A perfect day. Scott sighed in satisfaction as he languished in a lounge chair by the Tracy family pool. This was his favorite spot in the world, second only to the cockpit of his beloved Thunderbird One. Here, he had a good vantage point of both the house and shoreline; he could keep an eye on his family while also maintaining close proximity to the debriefing room, should International Rescue be needed. Besides, he had a modicum of comfort knowing his aircraft was nestled securely below him, pristine and ready at a moment's notice.
He shielded his eyes against the sun's harsh rays, scanning the grounds. He couldn't see Virgil, but he wasn't overly concerned. The younger pilot was always getting sparks of inspiration for his paintings or other works of art, and often disappeared inside to construct his masterpieces. Kayo was speaking animatedly with Brains in the kitchen, probably discussing possible modifications for Thunderbird S. She'd been absolutely thrilled when they finally revealed the ship to her – they'd been keeping it a secret for weeks – and now all of her extra time was spent training with the controls and thinking of improvements. In some ways, she was the glue that held the boys together. Although not blood related, she was regarded as a sister and they were lucky to have her on the team.
He shook his head, smiling, and shifted his gaze toward the ocean. Gordon and Alan were, predictably, by the water's edge. Scott was thankful. More often than not, the two would disrupt the calming nature of the pool area and splash any unsuspecting passersby if they got too close. Scott himself had been the victim of one too many water attacks to settle by the pool when the youngest brothers were at play. He grimaced at the notion of swallowing salt water as the duo frolicked in the waves and dived down in the clear depths. He had never understood Gordon's affinity for swimming, be it laps or in the open ocean, but he was glad one of his brothers had sharpened that skill, as it was invaluable in many of their rescues.
Content that his brothers would stay out of trouble, Scott closed his eyes and started to drift off into a light slumber when his wrist communicator beeped loudly. He woke with a start, instantly recognizing John was signaling him. The wrist comms were only required on missions, but Scott had taken to wearing his outside of rescues. At first, he simply considered it on a strategic level, given his Air Force background, so that he could be informed of International Rescue activities while away from home. Lately, though, it had served a different purpose; regularly keeping him in contact with John. The second oldest brother faired well by himself and enjoyed his time on Thunderbird Five, but the solitude could become suffocating if he didn't have an outlet. Now, Scott and John spoke daily, but not always about potential threats or the Hood's movements. Sometimes they discussed movies. Or books. Or made fun of their brothers. This, however, was not one of those calls.
"Hi, Johnny, how's it hanging?"
A groan and most likely some eye rolling. "Ha, ha. You know, I think that joke gets less funny every time you say it." Scott grinned. He couldn't help but rib his brother a little since he spent most of his time floating in zero gravity.
"Just for that, Scotty, I'm putting you on clean up duty." Scott chuckled in response, though not mockingly. Clean up duty was their fancy way of itemizing low priority items for the team. Sometimes that involved Alan cleaning up space junk, or Gordon inspecting underwater wrecks…everyone had their specific talents that lent well to one form of miscellaneous task or another. Scott, however, liked to think of himself as a jack-of-all trades. He didn't mind the minor missions like Kayo or his other brothers, who typically regarded them as unimportant or beneath their line of work. While sometimes this was true and people took advantage of their resources, he found it was therapeutic to complete a simpler task every once in a while without all the fanfare and chaos. He liked thinking these actions made significant changes in the world, no matter how small.
"As long as it's on a beach somewhere with an open bar, I'll bite." Scott taunted, though they both knew he would accept no matter where John sent him. An amused sigh, then: "Well, it IS on a beach. A rocky, craggy mess of an island in the south Pacific. Uninhabited, so no bar, but how about drinks are on me when I return home in two weeks?"
"Feeling charitable, huh?"
"Empathetic. I know you guys are on vacation." This was true. For the past several months, International Rescue had been running virtually nonstop from natural disasters, Hood's schemes and – Scott's personal favorite – natural disasters CAUSED by Hood's schemes. Things were tougher than ever without Dad around and their current respite from mayhem, however short, was long overdue. Even John wasn't immune to the constant fluctuation of activity, though he tended to burn himself out far slower than the other Tracys.
Scott hoisted himself in a seating position then stretched as he stood up. "I'm up, anyways. What do you got?"
Within seconds, a 3D ghostly image of a steep rock face surrounded by dense vegetation projected from Scott's wrist comm. "This is the island. About three years ago, we installed a giant remote satellite on one of the highest peaks. It was one of seven that we distributed in various places along the globe. They act more as a counter measure than anything else, but this particular one is no longer emitting a signal. It was most likely damaged by debris from a tropical storm. Brains already has a repair kit put together and will walk you through the steps when you arrive."
"FAB. I'll get started. Thanks, John." Scott went to shut off the communication but his brother's hologram motioned him to stop.
"Wait, Scott. One more thing. You shouldn't go alone. There's enough clearance for Thunderbird One to land reasonably close, but you'll still have some ground to cover before you reach the satellite. We laid down a path when the satellite was assembled but I can't be sure of its condition now. One misstep, one loose rock…you get the picture." Scott mulled over the advice, nodding reluctantly. He was averse to bringing anyone else along, given their current break, but he understood the need for safety. He weighed his options. He didn't want to disturb Kayo. She was already done speaking with Brains and had fled back down to the bunker to tinker with her Thunderbird. That left his brothers. His grin broadened. None he chose would be too happy about this turn of events, but he was confident they'd make the most of it. He knew Virgil would accompany him without question, but their missions nearly always overlapped and the third eldest wouldn't be too keen on playing second fiddle when he was used to calling the shots in Thunderbird Two. Gordon would likely be the funnest to have around due to his penchant for jokes, but he hadn't been able to swim recreationally for over three weeks and Scott didn't want to take that time away from him. And Alan…yes, Alan! He was a perfect candidate. They didn't typically spend much time together on missions and even less so at home where Alan was still a kid at heart and Scott often felt compelled to take on some of Dad's responsibilities as leader of International Rescue. Temporary leader, he silently chided, cutting John's signal and flagging down the blonde from the shoreline.
"Alan! Hey, Alan! We've got a mission!"
Scott almost wished he'd gone solo, although he could certainly pretend he was alone while Alan sat sulking behind the pilot's seat. Most of the time, he honestly forgot how young his brother was; after all, Alan was a certified pilot, astronaut and racecar driver, renowned rescuer who often thought out-of-the-box to solve all manner of complicated problems. But all Alan's accomplishments couldn't disguise the fact that he was the most inexperienced and, yes, immature of the Tracy boys. So it shouldn't have come as a surprise that instead of treating this excursion as a learning opportunity and bonding experience with his oldest brother, Alan had chose to think of it as a punishment. Scott could recite the number of ways his brother had pulled the "why-can't-I-stay-at-home-everyone-else-is-having-fun" card until he had lapsed into a simmering silence. Scott tried to reign in his own emotions. He didn't even know what he was feeling. Regret? Sadness? Anger?
He slowed the ship and dipped beneath cloud cover as he neared John's readouts. The island rose to meet him, tall blades of stone jutting from the earth like a curved claw. Waves lapped against the shore with reckless abandon, seeming to carve the very life out of this desolate place. The island looked cold, aloof and miserable; much like the atmosphere in the cockpit. He risked a glance back at Alan, catching the youth's eye.
"Looks like we made it. Hopefully repairs won't take too long." He attempted to keep his voice light. He didn't wish to start an argument but Alan's attitude was making it difficult. His brother just grunted in response.
Scott swung Thunderbird One gracefully around some sharp peaks, buffeted gently by wind currents, until he noticed the clearing meant for his arrival. He opened a link to John. "Thunderbird Five, this is Thunderbird One. Commencing landing."
A pause, then: "I see you, Thunderbird One. I'm counting on you. Get my girl up and running again."
Scott visibly relaxed at John's good-natured reply. His levelheaded brother always did excel at defusing tense situations; even Alan's mood seemed to lift slightly. The landing was executed smoothly and the boys began some light banter as they both hauled duffel bags full of supplies out into the clearing. Salt-laced air rippled through their uniforms, a small reminder of their high altitude. Alan's excitement got the better of him for a moment as he dashed to the side of the path and peered over the edge.
"WHOA! Scott, look how far down-"
Scott grabbed his brother by the back of his collar and pulled him bodily back. "Okay, buddy. Let's stay away from the edge. We'll have time for sight-seeing later." Alan huffed in annoyance, but wisely stepped back. The path was decent but broken in places. Scott unconsciously tugged the blonde closer as they made their ascent, shielding him from the worst patches. The trek was slow going due to the eldest brother's extra cautious pace, but eventually they emerged into an open glade that housed the dead satellite. Although they were relatively safe, Scott made a point to locate every possible pitfall along the steep cliff side and warn Alan of the danger. The astronaut's earlier resentment seemed to resurface a little at the insinuation.
"I'm not a child anymore, Scott! I can handle myself. I'm not just gonna go tumbling off the edge!"
"I didn't say that."
"You didn't need to."
Scott busied himself by combing through the items in his bag while studiously eluding Alan's glare. He could feel his irritation building and had to bite his tongue to avoid responding in kind. As the oldest, he couldn't help his natural instincts to be the protector, the leader. Was it his fault Alan took every comment as a personal attack?
"Alan, I didn't mean to make you feel like that. Okay? So could you please help me with this?" Scott berated himself for his snappy response. Literally any of the other Tracys – including Kayo – would be better equipped to deal with Alan right now, in this state. He'd never been one for consoling, like Gords and Virgil, and made a terrible listener, unlike John and Kayo. How he wished one of them was here to help salvage the situation. This stupid bickering wouldn't have happened under his Dad's command. They'd all gotten along then. Scott wondered if his leadership was the splinter driving the rift between them both.
Alan tore through his own duffel bag roughly, though to his credit he did handle the more frail items with delicacy. Scott quickly commed Brains, who provided careful instructions for diagnosing the problem before launching into any repairs. The process was agonizingly tedious, even without both brothers avoiding eye contact and working in silence. Alan yelped in surprise as familiar sirens blared through their comms, drowning Brains' commentary.
"Scott! There's a mission! A REAL mission!"
Scott was too focused to realize the blonde was now talking to him again. He needed answers. "Brains, what's going on?" The engineer's face grew anxious.
"It appears John is hailing International Rescue. I'll transfer you to the debriefing room." A moment of silence as Brains' hologram disappeared from view, until it was replaced by a translucent image of their living room. Virgil, Gordon, Kayo and Grandma Tracy were already present, John's ghostly form hovering in the center. Scott knew he and Alan would be showing up as holograms as well. It was an odd feeling, being disconnected from the immediate action. Alan hunched excitedly over his shoulder. John smiled tiredly.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like your vacation's at an end. Crime never sleeps, and all that."
Alan sprang forward in earnest. "Is it the Hood? Bet it's the Hood. Where is he?!" John lifted his hands in a placating gesture.
"Easy, Al. We'll get the Hood. But now we have more pressing matters." John's fingertips splayed expertly as he pushed a 3D building schematic into their line of view. "There's been an incident at GDF Headquarters. Apparently some experimental energy converters exploded, causing a portion of the building to collapse. Jury's still out whether the explosion was actually an accident. Approximately five people are trapped." John nodded toward the two middle brothers. "Virgil, Gordon, take Thunderbird Two and load her up with the Mole. Best to be over-prepared. And Kayo-" his gaze flickered to the covert agent – "we need you at base, as backup. If we get anymore calls, you'll be the next in line." Virgil and Gordon headed to their respective stations while Kayo settled down to examine data regarding the collapse.
"And us? What about us? We're gonna help with the ground rescue, right? Or find out the cause of the explosions? Just not crowd control, please…" Alan begged, although Scott already knew the answer. They were too far away to provide any assistance, even with Thunderbird One's speed.
"I'm sorry, Alan," the redhead stated calmly. "Looks like you two are sitting this one out. Besides, you're already on a mission. How's my satellite coming?"
Scott could feel Alan shake beside him. "But-but this is a rescue! That's what we do, isn't it?" Silence. "Well? Isn't it?"
"Alan, enough." Scott reprimanded softly. He ran a hand through his hair, anticipating his younger brother's response. This was not going to sit well. "FAB, John. We've diagnosed the problem, but still need to fix your girl. Brains can update you on our ETA. Keep us posted." He cut the link quickly, promising to give Brains a call back after calming the angry blonde at his side. Alan leapt to his feet and stalked angrily away, his hands balled into fists. Scott waited tensely until the youth's emotions got the better of him.
"What are we even doing here, Scott? There are real people out there who need our help!"
He sighed, choosing his reply carefully. "There's no way to prepare for every call. We try our best, but sometimes things like this happen." He took a tentative step forward. "Virg and Gords know exactly what they're doing. And Kayo's more than capable of handling whatever comes her way."
Alan shook his head vehemently. "No. This isn't right. This isn't a mission. This is stupid!"
"We have a job to finish, Alan-"
"NO! I could be doing something important. I could be helping Virgil and Gordon! But you dragged me here, and for what? To fix some satellite that doesn't even serve a purpose?" Alan stepped backwards in a wide arc, breathing heavily. The once mild wind now whipped around cruelly, wrapping them both in its chilly embrace.
"This IS important. Everything we do is important. Who knows? Maybe this satellite will end up saving people. We can't change our circumstances, but we can make the best of it." Scott swallowed hard, running out of words to say. He hated the situation as much as Alan, but he couldn't crumble under the stress. Not here. Maybe not ever.
The blonde began to turn, edging dangerously close to an unstable outcropping of rock that Scott had pointed out earlier. Exasperation forgotten, Scott reached his hand out and inched forward warily.
"Alan, please, just walk towards me. It's not safe there." His brother regarded him frostily.
"Oh, sure. Let's just do everything YOU say because you're always right!"
"I-no, it's not…I could've done this myself, but John and I thought someone should come with me, just in case-"
"So you and John teamed up against me? Thought you'd get the weakest Tracy brother out of the picture in case a mission came up? You're always leaving me out!" Alan took another unconscious step back and Scott could've sworn he saw the ground shift minutely. He didn't realize he was shouting until it was too late.
"ALAN, GET BACK HERE BEFORE I-" A ragged cry tore through the glade as the ground under his beloved younger brother broke apart, dragging the blonde out of sight.