea. Japan. Australia. U.S.A, etc. Some crates are open and inside are various MECHANICAL PARTS.
In the middle of the room is a partially assembled fuselage. Lying beside it are the other recognizable aviation parts. Wings, jet engines, turbines, etc.
The boys step off the elevator. Thunderstruck. Jeff steps up beside them. They turn to him, faces filled with questions.
JEFF: I hate keeping these secrets from you boys. I hope you understand it's for your own safely.
They nod, still awed by the sight before them.
SCOTT: So this is where it all started.
Jeff nods.
JEFF: ...and where it's gonna keep going -- if you're up to the challenge.
CUT TO:
EXT. MOON - NIGHT
The SLEEK BLACK SHUTTLE we saw earlier blasts off from the moon colony and soars out of frame. Behind it, SPACE BARGES emerge from the dark side of the Moon -- followed shortly after by THE ENORMOUS DEVICE, being towed out into place.
VOICE (OVER): Now is that a beautiful piece of machinery or what?
INT. CAR DEALERSHIP - DAY
Alan stands beside a CAR SALESMAN. They're both looking at something the salesman is working really hard to sell.
CAR SALESMAN: Quad cam overide, super turbo charged, atomic powered. Eight hundred horses and she purrs like a kitten.
ALAN: What is it?
CAR SALESMAN: The 2026 Thunderbird.
Did someone say "Thunderbird?" Alan grimaces.
ALAN: What else you got?
A CAR DOOR SLAMS. Tires burn rubber. And Alan peels out of the lot in a sleek, bright red 2026 Ferrari.
The Salesman counts the big wad of cash he holds in his hands, then spots a REDHEADED WOMAN STANDING BESIDE THE T-BIRD.
CAR SALESMAN: Now is that a beautiful piece of machinery or what?
The woman has her eye on Alan who's pulling away. When she turns, we see she is...
LADY PENELOPE IN DISGUISE.
LADY PENELOPE: Excuse me?
CAR SALESMAN: The car. Beauty, isn't she?
LADY PENELOPE: Do you have it in pink?
CAR SALESMAN: No.
Parker pulls up in the Pink Rolls.
LADY PENELOPE: Pity.
The Salesman covets the Rolls. Penelope gives him a coy smile as she steps into it and she and Parker pull away.
INT. UNDERGROUND ASSEMBLY ROOM - DAY
The brothers are furiously working. Welding. Fastening. Hauling crates into place with futuristic forklifts.
Brains with Jeff points some things out on a set of blueprints. The telecom BEEPS. Jeff answers. John appears, yawning.
JOHN: I'm transmitting that info you requested on Stone. Your hunch was dead on. He hasn't left the Moon since he first arrived in 2008. If that's the case, his muscles have atrophied down to practically nothing. And a prolonged stay in Earth's gravity would practically crush him. His lungs would collapse. If anyone could use his own atmosphere, it's this guy.
JEFF: Good job. Oh, and John? Get some sleep. You'll need it.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 5 - NIGHT
John YAWNS again, nods, and signs off. He puts on some sort of head gear with wires and electrodes and flips a switch. He stares at his computer screen like he's in a trance. Then his eyes flutter. R.E.M cycle with eyes open. There's a BEEP. He snaps out of it. Removes the headset.
JOHN: Whoa. Weird dream.
EXT. SPACE -
The barges continue to tow the Device into place.
As it moves we heard a loud - BOOM! - the device spits a BOOSTER STATION from its rear section. The booster station hovers in place as the device moves on.
EXT. MOHAVE DESERT - DUSK
Alan blasts down the long stretch of two-lane blacktop that stretches across the endless desert -- easily doing 200 M.P.H.
SMASH CUT TO:
EXT. SIDE OF THE ROAD - (MOMENTS LATER)
Alan, now pulled over by a cop on a hoverbout, taps the wheel impatiently as the cop leans in the window.
MOTORCYCLE COP: Boy, where you trying to get to in such a hurry?
Alan stares down the long road. He doesn't even know. He turns to the officer and shrugs. The cop recognizes him.
MOTORCYCLE COP: Hey, I know you, don't I? You're famous.
Alan cracks a smile, reaches out to shake his hand.
ALAN: Alan Tracy.
MOTORCYCLE COP: That's it. Wow. Alan Tracy. Hey, tell you what. I'll just let this slide if you get me your dad's autograph. He's a hero of mine.
The smile on Alan's face fades. He stares ahead again.
ALAN: Just write the ticket.
INT. UNDERGROUND ASSEMBLY ROOM - DAY
The boys are busily working on the new aircraft.
EXT. SPACE -
The barge continues to tow the device into place. BOOM! It shoots out another booster station and moves on.
INT. CASINO ROYALE - NIGHT
Alan is shooting craps. Big crowd at the table. Flanked by Shane and David, he shakes the dice in his hands...
ALAN: Come on, hard eight!
He throws the dice. Five and a three.
CRAPS DEALER: Eight easy. Easy eight.
Chips are raked off the table, others placed. David throws up his hands in disgust.
DAVID: I'm out.
ALAN: No, no. Stay. I'm heating up. (throwing a hundred on the table) Dealer. Change for my friend. (shaking dice) Here we go...
ACROSS THE CASINO, AT A ROULETTE TABLE...
...sits Lady Penelope. She now wears a black wig and big, square sunglasses. Parker stands behind her wearing a Hawaiian shirt and curly wig.
ROULETTE DEALER: Place your bets, please. Place your bets.
Penelope absently slides a stack of hundred dollar chips onto the GREEN 00, all the while keeping an eye on...
ALAN AT THE CRAPS TABLE
...who throws the dice.
CRAPS DEALER: Seven. Craps.
A collective moan from the other gamblers. Alan smacks his fist on the table and then starts to walk away.
Lady Penelope stands to follow. The ball in the roulette wheel bounces around and lands on the Green 00.
ROULETTE DEALER: Winner.
The roulette dealer sets a marker on Penelope's chips and slides several stacks of hundred dollar chips beside it. But Penelope has started to walk away, following Alan.
ROULETTE DEALER: Miss? Your winnings?
LADY PENELOPE: Oh. (seeing the stack of chips) Parker. Collect those and donate them to charity.
PARKER: Yes m'lady.
She heads in Alan's direction. Parker scoops up the chips as onlookers gawk. He carries them to...
THE CASHIERS WINDOW
He slides the chips to the cashier. Then discreetly takes one for himself...
PARKER: If I'm not a charity case I don't know who is.
...and puts the chip in his shirt pocket.
BACK WITH ALAN, SHANE AND DAVID
ALAN: C'mon. We'll have better luck at another casino.
DAVID: Another casino? It's six a.m. I gotta catch a plane and be at work by nine.
SHANE: And I've got my dad's fiftieth birthday thing. Whole family's coming in...
ALAN: Right. What was I thinking? I've got stuff to do myself. Hey, we'll hook up next weekend, right? Skiing maybe.
Handshakes goodbye. Shane and David leave. And as soon as they're out the door -- Alan's face sinks. He's surrounded by throngs of people and he's never felt more alone.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY - DAY (THOUGH IT'S HARD TO TELL IN VEGAS)
Alan strolls across the lobby to the front desk. Not far behind, Lady Penelope follows. Still wearing the black wig and sunglasses.
ALAN: (to Desk Clerk) Any messages for Alan Tracy?
CLERK: I'll check.
While she disappears into a back office, Alan looks across the lobby where he sees...
THREE YOUNG BOYS
One is pretending to be trapped underneath a soft. He's crying "Help, help." The other two boys are dressed in make-shift Thunderbird pilot uniforms. They "fly" in - arms extended. Calling "Thunderbird 1 to the rescue." "And Thunderbird 2!"
CLERK (O.S.): Mr. Tracy?
Alan snaps out of his trance, turns.
CLERK: No one has called for you, sir.
Alan nods. Thanks. Starts to leave. A man follows. Taps him on the shoulder. Alan turns. It's Ned Cook. The reporter.
NED COOK: Alan Tracy. I thought that was you. Say, how would you feel about giving me an interview?
ALAN: So you can ask me all about my dad? No thanks.
He starts to walk away...
NED COOK: You're (sic) dad's old news. I'm interested in you.
Magic words. Alan turns. Ned's got his ear...
NED COOK: I'm doing a piece on the twenty-give most intriguing people of 2026. I definitely think you are one of them.
Finally...
ALAN: Did you know I was the youngest person ever to graduate - with honors - from the Air Force academy?
NED COOK: One of the many facts I'm anxious to hear. The studio's just around the corner. I could give you a lift.
ALAN: Um...sure. Meet you outside in twenty.
Ned nods. Heads for the exit. Alan finds the nearest mirror. Smooths out the clothes and most importantly - the hair. In the mirror, he catches sight of...
A DARK HAIRED WOMAN (PENELOPE) - looking his way from behind a plant. He shrugs it off and walks around the corner.
LADY PENELOPE emerges from behind the plant and follows. She sneaks around the corner where...
SHE IS GRABBED AND THRUST AGAINST THE WALL. Alan grips her wrists. Firm.
ALAN: Alright, lady...
He removes her wig. Shocked that it's her.
ALAN: Lady Penelope?
And she never loses her cool...
LADY PENELOPE: We have to stop meeting like this.
She puts a cigarette in her holder, lights in. Alan realizes...
ALAN: Spying on me again? Not a very glamerous (sic) job for a super agent.
LADY PENELOPE: If your father says it's important...
ALAN: File this report. The target can take care of himself. (speaking loudly into her broach) You hear that, dad? I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.
A QUICK CUTAWAY -- SOMEWHERE IN THE HOTEL - Parker yanks an earpiece out of his ear and rubs his now ruptured drum.
PARKER: Blimey!
Penelope just looks at Alan's hand which is crinkling her designer blouse. He realizes what he's done, lets go. She readjusts herself, smooths out the blouse...
ALAN: Sorry.
LADY PENELOPE: He misses you terribly, you know.
ALAN: He didn't put up much of a fight in letting me go, now did he?
LADY PENELOPE: Maybe one day you'll realize that letting go is the toughest fight there is.
True. But Alan's got his own axe to grind...
ALAN: Maybe one day someone will let me realize things on my own.
A nod of acknowledgement...
LADY PENELOPE: Very well.
She straightens her hair. Starts to leave. Notice his charm necklace. She holds it on her finger.
LADY PENELOPE: Looks like your father isn't the only one who let go.
Alan looks at the charm, puzzled.
LADY PENELOPE: Take care of yourself, Alan.
She kisses his cheek and leaves.
EXT. SPACE -
The barges stop at the point where space ends and Earth's atmosphere begins. The sleek black shuttle flies past it, continues on and disappears into the clouds.
INT. UNDERGROUND ASSEMBLY ROOM - NIGHT
The boys are busy working. Drilling with pneumatic drills. PUNCHING in rivets. The craft is beginning to take shape. The work is interrupted by a SIREN and a flashing RED LIGHT.
INT. JEFF'S OFFICE - NIGHT
The eyes blink on the portrait of John. The portrait dissolves to John's image as Gordon, Virgil and Scott enter the office.
JEFF: What is it, John.
JOHN: I'm picking up a call. A fire in the Tiger Forest up in the Ukraine. A team of forestry workers are trapped.
SCOTT: Let's go!
Scott leap up (sic), ready for action. Jeff stops him.
JEFF: Hang on Scott. I've got a bad feeling about this one. (pacing, thinking) It could be a decoy.
JOHN: Dad, I've made visual and audio confirmation. I have every indication that it's the real deal.
Jeff paces. What to do, what to do...?
JEFF: If we respond and it's a trap, the base is vulnerable to attack. If we don't respond and it's real, lives are lost.
Jeff paces, thinks some more. He really has no choice...
JEFF: We go.
EXT. TRACY ISLAND - NIGHT
Thunderbird 2 blasts off into the rising sun.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. CASINO ROYALE/FRONT DRIVE - DAY
Parker pulls up in the Pink Rolls. We now see the license plate. It reads "FAB 1". Someone walks in front of it. We follow him. It's Alan. He joins Ned in his rather plain looking car. They pull out as Parker steps into...
THE LOBBY
Lady Penelope stands at reception. Beside her, a mountain of matching Chanel suitcases. Parker approaches. Penelope signs her check-out papers, hands them to the clerk.
He disappears into the back office, leaving a crack in the door. Penelope happens to catch sight of the television in the office through the crack in the door. And on the television is...
NED COOK: ...and after a month of searching, still no clues and no sign of the missing scientists, This is Ned Cook reporting live at the World Science Center in Washington.
LADY PENELOPE: Live? (realizing, turning to Parker) To the car, Parker. Quickly.
They race toward the door.
INT. NED COOK'S CAR - DAY
Alan and Ned cruise along. Alan's beginning to get suspicious.
ALAN: So...where's this studio?
NED COOK: Close.
Alan looks at harder look at Ned. (sic) And something doesn't look right.
ALAN: You know, you look bigger in person.
NED COOK: Television does that to you.
ALAN: Isn't it the other way around>
NED COOK: You know, this is what I hate about interviews...
He pulls out a gun and fires - FFFFT! - and a dart flies out and pierces Alan's neck. Tranquilizes him.
NED COOK: (in the Hood's accent) Too many questions.
Ned peels off the mask and he is, of course, the Hood.
CUT TO:
EXT. TIGER FOREST/UKRAINE - DAY
Thunderbird 2 zooms into frame and lands in a clearing.
IN THE TB2 COCKPIT
The three boys sit in a row staring dumfounded (sic) at their monitor on which we see A RAGING FIRE IN THE FOREST. Why are they dumfounded? Because when they look out the window...
THE FOREST LOOKS COMPLETELY NORMAL. Beautiful, even.
They all look to each other.
GORDON: Please tell me I'm not the only one who doesn't see anything.
SCOTT: John? You're sure we're in the right spot?
JOHN (ON MONITOR): F.A.B.
OUTSIDE THUNDERBIRD 2
The boys are now standing in a row, looking even more dumbfounded at...
A COMPLEX METAL SPHERE - bristling with antennae, knobs, switches and blinking lights.
VIRGIL: Here's something you don't come across everyday.
Virgil takes his hand held monitor and clamps into the main wires of the sphere.
ON HIS SCREEN - the image of the burning forest. Accompanied by the audio track of human voices calling for help.
INT. TRACY ISLAND/JEFF'S OFFICE - DAY
Jeff paces nervously at his deskwhen the eyes on Scott's portrait blink and then dissolve to Scott in TB2.
SCOTT: Dad. We've been set up.
JEFF: Damnit.
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP. A coll on the hot line. Jeff answers.
JEFF: Penny? What is it?
INT. FAB 1 - DAY
Parker drives at breakneck speed. Penny sits in the back seat, cool as a cucumber.
LADY PENELOPE: It's Alan, Jeff. He's been abducted. Am in pursuit. Over.
BACK IN JEFF'S OFFICE -
JEFF: Boys. Get back here as fast as you can. (hitting another button) Brains. Get up here.
JEFF: And Penny? Be careful.
EXT. DESERT ROAD - DAY
Fab 1 gains on the Hood's car. The Hood checks his rearview and sees the brilliant pink Rolls gaining. He hits a button on his dash.
Fender panels blast off revealing the car's true identity - a purple rocket on wheels. Flames shoot from the muffler as it blasts down the desert blacktop.
IN FAB 1...
LADY PENELOPE: Parker, isn't there a quaint little American expression about a metal pedal?
PARKER: I believe it's "put the pedal to the metal," m'lady.
LADY PENELOPE: Yes, that's it. Let's put that charming phrase to use, shall we?
PARKER: Yes, m'lady.
Fab 1 speeds forward as the two cars race into...
MONUMENT VALLEY
The Hood checks the rearview. Sees the pink Rolls gaining again. He flips a couple of switches. Gun barrels rise in the back of the car. BLAM, BLAM, BLAM! Bullets bounce off Fab1 (sic) like pebbles.
PARKER: He appears to be firing, m'lady.
LADY PENELOPE: How rude.
PARKER: Shall I recuperate, m'lady?
LADY PENELOPE: I believe the word you're looking for is retaliate, Parker. And yes. Aim for that gun.
PARKER: Aiming, m'lady.
Parker depresses the cigarette lighter. A monocle folds down from his chauffeurs cap.
MONOCLE P.O.V.
There are cross hairs on the monocle. A laser beam tracks the movement of his eye.
ON THE GRILL OF THE ROLLS ROYCE - the barrel of a gun protrudes from the grill. It's movements mirror those of Parker's head. Parker focuses rocket car, then hits a trigger on the gearshift. The fun fires. BLAM-BLAM-BLAM-BLAM-BLAM.
Perfect shots. Destroys the gun on the rocket car.
The purple rocket car races on. The bright pink Rolls follows. Two specks of color against this stark, white desert.
The rocket car skids off the road and heads for a distinctive MESA in the distance. Opens a glove box behind the gear shift. There's a RED LEVER. He pulls it. A rocket ignites and hurls the car forward.
PARKER: He's accelerated, m'lady.
LADY PENELOPE: Oh, how tiresome.
PARKER: Shall I fire missiles?
LADY PENELOPE: We must remember Alan's on board. What type of car is it?
PARKER: Checking, m'lady.
While scenery races by outside, Parker calmly folds down a wooden panel on the dash revealing on on-board computer. Trains his monocle on the car, keys in some data.
FROM THE MONOCLE P.O.V. - visual analysis of the car.
PARKER: It's a Fireflash VG11, m'lady.
LADY PENELOPE: The Fireflash. Sixteen cylinder, eight hundred and twenty-one horsepower with optional rocket booster. And the VG11 comes with state of the art crash gel if I'm not mistaken.
PARKER: Spot on, m'lady.
LADY PENELOPE: In that case, a well placed shot to the rear left tire should to the trick. (sic) Fire when ready, Parker.
PARKER: Firing, m'lady.
Parker flips open the top of the gear knob. There's a red button (you knew there had to be a red button). He presses it.
A missile fires from underneath Fab 1, soars over the desert sand and hits the rear left tire of the purple rocket car.
KA-PLOW! A small explosion. The rocket car LAUNCHES INTO THE AIR. It spins like a corkscrew a good half a mile before slamming down. Sand flies. The car digs in like a plow before coming to a stop.
Fab 1 skids up beside it. Parker jumps out. Opens her door. She steps out, straightens her dress. Observes the wreckage.
LADY PENELOPE: Parker? Well done.
They approach the car. Cautiously. Peer inside.
INSIDE THE ROCKET CAR- the Hood and Alan are encased in gel like a couple of bugs in Leucite. Within seconds, the gel evaporates. AS SOON AS IT DOES - Hood draws a gun. Fires at...
PARKER. Hits him in the chest. Parker flies backward. Hits the sand. Motionless.
LADY PENELOPE: Parker!
And now -- she's p***ed.
She retaliates with a swift karate kick to the Hood's forehead. Knocks him out the other side of the car. She leaps over. The Hood stumbles up. Another kick. And another. Then a flurry of chops to the throat. And the finishing touch - a spin kick to the temple.
The Hood slams against the underside of the overturned car. Slides down. Out cold. And at that moment... A SHADOW OVERTAKES THEM.
Penelope looks up. The massive black moon shuttle hovers over the car. The bottom opens up and a huge claw descends. Grabs the car - WITH ALAN INSIDE - and pulls it into shuttle.
LADY PENELOPE: My word.
The shuttle moves over to Fab 1. Hovers above it for a moment, then...
BLAM-BLAM-BLAM-BLAM-BLAM-BLAM-BLAM-BLAM-BLAM...!
...riddles it bullets. (sic) The glass dome shatters as the dash board is shot to shreds. Lady Penelope dives beside Parker, covers her head.
The shuttle rockets fire as it blasts across the desert.
Penelope sits up, stares at her car. Stunned. And then..
PARKER SITS UP BESIDE HER. She turns. More stunned.
LADY PENELOPE: Parker. You're alright.
Parker reaches into his pocket. Comes up with THE CHIP HE STOLE AT THE CASINO.
The inner circle of the chip, made of silver, is dented.
PARKER: Who says crime doesn't pay?
CUT TO:
INT. THUNDERBIRD 5 - NIGHT
John sits at the console. An ALARM BEEPS. He pushes over to a monitor that shows a diagram of Tracy Island. An icon of Stone's shuttle entering the restricted airspace. He's about to intercept when a new image cuts in.
ALAN IN THE SHUTTLE COCKPIT -
A guard has a gun to his head. Stone steps into frame.
STONE: Before. You begin. Standard. Lock out. Procedures. Ask yourself. Is this situation. Standard?
John gulps.
INT. JEFF'S OFFICE - DAY
Jeff, Brains and Tin Tin sit in nerve wracking silence. The eyes on John's photo blink. Jeff leaps to the button on his desk.
JEFF: John? What have you got?
JOHN: I think you'd better see this.
Alan's portrait is replaced with the image of him in the cockpit of the shuttle with the gun to his head.
STONE: Jeff Tracy. I have. Your son. Lower. Your defences. Or his blood. Is on. Your hands.
ALAN: Don't do it, dad. Blow this nut case out of the sky!
One of Stone's GUARDS punches Alan across the face. And Jeff reacts as if he's been hit.
Angry, he folds open a secret compartment revealing a monitor, a key slot and a big red button. The shuttle appears on the monitor. Jeff inserts a key, turns it.
INSIDE THE COCKPIT OF THE SHUTTLE -
the first engineer reports to Stone.
FIRST ENGINEER: He's locked on to us, sir.
Stone doesn't flinch.
JEFF IN HIS OFFICE - his hand quivers as it hovers over the red button. His mind races for other options.
JEFF: Brains. What if we depleted the core?
BRAINS: N-n-n-not enough time.
TIN TIN: Isn't there a self destruct?
JEFF: I wouldn't allow it. If the core goes up, it would contaminate half of the South Pacific. (to John) John? Where's Thunderbird 2?
JOHN (ON MONITOR): Nearing Moscow. Over seven thousand miles out.
He looks out the window. The shuttle is approaching, landing gear down. Jeff's lips tighten. Sweat pours down his face. He looks to Brains and Tin Tin. Almost apologetically...
JEFF: He's my son.
His quivering hand moves from the red button to the key, switches it off. A moment of defeat. But then, an idea...
JEFF: My son.
He folds up the facade of books, resolved...
JEFF: Brains. If anyone else were in this situation, who would they call?
BRAINS: Um, -- us, Mr. Tracy.
JEFF: If the world can trust my sons to come to their rescue -- then so can I.
He gives them a knowing nod. They receive it, nod back. They know what to do. They sit on the sofa. Brains hits a hidden switch in the arm rest. The sofa disappears into the floor. Seconds later, it's replaced by an empty replica.
EXT. SKY - DAY
Thunderbird 2 streaks through the sky toward home.
IN THE COCKPIT -
Scott pilots, Virgil sits beside him with his eyes shut, barely swaying to and fro. Gordon leans in.
GORDON: Um, Virgil? What are you doing?
VIRGIL: Thinking positive thoughts.
Gordon shrugs. Couldn't hurt. He closes his eyes, too.
EXT. TRACY ISLAND - DAY
Stone's shuttle lands on the runway. The cliff face folds up. And there stands Jeff. Alone. Waiting.
4 MEN IN UNIFORM step off the shuttle followed by Stone. The Guard still has a fun to Alan's head.
The men train their guns on Jeff. Alan watches, simmering with rage. Jeff motions with his hands -- stay calm.
STONE: I assume. A man. Of your intelligence. Has deduced. What we came for. Where is it?
JEFF: In here.
Jeff points to the hangar.
STONE: (to the soldiers) Get it. (to Jeff) A word. Of warning. Any. Heroic attempts. Will result. In tragedy.
But Jeff isn't the one he should be worried about. As he leads the men into the hangar and over to the core, Alan turns his eye to
A GRENADE - on the utility belt of Stone's guard.
Stone closes his eyes and breathes in the fresh air. There's a RUMBLE coming from inside the island. Stone looks around suspiciously. The rumble gets louder and louder and then...
THWOOMP! THE NEW THUNDERBIRD 1 IS JETTISONED INTO THE SKY.
IN THE COCKPIT OF TB1.1
Brains has the controls, Tin Tin at his side.
BRAINS: H-h-here we go.
He hits the ignition switch. The rockets ignite. Brains and Tin Tin are slammed into the backs of their seats.
ON THE ISLAND - TB1.1 soars just over their heads. Soldiers duck. Stone stumbles. And Alan seizes the moment. He knocks the gun away from his temple, grabs the grenade, pulls the pin and hurls it into the black shuttle.
He takes off running for the hangar. Guards raise their guns to fire but before they can...
KA-BOOM!
She shuttle EXPLODES. Guards FLY. One into the side of the cliff. Another into the ocean. Alan is hurled into a palm tree. He smacks the ground hard.
The force sends Stone sliding across the runway. His exoskeleton suit emits a steady stream of sparks as he slides
INTO THE HANGAR
where the remainder of his men have begun raising the power core out of the ground. It sits on its hydraulic lift beside Thunderbird 3.
Two of the guards help Stone to his feet. He looks back to his burning shuttle and then up to the tall red rocket ship.
STONE: (regular voice) PUT IT IN THERE! AND HIM WITH IT!
Stone steps onto the platform with the guards and Jeff. It raises alongside TB3.
OUTSIDE AT THE PALM TREE
Alan is coming to. In much pain. Broken rib or two. But he hears ROCKETS IGNITING.
ALAN: No...
He pulls himself up and limp-runs toward the hangar.
Thunderbird 3 has begun ignition process. Alan looks up and can see his father, now with a gun to his head, being pushed into the cockpit followed by Stone and his men.
He has to think fast. Looks around. Spots THE MAGNETIC CLAMPS HE USED TO LOAD THE FUEL CELLS INTO THUNDERBIRD 3.
The rocket begins to lift off.
Alan races up a few flights of stairs, then across a platform toward the lifting rocket. At the end of the platform he LEAPS...
AND CLAMPS ONTO TB3's FUSELAGE. Near an O2 EXHAUST VENT.
While hanging onto the clamps - and while the rocket picks up speed - and while flames and smoke dance dangerously higher - he swings out and kicks the grate of the 02 vent. Kicks it again and again until finally - IT SNAPS. He throws himself in. Just missing being decapitated as...
THUNDERBIRD 3 LAUNCHES OUT OF ITS SILO AND UP THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE CIRCULAR OBSERVATION HOUSE.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 3/CARGO BAY - DAY
Alan now clings to the inside of the lower cargo hold. The G-force is tremendous.
He opens a hatch door. It's a closet. With IR space suits and helmets inside. He reaches in with one hand and grabs one, but the force is too strong. He can't hold on.
He falls. Hits the bottom of the bay. SPLAT! Flat on his back. The G-force pins him there.
EXT. SKY - DAY
Thunderbird 3 soars up through the clouds. We can see a smoke layer where atmosphere ends and space begins. Stars shimmer in the distance. The massive red rocket breaks through the atmosphere.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 3 COCKPIT - NIGHT
Stone's pilot (from the Shuttle) steers TB3. Jeff has been strapped into a seat, his hands bound. The remaining GUARD holds the gun to his head. Stone sits beside him.
STONE: What. An honor. To sit beside. The great. Jeff Tracy.
Jeff remains still and silent, studying Stone.
STONE: As. A young man. I watched. Your historic. Mission. To Mars. And dreamed. That I too. Would make. History.
Stone turns his gaze out the window.
STONE: That day. Has come.
Jeff does the same and it is now he sees...
THE MASSIVE DEVICE
floating in space. Jeff stares in horrified disbelief.
JEFF: You aren't making an atmosphere. You're stealing ours.
Stone continues to stare forward.
JEFF: You can't do this. Think of humanity.
STONE: Has. Humanity. Thought. Of me? (turning back toward the window) I am. A pioneer. Protecting the claim. He has staked. Insuring. The prosperity. Of a new world. Generations of men. Before me. Have done nothing less.
Jeff stares out again, never feeling more helpless.
ON THE DEVICE -
A small transport pod separates from the bottom of the device. Flies through space to Thunderbird 3. A robotic arm removes the POWER CORE.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 3 PAYLOAD BAY - NIGHT
Free of Earth's atmosphere and into zero-gravity, Alan floats up through the payload bay. He has donned the spacesuit and is just fastening a helmet.
THE CARGO HOLD
He can see through the open hold doors. The transport pod, carrying the power core on its flexible robotic arm, flies it over the device.
INSIDE THE TB3 COCKPIT
Stone's breathing quickens in anticipation. Jeff turns to him.
JEFF: You don't have to do this. Not at this price. We could pool our resources, think of another way.
STONE: You. Of all. Men. Should know. There is no. Turning back. When staring. At the face. Of progress. Like you. I am. A pioneer. Like you. I am. Pushing. The boundaries. Of technology.
JEFF: If your goal is to use your technology to destroy life - then you and I will never be alike.
We TILT DOWN and see that Jeff is tugging at the strap that binds his hands to the chair, loosening it with each tug.
CUT TO:
INT. THUNDERBIRD 2 COCKPIT -
John appears on a monitor, filling the brothers in.
JOHN: ...there was an explosion, then Thunderbird 3 launched. They've got the power core. But that's not the worst of it -- they took Dad.
The guys all look to each other. Worst news possible.
VIRGIL: What about Alan?
JOHN: Don't know. but the priority now has got to be - stop that machine.
SCOTT: We can't get there in time! Not in Thunderbird 2!
JOHN: I know. Look out your window. Three o'clock. Should be arriving just - about - now.
The boys look and see a little silver spot racing toward them. Within seconds, the new Thunderbird 1 is upon them. It looks up into the sky and banks a hard right giving us and the brothers our first good look at the new craft.
GORDON: Wow, Virg! That positive thinking thing really works.
TB 1.1 CIRCLES AROUND AND LANDS ON TOP OF THUNDERBIRD 2.
A thick shaft lowers from the underbelly and connects to a hatch above TB2's cockpit.
IN THE TB2 COCKPIT -
Brains, Tin Tin, and Kyranu lower into TB2 via a small elevator.
BRAINS: Al-alright, fellas. We'll take her from here.
The boys unbuckle themselves and head for the elvator.
SCOTT: She looks great, Brains. You're sure she's spaceworthy?
BRAINS: It w-w-worked out on paper.
Entering the elevator...
SCOTT: Well, here goes the real thing.
...Scott hits a button and the three of them ascend.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 3 COCKPIT - NIGHT
Stone and Jeff look on through the window as the Space Barge's robotic arm raises the power core into place. A TWIST, a CLANK, a high pitched BRRRR and...
THE MACHINE GROANS TO LIFE.
Slowly at first. Bits of space dust form a funnel like wind tunnel that filters into the machine. Followed by the first wisps of atmospheric matter.
Stone's eyes widen. The moment he's waited for. He and the two guards are so caught up in what they see the (sic) don't notice...
...JEFF TUGGING HARDER AT HIS BINDINGS.
ALAN IN THE PAYLOAD BAY
...stares through the portal window as the suction of the machine intensifies. Now, great cloud like structures come whirling in followed by a loud Ka-BLOOM which shoots puffs of atmosphere into a series of small receiving station in a line back to the Moon.
Alan pushes away. A sense of urgency. He floats all the way to the top of the payload.
There's a door that leads to an airlock chamber. He twists the handle, opens it. TSSHHHH. Floats inside. Closes the door. Seals the chamber off. TSSHHH. The chamber pressurize (sic). He removes his helmet and floats over to
THE PORTAL DOOR THAT LEADS TO TB3's COCKPIT. The door is made up of three triangular sections, each with thick panes of glass. Alan crouches down and peers through the glass.
He can see his father strapped into the chair, Stone and his men staring through the window at the machine which is now running at full force.
CUT TO:
EXT. TRACY ISLAND - DAY
Against raging winds, Thunderbird 2 lands. Huge waves pound the shore. The sky above is swirling.
VARIOUS SHOTS AROUND EARTH..
Fierce winds rage. Over land. Bending trees to the ground. Over sea. Where thirty foot swells rise.
AND UP IN ONE SECTION OF THE SKY - a reverse twister. Where most funnel toward Earth, this one twirls toward space.
BACK TO:
ALAN IN THE AIR-LOCK CHAMBER
Rage makes his face tremble. About to burst into the cockpit. But he stops himself. Backs to the wall. Pounds his forehead.
ALAN: Think, think...
He spots a HEADSET on the wall. Plugged into a radio device. He puts on the headset. Dials up a frequency.
ALAN: (whispering) John? John, are you there?
INT. THUNDERBIRD 5 - NIGHT
John looks to the radio. Could it be?
JOHN: Alan?
ALAN (ON RADIO): Is this line secure?
John raps a few buttons, turns a big dial.
JOHN: It is now. Where are you?
ALAN (ON RADIO): In the air-lock behind the cockpit in Thunderbird 3.
John chuckles, shakes his head in amazed disbelief...
JOHN: But of course...
ALAN: Where's Scott?
JOHN: On his way.
ALAN: Can you patch him in?
JOHN: Patching.
John moves fast. Flipping switches. Unplugging cables, shoving them into new slots.
JOHN: Thunderbird 5 to Thunderbird 1.
EXT. SKY - DAY
Thunderbird 1.1 rattles through gale force winds, climbing toward the ozone layer.
IN THE COCKPIT - the boys are jarred by hellacious turbulence.
SCOTT: What is it, John?
JOHN (ON RADIO): Looks like we've got another stowaway. Up on Thunderbird 3.
SCOTT: What?!
ALAN (ON RADIO): Hiya, Scott. Miss me?
VIRGIL: Alan?!
Collective sighs. Chuckles. He never ceases to amaze...
ALAN: Save your tears, guys. We've got one major situation on our hands.
Scott struggles with the controls.
SCOTT: We know. Sucks, doesn't it?
Big reaction from Gordon.
GORDON: Wow, this is major. Scott made a joke!
ALAN: How far out are you?
SCOTT: John?
JOHN: Five minutes. At least.
ALAN: Damn (thinking) Okay, here's the situation. I'm in the airlock. Dad's in the cockpit with a gun to his head. And that machine out there is doing some serious damage. From where I'm sittin' I'd say our only choice is to blow that sucker outta the sky. (with some effort) But, Scott, if you've got any other suggestions, I'm all ears.
Scott struggles with the controls. Pauses a second.
SCOTT: It's your show, Alan.
ALAN IN TB3 - gives a little nod. He's wished for the day he's hear those words. Not it's here. And he's scared.
ALAN: Okay. John. Set Thunderbird 3 to self destruct in five minutes. Main booster rockets only. Scott. You've got to get here by then. And have Gordon ready on the harpoon. I'm gonna...
Alan looks into the cockpit and sees...
JEFF HAS FREED HIMSELF FROM HIS BINDINGS and is unscrewing a long metal lever with a red knob on the end.
ALAN: Just get here. I gotta go.
He yanks the headset cord out of the wall.
IN THE TB1.1 COCKPIT -
Scott raps the radio button.
SCOTT: Alan? Didn't copy? You're gonna what?...
BLAM! Big pocket of turbulence. The steering control shakes in Scott's hands.
VIRGIL: Just get us there, Scott.
And as he struggles with control of TB1, we cut back to..
INT. THUNDERBIRD 3 COCKPIT - NIGHT
Stone watches his sick dream coming true. Atmosphere streaming in. Shooting out to the receiving stations. He detects movement to his right. Looks down. Jeff has undone the metal lever.
VERY QUICKLY. THWOOSH. A quick swing at the guard. Shatters the hand holding the gun. The gun floats away. THWACK. A jab to the temple with the knob end of the lever. The guard is out cold. JAB. Down on the buckle release. Stone floats to the ceiling.
IN THE AIR LOCK CHAMBER - Alan floats toward the glass and sees
JEFF reaching for the throttle and push it forward. TB3 LURCHES. Alan flies back to the end of the chamber into A LARGE METAL DISK. CLANK! The headset sticks to it. Magnetized.
IN THE COCKPIT - Stone's gears spin. He pushes off the wall. Slams into Jeff. Smacking his buckle release. The two of them float up.
JEFF: I can't let you do this.
STONE: (his own, raspy voice) It's already done.
WHRRRR, BLAM! Stone lands a metallic fist to Jeff's jaw. Jeff floats away. Retaliates with a kick to Stone's side. Bends the exoskeleton. Jeff pushes off. Reaches for the floating gun. WHRRR, CLOMP! Stone's claw-like hand grabs Jeff' (sic) ankle. Squeezes. Bones CRUNCH.
JEFF: Ahhh!
Quickly. Stone pulls the throttle down. Then, pins Jeff to the ceiling. Gears spins as he RAMS his robotic forearm into Jeff's scull (sic). WHAM. WHAM. WHAM. Jeff is knocked senseless. Stone rears back to make the final, fatal blow whem...
HIS EXOSKELETON SUDDENLY DANCES WITH ELECTRICITY. Stone vibrates, then floats away revealing...
ALAN - holding a thick, frayed electric wire.
ALAN: Dad!
Jeff is barely with us. Head rattled from the blows. Alan smacks a button on the wall. A CHAIR FOLDS OUT. He lowers Jeff into the chair, harnesses him in. Jeff comes to...
JEFF: (groggy) Alan. What are you...
ALAN:Trust me. I know what I'm doing.
Jeff focuses. Long enough to lock eyes with his son.
JEFF: I know.
And in a split second, father and son connect. But there's no time for hugs and handshakes. Alan pulls a lever. Jeff's chair retracts into the wall. A door slides down in front of him and...
THWOOMP! Jeff's one man escape pod is jettisoned into space.
Alan leaps into the pilot's seat.
ALAN: John? How much time?
JOHN: Two minutes.
ALAN: Where's Thunderbird 1?
JOHN: I lost 'em. Too much interference...
Alan bites his lower lip. Here goes nothin'. He pushes the throttle forward.
Thunderbird 3 heads right for the funnel.
Alan steers it straight forward. Bound and determined. He spins around in the chair and opens A PANEL IN THE CEILING. There's a red lever. Like an emergency brake. Says "EJECT".
Suddenly, STONE FLOATS INTO VIEW. WHIRRR. BLAM! A metallic fist flattens Alan's jaw. Knocks him out of his seat. Stone grabs the throttle, pulls it back...
The rockets shut off. TB3 veers left. The nose SLAMS into the lip of the device, stopping it on the edge of the funnel. But the suction of the funnel is pulling the end of TB3 up and over.
INSIDE TB3 - cockpit turning, Stone shoves Alan aside. Outside the window, TREMENDOUS WINDS RAGE as atmosphere streams into the device.
THE REAR OF TB3 GETS SUCKED INTO THE FUNNEL.
Stone pushes the throttle full forward. The rockets fire full blast.
Alan grabs Stone and YANKS him back. Hard. Stone floats away from the controls and slams into the door leading to the air lock.
Then a gun - the one Jeff knocked out of the guards hand earlier - floats past Stone's face. He grabs it. Points it at Alan.
STONE: Say goodbye. Thunderboy.
Thinking fast, Alan smack (sic) a big button marked "AIR LOCK." The door slides open and - SHHH-CLANK! Stone's exoskeleton slams against the huge metallic disk at the rear of the air lock. The gun flies out of his hand. He is stuck there.
The back of TB3 enters one of the turbines. SHARPS FLY as the device begins to chew up the red rocket, tail first.
Alan reaches for the "EJECT" lever. But it's just beyond his fingertips. It doesn't look like he'll make it.
Then...a Malaysian charm raises up to eye level. It's attached to the necklace Tin Tin gave him.
ALAN: (kissing the necklace) Tin Tin, I love you!
He removes the necklace and uses it to latch onto the lever. He pulls it.
CH-CHK! PWOOSH! The cockpit separates and and (sic) becomes, in essence, a tiny, one man rocket. Boosters fire.
As TB3 gets chewed up by the device, the turbines slow enough for Alan to begin to get away. Through the glass door that formerly led to the air lock, he can see...
STONE
still pinned to what is now the top of TB3.
STONE: NOOOOOOOOOO!
And that's all she wrote. Thunderbird 3 and Stone with her is gobbled up by the massive device. A couple of beats then...
BOOM-BA-BA-BOOM!
Big explosion. Blasts Alan in the one man rocket forward...
ALAN: AHHHHHHHH!
...but it's too early to celebrate. Because here comes the backdraft. It starts sucking Alan backwards. The tiny rocket spins out of control. It's headed right for the machine.
CLANK!
Something grabs hold of it.
ALAN: Huh?
THUNDERBIRD 1.1 HAS ARRIVED!
Gordon mans the winching device where he has just captured Alan with a crack shot.
GORDON: Didn't think we were gonna let you have all the fun, did you?
Scott banks TB1 hard right and they just swing Alan in the nose of TB3 away from the flames when...
W H A - B O O M ! ! ! !
The queen mother of explosions! Huge balls of fire shoot out the back of the device, destroying each of the booster stations in succession.
The atmosphere whips back to Earth. And all returns to normal.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SPACE -
The TB3 escape pod floats into frame. A red beacon light flashes atop it.
Jeff sits inside, admiring the Earth, when he sees Thunderbird 5 orbit into view.
The pod is drawn toward Thunderbird 5 which now has all three Thunderbirds - the new Thunderbird 1, Thunderbird 2, and the front section of Thunderbird 3 - docked in their designed ports.
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. THUNDERBIRD 5 - NIGHT
PSSSSH - doors slide open revealing Jeff in the pod.
All five brothers stand around the door, waiting. Jeff steps out. Alan steps forward. A moment of silence as he and Alan stare at each other for a moment.
ALAN: I get it now.
Jeff and Alan embrace. Virgil steps up.
VIRGIL: Nice work, Alan. You only destroyed half a ship this time.
Jeff stands encircled by his sons.
JEFF: I think I'm the only one who gets it now. (turning to the others) International Rescue isn't about our technology. It's about us. All of us (turning to Alan) A Thunderbird can be replaced. But the men who fly them are one of a kind.
PSSSSH - they hear a door behind them open. The circle parts and there stands...
TIN TIN
flanked by Brains and Kyranu. While the rest of them congratulate each other, Tin Tin and Alan are left standing face to face.
TIN TIN: Did you find what you were looking for?
ALAN: Wouldn't you know it -- it was right in front of me all along.
And at long last, he kisses her.
Gordon walks past, then doubles back.
GORDON: Hey. Get a room.
Virgil grabs Gordon and pulls him away.
INT. THUNDERBIRD 5 - NIGHT
Gordon sits at the console, replacing John. Virgil's voice comes over the radio.
VIRGIL: Thunderbird 2 to Thunderbird 5. Preflight check complete. Awaiting clearance for departure, over.
GORDON: I got your clearance right here, pal. You ain't goin' nowhere until you FINISH THE STORY!
VIRGIL (ON RADIO): You're so very sad.
GORDON: This, we've established. Now. Did you spend the night or didn't you?
INT. THUNDERBIRD 2 COCKPIT - NIGHT
Virgil is preparing to separate from Thunderbird 5. John sits beside him. Brains to his left.
VIRGIL: Yes Gordon. I spent the night...
GORDON: ...you dog!...
VIRGIL: ...reading poetry...
GORDON IN THUNDERBIRD 5 -
GORDON: You are the...what? Poetry? No. There's got to be more to it than that!
I'm gonna be in space for a month! You've got to give me more than poetry!
INT. THUNDERBIRD 1 COCKPIT - NIGHT
Jeff, Kyranu and Tin Tin strap into the passenger seats that line the wall of the new TB1 cockpit. Alan and Scott enter the cockpit. It's the first time Alan's seen it.
ALAN: Wow. this is great.
He heads for his copilot seat. Scott stops him.
SCOTT: Why don't you take us home?
Alan raises an eyebrow.
ALAN: Is that an order?
SCOTT: Yeah, that's an order.
Alan gives Scott a little salute then takes the pilots seat.
THUNDERBIRDS 1.1 AND 2 SEPARATE FROM THUNDERBIRD 5...
NED COOK (OVER): ...a perfect end to this crisis, ladies and gentlemen. A new and, yes believe it or not - improved Thunderbird 1 has returned the missing scientists to the White House lawn.
...THUNDERBIRD 1 RACES ACROSS FRAME AND WE
CUT TO:
SHOT OF A TELEVISION
...where Ned Cook completes his broadcast in front of the White House.
NED COOK: Let's see if we can get a shot of this one...
CAMERA PANS. Screen goes fuzzy.
NED COOK: Right. Well. Happy to say, it's business as usual for International Rescue. Back to you, Tom.
THE SCULPTED ANCHORMAN WE MET IN THE OPENING CREDIT SEQUENCE sits at the W.N.N. news desk, addressing camera.
ANCHORMAN: Thank you, Ned. We've just received yet another letter. This one from His Majesty, King William of England, addressed to International Rescue. He thanks them for saving the world and states that should they make their identity know, knighthoods await them all...
PULL BACK from the TV to find we're in...
INT. TRACY HOUSE - DUSK
Another party in full swing. Black tie affair. Jeff stands beside a GOVERNOR watching the television.
ANCHORMAN: Kings, Queens, Presidents and Prime Ministers -- all singing the praises of the worlds favourite elusive and illustrious organization.
GOVERNOR: I tell you, Jeff. I've met some incredible people in my time, but if there's one thing I'd like to do, it's find the man behind that International Rescue and shake him by the hand.
JEFF: Who knows. Maybe you already have. (shaking his hand) Thank you for coming, Governor. Always a pleasure to have you.
Kyranu passes with a tray of drinks and heads for the kitchen. He passes through the hallway where he is stopped by
PARKER - who removes a glass from the tray and replaces it with three empties. He's very sunburned. He throws back the champagne.
PARKER: I know, mate. I'm drinkin' like I've walked a hundred bloody miles across the bloody desert. That's because I have walked a hundred bloody miles across the bloody desert.
LADY PENELOPE (O.S.): Language, Parker.
Parker and Kyranu turn. Lady Penelope is there.
PARKER: Beggin' your pardon, m'lady?
LADY PENELOPE: I told you never to use the word desert in my presence again.
She gives him a wink. He raises a glass to her as she continues into the party. She is met by Scott. He is obviously smitten with her beauty.
SCOTT: Lady Penelope. I never got the chance to apologize for my behaviour when we last met. It was ungentlemanly, unacceptable and, and and...
She puts a finger to his lips. He nearly melts.
LADY PENELOPE: Understandable.
Brains walks across frame, trying to catch up to the FEMALE BRAINS we met at the first party.
BRAINS: I-I-I don't understand...
FEMALE BRAINS: You didn't even call!
BRAINS: Th-th-things were, um, v-v-very busy around here.
FEMALE BRAINS: T-t-typical male excuse. I thought you were different, H-h-hiram. But you're just a freewheeling, playboy like all these Tracy boys!
She storms away. Brains is almost upset until he realizes...
BRAINS: P-p-playboy? Hmm...
He likes the sound of that. Keeps saying it to himself has we walks past...
THE PIANO
where Virgil sits, playing. This time, John is beside him.
JOHN: Really? You went home with her?! See, this never happens to me -- mostly because I'm out in space all the time. Anyway, what happened?
VIRGIL: I don't kiss and tell...
JOHN: So there was kissing involved...
And as Virgil starts up his tried and true routine again, we continue through the party...
TO THE SOFA
...where Alan and Tin Tin cuddle, clearly a couple now.
Kyranu enters. Clears his throat.
KYRANU: Mr. Tracy. Sorry to disturb. But you have a phone call. Line 5.
The brothers, Tin Tin and Penelope all react.
JEFF: Thank you, Kyranu.
Jeff gives him a nod. Kyranu knows what to do.
KYRANU: Everyone. If you will follow me to the screening room, we have a special film to show you of Mr. Tracy's historic flight to Mars.
As the guests follow Kyranu, the boys discreetly peel off.
INT. JEFF'S OFFICE - DAY
Jeff is already speaking to Gordon who appears where his portrait should be. The others enter one by one...
GORDON: ...ten thousand lives are at stake. They called for our help.
JEFF: F.A.B. Radio our response. (to the others) Boys. Party's over. (with pride) THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!
The boys leap into place, ready to be whisked away.
IN THE SECRET CAVERNS
Scott appears on a catwalk, walking toward camera. He's joined by Virgil, then Alan, then John. Like the Right Stuff astronauts marching toward their ships.
They walk into camera. It goes black and we ...
CUT TO:
THE NIGHT SKY
as Thunderbird 1 rockets over Tracy Island, toward camera and out of frame. Thunderbird 2 blasts off its runway and soars right at us, wiping the frame to
BLACK.
end