"What's the matter Lady Penelope?" Tintin asked lowering her glasses.
"Oh nothing, it's just you would think someone, somewhere would need International Rescue" she answered with a sigh.
"Cheers up Penelope, think of this as a vacation, the boys are pretty bored too."
They returned to sunbathing and Grandma joined them on the balcony.
"I've baked something very special for this evening, I hope you like it Penelope."
"If it's sweet I enjoy anything" she smiled at Jeff's mother.
"It is dear, it is. My baking is what everyone looks forward to."
Grandma smiled not knowing what was going on in the kitchen.
"Scott I dare you" Gordon laughed.
"Are you crazy Gordon? This is grandma's signature cheesecake!"
"It's your turn for a dare."
"I can't believe we do things like this when we have quiet days, it's so immature" Virgil rolled his eyes.
"Do you want the dare instead piano man?" Gordon grinned.
"No thank you, it's Scott's."
"If I get caught, I'm blaming you" Scott growled.
"So you'll do it?" Alan looked up in eagerness.
"Alan, once you've been dared by red head here, you can't back out."
"He's right" then something clicked "oh, I've never dared you to do anything Alan."
"Now you're in trouble Alan" Virgil laughed "go on Scotty, no-one's coming."
"Alright then" Scott sighed and got a spoon to sample the cake, he had just stuck it in his mouth along with some of the topping when…
"Scott Carpenter Tracy!" Grandma had just entered the room "what do you think you're doing?!"
The three younger brothers had never seen Scott turn so red before and burst out laughing at the door.
"That cheesecake is for tonight."
"But I..." Scott stammered trying to point to Gordon, but the three had run upstairs escaping the wrath of Grandma Tracy.
"No buts, now scoot, go!" her eyes were livid but her lips twitched a hidden smile.
"Yes Grandma" Scott practically sprinted out of the kitchen.
In Gordon's room the boys were still laughing, then Alan had an idea.
"Hey, you know how bored Penelope is? How about a prank on her? Very innocent, nothing bad."
"Alright, what is it?" Gordon sat up to listen.
They set the plan in motion and headed up to the lounge where Penelope was reading under the portraits, she looked up at Alan's sudden arrival.
"Alan, what's wrong?"
"An emergency, an emergency!"
"You mean, a rescue?"
"That's just what it is, a rescue."
"Oh you've got to let me in on it Alan" she begged.
"Sure."
"What's happened?"
"It's Scott, and I don't know whether we can save him!" Alan dramatized.
Penelope stood up in alarm "well, what are we waiting for? Alert Thunderbird 1, Thunderbird 2. Where's Jeff? Why isn't he here? Parker the Rolls! Oh Alan, what's the procedure, I don't know it."
There was a loud outburst of laughter and the two other brothers came forward.
"Why, you young rascals" she scolded "you really had me believing."
"Sorry Lady Penelope, we just couldn't resist" Gordon coughed from laughter.
"Yeah I guess we're as bored as you" Virgil leant on the counter.
"Well at least Scott's not in any trouble" Penelope sighed in relief.
"That's just where you're wrong, in fact it gave us the idea."
"Grandma caught him sampling a special cake she baked for tonight" Virgil chuckled.
"Yes ma'am, Scott sure does need rescuing" Alan said smugly earning more laughs from the others remembering Scott's reaction to being caught, Penelope simply smiled.
Scott however had gone down to the pool feeling guilty, he strummed the guitar sadly, then Gordon flanked by the others came down the stairs and laughed spotting him.
Scott put the guitar down and stood up angrily ready to face Gordon.
"Go and apologise Gordon, tell her it was a dare."
"Why should I? You're the one who ate the cake" he sniggered.
"As a dare" Scott snarled.
"Let it go Scott, it was just for a laugh" Virgil reached out to lay a hand on Scott's shoulder, who pushed it off.
"Yeah, a laugh for you" Scott's expression didn't change.
"I'm sure grandma's got over it" Alan shrugged.
"Sure she has, grandma doesn't hold grudges like that" Gordon nodded, stepping back as Scott rounded on him.
"She's upset at me, not you, the one who has committed everything" Scott had forced Gordon to the edge of the pool "so, you can go and apologise!" that was it, Gordon's heel slipped and he fell back into the pool, Alan and Virgil buckled over laughing, even Scott managed to smiled slightly.
"You had that coming Gordon" Virgil laughed as his brother flicked his wet hair off his face.
"Alright Scott, we're even" Gordon grimaced getting out of the pool.