Part 1

"Brains", Scott called as he glided into the room with Gordon close behind him.

"Brains", Gordon called as he followed Scott.

"I'm here Scott", Brains replied as he appeared from behind one of the chairs.

"Brains what's going on", Gordon asked sounding a little angry. "Were you trying to ditch us?"

"It was uh… engine trouble. I'm sure it will be fine now. Shall we get going?" He turned when he notice Alan glide into the room.

"Hey Brains look who we found", the young blonde said happily. Brains looked up and noticed Virgil arriving with Jeff's arm around his shoulders. "Uh where's Max?"

"It's good to see you Jeff", Brains replied and moved closer to Jeff while Jeff did the same.

"It's good to see you too", Jeff replied, but he was not fooled in the slightest. He held his hand out to 'Brains'. "Brains." When the imposter took his hand Jeff twirled around and slammed him against the wall. The boys hurried towards them.

"Whoa dad easy", Virgil exclaimed and held out an arm to try and calm his father.

"This isn't Brains Virgil", Jeff replied calmly.

The doors opened again and in came the real Brains, wearing some kind of goggles and with Max behind him.

"N-no storage locker c-can hold me", he said and then realized who was in the room as well. "M-M-Mr. Tracy!"

"Hi Brains", Jeff replied and handed the imposter over to Alan and Gordon. "In all our years together he has never called me Jeff to my face. It's good to see you again partner." Jeff hugged a stunned Brains. Brains made a happy little humming sound. As he did the imposter revealed himself to be the Hood. Jeff turned to him and sent a glare his way.

"You never give up do you Hood?" he asked.

"Not as far as you're concerned", Hood replied.

"What is it with you", Alan asked, sounding almost exasperated. "Why do you hate my dad so much?"

"It may be hard to imagine but we were friends a long time ago", the Hood replied. "The two of us were going to change the world. But my ways never suited the mighty Jeff Tracy. He had this funny thing about right and wrong. At every turn he was there to undermine my pursuits. I finally had enough. If Jeff Tracy wanted to make me out to be the villain, then the villain I would be and the best villain our world has ever seen!"

"You need better goals Hood", was Jeff's only reply as he advanced on the Hood. Then he turned to Brains with a small smirk. "Brains, tell me about the storage locker. We have some baggage to stow before we take off."

"R-right away Mr. Tracy... this way!" Brains said and they started to drag the Hood after him. They passed a confused John who had been hanging back to make sure all computers on the Thunderbirds were locked in properly.

"What is he doing here?" John asked and looked between his brothers.

"Long story", Gordon sighed and helped Scott and Virgil drag the man off, leaving Jeff, Alan and John alone in the hallway. Jeff smiled at his two space-loving sons and together they headed off to the cockpit again. The Hood watched them and growled. They put him in the storage locker but before they closed it the Hood shouted:

"Code activate conditions: BWJTCD54321TBAGO!"

The boys and Brains looked at each other in confusion, then worry. Had the Hood planted something on the ship!? When the Hood looked around and nothing happened his smug smirk disappeared and he roared angrily. Scott, snorted and closed the door.

"B-better ask John to c-check all systems before we go", Brains said as they glided back to the cockpit. "W-we don't want any more nasty s-surprises."

"I hear that", Scott chuckled.

When they got there Scott, Gordon and Brains strapped in, asking John to run checks, while Virgil headed for their father to make sure he was comfortable. Jeff smiled at his second oldest.

"Virgil", he said gently. "I'm gonna be okay."

"I know dad", Virgil replied softly, then headed for his seat as well.

"Alright go no go for launch", Scott said and turned to John. "Telemetry?"

"Go", John replied.

"Navigation?"

"Go!" Gordon replied.

"Airframe?"

"Go", Virgil replied while strapping in.

"Propulsion?"

"Go", Brains replied.

"Helm?"

"Go!" Alan replied happily.

"Then let's go home", Scott said, then turned to Jeff. "Wanna count us down?"

"I was hoping you'd ask", Jeff replied. "5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Thunderbirds are go!"

Brains reached to activate the T-drive engine… when something happened. All of a sudden the computers all started blaring error messages and warnings.

"What the hell!?" Scott asked. "Brains?!"

"I-I don't know what is happening", Brains replied and started typing. "The s-systems are c-crashing!"

"It's the Hood", Gordon said. "This must be because of that code he shouted!"

"What code?" Alan asked.

"Code activate conditions: BWJTCD54321TBAGO", Virgil replied and tried to adjust some of the relays in front of him. "Nothing is responding!"

"Bring the Hood here and force him to tell us what he did!" Alan cried out angrily.

"No", Brains said and looked at the code rolling by on his screen. "T-this isn't the H-Hood."

"Then who is doing this?" Scott asked and drifted over to Brains to look over his shoulders. All the strange things on his screen made no sense to Scott. Virgil, Alan and Gordon also joined him. Alan looked at the code. He could figure some out.

"I-I am not sure", Brains replied to Scott. "It i-is… I mean I k-know who c-could do it. I j-just don't know w-why."

"Who?" Virgil asked. "The Mechanic?"

"N-no", Brains said and turned around and the others followed his gaze. He was looking right at John. John sat looking at the screen, no emotion whatsoever on his face. At least not at first. Then he started chuckling, then full out laughing. However it was not John's normal laugh, this one sent chills down their spines.

"John?" Virgil asked and glided towards him and reached out to grip his shoulder. Only to have John shot up rom his chair, grip Virgil's arm, spin around and slam him into the others.

"What the hell!?" Scott yelled and tried to get at John. The problem was that John was too used to zero g. He easily out maneuvered each of his brothers, only having a little trouble with Alan. He then vaulted over their father's seat and stopped by the door. He was still chuckling in that strange deranged way and he raised his hand. The brothers, Jeff and Brains now noticed that he held a taser there.

"Let's have a little talk now shall we?" John asked and laughed a laugh filled with complete evil.

TBC

I got inspired by the last episode when I noticed John not being in the room with the others. It's all AU from here on forth.