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They were running out of time. Scott knew it, and he knew the rest of the family knew it just as well. They had called in every contact they knew, starting in New York, but throwing the net wider when they realised within the first hour that they still had no idea what had happened to their now missing brother. The hours drew on, and still the Hood hadn't been in touch. Virgil finally succumbed to sleep at the desk, his father draping a blanket over him. For a brief moment, Jeff let his hand ghost over his son's head, wincing at the burns still evident. He could have lost them all today... The only thing that stopped him completely panicking about John was that the three remaining Earth-bound brothers had already managed to pull together to defeat the odds once today; surely they could do it again?
Gordon was sitting off to one side, talking to Alan as he was guided by Five's technology through some of the back internet passageways. A member of International Rescue and a billionaire's son had just gone missing, surely someone somewhere knew something. Jeff could almost feel Alan's tension as he approached the younger ones, and hated the fact his youngest son was stuck in space. But there was no way he could send anyone to get him. Not with their astronaut missing and Brains doing all he could to try and locate the smashed signal of John's watch. Jeff knew that it was hopeless - the look on the genius's face had given that much away - but he wasn't going to stop the young man. He knew the feeling, the need to be doing something.
Scott was standing outside, talking urgently on the phone. His father had no idea which of their many contacts he was communicating with this time, but could tell by the frantic gestures that there was no news on that front either. John had always been the quiet one of his sons, but to disappear without a trace? That was certainly something new.
"He'll be fine," a soft voice said behind him, and he turned to see Penny watching him closely. If she would ever look ruffled, it should be now, but there was still a perfect precision about her. Certainly there was nothing to suggest she had almost single-handedly saved the rest of the family. Gordon had filled him in when they started pulling their resources, trying to figure out exactly what it was that had happened out there.
"How do you know? You saw what happened today. The Hood wants the boys dead, and if he has John..." Jeff's voice trailed off for a moment and he glanced skywards. The stars were just beginning to come out, and without thinking what he was doing, Jeff found his gaze was drawn by one in particular. "I can't lose him, Penny. I can't lose any of them."
"Do you really think the rest of your boys are going to let that happen? Even Alan is pushing Thunderbird Five to her full capabilities to find his brother. Look at Scott, Jeff. Look at your son and tell me that is someone who is about to let his brother be lost."
"But we don't even know where to start. Everything has just pulled up a dead end..."
"Jefferson Tracy, don't you dare talk like that! Your sons are exhausting themselves doing what they can; they need their father to be strong. Let me go over to the mainland, Jeff. Let me pull out all my resources."
"We've spoken about this, Penny," Jeff sighed. In all reality, there had been a blazing row over it, but considering how worked up Scott had been, Jeff wasn't surprised. His oldest son had wanted to head over to where John had last been seen as soon as they had landed and was not happy when his father had immediately forbidden it. Jeff was not letting any of them off the island, not until they knew what they were dealing with. It was one thing for the three of them to have walked into a trap; they had tried taking the fight to the Hood, after all. But for him to have managed to locate and take John in a crowded New York street? Who knew where he had eyes, and Jeff certainly wasn't about to let the maniac hurt any more of the family.
Penny had offered to go instead, but still Jeff had refused. He couldn't spare the craft – or a pilot – to take her. For once, they were just going to have to rely on their agents to search the scene, and it was killing Jeff letting it happen. He felt like he was hiding away when he should have been out looking for his son, but the rational part of him knew he had to keep the rest of the family safe. Agents had flocked to the scene – discreetly, of course – but apart from finding a crashed car, there was nothing. Whoever had done this knew precisely what they were doing, for all traces of whoever had been in the area – including John – had vanished. It was only because of his last communication signal that they knew he had even been there at all.
"Dad?"
Gordon's soft call drew Jeff's attention and he received a nod from Penny before he hurried across, wondering if his fourth-born had been able to find something. Resting his hand on Gordon's back, he made to lean over his son's shoulder. But before he could do so, Gordon spoke again, his eye-line making it quite clear that he wasn't thinking of John at that moment in time.
"I'm worried about Scott," he muttered quietly. Jeff followed his gaze and sighed heavily. Gordon wasn't the only one. The eldest brother was quite clearly pacing, and if his arm movements were anything to go by, he was getting more and more agitated as further negative results came back.
"How did you think he would react?" Jeff asked softly, knowing it was up to him to try and stop Gordon from heading the same way. It was more commonly known that the older Tracy brothers were a force to be reckoned with, but Jeff knew the younger ones were just as dangerous, if not more so. When the Terrible Two emerged, nothing could mess with them.
"It's not just that..." Gordon glanced back at the desk and his folded hands on his lap, clearly trying to steel himself to say what was playing on his mind. "Dad, John didn't like this plan, and Scott knew that. Yet he basically ordered John to go to pick up the stuff. They almost came to blows over it on the beach, and now this? If...if John doesn't come back, Scott will never forgive himself."
"John will come back," Jeff said firmly, his voice clearly leaving no room for arguments. Gordon glanced up at his father, his brow crumpling when he took in the determined glint in the man's eye.
"Dad, we still don't know where to start looking." Unlike his usual care-free voice, Gordon's was lined with worry and concern over his missing brother. He had spoken to the Hood, watched the delight spring into the maniac's eyes as he had threatened them, even making good on those threats. What chance would John have on his own?
"Then we redouble our efforts," Jeff responded shortly, giving Gordon's shoulder a squeeze almost automatically before moving away. Gordon simply sighed as he watched the man move. It seemed it wasn't only Scott he had to worry about now. He should have known though. He may have been the one to yell at the screen, claiming the Hood was lying, but it was his father who was in a strange sort of denial. The Hood had only shown them John's watch, meaning they had no idea what sort of state their brother was in.
Cursing out loud, Gordon let his head flop onto the desk in front of him. He was so tired, aching from the fight and almost driven mad with worry. Why did he have to worry about his oldest brother and father at the same time? He didn't see Virgil sleepily look up before the older man's big brother instincts took over and he was next to Gordon like a shot, his hand resting reassuringly on the base of his neck.
"We'll get him back, Gords."
"How?" Gordon muttered quietly, glancing out to where Scott was still pacing. He didn't want to sound like he had given up, he was supposed to be the optimistic one of the family. Yet they had walked straight into the trap the Hood had left for them, almost costing Virgil his life. His eyes lingered on his brother's burns, then Gordon glared back down at the table again. "We have no idea where he is, if he is even alive."
"Don't you dare say that!" Virgil snapped, his hand tightening in warning.
Gordon didn't know what to say in response, so he merely looked up at his big brother, the pain lingering in his eyes.
"We know the harsh realities of the world, Virg. We know how much this creep wants us dead. John should never have gone to the offices alone. He doesn't know the procedure for pickups that well. Someone should have been with him."
"He knew what he was doing." Virgil couldn't help but think the same way as his brother, but he knew that if they were to have any chance of pulling the entire family through this, they needed Gordon back to his old self. "Come on, Gords, you know that if it wasn't for Penny, we wouldn't have stood a chance either."
Subconsciously, his hand rubbed at one of the burns on his exposed arms. Wearing a loose fitting, short sleeved shirt made things so much more comfortable but certainly revealed more of the burns.
"Whoever went would have got caught. Whether it was you, John, Scott, whoever. This guy knew. He knew where we were and what we were doing." Suddenly, the reality of his own words crashed over Virgil and he sat down on the edge of the desk, swearing.
"Virg?"
"He knew. He knows everything. That bastard! If he has so much as laid a finger on our brother, I'm gonna personally tear said finger off myself."
Gordon couldn't help but grin. Now they were getting somewhere. With the fire burning in Virgil, he knew that the artist was going to stop at nothing. When Virgil's temper had been awoken, nothing and no one could stand in his way. Standing up again, Virgil gently pushed Gordon's chair aside, taking up the younger man's position on the computer, Gordon watching him as his talented fingers flew.
"Still nothing." The voice was almost harsh, lacking in emotion as Scott stepped through the door, running his hand over his eyes. The rest of the family knew it was just the way he dealt with things. When you could hear no emotion in Scott's voice, it was because the feelings were too overwhelming for him to control. It was something he had always done, ever since their mother had died. He had been forced to hide his own grief, and ever since then, had refused to let any raw emotion be heard in his voice. The Air Force training had just reinforced that.
"Nor here." Jeff's quiet voice was almost identical to Scott's. The desperation Gordon had heard was still present, but it was as if it had been pushed aside. Their father walked over at the same time as their oldest brother. Scott perched on the edge of the desk as Gordon dragged his chair over, his father resting a hand on his shoulder. For a long moment, nothing was said. What was there that could be said?
"Where the hell are you, Johnny?" Scott whispered under his breath, staring at the ceiling in order to avoid the gaze of the rest of the family. He wasn't sure he could take in the same pain in their eyes that he was feeling himself. How the hell had it gotten to this? Before anyone could answer, another voice cut through their foreboding thoughts.
"Jeff! In here, quickly!"
"What is it, Mother?" Jeff had covered half of the distance even before he had finished speaking, his sons on his heels.
"He's..." Whether she was incapable of finishing her sentence or whether her son cut her off, the rest of the family could not say. But Jeff seemed to realise what was coming, for his wrist immediately snapped up to his mouth as he activated his watch.
"Alan, come in."
"Here, Dad." Jeff glanced up at his son. In his worry, he couldn't believe it had taken him this long to think of it.
"John has set up all those tracking and tracing devices up on Five, hasn't he? I want you to activate anything and everything you can get your hands on; we're taking down this Hood."
"He hasn't tested them, Dad, I have no idea..."
"Alan, that was an order."
"F.A.B." Alan signed off, but not before Virgil gave his father a reproachful look.
"He's just as worried as you are."
"I don't need-"
"Jeff!" Once again, his mother's shout – albeit mingled with disapproval this time – stopped Jeff's words.
"Dad, please, this could be our only chance. If he makes the contact, we can track it."
It was Gordon's quiet tone that finally got through to Jeff, and with a nod, he led the way into the lounge. Immediately, he knew what had drawn his mother's attention, for the video-screen was flickering occasionally. Almost as soon as the family had entered the room, it flared into life. Scott couldn't help but wonder whether the Hood had timed it for maximum impact, whether he knew precisely when they had all made it into the room.
"Tracy, I hope you have the deeds and plans ready." The Hood's face flickered onto the screen almost instantly and Gordon found that he was forced to grab onto the back of Scott's shirt as his eldest brother took a threatening step forward. For a moment, he didn't think he would be able to hold back the practically shaking man, but he managed to catch Virgil's eye, and the artist realised what was happening. Grabbing onto Scott's arm, the two younger brothers managed to pull the older one back. Sitting Scott down in between them, Gordon managed to just about see Virgil's warning look around their brother and knew not to let go again.
Jeff shot a sideways glance out of the corner of his eye, and Scott nodded, his fingers playing with his watch. Most onlookers would have no idea what the man had just done. But the family knew he had just received the go-ahead from Alan. If there was a way to trace this man, they would find it.
"Something like that takes time, I can't just do it," Jeff responded tersely, and his sons had to give him credit. It did really sound like he was giving in – and hating every moment of it. They would have believed him, it was just a matter of whether the Hood would. Gordon thought his heart would stop when he heard the next words.
"I don't believe you."
The three boys held their breath, and Gordon could have sworn he heard Alan's hands falter over the keyboard. Jeff didn't so much as blink.
"Your loss then. If you think I'll risk my son on it..."
For a long moment, there was silence. Jeff found himself locked almost in a staring match with the man, but didn't do anything to break it. The longer they could hold him on, the more chance Alan had of being able to get a proper trace on him. And a proper trace on the Hood meant a proper lead on John. He refused to think about the fact that their last attemptto seek out the madman was what had caused all of this trouble in the first place.
"Very well. I will contact you again in an hour, then every hour until I have what I desire. If I don't see the evidence that you are carrying out my instructions by the next contact, Tracy, I'll show my...displeasure. And your precious son will be the one to bear the consequences."
"Wait!" Seeing the man was clearly intending to disconnect the line, Jeff shot Scott another almost invisible glance. His son glanced at his watch, before shaking his head, grateful he was out of the eye-line of the monitor. Alan still hadn't been able to find anything.
"Let me see him! Let me see John!"
"No," The Hood responded bluntly, and everyone in the room held their breath. If the Hood was not even going to let them see John, they would have no idea what state their brother was in. Scott refused to think about how much harder that was going to make a rescue attempt.
Suddenly, the Hood snarled, "Nice try, Tracy." And with that, the line went completely dead.
"What did he me-?" Virgil's question didn't even finish getting out of his mouth before Alan suddenly swore violently, connecting back through to the lounge via his portrait at the same time. The kid looked more strained than Scott had ever seen him. Alan glanced up, caught Jeff's eyes and immediately looked away again.
"Dear?" It was Grandma who spoke, perching shakily on Jeff's desk chair, her face unnaturally pale after hearing a madman threatening her grandson. Alan shook his head slowly for a moment, before lifting pain-filled eyes to meet those of his father.
"I lost him. He knew we were tracing him. I thought I was getting his signal. He had scrambled it well, but I thought I was getting somewhere..." Alan broke off, but Gordon stood up, relinquishing the control of Scott to Virgil. If anyone could keep him under control, it was his artistic brother.
"It's not your fault, Al. You tried."
"John would have been able to do it," Alan muttered glumly, and not for the first time did Gordon curse the physical distance between the island and whoever was on duty on board the Space Station. He didn't realise he often echoed Scott's thoughts about wishing they could all just stay together. Although rather than it being out of some paranoid protection, Gordon just didn't see the point of why one of them had to be in space.
"You don't know that."
"If anything happens to Johnny, it's because I wasn't quick enough."
"Don't you dare, Alan Tracy!"
Jeff had made to open his mouth, knowing that he couldn't allow his son to think like that or the Hood really would have won, but once again, his mother beat him to it. "No one is to blame apart from that nasty man. And just because technology may have failed us doesn't mean we have failed your brother. We still have people working for us. Scott, any news from the agents?"
"Nothing, Grandma. No one knows a damn thing. It's like John has just disappeared without a trace. How could the Hood have done this? How could he have known where John was?"
"Questioning everything isn't going to help, son." Jeff's voice was tired and drained as he looked at his sons. Scott was pale, his eyes overly bright with anger. Virgil looked nothing short of exhausted, the burns showing up even in the dim light of the lounge. Gordon too looked exhausted, his fists clenching and relaxing as he tried to regain control of his emotions. As Jeff watched, he twisted his back slightly, a clear sign it was beginning to tense up. Alan looked close to tears.
"We have to question something!"
The explosion Jeff had been waiting for finally struck as Scott leapt to his feet, tearing his arm out of Virgil's slackening grasp as he began to pace the lounge. "If we don't, how will we ever figure out how the hell he has done this?"
"Scott..."
"No, Dad. You're acting like you are just in another business meeting, bargaining for some idiot's company. This is John we are talking about. This complete creep has my brother, the same one I swore I would protect, and you are saying we shouldn't be questioning things?"
"Scott, that's enough!"
If Scott had wanted to take the argument further – again, Jeff couldn't help but drily think – then his father's tone had certainly stopped him. The eldest son dropped his eyes, allowing Virgil to pull him back onto the sofa.
"Keep breathing, Scott. Dad's gonna flip otherwise, and that won't help John."
"I am breathing," Scott snapped, but his tone was slightly lighter than before, and when his younger brother nudged him in the ribs, he smiled a little, nudging Virgil back.
"Do you want..." Gordon broke off, swallowing as he glanced towards his only younger brother's still-active portrait. The look of loss on Alan's face seemed to steel his nerves, and he turned back to his father. His voice was soft and low, and if anyone had shut their eyes, they would have never said that it was Gordon talking. "Do you want me to get Brains up here to start getting plans and stuff together?"
"What?"
"Dad's right with what he said, Scott." Despite his words being addressed to his oldest brother, Gordon couldn't bring himself to meet said brother's eyes. "We can't risk John on this. Brains can just build us something bigger, something better, right?"
There was an almost childish note to Gordon's voice, a silent plea for someone to tell him that they were going to find a way out of this. For a split second, he met Scott's eyes across the room, and something in the older man melted. He wriggled out of Virgil's grip once again, but this time crossed the room to stand behind his second-youngest brother. Resting his hand on Gordon's shoulder, he squeezed it gently.
"We're going to get him back, Gords."
"How?"
"By not giving up." Jeff's quiet tones filled the air, a solid determination reflected within. He nodded at Scott, who returned the gesture, clearing the air between father and son. They needed to work together in order for anything to be done, and undermining each other was certainly going to do nothing to reunite them with the missing member of their family.
The Tracys set to work once again. Scott was back on the phone, putting in calls to anyone and everyone he could think of. John had been taken in New York, but unless the Hood had a base there – which Scott doubted – he would have had to provide some sort of transport. So surely someone would know something?
Virgil went back to what he had been doing on the computer, trying to search for anything that might give a hint towards his missing sibling. Gordon and Alan were talking quietly, but the rest of the family left them to it. No one knew what they were talking about, but as Alan suddenly smiled, a flicker of his normal expression leaking through the haunted one, they knew the two youngest would be alright. No one could comfort them in the strange way they had of comforting each other.
Jeff didn't seem to know what to do with himself. For a long moment, he just stared out into nothing, his mind partly going blank as he tried to let the events catch up with him. The madman who wanted all of his boys dead had one of them, and judging by the ease with which he had smashed John's watch, had no qualms about hurting the star-loving Tracy.
"He's strong, Jeff." Penny's soft but clipped tones sounded directly in his ear, making Jeff jump. The Lady had come out to join him, looking up towards the stars as the night drew in.
"So is the Hood."
"You think John is going to let him do anything? You know your boy better than me, and I have every confidence that John will talk his way out of trouble. You know what he is like, nothing stops him. No challenge is too great for that young man."
"But Penny..." Jeff broke off, glancing over his shoulder to his two youngest sons. Alan's eyes had regained a hint of their usual sparkle, and although Gordon's hands were resting on his lower back, his face was reasonably pain-free. "What if he doesn't? This is killing them."
"And it's not you? Come on, Jeff, get a grip on yourself; this isn't helping John."
Jeff bristled slightly in anger, wondering how the aristocrat could even think of telling him to "get a grip" on himself when a complete maniac had his son, but before he could do so, Virgil was suddenly yelling for him. Scott went running in at the same time, and Gordon turned slightly. Jeff shot Penny a look before he too disappeared back into the lounge. The look had clearly invited her to join them should she so wish, but was also a warning. It was one thing for her to tell the father to pull himself together, but Jeff was not having her address the boys like that. Scott's temper was only hanging by a thread as it was.
"What is it, Virg?"
"The hour is nearly up." He glanced up briefly, meeting his father's eyes. "We have nothing to show for it, and no lead."
Jeff shut his eyes for a moment, brief resignation crossing his face.
"Gordon, call Brains and get him to come up here."
"F.A.B."
His second-youngest son turned to do so, and Jeff perched on the edge of the desk, resting his face in his hands and hiding from the view of his sons. He knew he had to be the one to tell them it was all going to be okay, that they would find a way through it, but he just didn't know how. He had no idea ifthis was going to be okay.
"Dad, how are we going to play this?" Ever-wanting to have control of the situation, especially considering it involved his younger brothers, Scott was still standing, his hands clasped behind his back. His father was just glad he hadn't started pacing again.
"We're going to make him think that we are giving into his demands, but that we need more time. Although that isn't exactly a lie, the plans aren't just lying around to be taken at will."
"What about John?" Gordon had turned back again, taking a few steps closer to the family he had remaining. "You saw what he did to the watch."
"What did that bastard do to my watch?"
"You were there, you..." Scott's voice suddenly trailed off when he realised who he was answering. Very slowly – vaguely aware of the rest of the family doing the same thing - he turned. He didn't know whether he wanted to hug or hit the figure standing in the doorway.
"John!"
A trickle of blood was running down his forehead and he looked horrible. But, there, looking slightly confused as to what the family was talking about, stood the missing brother.