Disclaimer. I don't own T-bird's. Don't we all wish we did? This is movie verse but AU. I wanted to write a fic about a real life problem and see how the Tracy family reacted to it. Hope it's OK.

John Tracy was monitoring his family's progress in a rescue when he saw an 'incoming call' on his father's personal line. John checked the call peripherally and saw that it had originated from the United States, from Massachusetts to be precise. He checked the chronometer on his display board and noticed that it was just shortly after midnight on the east coast. Curious, John rerouted the satellite call to his headset.

"Tracy residence, this is John Tracy speaking."

"Ah, Mr. Tracy?" The voice on the other end sounded high and winded. "This is Headmaster Barrington, from Wharton's Academy. Is Mr. Jeff Tracy available?"

John glanced at the Thunderbird activity readouts on his monitor. Dad was definitely busy. "I'm afraid he's unavailable right now, Headmaster. However, I believe the school has me listed as an alternate contact. If there is some way I can help you?" John let his voice trail off.

"Yes, yes jus let me verify this." There were some clicking noises in the background. "You said you were John Tracy, correct?" He asked.

"Yes sir."

"I'm afraid that there is a situation involving your brother, Alan. I need someone to authorize St. Catherine's Hospital for his care." The man sounded a bit put out.

John felt his heart leap within his chest. The Headmaster and the schools medical team had a limited authority to authorize treatment for Alan in case of an emergency. John couldn't imagine anything that might be on the excluded permission list. "Is Alan alright? What's happened?"

"Oh dear," The man instantly became contrite. "Yes, yes he will be fine Mr. Tracy. Alan and several other boys decided to leave campus after hours tonight and snuck out to a popular dance club in town. We've had several such occurrences by many of the young men here since the club opened. Normally, I would leave this call until morning but there was an unusual event tonight. According to the proprietor several of the boys had their soda's 'spiked' while visiting the club. Apparently what ever drug it was caused the boys to behave rather irrationally. The police were called to expel them from the club. They noticed several of the boys were behaving quite abnormally when they arrived to take them into custody and return them to the school. They were then taken to St. Catherine's instead because of their exhibited behavior. The doctor's feel testing is needed to identify the drug and ascertain the boys' conditions."

"Alan was drugged at a bar?" John was astounded. Dad was going to flip.

"A club Mr. Tracy, some sort of Dance/Karaoke sort of establishment. No alcohol is served there. Can you approve the testing?"

'Well that's something.' John thought to himself. "Can you send me the link for the form please?" John was quite for a moment as he received the link and watched the e-form load. "Is Alan really OK? Do the doctors have an idea about the effects of this drug? Is it illegal? Is it a narcotic?"

"I'm afraid I don't know Mr. Tracy. That is in part what the tests are for. I'm sure we will have more information soon. According to the police the boys all seem to be in high spirits. No violent or disruptive behavior aside from the boisterousness that prompted their expulsion from the club."

"None yet." John muttered as he saved his e-signature. The Headmaster heard him.

"We'll hope for the best. The boys seem to be behaving as if they have no inhibitions. One was caught trying to go starkers. He was a rather rude and vulgar when he was stopped. It seems the drug acts as a kind of truth serum and mood enhancer."

"The form is done. Are the other parents also being notified? Alan's not going to get expelled for this, is he? What about Fermat, was he with him?"

"No, no Mr. Tracy, as I said before, several young men have broken curfew and left campus to visit this club. We've tried tightening security over the past few weeks but have been hampered by the boys' own intuitiveness. No, no I dare say this experience will keep them and any others in from now on. Of course, they will be punished. A week's detention has been the standard deterrent until now. Perhaps some extra class work though, for the police trouble, but no expulsions. Mr. Heckenbecker is still asleep in his dorm room. "

John breathed out a sigh. That was good news. "I imagine that my father and brother will most likely be visiting you soon. You said Alan was at St. Catherine's? I'll call them to get an update. Things can still go downhill pretty fast, if the doctors haven't identified the drugs yet. Did you have any more information, Headmaster?"

"I'm afraid not. I can send you the names and numbers of some lodgings in the area if you like?"

"I already have some, thank you. I'll let you go now so I can call the hospital."

"Very good Mr. Tracy. If you need me for anything please don't hesitate to call." The line went dead as John checked the progress of the rescue. It looked like his family was starting to wrap things up. John thought for a moment and then called the hospital.

"St. Catherine's Hospital, how may I direct your call?" a pleasant sleepy sounding voice answered the phone.

"Hello. I'd like to check the status on a patient that was recently admitted there. He's my little brother and I just completed the online 'consent to care' form for him." John knew he sounded anxious.

"Yes Sir, He's one of the kid's from Wharton's? Do you have his name?"

"Yes, from Wharton's. You're going to be getting these calls all night aren't you?" He nearly smiled in commiseration. "His name is Alan Tracy, he's fifteen years old." There were several clicks in the background and then the voice returned.

"Can I have your name, Sir? And the first line of the patients listed home address?" The voice sounded doubtful. Well, a one home island address did read a little oddly on forms. John verified his identity. "That is a new one." There was a smile in the vice now. "Alan has been admitted and placed on continuous surveillance for the next 72 hours."

"Three days? What did he take!"

"I'm afraid that is not listed, sir. Let me see if I can find a doctor to give you more information."

John pleaded. "Please"

The line beeped and a retro 20's tune started piping in the headset. John checked on his family again. Virgil was page lighting him to see if he was available. John sent him back a wait/online signal. A green cursor blipped across his screen from his father's station in thunderbird 2.

EVERYTHING OK UP THERE JOHN?

John frowned and debated his reply.

THERE IS A PROBLEM AT WHARTONS. I'M GETTING MORE INFO NOW.

Immediately after the reply was sent came:

WHAT? IS ALAN OK? REPORT.

A dry, no-nonsense voice came on the line. "Mr. Tracy? This is Dr. Pahwan. How can I help you?"

John typed and spoke at the same time. "Dr. Pahwan, thank you for taking my call. I was hoping to get some information about my brother?"

ON THE PHONE NOW, I WILL CALL YOU ASAP.

He hit 'send' and listened to the doctor's voice as it described the situation to him. The drug had some pretty nasty effect when the user started to 'come down' from their 'high.' It was a new designer drug that had been causing problems on several college campuses in the New England area. It had been bred in some chemist's lab as a possible placebo drug for users in rehab clinics. Some drug lord had got a hold of it and started manufacturing for general use. The drug didn't have the same narcotic affects as current illegal drugs did. It just caused the users to be extremely truthful and stimulated a false "high." However, the 'high' also had a pretty devastating 'low' that came with it, there were several reports of long lasting major depressive episodes caused by the retardation of the brains secretions of serotonin in the spinal cord and brain. Recently, several college and teen suicides had been attributed to the drug known as Devastation.

Alan appeared to be having an extreme reaction to the drug. The doctor's were concerned about possible violent mood swings and an extended depressive state. Alan was going to need a lot of time to get the drug and its affects out of his system. The doctors were hopeful that it wouldn't cause any permanent damage to his neurotransmitters. The immediate concern was the stress his current high was causing his heart.

John asked a few more questions and requested 24/7 visitation be allowed for his family. Alan was being transferred to an adolescent ICU. Dr. Pahwan warned that he may need to be placed in restraints as the drug worked its way through his system. He urged John and his family to visit soon. He stated that family concern often had a positive effect on the severely depressed.

Severely depressed, suicide, John read between the lines. He thanked the doctor again and took a deep breath before punching the open comm. button.

"Thunderbird 5 to Thunderbird 2."

Jeff Tracy felt a sinking sensation. John was behaving entirely too formally. "What's going on John? How's Alan?" Virgil and Gordon were watching him with wide eyes. The open communication line to Thunderbird one crackled with intermittent static.

"You may want to go to a private line, Dad." John cautioned. Gordon's visage immediately became betrayed and shone with panic.

"Oh God, he's not-"Jeff asked without thinking.

"No!" John called into his microphone loudly. "No, not that Dad. He's not doing to well though."

"Tell us all," Jeff decided. "We've waited long enough."

"Yeah." Scott's voice, tiny over the speaker, was heard to agree.

"There's been a…" John groped for a word, "an incident, in Massachusetts. Alan and several other students skipped campus to go to a local dance club." Jeff's mouth tightened and became a straight line. Gordon looked faintly amused. There was a muffled grumbling on the T1 speaker.

"Some of the kids' sodas' were spiked with a new designer drug, Devastation. They're in the hospital." John knew he was leaving out details but those would come later. "At first it acts like some kind of super 'upper'. It's loud, happy, excited kids. Then, it's a 'truth drug.' The kids get talkative and introspective."

"The thunderbirds." Virgil breathed in dismay. Gordon wasn't smiling now and there were tiny curses coming from the speaker.

A grim Jeff announced. "That's enough. What else, John?"

It can literally kill part of the brain if the user takes too much or experiences an adverse affect to the drug. It inhibits the creation of certain molecular neurotransmitters. That causes severe depression, seizures, paralysis, suicidal tendencies, and in some cases death."

Jeff's knuckles had turned white where he was gripping the steering column. "Alan?"

"He's flying pretty high right now, really manic behavior. The doctor says the drug affects may be worse for him because he has 2 – 3 times the normal dosage in his system. He's being monitored continuously in the AICU. One of the staff psychiatric counselors is in the room with him at all times. They think he may need to be put in restraints when the drug starts to settle into its 'low' phase. The docs," John paused and Jeff's mind cried into silence. "The docs are worried about his heart. They're trying to keep his activity to minimum. His blood pressure is still pretty high and they're worried about a possible seizure or stroke." John's voice broke on the last word and he took a shuddering breath. "I'm making an open ended hotel reservation for you now, Dad. Do you want me to call Dr. Mikel too?" Dr. Mikel was the family physician.

Jeff paused for a moment taking everything in. "No, I want Brains to come to come with me instead. Is Fermat alright?"

"He's still asleep in his dorm. I doubt he knows that anything has even happened yet."

"Thank goodness." Virgil replied thinking of the shy bright boy.

"We need to let Brains know what's going on. I'll call ahead and let him know."

"I – I – I- I'm here on the line too, Mr. Tracy." Brains's voice entered the conversation.

"Brains, good, you heard that Fermat was safe?"

"Ye – yes, Mr. Tracy. Your ETA is f- f- forty-two minutes. I'm fueling the j-j-j plane now. We should be able to reach Ma- ma-ma the boys by 0530 with the new boosters. "

"Excellent." Jeff gently coaxed the massive thunderbird into going a little faster.

"J-J-John, do you know anymore about the drug?"

"The street name for it is Devastation. It's not very widely known because it doesn't seem to be a narcotic. The ATF wants it off the streets though. It's being billed to users as a 'safe drug', all of the effects of a narcotic but none of the nasty addiction. I'm going to try to get the chemical composition and test results for you from the ATF database."

"I've heard of it, I think. This is the drug that was pur-pur-purpo said to be cause of all those sui-sui- deaths on those college campuses?

"That's right! The continual users have a high rate of suicide deaths. There was a report on it in the 'Post. It didn't make CNN though, still too minor a story. Are you getting what you need from this download Brains?"

"I think so; brain chemistry is still very much a m – m – mystery of sorts to modern day medicine." There was a pause from Brains as he sifted through the data. "I'm going to get started on a-all of this Mr. Tracy. Call me in the lab if you need anything." He signed off the open line.

John volunteered, "I have access to a web-cam that is being used to monitor Alan, Dad. The hospital set it up for me so I could keep an eye on him." He made a minute adjustment to the video feed. "He's sitting down right now, but he seems really anxious. The counselor they put with him seems to be doing a pretty good ob of keeping him wound down." John fidgeted with the feed a little more, becoming engrossed in the task. "I wonder if I can get sound on this thing?"

Jeff cleared his throat to get his son's attention back. "You made reservations already at a hotel for me and Brains?"

John sat up straight. "Yes sir. It's the hotel nearest to the hospital, St. Catherine's. I booked you the double suite since I didn't know how log this could go on. I think we must have been the first family the Headmaster called, none of the other rooms were booked by the other kids' parents yet."

Gordon snorted. "That makes sense. With Alan, he probably has Dad on speed dial."

Jeff shot him a look and Gordon quieted.

'How does he get into these situations? Doesn't he think?" Scott's filtered voice was irate.

"Hey! That's not fair Scott. He skipped off campus after curfew. Something the student body of Wharton's seems to do on a pretty regular basis. He went to a well known karaoke club to drink sodas and hang out. It's not like he was out looking for drugs to get stoned! Somebody did this to him!" John argued hotly with his oldest brother.

"I'm not saying he did it on purpose, John! If he had been at school where he belonged it wouldn't have happened is all." Scott shot back.

"That's enough boys." Their father's hard voice interrupted their verbal battle. "What's important right now is making sure Alan gets through this."

"Yes Father, sorry." John responded into the quiet that followed his father's statement.

"How's he doing, John?" Gordon asked. He was the closest to Alan in age. When the youngest was on the island they two were usually seen together more often than apart.

"I'm trying to get sound on this feed, Gordo. Give me a moment." The men waited silently, watching their flight path and attempting to push the massive thunderbird even faster.

John came back on the line chuckling. "He's regaling the counselor with tales from his misspent youth. Gordon, were you really the master planner behind the cookie raids? You just made Alan the front man?"

"Hey, he was the baby. He always managed to get more cookies out of grandma when I sent him begging instead of me."

John laughed. "Not according to Alan. He says Grandma always gave him more cookies because she knew he was going to share them with you. IT seems you received less because you didn't always share."

Virgil guffawed as Gordon answered indignantly. "I shared! I just always took the bigger share because of my efforts."

"Sure Gordon."

"He looks like he's just finished running a marathon. His color's up, he's sweating and panting. "He's talking really fast, too and jittery. The counselor is checking his pulse and blood pressure." John made another adjustment to his screen. "I think Alan is aware of what's going on, he's asking about the results. They're pretty high, Dad." He sounded worried.

"He's lucid?" Jeff asked.

"Yeah, seems so."

"That's good, right?" Gordon spoke. "If he knows what's going on he can work with the doctors?"

"That's what it seems like he's doing. As best he can. Knowing what's going on won't make the drugs affects stop happening." The statement caused the men in thunderbird two to grow quiet again.

"Can we talk to him, John? Let him know I'm on the way?" Jeff was anxious.

Not through the webcam, Dad." John responded. "Maybe I can call the hospital back, see if they will let us?"

"Do it." Came the affirmative answer. John disconnected to contact the hospital once more.

Virgil watched his father try to relax his grip on the 'birds steering column. "Dad? Do you want us to go get John? I feel alright. Gordon, how about you?"

"I'm good Virge. I can handle a quick jaunt to thunderbird five." Gordon sounded please to have a plan.

Jeff looked at his second oldest son, the musician. Virgil's handsome face was pinched with worry, but not fatigue. "Are you sure, Son? I think we'll be safe until morning if you want to get some sleep first."

"I'm sure, Dad. I don't think any of us will be getting much shut eye tonight, anyway." This was accompanied by a wry smile.

Jeff returned the small smile and clapped his son on the shoulder. " FAB, Sounds good. We'll let John know when he comes back online." As if speaking had somehow willed him back, the comm. link to thunderbird five crackled and became live once again.

John's voice was strained with worry. "Dad? I have Dr. Pahwan on the line, sound only. He needs to speak with you directly. Can I patch him through?"

Jeff took a deep steadying breath. "Patch him through."

I don't really like torturing the characters. Really, I don't. It just seems that way. If you liked this first installment please let me know. I've never written a T-bird fic before and could use any critiques you may have.

There is a mention of an online consent to care form. I found a couple real life examples of something like this on the net so I assumed it was OK to use here. I will admit however that I first saw the realtime version in one of Spence's pieces. "Who's in Trouble Now.' I think it was. I hope he/she doesn't mind me borrowing it, it made the story flow a little better. Usually, I would wait for a verbal OK from the other author but this was a fuzzy area (because it's real, just not for hospital's) and I was anxious to post. I hope no one minds  If you do, please let me now and I will attempt a rewrite.