Flight Home
Alan's POV
I've just taken off and am flying horizontally. I can think a little. In the sky, unlike in the road you don't need to watch for pedestrians or stop at traffic lights, you can just sail through, ironically like autopilot. Though I need to be careful with my speed and concentrate as I get closer to home. Home. Dad. What are we going to tell dad? That Scott tired to kill us all, that he was controlled by some mysterious force. What will Dad say?. I still can't believe Scott wanted to kill us. I mean I know it wasn't Scott but still, I mean what if it was, there is no prof that he was being controlled. Maybe he has a dark side like Aniken Skywalker? How can we trust him on a mission. What if the Hood takes control again? My comm crackles into life, I'm relieved to hear Virgil's voice
"Hey Kiddo, how you doing?" He ask's
"Fine, I'm still going. ETA to base 39 Minutes" This proves how tired I am, I'm not even annoyed that his called me Kiddo.
"OK any problems, let me know" He says. I know his just taking precaution, his following what Scott would do.
"FAB I reply" Confidently
I am so tired, tired of worry. When your on a race track, adrenalin pumps through your body, but when it over, you calm down and I know I've only been sitting in a car but I feel so tired afterwards. That must be how Scott's feeling, I bet he has a killer headache and I still can't believe that Virgil shot him and I almost sided with Scott to attack Virgil. Thank goodness for Gordon's quick though painful tackle. I wondered if he would get in my mind for a second. I know it's an irrational thought. I have to work with Scott on furture missions. I don't know if I can trust him. I know Gordon will talk to me, maybe I'll talk to John and Tin Tin, but then what is she thinks I'm less of a man?Yes I want to get home to Tin Tin, I like Tin Tin, I always have ever since our first meeting. I know Virgil gets on well with her but he doesn't like her like me. I think that's why I'm not so close to Virgil. I see him a threat. I mean his so polite and down to earth but then Tin Tin did take my side when he did my portrait after the race. I have moved my mind away from Scott, it's just too painful. Damn bumpy, I've hit turbulence. Right Alan stop thinking about Tin Tin and get home safely. I'm sure there's something I'm meant to do if I hit turbulence. I think I'll just focus on keeping the ship in the sky or Scott might kill me...literally without anyone's control.
Gordon's POV
I'm flying Thunderbird 2 and I'm scarred. I'm not scared of flying, I'm scarred Virgil is letting me fly his ship. He only does that if he has to, I mean his been in great pain before but has refused to let me drive it. I hope Scott's OK, wait his alone with Scott. What if something happens? What if Scott tries to attack's him again. Hang on, calm down Gordon. His fine. Though he must be really worried about Scot, I mean I could fix him up fine. But Virgil wanted to do it, and in all honesty I'm kind of relieved. I mean it would be hard to look at Scott and treat him like normal.
I just can't get the image out of my head of him pointing a gun at us. I know I was stupid jumping in front of Alan, I could have been Shot. I'm worried what we we'll tell Dad, he'll want to know everything. How can I tell him what I saw? Report back that his oldest prodigal son had tried to kill his brothers. I know he wasn't in control but he still pointed a gun us and wanted to kill us. It was Scott not another man, our oldest brother. He shot Virgil, luckily I wasn't there so I won't have to explain that to Dad. I don't envy Virgil trying to explain that to Dad. It sounds strange. I've always been close to Alan, we can be a right duo but right now I feel closer to Virgil. I know Virgil will hopefully be able to help Scott, I guess that leaves me to help Alan. He was so shocked and I bet his still confused about what happened. The worst part is I wonder if he can still look up to Scott. Scott's his idol, he always has been but he knows he'll never be like him but he still wants to try. I don't understand how Virgil can be with Scott at the moment, I mean a few hours ago he shot Virgil. Yet somehow Virgil is able to forget about it, move on and help Scott. But I guess that's something I admire about Virgil, he can put everything aside till everything else is sorted out. It will come back and haunt him though. Virgil will be playing very loud angry music for the next few days and painting quite dark pictures, probably abstract. He'll talk to John or Tin Tin. They get on very well, much to Alan's annoyance at times. I wish he would talk to me more often not that I'd be much help but you never know.
I hope we don't hit turbulence...oh spoken too soon. I feel the ship shaking. I want to call Virgil up, I want to panic. I can't believe Alan didn't warn me, his meant to as his flying ahead of us on our flight path. So we can divert, but it's too late now. Just then the comm crackles into life
"Hey Gordon. You think you can handle this?" I hear Virgil ask. It's not patronising, it's genuine concern. Part of me wants to say no, but I know Scott needs him, and I think I can do it.
"I'm fine currently" I reply back trying to sound confident. If he notices I'm not he doesn't say anything.
"I knew you would be. Let me know if you have any problems" He replies
"FAB" I reply, relieved that Virgil has the confidence in me, if Virgil says I can do it, I can do it! At least I think I can.
Virgil's POV
I've taken Scott to my sick bay. His hurt though I know if he had to he could fly Thunderbird 1 home but I don't trust him. Wow I've never had to say that about Scott. If someone has been messing with a mind, his going to have a killer headache and his wrist needs tending to. I'm glad I didn't do worse damage than I did when I shot and tackled him. I lead him over to the bed, he puts up no resistance and I'm worried. He didn't even say anything when I told Alan to fly his ship home. I'm worried, it's very unlike Scott but thinking back, this whole day has been unlike Scott. I half wish now I'd caught the man who controlled him. Though I don't know what I'd do to him. He tried to shoot me and kill me.
I guess I didn't realise how vulnerable Scott is till today, though he'd better now hear me say that. I always saw him as someone so strong, in control and today he was out of control. He pointed a gun at me, then at his youngest brother's. It still sends shivers down my spine. I know it wasn't him, yet I can't bring myself to look directly at him. Even now his blue eyes scare me, they are unfocused, delayed shock I'm guessing. I think if I could paint his mind at the moment, their would be swirls of black, purple and blue. Abstract art. Did you know you can paint a mind? The trip home is silent, save for the murmeringof the engine.
We start to jump around a bit, so I've strapped us both in. That's another strange thing, Scott isn't helping himself, he seems in a daze rather than trance, not registering anything I say. I bandage up his arm. We don't speak, well he doesn't speak. Though really we've never needed to, somehow we understand each other without the need for words, but through some kind of link. But in this instance I wish he would talk to me. I talk to him though, like a good First Aider telling him eveything I am doing. I want to check on Gordon, I know my ship's in safe hands but I need to make sure his OK. I use the comm. I know he can handle this trip, even with the turbulence, he'll be fine but I just need to check, I've checked with Alan, his doing OK. I wonder if his told Gordon about turbulance, well with everything on his mind, I'd not be surprised if he hasn't. I then open a comm to the cockpit
"Hey Gordon. You think you can handle this?" I ask him, trying not to sound worried or concerned.
"I'm fine currently" He replies back.
"I knew you would be. Let me know if you have any problems" I need to reassure him, as I do Alan. You seen you need to reassure younger siblings that you have faith in them. After today I think they need it more than ever especially Alan. Scott always did that to me. Again my mind goes back to Scott. I wish he'd talk to me. Oh I've just remembered what do I tell Dad in the debrief? The truth I guess. Oh I am not looking forward to this debrief. Maybe I'll try to talk to Scott again.
Scott's POV
I don't care Alan's flying my ship home. I don't care that Virgil is letting Gordon fly the ship home. I don't care I've been led to this sick bay. I just don't care. I scare myself how harsh I sound. In all honesty want to be alone with my thoughts, but short of Gordon panicking or TB2 falling out of the sky, Virgil won't leave me. I think his scarred, hell after what I've done, I'm amazed he wants to be alone with me. He should have sedatetd me, I can't be trusted. At least his not trying to make me talk but he keeps telling me what his doing. I let him guide me, bandage me up, its like I'm in trance, but not one controlled by others, just by me. When we get back we have to talk to Dad, tell him everything and I can't. I don't how the 'Hood' was able to control me. I didn't even see him, just the security guard when I landed first to tell me what needed to be done. Wait, Security guard? Maybe he was the man, but he seemed...normal. I need to remember that for father.
I have to look father in the eye and tell him I shot my brother and pointed a gun at them too. I know father's look. He'll look at me with sympathy but I know he'll confine me to sick bay. Brain's will no doubt do tonnes of scans on my, I will be prodded and poked. The look will be of fear of nearly losing his sons, Anger at me being controlled, compassion at my 'Vulnerable' mind but I don't know if he'll ever trust me totally again. Will my brothers ever trust me again? I mean I'm meant to protect them. I don't need to ask Virgil, somehow I'm glad he was the brother I shot, for the simple fact, his very forgiving though I when I made a sudden move to stand earlier, he took a step back from me and he seems a little nervous when his bandaging me up. His view of me won't change to much but Gordon and Alan, I will need to talk to them. I'd better have Virgil with me just in case they no longer trust me. What good am I being a field commander if my team don't trust me. I remember Virgil questioning me about radio silence, he must have sensed something. I'll find out in the debrief.
Man I've got a killer headache. Virgil's reading my mind again. Wordlessly he hands me some Asprin and water. I give a small smile of thanks and take it. Virgil talks over the comm to Gordon and Alan. His trying to talk to me, should I speak? No I need to think things over. He'll get the hint, he always has. We should be home soon, then I can face the music and I don't think I'll be dancing.