Chapter 28: Billie's POV

2 WEEKS LATER

I'm running fast, all I can see is black and a very small light, my breath is hot and shortening as my lungs fall and rise heavily, suddenly I'm falling and then the cold metal floor kisses my face. The light shines on me and I realise I tripped, but I didn't just trip. I tripped over Alice- lying there lifeless and bleeding in a pool of blood, however there's no wound. This made my eyes widen and mouth gape in horror, motivating me to run further away. This isn't real! He can't be here! He's dead! This is just a nightmare! I keep telling myself this and yet it seems like a joke.

I hear his meniacle laughs springing through...whatever this is, until I see a tunnel of light shining down on him- Matt stands there with a gun and smiling, he opens his arm as if to show something off amazing but in this case it's horrifying. Tied to a wooden beam are five ropes, and on each rope is one of my brothers, their hands around the ripe encasing their throats struggling to break free. Matt stalks up to them and first places the gun on Scotts throat; "the voice" and there's a loud bang and blood pouring from Scott's throat. He then places it on John's forehead; "the brains" and another shot rings out, blood pouring from John's head. After that, he places it on Virgil's chest, just above his heart; "the heart" and another bang shoots across the room.

"Stop it!" I yell, I yell it again and again, but he's not listening, if anything it's music to to his ears.

He walks then to Alan, placing it in his stomach; "the guts" and another shot fires, I'm yelling at him feeling him to stop, I try to move but I'm frozen, who knows what he could do to Gordon. And at that he walks up to Gordon and turns him around so that his back faces me. Matt places the gun in 3 positions of Gordy's back and fires, the mixture of the gunshots and his screams ring out across the room and make me fall to my knees, before he places the gun into his mouth; "the joker"

"NO!"

-oOo-

I wake up frantically and look around my room, but it's not my hospital room, it's my room, my room on Tracy island. The familiar blues and golds clashing together make me feel safe. I strip the bed sheets off and walk out my room and into the sunken lounge. 6 pairs of happy and relaxed eyes are fixed on me and it makes me feel the same. "Someone's finally awake!" comments Alan, from his position in the couches. After coming home, so much has changed, yet the rooms and house didn't change one bit.

-oOo-

"You guys couldn't even bother to clean out rooms?! It's so dusty!" I exclaimed, I turned to my twin, youngest and middle brother, who stood their smirking.

"Like we said- we wanted to leave it the way it was, it leaves a memory of you. It feels good to finally be home and to have you home as well." Gordon stated. He was right, the warm environment of Tracy Island made me feel relaxed and safe, this environment is what I've been longing for 2 whole years, how I have missed this place.

-oOo-

I look around and can't find certain people."Where is everyone?" Once I came home, everyone showered us in welcomes and love, Kyrano and Onaha even came back for a couple of days to say hello and their welcomes. Brains had stayed the same as usual, always so curious and inventive and his new invention, M.A.X, has made me curious and I'm sure Alice feels the same way. Tanusha or Kayo as she goes by now, has become a more intelligent and radiant woman and I think little Alan has developed a crush on her. She's also become, I believe, IR's head of security and covert ops girl. I wonder who's ass she had to kick to get a nickname like that...

"Dads gone a business trip, Kayo went to mainland for her holiday, same with Grandma, she went back to Kansas for two weeks and Brains is up Thunderbird 5 taking over John's rotation, so we're by ourselves for another week." Scott reported back to me, I nodded and joined my family in the sunken lounge, leaning on my twin. I close my eyes and soak the Tracy Island warmth and hospitality, I can see and sense Alice doing the same on John.

"I'm heading down to the kitchen, you guys want something?" Alan asked. Oh did I tell you? I once loved my grandmothers cooking and enjoyed every bite. But now I don't, because I can't even get the item in my mouth, it disintergrates and if it doesn't then it's a toothbuster and tastes absolutely horrid. I'm surprised everyone managed to live like this.

"I'm a bit hungry and I think everyone is to" I say as I look around and they all nod in response.

"Ok, I'll be up in a bit" and so he disappears down into the kitchen and once he's out of earshot, we huddle together. Since we missed and the boys never really celebrated Alan's 18th birthday, we decided to throw a little surprise party later today. An individual's jump from teenage years to adulthood is scary yet worth it, we should know, we've been there. We decided to have it outside and late at night, hopefully the next day, no rescues are involved and needed. Think of it like a belated birthday celebration, we spread ideas around and we've got something.

"And that's the plan, remember; John you grab the girls, Virgil and Scott will get everything ready and I'll distract Alan, is that ok with everyone?" Gordon asks confirming every last detail of the party, we nod and in unison say; "F.A.B". As we sat back down, 8 minutes had passed and Alan was walking up the stairs with a plate stacked with toast and fruit as well as coffee and hot chocolate - yum! As he set it down we started to talk like normal as if we weren't planning anything suspicious. I was starting to feel relaxed, when all of the sudden the klaxon sounded and Brains appeared in holographic form outlining the details.

"A flash flood had hit Sydney and its streets are being flooded as well as a lot of residential areas being susceptible to the flooding causing houses to be destroyed and swept away- we need to get Thunderbirds 1 + 2 out there, all of you are needed on this one" Brains recounted.

"Are you sure Brains? Billie and I can stay back and man Command and Control" Alice stated, I agree but then again if it's flash flooding, it's always ideal to have an extra pair of hands.

"It's best, assessing the damage that you girls join us, however, due to past experiences, you will stay with us at all times." Virgil suggested "anything strange, you alert us, is that understood?"

"And I thought I was bad! Ok everyone; Virgil take Gordon, Billie and Alan with you in Thunderbird 2 and I'll take John and Alice in Thunderbird 1. Thunderbirds are GO!"

The rush of being back in the swing of International Rescue made my heart race and myself fill with glee, I can guess Alice must be feeling the same way. We have to be more careful this time, like we have always had been. Virgil leaned against the photo of the rocket and went backwards and Scott pulled down the lamp lights, it was indeed Thunderbirds are GO!