Countdown to Adventure
Standard disclaimer: I don't own the thunderbirds...
A/N: Thank you to all you wonderful people for reviewing, and so quickly to.... I think you deserve a reward... so here it is the next chapter.
(Don't worry about Scotty, if you've read my story Sasquatch, you'll realise they obviously get it together in the end, but Zoey's doesn't do things the easy way, neither does Scott come to that. So no KatZen you can't have him.) As for the beans.... you'll just have to wait and see. LOL.
Enjoy.... TBZ
Chapter 10 – Race against time
By the time Scott had covered a five kilometre radius, determined by Brains as being a reasonable distance for a girl Tian's age to have wandered, Scott could hear the heavy throbbing sound of Thunderbird two's engines as she approached. He flicked a switch to open a radio link with Thunderbird two, "Thunderbird two about time you got here." Scott taunted, knowing Virgil was starting to become rather attached to the large slower, much slower in Scott's opinion, craft.
"Yeah, well we thought we'd give you time to get organised, I know how long it takes you in the bathroom in the mornings." John teased.
Jeff frowned, "Can we get down to business here boys?"
"Yes sir." Scott responded, flushing at being reprimanded.
"F-A-B Dad." John added with an ingenuous grin.
"What is it with F-A-B?" Scott demanded.
"Don't worry about it Scott, I'll explain later. Have you picked anything up?" Jeff gave John a warning look, the blond returned the look with an unrepentant smirk and turned to his control board.
"Negative. She's not down there. There's very little down there actually. Small animals mainly, I think I rustled up a tiger, but it disappeared pretty quick, other than that the largest readings I got was a group, infra-red indicated they were probably primates of some sort. No little girl though."
"Roger Scott," Jeff glowered at the sighs from his three sons aboard Thunderbird two. "We'll meet you at the same location as last time."
"Roger Thunderbird two, Thunderbird one out."
Scott brought Thunderbird one around and landed with unconscious precision outside the perimeter fence in the same location he had on their previous visit. Shutting down the engines and running post flight checks quickly he turned on the security systems and link to Mobile Control, then undid his harness and picked up the mobile control laptop, swinging the strap over his shoulder. He exited through the hatch closing it firmly behind him. The process of completing the search and the flight had allowed him time to settle, with a stretch and sigh he relaxed his shoulders, feeling much more himself. Deep inside he knew he'd have to face the sudden change of direction his life had taken, but that was something he could delay, indefinitely if he could manage to.
Striding towards the main complex Scott recognised the man hurrying across the grave towards him as the man he'd seen speaking to his father, 'Kyrano Belagant.' Scott remembered, "Mr Belagant," Scott held out his hand to greet the distressed man, behind him an equally distressed Onaha Belagant stood wringing her hands on the wooden steps of the mine control room. Mr Belagant turned and beaconed her forward putting his arm around her as she stood beside him, "I told you Jeff would help. He will find Tian. You will see." The woman hesitantly held out her hands, murmuring in Malay. Scott grasped them in comfort.
"We'll find her," Scott reassured though he wondered how, having found no trace of the girl on his scans.
"Can we set up in the office again?"
"... This way." Kyrano led the way into the building. Scott followed and with an awkward smile he unpacked the laptop and started it up. "Aah the others will be along shortly..." He looked around the room, not sure how to distract the couple, he found their intent gaze disconcerting. With an embarrassed shrug he turned his attention to the laptop, downloading the scans from Thunderbird one and overlaying the maps of the mines and surrounds from their previous excursion.
----
On Thunderbird two Virgil grumbled about lowing the large ship into the steaming jungle, "I just washed her and he wants me to put her down in the mud again."
"Is there a problem Virgil." Jeff enquired.
"No. No problem." Virgil responded with a glance over his shoulder, he shared a look with Gordon; both were anticipating having to re-clean the large ship.
As Jeff and John headed for the lift to the main hatch Gordon matched his pace with Virgil. "I came up with another one." Virgil raised an eyebrow in question. "F-A-B?" Gordon paused for effect, "Fathers-Absolutely-Batty."
Virgil froze in his tracks and stared at Gordon, "I'd pay money to see you say that to his face." He sniggered.
Gordon's look of horror was enough to have Virgil giggling uncontrollably as they enter the lift behind Jeff and John.
"Definitely too much time together." Jeff said quietly to John. "Next time send them to their rooms."
"Yes sir." John acknowledged he elbowed Virgil, who coughed and smothered the laughter.
Exiting the elevator Virgil and Gordon raced across the pod and bound up on the ATPC's grinning like children with their first bikes.
As Jeff approached he raised an eyebrow in reprimand, "Supplies?" Sliding off the large machines with chagrined looks, the two started loading basic rescue equipment. John grinned and quickly loaded up his own vehicle mounting up with relish, the boys had enjoyed racing these 'bikes' around the island. Gunning the engine John raced Virgil and Gordon out of the pod and down the ramp into the steaming jungle.
Shaking his head in wonder Jeff followed at a slightly more sedate speed. Once they had left the shadow of Thunderbird two, Jeff planted his foot on the accelerator and over took the three in front of him by cutting a swathe through the undergrowth. Grinning at his boys look of surprise he took the lead and the four heavy bikes raced along the over grown track towards the mining complex, passing through the fields of banana plantations.
Passing Thunderbird one and pulling to a stop just inside the perimeter fence they parked up and jogged to where Scott was standing with the Belagant's on the steps of the mine control centre. Jeff greeted his long time friends with a hug, "Well find her Onaha, I promise. Well find her." He turned to Kyrano, "We need somewhere to set up. Can we use the main office again?"
"Yes, yes of course. Your Scott has already set up." He glanced at Scott questioningly.
Nodding Scott turned leading Jeff and the boys into the office, "I've downloaded all the data I could get..." he glanced at the Belagant's then gave Jeff a meaningful look.
Jeff followed the look and frowned worriedly, "Kyrano, Onaha why don't you go and rest. Let us do what we do. as soon as I have something I'll let you know." Kyrano nodded distressed but understanding that his friend was doing what he needed to do. He led his wife back to the main house. Jeff closed the door on the couple, turning to Scott, "OK what have we got son." His tone indicated he meant business.
Scott lifted the laptop screen and turned it to face his father. "I've done a full scan for five kilometres in every direction. Like I said, no sign. I figure she's either underground or else someone's taken her, there's no way she could walk further that five Ks in this terrain."
Scott pulled up the files he'd downloaded, showing the near impenetrable terrain surrounding the mines, with the infra-red overlay indicating heat sources he'd picked up. "See here, the terrain is impossible..." he pointed to various areas on the map. "I figure if anyone has taken her they have to have taken the trail down the valley, but there is a chance they could have also taken this trail up the valley to this small runway. I didn't see it on our last trip. I figure it's been cleared recently?"
Jeff nodded, "Looks like it." He looked closer at the image, "I'll ask Kyrano."
Scott nodded, "I'm pretty sure it's a kidnapping..." he shook his head a worried frown on his face, having faced a similar situation with two of his brothers before they left Kansas, it wasn't something he like to think about.
Jeff nodded, "That's what I was afraid of. OK." Looking up the a determined air, Jeff turned to the three watching.
"John, Gordon I want you to go to the house and check the bed room, look around outside. Check for any tracks or trace of her or anyone that may have taken her. But don't let on what we suspect at this point. I'll discuss it with Kyrano and Onaha if the need arises." Jeff turned to Scott and Virgil, "Scott, Virgil scan the perimeter for anything that could indicate a vehicle, there could still be heat signatures. In the mean time I'll start running scans of the mines; we'll meet back here in forty five minutes."
Three "F-A-Bs" and one "Understood." responded to Jeff's order. Scott frowned at his smirking brothers. 'I'm gonna get to the bottom of this.' He thought following Virgil out the door.
They divide up at the bottom of the steps. Scott and Virgil heading for the perimeter fence, John and Gordon for the house.
As Scott reached the gate he looked back at Virgil, "You take the inside, I'll do the outside, and we follow around together. Understood?"
"F-A-B." Virgil responded and started walking looking at the ground.
Scott stopped and looked at Virgil, realising his brother wasn't moving Virgil looked back.
"What is going on?" Scott asked with a tilt of his head.
"Huh?" Virgil frowned.
"F-A-B.?"
Virgil grinned, "Oh, Johnny had an epiphany."
Scott shook his head no clearer.
"Gordo and John had been discussing radio chatter, apparently Gordon couldn't follow. So they were discussing using syntax that was unique to us. Then Gordo said something, I don't know some slang term they're using at school now and John suddenly went WahhhHooo." Virgil whorled his finger around near his forehead. "You know how he suddenly grabs at an idea and won't let go. Well he came up with F-A-B instead of Roger, Confirmed, Acknowledged and stuff." Virgil shrugged, "I was just sort of stirring Dad when I used it with you, but it kind of works."
"So what's it mean? Exactly." Scott queried, liking things to be clear and concise.
"Well nothing really. Just 'Yeah got that, understood.'"
"That's it?" Scott shook his head not liking the ambiguity of the term. He glanced down at his scanner and started walking following the fence line and stepping carefully over the rough ground.
"Well John said 'Full Acknowledgement of Broadcast.'"
"Ok that's better." Scott approved without looking up from his hand scanner.
Virgil followed Scott's lead and began scanning the inner fence line, a few minutes of quiet study was broken as Virgil added, "Course I came up with 'First And Best.'" Virgil looked up with a grin which quickly faded at Scott's smirk, "That would be me then." Scott gloated.
Virgil shook his head a disgruntled look crossing his face; he gave Scott the finger and continued on his trek. Laughing quietly to himself, Scott followed on the outside hand scanners moving backwards and forwards in front of them, looking for any disturbances that could give a clue to the where abouts of the missing Tian.
Halfway around the perimeter, Virgil halted and bent to examine a break in the fence line, on the outside Scott stopped, "What you got?"
"Break in the fence."
Scott crouched and examined the large tear in the structure, "Looks like it probably happened when the mine collapsed. Be careful, the ground is showing unstable on my scanner."
Virgil nodded and standing up stretched, rotating his head and shoulders tiredly. He gave a small chuckle.
Glancing over Scott frowned at the amused look on Virgil's face, the situation hardly gave rise to amusement he thought.
Seeing the look Virgil grinned, "Gordo came up with a good one."
"Good what?" Scott asked distractedly while stepping over a large hole in the ground, he stumbled as the ground gave way beneath him and he had to scramble to reach solid ground. Leaning over and breathing hard as the shock passed Scott glanced up at Virgil's suddenly pale face where he stood clinging to the other side of the fence.
"Careful." Virgil ordered in a tight voice.
"Yes sir." Scott gave a cocky grin and mock salute, "So what did Gordo come up with." He asked to distract Virgil from his panic.
"What?"
"You said Gordon came up with a good one. Good what?"
"Oh. Yeah." Virgil frowned looking at the large crater that had appeared where Scott had stood only moments earlier."
"Virgil. Earth calling Virgil!" Scott called.
The younger brother looked up distractedly. "Ah. F-A-B. Gordo came up with another meaning for it. Not that I'd let Dad in on it." Virgil looked up at Scott expectantly.
On the other side of the fence Scott watched his brothers face transform from one of terror to a smirk, 'This is gonna be good.' He thought "So?"
Virgil chuckled took a deep breath and blurted out, "Father's-Absolutely-Batty."
Scott froze astounded, a slow grin spreading across his face contorting as laughter fought to escape; finally he gave up and doubled over laughing. "Oh yeah, that's it. We are definitely using F-A-B from now on. God I'd pay money to see Gordo say that to Dad."
"Yeah that's what I said. You should have seen the look of horror on Gordo's face. He nearly wet himself." Virgil replied.
Together the brother's continued their path around the perimeter. It was good to see a smile on Scott's face. Virgil thought. He glanced at his older brother, whose face still sported a grin, even if it didn't quite reach his eyes. Shaking his head in dismay Virgil still couldn't believe what John had told them. He'd had always been slightly jealous of Scott and Zoey's relationship, but hadn't wanted to see it end, not when it left his brother with wounded empty eyes.
Virgil sighed and continued following Scott.
----
John knocked on the front door of the small bungalow, keeping a smile on his face as Kyrano came to answer the door, "Mr Belagant, I'd like to have a look at Tian's room please, see if we can get an idea of why she may have left." Kyrano nodded and allowed John to enter the house, showing him where the little girl slept. John was enchanted by the bright colours and cheerful pictures in the small bedroom. The girl was obviously a normal happy child. John searched around the room looking for any disturbances. Peeping out through the open window he noted Gordon checking through the undergrowth near the window. "Find anything?" he called.
Looking up Gordon shook his head and continued to look. John studied the window sill noting a smudge of mud, which lead him to investigate the floor more closely. John found a muddy foot print, not large but certainly not belonging to a nine year old girl. 'Ok looks like someone came in through the window.' he surmised, moving back to the bed and pulling the covers back, there was a cotton blanket and a quilted cover but no sheet. John frowned and went to the bedroom door. "Mrs Belagant?" he called, the distressed woman appeared. "Would Tian usually have an upper sheet on the bed?"
"Yes of course." She said moving into the room and looking at the bed, "Where is the sheet, why would the sheet be missing as well?" she asked.
"I'm not sure. But we'll find out. OK." John shrugged not wanting to distress the woman anymore, "Don't worry." He added inanely. Leaving the room he joined Gordon under the window. "There's mud on the floor, and the bed sheet is missing as well. Someone got in." He told his younger brother. The two brothers looked around the area near the window, finally finding a couple of smudgy footprints, "Not enough to get a cast or anything." Gordon said.
John gave Gordon a mystified look, "And you'd know that because?"
"Hey! I've watched CSI." Gordon grinned.
John snorted. "Right and that makes you an expert."
"Yep." Gordon crouched. "See the first prints are facing the window. They are about what? Half inch deep in the mud a little smaller than mine, and slightly deeper. Then the second set are coming away from the window crossing the first set and are deeper. So someone with smaller feet than me and probably a bit heavier went into the room and brought something or someone out." Gordon stood up a confident smirk on his face, "Probably a woman went in and carried Tian out wrapped in the sheet."
"You got all that from those prints?" John asked in disbelief, "Why a woman?"
Gordon's smirk grew, "One, it's someone with smaller feet than me but heavier, so it's unlikely to be a man as a man heavier than me would be more likely to have larger feet, but not so a woman. Two, the prints coming out, which cross the ones facing the window, are quite a bit deeper so the person is suddenly heavier. Carrying something." He gave John a confident grin, "Three," Gordon leaned forward and rested a hand on the rough wood wall pulling at something near the ground. Turning he showed John what he'd found, a scrap of cloth. "Something wrapped in a sheet, which doesn't make sense unless it was Tian. "And" he held up a thin strand of reddish hair, "Long..." he looked closer, "Bottle red. Not a local." Then with a flourish he showed the final item he'd seen dropped in the undergrowth. "A syringe. Tian was probably drugged, that's how they got her out without waking her parents."
"They?"
"Yeah. I found a set of larger prints over there with one that matches these here." He pointed behind John and slightly to the right. "Two people. One very large, and a second smaller that went in and got Tian out the bedroom."
John swallowed tightly and frowned trying to find fault with Gordon's logic. "OK seems logical."
Gordon ignored John and followed the prints through the undergrowth to dryer ground. "They went south, out through the main entrance probably." Gordon headed off in that direction watching the ground with John following like a lost puppy.
Gordon reached the main gates where the traffic of many feet as well as the ATPC's tracks had eradicated any obvious trace of the trail. Gordon again crouched and tilted his head searching the ground, moving forward in a zigzag pattern, stopping and looking at the ground from different directions. John stood back watching his intent brother, he'd never seen Gordon so serious or focussed before, he was somewhat amazed at the difference from his prank pulling fun loving brother.
Suddenly Gordon stood and strode towards the nearby jungle, pushing into the foliage. He called over his shoulder, "Come here."
John approached cautiously, still not sure if Gordon was genuine or setting up a prank. He found the teen again crouched on the ground, the foliage close at hand crushed over a largish area. "What've you found?"
"There was a vehicle parked here. Tian was probably driven away from here." Gordon straightened up an absorbed frown on his face, "She's definitely been kidnapped."
John looked around the area. "No sign of tracks, what makes you think it was a vehicle.
Gordon held up his hand to show a greasy substance on his fingers, "Engine oil. They probably left via the main track into the village down the valley. Make it easier to lose their trail amongst everything else. Probably trail bikes."
"How you figure that." John asked curious to follow Gordon's train of thought although he had already worked it out himself.
"No sign of a large break in the undergrowth."
John nodded and smiled, "Not bad Fish. Not bad at all."
Gordon looked up at the sky through the trees, "It's gonna rain soon. We're gonna lose any trail."
"Damn." John swore. "Let's get back to Dad. See if Scott and Virgil have got anything."
The two brother trudged dejectedly back to the main building.
----
In the main building Scott and Virgil were discussing the lack of any solid evidence with their father. "It's as if she just vanished. If she went through the main gate we couldn't find anything." Scott informed his father.
John and Gordon entered on the end of the conversation. "Well Gordon's found something." John informed his brother's and father. The four Tracy's looked at the youngest member of the family present.
"Ah..." Gordon blushed at being singled out. "Yeah well, she's definitely been kidnapped." He rubbed a hand through his hair in anxiety.
John grinned and laid a hand on Gordon's shoulder in support, "We found evidence of someone entering the room. The sheet on the bed was gone and Gordon found a piece caught on the outside wall, a trail of foot prints led to the main gates and out into the jungle where a vehicle of some sort was parked. They probably followed the main trail into the village down the valley."
"Well done boys." Jeff praised.
"That's not all." John added.
"Oh?" Jeff looked at John questioningly.
"Gordon?" John asked. Gordon shrugged and grimaced, not enjoying having the focus on himself. "Right." John looked at his father, "Gordon also surmised that Tian was possibly drugged he found a syringe outside the bedroom window. Also the kidnapper was probably a woman, not a local and escaped on a dirt bike. There was another person involved, so we're looking for two individuals."
John explained the evidence, while his father and brothers looked with awed faces at Gordon. "How'd you get so smart Fish?" Scott asked.
Gordon grimaced, "Well I guess watching TV paid off. Huh."
Scott frowned.
"CSI." John put in.
Scott nodded in understanding. "So what do we do now?" he asked his father.
"I need to talk to Kyrano and Onaha. I want you four to follow the trail and see what you can pick up before that storm hits." Jeff closed the laptop as the four brothers left the building. "Oh you better leave one of the ATPC's for me. Virgil, Gordon you can double up."
Virgil scowled at Gordon. "I'm driving." He snapped, his ease with Gordon having worn off, as Gordon once again took the centre stage in the family dynamics.
Gordon nodded, "'Kay, I wanna watch the track anyway."
Virgil scowled as they made their way to the heavy four wheeled vehicles. As they left the compound Scott and John followed behind Virgil and Gordon. "Take it slow, I don't wanna miss anything." Gordon instructed as he studied the ground.
"Fine Sherlock." Virgil grouched, keeping the vehicle to a crawl. Purposefully Gordon climbed off the moving bike and walked ahead looking for a single track, behind him Virgil rolled his eyes at Scott and John. Both elder brothers gave Virgil a reproving look. Virgil glared off into the jungle. "Brat." He muttered to himself.
Gordon had always been interested in tracking, admittedly it had been animals in the past, or if he was honest, he'd always wanted to find evidence of a Sasquatch, not much chance of that on a tropical island, but he'd spent hours following the small trails of rodents and reptiles on his island home. He found tracking a vehicle to be very similar. He discerned the differing tracks crossing the muddy expanse. Eliminating their own tracks easily, Gordon finally settled on the distinct clean tread of a two wheeled vehicle, deciding the tires were probably quite new and that the poor locals would be unlikely to afford such a vehicle, he felt certain he found what he was looking for.
"Here, this is what we are looking for." He called to his brothers. The three older Tracy's stopped the bikes and gingerly stepped forward to see what Gordon had found. "New tires, two wheels. That's it." Gordon stated confidently.
Scott smiled impressed. "Good one Gordo. Ok let's see how far we can follow it." The others nodded in agreement and remounted the ATPC's.
"Keep an eye out for breaks in the undergrowth in case they left the track at some point." Gordon said as they set off. "And slow down Virg' I can't see the trail when you're moving so fast." Virgil grudgingly slowed to a crawl.
They followed the track, keeping the pace slow enough to follow the trail but fast enough that they felt they were making positive progress.
----
Packing up the laptop Jeff sighed. "Damn." He slammed his fist against the desk. Memories of the attempted kidnapping of Virgil and Gordon when they were children coming to mind, it was a father's worst nightmare.
Especially for Jeff, his money seemed to put his boys in more danger, not less as he'd hoped.
He left the office and crossed the gravel forecourt towards the small bungalow nestled in a well tended tropical garden. Leaping up the steps to the front door, Jeff knocked and opened the door, "Kyrano? Onaha? It's Jeff."
Onaha appeared in a doorway further down the hallway. "Jeff. Have you found her?"
Walking down the hall to the woman Jeff held out his arms, "Not yet. But the boys are following a lead." Onaha stepped into his arms returning his hug.
"You will find her. Yes?"
Jeff nodded firmly, "Yes I'll find her and bring her home to you."
Behind them Kyrano entered the hall, "Jeff?"
Glancing over his shoulder, Jeff released Onaha and reached out a hand to his friend, "We've got a lead." He sighed, what he had to say wasn't going to be easy. "It looks like someone took her."
"Kidnapped? But why? We have nothing. Not even the mine is worth anything now. My brother..." Kyrano shook his head, "The collapse has destroyed everything. My brother had not paid his licences. We have no insurance and the authorities are threatening to prosecute us because the mine was illegal. Jeff. What could someone want with my little girl."
"I don't know Kyrano. But I'll find out." Jeff gave a predatory grin, "I'm have contacts and I don't give up."
Kyrano nodding his thanks, pulling his wife comfortingly into his arms.
"Right. I'm going to go and make a few calls, then I'll follow the boys and see what they've found. I'll be in touch. If you hear anything or get worried, call the island, Brains will contact us. OK?"
"Yes. Thank you. Thank you Jeff." Kyrano bowed slightly and showed Jeff to the door.
"Oh. I nearly forgot." Jeff turned on the steps to face Kyrano, "The air field up the valley, it wasn't there when we were here last week."
"No. It was there. But my brother kept it covered with camoflage netting, he said he didn't want touist using it." Kyrano shrugged indicating he didn't understand the logic. "The authorities used it. I haven't bothered to recover it. There is no need."
Jeff nodded, "When was the last time it was used?"
Kyrano frowned thoughtfully. "Last Friday."
Jeff nodded, "It's rains since?"
"Of course." Kyrano smiled indulgenty. "It is the wet season."
"Don't I know it." Jeff replied, "Every after noon at home. Spoilt a few good game of golf, it has."
Kyrano shrugged, the smile fading from his face.
"I'll find her Kyrano. I promise." Jeff said quietly.
As the door closed he heard the unmistakable of cries of a mother terrified for her child. Feeling the pain himself, Jeff strode out to the main entrance and followed the fence line around to Thunderbird one, punching in his code he climbed into the vehicle and open a frequency with the island, while he could do this with the radio built into his helmet and the mobile command centre, it was easier from inside Thunderbird one.
"Thunderbird one to base, do you copy base."
"Af-f-f... c-c-c...b-b-b base h-here." Brains responded.
"Brains. We've ascertained that she probably been kidnapped." Jeff informed his chief engineer.
Brains blue eye's showed his concern behind his think glasses. "K-k-k kidnapped?"
"Yes, indications are in that direction. The boys are following a trail at present." Jeff smiled sadly, "I need you to get me a list of foreigners in the area, probably female. Backpackers, tourists, miners whatever. Also I need you to do a trace of business interests, money concerns anything connected to the Belagant's, It might be worth contacting Lady Penelope, she seems to have contacts in that area, I'm paying her, we might as well make use of her. There has to be a reason Tian has been kidnapped and I'm hoping it's not just the slave trade. So see what you can find."
"R-r-roger." Brains responded.
"Right. I'm going to follow the boys and we'll see what we can find." Jeff leaned forward to close the link, "Oh, that storm, how far away is it?"
Brains looked at the radar weather systems in front of him. "Aaah... Iiit wwill bbbe ttt... h.. hhitting yyou iiin ttttwo hhours."
Jeff nodded, "We better move fast then."
----
The three heavy bikes trundled into the village causing the watching locals to scattered at their approach. Scott pulled his bike to a stop and dismounted approaching a villager, "Have you seen another bike?" he asked. The man looking vacantly at him backed away shaking his head and muttering in his own language. Frustrated Scott looked at John.
"Don't ask me, I don't speak Malay." John responded holding a hand defensively.
Scott scowled in frustration. "Which way now then?"
Looking over his shoulder at his younger brother Virgil asked, "Well Sherlock?"
"Shut up Virgin." Gordon growled in response and clambered off the bike. Virgil scowled heavily at his younger brother, but chose to ignore the remark for now at Scott's warning glare.
Gordon looked around at the track way that led through the village, shaking his head. "Nothing." He trotted further through the village to where the track left the group of shacks and animal enclosures, shaking his head he returned to his brothers, "Nothing. The track is so churned up that I can't see anything." He said in a tight distressed tone.
Scott threw an arm over his shoulders, "Don't worry Gordo'. You gave us a good start. We'll find her."
Leaving the bikes where they stood the four young men followed the track to the centre of the village to find that the track split in three. The main path heading onward in the same general direction they had been following down the valley, a second narrower path leading back at an angle towards the mines and a third travelling in the opposite direction following the ridge above a river.
"Right we're gonna have to split up to cover the ground before that storm arrives." Scott took command. "John you follow the track leading along the river. Virgil, Gordon that one back towards the mines. Check the mines out as well, but don't go in too far. I'll follow the main track down the valley, if you find a sign of anything call the others and wait. Well join up again and then follow on. If you don't have anything in..." he looked at his watch then up at the sky, "One hour turn back and we'll meet here. OK?" All three brothers nodded, "F-A-B." Gordon responded with a cheeky grin, his moral restored by Scott's decisiveness.
Scott narrowed his eyes, "Yeah, I wanna talk to you about that later."
Gordon's grin faded he followed Scott quietly back to the waiting ATPC's and mounted up. Gordon climbed up behind Virgil quickly as Virgil started the engine with a roar.
Nodding to each other they headed out on their designated paths.
TBC ----
A/N: Will they find Tian before the storm hits? Why was she kidnapped and by who? Will the boys make it through the storm in one piece?
See you next time....
TBZ