Friendly Fire
"I don't see any way around it, Dad. Without Gordon, we're simply going to have to bring John down."
Jeff Tracy tried to fight down his ire. Every time any of his sons brought up the subject, he felt the betrayal again like a knife in his heart. The past four weeks had been as bad a time as any that the Tracy family had gone through. To think that they had successfully fought off the Hood and others of his ilk only to be brought down by one of their own was devastating, yet here they were. Contemplating the possibility that they might very well have to shut down raised the bile in Jeff's throat.
Glaring at his eldest son, Jeff shook his head. "Son, you know as well as I do that that is a stopgap measure. What we need is to go get Gordon. Kidnap him if necessary."
Scott suddenly found the top of Jeff's desk fascinating. They had had this conversation before, and Jeff could see that his son was no more willing to take that drastic step now than he had been two weeks ago when Jeff had first proposed it.
"Dad…." Scott started slowly, shaking his head.
"Don't say it. Just don't say it. This has gone on far enough, and I intend to put an end to it. I understand you feel you have mixed loyalties here, but we've come to the point where I have to ask you to decide. Now, I intend to fly to Kansas in Thunderbird One. It can be with you, or without you. Your choice."
Jeff knew it was dirty pool to throw his son's Thunderbird in his face, and he could see the pain of it in Scott's eyes. "There's got to be a better way."
"No. You've said it yourself, this organization is on the verge of falling apart. Now, we've all worked too hard to stand by and let that happen. Surely you see that, son?"
Scott ran his hand through his hair, clearly torn. Virgil who had been sitting quietly at the piano spoke up. "What if we had someone try to talk to him? Stu Kopecki, maybe. Or Lady Penelope?"
Jeff shook his head. "No, I thought of that already. Stu's tried twice, and been intercepted each time."
"Well, what about Aunt Tina?"
Jeff and Scott both just stared at the younger man. Virgil ducked his head in embarrassment. "I guess not."
Apparently Virgil's idea had triggered something in Scott, because he slowly nodded. "I'll tell you what, Dad. Let me try something, and if it doesn't work, we'll fly up tomorrow."
Jeff cocked his head and considered asking his son what he intended, but Scott was already up and headed for the bedroom wing of the house. Jeff watched him leave, then turned back to the paperwork on his desk, trying to find a way to maximize his diminished workforce.