Alan awoke with a start. He instantly sat up in his bed. Bad idea. His head was swimming once more like in his dream and his vision went blurry. "That's all it was" he muttered to himself, "a dream, just a dream". He was sweating all over, and his face was wet with tears. The dream had been the worse one yet, the voice in his head was clearer. It was the Hood. The guy who tried to kill his family and rob the bank of London. The guy who knew their identity and how to inflict pain through their minds. Now, according to Alan's dreams, he was controlling his brothers and father against him. "Thank goodness Scott isn't here to see me like this." he said, whipping away the tears and settling back down. Scott was the eldest Tracy brother and the most protective man Alan had ever met in his life. He knew Scott would die for his brothers and always had to know what was going on, even if it was just a stupid dream. "That's all it was, a stupid dream". As he settled back down again it occurred to Alan that Scott was the only brother who didn't appear in his dream.

"Maybe it was a sign…" Alan began to think but was cut off by the sound of the emergency klaxon. He jumped out of bed, pulled on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and ran down to the lab to see which country needed the Thunderbirds next.

As he made his way into the room through the double doors he froze, he didn't know why, but the sight of his dad and the three brothers from his dream scared him to death. He went instantly pale and was glued to the spot. Only when he heard someone calling him from behind did he snap out of his thoughts. He turned to see Scott jogging town the corridor towards the lab, a look of concern on his face as his eyes met his youngest brother. "You all right, Sprout?" he asked as he closed the gap between them

Alan blinked out of his daze and nodded slightly, the colour flooded back into his face and he stepped into the lab. He felt incredibly safe knowing that Scott was there even though by now every member of his family was looking as him. He just smiled thinly and walked up to the desk that they were all crowding round. Virgil was regarding Alan with a similar look of concern on his face as Scott but Alan shrugged it off and concentrated on the job in hand.

"What seems to be the problem" he asked his father who too was looking at Alan's pale features.

"A fire in Berlin, a block of flats. The local fire service managed to get all that they could out but there are two floors that they couldn't reach in time so they called International Rescue." Said Jeff as he turned from Alan to look up at the news headlines on the screen behind him. All of the boys could see the panic in the city as the building rose up in flames.

"Okay, Alan, you're on Mobile Command. You tell your brothers what floor the victims are on and the best way to get there. Use the heat sensors to detect the victims. Virgil, as the team medic, I want you to set up a medical base on TB 2, prepare for second degree burn and a short flight to the local hospital. Scott, John, Gordon, suit up in fire gear, gas masks, oxygen tanks, the lot. This looks like tricky job. All communicators on please, I want to keep in touch at all times. Brains, Fermat and Tin-tin, you guys up on TB 5 let me know if there is a change in the situation. Okay boys?"

A chorus of "Yes sir's filled the room and all of the boys ran to the silo doors and disappeared down the cutes to their crafts. "Thunderbirds are go!" said Jeff as he saluted all of his boys.

Alan ran to TB 2 with Virgil. He had no idea how this rescue
was going to go. It wasn't that he didn't trust his brothers, he didn't trust himself. He only recently became a Thunderbird and he knew all of his brothers were proud of him, but considering how fragile his mind was the moment, he wasn't sure if he should be with anyone except Scott.

"This is stupid, why would you think that! They all care for you, not just Scott!" He muttered to himself.

"Sorry, what was that Sprout?" asked Virgil

"Oh—nothing, don't worry. Oh! Are we nearly there already?" Alan asked wide-eyed in amazement as he looked out the window. He didn't even realise they had left, let alone that they were flying above Europe!

"Yes, Alan. Are you okay?" Virgil was concerned once more, his little brother looked positively ill and exhausted. As the medic, he was always concerned for all of his brothers' health.

"Yes, Virgil I'm fine! And we concentrate on flying please!" Alan snapped. He didn't mean to sound that annoyed but he was so tired. Virgil was taken aback by his brother's tone of voice and put his hands up in mock surrender.

"Sure thing, Sprout. Sorry!" Now Virgil was worried, he would talk to Scott about it later. Right now, Alan was right; they needed to concentrate on the rescue at hand.

"Oh, and don't call me Sprout!" Alan muttered but Virgil heard clear enough.

"There is definitely something wrong with that kid", he thought.