SHATTERED 14
by Crystalquirt
Thunderbirds Are Go! Fanfiction
I don't own anyone or anything.
And extra special thanks to Tigre malabarista for all the hard work! Tigre's work and suggestions made this story so much better than it would have been and I have benefitted by Tigre's guidance more than I ever guessed at the beginning.
The men lifted off in the helicopter and landed again behind the hill. The pilot got on the radio and called, "International Rescue! International Rescue! We have someone here who needs saving."
In Thunderbird Five, John heard and answered, "International Rescue here, what is your situation?"
The pleading voice turned cold. "It's not really my situation. You could say that I caused it though. You really need to come save your friend, Brandon Berringer! Before he bleeds or freezes to death."
"You know where he is? Tell us!" John demanded. EOS heard and added frequencies so that everyone could hear as John continued, "We'll have someone right there! Who are you?"
"I'm the one that kidnapped him. He won't tell me anything about you guys no matter what I do to him. So, if you want to save him in time, you have to send your beautiful ships and land here. Then we can have us a nice interview for my paper."
"Where are you!?" the astronaut asked again, more urgently.
"You don't have to know where I am, but Brandon is located at 2156 by 1945. I suggest you get there in a hurry, he's bound to have some frostbite already, and maybe just a teensy bit of blood loss and hypothermia."
"Grrr!" Virgil growled. In his eyes, even Lemaire was more compassionate than this reporter.
He pulled Thunderbird Two, hard around to head for the coordinates.
"Oh no, said Kayo, hearing the pilot's anger, responded in Thunderbird Shadow and Thunderbird One turned to head for the coordinates too with Alan and Gordon. Alan was piloting.
Virgil had been flying in a circle pattern and happened to be closest at the time. Kayo noticed even before John did, that Virgil would get there first no matter how fast Alan pushed Thunderbird One.
"Virgil!" she yelled over a private IR frequency, "Pull back, wait for us! Do not go into the danger zone alone!"
"I have to save Al...Brandon!" Virgil said and closed the link.
"John, Thunderbird Five!" Kayo called, "I'm worried about Virgil! He's still confusing truth with fiction."
"I heard," John said, gritting his teeth.
"Can you slow him down a little?" Kayo asked.
John shuddered, thinking about the last time he had to stop Thunderbird Two. "No Kayo - I really don't want to if I can help it. How far behind are you and Thunderbird One?"
"I'm 15 minutes behind. Thunderbird One is about 22 minutes behind since they were much farther from the coordinates when we received them."
"Yes, I show that too." John verified.
"But Virgil is flying into a trap!" Kayo argued.
"You heard the 'reporter,' he must be crazy. He thinks he's just doing all this for an interview. He just wants to talk to Virgil," John reasoned, "Virgil can keep him busy until you arrive."
"He could be lying - he said he's hurt Brandon - he might hurt Virgil too! I can't believe he would do all this just to talk to us - just for an interview!" Kayo argued, frowning.
Scott interrupted, "John, I know how you feel - but slow Virgil down at least! I don't want him getting there first and alone!"
"I can't! If I slow him down and he finds Brandon dead - I just can't do it! I can't do it to him or Brandon!" John locked the others out of the control of Thunderbird Two. He also had EOS deny access to the Omicron Contingency to anyone but him as well, just in case Scott might and force his hand to take over Thunderbird Two from Tracy Island.
Virgil flew Thunderbird Two in when he spotted the cabin at the exact coordinates the kidnappers gave John. He fired off the VTOL engines even before he was close enough. The snow was coming down hard, and the cabin was hardly more than a dark spot below. "There's no way Brandon is properly attired for this weather," muttered Virgil. Once he was safely down, he jumped out of his seat and grabbed the 'hypothermia' and 'trauma' kits before he ran from his Thunderbird.
He ran first to the one-room cabin and went inside, almost knocking the door down. He was really disturbed that he didn't find Brandon inside. "BRANDON!" he called and getting no answer he ran out through the rear door in the cabin. There he saw the teenager unconscious with snow sticking to his clothing and hanging against the pine tree in the snow. He dropped his medkits at the back door and ran to Brandon, leaping through the deep snow.
"Oh Al… Brandon!" Virgil cried fighting back imagined images of Alan's dying face, begging him for help. He shook his head, reached up with his Ion wrench and cut Brandon's hands down. He let the boy fall over his shoulder and ran with him back to the cabin.
On the way, with the extra weight on his shoulder and in his haste, Virgil slipped and fell sideways. Brandon slid off Virgil's shoulder and onto his back, as Virgil kept falling. He heard a sickening 'crack' as Brandon's right arm broke under his weight. "Oh no! Brandon I'm so sorry!"
He picked Brandon up from the deep snow and cradled the teen in his arms, being careful to keep his broken arm protected.
Virgil got Brandon inside the cabin and put him on the makeshift cot along one wall. It was really just wire milk crates with a thin blanket thrown over them. Looking down at Brandon, Virgil couldn't think at first. As he strained to think what to do, he looked up like he was willing the others to get there faster.
Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, he began his work, covering Brandon with a thermal blanket, he cut the ties off of his ankles and wrapped the ends of the blanket under his legs and up under his butt too. Virgil made a note to get Brandon some clean and dry clothes when he was in the Med Bay.
Another blanket, doubled, was placed over Brandon's chest for a moment while Virgil got the bandage supplies ready. "I'm sorry Brandon. If you can hear me, I have to put some pressure on that wound so when you start warming up, it won't start bleeding again," he said. "It will hurt a bit, but it's only to help you."
Being aware of where Brandon's arms were, one being broken, Virgil sat Brandon's limp body up and holding thick bandage material over the long cut with one hand he wrapped thick, wide gauze all the way around Brandon's chest. He put half of the second thick thermal blanket under Brandon's back, and couldn't help but give him a quick hug, saying, "I'm so sorry Brandon," he apologized, then he covered him up tucking the blanket in snuggly around the boy's neck.
Virgil threw two big logs in the dark, pot-bellied stove and lighted them instantly using his shoulder laser. The cabin began warming.
The pilot touched the IR logo on his sash. "Thunderbird Five, I have Brandon! We're in the cabin, with the fire going and I'm treating his injuries. He's out cold, had a cut across his chest, hypothermic… and… oh, John! I can't believe it, but I broke his arm!" Virgil cried. He was taking the splint and other materials out of his kit to treat the break.
"Virgil…" John said. Everything else that ran through his head just sounded redundant and stupid to him right then. He didn't want to hurt Virgil anymore, so he asked, "Have you seen anyone else yet?"
"No, he has not seen us yet," another strange, deep voice answered instead.
Virgil turned ready to fight to protect Brandon but was facing three large men with three large guns pointed at him.
"John, Kayo was right, it was a trap. Don't let Thunderbird One land!" Virgil cried, hoping to protect his youngest brothers.
"They better land! I want to talk to all of you!" The pilot said. "Do you hear me, Thunderbirds? If the other four brothers don't join my party, I'll do to this big boy in blue what I did to that brat!"
"There are only three of us right now!" Virgil corrected. "Our brother is badly injured and can't even walk. He won't be joining you."
"Fine, but at my count there still should be four of you, not three!"
"My other brother is in space. It would take him weeks to get here!" Virgil lied. "My other brothers are young - please don't hurt them!"
The chopper pilot scoffed at the plaint. "I only want to talk to them, whether or not I hurt them depends on how much you and 'them' cooperate."
In Thunderbird One, Alan and Gordon looked at each other. "Virgil said not to land," Alan said.
"But those men said if we don't they will hurt him." Gordon pointed out, "Based on the injuries Virgil listed, Brandon may already be dying."
Alan, having a flashback of his own seeing Gordon in the bank vault, nodded. "Right, I say we should land and try to help. At least the kidnappers will see or hear Thunderbird One landing and think we are following their plan."
As Alan and Gordon thought, the kidnappers heard Thunderbird One coming in to land. Sitting on another wire crate, Virgil had set Brandon's arm and was bandaging the splint in place. He had tears in his eyes as he worked. He couldn't help it. Brandon's condition is bad - and then I break his arm too. He was thinking.
Then he heard One coming in. "No! Alan - Gordon don't land! JOHN! Stop them!"
"It's too late Virgil. They are already down and have deplaned," said the astronaut, understanding the underlying plan.
The chopper pilot, however, smiled darkly. "Good, more members are arriving for their interviews. Make sure they get a warm welcome." Two of the kidnappers left out the back door to meet them, while the pilot kept Virgil covered.
Thunderbird Two's pilot's eyes darkened. "If you hurt them - I'll kill all three of you! There won't be anyplace on Earth, in the ocean or in space that any of you can hide from me!" Virgil growled. He waited anxiously for sounds from outside that would tell him what was happening.
Alan quietly made his way along the North side of the cabin intending to find a window to look through to see what was happening inside. While he rubbed snow off of the small window he found, the big man snuck up to stand behind him. He put his hand on Alan's shoulder and spun him around.
Alan cried out, "Hey! Aaahh!" Surprised when he saw the stranger.
The man held him by his wrist, pulling him up high to prevent him from even trying to get away. "Come on in, boy The fire is…" he started, but suddenly the man's face went blank. He dropped Alan, almost falling forward on top of him. Surprised, Alan looked up. Kayo smiled, offering Alan a hand up. She held her finger to her lips for him to be quiet.
Alan nodded.
Inside, Virgil tensed when he heard Alan cried out. He stood up wanting to see what happened.
"Sit back down, International Rescue or you can talk to us after I shoot your legs out from under you," the chopper pilot threatened.
Virgil, deciding not to tell his captor how nonsensical that logic was, sat down and checked under the thermal blanket covering Brandon. Sure enough, he was warming up nicely, and blood had begun to soak the bandage. Virgil put another layer of bandage material over the red spots and pressed down with his hand. He tried to focus on helping his patient while expecting one of the kidnappers to enter at any time with Alan and probably Gordon, and he sat and prayed that they were okay.
On the south side of the cabin, Gordon quietly crept, staying close to the wall. He got to the corner and looked across the back of the small structure.
The first thing he saw was a gun muzzle in his face, then, fortunately, he saw that the thug didn't have his finger on the trigger. He reacted instinctively and brought his forearm up fast. He knocked the gun out of the attacker's hand, grabbed him by the front of his coat and rolled back, throwing his attacker over his head. The man yelled as he flew through the air.
The man landed in the snow on his back, and Gordon landed on top of him, delivering a punch to his face and knocking him out.
"Thank you for the lessons, Kayo," Gordon mumbled, rubbing his slightly sore knuckles, and got up. He continued following the wall to the back of the cabin again. This time, from the north corner of the cabin, Kayo stood ready for action with Alan standing behind her. She held her finger to her lips again to let Gordon know to be quiet.
Inside the cabin, Virgil heard small sounds after Alan had yelled, but still, no one came back inside. He was sure the kidnappers would have brought Alan and Gordon back inside right away if they had captured them.
As a distraction, Virgil said, "Are you guys really serious? You plan to interview us and then publish it somewhere? Are you going to write about the part where you kidnapped and hurt our friend?" he said as he checked Brandon's vitals. "I'm not sure this boy you tortured will even survive. You may have committed murder! What do you think the GDF will do to you after you write your article?"
"Shutup!" The chopper pilot screamed, and appeared very agitated like he hadn't thought of those things before. He put his hands up in his hair like he might pull some out in frustration.
Suddenly Kayo stepped into Virgil's line of sight. She was already right behind the kidnapper and Virgil had no idea how long she'd been there. In a swift move, she had the man's gun.
He turned and swung at her head, she went low and cracked his happy place with a well-aimed punch. He crumbled to the ground. "Nice hit Kayo," said Virgil as Alan and Gordon ran in.
Gordon ran to Virgil first. "Are you alright, Virg?"
"Yeah, but Brandon is really bad off."
"I can see. Let's hurry and get him on Thunderbird Two. I'll run get a stretcher." Gordon volunteered.
"No, I'll carry him," Virgil said, sounding determined. "It'll be faster!" Gordon helped wrap Brandon tightly in the thermal blankets, and Virgil lifted the senseless teen in his arms.
Alan saw the man holding his hands between his legs with a pained look on his face. Kayo stood over him.
"Remind me not to to get you angry with me, Sis," said Alan as he looked right into the chopper pilot's face and exclaimed, "That's one of the reporters from the hospital! He's the one that grabbed me and tried to pull me away from John and Gordon! He said then that he wanted a 'private' interview!"
"I suspected as much." Kayo said, "He must have learned about Brandon too, and thinking he knew us better than he did, he kidnapped him to make him tell them where we are."
"Poor guy," Alan said sadly and jumped back out in the snow to follow Virgil. Two GDF planes were landing in the woods nearby, and troops were pouring out to secure the area.
The GDF officers entered the scene, and also briefly winced at the kidnapper's injury. "You guys got here just after the nick of time again." Kayo teased, leaving the three kidnappers in the GDF officer's care. She followed her brothers back to their Thunderbirds.
Gordon elected to stay on board Thunderbird Two to keep an eye on Brandon's vitals while Virgil flew his 'Bird. Virgil kept looking back, checking. Gordon said, "He's still doing well his vitals are unchanged except for having a normal temperature now," he said.
Virgil nodded and flipped a switch to Tracy Island. "Brains! I'm bringing Brandon back to the Island. If you need help to treat him, you better let Alan know to go pick a doctor up in London on the way back!"
"FAB, Virgil - I guess bringing the boy here is best," said Brains. "I can bring Dr. Early in for a conference call if I need assistance."
In minutes that seemed like hours to Virgil, he brought Thunderbird Two in for a landing. He jumped out of his seat and again carried Brandon across his arms down the ramp.
"Virgil - don't you want a stretcher?" Gordon called after him. Virgil ignored him, and the aquanaut just shrugged.
Already waiting in the medical bay with Brains, were Alan, Kayo and Grandma Tracy.
Virgil put Brandon down on Scott's longtime treatment bed and stood back wringing his hands nervously. Brains and Kayo started working on Brandon.
He looked around at all of his family, waiting to hear Brains prognosis for their friend.
When he saw Alan, he took two big strides to get to him, where he hugged him tightly.
Alan smiled, hugging him back. It was nice, but the teen didn't know for sure why Virgil chose him exactly. Virgil saw Gordon standing nearby, watching, so he motioned for him to come over. With a slightly puzzled look, Gordon willingly joined in Virgil's hug.
They hugged for close to a minute when Alan finally spoke up. "Up, Virgil, the hugs are nice - but why so many?" he said innocently.
"Alan, Gordon?" Virgil began sadly.
"What is it, Virgil?" Gordon smiled. He and Alan stepped back a little so they could see their brother's face, but he didn't want to let them go.
Still holding his brothers' hands, Virgil said, "I'm so sorry I hurt you two so badly - please forgive me."
"Oh, come on Virg - it's water under the bridge, okay?" Gordon tried to make light of the situation.
"No, I need to say this." Virgil let go of Gordon's hand and wiped tears out of his eyes before they rolled down his cheeks. "I can't accept that anything could have happened that would make me hurt anyone - you two especially."
"Nothing did, right Virgil?" Alan began, "Nothing happened to make you hurt me. At the time, you thought that I was The Hood, right?"
Virgil nodded, "Yes - I attacked you after thinking that you were trying to chloroform me," he said sadly.
Gordon tilted his head. "Seriously Virg - you thought that Alan would be able to take you down?" he said, surprised.
The youngest brother ignored Gordon and continued. "But you didn't come after me, Alan, your brother. You sincerely thought you were protecting all of us and Tracy Island from The Hood - I just happened to be in the way."
"Yeah, and Virgil, you sincerely thought… well, I don't know what you were thinking all the time," Gordon spoke up, "But clearly, you were not yourself. Brains said you experienced multiple personality disorder along with post-traumatic stress. He said it happens sometimes. You were so upset about not being able to save those kids in that cave, that in your mind, you became someone else."
"Someone else?"
"Yeah, someone tough and mean that couldn't get hurt feelings," said Gordon, rubbing his forehead. "I hope your dark side never comes back, but was all love all of your sides and always will - no matter what."
"But I couldn't even do my job! Alan - I thought I killed you!" said Virgil. "I put you in the pod and dumped you in the ocean without even checking your vital signs."
"Don't sweat it. Scott explained that even though you thought I was dead, you were still trying to take care of me."
"Taking care of you? Are you sure I didn't give you a concussion as well?"
"You didn't, but yes you did. Scott said that at the time you thought you were sending me back to my family and did so before you were stopped," said Alan. Seeing Virgil's puzzled look, he continued. "And in reality, if you hadn't put me safely into the pod and dropped it in the ocean I would have been gassed too. You kept me from being hurt more. I think down deep you knew I wasn't dead and you were protecting me - at the time you were planning to do something really terrible to yourself."
"Which, by the way, were all very happy that you did not succeed right then, even if John had to put your lights out to do so," added Gordon.
"I'm glad too, I guess, and thank you, John," Virgil said looking up like he could see John on Thunderbird Five.
"What do you mean, you guess? We need you alive, we love you!" said the aquanaut.
"That sounds familiar somehow," Virgil said, looking at Scott. "But, after all, I've done to you, to everyone, I don't deserve all this kindness."
"Of course you do!" Alan said. "You were sick. No one blames you."
"Deserve it or not, you got it," said Gordon.
"I'm still having very vivid, um, I guess you'd call them hallucinations. I keep seeing suffering, dead faces, including yours," Virgil admitted. "It's one reason for the hug on the beach Alan."
"They will pass, and you've already overcame those terrible images trying to distract you several times, right?" Alan said trying to comfort Virgil.
"I don't know - it's just so… disturbing." Virgil admitted.
"It will be Virgil - but Gordon, Scott, John and I will be there to help you through them," said Alan.
Virgil's younger brothers pulled him back into a hug.
Grandma Tracy got into the hug, reaching as far around the three as she could. "I'm so glad you're all talking this out. And don't worry, I'm sure Brandon will be fine. You wait and see." She said softly. "And then we'll go upstairs and eat the cookies I made you why you were out."
"I thought you were making Zucchini Bread," muttered Virgil.
"I was, but it didn't work out, these are Zucchini cookies made from the ruined bread," Grandma explained.
The three wrinkled their noses a little when their Grandma said she'd made them all more to eat, but interrupting, Brains spoke, "Everyone, Brandon is waking up."
Virgil ran to his side, putting a hand on the teen's shoulder, "Brandon! Can you hear me? It's Virgil from International Rescue."
"I hear you," Brandon mumbled, and stretched. He gave a soft yelp when his right arm protested the movement.
"Why does my arm hurt?" he asked as memories of what happened came back to him, except any memory of hurting his arm.
Virgil looked away, ashamed. "I'm so sorry Brandon, I fell when I was carrying you! I broke your arm!"
"No worries man - rather broken arm that broken life," Said Brandon as he opened his eyes a little more and smiled. "See, crud happens to all of us I guess… By the way, how is Scotty's arm?"
"My arm is mending nicely, Brandon. Thank you for rescuing me," said Scott. The teen smiled back, happy to see the man in a much better state than the last time they met.
The middle brother smiled faintly in apology. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, I wasn't at my best and I can't apologize enough."
"No sweat! Being rescued by International Rescue three times must be a record! That is so Epic, wait till my followers hear what happened. They must be so worried." Brandon was becoming more and more alert, and Virgil relaxed a little and smiled saying. "I think the record is tied now, between Brandon Berringer and Ned Tedford and Gladys."
"Gladys is a plant," said Gordon, rolling his eyes.
"Virgil is still right though," Scott added. "Sorry Brandon, that's a three-way tie. You, Ned Tedford and don't forget your boss, Francois Lemaire.
Kayo said, "You all forgot Langstrom Fischler. That's a four-way tie. We've rescued each of you three times now."
"Awe, really? Even my boss?" Brandon sounded sincerely disappointed.
"Brandon," Virgil said seriously, "Promise us that this is one tie you won't try to break!"
"I'll try, but no promises, right Scotty?"
Scott rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "I better make sure to keep plenty of aspirin on Thunderbird One - not just for injuries," he grumbled.
John showed up in his tightest space suit and stood in the doorway listening with his arms crossed over his chest.
Scott saw him and smiled, "Hey John what brings you back to Earth?"
"I just wanted to see you all and find out how Brandon was doing," John answered. "I'm glad you seem to be okay now."
"Still a little cold, but I feel much better," Brandon agreed.
"Other than his arm, he could be fully recovered in just a few days." Brains said.
"Sorry," Virgil said again to Brandon.
"For what? Virgil, you saved my life! It was worth a broken arm!"
"Yes, and Virgil, from where I sat you did wonderfully. How do you feel now?"
Virgil paused and soaked in what all of them were saying. In the end, the rescue had its issues, but they were all there, Brandon was saved, and his attackers were in the GDF prison.
He would still have his struggles, he knew, but Gordon and Alan were right; they were together, and that was all that mattered.
He smiled, "With all of you behind me, I feel like I can handle whatever comes next!"
"Yay!" Gordon yelled and led the applause. Even Brandon patted the bed rail in an attempt to clap for Virgil, even though he didn't really know why they were applauding their own brother when they should be applauding for him.
Brandon grinned at his thought. "I may be tied with my boss on being saved - but I hold the record for saving International Rescue… I should tell…" he said, then paused. If Virgil could learn and grow from things that happened to him, he could learn from them as well.
No, it was totally rad and cool to help them to be together again.
The end.