John wandered round to the back of their ranch house in search of shade and a spot to look out into the desert, his siblings were inside doing ground training giving him time to prepare for the aerobatics course, he walked round to the rocks and began to climb up when his hand grabbed onto something soft and almost rubbery, there was a loud hiss and he found himself face to face with a Death Adder, they were common in that part of the country and he knew he wouldn't become the snake's dinner, but now he was stuck, one false move could mean death by paralysis. They had antivenom back in the house, but out here he was alone, he couldn't move and didn't even want to blink, any fast movement and he would fall from the rock face taking the snake with him or worse aggravating it to attack him. Stuck mid-climb up the rock face, one hand on the ledge the other trapped under the snake's body and feet planted into foot holes, he stared at the dusty coloured reptile staring back at him, its tongue darting in and out and coiling its body into the ledge.

"What have I got myself into?"

Scott laughed as he helped Alan down from the rope course, "you need to go faster Alan, you'll get it eventually."

"I hate this course," he watched as Kayo swung through the ropes effortlessly and landed in a crouch, "show off."

Virgil followed with the same grace but slower and he smiled down at Alan, "I learned from the best."

"Flatterer," Kayo smirked then jumped down to the ground with him as Gordon began the course, "I should get John so we can start the aerobatic program, gear up," she walked out clipping on her communicator as she did and heard it buzz as John's image appeared, "ah, I was just coming to get you. John, you're as pale as a sheet, are you okay?"

"Get my brothers and hurry. I'm around the back of the house on the rocks, and bring antivenom."

"Antivenom? John, what's happened?" She paused by the door and Scott looked over.

"Just get here, please."

Scott ran over as John's hologram disappeared, "what's happened?"

"Get the antivenom, the rest of you with me. Brains?"

"Yes, Kayo?"

"We might need you."

"Umm, FAB."

The five siblings and Brains ran out of the side door round to the rock face and Kayo and Virgil skidded to a halt as the snake hissed at them before tightening its body around John's hand.

"John!" Kayo cried.

"Kayo, that's a Death Adder," Gordon grabbed her arm, "deadly."

John winced, "no sudden movements, or it'll bite me."

Virgil looked at Brains, "what do we do?"

"It hasn't b-bitten him yet, but we need to unhook his hand somehow."

"I'll climb up onto the cliff and get the snake," Alan grinned, "I'm not scared of reptiles."

"No Alan, that's too dangerous," Virgil frowned sternly, "we need to get the snake to relax so John can get his hand loose."

Scott ran up, "here, I've got the...John!"

Virgil stuck his hand out, "Scott, no, that's a Death Adder, one of the most dangerous snakes out here."

Brains nodded, "okay, this sounds crazy, but John, I think you need to let it bite you."

"What?" Gordon cried, "Brains, that could kill him."

"Not necessarily, we have the antivenom and this snake can choose what venom to a-administrate."

"It will choose to kill him," Alan grimaced, "there must be another way?"

John quivered, "not to worry anyone, but I can't stand like this for much longer and I'm getting pins and needles in my hand," he stared at the snake which hissed again.

Virgil paced, "what if one of us put ourselves up as bait and moved at the last second to distract the snake?"

"I don't like that Virgil," Scott murmured.

"Either way one of us will be bitten, I'd rather it was one of us than John right now."

John rolled his eyes, "I guess there's no other choice" he pulled his hand away quickly and the snake sank its fangs into his wrist, he shouted in pain and fell, as he hit the ground the adder lost its grip and recoiled back for a second strike.

"Virgil!" Scott yelled and Virgil grabbed John in his arms before running clear from the snake which slithered back into the shelter of the rocks staring at them angrily, "get him into the house," John twitched in Virgil's arms as his body went into paralysis and Grandma gasped in horror as the tall ginger-haired boy was laid down on the sofa.

"Antivenom, now!" Virgil knelt beside his brother as Scott passed him the plunger then pulled the sleeve of John's shirt up, "easy John, easy," as he worked to clean the wound, Grandma held John's shoulder, Alan paced the room and Gordon went to console Brains who was biting his lip. John was as still as a statue and still foaming at the mouth slightly, Virgil pushed the nib down onto his arm then narrowed his eyes watching the wound carefully, "two more times should do it," he looked around, "did anyone see where the snake went?"

"I'll do a perimeter check," Kayo placed her hand on Scott's arm reassuringly then ran up the stairs to go through to the hangars, she leapt onto Shadow's bike and the hangar door opened as she tapped the accelerator down.

"I'm sorry, I should've t-thought of something else," Brains wrapped his arms around himself.

"He's going to be okay Brains, don't worry," Gordon rubbed his shoulder as Virgil cleaned the saliva off John's lips.

Virgil rocked back into his heels with a smile, "it's working, he should begin to feel his limbs again soon. Grandma, could you get a glass of water for him, please? We need to make sure his body functions are working."

Grandma stood up straight, "of course son, well done."

"Survival camp," Virgil smirked as he packed the antivenom kit away, he looked around for Scott but he had left the room, "keep an eye on John, Gordon, I'll be right back."

"I'll call you if anything happens."

"FAB," Virgil stood up and walked out onto the porch where Scott was leaning against the fence, "are you okay?" He asked gently.

Scott nodded, "I let one of you get hurt again."

"Scott, he went out by himself and let the snake bite him."

"We didn't think of anything, Virgil, he let himself get bitten because we weren't fast enough to think of an alternative," Scott snapped.

Virgil stood next to him, "we acted fast enough, he's safe."

"He'll always have those puncture marks showing him that we failed as brothers to save him," Scott looked down sorrowfully, "another thing I can add to the list of why I failed Dad."

"You haven't failed him, he would've been proud of how we acted just then."

"No he wouldn't, Virgil," he glared at him, "he would've got John off that rock somehow without him getting bitten. John gave up because we didn't act."

Kayo skidded the bike to a halt at the bottom of the steps and jumped out gracefully flipping her hair back, "no sign of the snake. Scott, what's wrong? You have a face like thunder."

"I'm fine Kayo, just worried about John."

"Well I know part of what you just said is a lie," she walked up the steps, "he won't blame you, you and Virgil saved his life."

Gordon ran out, "John is waking up, he's slurring a little but the antivenom worked."

Virgil nodded, "good. Scott?"

"Yeah, I need to apologise."

"Scud, where ish he?" John asked sitting up painfully as he looked around the room which was blurred in his vision.

"I'm here John, I am so sorry that we couldn't think of anything," Scott rubbed the back of John's hand gently.

"S'not your fault, I let duh shnake bite me, there washn't any odder choish."

"There was another choice, we could've done something," Scott sighed.

"No, or the bite could have been worsh."

Kayo smiled, "the good news is the snake has gone, the perimeter is clear."

John nodded, "good. I shhod have been more careful, or not gone alone in the firhst place."

"Any dizziness or side effects from the antivenom, John?" Virgil asked slipping into doctor mode, "we had to give you three shots of it for the jaw size."

"Apart from my speesh, I don't ache or anyfink."

"FAB, I suggest you get some sleep and don't try to get up just yet, you were rigid as anything."

John nodded, "FAB. Where are you guysh going?"

"Nowhere if you don't want us too?" Gordon smiled.

"I'll be ashleep, you don't haf to shtay."

Kayo checked the time, "we can run the aerobatic program still, let's go."

Virgil nodded, "I'm up for that, come on you two."

Grandma watched the group leave apart from Scott and she pulled up a chair beside the sofa as John fell asleep, "he'll be fine, Scott."

"What would Dad say, Grandma?"

"About what happened or at this very moment?"

"About what happened, we don't hesitate in this job and today we did just that. It got one of us badly hurt and had we left him any longer he could've died."

"He would have said you did the right thing applying the antivenom. John made the decision to get away himself, had he wanted your help he would've contributed to the ideas."

Scott sighed letting go of John's hand, "I just want dad back, I need someone else to make decisions for me, I keep making the wrong ones."

Grandma tutted sympathetically, "I can't think of any bad decisions you have made, apart from telling Gordon if he wished hard enough he could become a merman, that was a bad day."

Scott smirked thinking back to childhood when his water-loving brother had tied his feet together in the pool and tried to swim, unsuccessfully, "you can say anything when they're that young."

"You made the decision to trust Brains and the Mechanic and now we're weeks away from launching the Zero-XL to bring my son home, I'd say you're a great leader, and he would be proud of you. Listen to your brothers when they tell you that."

Scott nodded looking down at John, "I'm just glad he's okay."

"I'll keep an eye on him if you want to go and train with the others?"

"No it's alright, I'd rather stay here."

"Alright son, I'm going to put dinner on."

Scott cracked a smile, "you'll have to catch it first."

"You rotten child," Grandma laughed ruffling his hair, "it'll be nice."

Scott chuckled as she left the room and he propped his feet up beside John's, when the others returned to the house they found Scott fast asleep and Virgil grinned.

"I guess he needed the rest," he smiled at Kayo as Grandma beckoned them in for dinner.