When his father checked on him later, he found him scribbling, typing and working furiously he left in wonder. Gordon was actually working hard? That last speech had actually worked better then he thought. But unfortunately Jeff, it worked better then you thought.

*one week later*

Gordon smiled as he made his way home on Saturday afternoon, all that research had paid off but, he gave him one hell of a headache. He swang his bag which held an undetectable forgery birth certificate, permanent black hair dye and a passport that marked him as 18 years old, old enough so he could join the navy without his parent's permission. It had taken a long time for him to find forgers that would do it right. But it was done, he was nearly set.

All he needed now was enough money to get him away from here until he could safely join without his father knowledge. All he had to was hide this stuff away from his brothers' nosy butts, he was taking no chances. He knew that they would be mad at him for running away, but it had to be done. Yeah, he was happy that he wouldn't be able to contact them whenever he could and ask them for advice. But he wanted to prove himself to them that he was not just a joker. Besides, like his father and brothers when he set his mind to something nothing could get him to change it. Like when he first tried out for the Olympics.

Very soon he would stop being Gordon Tracy and be Gordon Miller, the 18-year-old navy operative! Tonight he would start on the money, he needed to be ready at the first available opportunity. For that, he needed a plan…

The following week passed by quickly and Gordon was no longer suspended. It was Monday and his father dropped him and Alan at school, but his father held him back for a moment.

"Gordon, I'm glad you've started to put more effort into school," he said "I just hope it's not too late" he muttered quietly but Gordon heard him and he was more determined to make his father proud. He had almost forgotten to take the bag with him to school now he was glad he didn't. "now go in there and be good. I don't need a phone call telling me you've been expelled. Don't disappoint me son"

Gordon nodded and turned away and walked into the school "I won't disappoint you dad" he said quietly to himself "I won't ever disappoint you ever again..."

*two hours later*

Gordon was seated on a bus headed a little out of the way know here, where he would dye his hair before catching another bus to New York, once there he would find the recruiting center. He smiled as he relaxed back on his seat, the school wouldn't even notice he was missing until second form after lunch which is still another two hours away, by then he would be on his way to new York-if all went well. The school wouldn't inform his father until after second form, so by then, they realized he'd skipped out after form class he would be too far away for them to stop him.

He would keep a low profile for a while. He had left a note on his laptop telling his family he was leaving to prove a point and he wouldn't be returning until he had done it, telling them not to bother looking, that he would be fine. He knew they would look anyway, hence the hair dye, and later some more precautions. But from now on he wasn't Gordon Tracy, he was Gordon Miller. An 18-year-old boy from California, stuck living with his grandparents in Kansas, hence the accent, because both his parents were dead, he had flunked out of school at 15 and had taken odd jobs around before finally deciding to join the navy because he liked the idea. He had taken every precaution at home as well. No papers lying around to where he was, wiped his laptop clean. As he watched the scenery flash past he felt more relaxed. Out of bounds of his family, away from the pressures of keeping up with his older brothers, of being a model older brother himself, he felt freer than ever. Yes, he had made the right decision to do this. It was as much to prove a point to himself as it was to prove it to his family.

"righ' 'ere's yer form kid, take it on throu' ta the clerks." The man said, his sharp grey eyes taking in Gordon's black hair and blue eyes (he had brought contacts a few days before) and his half cheeky smile. Gordon accepted his form with a nod and made his way to the door the man had indicated to. First base achieved, he walked past the other five men and women who were waiting to be called up. all he had to do was get his story and certificates past the clerks trained to detect lies and he would be halfway there. Then he figured there would be an interview with some high-ranking official person, and then if he goes past them he was in.