A/N: This conversation was interesting to write because Scott feels free to share his fears with Anne, whereas he felt the need to put up a slightly braver front for his brothers in order to get them on board with his plan. So although he's sharing the same information, it has a completely different feel to it.

To Guest: Thank you, glad you enjoyed it :)

To Kim: Hope this answers your questions!

I've been rewatching episodes the past few days to remind myself whether the 'spy in the GDF' plot point ever gets resolved (still in the process of doing so). My fiancé has now conceded that the show is quirky and that he likes Kayo. He also memorably described Thunderbird 2 as 'a fat green hamster carrying a toolbox'. Such a way with words that man has.


Chapter Nineteen – Bombshell.

Anne was pleasantly surprised when Scott turned up unexpectedly on her doorstep one Sunday morning, although the expression on his face indicated that it wasn't a social visit.

"Hi," she greeted him neutrally, mindful of the stares of her neighbour, who was tending to the houseplants she kept outside her front door.

"Hi," he said. "Uh, can I talk to you?"

"Sure." She stepped back to let him enter, and Cathy awkwardly pushed her way past them both.

"Uh…I'm gonna go see if Betty needs a hand," Cathy said with unusual tact. Clearly she had picked up on Scott's sombre mood too. "Hi Scott, nice to see you."

"Hi Cathy."

Letting the door slide shut on the hallway, Anne led the way to the lounge, and they sat sideways on the couch, facing each other.

"What is it?" she asked without preamble, sensing that he was too preoccupied for niceties.

"So, uh…Brains and the Mechanic have built the ship and run successful tests," he told her, proving her assumption correct. "They're running the final checks on it as we speak. We can launch tonight."

Anne nodded, her brow furrowed. "And do you think the Hood will try to stop you?"

"I don't want to say for sure. We've taken every precaution, but…who knows." He shrugged one shoulder. "I don't see how he could know that we're ready to launch. I think we're in the clear, but we need to move fast. And…that's why I'm here. I'll be flying the ship. Solo, but for the Mechanic."

Anne nodded again, pressing her lips tightly together. As time had passed, she'd suspected she'd have to hear the news someday, but she still didn't feel entirely prepared for it.

"Anne, I need to be completely honest with you," he said earnestly, taking her hand. "This is a long shot in so many ways. We don't know if I'm going to be able to reach him. We don't know what I'm going to find if I do. And…we don't know that I'll be able to get back. The chances are good. Brains is a genius, and he's run every safety check he can, but…this technology is still so new and untested. If something goes wrong, if I get stranded there…I won't be able to get home. That's why I'm doing this alone. I can't risk any of the others. And besides, they'll be needed here."

Anne nodded a third time, her vision blurring as she blinked back tears. She'd known – the moment he'd told her that the ship was being built – that he'd be part of the mission. That he'd go it alone was expected too. He'd do anything to protect the others, whether it was from a dangerous journey or the uncertainty of what he'd find on the other side of it.

"I'm sorry to put you through this," Scott said, sounding pained. "But…I have to try. Please tell me you understand."

"No. I mean, yes, I understand. No, don't feel sorry," she said articulately. "I…If you don't do this, you'll regret it forever, I know that. I'm sorry about the tears, I'm just scared. But I know you have to go. It's okay."

"I wish there was another solution, but…"

Anne managed a wobbly smile, dashing her tears away on her sleeve. "There isn't one. It's okay, I know you have to do this."

His expression was torn, and she knew he would be feeling guilty for putting her through the kind of pain he'd tried to protect her from. She scooted closer and drew him into a hug, trying not to cry on his shirt.

"Worrying about you is going to suck," she said, her voice slightly muffled by his shoulder, "but I don't regret any of it. So don't feel bad, please. Just…do whatever you can to come home safe."

"I will," he promised her. "Like I said, the chances are good. It's just…the possibility…I couldn't leave without telling you how things stand."

"I appreciate that. I know it doesn't seem like it based on how I'm reacting, but I really do. I'd rather know a difficult truth than imagine something way worse."

"I know."

He pulled back, and she loosened her hold on him. With warm palms, he cupped her cheeks, wiping away tears with his thumbs. She smiled faintly at the gesture.

"I'll be honest," he said, managing a faint smile of his own, "I was kind of expecting you to yell at me."

Anne let out a surprised bark of laughter. "I don't blame you. I thought about it. But honestly…I wouldn't expect you to take any other course of action, and I can't yell at you for that. I made you a promise that I understood and accepted your duty, and I do. I won't go against that promise now, even if…even if the thought of you flying so far away…" She couldn't finish the sentence, but she knew he got it. She'd said the most important part anyway.

"I don't know how long I'll be gone," he told her, reaching down and taking her hands. "These engines are fast, but it'll still take some time to get there. Then I need to find him, and make sure I have enough fuel to get back."

"Okay," she said, because she couldn't think of anything else.

"If all goes well it'll be days not weeks, but…I just don't know."

Anne squeezed his hands. "I'm sure John will let me know the moment his scanners pick you up."

He nodded. "He'd better. At least I can report to him first. He can prepare everyone if…" He trailed off, seemingly unable to speak of the possibility of not finding Jeff alive. "God, Anne, what if he's…"

"Then at least you'll know the truth," she assured him gently.

Scott met her gaze, his fear and pain clear to see. "He's been out there all alone for eight years. Even if he's survived, how do I know I'd be bringing the same man home?"

She didn't have an answer for that. Eight years in isolation was bound to have taken its toll. And unless he'd found a way to make the Zero-X's rations stretch unbelievably far, she couldn't see how Jeff could have survived so long. But that was the point of the mission. It was a search for the truth that would hopefully be a rescue too.

"I wish I knew the right thing to say, but I don't," she admitted.

"It's okay," Scott assured her. "I don't have the answers either. I guess that's why I'm doing this. I'll be honest, it scares me to death, but if there's even the slightest chance of bringing him back alive, I have to take it."

"I know. And…if anyone can pull this off, you can."

His lips twitched in a faint smile. "Thanks for believing in me."

"I always will," she told him without hesitation.

He leaned in, capturing her lips in a fierce, lingering kiss that she returned with her whole heart. His arms tightened around her, pulling her onto his lap, and she clung to his neck, trying to eliminate any unwanted space between them. She felt the desperation in his kisses and tried to counter them with reassurance, which was difficult when her lashes were still damp from troubled tears. All too soon, they broke apart, and Scott sighed, stirring the loose strands of her hair.

"I have to go."

Every inch of her cried out in protest, but she nodded and stood. He did too, sending her a look of regret.

"I'm sorry, I wish I had more time, but I need to get back and prepare. I shouldn't have come here really, but…I had to do this in person."

Anne reached for his hand and held it. "I'm grateful you did. I…this would have been a harder conversation over the comm."

He nodded in agreement, and they walked the short distance to the front door still hand in hand.

"Call the island if you need anything," he instructed.

"I will."

They halted in the hallway and faced each other. Anne stepped forward for a final embrace, holding him tightly.

"Fly safe," she ordered him, "and good luck."

She wanted to order him to come back, but didn't want to add to the pressure he was already putting on himself. 'Fly safe' would have to do. It said a lot, if not quite enough.

"Thank you," he said, the simple words heavy with meaning.

Stepping back, Anne closed her eyes briefly and exhaled, composing herself so she could open the front door. When she opened them again, Scott was studying her with a conflicted expression.

"Anne…if – when – I get back, there's something I want to talk to you about…something I need to tell you…" he trailed off, eyes fixed on hers for a long few seconds. Then he shook his head and sent her a quick smile. "It's fine," he mumbled dismissively.

He hit the panel for the door, stepping outside when it slid open. Anne arranged her features into the best neutral look she could muster. She couldn't quite make herself say goodbye, and it seemed he couldn't either. Their silent parting must have looked weird to Betty and Cathy, who were chatting just down the hall, but Anne couldn't bring herself to care. She swallowed a lump in her throat as Scott shot her a last glance and turned to walk away.

He made it three steps before stopping, and she heard him swear softly. Then he was turning, striding back to her with a look of renewed determination. He cupped her face in his hands, and she stared at him with startled eyes.

"I love you," he said emphatically, "and I will make it back to you."

Her heart leapt, and she smiled at him, covering one of his hands with her own. "I love you too," she told him with warm sincerity, "and I'll hold you to that."

He returned her smile, stepping close for one last kiss that felt far too short. Then he was backing away, walking down the corridor to face the toughest mission he'd ever take on. Anne watched him until he disappeared around a corner, feeling simultaneously lifted by his final words and anxious about all the rest. She sighed, suddenly noticing that Cathy and Betty had fallen silent. She retreated back inside without looking at them. Cathy would come and demand an explanation as soon as she was able, and Anne had a lot of thoughts to organise before then.


It was late in the evening when she received a call from Virgil. The second-eldest Tracy greeted her with a tired smile, telling her his news without leaving her hanging.

"He's away safely."

Anne breathed a sigh of relief. One worry down, many more to go. Cathy looked up from her tablet, sending her a small, encouraging smile.

"How was the launch?" Anne asked.

"Could've gone better," Virgil admitted. "The Hood and Chaos Crew showed up. Kayo caught the Hood trying to sneak aboard the Zero-X2."

Anne briefly considered the implications of that. Had the Hood succeeded, had he taken Scott and the Mechanic by surprise, it would be all too easy for him to leave them stranded in the Oort Cloud with no way home. The close call sent a ripple of cold fear through her.

"Please tell me she stopped him," she said.

"She did," Virgil confirmed, and her unnecessary alarm eased. "Chaos Crew created a diversion, but she figured out what they were doing and kept close to the launch pad. The rest of us kept Chaos Crew occupied while Scott launched. They got away, so no doubt they'll be back to try again when he returns."

The confidence in his voice was soothing to hear. When Scott returned, not if. That the Hood would try again did not surprise her, although it was concerning, and Virgil assured her that Kayo and her GDF friend were keeping a close eye on him.

"Thanks for telling me," she said, offering him a wan smile.

"No problem. We'll keep in touch, I promise."

She nodded gratefully. "Thanks."

"You'd better," Cathy mumbled, and Anne hid her smile at her sister's protective tone. She hadn't heard it enough in her lifetime.

"What was that?" Virgil asked.

"Just Cathy showing her claws," Anne reported.

Virgil managed a small quirk of his lips. "I see. Tell her she has nothing to worry about."

"She can hear you."

"Cathy, you have nothing to worry about," Virgil repeated without missing a beat.

Cathy smiled, scooting over so that the holo picked her up. "Glad to hear it. You'll want to stay on my good side when we're in-laws."

Anne shot her a pained look, which she ignored.

Virgil's smile widened. "Ah, so that secret's out, is it?"

"Yes, and I'm going to try not to be insulted that you knew before I did."

"It wasn't by choice, I promise you," Virgil said, and Anne could tell by the look on his face that he was remembering the awkward looks exchanged over breakfast at the hotel in Australia.

Cathy looked alarmingly intrigued. "Oh really? I think I need to hear more."

"Not tonight," Anne said firmly. "Call him yourself if you want to gossip."

"I might," Cathy replied with a falsely innocent smile.

Virgil chuckled. "I look forward to it. For now though, try and get some rest," he advised Anne.

She almost laughed at the irony. "I'll try. You should too. You look tired."

Virgil nodded in agreement. "Yup, sounds about right. I'll try too. Have a good night, both of you."

"You too," Anne and Cathy said together.


After the display in the corridor, Anne had had to come clean to her sister about the truth of her relationship with Scott. Since Cathy would be living with her while she weathered the storm of anxiety during his absence, Anne told her everything, feeling a small weight off her shoulders to know that someone would understand exactly how she was feeling. She would have to show her game face to the rest of the world.

Despite her teasing with Virgil, Cathy was more empathetic about it than Anne could have expected, and she promised to keep the secret, even from their mother. That was a big ask, as their mom had only recently learned that both her daughters were now in L.A., and she had been on Cathy's case about Ed. Cathy hadn't told her the truth about why she and Ed had broken up. Their mom was going through her usual cycle of hinting that they should get back together, which she'd done for pretty much every ex that Anne and Cathy had ever had. Soon she would give up and try setting her up with someone new, as she still occasionally did for Anne. Knowing that her youngest daughter actually did have someone – a handsome, successful, heroic someone – would take the heat off Cathy, and Anne was grateful for her sister's silence.

Despite the unexpected ally she found in Cathy, the time was hard to bear. Anne felt the pang of Scott's absence every minute of every day, which was ridiculous, considering the amount of time they spent apart anyway. Somehow, the knowledge that he was so far away had a psychological effect on her reactions. She got on with her life as best she could, but people noticed, and Viresh commented that she was looking stressed. All Viresh knew of the truth was that Scott was tied up with a project, and she was not authorised to enlighten him. Tim tried to get her to take some time off, but she adamantly refused. The last thing she wanted was free time in which to fret more.

"Well, what about the SEA conference on Friday?" he asked her.

"What about it?" she replied. The Space Exploration Association conference happened annually, and was a chance for any space travel-related organisations to get together and chat. Tim usually attended it himself, although she'd gone once. It had been fairly interesting.

"It's being held in London this year," Tim went on. "Why don't you go instead of me and take a few days' vacation while you're there? I'm not sure I'm up to travelling that far."

Anne narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, convinced that he was playing her. "Tim, I don't need a vacation. But I'll go to the conference if you don't want to. I like London."

"I'll switch the hotel details to your name," he said triumphantly.

Anne sighed good-naturedly and got on with what she was doing. She knew he meant well.

She heard from the Tracys most days, grateful that they thought to check in. They never had any news for her, but it was nice to touch base with the island. Virgil even visited Tracy Enterprises, to authorise things that Scott couldn't, much to Viresh's delight.

The world at large didn't seem to notice that Scott was missing. True, it had been less than a week, but there were no news reports pondering his absence, even though footage from a few rescues clearly showed Alan piloting Thunderbird 1. The fan forums were another story. Since Gordon had pointed them out to her, Anne visited them regularly, keeping on top of the gossip and rumours. It had only taken a few days for someone to write a speculation post, and the theories had only gained momentum since then. Under a generic username, she commented often to downplay everything, trying to get people behind her 'theory' that he was on an extended training exercise. Not many fans were buying it. With every rescue that passed without a sighting of him, the crazier theories gained plausibility.

Two days before she was due to leave for London, she sat at her desk, idling scrolling through the comments as she took a quick break from actual work. It was quiet, as Tim wasn't in and Mary Kate was at lunch. There was nothing new to check on, and certainly nothing concerning. She purposely didn't venture into the photo gallery. That seemed a little too desperate somehow.

A silent light on her desk flashed up red, and she frowned, feeling a ripple of unease. That was the warning signal from main reception.

Please tell me you hit it accidentally, V, she thought to herself, quickly pulling up the security cameras. As she stared at the image, her mouth fell open in shock, and she activated her comm.

"International Rescue, this is Anne, I have an emergency." She spoke quickly and quietly, unsure how much time she had.

"What is it, Anne?" John asked her.

"It's the Hood," she told him in a rush. "He's here."

John's calm façade barely cracked, although she'd obviously surprised him. His eyes widened imperceptivity. "Okay. We're on our way. Whatever he wants, just let him have it. It's not worth your life."

Anne nodded curtly, hearing footsteps outside the office door. "Gotta go," she said, cutting the call. It didn't take too much playacting to jump when the infamous criminal stepped through her door.

She'd seen him in news reports, but never in person. He wasn't a tall man, but he had a certain intimidating presence about him. Only his sharp eyes linked him to Kayo, although his were a much more sickly shade of green, deep set into a pale, gaunt face. Behind him, two figures in distinctive purple armour loitered. One lithe and athletic, the other hulking and muscled. Havoc and Fuse. Chaos Crew. Anne remembered that Fuse was a demolitions expert the same moment she realised what he was holding, and her eyes widened.

"Sorry for the intrusion," the Hood said with false politeness. "We won't be staying long."

"What do you want?" she made herself say. The words trembled only slightly. "There's nothing valuable to you here."

"That depends on your definition of valuable," he said, hands clasped casually behind his back as he strode further into the office. "For instance, it recently occurred to me that this company is quite valuable to International Rescue."

"We're not part of…" she began.

"Oh, I know you're not. But your profits are, aren't they?"

Anne figured it was a rhetorical question, and kept her silence.

"In fact," he went on conversationally, "I believe that a lot of them go towards funding the Thunderbirds. So you see, it would be quite valuable to me if that source of income were to…disappear." He snapped his fingers, and Fuse began a circuit of her office, planting explosive charges.

Anne watched him with concerned eyes. She was no expert, but she wasn't naïve. "But…with this amount of explosives, you could bring down half the block! It's the middle of a work day!"

"That's not my concern, but since I'm a fair man, your staff have as long as it takes Fuse to finish to get out."

Anne didn't hesitate in activating the fire alarm, and she reached for the emergency comm.

"If anyone calls the GDF, I'll detonate while you're still inside," he warned her, gesturing with the detonator.

Her stomach did a quick somersault, and she nodded. She activated the comm and heard her own voice echo through the building. "This is not a drill. Repeat, this is not a drill. Exit the building immediately and get a safe distance away. The matter is in hand. Repeat, the matter is in hand."

At least she wasn't lying.

Fuse finished up in the office and headed out to reception to add charges there, seemingly unbothered by the stream of panicking people running past him.

Anne paused, pondering what to do. The Hood was right. If he took out Tracy Enterprises, it would have a knock-on effect to International Rescue. The company would get back on its feet eventually, but who knew how long that would take? She knew the Tracys received funding from some of Jeff's other ventures, but the bulk of it came from Tracy Enterprises. They couldn't afford for it to go down.

Havoc was staring at her, almost daring her to try something. She had a pretty, elfin face, but wore such a spiteful expression that she seemed immediately dislikeable. The Hood said nothing more, and the three of them stood in a weirdly awkward silence while they waited for Fuse to finish up. The noise from outside the office had died down, and Anne tentatively hoped that everyone else was out.

A plan started to form in her mind. It was a gamble, but it was the only course of action she could think of. Unfortunately, the thought made her twitchy, and the Hood watched her with narrowed eyes while she fought to remain still. When Fuse returned to gather more charges for the rest of the first floor, Anne shot into action. She dived for the button under her desk, slamming her palm on it. Emergency security doors started to close, shutting off main reception from the rest of the building. They were designed as a fire safety measure, but perhaps they'd suit her purposes too.

Her nervousness had alerted the Hood to her actions, however, and he was already running when she made her move. When the door slammed down across the entrance of the office, he and Havoc were on the outside, leaving herself and Fuse trapped inside.

"No!" she yelled, furious.

Her intention had been to trap them all together. The Hood wouldn't detonate if he was stuck inside the building. Fuse let out an angry growl, knocking her aside. Anne hit the ground, momentarily dazed. He pressed the button, which did nothing, then sent his powerful fist into the entire panel.

Anne looked at him in horror. "No! What did you do? You idiot!"

He ignored her, running to look through the emergency door's tiny transparent panel. "They're gone," he reported in disbelief.

Anne pushed herself up and ran to her desk, looking aghast at the mess of sparking wires. "What have you done? Now we're stuck in here!"

"We were already stuck in here!" he snarled back.

"No, we weren't!"

"The button didn't work!"

"Biometrics, jackass!" she yelled, losing her already-frayed temper. "I could have used it!"

He paused, looking sheepish. "Well I didn't know that."

Anne pressed her hands flat against her desktop, hanging her head. Panic started to feather the edges of her vision, and she pushed it back. "Will he detonate knowing you're still in here?" she asked.

Fuse hesitated. His expression was grim.

"Can you deactivate these charges?" she said urgently.

"The ones in here, yeah. But those out there…" He gestured to reception with a thumb.

"Do it," she barked at him.

He did so, moving quickly around the room and taking the charges off the walls. Anne dropped to her knees and crawled under her desk. If they were lucky, the explosion wouldn't bring down the building, but it would still do significant damage.

"What are you doing?" he said with a frown, dropping the last, safe charge back into the container he'd brought along. Anne fervently hoped that the explosion from reception wouldn't set off the idle ones. If it did, they'd have no hope.

"I'm going to make an attempt at surviving if it's all the same to you."

"Oh. Right."

Despite his protective armour, he joined her under the desk. She glanced at him. Beneath the bluster and his tough appearance, his face was youthful and troubled.

"Anne?" came John's voice, and she lifted her arm. "Kayo and Alan are on the Hood's tail, they'll get that detonator back. Virgil will be with you in minutes, he just needs to find a place to land."

"Not to be melodramatic," she said, "but we may not have minutes."

"Understood," John said succinctly before vanishing.

Fuse looked at her with hope. She guessed he didn't want to die either.

"If the Hood is the kind of person to blow you up to suit his own plans, why are you working for him?" she asked him. She needed to take her mind off her potential impending doom. The boys were coming. They wouldn't let her die. She had to believe that. It would be ironic if Scott survived a dangerous deep space mission only to find that she'd been killed in her own home town. Anne recognised the hysterical thought for what it was and shoved it aside, focusing on Fuse's words.

"It's for Havoc mostly. She likes working for him. She's the only family I've got."

"And she left you," Anne said bluntly. "Family doesn't do that. Family sticks together no matter what."

A new sound made her violently jump, and she poked her head out from around the desk to see a laser cutting around the door. Impeccable timing that almost made her feel part of the Tracy clan. Logically, she knew they would save her regardless of who she was, but she couldn't help but feel they were protecting one of their own. She knew they had her back, and not just because they were International Rescue. Even if it was mostly for Scott's benefit, it made her feel safer.

Anne got to her feet, Fuse behind her, and tried to wait patiently. The door fell into the room, revealing Gordon armed with a laser cutter and Scott's trusty jetpack.

"Am I glad to see you," she exclaimed.

"You think Scott would ever forgive me if I let anything happen to his girl?" Gordon said lightly. "Come on, let's go. You too, big fella."

They were just crossing reception when all of the charges started emitting a high-pitched beeping noise.

"Uh oh," Fuse said. "Run!"

As they did so, Gordon yelled at him, "Will that armour protect you?"

"Yeah, why?"

Without answering him, Gordon grabbed Anne around the waist and kicked off the ground. He aimed the jetpack low, so they flew more forwards than upwards. They left Fuse behind, covering half the street in a few seconds. The shockwave from the explosion knocked Gordon off course, and they tumbled to the ground, grateful that he hadn't been flying any higher than a few feet.

"Shit, sorry," he said with a groan.

"That's fine," Anne replied when she had enough breath. "I'd rather be bruised out here than fried in there."

"Fair point." He sat up and assessed his limbs, then helped her to her feet.

They headed back towards the building. Main reception was completely blown out, and a lot of the first two floors were on fire. The structural integrity didn't seem to have been compromised, and none of the neighbouring buildings had been hit. All things considered, it wasn't too bad.

Thunderbird 1 moved in above their heads, fitting between the buildings where Virgil couldn't. A nozzle jutted out from beneath it and started spraying foam on the fire.

"Fuse?" Gordon called.

"Here."

The purple-armoured man appeared from under a piece of debris, getting awkwardly to his feet.

"Are you hurt?" Gordon asked him.

Fuse looked at him, as if confused by the question. "Uh…no." He shuffled his weight, sheepish and clearly uncomfortable. "Um…thanks." After a moment of indecision, he spoke again. "Look, I…I've decided…I don't want anyone getting hurt. Causing chaos is fun, but…there are some things I don't wanna do."

Anne sent him a look that she hoped was sympathetic. Gordon, however, looked sceptical.

"Really? Cos you nearly tipped me off a mountain once. And left me for dead at the bottom of the ocean."

"I knew there was a slope beneath you on the mountain," Fuse said defensively. "And…the other thing wasn't my choice."

"Then why work for him?" Anne asked. "You know the Hood only cares about himself. Hasn't he proved today that you're expendable?"

"I don't care about the Hood," Fuse said with a sneer. "I care about my sister, and I need to know why she left me. I'm gonna go and find out before you lot call the GDF."

There was a moment of silence while he stared them down.

"I don't know why you're looking at me for permission," Gordon said with a shrug. "Do I look like I could stop you? I'm the same size as one of your legs."

Fuse snorted at that and turned to go. He'd only taken two steps before he hesitated, looking back at them. "You should know…the Hood has Havoc working on a way of intercepting your calls. If you're gonna talk about anything important, you should probably encrypt it. Twice." Then he stalked off.

Anne exchanged a glance with Gordon. "That was…interesting."

"Yeah." He glanced up, frowned, then tapped a button on his sash. "Alan, pull up, you're spraying foam on the sidewalk."

Thunderbird 1 adjusted, aiming back at the building.

"Sorry," Anne heard him say. "It's kinda hard to see."

Thudding footsteps preceded the arrival of Virgil and the Tracy Enterprises workforce. Viresh was right at the front, although Anne wasn't sure if that was to check on her welfare or to be next to Virgil. In the blink of an eye she was surrounded by people, and she took a second to adjust.

"Guys, guys, I'm fine!" she tried to say, her voice getting lost. She glanced at Virgil and Gordon. "Little help?"

Virgil cleared his throat. "Okay, people, quieten down!" His authoritative tone wasn't quite at Scott's level, but it was certainly effective.

Anne nodded at him, and stepped carefully up onto a crumpled trash can that had been sent flying by the blast. Virgil and Gordon hovered near her, and she rested a hand on Virgil's tall shoulder for balance.

"Okay, listen up!" she yelled over the heads of her co-workers. "Is anyone injured or in need of assistance?" A ripple of negatives came back to her, and she breathed a sigh of relief. "If you have anything useful to tell the GDF, stick around. Otherwise, you should probably just go home. When I hear from the fire department that the building is safe, we'll work something out. Until then, nobody goes near it. Okay?"

"What about wages?" someone yelled.

Anne paused, unsure, and Virgil answered for her. "Everyone will still get paid."

Satisfied, the crowed began to disperse, some loitering to watch Alan put Thunderbird 1 down in the middle of the road. The youngest Tracy headed straight over to talk to the fire department, who were just pulling up.

"How are you doing?" Virgil asked, helping her down off her makeshift stool.

"I'm okay, honestly. A little shaken, but okay."

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop him, Anne," Viresh said, pulling her in for a quick hug.

"Don't apologise," Anne told him seriously. "If you hadn't hit your warning button, I wouldn't have had time to call International Rescue."

Kayo approached with two GDF officers, once of whom Virgil greeted warmly as Colonel Casey. Anne was glad for the heads-up. She'd heard a lot about Colonel Casey.

"He got away," Kayo reported. "I'm sorry, Anne. I managed to get the detonator but he got it back before I could deactivate it."

Anne shook her head, awkward with all the unnecessary apologies. "It's fine. Thanks for delaying him long enough for Gordon to get us out."

"Us?" Colonel Casey said.

Anne nodded to her. "Fuse was trapped with me."

"I see." Colonel Casey looked from Anne to Gordon to Virgil. "I think we all have a lot to talk about."


A/N: Tfw the chapter title becomes a lot more literal in the second half...