Chapter 3

Alan watched as his oldest brother inspected the damage to the pod. The damage he had caused. Alan wondered what Scott's reaction would be if he found that this was his doing. He'd probably drag him by the sleeve to a corner and tell him off as if he were still at school. At this thought, Alan's blood began to boil. How long would it take them all to realise that he's not a kid anymore! There all deluding themselves because none of them want to admit that Alan's better than them, especially Scott. Alan had always been a gifted pilot, everyone had said so. Scott was just jealous because he had to train hard to earn his wings. Because of this, Scott took it out on his youngest brother, treating him like a twelve year old because he refuses to believe that he could possibly be anything more than a pathetic, little kid. Well, he'll show him. After all, Alan was now so much more then Scott could ever be…

He felt his body begin to heat up in anticipation of the revenge he was about to get. He watched as Scott's attention switched to his direction and he began to cautiously move closer.

"That's right Scotty boy…" Alan muttered under his breath, "Just a little more."

As Scott drew closer, the smoke began to grow in intensity. Now fairly certain it was going to be needed Scott began to prepare the extinguisher. He'd just pulled out the safety pin when a blood curdling yell startled him. He looked up just in time to see a flaming form launch at him from the source of the smoke. His quick reflexes swung the fire extinguisher at the demonic vision. The heavy bulk hit its target and the screaming form was propelled into the side of a pod, hitting it with a thud before falling to the ground.

Scott watched in bewilderment as the flames dissolved to reveal the unburnt body of his youngest brother, what little of his uniform that remained disintegrating, charred and blackened. Scott's brotherly, almost parental, instincts kicked in and, temporarily forgetting the events of the past few seconds, ran over to Alan, desperately checking his vitals. When he found a pulse he let out the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. He felt the lump forming on the side of his brother's head and prayed to God that he hadn't caused any mental damage.

Scott then headed over to the emergency supply self near the back of the pod to get a blanket to cover Alan so he could at least keep his dignity intact while he was transported to the sick room. Scott realised that he'll need Virgil to bring down a stretcher. How on Earth was he going to explain his? He still wasn't sure what had actually happened himself…

Deciding that Alan needed to be checked over by Brains ASAP, Scott opened a line with his brother.

Gordon jumped when he heard Virgil's wrist-com beep.

"Virgil?" He heard his oldest brother say, "Virg, I need your help. Alan's out cold with a head injury. If you could bring a stretcher down that'll be great… Virgil?"

Gordon let go of the brother in question, carefully laying him back against the wall before shakily opening up his own line of communication.

Scott waited for a reply. What had happened? It wasn't like Virgil not to answer. It seemed like hours when his own wrist-com beeped in reply. However, the voice was not the one he'd expected.

"… Scott?"

It was Gordon. His voice was rough and yet something about his tone reminded Scott of the little boy that would creep into his room at 1 o'clock in the morning claiming he'd had a nightmare.

When Scott replied, he sounded far more confident and calm then he felt.

"Gordon? Where's Virgil? Is he okay?"

"… He's out too, Scott…"

This took Scott by surprize. His composure wavered for a moment.

"What! How?"

The reply was even quieter and shakier then before.

"I didn't mean it… I said some horrible things, Scott, I didn't mean them! And now I've hurt him!"

"What? Gordon what's going on?!"

"… I… I don't know…"

Scott sighed. If Alan's fire attack was anything like what had gone on up there, then he was way out of his depth. He concluded that the best way to go about this had to be one step at a time.

"Okay Gordon. Here's what we're going to do. You bring a stretcher down into the pod and then you and me can get Alan to the sick room so that Brains can look over him. While Brains is doing that, we can come back for Virgil. Do you understand?"

Scott could almost hear the little smile in his little brother's voice as he replied, "F.A.B."

Gordon was already feeling better. Why didn't he call Scott earlier? If anyone could fix whatever had happened, he could. Maybe all of this could have been avoided.

Ah well, what's done is done. At least now everything is going to be okay…

Like when Scott made you think everything was going to be okay when you headed out in that damn hydrofoil.

Oh no, Gordon thought as he reached the cockpit, not again…

Scott was beginning to get impatient. The lump on Alan's head was still growing, concerning him. How long did it take to get a stretcher? Deciding that he needed to know the reason behind the hold up, he called his brother.

"Gordon? Where are you?"

"I'm on the platform."

Scott wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he could've sworn that was said through gritted teeth.

"Then activate it and get down here! Or have you forgotten how to?" He added in an attempt to lighten the mood.

However, Instead of a chuckle, he received an exasperated sigh.

"I can't do it. I'm going to send down the stretcher, but I can't help you."

"Why? Gordon, What is going on?!"

Gordon ended the call before stepping off the platform and activating it, sending the stretcher down to the pod.

He had made up his mind. No one else was going to get hurt today. No by his doing. After checking on his older brother outside the sick bay one last time, he made his way silently to his room, locking the door behind him.