Standard disclaimer: I don't own the thunderbirds or any part thereof.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I really appreciate the feedback.
Well here it is Sunday and the next chapter is up, it's a bit of a change of pace from the pranks, a bit of drama, but I hope I've still got the humor in there. Hope you enjoy.
Please review if you have the time. I know this time of year time is a precious commodity.
Well on with the story...
TBZ
Battle of the Brothers
Chapter Ten – Dark places
The next two weeks pass without incident for the earthbound Tracy brothers, completing maintenance on the Thunderbirds and generally enjoying their time together without the hassle of pranks. On Thunderbird five it's a different matter, the lack of payback is starting to worry John, in general he sleeps a good seven to eight hours, leaving the insomnia to Scott, but the last two weeks have been hell. Waking in the middle of the night with vivid recollections of being covered in tar and feathers, of having to do one of his book signings in his shorts because the boys have taken his suit, of being in a public place with the crowds laughing at him for no apparent reason, the dreams have been driving him crazy and he is beginning to wish that his brothers would hurry up and get on with the payback, just so he can rest in peace.
Late in the night, or early in the morning depending on your perspective, John is pacing the command room once again when the computer registers an incoming call. Relieved at having something to do other than stew over his brothers, John checks the logs frowning, the signal is very weak and there is something about it that doesn't ring true, John tries to establish contact with the originator of the message, but unable to, he plays back the recording several times. Shaking his head, he checks the satellite weather records for the area where the call for help originated and contacts the local authorities. Still not satisfied he checks the logs and weather reports again. "This better be for real or the guys really are gonna be pissed." He mutters while hitting the button to activate the Klaxon on Tracy Island.
----
The sound of the Klaxon jolts the household from their slumber, Scott is the first in the office having been raiding the refridgerator, slapping his hand on the recognition system hand plate, he transforms the office to command and control. "John what's up?" he demands of his brother as Jeff strides into the command centre followed by Alan and Brains.
"This may be a hoax, but..." John hesitates looking at his screens, "I've got a couple of kids on frequency 5-5-6. They say they are trapped in a cave on the coast of southern Victoria, Australia, I've contacted the local authorities, and they are going to investigate." John looks up, "but the weather is getting pretty bad out there, a storm is coming in straight off Antarctica, I don't think the locals will be able to reach them."
"OK John, I'll send Scott out to check it out." Looking at his eldest Jeff nods, "Off you go Scott, Gordon go with him you may be able to help before Thunderbird two gets there."
Scott and Gordon stride to the lifts, dropping out of site. The roar of Thunderbird one's rockets vibrate through the house, rattling the windows. Virgil and Alan look at their father, "You want us to head off as well?"
"Yes, it may be a hoax, but let's not risk it." Jeff responds, "OK John relay the coordinates as soon as they are airborne."
Jeff leans back in his chair as the sound of Thunderbird two taking off thrums through him, sighing he sits back to wait for Scott's report. He looks up briefly as Onaha brings in a cup of coffee. "Thanks. I think it's going to be a long cold wet night."
Onaha nods, "I'll have something hot waiting for them when they get back." She responds.
----
As Thunderbird one races across the sky she catches up with the terminator, the line between day and night, speeding along the southern Australian coast the silver rocket plane drops altitude once they cross the city skyline of Melbourne and continues along the rough rocky western coastline of Victoria. The heavy swell crashing against the rugged coastline in angry abandon.
"It looks rough out there." Gordon says.
"Yeah it is. I'm getting up drafts all over the bloody place." Suddenly Thunderbird one drops, quickly Scott adjust lifting the ship back into her stable path. "Damn that was close."
"Nah!" Gordon gulps.
Looking at his younger brother briefly Scott grins, "Not getting worried were you?"
"Me. Worried. Never." Gordon grins back, "We're coming up on the location now." He looks out the window, "How the hell did someone get down there."
Shrugging Scott slows the ship and hovers over the position John has relayed through. "See anything?"
"Yeah, couple of emergency vehicles, but I can't see any caves or people down by the water."
"OK, I'm gonna take her in see what we can find out." With that Scott starts landing procedure, bring Thunderbird one into as gentle a landing as possible in the torrential rain and gale force winds lashing the coast.
Shutting down the engines both brothers grab their wet weather gear and push open the hatch into the brunt of the storm, they have to push hard as the wind tries to slam the hatch shut again. "Damn, that's some storm. I hope there isn't anyone down there." Gordon mutters.
As they leave the ship they are approached by a police officer heavily wrapped in a wet weather jacket, water streaming from his hat, he grimaces at the International Rescue agents, "Am I glad to see you guys." He puts a hand out, "Constable Bill Martin."
Scott shakes the Constable's hand, "Carpenter, Cooper." He indicates himself and Gordon –using their middle names as aliases, "Have you got something, or is it a hoax?"
Sighing the Constable indicates towards his four wheel drive, the three men climb in to the relative warmth of the vehicle, "Yeah, there's a couple of kids down there, we can hear them, and have been able to contact them intermittently on the radio. Can't see anything though, and we can't get down there."
"Damn. OK. Our other ship and the rest of the team will be here shortly, and then we can try and lower someone down." Scott replies.
"You can't do something with that." The Constable indicates Thunderbird one.
"The weather's too rough; she'd get blown into the rocks. Thunderbird two's heavier and more stable for this sort of thing. Don't worry they won't be long now." Grimacing Scott and Gordon climb out of the four wheel drive and back into the rain, they fight against the wind to reach the safety of Thunderbird one. Standing in the lee of the ship Scott radio's Thunderbird two, "Thunderbird one to Thunderbird two do you copy Thunderbird two"
"Reading you Thunderbird one, what's the situation? Do we have a hoax?"
"Negative Two, it looks like there really are kids down there."
"F-A-B. Where five minutes from you. Damn this weather's bad."
"Yeah, well just be prepared to get very, very wet." Scott laughs half heartedly. "See you in five minutes." He turns to Gordon, "OK let's get set up. I'm not gonna bring Mobile Control out into this so we'll just have to operate on the helmet radios." He opens a hatch on the side of Thunderbird one, "Let see if we can get a heat signal or find this cave." The two brother's drag out a heavy piece of equipment along with various paraphernalia required for a Geophysical survey, they carry it towards the cliff top to set up, shrugging uncomfortably as the wind pushes the rain into the space between their helmets and jackets. "This is useless, I'm already soaking wet." Scott gripes shrugging out of his rain jacket, and pulling his gloves off so that he can manipulate the controls on the side of the machine more easily. The cold wind rips around him, trying to find its way through the insulating material of his flight suit. Sighing Gordon follows suit. "Damn it's cold."
The roar of Thunderbird two's engines pass overhead as the behemoth lowers to the ground beside her sister ship, Scott and Gordon are shortly joined by Alan and a grumbling Virgil. "I am sick to death of rain." Giving his middle brother a reproving frown, Scott returns his attention to the delicate equipment in front of him, "Well I've got a cave, but no sign of anyone."
"They could be hypothermic, body temp too low to register." Gordon responds.
Nodding Scott agrees, "Go see if the police can still hear anything would you Gordo'?" Gordon hurries off towards the four wheel drive and the waiting Police.
"Ok the Cave is forty-five meters down right near the high tide line. It's too low for Thunderbird two to get close enough even with the platform extended to full length, she'd only get blown into the rocks." Scott mutters to himself, going over options in his head, "It's gonna have to be manual. We're gonna have to go down over the side."
"Don't fancy that in this weather." Alan responds.
Realising he has spoken aloud Scott looks up, "Only way to get them, this wind is too much for the ships to hold steady. If we used the secure lines Brains designed we should be able to set up a safe decent."
Nodding Virgil and Alan stand from the cramped crouched position they have been in beside the machine, "We'll go get the gear outta Two then." Virgil replies.
Shortly the brothers are gathered above the cliff top the full force of the winds whipping around them, "OK here's how we are gonna do it." Scott shouts over the wind, even with the radios in the helmets the sound of the wind drowns out just about everything, "We'll secure the lines here," he points to the rock below his feet "...and fire the cable locks in to the rocks down there." Again he points, indicating a pile of rocks being smashed by heaving waves, "We'll have to time it to miss the waves and get a secure hold before they get washed off." He looks at his brothers to make sure they are following so far. "Right?" Three heads nod. "Next Gordon and I will descend..." he raises a hand to Virgil's instinctive protest, "I want Alan here as back up." He looks at his youngest brother, "You've got the most experience with the equipment. If it fails and we have to retrieve the line and secure a second lock, I want you doing it. Virgil I need you up here. If for some reason we have to revert to the platform, I want you at the controls of Two. So that leaves Gordon and me."
Sighing in agreement Virgil nods. "OK Alan get us a secure lock on that thing." Scott indicates the cable devises, then turning to look at Gordon, "We take it slow, OK? Once we have the kids we get them in the harnesses and have Virgil and Alan bring them up. Then we follow." Nodding Gordon starts pulling on his harness, 'I hate heights...' Gordon thinks, 'Well at least with this rain I won't be able to see much.'
Alan secures the cable into the rock at the top of the cliffs, firing the explosive powered clamp into the solid rock, then firmly tying himself to the line he steps close to the cliff edge takes aim through the rain and fires the rock pin, aim perfect the pin holds solidly in the rocks as the next powerful wave crashes over the rocks. He winds in the slack and tightens the line. Then taking the second devise follows the same actions to secure a second line.
Once he is satisfied that the cables are safe he turns to Scott and Gordon checking over their harnesses and attaching safety lines, giving a thumbs up by way of acknowledgment. "Good to go."
Nodding Scott and Gordon move toward the cables and attach themselves. Scott strides towards the cliff edge and straight over the side face first without stopping, hesitantly Gordon follows on the second line, taking a deep breath before going over the edge. Standing at right angles to the cliff face they walk down placing their feet carefully on the slippery surface. Reaching the bottom they release their harnesses from the main lines, and safety lines, clamping the two lines together for later retrieval. Hugging the face of the cliff as they creep towards the cave entrance knowing a single slip and they will be ripped out to sea or smashed on the sharp rock by the powerful waves, the sea spray saturating their flight suits and hazing their visors with salt. Entering the damp dark interior of the cave, they flick on their helmet lights. "OK Virge, were in." Scott informs those waiting above, "Can't see anyone yet, but it goes back a way." Careful of the slippery footing Gordon and Scott start searching the cave. Twelve meters in the cave splits into two smaller tunnels, looking into the darkness Scott turns on his external speaker and calls, "This is International Rescue. Is anyone in there? Can you hear me?" Receiving no response he looks at Gordon.
"Could be unconscious by now." Gordon reasons.
"Yeah, you take that one, I'll go this way, call if you find anything."
"F-A-B."
The brother split to search the caves.
The split that Scott follows leads higher into the cliff side as he climbs the rocks under foot become drier and less slippery, the stifling darkness creeps him out. 'God I hate being underground. How can John and Dad enjoy this?' He thinks. "Hello, can you hear me. Is anyone there?" He makes his way further into the cave, searching in nooks and crannies, before long he reaches the back of the cave without finding a soul. Shrugging he looks around the narrow end of the tunnel, "Virge, I've got nothing here. It's a dead end, I'm gonna go back and find Gordon."
"F-A-B."
As he turns to leave Scott hears a mumble, turning sharply he looks around the cave again, 'must be dreaming.' He turns and starts back down the tunnel when he hears the sound again, more clearly this time, "Help, Please help we're trapped, Help." Turning back to the dead end Scott follows the sound, in a small niche in the back of the cave wall he finds a radio receiver attached to a speaker. Looking at it in disbelief Scott frowns. 'A hoax.'
Angry Scott radios Virgil, "Virge, Call Gordon, tell him to get back to the main cave, now!"
Noting the angry tone of Scott voice Virgil looks at Alan, "Scott what's up."
"Just call Gordon now. We're leaving."
Worried Virgil radio's Gordon. "Gordo, Scott says to head back to the main cave." When he receives no response Virgil tries again, "Gordon, do you read me?"
Frowning Alan taps in the code into his radio for Gordon, "Hey Gordo, stop messing around, Scott wants you back at the main cave."
The two brother's look at each other knowing Gordon wouldn't be joking around, that something must have happened.
"Scott, we can't get Gordon." Virgil radio's his eldest brother.
"What? Hold on I'll try." Scott stops on his way towards the main cave. "Gordon, You receiving me?" Getting no reply, Scott raises his visor, maybe the rocks are interfering with the radio signal. "GORDON! CAN YOU HEAR ME?" He shouts. No reply. He keys in Virgil's code, "Virge, I'm not getting anything either, I'm gonna head down there, see what's happened, stand by."
"F-A-B."
----
In Thunderbird five John listens in to the conversation amongst his brothers, wondering at the lack of response from Gordon, his fingers fly over the keyboard in front of him, directing all of Thunderbird five not insignificant scanning power over the area his brothers are located. The scans come back negative, concerned John sends an emergency locator signal, the expected ping doesn't return.
"Scott, I'm not getting anything on Gordon, his radio is down." John's voice is tight with concern. "I'm also getting a lot on interference, the rock in the area has a high iron content, it could be interfering with the signal."
"F-A-B John. I'm moving into the second tunnel now stand by."
Scott returns to the main cave and then follows the second split in the direction that Gordon has followed; he keeps his visor raised in the hopes that he will hear his brother calling. "Gordon! Gordon! Can you hear me?" The cave delves deeper into the rock it's path directing downward, getting damper and slipperier as it goes, Scott finding he has to slow his progress to avoid the risk of a fall. "Gordon. Com'on Bro' Where are you?"
A further 10 meters into the cave the sharp decent levels out into a wide flat hollow where still dark water puddles across the floor in a wide pool. Scott looks at the dark water warily. "Gordon!" his only reply is an echo. Carefully Scott feels his way around the edge of the pool the cold water lapping at his knees. He looks around realising that the cavern is quite wide and that the lights from his helmet don't reach the distant wall. Coming to the rise on the far side of the water Scott wades out and continues down the tunnel, he reaches the dead end quickly without sign or sound of Gordon. "Virgil, John, I've reached the end and there's still no sign of him. See if you can get anything on the High Resonance Scanner Virge. John try the ping again."
"F-A-B."
"I'm heading back."
Scott reaches the pool of water again carefully scanning the surface for any sight of his brother, "Gordon?" 'Damn it where are you fish? Please don't be in the water.'
"Virgil to Scott, come in Scott."
Scott taps the link open, "Scott here, what you got."
"Nothing Scott, I can see you moving, but I'm not getting anything else."
"Shit, where the hell is he?" Scott mutters.
"I don't know, but wherever he is it can't be good."
His voice stronger with determination Scott opens the link with Thunderbird five, "John you getting anything?"
"Negative" John mutters the click clack of the keyboard in the back round, "I'm increasing the signal, but nothing is coming back. Either the iron in the rock is blocking it, which I doubt, or his radio is dead, I mean out." John sighs at the Freudian slip. "I'll keep trying."
"OK I'm gonna have a better look around the far side of this cavern. Alan I want you to get the dive gear down here, if I can't find him anywhere else, we're gonna have to try this pool, it looks deep... and cold." 'Please Gordo, don't be down there. I couldn't deal with that again.' Scott contemplates the dark still water with trepidation.
"F-A-B" Alan responds, anxious to assist in locating his missing brother.
TBC...
A/N: Wow, that even surprised me, when I started writting the chapter I had no idea where it was going, I just figured that the guy's needed something to do while John was stewing. I hope you enjoyed the change of pace. Sorry about the cliff hanger ;-) LOL, but I really needed to break this chapter from the next one, otherwise I wouldn't have got this up today. Gordon is still out there, and even I'm not sure where. Oh dear!
Only Three Chapters to go, the two last are already planned it's just the nextone that is still hanging. Will they get the Joker back or is the laughter over. Will John ever get paid back for his nefarious scheming, or will pranks be a thing of the past. (Boo who who. LOL!!!)
As it's only a few days till the big jolly man in red comes to visit, I'm not sure when I'll be able to update. So have a Merry Celebrations and a safe New Year. (But I am open to bribery... Review and I'll try to get the next chapter up Before the 25th, once I work out where the Hell Gordon is, that boy just gets away from you sometimes ;-p he he.)
Thanks again for reviewing.
TBZ