Bolt from the Blue
Note: Hi there! This is the very first story I have written and I would love to know what everyone thinks!
I welcome all constructive criticisms and hope to improve to write more in the future (:
I absolutely adored "Bolt from the Blue" and the whole dynamic of the episode was perfect.
(I just like to ruin nice things)
Disclaimer: None of the characters depicted in this story belong to me.
"Okay Mr Panda, let's get out of here" Virgil positioned himself behind the heavy cargo crate, ready to manoeuvre it out of the belly of the damaged aircraft.
Another powerful plasma strike sent shockwaves wracking through the structure causing Virgil to lose his footing, grasping the crate with his power-suit to steady himself.
"Virgil! We're losing the slide!" Gordon cried out, the stress from piloting Thunderbird 2 through deadly plasma bolts evident in his voice.
"I'm on my way!"
Diving down the escape tube, his grapple arm leading the fall, Virgil attempted to locate the fault with the slide before-
"Woah!"
Virgil was unaware of the strangled howl that he produced as he fell through the broken escape tube, grappling both sections with the power-suit.
Each muscle and tendon strained as they stretched, threatening to snap as they are wrenched between the two sections of shifting slide. Virgil scrunched his eyes shut and grunted breathlessly as his body was overcome with agonising pain.
Another wretched yelp came when he felt the top of his humerus bone finally surrender, no longer able to stay locked within the socket joint of his right shoulder, dislocating loudly.
The grapple arm was unable to maintain its hold on the escape tube attached to Thunderbird 2, ripping completely free from the rear of the power suit accompanied by a sickening snap from Virgil's left arm.
Virgil was overcome by the immense wave of pain as his arm fractured, immediately followed by torturous agony when his dislocated shoulder became solely responsible for bearing the entire weight of his body and power-suit.
Virgil feels his vision begin tunnelling into a black abyss.
"VIRGIL!" Gordon finally found his voice, tears stinging his eyes as he watched his older brother hanging limply from the remaining section of escape tube.
"Gordon? Virgil? What's happening? RESPOND!" Scott barked, pulling the nose of the aircraft up as to further slow the descent.
Scott registered various noises; traumatised passengers whimpering, one brother's pain and anguish, and another brother's terrified screams.
"Gordon, listen to me, you need to secure Thunderbird 2's grapples to the aircraft," Scott orders, his voice laced with an unsettling fear that Gordon had not heard before, "I'll use Thunderbird 1 to help knock the speed out of this descent."
"F.A.B." came Gordon's quiet response, "Just hang in there Virgil, stay with us big guy."
Searing pain threatening to overwhelm him, Virgil wrestles to stay conscious and is vaguely aware of his brother's petrified pleas.
Gordon fires the grapples at the aircraft and fires Thunderbird 2's mighty VTOL thrusters. The stricken aircraft lurches to a halt to hang precariously between both Thunderbirds.
Scott is already dropping from Thunderbird 1 with his jet pack before he can fully process what is happening or what has become of his steadfast brother. The air cracks like fire around him as Scott speeds towards Virgil desperate to get full visual on his brother and the extent of his injuries.
Scott's whole world falls from beneath him as his eyes lock onto his kind-natured comatose brother hurtling towards the churning ocean below, having finally lost his courageous battle with consciousness.
The eldest Tracy powers full throttle towards the waves that were already swallowing the weight of the power-suit that has taken his brother prisoner. Scott can only watch as Virgil's face sinks away beneath the waves.
Gordon set the autopilot to maintain height and reassured the passengers that he'd be right back. Lowering the platform beneath the green aircraft, he checks his breathing apparatus and prepares himself for what he is about to do. Gordon watches Scott frantically pawing and splashing around in the waves beneath him.
Hysterical is not a word that John or Gordon would have ever associated with their strong and stoic eldest brother. Yet as Scott's desperate screams and pleas filled the coms, John fights back his own panicked tears. He instead busied himself monitoring Virgil's vital signs, noting his breathing had become choked.
"He's drowning," John shrieked, "Gordon please!"
Taking a final deep breath, Gordon dives like a bullet into the swirling cold water beneath. Scott barely acknowledges the splash Gordon creates as he enters the water nearby.
Searching through the murky waters, Gordon finally catches a glimpse of the black and yellow chevrons adorning Virgil's power-suit. He kicks powerfully to his descending brother using every ounce of power until his legs and arms are burning.
Gordon carefully slips his arm around Virgil's chest and immediately begins to remove the power-suit deadweight that was pulling them further to the depths. He turns and swims as fast as he can bare towards Scott's thrashing body, pulling his injured brother with him.
As they surface, Gordon removes Virgil's helmet and pressing his cheek to listen for any sings of breathing.
Nothing.
"Go, now!" Gordon shouts, pushing Virgil into Scott's waiting arms.
Gordon's eyes meet with Scott's.
"Thank you," Scott turned and fired a grapple line at Thunderbird One and attached the line to Virgil's belt, they ascend together.
Scott drags Virgil onto One's medical bay floor which is cramped and bare in comparison to the spacious well-stocked medical bay in Thunderbird Two. He rolls Virgil onto his back and removes the top half of his soaked suit.
"John," Scott gasps hoarsely, "you need to pilot One back for me, he's not breathing John, he's still not breathing!"
"Focus, Scott," John's hologram swept into view as he began to manoeuvre Thunderbird One back towards the island, "begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation now, I'll count you through whilst I get you home, ready? One… Two… Three… Four…"
Scott placed the heel of his hand on the centre of Virgil's broad chest, then placed the other hand on top and began a steady rate of compressions in time with John's counting.
"One… Two… Three… Four… One… Two… Three… Four… One… Two… Three… Four… One… Two… Three… Four… One… Two… Three… Four… One… Two… Three… Four… One… Two…"
He tilted his brother's head gently and lifted his chin up, pinching Virgil's nose and sealing his own mouth over blue-tinted lips. Scott breathed steadily and firmly into his younger brother's mouth, checking his chest rose with each breath. He repeated the process twice after every 30 chest compressions.
"One… Two… Three… Four…"
Scott felt beads of sweat running from his forehead, hoping the pops he is feeling within Virgil's chest are just the intercostal muscles shifting.
"One… Two… Three… Four… One… Two… Three… Four…"
"Come on Virg, don't you dare fucking leave us," Scott sobbed, never once stopping the compressions, "please, just breathe for me, come on."
Scott's own breathing is erratic and strained. A sickening crunch under his palms signals that one of Virgil's ribs has indeed fractured from the pressure being exerted on his sternum.
"Two… Three… Four… One… Two… Five minutes and you'll be home Scott, Two… Three… Four…"
Gordon feels nothing but an aching numbness inside as he pilots his brother's beloved 'bird back to base. The aquanaut had dropped off the disabled aircraft and its passengers to their destination, not even powering down Two's engines, before pushing the green behemoth to it's limits to get to his older brother.
He had been listening to John count Scott through CPR and found the counting had a bizarrely relaxing effect as he flew the short distance to base.
"One… Two… Three… Four… One… Two… Three…"
A quiet spluttering cough filled all communications.
Brains monitored Virgil's readings for several hours, administering painkillers when necessary. It had been almost impossible to do anything when Virgil arrived until Kayo had removed all the fussing and panicking brothers from the infirmary.
They had been allowed to return only once Kayo had assisted Brains setting the broken and dislocated bones. Virgil had stabilised quickly after the painkillers kicked in.
"Dislocated right shoulder, left radius and ulna fractured, fractured rib and extensive muscle damage," John reeled off, scanning the medical notes, "you really went for it this time didn't you Virg?"
A pleasant laughter filled the infirmary. It was rare that all five of the Tracy brothers were ever in the same room together. They huddled quietly around Virgil's bed.
"Sorry about the ribs, Virg," Scott sighs, glancing at his chestnut-eyed brother.
"I'm enjoying… each… and every… painful breath," Virgil smiled painfully, reaching for Scott's hand, "it means… I'm alive… to feel the pain."