There has been a disaster, but International Rescue ar eon the scene. But, for the first time ever, a news crew has managed to get into the danger zone. And they start taking pictures, and show the world what one of the International Rescue vehicles look like!



The news helijet lands as Eddie Kerr, a reporter, says that this rescue is going to be fairly routine, so they won't get to see any of the special equipment International Rescue use. Not that he cares as he says that it is the people behind the organization who matter. He goes towards the disaster area and says that a well has collapsed, trapping a man. But International Rescue were quickly on the scene. He finds out that they have rescued the man and they appear on ground level.



Eddie starts asking questions, but is told he knows the rules: no TV, no photographs. Eddie asks again, but...



"I said no photographs!"



Someone takes a picture and soon it is on newspapers across the world. The papers reach Tracy Island, where everyone is surprised at what has happened. Jeff tries to play it down, saying that what matters is the fake International Rescue saved a life. He then walks off, and Tin-Tin can tell Jeff is upset at what has happened. Scott wishes he knew what really happened.



What really happened is that the fake International Rescue used that "danger zone" to do something else -they actually tunneled through the well to get into a office building, and stole the top secret documents to project AL 4. At an army base, General Lambert holds a meeting to discuss the theft. It seems that International Rescue have taken them for a ride, and pulled off this theft so easily. They need a way of getting back those documents, so they need to find International Rescue.



Lambert points out on a map where the organization's previous rescues were and says how it's funny that they have always said to not try and track their machines or look for their base. One of the other Generals can't believe it, as the organization would have had to have spent millions on their machines to pull off their previous rescues, but Lambert insists they did it. The AL 4 fighter jet is capable of the speed of accelerated light, and the research and development of it cost them twenty five thousand million dollars. International Rescue's setup would be peanuts in comparison. Lambert says they will start a search operation the likes of which the world has never seen before.



Soon the search starts, and is done from land, sea and air. International Rescue must be found, and everyone is told to check their assigned areas twice.



Several space stations are also in on the search. Two guys on one of them comment that if a kid flew a kite without permission, they could know about it. Back on Earth, a few search jets pass Tracy Island.



The family is watching the news, where Eddie Kerr refers to International Rescue as a bunch of traitorous crooks. He shows an interview he had with General Lambert earlier, who states they do not currently have any idea where International Rescue's hideout is. He has some theories about where it won't be, such as near populated areas, but Jeff then turns the TV off. He says nobody will find them -people could search the place, but they won't find a thing. But they can't operate for now -if they get an emergency call, they are going to have to sit tight. They must clear their name and find the real criminals.



They themselves have got no leads, but Jeff presses a button to make a map appear. The map displays the locations of International Rescue's agents -across the world, their are several trusted people Jeff has as agents. They will collect any information they can and report it to him. Lady Penelope is going to go to the USA to try and find out more to try and find Eddie Kerr, the reporter. In England, Parker puts an excessive amount of luggage into FAB 1 before he and Penelope head to London airport.



They arrive, but the car is coming with them and is loaded into the Fireflash jet they will be flying on. Parker is glad they are going first class -worth that little bit extra. Minutes later, the Fireflash is given clearance to depart, and takes off.



On the flight, Penelope comments that this is going to be difficult and she hopes one of the International Rescue agents can find something. Out in the southern states, a man called Jeremiah is out hunting down a rabbit for supper. After he catches it, he starts to walk home and notices some tyre tracks nearby.



Jeremiah returns home and tells his ma that he's got them something to eat. He says he's sorry he is a little late, but he's got some business to take care of. His ma asks what kind of business he could possibly have, but he says it is to do with Mr. Tracy.



He goes inside and kicks his cooker, which makes some panels open up and reveal computer systems. Jeremiah is an International Rescue agent -Agent 47, to be precise. He contacts Tracy Island and his call is picked up by Alan. As this is happening, Jeff says goodbye to a Colonel and his search team, who have looked around the island but haven't found anything. Jeff tells them he hopes they find the ones they are looking for.



Jeff goes back into the lounge, where Alan says Agent 47 has just contacted them. He says the guy sounded like a hillbilly, and Jeff remembers that Agent 47 is Jeremiah. He met him when he was in the service, and he kind of guessed what Jeff wanted to do one day. When he asked if he could help, Jeff couldn't turn him down. He reads what he had to say and finds out that Jeremiah has found some tyre tracks from an aircraft -strange as there is no airport near to where Jeremiah is. Jeff says it isn't much to go on and decides to take no action. Meanwhile Jeremiah asks his ma what's on her mind. She says if there could be something up at that old mine. Jeremiah tells her he was thinking the same thing.



Deep within the old mine, the real crooks are hiding out, and say this is the best hideout they've ever had. Not only have they got the fake uniforms there, they've also got the real AL 4 plans. Jenkins and Carela feel really sorry for the real rescue guys -so much so they're eating their hearts out.



Meanwhile the first phase of the search has failed, but Lambert says they'll just have to try again and re-organise the areas they search. Up on the spacestation, the technicians there have go to do some maintenance, and find out one of them is going to have to go outside and do some work on the dish. They are hesitant to do this as it means their area on Earth won't be covered radar-wise, meaning General Lambert won't be happy. One of them reluctantly makes the call, unaware the John on Thunderbird 5 listens in.



John reports that the satellite monitoring the area Tracy Island is in happens to be going offline for around 4 hours whilst the crew does some repair work. However Jeff says it doesn't make much difference, as if they didn't manage to track them blasting off they surely will on the return trip. Meanwhile, Elliott, one of the technicians, is about to go out into space when Lambert calls them and tells them to get their satellite back to operational status as soon as possible.



Elliott goes out and secures some safety ropes so he doesn't drift away. He takes a look at the aerials and thinks that this could take a while. Meanwhile, back on Earth, at the World Television Inc. offices...



Penelope has met with Eddie Kerr and their meeting is wrapping up. She finds out from him that the International Rescue members he saw flew off in their jet in a south south-west direction. She declines his offer for lunch, saying she needs to report this to her Chief. That chief is of course Jeff, and she tells him what Eddie told her. She mentions that the jet the crooks had was probably an EJ2, which Scott says isn't the kind of vehicle you'd use for long distance flying. Jeff takes a look at a map and says they should concentrate their search in a particular area. He finds out Agent 47 is covering that area -and he remembers that Jeremiah found some random aircraft tracks there. Jeff tells Penelope has has another mission for her.



Jeff contacts Jeremiah and lets him know that Penelope is on her away, and he wants him to help her. Back on the space station, Hale still has around 2 hours of work left to do on the wiring, but Elliott has finished and goes back towards the airlock.



But as he does this, his jet pack malfunctions and he ends up being thrusted away from the space station uncontrollably. Back on Earth, Parker and Penelope are on the way to a meeting point. Jeremiah and his Ma are also on the way in their automobile.



Some young guy is out ahead of Jeremiah, but as the roads are so quiet, he gets his sports car to speed up and go as fast as possible. Jeremiah meanwhile realises that they are going to be late, so he decides he needs to user the super charger -and the extra boost. Ma tries to hang on.



Jeremiah speeds up and gets irritated with the guy taking up the road in front of him. The guy in the sports car can't believe it, but he has to move over when an old banger of a car manages to go much faster than his own.



Hale reports to Lambert on what happened to Elliott. There is no way Hale can go out after him as he was unable to scan his direction in time, and if he tried now he would pick up the many small meteorites in nearby space. He requests a rocket be sent up but Lambert says they don't have time. Elliott has roughly 3 hours of oxygen left, none of their ships could make it. Hale says only International Rescue could help, but Lambert shoots down that idea and says Elliott has given his life for their mission, he will make sure it was not in vain. John happens to listen in to the conversation and reports it to Tracy Island, but Jeff says there is nothing they can do at the moment. Scott wants to go out and help him but Jeff says no, as if they are discovered, they will be put out of business, meaning that in the following months and years many more people will be at risk, whilst Elliott is just one man. He feels bad about it, but they need to wait and see if Penelope finds anything.



Penelope has met Jeremiah and they have returned to his home, where they discuss a plan of action. But Penelope says she wants this one to herself, and she and Parker leave in FAB 1. Jeremiah and his Ma don't think they'll get very far in that fancy buggy. Sure enough, FAB 1 gets stuck in the mud. Penelope says it doesn't matter as they can get to the mine on foot instead.



Turns out the area isn't particularly easy to walk through, especially in high-heels. Her mood about the place gets worse when she falls face first into some mud. Back on Tracy Island, Jeff changes his mind and tells Alan and Scott to blast off in Thunderbird 3 and save that guy. Jeff hopes Penelope will be able to sort things out for them, but for now, they must do their duty and rescue that man. If they get caught out later they'll just have to take things as they come.



Thunderbird 3 takes off minutes later, but it is reported as an unauthorized rocket launch to General Lambert. However the scanner staff weren't able to get a fix on where it was launched from since the satellite covering that area is the one Hale is working on, and is still not operational. Scott and Alan close in on the station are start using scanning equipment to try and find Elliott.



Hale sees Thunderbird 3 fly past and reports it to Lambert, saying they must be going after Elliott. However the General doesn't care, saying it changes nothing and they are still wanted criminals. He wants Hale to start tracking that rocket when it goes back to Earth, which Hale says he can do in 10 minutes. Scott and Alan find a small blip on their radar, and after putting it on a monitor, they see Elliott. Back on Earth, inside the mine...



...the crooks are waiting. In just a couple of hours, the AL 4 plans will be with the buyer, making them extremely rich. Outside the mine entrance, Penelope and Parker arrive. Penelope decides to fire a warning shot, but her gun hams -as it is full of mud. Penelope starts to moan to Parker about why she ever came here, but Parker tells her to not be so loud, because if there is anyone in there, they will hear her. Jenkins and Carela have heard her and go to the entrance, ready to take a shot.



However Jeremiah shoots first -he and his ma have come to back Penelope and Parker up. Jenkins and Carela retreat into the cave, and whilst Carela says they are pinned in, Jenkins says they won't go down without a fight. Jeremiah already has a plan and tells his ma to pass him some of her beans. Penelope says they don't need to eat now.



Jeremiah says she hasn't been around these parts long enough to have hear about Ma's beans. He throws a couple of tins into the cave entrance, and they explode, The crooks realise they are outgunned and outnumbered, so they say they will surrender and walk out of the mine.



Moments later, Lambert gets an order direct from the White House -the search for International Rescue is to be cancelled immediately, as the organization has been cleared. Scott and Alan have rescued Elliott, who thanks them a lot and is glad to know that International Rescue have been cleared of any wrong doing. Alan says that they were relieved when they found out. But it is time for them to say goodbye now, as Thunderbird 3 approaches the space station.


NOTES

Scott does not move his mouth when he says his final line of the episode.

Some of the shots showing Fireflash taking off were taken from "Trapped in the Sky", in particular, Captain Hanson and the co-pilot's dialogue when they level the jet off is the same.

Speaking of stock footage, the air sea rescue jets and boats are seen being launched when the search starts -the footage used showing this is from "Operation Crash-Dive". Strange how rescue vehicles are being used for a search operation, though...

Those two crooks did a remarkable job of copying International Rescue's uniforms exactly.

This is the only episode in which Thunderbird 2 does not appear.

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