Hey all, welcome to chapter 10! I know what you're thinking, how long can she drag this out for! Lol, I know, I know. Not much longer now. Honest.

mshobgoblin: You liked the seatbelt bit, huh? As for what the others can do, you'll have to wait and see. Do I say that a lot? ;-) Lol

The Eyes of the Beholder

By Phoenix Sparrow

Chapter Ten – Prediction Come True

Inside the cockpit of Thunderbird 2, Virgil was trying desperately to put out the rapidly spreading fires. He had a cut across his face and his arm was badly injured when he crash-landed. His uniform was no longer blue and yellow but black and charred from the fires.

He collapsed onto his knees and pushed himself into the corner, fighting of the fires.

"Oh no! Please, no! Not now!" Virgil cried out as the fire extinguisher ran out. He threw it across the cabin and it hit the window, not breaking it.

"Damn that reinforced glass!" He ran across the cabin and tried the door again. It was still jammed shut and the fires were getting worse.

Suddenly, the console behind him exploded, sending him sprawling to the floor, and rendering him unconscious.

"Scott, quick!" John shouted, jumping out of the cockpit and running towards the flaming Thunderbird in front of him.

"John, wait! We can't just run in there!"

"Why not??" he shouted, impatient to help his brother.

"We won't do him any good if we get hurt!" Scott reasoned. He turned to Brains. "Brains, d'you have any idea as to how we get'im out?"

"We could use the-the dicetalline and the oxyhydnite."

"Right, yeah. I'll go get it." He turned to look at John then back at Brains. "Try to keep him calm. He's beginning to…"

"A-alright, Scott. You j-just get the o-o-oxyhydnite, I'll keep my eye on Joh-John."

They reached the burning machine and tried to get in. "Looks like we're gonna need this stuff!" Scott said, starting up his oxyhydnite tank. "Sorry, Brains!" He put the flame next to the hull and started to cut.

"S-sorry? We're t-trying to save V-V-Virgil!"

"I was… never mind."

They continued to cut through and when they eventually made it, they started on the fire using the dicetalline.

It took them a while, but they reached the cockpit, putting out the fires as they went. The door to the cockpit was still jammed shut.

"I don't like this. The door's very hot," Scott said, quickly drawing his hand away from it.

"That means there's fire on the other side," John said. "How do we get in? If we open the door, there'll be a back draft, but if we leave it, Virgil will…"

"It's ok, John. We're not leaving him. Look, you two get out of it, I'll call you back in a minute," Scott said.

"What? What are you gonna do?" John asked, looking at him.

"Just go! The longer we leave it, the less likely we are to get Virgil out alive!"

John stared at him then turned and ran off, grabbing Brains' arm as he went.

Scott waited until they'd gone then turned back round and started to cut through the door.

He cut for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, though, he'd cut an opening large enough for him to get through.

He took a deep breath. 'Here goes,' he thought.

Taking a step back, he put out both his hands and gripped onto the railings running down either side of the narrow passageway. He then lifted himself off the floor and, with all his weight and strength, force and might; he planted his feet in the centre of his cutaway door and it fell to the ground.

Then time seemed to slow down.

As Scott looked up, he saw fire rush towards him as the oxygen outside the door entered the previously-sealed cabin and fuelled the fire. He swung his legs back up and threw himself to the ground to get out if the way of the back draft.

"Argh!" Not quick enough. He received a burn across his arm, which spread from his knuckles to his shoulder, burning his uniform. He rolled on the floor to put the fire out then got up. The dangerous cloud of fire was gone, but smoke poured from the cockpit.

He grabbed the tank of dicetalline and ran in, putting out fires as he went.

He fought his way across the burning cockpit. The smoke was irritating his eyes making them sore and he was coughing until his throat was so painful it hurt to breath.

He stumbled across the room until he hit something. He looked down and saw Virgil lying unconscious on the floor.

He drew in a breath sharply and felt tears stinging his eyes, as well as the smoke. Virgil lay sprawled out on the floor. There were holes all over his uniform revealing burnt skin on his arms, legs and chest. His face was burnt too as well as there being a deep gash across his forehead. His right leg was pinned down by a large piece of damaged console.

Scott literally shook as he looked at his brother, wasting only a second to take the sight in, then worked on moving the obstruction on his leg. A flame flared beside him and he turned away, covering his face with his arm. He turned back then when he'd finally shifted the piece of equipment, he hooked his arms under Virgil's shoulders and did his best to drag him out. He shut his eyes to the pain he felt in his arm from the burn and hoped Virgil would be all right.

Suddenly, a console exploded beside him, knocking him over. He hit his head on the way down and was momentarily dazed. He realised then he just didn't have the strength left to get Virgil out and consciousness was fast becoming a luxury he would not have.

"JOHN! BRAINS!" he shouted, hoping they'd hear.

He struggled to his feet and stumbled back to Virgil and tried again to drag his brother out.

Just then, John and Brains ran in. John immediately ran to his brothers while Brains worked at putting out the remaining fires.

Each pulling Virgil by an arm, Scott and John made it out of the craft. Scott was glad to feel the cool, fresh air on his skin.

They lay Virgil down carefully on the soft grass then John looked over at Scott. "Hey, you don't look too good. Are you alright?"

Scott looked at him briefly before closing his eyes and passing out.