Trapped 1
– Thunderbirds Are Go!
2017 Fanfiction by Crystalquirt
[[[I do not own anything to do with The Thunderbirds Are Go, past or present. [Wish I did] but I just love this show and don't get to see new episodes very often. It is so awesome and great entertainment for all! This story is a work of Fan Fiction, and no profit is being made from it.]]]
In the living room / Communications Center on Tracy Island
"Oh come on, again? Kayo - I'll never be good at this!" Gordon whined.
Kayo had a tight hold on his arm making him stand up from the couch. "You need this - you can't even keep me from getting you off the couch!" Kayo pointed out.
Angry and trying to show her she was wrong Gordon grabbed her wrist and pulled. Kayo smoothly turned him around with one hand and never letting go had him off the couch and in a throat hold against her chest.
"See? Do you want to keep arguing?" she asked.
"Yes, I can't do this – What if I hurt you?" Gordon asked, trying to change his argument.
"That's not happening." Kayo put him on the floor with his arm bent behind his back.
"Alright - I give – what can I do?" Gordon glared at Alan who was cracking up on the nearby couch in the living room. Virgil watched quietly, smiling.
After a long, embarrassing and frustrating lesson in self-defense Gordon slipped out to 'do some maintenance' in Thunderbird 4. He wanted a nap and maybe to watch "Into the Unknown with Buddy and Ellie."
"Ow. I think Kayo broke my back." Gordon stated to himself as he laid on his side on the open lid of a Dry Tube. Before the first Buddy and Ellie episode got going, he was asleep.
Back in the living, or control room, John Tracy's hologram lit up over the table. "Guys, we have a situation!" Virgil sat up from where he was lying on the couch, reading. Scott came jogging into the room from the kitchen area. "What's up, John?"
"In the ocean just off the coast, a yacht with only one passenger is stuck on a reef."
"Is it François Lamarre? Only he would get a yacht stuck on a reef." Scott suggested.
"I don't think it's him. But whoever it is, they need help."
"No problem," Virgil said. "Thunderbird 2 can just lift the yacht off the reef and set it back out on the ocean."
"Unless it's damaged – better take Gordon with you just in case," Scott added.
"F-A-B! Thunderbird 5 – we're on our way!" Virgil said as he stood against the wall. The gear-up sequence began and dumped him down the tube. Scott went back to the kitchen to try and keep Grandma Tracy's latest batch of cookies from burning.
As quickly as ever, Virgil landed in Thunderbird 2 and pulled the overhead hatch closed. The belt moved container #4 with Gordon in it under Thunderbird 2 and Virgil loaded it.
Virgil beeped a loud alarm inside Thunderbird 4 which startled Gordon right off the Dry Tube's lid.
"Whaaat?" Gordon yawned, stretching.
"I knew you were sleeping in there." Virgil smiled. "You're already loaded in Thunderbird 2, Gordon. We have to go save a yacht."
"F-A-B! Virgil - I'll be geared up in a second!" Gordon jumped to his feet and waited for the mechanical arms to get him ready as Virgil launched.
"There it is!" Virgil announced, "Gordon! Time to wake up."
In only the few minutes it took to get there, Gordon had fallen back to sleep. "What's the matter with you?" Virgil asked.
"I can't help it. We were up all night last night and this morning while you were all sleeping, Kayo thought it necessary to beat me up."
"And I woke up in time to watch." Virgil smiled. "Knowing a little about it might help you some day. We all should practice more."
"That's what she said," Gordon said. "I'm taking Thunderbird 4 out," he got up and went to the back.
The front end of a large yacht was indeed stuck on an outcropping of rocks with the aft nearly underwater.
"Hey, Virgil?" Gordon asked over the com. "How does someone get a boat stuck on a reef that's visible above the surface of the water?"
"I don't know, but it's for sure that the captain of this junker found a way." Virgil placed Thunderbird 2 on automatic and leaned back in his chair to wait for Gordon.
Each wave splashed water onto the deck, but there was no one on in sight.
"Are you guys sure there's someone on this thing?" Gordon asked. John had answered before Virgil had a chance to.
"Yes, Thunderbird 4, I'm detecting one life sign located aft."
"In the back? That end is almost under water!" Gordon observed. "What could this person be doing?"
"I don't know," Virgil added, "if it were me, I'd be up on deck waiting for help."
"I haven't been able to get an answer from the yacht - maybe the person is hurt?" John said. "You guys better hurry."
"F-A-B!" Gordon confirmed.
Gordon put on his helmet and folded his arms across his chest as he rolled his command chair back. His dive suit protected him from feeling the cold water as Thunderbird 4 deposited him in the ocean. He quickly swam to the reef and climbed up on the rocks next to the yacht on the port side. It was listing severely to port and Gordon could almost look over the side and see the deck.
"This thing's going on its side soon" he reported as he climbed on board. He had to run forward to find the steps to get below and then go aft. He found a man face down on the floor.
"Hey buddy," Gordon shook his shoulder, "Can you hear me? This is no time for a nap!" Gordon checked him over quickly for injuries. "No apparent injuries but he is unconscious," Gordon spoke so everyone could hear him over the com. "I'll have to carry him out."
Gordon stood the man up with the help of the nearest wall. He leaned forward to heft his victim up on his shoulders to carry him. That was when the man came to life and delivered a punch to Gordon's abdomen as he stood up. Gordon went to his knees.
"Ee-ohh." Gordon let out a cry of pain. The punch took his breath away.
After a moment, he looked up, "What are you doing? I'm trying to help you!"
"You won't be helping anyone ever again." The man had a deep voice. He grabbed Gordon's arm and closed a metal cuff around his wrist. "Stop it!" Gordon cried. He twisted and tried to push his attacker away, but the guy was ready for it and punched him in the stomach again before pulling a short iron pipe from behind his back.
"Gordon - what's going on?" Virgil called over the com.
"Thunderbird 4 – What's happening?" John called too.
Giving Gordon no time to answer his brothers, the end of the iron pipe delivered a smashing blow - right in Gordon's face. It smashed the glass out of his helmet and cut his cheek.
"Help! This guy's attacking me!" Gordon cried as he fell back. The chain attached to the metal cuff around his wrist kept him from running away.
"Have fun!" The stranger, took off his business suit to reveal a black dive suit. He laughed as he ran forward and up the steps.
Gordon, still on his knees and feeling a little dizzy took his hands from his painful abdomen long enough to press the controls on his armband to lock Thunderbird 4 down. Thunderbird 4's portal wouldn't open for the attacker when he yanked on it. Angry he suddenly became the Hood.
The Hood grumbled, "If I can't have it – you can't either." He attached a bomb with a flashing red light under Thunderbird 4's forward section. Then the hood went for Gordon's Aqua Scooter instead. He pulled it down out of its compartment, but before jetting away, he pushed a button on a remote control that caused a small explosion that seemed to break the whole aft section of the yacht away from the rest of the boat. At the same time, the yacht illusion disappeared, and all that was left was a large clear, self-contained vehicle. Shaped simply like a box it was filling up with water from holes in the top as its four little impellers pushed it down. Gordon could easily be seen inside with water up to his waist and struggling with the chain around his wrist.
The Hood paused in his escape to say, "I think Gordon needs a little help down here – Good luck trying to save him but he, like Thunderbird 4 is lost to you!" The Hood said into the com so everyone could hear him.
"No! The Hood? - Thunderbird 4? Come in!" Virgil cried.
"What did you do?" Scott yelled into the com.
"Let him go - we have to save Gordon!" Virgil interrupted.
"Just then, the bomb under Thunderbird 4 exploded with a much larger explosion than the first one had been. It blew Thunderbird 4 right out of the water. It landed on its side on the reef.
"Oh no - Thunderbird 4 is off-line. I can't remote control it to get it down to Gordon." John reported.
"The Hood must have done something to Gordon to prevent him from helping himself," Virgil stated.
Back in the living room
"Oh no," Alan whispered and sat on the steps between the couches. Kayo, Scott, and Alan were sitting together listening to the situation. Kayo put her arm around Alan's shoulders. "Gordon will be okay." Alan managed a weak smile.
On Thunderbird 5 John floated quickly to the opposite side of his console. "That thing's full of air! Why is it sinking so fast?" John asked while frantically examining the data streaming to his system from earth.
"It's not sinking - it's diving!" Virgil answered. "It has a small motor and impellers of its own. This was a trap!"
"Stop it! Grab it with Thunderbird 2!" Alan yelled.
"I'm trying to grab the thing with the cables, but it's just plastic or worse – glass! The magnets aren't attaching." Virgil answered.
Thunderbird 2's grapple lines bounced off the vehicle's clear surface. The weird craft continued sinking until it got wedged in between rocks near the bottom of the reef. Water from several small holes in the top streamed in faster around Gordon.
"Guys – I'm okay for now – but my helmet's broken." Gordon's voice finally came over the com.
"Gordon, what's your situation?" John asked from Thunderbird 5.
Gordon pulled his yellow respirator off and tossed the helmet aside. It drifted away. "My re-breather should still work until I can get myself out." Gordon put the respirator directly into his mouth and bit the ring with his teeth to hold on to it. Gordon pulled against the wrist cuff, but it held tight. The craft was already half-full of water, so he had to dive down to see better how the chain was attached to the vehicle.
Gordon found it welded solidly onto part of the only metal in the craft, the floor. Gordon was already feeling lightheaded. He found no air available from his re-breather.
Gordon quickly stood up and kicked once to get his head above water. Gasping, he noticed the chain pulling his arm. Just a few more inches and he wouldn't be able to get his head above water.
"Virgil, can you hear me? – Come in!" he cried.
"I'm here – we're all here!" Virgil answered. "Are you coming up yet?"
"No – and I'm out of oxygen – it must have leaked out when that guy attacked me. What happened to him? I locked down Thunderbird 4, so he couldn't use it to get away."
"That worked, but that guy was the Hood! And he blew it up instead." Virgil answered. "What's going on down there?"
"I'm out of oxygen!"
"I'm not showing you very deep. Only a hundred and fifty feet or so." John interrupted, "Just come on up."
"I can't – while . . . well . . . I'm chained inside this thing – and it's stuck in the rocks. I can't get out, and it's filling up with water."
"Hold on Gordon I'm coming to get you out!" Virgil exclaimed.
"But you don't like the ocean," Gordon said trying to lighten the mood.
"But I like you – you're my brother – and I'm not letting the Hood taking any more of our family away from us!"
Virgil opened a little-used locker near the rear of Thunderbird 2's port side and pulled out an air tank and helmet that looked like Gordon's except for green trim. He put it on and replaced his boots with blue dive shoes with green flippers. He quickly checked the small tank and found it full of oxygen. Virgil grabbed one more little tank and shoved it in his belt with a mask.
Opening Thunderbird 2's lower portal he watched the waves below the deck as he spoke, "John, keep Thunderbird 2 steady for me."
"F-A-B! Virgil," John answered.
Virgil jumped from Thunderbird 2's lowered deck and went feet-first into the waves.
Not able to see very far he swam straight downward for a while then angled more toward the reef where his instruments showed life signs. Soon Virgil spotted Gordon. It looked like he was in a square bubble and was struggling to keep his face above the surface with the chain pulling him down. He was holding his side like it hurt and kicking weakly to stay up.
"I'm just gonna cut my way in - release you and we'll swim up together," Virgil said.
Gordon nodded weakly. He was getting very tired.
Virgil used his shoulder-laser to cut the corner of the vehicle clean away. It cut through the clear material like butter. Virgil swam straight in and used the laser again to cut the chain from the floor at the base. It cut the chain and the steel floor right in half.
Gordon went limp as Virgil swam the few feet between them. He quickly covered Gordon's nose and mouth with a mask, attached an airline and opened the valve on the small tank on his belt.
Virgil hugged Gordon with his back against his chest, keeping his brother and the mask in place with one hand and kicked hard to swim back to the surface.
"Gordon – can you hear me?" Virgil asked hopefully. There was no answer.
"John! Thunderbird 5! I have Gordon – but he's out. There was very little air left in that thing. He's on pure oxygen now." He reported as he swam hard for the surface.
"F-A-B, Virgil. Send me his vitals as soon as you can."
Virgil surfaced about 20 feet from the deck under Thunderbird 2. He rolled over to keep Gordon's face out of the water and swam on his back the rest of his way. Virgil kicked hard and boosted Gordon up out of the water. He rolled him onto the deck and climbed, quickly repositioning Gordon's oxygen mask.
"I got him on Thunderbird 2!" Virgil said.
"F-A-B!" John answered.
Virgil remotely got the deck to rise and as soon as it was close enough, jumped inside. He quickly picked Thunderbird 4 with the grapple cables and set the auto pilot for Tracy Island.
"I'm sending vitals to Thunderbird 5, John." Virgil used his helmet scanner, looking Gordon from head to toe to send data to John.
"Gordon's breathing is shallow," John reported, "heart rate fast. Maybe assist a little with the respirator and keep him warm. His temp's a little low."
"F-A-B, John." Virgil pulled a box with a handle closer. There was a short hose attached to it which he snapped to the end of the mask that Gordon wore. Virgil turned a switch on the box to the 'on' position, and it began forcing Gordon to take deeper slower breaths.
"Breathing stable now – let's hope it stays that way," Virgil reported. Scott and the others were listening. Alan smiled weakly at Kayo who sat next to him.
"I'm seeing a lot of bruising of his abdominal wall," John added. "Have Brains examine him for organ damage as soon as you get there."
"F-A-B!" Virgil reported.
"I'm all set up." Brains added, "Kayo, would you fly to London and pick up Dr. Brackett? I've alerted him to Gordon's condition, and he agrees that he may need a specialist."
"I'll get the doc in Thunderbird 1 – Shadow only seats one person," Scott said as he pulled the lamps down and disappeared into the wall.
"No, I don't, I'm okay!" Gordon suddenly woke up and pulled the mask off. "Really guys – I'm okay."
Virgil glared at him, "Dr. Gordon, you won't mind if we get a second opinion will you?"
"My stomach hurts a little where the Hood punched me, but I'm fine."
"I told you," Kayo interrupted, "If you worked a little harder at self-defense – this probably wouldn't have happened."
"I know Kayo – Don't rub it in." Gordon sounded out of breath, so Virgil put the oxygen mask back over his face. "Switching to oxygen and turning off the respirator."
"Thanks, Virgil." John verified. "Gordon's vitals are improving."
"Scott, since he's already aware of our situation it won't hurt to pick Dr. Bracket up and let him make sure."
"I never turned back," Scott said. "I'm still on course to London."
"F-A-B!" Virgil stated, "and I'm on final approach to Tracy Island."
Virgil turned Thunderbird 2's engine off, and the platform moved it back into the hanger. When he had his back turned putting the respirator away, Gordon sat up and took the mask off.
"Whoa," Virgil said when he turned around. "Where are you going?"
"I'm fine!" Gordon argued but went to one knee when he tried to stand. Virgil caught him. "You agreed to let us get a second opinion. Now lay still and let us take care of you." Virgil directed.
"Fine," Gordon agreed. He pressed on his stomach with his palm as he let Virgil put him back down on the stretcher.
"Your stomach is hurting isn't it?" Virgil asked.
"There's a little pain, but it'll pass." Gordon still argued.
Virgil opened the side door and extended the ramp. Without waiting for the end to hit the ground, Alan ran up the ramp.
"Gordon? Are you okay? I sure was scared for you." Alan asked.
"I'm fine" Gordon insisted. "Virgil still won't let me get up."
"He's leaving out the part where if I had not have caught him he'd a gone face first on the floor," Virgil answered softly. "Here Alan, help me get him down the ramp."
Alan and Virgil carried Gordon on the stretcher into Brain's lab where the Medical Facilities were located.
Grandma Tracy was right at Gordon's side when they lifted him, stretcher and all up and onto the exam table. "You'll be okay Gordon, don't worry." She said sweetly to him.
"I'm okay now. Virgil is just over cautious." Gordon argued.
Kayo waited quietly in a corner near the foot of the stretcher. Thunderbird 1 was landing in its hanger. Scott and Dr. Brackett got off and headed to Medical.
Looking at the huge family piled into the small area where his patient was Dr. Brackett ordered, "Everyone clear out – You have to give us some room and a little time."
Everyone except Grandma Tracy and Brains filed out. Slowly they made their way back upstairs to the living room to wait.
"It's been forever! Why hasn't the doctor let us know what's going on?" Alan asked soon after they were all seated on the couches, except Scott who sat at Jeff Tracy's desk.
"We have to be patient, I guess," Kayo answered.
Finally, Dr. Brackett and Brains appeared behind the couch that Virgil was lying on. They were both smiling.
"Is Gordon okay?" Scott asked.
"Yes, and he will be just fine with a little rest." Dr. Brackett answered.
"Oh, that's good," Virgil mumbled thankfully.
"Thank goodness," Kayo whispered.
"His abdominal wall is bruised pretty badly, but he hasn't complained of nausea – in fact, he's hungry. I think my job here is done." Dr. Brackett announced. "I need to come back in a couple of days to check him again."
"No problem Doc," Scott answered, "Just let me know when you want me to pick you up. Kayo, would you mind taking Dr. Brackett back to London? I'd like to stay here for now. You can take Thunderbird 1."
"Sure Scott." Kayo agreed. "I'll be right back." She walked with Dr. Brackett to the elevator.
As soon as they left, the elevator came back up again with Grandma Tracy and Gordon standing on his own.
"Gordon! You're okay!" Alan ran over and hugged the stuffing out of his brother, making him whine a little when his stomach got squished. Grandma Tracy hurried to the kitchen.
"I won't be okay for long. Grandma Tracy heard me say I was hungry. She's fixing us all supper." Gordon said solemnly.
The feeling of cheer in the room decreased in a very short time at the thought of Grandma Tracy's dinner.
"Oh no!" Alan whined. "I gotta go!"
"Oh no, you don't! Nobody leaves this room – Dinner will be served shortly!" Grandma Tracy yelled.
"We're all doomed," Virgil said.
"I HEARD THAT!" Grandma Tracy exclaimed, "Come on, I've been practicing."
Everything was back to normal on Tracy Island. At least for now.
By CQ
To Be Continued . . .