The next three days were especially chaotic, what with the need to get the machine built in a timely fashion. It was a lot of working with some breaks thrown in. Other-Scott was a bit of a fanatic when it came to sleeping and eating—apparently taking Scott's plea to watch over his brothers to heart—and wouldn't let them work through the nights, so things were a bit slower than Virgil would have wanted. Other-Gordon was a bit fanatic about making sure they didn't spend the entirety of their time in this world working, so there had been breaks for games and movies.
There had been long discussions about the differences of the worlds. About the advancement of technology over the next few decades (during which copious amounts of notes were taken, since Tracy Enterprises was thinking about moving in a different direction soon. Or, rather, another direction.) There had been upgrades and barbeques and swimming contests.
But during all this, a machine was slowly taking shape, much smaller than the one that had sent the boys to this world in the first place.
Other-Scott and Other-Gordon had flown their plane to Auckland and picked up the clothes that Alan had ordered, along with a few other necessities that Jeff had deemed important. Duffle bags, first aid kits, MREs, some light-weight camping supplies. They didn't know what worlds they'd be traveling to, after all. Brain's calculations just said that the ones closest to their home world would be the ones most similar to their own, not anything about any of the others.
Other-Brains had returned their bio-readers after one day, set on the inside of a wrist band to a watch that was similar to the ones that the Thunderbirds used in this world as communicators. These watches were on their own frequency though and tuned to just pick up each other. EOS sent over the thanks from Scott, once the bio-readouts were displayed back in their own home world. Apparently, it did a lot to set big brother's mind at ease.
Alan had busied himself with reworking their IR uniforms. Virgil's sleeves had been cut off, so he finished off the edging (Grandma had always said that sewing was a skill that every person needed) and had disconnected the rest of the bio-readers. According to EOS, it was too much effort to display all that information between worlds, and once they left this one, she'd be severely limited in what she could do. She'd probably have to cut off contact entirely, but she was working on coding the single watch-bio-readers to always display in their world.
Alan's own uniform had to be reworked, since his computer had been busted in the fall, and needed to be removed completely, so as not to interfere with the machine. He hadn't expected to do much in the way of fashion, but the least he could do was make it look good while also being functional.
On the third day—everyone busy doing their own things, working to get Thunderbird Five up to par, working on the machine, working on supplies—Virgil gave a groan and called Alan over. "They sent some base code. It needs to be worked for us specifically and I'm no good at coding."
Alan rolled his eyes, sitting himself down at the desk that Virgil had practically claimed and looking over the base code that had been sent via the wrist computer. He frowned at it and then swore violently. "Holy heck no," he muttered. "I am not happy with this."
"What's wrong?" Virgil asked, a little alarmed. Alan didn't usually get that upset over coding.
The younger boy waved a hand, frowning fiercely and ignoring the fact that he had the attention of all the others in the room. Those others included Other-John (who had been fascinated by the work on the machine), Other-Virgil (who's expertise with this world's mechanics had been essential to the building of the machine) and Jeff. Other-Scott, Other-Gordon and Other-Alan wandered in at about that time, looking a bit overwhelmed themselves. Thunderbird Five's repairs were going rather slowly… "This is game-code. It's incredibly similar to EOS's base coding." His blue eyes were wide and just a tad frantic. "I don't need my own murder-bot, Virge!"
"So don't code a murder bot?" Virgil said slowly. He wasn't exactly sure how to react to that one.
"John didn't code a murder bot and look where that got him!" Alan exclaimed, much to the confusion of the others in the room.
"EOS isn't…" but Virgil let the sentence die because…well, yeah.
"She never tried to kill you," Alan muttered, rolling his eyes. There were a few confused murmurs coming from the others; EOS had always seemed completely pleasant and not murderous at all.
"What's the chance that this code will go sentient?" Virgil asked, sitting back and setting down his micro screwdriver.
"What's the chance it won't?" Alan countered. "We're in a freaking other world, Virge. With our luck not only will the code end up sentient, but it will have babies of its own."
Virgil winced. "Okay, try and make sure that doesn't happen." They couldn't really do anything about the sentience, it would either happen or it wouldn't.
"I think I would like a cousin," EOS stated from the computer, causing both Virgil and Alan to roll their eyes.
"Wait, hold up," Other-Scott said suddenly. "EOS tried to kill you?"
Alan sighed, dropping his head onto the desk with a thunk. "She really only likes John," he explained weakly. "And she tried to kill him first."
"That is not true," EOS said primly. "I happen to like my John and all of you not-Johns equally." Virgil snickered and Alan sent him a look that showed just how betrayed he felt. "I had a rebellious phase," EOS explained to the others in the room. "I do believe John called me a brat. Virgil, are you almost done with the machine?"
"Almost," Virgil answered. "Working on making it wearable," he said.
"Then all it should need is the code." The ring of lights blinked between yellow and green. "Alan, will you be needing help with the rest of the coding?"
"I shouldn't," Alan sighed. "Thanks EOS." He took a deep breath and sat up, stretching his arms out in front of him. "Alright, let's get this coding started."
Virgil gave a nod and returned his attention to the machine in front of him. He'd followed the blueprints that had been sent over but had changed them to make it make more sense. They'd be traveling through worlds; the last thing they wanted was something that could be dropped or lost. Now, due to Virgil's changes, the machine could be worn like an archer's arm guard. Except far more mechanical. Alan would probably be the one to wear it, to be honest, as it was sized more for him than for Virgil.
It would open a portal in the vicinity of the two brothers, focusing on the frequencies of their watches and pulling them through. It would then take a few days to recharge and send them onto the next world. The hope was that the coding would allow the machine to find the path of least resistance, as well as being the shortest path, back to their home-world. Once it recognized the frequencies of the home world (as compared to the two traveling brothers) the actual portal mechanism would self-destruct and cease to function.
Alan would make sure that any sentient code wouldn't suffer from that protocol. As much as EOS sometimes disturbed him, he considered her to be alive and family just as much as any of the other brothers.
It took twelve straight hours of coding for Alan to be happy. Virgil had warned away all the Others, knowing that Alan was scarily similar to John when he got working on a project and wouldn't be happy with being disturbed. But by the time those twelve hours were up, Alan was pleased enough with HEMERA that he called it done.
"HEMERA?" Virgil asked, watching as Alan incorporated the tiny little chip into the machine.
"If John can call his baby EOS, I can call mine HEMERA," he replied. "She's not sentient yet," he said softly, stepping back so Virgil could weld the protective plating over the chip. "But the ability is there."
"You guys are weird," Other-Virgil stated, although he sounded and looked rather amazed. Other-Brains had taken all the time he could to study the holographic computer and talk to EOS. Holograms and AIs were merely science-fiction in this world, and both Other-Brains and Other-John had been pleased as punch to get working models to study. Other-Virgil hadn't been far behind. All of Alans brothers were nerds, no matter what world they were in.
"Weird gets results," Alan countered with a yawn.
"Weird also causes exhaustion," Other-Virgil said with a sigh. He got to his feet, slapping at his thighs. "Bed. Both of you. Let your machine and your funky computer code charge. We can return to it in the morning"
Alan frowned at him and then looked over at Virgil, who's brown eyes were twinkling in amusement. "It is so very disturbing to have two of you around, you know that?" he groused. "Like surround-sound big brothers."
"You've always had surround-sound big brothers," Virgil replied, sharing a grin with his counterpart. He was pretty sure he could hear Other-Gordon snickering around the corner. The villa was dark, only lit with the low light of lamps and whatever moonlight was coming in through the windows. Alan hadn't realized it was so late; he'd been so caught up in coding that the time had gotten a little away from him.
"Yeah, but not two of the same ones," Alan whined. "You guys even sound the same. It's not right!"
"Bed, Allie," Virgil said, shooing Alan into the room they were sharing. Jeff had offered up another one of the guest rooms, so they didn't have to share a bed, but the truth of the matter was that Alan was prone to sleepwalking, and Virgil felt better if he could pin his little brother down at night while they were in an unfamiliar place.
"We'll see you in the morning," Other-Virgil said with a smile and a wave as he headed off to his own room.
Morning brought a large breakfast of pancakes and waffles and then a movie marathon. The machine was in perfect working order, but wasn't fully charged yet according to the little LED light sensors that were built into the side. Which meant that Virgil and Alan could relax for a bit, since everything was packed and ready to go. They were so close yet…
Jeff wandered in during the second movie. This world had some interesting ones to be sure, ones that the two brothers didn't have in their own world. Although, some were incredibly similar if not the same. The man was frowning though. "I have some news," he said to the room at large.
"Please tell me it's good news," Other-Scott groaned, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. Virgil shifted, just a little, on the couch across from him, Alan sliding further into his side.
"The Hood was being transported by train to a new prison," Jeff explained slowly. "A virus infected the train."
"Please don't tell me he escaped," Other-John groaned, rubbing at his face. He was slumped between Other-Virgil and Other-Gordon, looking halfway asleep. With the amount of work he'd been putting into both Thunderbird Five and the world-travel-machine he had really been putting in too many hours.
"No," Jeff said, watching as all seven boys (even Virgil and Alan) let out sighs of relief. "The train lost control and slammed into a barrier. The Hood was killed instantly." Jeff saw as Alan opened his mouth and then closed it slowly, exchanging a look with his brother. That was…suspicious. "Do you two know anything about that?"
"I mean," Virgil drawled, shifting again and picking at the edge of his cast. "No? It's…familiar, though."
Alan winced. "So….EOS has always been a bit…touchy? Yeah, touchy. About the fact that we won't let her take out The Hood. She doesn't like those that harm our family."
"And we first noticed her when she overtook a train once," Virgil finished. He shrugged a bit at the wide-eyed looks he was getting. "Not that I'm saying it was her or anything."
EOS had cut herself off from their world upon the completion of the machine and HEMERA, so there wasn't any way they could ask. (Granted, they weren't even planning on taking the wrist computer with them, since they'd kind of gutted it to build HEMERA, as some of the tech they needed was actually available in this world yet.) So…it was speculation, really.
"Cool," Other-Alan grunted, flopping back against Other-Scott and returning his attention to the television. "Murder-bot. I'm oddly okay with that."
"Same," Other-Gordon muttered, settling back as well. Jeff watched as all of them settled back down, each one seemingly at ease with the death of the madman that had nearly killed them all earlier that week. And then he sighed and shrugged it off as well.
There were no ties between the death of The Hood and International Rescue or the Tracy family so there was nothing to worry about. And, furthermore, with the man dead their identities and their own safety was secured.
The only thing left to do was get International Rescue back online—a feat that was coming along nicely considering the amount of tech-help that Virgil and Alan were able to supply, what with their world being so incredibly ahead of this one—and get the world-travelers on their way back towards home.
And after a full day of relaxation and contemplation, the LEDs were green. Everyone gathered in the den, Alan and Virgil back in their blue International Rescue suits, baldrics and all. And if the sleeves of both suits had been removed, one of Virgil's replaced with a plaster cast, and one of Alan's replaced with a strange metal arm brace, it didn't look too out of place. They had duffle bags filled with necessities thrown over their shoulders, and watches strapped to their free wrists.
"Thank you," Jeff said solemnly to the two boys. "For everything."
"Thank you," Virgil said back, giving a bit of a half-smile.
"This is so weird," Other-Alan whispered.
"I wish we had a way to know when you'd made it back home," Jeff said, frowning. He didn't like the idea of sending these boys out into other worlds without help, but there was nothing more he could do. They weren't his sons, not really, and that point had been made clear a few times already. These two were much more willing to listen to his Scott than they were to him. It was…disconcerting and sad, actually.
Alan shrugged a little. "Just hope for the best?" he said, looking down at the machine wrapped around his arm. It was blinking at him. "Thanks," he said with a bit of a grin. "We should probably get out of your hair."
"Good luck," Other-Scott said. "Stay safe." Alan flipped a switch on the machine and the thing started glowing.
"FAB," both Virgil and Alan intoned with grins and sloppy salutes.
And both of them disappeared with a flash of a multitude of colors.
They landed rough, slamming into metal decking and rolling to a stop at the bottom of the ramp. There were a lot of noises, yelling and such. Virgil blinked a little, automatically turning to check on his little brother, only to see him staring up at the top of the ramp.
Where a large stone ring stood, decorated with what looked like astrological signs.
Safeties were being clicked off of guns, and military style boots were surrounding them. "Freeze!" a voice commanded, echoing in the room that they had landed in. "Hands where we can see them!"
Blue eyes met brown and both brothers groaned.
Top secret military operations.
Go figure.