Chapter Four. (10 years later)

(Scott 28, Jac 27, Virgil 25, John 23, Gordon 20, Alan 19)

I opened the door to Hong Kong's smallest room to which i currently was calling home. From the door the end of a double bed could be seen coving most of the floor space. Beyond it was a small fridge, with had a microwave on top of it, which was itself topped by a kettle and a rice cooker, all of which could only be accessed from the bed. Next to the fridge there was a cloths rail fitted in fount of a small window and I had shoved the bag that held the all of my earthly belongings into the space beneath it next to the bed. Though it has to be said the was more of my belongings on the bed and what limited floor space there was available than in the bag. The rest of the space was taken up by a 'bathroom' which appear to all intents and peruses to be a shower into which someone had fitted a toilet and sink to the extend where it had a pale yellow shower curtain to cover its entrance rather than a door. Small though it was, to me it was prefect, it was clean and dry which is more than i can say for some of my rooms when I was on the boats and it cost next to nothing to rent. It's not the I couldn't afford a better room. I was actually working in quite a good school teaching English, maths and computer science, but the less I spent now, the more I could save, the quicker I could move onto somewhere new, the further I could go before I need to settle down and find a new job and start saving again. I sat down on the bed, sitting the box of noodles down next to me and pulled out my laptop. it automatically sink to the TV and started running the scanning diagnostic it did every day when I returned from work. I sat back against the side wall with my leg stretched out across the bed in front of me and started to eat my needles. I was no more than half way though then when an alarm started to sound from the TV, the diagnostic had found something.

I had developed the diagnostic over the first year or so I was working on the boats. The guilt of leaving my brother the way I did had built up and up and I missed then terribly. What if something happened to one of them, I would have no idea. So I started to trail the internet for any news reports or gossip articles about my family until one night I was still searching when my alarm when of the next morning. I decided I couldn't go on like this so started programming a diagnostic that would search for me. It started with just news sites for articles containing any of my brothers names, but became my pet project every month or so I would spend a couple of days upgrading it adding new search in new areas. It was one of these that had got a hit now.

TRACY, Gordon. admitted to St Stevens Hospital with multiple life threatening injury. Status: CRITICAL.

I'd run this scenario over and over in my head so many times, but I never really figured out what I would do. I must go be with my brother to care for him or even god forbid just to say goodbye as I never got chance to do it when I left. but when running it though in my head I always assumed that if the time came I would be too scared of having to face my father and brothers to do it. But the time had come and I had underestimated myself all these years. I know there and then that I was going to do everything in my power to get to Gordon. I emptied my room in less than a minute and left.

I had to move fast so simple planned one step at a time never thinking about the next move until the one before was underway. That's how I found myself on a bus to the hospital not having a clue what I was going to do when I got there. I slowly climbed down the steps of the bus and walked into the reception. I was heading to the desk to find out where Gordon was when how should I see walking out of the building but Scott. I stopped on the spot then slowing turned as he walk by me. He looked so different but yet somehow exactly the same. He was wearing an air force uniform and look so much like picture of dad from when he was younger. I guess they much have always looked similar I'd just never really thought about it. I snap out of my daze as I realised I was going to loose sight of him. I jog forward until I've court up enough for him to hear me.

"Scott" I called but only softly and he doesn't hear me. I try again and this time to does. He turns and look around confused until his gaze settles on me. but his expression doesn't chance.

I step towards him "It's me" I say barley louder than a whisper. And then it dawns on him and recognition speed across his eye. And then he did the last thing I ever expected him to do. He smile. Coming to me and throwing his arms around me in a huge bear hug. I feel tears coming to my eye but I blink them back. Never in all the time before and after my Mother died had I ever let any of my brothers see me cry, I wasn't going to start now. We didn't need displays of emotion to know how each other were feeling, we been though all this before, we know exactly how the other was feel because we were feeling it ourselves.

He released me from his hug and holds me at arm's length so he get a better look at me, but he doesn't say anything.

"I had to see him" I say.

"I know " he replied, but he didn't make to move anywhere he just continued looking at me, searching my face, trying to read me like he always used to be able to. But I'd always been able to read him to. He wanted to know if I was really to face our father after all these years, and when I came down if I wasn't.

"He's up there" say slowly, He just nods, "Can you get him to leave"

He sighs and a last lets go of my arm. I can see by his face that's he's disappointed, but not in the least bit surprised.

"Give me a minute" He pulls a phone from his pocket and walks away from me.