So I was so overwhelmed by the response to the first chapter of this story so here's the second! I will add that the chapters will start getting longer soon. Hope you all enjoy!
baao xo
(also forgot to add a disclaimer so here it is: I don't own Thunderbirds in any way, even if I wish I did)
Chapter 2:
Scott couldn't help but smirk at his younger brother's misfortune as he prepared to head down to the silos for Tracy One. How Virgil constantly managed to find himself in the most bizarre situations almost every time he was Stateside never ceased to amaze Scott.
Still trying to figure out how they could hide this from the more mischievous Tracy son, Scott began to make his way down to the silos. He had barely descended the stairs when the emergency klaxon went off, summoning all remaining members of International Rescue to the lounge for briefing.
By the time Scott arrived, both John and Gordon plus their father were already in place, waiting to listen to the transmission from Alan, up in Thunderbird Five.
"I got an emergency call from an unidentified caller about a nuclear power station having a meltdown. It's a few miles north of St. Paul, Minnesota; it's pretty isolated according to the satellite reading." reported Alan from above the Earth's atmosphere.
"Any casualties?" asked Jeff, pacing.
"None that I've been notified of," replied Alan. He checked his monitors for any signs of life in the surrounding area before continuing: "there are heat signals in and around the power station, though, so Thunderbird Two is going to be necessary. I've lost the caller though, and for some reason I can't trace their signal again so hopefully there'll be someone around you can liaise with before you enter the building."
"What do you mean you've lost the caller?" put in John.
Alan shrugged, "I'm not too sure; they seem to have hung up on me, but I just can't find their signal anywhere. There's definitely people in the station, plus there are a few people scattered in the woods surrounding it, but I can't get a lock on anyone."
"Bit unusual, can you tell how many people there are, Alan?" asked John again.
"Nope - I've just got clusters of heat signals coming up on the screens, but people keep disappearing randomly, which is odd considering I haven't been told of any fatalities or otherwise. I also can't find a reason as to why the power station's suffering a meltdown - whilst it's old; the health and safety check on the plant last year said that everything was working perfectly. It's just all a bit weird..."Alan's voice trailed off as he carried on looking into the station, so Jeff took as his chance to send his boys off to the meltdown site.
"Right, Scott, you head off now and set up mobile control - you know what to do."
Scott nodded and got into position to go to his 'bird. Once he had slid out of view, Jeff turned to his second and fourth born sons.
"It looks like you're both going to be needed on this one, boys. Gordon, you pilot Thunderbird Two, then stand down once you're at the site and at least try and help John with shutting down the plant."
"Dad, I am positively offended by the thought that I wouldn't help John with shutting down the station - I am an absolute pro when it comes to technology and whatnot." replied Gordon, with a look of false horror on his face at the apparent audacity of his father's comment.
"Gordon, I swear to God if you so much as touch anything technological once we're off the 'bird, I will personally throw you into the reactor core." threatened John, "A nuclear power station is not like Virgil's new laptop; smashing it against the wall of number four's silo will not fix it, nor will it stop it from emitting the sound of a wailing kettle."
"John! That was like two times!" cried Gordon as he followed John to their 'bird. "How did you even know about that anyway - Alan swore he told no-one!"
Jeff couldn't help but laugh at his sons' antics as they headed off to yet another rescue, another life-or-death situation. He headed back to his seat in front of the monitor connecting him to Alan, chuckling at the cry of: "Oh my god, ALAN!" from his fourth born. He suddenly sat bolt upright, Gordon's whining about Virgil's laptop reminding him that he'd forgotten to tell his middle son the change of plan. Quickly connecting himself to Virgil's watch, he sat and waited for a connection.
"What's up, dad?" came the fast reply - Virgil was clearly bored in the hospital whilst waiting to be discharged. His slightly put-out face on the screen only reinforced his belief that his son was already getting annoyed with all the waiting around.
"Are you nearly ready to be discharged, Virgil?" asked Jeff firstly, having had Scott secretly disclose as to why he would have had to fly to New York to pick up a hung-over younger brother.
"I think so - but they told me that like two hours ago so I'm not too sure. Why?"
"There's been a slight change of plan," replied Jeff, somewhat apprehensively.
"How so?"
"Your brothers have been called for a rescue in Minnesota, so Scott can't come and pick you up. Sorry, but you're going to have to hang around New York for at least a few more hours. Discharge yourself, and then book a hotel. Alan seems to think this rescue's a little... odd, so it might not be until tomorrow you can get back to the island."
Virgil sighed, but nodded all the same.
"Okay, okay - but tell Scotty he still owes me!" replied Virgil with a grin before signing off from his father with a quick goodbye.
Jeff rolled his eyes before relaxing back in his chair; he never understood why his sons always felt the need to have one up against one another but he'd found over the years that it was just easier to ignore it all. He felt, occasionally, that maybe he should've stopped at one child as he heard, via Alan's video feed, Gordon and John already beginning to argue over who was going to push who into the radioactive core of the power station. Looking to Alan, Jeff frowned at the furrowed brow of his youngest son; Alan definitely felt that the situation up north was more than unusual, but now Jeff could only pray that three of his sons would be careful.
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