Author's Note: I just wanted to make one thing clear right here, for those confused or picking up on inconsistencies. When I began writing Out Of The Blue, Grandma Tracy's name had always been understood (by myself at least) to be Ruth; so that is what I named her in that novel. At some point in the meantime, the current owners of the franchise in one of their episodes of TAG gave her the name Sally. So, from here on in I will be calling grandma's name Sally.
Preface:
Previously in Out Of The Blue; Jeff Tracy, having been missing for more than two years was found alive and well, having recently regained his memory. On learning that his nemesis was alive after all, and back with his family, The Hood furiously brought forward his plans to destroy the Tracys and their Thunderbirds once and for all in an all-out attack. Having succeeded in destroying Thunderbird Five, and almost succeeding in destroying the good name of International Rescue, he had then attacked several members of the family personally, including his own niece, Kayo. By working together, The Tracys, Lady Penelope and Parker with the assistance of Colonel Casey and the GDF succeeded in saving the day. The Hood was defeated; but managed to escape in the final confusion.
International Rescue remained temporarily out of service, its' members traumatized and still trying to deal with injuries sustained, and the lingering nightmares. In an effort to try and recover, the five sons of Jeff Tracy abandoned Tracy Island and their bad memories to find themselves again in an extended holiday.
Would they return soon? Would Thunderbird Five ever be rebuilt? Would International Rescue ever get back off the ground?
Chapter One.
The silence was unnerving.
Jeff Tracy was finally at home and relaxed on his beloved island. He had spent the last few weeks reading all the mission reports; and looking through Brains' electronic files with the scientist's blessing of course, to update himself on all that had happened to his sons and to International Rescue during the time that he was missing. He had examined the ships and all the new gear that Brains had created during his absence and was again floored by the professional way his sons had handled everything without him.
His sons really did not need his help to run International Rescue. They might have thought they did, but they had coped admirably with everything that had been thrown at them.
He missed his boys.
Home was all about Tracy Island, of course it was. But really, home meant family. He had been fully supportive of his sons' desire and need to go off on a camping holiday of undetermined length, because they had been through so much they desperately needed it. But Brains had gone off to Australia to consort with a fellow scientist working for Tracy Industries, and mother had also gone off to visit friends. Kayo had been planning to stay with him to keep him company on the island, but she had received an invitation from Lady Penelope to go and stay with her at the Creighton-Ward estate, and so Kayo was currently with Penny, being waited on hand and foot, being pampered and shown off at venues all around Greater London.
Jeff was feeling very lonely, alone at home.
He had been working of course. Tracy Industries had been severely damaged by that business with the Hood, and he had been working hard re-implementing his own tried and tested working philosophies. Even though some of them cost money in setting up and getting off the ground, they had always proved to be worth the money in the long run.
The staff canteens for example. That criminal who had taken over the running of the business in his absence had closed all the canteens in order to skim off the money and had installed cheap machines and pool tables in the former restaurant area instead. He had done away with the fully staffed free creche for employees' young children…he had dispensed with many experienced staff members on the pretext of cost-cutting, making those remaining few take up the slack.
As a result, of course, staff became unhappy at their work, and had started leaving in their droves to find better employers.
Jeff had spent a lot of his time visiting each of his offices and reinstating all the services that he considered contributed to a happy and healthy workforce. He had contacted all the former employees and offered them their former positions back, at a higher rate of pay for all colleagues, together with the promise that every penny illegally denied them would be repaid to them after their first month back at work. This time detailed legal contracts specifying generous compensation payouts in the event of a repeat occurrence were made out for each person.
The creche had been reopened, and staff restaurants had been reestablished, staffed with professional chefs. The staff gym that had been destroyed at the office in Australia had been rebuilt better and larger, and Jeff's office relocated on the floor below.
This was just the beginning of course, but former employees excited at the thought of things returning to the way they had been before under Mister Tracy's personal directorship, had started returning to the fold, and slowly but surely, the company was beginning to show signs of improvement. Now the company was back heading in the right direction, Jeff had returned to the island, knowing that much of his work he could do via holo-conferencing from his home office. He wanted to make sure that when his family returned home, he was there to greet them in person.
Brains was the first to return, flushed and excited at the stimulation of having spend time in the company of one whose mind worked at almost the same speed as his own, and to his delight, almost on the same level too. Brains was eager to get to work down in his lab; but conceded to surface at mealtimes to give his lonely old friend some company upstairs from time to time.
Mrs. Tracy returned home next, tired out from her long journey, but refreshed and invigorated for having had a nice extended break. She had expertly piloted Alan's old biplane Alan One to a stop and put her in her hangar. She found her son waiting for her beside the prop.
"Give us a hug son!" she flashed a grin at him once she was back on the ground. Jeff swept her off her feet in a massive hug.
"Good to see you back ma!" he said, a slight catch in his voice. "I can't tell you how much I have missed you all since you've been gone."
Sally looked slightly surprised.
"Are the boys not home yet?"
He shook his head.
"I hope they are getting the refreshment they need."
She smiled.
"They have all the money they need to go wherever they want to go, and they have each other for support. Why wouldn't they come back refreshed?"
"They've been gone almost six weeks mother. How can anyone stand to camp out for six weeks like that?"
Sally chuckled.
"You managed it for two years or more, son. And enjoyed it from what you've told me. They live in the lap of luxury most of the time. Why wouldn't they have fun roughing it for a bit? Besides, they have a lot to get over. The Hood and his cohorts did a lot of damage there."
Jeff nodded. His mother and three of his sons had been attacked by the Hood, and all of them could so easily have died. The physical damage was bad enough. The mental scarring was infinitely worse. Even Scott had been unable to vote to reactivate International Rescue when Jeff had asked for their private votes on it. Separately they had all indicated that they still wanted IR to continue, but that none of them were ready to return to work yet.
How he hoped his precious baby boys were finding the peace they were seeking so desperately.
He put his arm around his mother and picked up her suitcase with his other hand, and together they made their way to the elevator, that took them up to the main part of the house, just behind the kitchen.
"I'll take your case upstairs, ma, then I'll get some supper on. Anything you fancy?"
His mother smiled.
"Cream and jam scones and a mug of hot chocolate."
"The Jeff Special eh?" he laughed and ruffled her hair. "I can manage that. See you in twenty minutes."
"I'm not that old, I'll have you know. You'll see me in ten!"
Laughing, Jeff went back to the kitchen to make a start on supper for three, Once the cocoa was almost ready, Jeff pressed the button on his watch.
"Brains, supper in five if you're interested. Hot chocolate is done."
"Coming!" Came Brains' voice, and sure enough, just moments after Sally reappeared, having ditched her old lady skirt and shawl for her more comfortable tracksuit, Brains came hurrying in, wiping his hands dry on a piece of old, but clean rag. He smiled widely at the sight of the old lady.
"Grandma Tracy! It's good to see you again. Did you enjoy your trip?"
She nodded.
"I did indeed. It's good to catch up with old friends sometimes. The trouble with visiting with old friends, they remind me how much time has passed by. What about your trip? Did you get on alright with your new scientist friend?"
"Yes, it was ex...extremely st...stimulating!"
Jeff handed them each a mug of hot chocolate and placed a large plate of scones in the center of the table, together with a pot of cream and three pots of jam of different flavours.
"Dig in!"
They were just starting to eat when Eos chimed her customary warning before projecting herself into the room.
"Grandfather…hello Grandma, good to see you again. Grandfather, I am receiving a communication from John. Would you like me to put it through in here?"
"Thank you, Eos, yes if you would!"
The holo-image of Eos changed to that of John. Jeff felt himself smile at the sight of his second son. John had changed. When they had left, John had been, like his brothers, still deep in the throes of stress and trauma, sleeping badly if at all, and although not quite sour-faced, had looked very dark and stern.
This John was smiling and twinkly-eyed. His usually pale complexion had darkened in the sun, and he even looked to have put on a little flesh on his cheeks. He looked healthy, happy and glowing.
"Hi dad! Hey, hi grandma, Brains! How have things been in Tracy-land without us?"
"Dull!" Jeff replied, his mouth responding before his brain clicked into gear. "How are things going with you boys? You are looking good John, I have to say!"
John's grin spread, if possible, even wider.
"We've had a great holiday dad. We must have walked the equivalent of half a continent! We're all a lot better. We've all decided that we're ready to come home. For the last three nights, Scott's been dreaming of his hot bath! Virgil's been dreaming of chocolate bars and Gordon's been dreaming of chlorine!"
Jeff, Grandma and Brains laughed at the chorus of "Hey!" that came from three different voices. John smirked. Suddenly, John was pushed aside, and Virgil's holo-image appeared. He too looked considerably less haggard-looking than he had done previously. He smirked at the three on Tracy Island.
"Hi guys. Actually, John is the one dreaming of chocolate bars! I've been dreaming about my beautiful piano!"
"It's so good to hear from you, honey. When are you all coming home?" Grandma called out. Virgil looked to one side, and they heard a murmur of voices as the brothers were clearly conferring. Then Virgil looked back at them.
"Well…we're at the airport. Scott's already done pre-flight checks on Tracy Two, so how about four hours from now?"
TAG TAG TAG
Scott looked round at his brothers.
"Are you sure you are all ready for this? If we go home now, our holiday will be officially over. After all, dad did give us as much time off as we needed. We could stay away for a year if we want."
"Scott, the long we stay away, the more people who could die because we're not around to save them!" Alan replied. Gordon nodded his agreement.
"We've been out of commission for almost quarter of a year already. The world needs International Rescue!"
Scott smiled at them, then looked at John and Virgil.
"And you two? Are you sure you want to go home and forfeit the chance of a month in the arms of some beautiful blond?"
Virgil glanced back at his two youngest brothers, and grinning, squashed himself between them, wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders.
"I have two beautiful blonds in my arms, big brother! Go on, let's get home. I want to sleep tonight on my nice, comfy, springy mattress that is protected from both spiders and mosquitos, is thicker than a slice of pepperoni, has its very own bathroom with doors that I can lock, and running water that comes out hot whenever I fancy it!"
Scott burst out laughing and glanced at John.
"I think he's right, Johnny. Let's go home!"