Once they had managed to push past the reporters and fire crews, Scott pulled Jenny in the general direction of Tracy Towers. Lady Penelope met them on the steps into Tracy Towers, "Are you alright, Penelope?"
The blonde lady nodded, "I'm fine Scott," She glanced to the woman following him closely, her long evening dress ruined with dust and dirt from the explosion, "And who's this?"
Scott smiled to Jenny, "Jenny, this is Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward."
Jenny curtsies as she had been taught, "Jennifer Lakeland, nice to meet you."
Scott glanced to the building behind them, "You two stay here, don't let anyone in or out,"
Both women nodded as Scott turned to head into the building.
It was easy enough to find the Hood. As Lady Penelope had pointed out, some of the original blueprints for Thunderbird Two's Pods were securely stored. It was hardly a surprise for Scott when he found the man in question stood in the middle of the Tracy family vault. By the look on the Hood's face though, he was surprised to see Scott.
"Expecting someone else were you?" Scott raised an eyebrow as he took a defensive stance opposite the man that had hurt his brothers.
The Hood strode to the side, slowly making his way around Scott, "Yes, but you can do the job just as well."
Scott laughed, and spat, "You're not getting the blueprints."
He shifted back, trying to block the Hood from taking his place by the only entrance. Scott knew by heart that it was the most advantageous place to be, to give that up to the enemy could make or break the fight.
He could see the Hood thinking, his brow all scrunched up as he tried to work out his new line of attack. Scott shifted, trying to predict the next move his opposition would make.
"Where are those brothers of yours Scott? Have you heard from them recently?"
Scott smirked and nodded his head, "You didn't kill anyone Hood, and we'll all be here right on time."
The Hood raised his eyebrow, "On time for what exactly?" His frown turned to a grin as he watched Scott carefully, "To watch you get crushed?"
Scott was quick to follow the Hood's line of sight to a crack in the ceiling. A crack that was quickly making it's way towards him.
"Scott move!" A brother yelled at him, snapping Scott from his shock just in time to dive away as the roof caved in on the very spot had had been standing. He didn't land as he expected though. Instead, Scott found himself being flung across the room and into the far wall, cracking his head, and then the rest of his body against the solid concrete.
Scott tried not to wince as his brothers helped him to his feet, his chest ached and his ankle throbbed more than it had before.
"I'm alright," He whispered, his anger at them completely doused by the simple relief that they were all okay.
Virgil and John didn't let him go though, they gripped the material of his jacket at his shoulders, holding him in place as the five of them looked to the Hood. For once he didn't reject the help, knowing that he couldn't hold himself up for long after the exhaustion that came with the days events. He'd caused enough trouble between their family today, he wasn't about to start another argument. Apologies would have to wait though, they had the Hood to deal with now.
"You are not going to rip this family apart," Alan was saying, "You can't hurt us more than you already have,"
The Hood laughed lowly, "Maybe I can't. But what would it feel like to be betrayed by your own father?"
Not buying what their enemy was saying, the brothers shook their heads, "He wouldn't,"
Almost innocently, the Hood looked to their side, "Oh really?"
In the shadows of the vault, a pale, tired man leant against the wall for support. His blue eyes shining darkly in the low light, "Leave my son's alone, none of this is their fault."
Scott, Virgil, and John gripped eachothers shoulders tighter. Each now supporting the other two. Alan and Gordon looked to each other, both thinking the other would have an answer.
Scott met his father's eyes and gave the slightest of nods, they were on the same side. Any discussion on where he had been would have to wait, the Hood was their priority now. He shifted between his brothers as their father stepped out between his son's and the Hood.
"You have caused enough pain for my family, we have done nothing to you."
The Hood nodded once as the brothers caught sight of another person in the shadow, "No, but you have something of mine."
Kayo's fists clenched as she glared at the back of the Hood's bald head, "I do not belong to anyone." She growled, "Least of all, you."
"Now, Tanusha, is that any way to talk to me?"
Kayo smiled as the Hood's stance fell, he had been counting on the brothers still not knowing. He had wanted to turn them against each other, now his plan had failed he didn't know what to do.
Kayo didn't take her eyes off of the Hood as she walked around to meet Alan and Gordon, "They know, uncle." She smirked as his face scrunched into a glare, "So, you can try to tear us apart all you want, but you won't."
Scott watched the Hood's reaction carefully, trying to second guess his next move so he didn't get away. He'd forgotten the first rule of dealing with the Hood though, don't make eye contact.
It only took a split second for the pressure in his head to quadruple, a thousand needles pressing on the inside of his skull. His weight fell forward, but he was caught by his brothers and held up as he cried out in pain.
Kayo was quick to react, also meeting the Hood's eyes and concentrating everything she could on crippling him. He was strong though, and she hadn't used her power in too long. The most she could manage was to distract him long enough to momentarily relieve Scott.
Kayo wasn't a one trick dog though, if she couldn't beat the Hood one way, she would surely find another. Shifting her weight onto one foot, Kayo swung her other foot up towards the Hood's head. It didn't surprise her when he caught her foot, without even taking his eyes off of Scott. Kayo was painfully aware of the pain the oldest brother was in and that was perhaps what gave her the strength to pull her foot out of the Hood's grip. Before she could take another swing, his gaze turned, flashing from Scott to Gordon, sending the swimmer across the room and into the wall. Kayo winced for him as his head cracked against the hard stone she had to admire him though for not uttering a single groan as he fell to the floor.
"You'll regret that." She growled to the Hood, taking up a defensive position as Jeff ran to his son.
The Hood scoffed and looked to the recovering redhead across the room, "I don't think so."
Before anyone could react, both Jeff and Gordon flew into the rest of their family.
Like pins at a bowling alley, the boys all fell backwards onto one another. Each groaned in complaint as they hit their heads and backs. Alan went to spring back up as the footsteps faded, but was held back by his father, "We're not fit to win this battle."
Scott winced as he pulled himself upright, "Dad's right Alan, let him go, this time."
Gordon leant into his oldest brother's side, finally letting out the groan Kayo had been waiting to hear, "I ache."
John snorted and threw a glance at his brother, "Don't we all?"
"I don't know what you're all complaining about," Their father grumbled, "You're spring chi-"
"Don't mention chickens," Alan muttered, "Otherwise you'll activate Smother Hen,"
Four of the five brothers, and Kayo, laughed quietly with their father as Scott scowled halfheartedly at them. He didn't have it in him to argue, all he cared was that his brothers and father were safe. His Dad was back. Yet, he wasn't mad. Scott had thought he would hold some form of resentment to his father, but all he felt was the relief that he was there. Besides, he had heard the tape, his father had reason enough to have left.
Several sets of hurried footsteps could be heard nearing the vault,
"Jeff!" A familiar, but unexpected voice called, running footsteps nearing the vault, "Jeff, it's the-" She was cut off by two other voices calling, "John!" "Scott!"
Four women paused on the second floor balcony, all relaxing when they spotted the boys.
"Casey." Scott stated, once he had smiled to jen in reassurance, "What are you-" He looked to his father and raised an eyebrow, "The GDF knew?"
Colonel Casey smiled, leaning more casually against the railings as she watched the boys, "We make it our business to know, Scott."
Evie frowned as she caught sight of the blood on Scott's shirt, "Are you all right?"
The five boys, Kayo, and Jeff all looked about themselves, each shrugging in turn. John smiled in reassurance to her, "We'll be fine, as long as Grandma-"
"Jefferson Tracy!" A shout came right on cue making everyone groan.
"As long as Grandma doesn't see us," Alan finished, "I'd run, but I ache too much,"
The others all laughed softly and then sighed as Grandma continued, "Where on Gods earth have you been!? You could have called and told us you were safe! What was wrong with a good old fashioned letter, young man?"
Gordon and Alan snorted at the use of young in her sentence, sharing a cheeky look and earning an elbow from their oldest two brothers.
"Nice to see you too, Mother," Jeff sighed, he opened his mouth to say more but was cut off again by his mother, "And you Scott Carpenter," She turned to the woman in the evening dress, "Who is this lovely young lady?"
Scott laughed and looked over Jenny as her cheeks flushed red, "I think we should discuss the whole story at home."
He shifted to stand up, wincing as he reached his hand to his head, a dizzy spell overcoming him. Every inch of his body ached, if not from the earlier explosion, then from being thrown about now by the Hood. He lay back again closing his eyes for a moment.
The next time he opened them, someone was forcing him upright and Virgil was snapping his fingers in front of Scott. The voices around him were muffled, as if Scott was under water and they were yelling to him from the surface. He searched the concerned faces, looking for one in particular, he had to find her, tell her the whole story. Jenny needed him, she wasn't as bold and strong as she always made out to be. The back was creeping in though, taking away his peripheral vision, blocking out whoever was at his sides.
His words didn't want to come, no matter how hard he tried to force out the one word, "Jen."
Her hand was there though, gently holding his, stroking her thumb across his palm. It took everything in him to focus on her three words, "I'm here Scott."
