Claire and Virgil pulled up at the GDF base ready to start the return journey to the island.
Initially Claire had been sceptical of International Rescue's close relationship with the GDF but Scott had made it clear that they were completely autonomous. International Rescue were under no obligation to share their technology with the military unit however much the GDF might like them to. The two organisations would work together on occasion, and the GDF bases were handy places to land the Thunderbirds, but overall the GDF let International Rescue operate without interference.
As they finished loading the Claire's belongings into Tracy Two a GDF armoured car approached. An imposing looking woman wearing the uniform of a colonel jumped out.
Virgil straightened up. He had been hoping they could depart without a fuss but it looked like that chance had gone.
"Virgil!" The greeting was warm despite her stern appearance. "I heard you were making use of GDF hospitality again."
"Colonel Casey, always a pleasure to see you."
It was evident to Claire that the two knew each other well. She tried to stay unobtrusively in the background.
"You have been making rather a lot of visits to Denver recently. Not that we mind of course. I was so pleased when Gordon gave me the good news. You must be Claire. Delighted to meet you, I'm Val Casey."
Claire found herself subject to the full attention of the GDF colonel. She shook the proffered hand.
"Pleased to meet you too Colonel Casey."
"Please Claire, I'm Auntie Val to the family."
"Good news? Um, what exactly has Gordon been saying?" Virgil was feeling distinctly on the back foot.
"Jeff would have been so proud to see one of his boys finally settling down. I hope you will be very happy together. You look after him Claire, this one has a tendency to push things to the limit. Now I must be getting off. Fly safely you two."
They watched as Colonel Casey climbed back into the armoured car and drove off over the apron.
Claire and Virgil looked at each other in confusion. Gordon had some explaining to do.
xoxoxox
Once they were in the air Virgil opened a link between Tracy Two and his aquanaut brother.
"Gordon, I've just had a very interesting conversation with Colonel Casey."
"Oh, uh, she came to see you did she?"
"Yes. Wanted to congratulate us on the good news. Care to explain exactly what you have been telling her?"
They could hear the smirk in Gordon's voice over the airwaves.
"Only the truth…sort of. She called up wanting to know why we needed hanger space in Denver for the third time in a month. There's been no emergencies and she was getting susupicious. What was I meant to say?"
"Gordon…" The implied threat from Virgil was clear to hear.
"Well I didn't think it would go down well if I announced we had a new super scientist on the team. You know how much the GDF would like to get their hands on Brains' inventions. I just told Auntie Val that Claire was a someone you knew from university and that she had finally decided it was time for some commitment, hence moving in. It's not my fault if Auntie Val jumped to the wrong conclusion." Gordon's tone was saccharine innocence.
"Gordon, you knew exactly what you were doing. Auntie Val is practically buying a hat and booking a celebrant for us. You are in so much trouble when I get home."
"Chill out, bro. At least the GDF aren't going to start looking too closely into Claire's credentials. You should be pleased. Now you can carry on getting that lumbering bus of yours up to a decent speed without interference. I'm just amazed she bought it though. Now if it had been me bringing a girl home it might have been more believable."
Virgil growled and killed the link. Little brothers could be so annoying. He also hated to admit it but Gordon had probably done the right thing. Colonel Casey would likely be very interested to hear that International Rescue was expanding its personnel; she might give them some leeway in respect of her friendship with their father but she was GDF first and foremost. Virgil just wished that Scott or John could have been the one to take the call.
"Sorry about that", he tried to smooth things over with Claire. "It's one of the perils of working with family. Nothing is off-limits. I'll get my own back somehow."
"Is Gordon always that cocky?"
"Afraid so. He seems to think it's his purpose in life to drive the rest of us to distraction. On the Gordon scale of things that was actually pretty mild."
The rest of the flight passed with Virgil regaling Claire with tales of Gordon's various pranks and the retribution that had followed. It gave her some eye-opening insights into the inner workings of the Tracy family. Family being a term that seemed to encompass everyone on the island, not just those related by blood.
Beneath the calm and professional exterior was a family that evidently needed the release of occasional bursts of humour. It made sense really. Their working lives were so high stress it would be easy to crack under the pressure. An existence that was punctuated only by one disaster zone after another would lead to burn out very quickly. The small and secretive nature of the organisation meant they not only trusted each other with their lives out in the field but they relied on each other for support dealing with the aftermath too; sometimes that support was intensely emotional, sometimes it was just a good dose of laughter to clear the gloom after a tough day.
Sitting there in the cockpit, watching the cloud tops skim by far beneath and listening to her pilot, Claire finally found herself relaxing. It was hard not to be put at ease and feel safe with this big bear of a man. He was kind and unassuming but also fiercely protective and loyal.
Claire also discovered that Gordon wasn't the only brother with a mischievous side. The frown that had creased Virgil's face before due to his brother's antics had been replaced by a twinkle as he drew her in to a possible plot for revenge. By the time they were on final approach to the island a plan was beginning to come together. Gordon had better watch his back.