Happy Anderson day to all the fans out there! Looking forward to the watch along tonight and the social media specials! What better way to celebrate than with a fanfic chapter update!
Chapter three
Gordon looked up from tinkering with one of Thunderbird four's rear turbines where he had been trying to dislodge a large rock for most of the day. He hammered the top in frustration before stopping to sniff the air. "Smells like when dad melted that plastic spatula on the hob." He wrinkled his nose in disgust. Echoing footsteps from behind suddenly became more pronounced. He straightened as he turned around. "Christ it's you!"
"Gee thanks Gordon, way to greet your older brother." Scott ran a bandaged hand through his hair, it was the closest he ever came to looking dishevelled.
"Disaster averted I take it?" Gordon picked up a T-bar to start fishing for the stone again. He knew the full details, having not left the lounge till he knew they were safe but Scott didn't know that. Plus; when Scott reported on a rescue he had a way of making it sound so exhilarating! It was like Gordon could almost experience the mission through him.
"It was a close call - too close but we made it by the skin of our teeth. Virgil and Brains set about using that new powder of his to neutralise the chemical spill. I used Thunderbird two to lift the shuttle so we could turn her, then Alan hauled the guys out in the nick of time. We evacuated the whole site then Virgil lifted the shuttle to Kodiak Island so it didn't fuel the wildfires - should they reach the site. We've left that situation in the capable hands of the firefighting crews and the Air Force. They have it under control for now and to be honest I'm beat so their welcome to it."
"Well, I'm sorry I missed the show but glad it went A-Okay." Gordon cursed as he lost the T-bar in the turbine.
"And just what are you trying to achieve here?" Scott raised a brow in mild amusement.
"Long story short; Tin-Tin noticed a rock in the turbine that I missed in my checks. It's not affecting the performance too bad but it will eventually. I can't get it out for love nor money and I really don't want to have to take the blasted thing apart." He fell back on haunches in defeat.
Scott motioned for him to move aside. "Let me take a look." He grabbed his torch out of his sash and peered into the turbine. "Impressive." He surmised.
"Yeah, it just won't budge."
"Hmmm." Scott surveyed the littered tools at his disposal before settling on a good old fashioned rubber mallet. He stood, running his hand midway along the turbine rotor casing before suddenly giving it a confident whack. There was a clunk followed by a ding. Gordon snatched the torch off Scott's waist and peered inside the turbine before looking at him in disbelief. "That only happens in movies. Lucky fluke."
"I think the word you're looking for is skill."
"You're a jammy blighter!" (He quoted one of his favourite Parker sayings) "I've been on this all day; it didn't even take you a minute."
"Like I said skill; and your welcome."
A beeping interrupted them, still smiling Scott answered the call. "Hey sweetheart." Gordon rolled his eyes as his brother's face lit up.
"Hey, how are you? Is now a good time, I know you've had a lot of call outs of late?"
"Yeah, all good; just helping Gordon with a little maintenance on four." He smiled at his girlfriend of three years. "And where might you be?" He could hear the wind channeling down the call, Rose's brunette locks blew wildly about her face as they were teased loose from her ponytail. He thought he could see fields behind her.
"Well speaking of maintenance that's kind of why I called you. I got called to assist a raid in Buckinghamshire which went fine but on the way home I hit a pot-hole and shredded a tyre. I didn't realise my breakdown cover had lapsed so I had a go at changing it but wondered if I showed you, if you would just be able to confirm its alright?"
Gordon started to pack away his tools watching Scott slipping into mission mode. He could see his mind going into overdrive at the fact his girl was stranded on some freeway and had to change her own tyre. That would not sit well with him. He was waiting for him to reply with you should have called me earlier…. I would have sorted breakdown cover for you. 3, 2, 1 and…
"Rose; you should have called earlier; I could have sorted out something." Gordon smiled at his toolbox, shaking his head. So predictable.
"Scott you're not even in the country! If I wanted assistance, I could have got it but I'm just after a second opinion. Dad taught me to change a tyre when I learned to drive but I've never had to do it before and I can't get hold of him. So just tell me please, does this look right?"
Gordon came to stand near Scott looking at the video feed on his wrist. Scott scrutinised the tyre in question, zooming in so he could check the nuts and the wheel alignment. "I take it the tension on them all is good?" Rose promptly set the phone on the gravel a short distance from the car. They watched her ankle boots and slender legs crunch over to the tyre before she bent to pick up a bar. "Nice view." Whispered Gordon.
"I agree, the English countryside is stunning at this time of year isn't it, Gordon?" Rose's voice carried off screen.
"Yep. I can see why brother is head over heels for England." Scott audibly shunted him across the floor the squeak of his boots ringing in the cavern. He shook his head, unbelievable. Gordon grinned like a Cheshire cat.
Rose grabbed the bar placed it on the nut then put one foot on it and balanced her weight, the nut remained stationary. She repeated the process on all the others. "Alright good; now just show me the inside of the wheel arch." There was a short scuffle as she picked up the phone and complied.
"Okay; well from a visual point of view it all looks good to me. Just take it easy and get it looked at when you get to the garage to replace the other one."
"I always take it easy." She replied mimicking being affronted. Scott looked at her in disbelief as he started walking to the elevator not wanting to end the call but wanting a little privacy.
Gordon waved as he watched him go before finishing tidying up his tools. He was so engrossed in his task on his knees he didn't hear her approach. "There you are, Mr Tracy said you might be down here." Gordon paused picking up the last wrench which happened to be right near her blue boots, his eyes trailed upwards taking in her perfect petite form and the way her uniform complimented her figure. The utility belt clinched at her middle. Her jade eyes peered down at him through thick black lashes and winged eyeliner. It was Tin-tin. He stumbled to his feet, his back protesting at having been bent over for too long. He winced.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, fine just need a minute for my back to catch up with me, Y'know twenty going on eighty." He bit out.
"Lie on the floor."
"Come again?"
She laughed. "Lie on the floor and slowly relax your self onto it, your back will naturally realign against the hard surface and you can slowly move into a position that can help you decompress and take the pressure of your back."
"Your joking? If I go down there, there's no coming back." He leaned on the side of his submarine obscuring the number four.
"Trust me."
He sighed. If it was any of his brothers, he would have flatly refused but he couldn't refuse her. "Alright I'll indulge myself in your nonsense." He tentatively sat on the floor doing his best not to grimace before lowering himself back.
"So, before you elected yourself as my physio - you said you were looking for me?" He flinched as his lower back pressed into the floor.
"Gordon try to relax. I was wondering where you were and you've been gone for a while. I should have guessed you would be here, I made you coffee."
He continued to stare upwards, his back was almost right now - well his kind of normal. Suddenly gentle hands were lifting his knee. "Err what are you up to?"
"Gordon your stiff as a board."
"I thought that was the idea?"
She huffed somewhere near his thigh as she gently lifted his knees up. "I asked you to lie flat not tense up like a clam. Just loosen up and let me lift your knees." She finished propping them up. "There."
He sighed in relief. "God that's amazing." He was shocked, why had no one ever taught him this before? The relief was almost instantaneous. It was heavenly… well more than heavenly - even better than….
"Better?"
"You have no idea. If I could move, I could kiss you."
She giggled; he did look better which was a relief. Not many people knew how Gordon struggled at times, she didn't think even she comprehended what he had to endure. Chronic pain was no laughing matter and yet somehow, he managed to live life to the full everyday and never once complained.
"I'm glad, stay there until you feel it's passed. I thought I heard Scott here a moment ago?" She tried to distract him.
"What you mean you couldn't smell him before you heard him? He smells like a gas canister after ignition."
Tin-tin pulled herself into a cross legged position by his head. "I take it he's alright?"
"Oh yeah, Rose called him so he's as happy. Did you know she could change a tyre?"
"No, I can't say that comes up when we take tea together at Penelope's occasionally. He still hasn't convinced her to live here then?" She checked her clipboard, flicking through the checklists she needed to complete when Thunderbird 2 and 1 were back. The boys mostly did their own but when they had been on back-to-back rescues like this, she was usually able to convince Mr Tracy or the boys to let her do them.
"No - well not that I've heard. I've tried talking to him about it and so's Virgil but he's pretty closed off about the whole affair. I think they are in some kind of fragile détente over it. They have both agreed not to bring it up and to continue as they are. He loves her so much; he doesn't want to push her away so he's backed down for now." Gordon really felt for Scott, Rose was a huge part of his life and he wanted her here with him more than anything but he wasn't selfish enough to force that life on her. As someone who spent most of his life trapped on this infernal island feeling like a spare part, he understood why Scott was willing to give her the choice. Rose had a career of her own and was progressing well but for Scott it was like living with his heart ripped out left behind in England. He wasn't whole anymore when she was away but at the same time, he would be bereft if he lost her completely. Scott denied this but Gordon could see the painful truth in his eyes when he'd brokered the subject. So at Scott's request to leave it, they all pretended everything was fine.
"That's so sad, I wish there was something that could be done. They deserve to be happy, you all do with the amount you have to sacrifice." Sacrifice. He never used to see it that way, after what happened to him international rescue had been a lifeline. A role that offered the active service he was used to and the chance to save people in need…. Or at least that's what he thought it would be. These days it just involved him sitting on the substitution bench watching from afar; game after game. Ready for action but never required. Scott's predicament only proved that they were all suffering in some way but at least his brother got to be distracted on missions, at least he went on enough of them to bump into the love of his life. Gordon not only had a non-existent personal life but he also effectively worked less than part-time at present. He wanted a life or at least one that he felt could be considered worthwhile.
Anyway - he was dwelling again and that wouldn't do. "Alright, I think I'm good to go." He slowly pulled himself into a sitting position. His back felt like it no longer wanted to snap in two as he straightened.
They stood awkwardly for a moment. "Well, I had better go and make a start on Thunderbird one. The way things have been lately she could be needed at a moment's notice." She handed him his coffee.
"Ahh cold coffee, thank you."
"I suspected it would take me a while to find you so it's in a thermal mug." She was already waking away.
"You're a gem thank you!" He called as she walked down the hangar.
"Your welcome" she replied her melodious voice almost too soft for Gordon to hear as she took the lift. He perched himself on the wing sipping his coffee as he watched her disappear into the monorail. He was lucky to have a friend like Tin-tin.