AN - I'm trying something slightly new (and I'm pretty nervous about it); I hope you guys enjoy it. I would really love some feedback, constructive criticism and thoughts would be much appreciated - please review.
Disclaimer: Never have been, never will be mine.
The least initial deviation from the truth is multiplied later a thousandfold. ~Aristotle
Alan hadn't initially realised the trouble he was in. Physically speaking, the trouble was immediate; literally speaking, if he survived this his brothers were going to kill him. Hindsight is 20/20, as they say, and knowing how this was all shaping out, Alan knew that he would have made different decisions at the start. The first thing he would have done, would have been to mention that he'd given his watch to Brains that morning to have a minor glitch in the tracking fixed. In the rush to get loaded and on their way it was completely forgotten.
The rescue had started out simple enough. There had been a major earthquake in Jakarta and the emergency services were stretched beyond capacity. Only two hours after the initial quake the Thunderbirds had been called; there were too many people at risk with the danger of aftershocks, tsunamis and not nearly enough assistance available. Shortly after 2.30 in the afternoon the Thunderbirds had been launched.
Unusual as it was these days, all five Tracy boys were dirt-side. Jeff himself was currently doing a week-stint in the space station; he tried to do so at least once a year although there was normally more time between these visits than planned.
Naturally, Scott made it to the scene first and had a plan in place by the time that Thunderbird Two arrived carrying the younger four Tracy boys. John was sent to coordinate the buildings most at risk with the Fire Chief. Virgil was sent to the triage centre to give whatever medical support he and Thunderbird Two could offer. Gordon was sent to asses the flooding risk from a potential tsunami as well as the lesser risk of the damaged water mains. Alan was sent to evacuate as many of the high rise buildings as possible; many people had stayed inside believing it to be safer.
The brother's had maintained contact in the hours that followed. At first update reports were interspersed with snippets of lighthearted banter which trailed off as the hour count went up. The moments of radio silence on the line started to increase.
Alan didn't initially realise the hole in which he had dug for himself. As the clock ticked into its eighteenth hour, he entered what felt like the thousandth high rise, and began knocking on doors and calling out to any potential residents that had remained behind. It was only as he got to the third floor that he noticed that there was a fire on one of the levels below. He wasn't overly concerned, definitely because he was used to fires on a much larger scale, potentially because he was exhausted and thirdly he was an idiot.
He hadn't intended to lie at first when it was clear that the fire was taking hold.
"OP 5," came the call from Jeff. "We're getting reports about a fire in your area; is everything okay?"
Before Alan had a chance to reply Gordon cut across the line; "We got an incoming tsunami, everyone get to higher ground!"
Alan decided not to interject but took the stairs at a run sounding the fire alarm as he passed; he assumed that the quake had damaged the buildings electrical since the alarm hadn't already sounded nor had the sprinklers come on. The water would put out the fire.
It was going to be one of the rescues he just knew it. The water rushed around the building, making a tremendous noise. It didn't put out the fire.
"Everyone report in." Came Scott's terse command.
"OP2, safe. We've taken to the air. Several of the buildings were destroyed." John's transmission was noisy indicating that they were in a chopper. Alan looked out the window and thought he could see them.
"OP3, safe. We're on the roof of the hospital. We're probably gonna need an airlift out of here; we're totally surrounded by water."
There was silence.
"OP4?" Scott asked. "OP4 come in."
Alan counted his heartbeats in the silence.
"OP4" Jeff this time, panic clear in his voice.
"OP4." The line was poor but Gordon responded. "Safe but situation precarious. The building has been badly damaged; I think its gonna come down."
There was another pause.
"OP5?" Scott asked.
Alan looked down the stair well where the fire was really gaining traction. He made a decision; Gordon's situation was more risky that his.
"OP5, safe. Still in the high rises. I'll send people up now rather than down."
"I'm on my way, OP4" Scott said.
Alan continued to bang on doors and call out but no one responded to him on the continuing alarm.
"OP5, I missed your response about the fires." Jeff pushed.
"I see it." Alan replied, implying that he was away from the fire. "That building is surrounded in water, hopefully that will deal with it. I think the area is largely deserted now. I'm still heading up in this building but it looks pretty empty to me."
"Alright," said Jeff. "Stay in touch."
Alan planned on requesting an air lift once Scott confirmed the safe collection of Gordon. Before he had the chance Virgil called for back up; several of the patients hadn't been in any condition for the frantic race for higher ground and were paying the price now.
Alan safely made it to the roof. There had been some construction work going on and there was scaffolding and building materials scattered about. He'd had to conclude the building was empty.
The building was gutted now. The fire had utterly consumed the lower levels and was spreading fast through the top levels.
With a moment of horrifying clarity, Alan realised the mess he had made for himself. The building was damaged in the quake, further stressed by the tsunami waters and now the weakened lower levels consumed by fire. He wasn't safe on the roof if the building collapsed downwards.
"I need a pickup, if anyone is about." He called casually. No point in worrying them needlessly.
"I'm en route to Thunderbird Two, with OP3&4." Scott replied. "OP2, where are you?"
"We're setting down pass the flood waters. We picked up as many people as we could but the chopper is all but out of gas."
"Alright." Scott replied. "OP5, We're nearly at Thunderbird Two. One of us will come back for you. Hold tight."
Alan sat down bonelessly on a stack of timber and loosened his helmet. He set it to one side, breathing fresh air for the first time in the best part of twenty hours. He mopped his sweaty brow. He hadn't realised how tired he was. He closed his eyes against the dusty wind.
A mighty crack brought him back to his senses; he hadn't even remembered closing his eyes, let alone falling asleep mid-rescue. Scott would have his badge for sure. The noise had been the fire door giving way. The door blew outwards, bouncing back on its hinges. Alan scrambled back from the heat and flames, jamming his helmet back into place. The time in the bottom right of his helmet display showed that only three minutes had passed since he had pulled his helmet off; at least it was only a short amount of time.
It was enough; there was already shouting across the line. Alan winced as he continued to back up away from the flames. The timbers had already caught.
"Guys, guys." He hoarsely gasped across the line as his legs hit the low brick wall.
There was a silence on the line.
"OP5?" Scott demanded.
"I'm here. I'm sorry, I'm here."
"What the hell happened to you?" Gordon shouted.
"Not now." Scott cut in angrily. "OP5, are you okay?"
"I don't mean to sound demanding or anything, but is there any chance of that pick up?" Alan asked.
He eyed the scaffolding. The heat of the fire was amazingly intense now. He'd have no choice. He'd have to climb.
"We don't know where you are." Virgil came back angrily.
Mid pull-up Alan glanced at his wrist. Damn it.
"Don't get mad or anything…" He started.
"That implies that we're all super calm already." John stated tightly.
"OP5, where are you?"
There was a bang below, and the scaffolding lunched dangerously.
"Oh my god. Oh my god." He gasped holding on for dear life.
"OP5, what's going on?" Jeff shouted across everyone else's clamouring.
Alan gulped.
"You know that building that was on fire?"
"Damn it, kid." Scott breathed. "Alright, I'm on my way. Just hang on, okay."
The building wobbled again and the scaffolding dropped a couple of feet.
He knew his gasping breaths were clear on the line but no one commented. He heard Thunderbird One before he saw her, and he'd never heard anything more beautiful.
"Alright, OP5, I see the building. You'd better still be on the roof."
"Sorta," Alan wheezed as he tried to climb higher still. He knew that he would have to have a clear space to grab the harness that Scott would lower down to him.
"Jesus." Scott's horrified curse was his response.
"What? OP1, what's going on?" Virgil yelled.
Scott didn't reply.
"You gotta get higher, kid."
"Trust me, I'm trying. I don't think this thing had a risk assessment."
He pulled himself a few feet higher. He heard the harness being lowered.
"You're doing great." Scott called trying to keep his voice, "You're nearly there."
"If I make it out of this, please tell me the trauma factor is going to get me out of trouble." Alan grunted.
"WHEN, you make it out of this, I'm gonna string you up myself." Scott barked back, fear masking the anger.
Alan let out a piercing yell as the scaffolding lurched to one side.
"Hurry up!" Scott all but groaned.
The others shouting on the line had petered off. You could practically hear the tension in the silence.
Alan clung to the rail in terrified panic. His mind had got stuck on which would be worst; the fall or the fire.
"OP5 move." Scott bellowed. "Come on kid, shift it."
Alan forced his locked muscles to grab the next rail and heaved himself upwards.
Suddenly, it seemed, he was clear. He'd reached the top of the scaffolding.
He stretched his hand out to the harness.
The scaffolding shuddered one last time and collapsed.