A Friend Comes Home

Episode 88 - Sound of the Underground

February 13th, 2068 - 13:15 NZDT

Kayo and Captain Rigby walk through Aquatraz as they make their way to see its main prisoner. On the way they pass the cells containing Fuse and Havoc. Fuse watches them pass but gives no reaction. Havoc does her usual banging of her fists on the door and shouts abuse at them. Both ignore her, which only angers her even more for she hates not getting attention.

Upon reaching The Hood's cell, Rigby swipes his keycard into the control panel and the outer doors of the round steel container open to reveal The Hood behind reinforced glass. A walkway then extends from the gantry taking Kayo over to just beside the cell. As she does so, The Hood casually turns around to face her.

"Well, well, well," The Hood smirks, "What a pleasant surprise. How are you, Tanusha?"

"Fine, thank you, Uncle," Kayo says with a dark undertone, "I'm not here to see how you are though."

"Of course you're not," The Hood replies with a smirk, "If you were then I would say International Rescue has a problem on its hands."

Kayo grimaces. "I'm here for some information," she continues simply. "And you'd better give it to me."

"Ask away," The Hood shrugs without any concern.

"I need you to tell me everything about your newest employees," Kayo states.

"I... beg your pardon?" The Hood asks, confused. The smug expression quickly dissipating from his face. "What new employees?"

"Don't get funny with me, Uncle," Kayo sneers and brings up a hologram image that has been taken from her suit-camera. It shows a figure in a jet-black steel suit with glowing red eyes. "This is The Black Phantom. He and his buddies attacked International Rescue at a dam in Wales. They almost succeeded in killing us. I want you to tell me who they are and what their beef with International Rescue is? Unless of course it's your misguided teaching like what you did with the Chaos Crew?"

"The Black Phantom?" The Hood cries in outrage as he stares at the image, "How dare he use one of my former code-names?!"

"You mean you didn't allow him to use it?" Kayo frowns.

"Certainly not!" The Hood snaps, "I have absolutely no idea who this person is! But let me tell you if I ever get my hands on him, I'll teach him to use a name that I have used myself!" He looks at Kayo right in the eyes. "Tanusha, I can assure you that I have nothing to do with this new criminal, whoever he is. Whilst I have got to admit I like the design of that suit; it has nothing to do with me."

Kayo narrows her eyes. "Are you sure about that?" she questions, "You claimed to know nothing about The Mechanic when he first attacked and yet you were behind him the whole time, controlling him with that disgusting eye of yours!"

The cybernetic eye in The Hood's head flashes to taunt her. "Sorry, that was petty," he mutters a moment later, "But to the point, Tanusha. I did try and play innocent when it came to The Mechanic. But this Phantom, he has nothing to do with me whatsoever."

Kayo continues to eye him suspiciously for a few moments before turning to leave. "If you're lying, you will be sorry," she calls and with that she walks sternly away.

The Hood says nothing as Rigby closes up the outer doors of the cell as the gantry retracts.

"Still think the trip was wasted?" Rigby inquires as they make their way back to the Aquatraz Central Control.

"He wasn't lying," Kayo sighs, "I know how hard that is to believe, but I could tell. He knows nothing about The Black Phantom. I guess this battle is going to be harder than the rest."