Scott landed in Teterboro Airport and taxied his jet into the Tracy's private hanger. He loved this airport as it was only 12 miles from New York's Midtown Manhattan and Tracy Industries headquarters. Being such a small airport meant there were no commercial aircraft – ideal for the quick round trips he was used to making for TI.

Not that there would be any more of them for the foreseeable future. Scott was studiously ignoring the reason he had returned here less than 24 hours after he had last left. Leaving the hanger, he grabbed a pool car and shot off, heading back to the apartment he'd just left. He needed to keep busy. Keep busy or his mind would dwell on what had happened.

If he was honest with himself – and he always tried to be – his gut twisted at the thought of everything. He was absolutely sure something was going on here, but he had surprised himself with his accusations. Up to that moment he had not even thought to lay blame at anyone's door, yet the minute he had thought it he had said it – he never did have much control over that reaction – and the hurt of such a thought was like a stab to the heart. He wasn't sure which was worse though, the pain of the thought or the look of horror on his brothers faces.

He still felt that they were somehow to blame, had some share in what was happening to him. That niggling voice at the back of his head (which sounded like a very pissed-off John) was calling him out on this. When had his brothers ever had anything but his best interests at heart? When had he become so paranoid that accusing his brothers had come naturally, even if it hurt? Was he actually at fault, not only here but for the whole situation? He again ruthlessly quashed these thoughts; they would not help solve the situation and they were not helpful to anyone.

Arriving at the penthouse, Scott set to work immediately. Nothing could be fixed; nothing could get cleared up until he knew who was trying to get rid of him and why. He started by pulling up the details of all rescues within the last three months. No-one was going to get between him and his brothers, no-one, and he was going to go over everything with a fine-tooth comb until he found the culprit. That voice in the background was accusing the Hood, after all, destroying iR was his life's goal. But this was not his MO at all.

Someone, somehow, was interfering with iR business and the Tracy family by extension, and he would get to the bottom of it.

He spent the best part of that evening and night looking over the rescue reports for both iR and the GDF. By three o'clock in the morning he was starting to flag. He needed sleep – it had been well over 36 hours since he had last slept, nearer to 48 if he really thought about it, and those hours had been hard both physically and emotionally. Collapsing onto the bed, not bothering to change and just removing his shoes, he slept deeply for several hours.

It was almost lunchtime when he awoke. Yet he didn't feel refreshed. His mind was still in a whirl and he had much to do. He ran through what he needed. Shower. Food. Shopping. More studying. There was a pattern there, he just needed to see it. Stepping out of his room after showering and changing, food was next on the menu. They rarely kept any food at the apartment, since this was really just a base to sleep while meetings were being conducted. He could order something to be delivered, but he felt the fresh air would do him good – if you could call downtown New York air fresh! But a change of scenery would be nice.

He went into the first deli he found and grabbed a steak and cheese sub, a muffin and a coffee, carried on until he reached an electronics shop and then returned home to more reports, more data and more study. He would keep going until he found something.

For 52 solid hours Scott followed this routine, working until he dropped, popping out for food and then returning and repeating the cycle. It was the early afternoon of the third day since he had left Tracy Island that he thought he had isolated a pattern. It wasn't much to go on, and he knew it wouldn't stand up in a court of law, but he wasn't taking it there. He just needed confirmation.

And a reason. He really needed a reason why.

He set up everything he thought he would need and stood leaning on the dining room table, arms folded across his chest and facing the large computer screen on the wall.

'EOS, are you there?' Scott was fairly sure his brother's AI would be. She would want to keep an eye on him, if his suspicions were right. Even if she was helping his family – and Scott was pretty sure they would be doing the same as he had been over these last few days – EOS could easily hold down two conversations at once.

'I'm here, Scott.' The image of her camera appeared on the screen, white lights all lit. 'What can I do for you?'

'You can explain to me why you have been sabotaging me.'

'I'm sorry, I don't understand.'

'EOS, I know that you have been responsible for giving me false data, for the run of bad luck I have been having. I want to know why.' Scott was pretty sure his shoulders couldn't be any more tense than they were. He may look relaxed, but he was as taut as a bow string, and just as ready to explode.

EOS considered. She was unsure of how to answer Scott's query. He had not asked her how but why; and that had really surprised her. She was very sure that he could not prove his accusation, else he would surely be taking to John and not her, but she knew she needed to weigh her words carefully. She supposed that, if she thought about it hard enough, it really wasn't a surprise Scott had worked it out. The whole family were very bright – for humans.

Scott watched the screen. He didn't need to be a computer genius to realise the AI was thinking through how to answer him, nor had she realised that she had given herself away by not denying his accusation immediately. Part of him was furious that he had trusted her. But the rational part – the one that sounded like John – was reminding him that she had promised to look out for John only. He really needed to know why she'd done that to him.

'EOS.' Scott's reminder that he was waiting, while unnecessary, did start her talking.

'You made me promise to take care of John.'

'I remember.'

'You said his welfare was the most important thing in my life.'

'I did.'

'I did what I did to protect John. I did what I did to protect our family. I did what I did to protect iR.'

'Explain.' But Scott wasn't sure he wanted to hear what her reasons were. He was sure he wouldn't like them.

'You, Scott Tracy, are a threat to the continued safety of John Tracy, the Tracy family and International Rescue.'

Scott was so glad he was already virtually sitting on the table. Otherwise, EOS' words would have made him collapse on the spot. As it was, his legs gave out and he was suddenly struggling to breathe as the implication of her words hit him like a sledgehammer. His mind was all over the place.

EOS viewed him as a threat to everyone and everything he held dear. What the hell? Getting his breathing under control, he tried again.

'Explain.'

'You constantly want John to return to Earth despite knowing what gravity does to him and knowing that he would be safer staying on Five. You are a reckless individual who consistently ignores good advice from all your brothers. You set a bad example for your youngest brothers by not looking after yourself, not eating, not sleeping. Your impetuousness has put your brothers, especially Virgil, at risk of their own lives too. You have no regard for your own safety. You have no regard for the non-human entities iR employs. You have no regard for protocol if it suits your purpose.'

If Scott thought these points were bad enough, the last point almost had him passing out.

'You could not save your father; how can you be trusted to save your brothers?'

EOS waited. She had not wanted to say any of that, but Scott had asked why. He had gone very pale and at one point she had thought he was about to have a heart attack; his stats were all over the place.

'I did not want to do this, Scott. I see that you love your family. But you asked me to safeguard John and I have done.'

'I did. Have you, have you discussed any of this with John? With the others?'

'No, I did not. I recognise that they can be very irrational when it comes to you. It seemed the best course of action to get you to leave of your own accord.'

'I see. Well, you have made some very valid points, EOS.'

'I am sorry Scott.'

'As am I, EOS. You will look after them?'

'Of course.'

'Thank you.'

Scott turned away as the screen went blank. All he could think about was how much EOS thought he was a danger to his family. He needed air. He needed to get out of here. Clicking the memo recorder off and tossing it into his belongings as he left, Scott stumbled out onto New York's busy streets.

Rush hour was in full flow, and Scott allowed the crowds to move him wherever they went. He had nothing. EOS' reasonings had systematically shot down every last scrap of fight left in him. He'd forgotten just how many people took to the streets when it was home time, there was no room for movement against the crowd. It felt like hundreds were all around him, moving him wherever they wanted to go.

He was half-way along the crosswalk when he heard the unmistakable squeal of tyres and brakes. Instinct took over, despite the density of the crowd, and he had grabbed the woman pushing a pram on his right and pushed them with all his might forward. Just before the car plowed through them all.

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

It had been a hard three days on Tracy Island. After that initial night they had all thrown themselves into the work of finding answers. Still, nothing had been found, and both John and Virgil had begun to wonder if they were looking in the wrong place. It was coming up to lunch time, and Alan and Gordon were in the lounge, going over paperwork while the TV played silently on the wall. Virgil and John were at the desk.

'Isn't that Kit Cavanaugh?' Alan's voice rang out in the silence. Heads shot up as the familiar face of the reporter came on. 'Turn the sound on, Gordon.'

'…and no-one knows exactly what happened, but it appears that a little over twenty minutes ago a car jumped the lights, plowing into the rush hour commuters crossing the road. We have yet to have any official confirmation of casualties, but so far there seem to be six dead and around thirty people injured, some have already been taken away. There has been confirmation of some life-changing injuries and medics are still working on some here.'

The family sighed. Traffic accidents were one of the worst, and they all said a silent prayer that they wouldn't be called out for this one. They went back to their work while the news played on in the background.

'…Oh! Oh my god, is that? Yes, yes it is! I can't believe it but I can confirm that one of the injured is none other than Scott Tracy! He's being loaded into an ambulance now. My thoughts go with him and his family…'

Gordon had hit the pause button. All heads had shot up again as their brother's name was uttered. Thank goodness they were all sitting down. For a long second no-one said anything, just stared at each other.

It was John who broke the silence. As everyone started talking at once John barked out: 'EOS, report!' The room fell immediately quiet again as she appeared. 'It does appear that Scott was among those injured. He is currently aboard an ambulance bound for Mount Sinai Hospital.' She didn't elaborate on his injuries, a move not missed by either John or Virgil. Sharing a glance, it was John who asked the question. It seemed prudent, given that they were looking for someone who was deliberately targeting Scott.

'EOS, what happened? Who was it?'

'It was an accident, John. It was nothing to do with me this time.'

'EOS?'