Decisions
Disclaimer: Nope still, don't own the Thunderbirds or anything associated.
Sequel to A Sacrifice Too Far. Not all the decisions we make our right and sometimes knowing the right decision to make can be the hardest thing in the world. This is set six months after the end of A Sacrifice too Far. Thank you to my amazing beta for checking this and helping me with the bits that were driving me crazy. I'm dedicating this to Loopsta for the wonderful image it created, ya know what I'm talking about.
Chapter 1: A Dirty Day.
Scott squirmed in his seat and sighed. He had never been so glad to leave a rescue and he knew his brothers would be thinking the same thing. They had just finished rescuing people from a mudslide and each one of them was covered from head to foot with mud. As disgusting as Scott felt, he also felt proud of what they had achieved that day. They had rescued everyone trapped and no lives were lost. In fact, most of the injuries were minor. Only one person had been seriously hurt and they were just waiting to hear how he was but he hadn't been in critical condition. A bleep on the console alerted him to John making contact.
"Go ahead, Bro," he replied, brushing the hair off his face in an attempt to get some of the mud out.
"I'd give up, Scott. You just made it look worse," replied John with a grin. All Scott had succeeded in doing was make it all stick up in the air.
"Did you just call up to talk about my hair or was there something more important?" asked Scott, frowning at his younger brother.
"Yes, the man at the hospital is in stable condition and should make a full recovery," replied John, still grinning at the state of his only older brother.
Scott grinned back at his brother. It was about time they had a rescue go well for a change. He grimaced and squirmed in his uniform. The drying mud was making it really uncomfortable now.
John grinned at Scott again, feeling glad he was up on Thunderbird Five and away from all the mud. "If it helps, Virgil looks a lot worse then you," he added.
Scott nodded, knowing that was true. Their younger brother had ended up the most covered due to rescuing a young child trapped in the mudslide. He could also imagine how much fun Alan and Gordon would be having tormenting Virgil over it. He decided to contact Virge and see if he had killed them yet.
"You just concentrate on going home, I'll sort out the terrible two," said John, knowing exactly what his brother was thinking.
"Thanks, bro. Talk to you later," he replied and signed off. His mind wandered to the hot shower he was having when he got home and he sighed happily.
John made the relevant motions to contact Thunderbird Two. The sight that greeted him was worse than Scott's image and he had to laugh. Virgil was completely covered in mud even his hair was now a muddy brown and stuck up all over the place where the mud had dried.
"Can I help you, John, or did you just come here to laugh?" asked Virgil, moodily.
"Actually, I came to help you though judging by the silence, I'm guessing the terrible two are asleep," replied John.
Virgil sighed and glanced behind where his two younger brothers were sat sleeping. "Yeah, they crashed out just after takeoff." Virgil rubbed his neck and then swiped his hand across his brow.
John couldn't help but notice how awful his brother looked and it went beyond just being dirty. His eyes were bloodshot and beneath the mud, he could see his younger brother was pale. "How you holding up?" he asked.
"Well as the terrible two are asleep, I'm okay but I am so looking forward to a shower. I hate mud," he replied. He also knew that he would be taking some painkillers for the headache he now had. Absently, he swiped at his brow again; the dull ache suddenly throbbed angrily and just as quickly receded.
"Virge?"
It took him a moment to realize that John was talking to him. "Um, yeah?"
John stared harder at his brother as if trying to see through him. "You zoned out on me there, Bro. You doing okay?"
"Just tired, John," he lied, his attention somewhat diverted to one of Two's panels. When he looked up again, he suddenly realized he was looking at two John's and both were blurred and hazy. The pounding in his head had increased and he knew he was in trouble. There was a blackness creeping into his head and it was unstoppable. With one desperate glance at John, Virgil lost his fight with consciousness and slumped forward.
"Virge, Virge. Dammit Virgil, talk to me," yelled John but he got no reply. He then turned his attention to the sleeping brothers just behind Virgil. Without Virgil flying the giant aircraft, she was headed for a dive into the ocean. "Alan!" he yelled and then yelled again but this time calling for Gordon. He knew he should contact Base but he couldn't waste the time explaining it all. Thunderbird Two had already begun to dive.
"Alan, Gordon wake the hell up," he shouted at the screen, praying for a response from his younger brother.
"Dammit, Gordon, if you don't answer then I'm going to drain the pool," he yelled.
Finally, he got a response. "Do it and Five's interior is gonna be pink permanently," replied Gordon, sitting up.
"Dammit, Gordon, Virgil is unconscious and you're diving into the sea," yelled John, finally losing his temper.
"What the hell?" questioned Gordon as he took in the situation before him. He quickly moved forward to see Virgil slumped over the controls. Gently moving his brother out of the way, Gordon grabbed hold of the controls and pulled hard trying to bring them out of the dive.
"Come on, baby, you can do it," he coaxed to Thunderbird Two as the ocean rushed towards them.
Well that's chapter one done. Hope you all enjoyed it. Please read and review. Thank you.