The shock of Gordon's presence had sent John tumbling downward, into the ocean swells below. If it hurt, he hadn't given it much attention, too focused on the brother who'd awoken their link. The water swirled around him until John had found his bearings and headed for the surface. He was floating there, now, staring into the darkening sky as Scott made another pass overhead, unable to risk a dive to rescue the astronaut.
The link with Gordon hadn't been open long, but there had been enough to let John know the situation was dire. Losing him again was almost worse than not being able to locate him in the beginning. This time, he was certain he had a general location - and it seemed quite obvious now that they were floating just above it.
"John, what would you like me to do?" EOS had been the one to offer up the maps of his surrounding area and the deep gauge in the ocean floor.
"Contact Brains," John instructed as he caught a glimpse of silver plating on autopilot from where Scott had left the Thunderbird to hover. The eldest made another pass before meeting his ship midair to climb into the pilot's seat. "Have him get to work repairing Thunderbird 4. We're going to need her."
The AI flitted off to do as he asked and John's attention was back on Scott as he brought Thunderbird 1 down close enough that he could lower a rescue harness. John was grateful his brother hadn't jumped in after it to get him secured. They'd practiced this numerous times - for fun according to Gordon - and that thought spurred him to get out of the churning sea faster.
As the red-head rose into the belly of his brother's 'bird, he soon found out what had captured Scott's attention. Virgil's hologram floated over the console, his attention elsewhere as he spoke.
"He's been drugged, Scott," even as Virgil let the explanation cross the sea, John knew he was right.
"How do you know?" A growl not meant to strike the second eldest, but tinged with so much was Scott's nightmare - hell, they all feared capture - but the eldest wore guilt more than any of them could. According to their commander, it was his responsibility to keep them all safe. Dad had been the same before they'd lost him, leaving it all to Scott whether they agreed with it or not.
"I've had to do it enough times to know how he feels when he's sedated," patience met their commander and John could see the anger melt enough for Scott to think clearly.
"EOS is alerting Brains to get Four up and running again," John added, wanting to offer something for Scott to hold onto. "We'll need her. I believe whoever has Gordon is using a submersible in the Mariana Trench."
A silent curse from Virgil combined with an audible one from Scott, "Thunderbird 4 isn't outfitted for combat. How are we supposed to get him out without getting attacked ourselves?"
This wasn't the first time the question had come up, but it was more pressing now than it had ever been. They rescued people. What would the world think if they flew around with military grade weapons? If the GDF found out - these were their reasons before and they still created a roadblock.
"We cloak. Visibility's going to be minimal, but if we can hide our presence from their scanners, we should be able to get close," John knew they would be just as blind, but they had the empathic link these people didn't. The only problem would be if Gordon stayed unconscious. Even now, his younger brother was a wisp of dull fear. It would be near impossible to pin down his direction with so little floating between them. Virgil didn't have the ability to shut himself off like John could, so it stood to reason they would be relying solely on the second eldest.
Scott's grip on the controls sent a crunch of fabric loud enough for Virgil to hear, dark brown eyes regarding them both before diverting back to his task. The eldest wasn't happy, but who would be? He would be blind, unable to do much until they made physical contact. Once that happened, though, nothing would stop their commander from bringing their brother home.
"I've gotta get to Kay," Virgil broke the tense silence. "Talk to Brains. He'll have some ideas, I'm sure of it."
They didn't doubt the engineer's abilities, but it was another area where their own skills were inadequate. More waiting. More hoping someone else had the answers. Sometimes, that was the worst place for Scott to be.
Virgil cut the comm link, but John could feel the swell of frustration mixing with the intense focus needed for medical procedures. John let his hand fall on the eldest's shoulder, the only link they had to convey emotion. A gentle squeeze and the grip loosened on the controls, "We'll get him back."
A nod, subtle and tense, but no words followed. Thunderbird 1's acceleration was his only answer. The pilot did what he did best in hopes that it would be enough. They all had to be enough - for Gordon's sake.
OoOoOoO
Leaving his brothers felt wrong. Virgil wanted nothing more than to evaluate their options. He wanted to help repair Thunderbird 4, get her ready for a dive to the bottom of the ocean - to face the people who had his little brother.
He had a responsibility, though, to the woman laying on the hospital bed, green eyes blinking as Grandma spoke softly to her. Virgil quickly delivered the equipment the elder woman needed and took Kayo's uninjured hand, his fingers pressing gently into her palm.
"Kay? You with me?" His throat felt raw as she flinched, but her eyes turned, a smile working its way across her face.
"-'m here, love," though she sounded tired. Virgil leant forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead feeling the hand in his relax just the slightest. "What happened?"
A frown as he pulled back, "What do you remember?"
Kayo's gaze shifted to the ceiling, blinking through images he knew she was trying to piece together. Trauma had its bright sides and, although they would like more information about what had happened to Gordon, Virgil was hopeful that Kayo wouldn't have to relive the worst of the events. What she could remember brought back the cold dread from before, "Gordon had to go EVA - inside the ship that was sinking. There was a woman -" Her brow pinched with the effort to remember. "Not much more after that," realization flashed with painful awareness across her face, "Where's Gordon?"
Virgil met his grandmother's worried eyes as she paused over her work to reset the bones in Kayo's arm. Both women were in the dark and he barely had the answers he wanted. Ever the professional, Grandma returned to the machines that sorted the simpler of injuries, medicines keeping the pain at bay as a bone snapped back.
He swallowed, his tongue dry, "He's been taken." He held up a hand to quell the questions, "We have an idea where he is and a plan."
"I'm going with you," determination burst through the green eyes and Virgil wanted nothing more than to agree.
Better judgement and a need to keep her safe helped him answer, "Kay, you're hurt. There's no way I'm letting you go with us."
"It's too dange-" a wince had him scrambling momentarily to ensure she wasn't going to move, but the calm whispers from Grandma indicated the equipment was through the worst of her arm. A grunt and a breath had her clear green eyes glaring at him once more, "It's too dangerous. You need to call for help." She knew she'd hit her mark when he didn't counter, "Of course I'm no help right now, but that doesn't mean you have to go rushing into a hostile situation alone."
"Kay," and that was the problem, "even if we asked the GDF for help, they couldn't. They don't have the technology." Frustration filled her face, her fingers grasping tighter to keep him from making these choices.
"Then what's the plan?" An anger in her tone born of love and fear made him hope it was at the very least helping her manage the pain of her injuries, but there were still no outside options.
"We're taking Thunderbird 4 as soon as she's been repaired. Scott's going to see what Brains can do to help keep her off radar and possibly outfit her with something to disable the ship." Now that he was putting it into words, Virgil found some comfort. As he'd told his brothers before, he was sure Brains had an ingenious way to keep them safe. In reality, it would be their target who would need to worry. He smiled, warm and disarming, "They won't know what hit them until it's too late."
She didn't look convinced, "How are you going to get Gordon out? These people aren't going to sit back while you go in to look for him."
They hadn't made it that far yet, still focused on making it down without being detected. They still had a few options, most of which Kayo had implemented herself. Hand to hand was one thing, but they had infrared, as well as a few deterrents meant for large animals. A good shock would keep the people down without killing them. "Scott's going to lead. I don't think any of us could get in the way of that. He's not defenseless -" Virgil sent gentle fingers through her hair, mindful of the bruising. Her frustration melted into concern and he could see the moisture building in her eyes. Leaving another kiss to her brow, he whispered, "neither are John or myself. We can do this."
A soft breath as Kayo tried to calm the rise of emotion, "I wish you didn't have to." A tear slid free, "I can't lose you."
There was no way to soothe her fears without a blatant lie. They could all die down there and Kayo could do nothing. Their bodies would probably be impossible to recover and if they were captured -
Those thoughts wouldn't help anyone, especially not the woman he loves, "I'll be back - with Gordon. One way or another, I'm coming back to you." He couldn't make himself utter a promise, but come hell or high water, he was going to return.
"Kayo, dear," Grandma cut in, quiet and hesitant, "I've done all I can here. I'm afraid for the rest, you'll have to be under."
Virgil gave her a sympathetic smile. No one hated being sedated more than Kayo. She despised the vulnerability of it, preferring to have surgery while awake. Whatever Grandma had planned, that wouldn't be an option.
"I'll be here when you wake up," that he could promise. "I doubt we'll have Thunderbird 4 ready by then."
Kayo's uninjured hand reached up to wrap into his collar, pulling him closer to see the intensity return to her gaze, "Best believe if you're not, I'll make sure you can't leave."
For a long second, Virgil knew she was dead serious, but then, the corner of her mouth tilted. Even injured she could scare the hell out of him when she wanted to and she knew it. Their noses met as she pulled him the rest of the way down, lips brushing in a restrained kiss - only a moment.
Virgil reluctantly pulled away and nodded, "You just make sure you take it easy. Can't take me down if you get worse." It was offered in jest, but the reality of such an occurrence made his gut lurch.
"She'll be just fine," Grandma warned them both. "Just make sure you boys do everything you can to stay safe - bring Gordon home."
"Yes ma'am," the desire to not disappoint the woman who'd already lost more than anyone should sent a reassuring smile over his face.
The conversation was over, Virgil focusing on doing as his grandmother instructed to get Kayo ready for surgery. The quiet that settled over them was still plagued by tension and the unknown, but plans had been made. They would all have to accept the minute control they had over the situation and just hope that their training and technology would be enough. Virgil found himself wishing he could do more for the woman he loved as the door closed between them and he was left to find the rest of his family. They needed some good news.
A sound to his right made Virgil jump, remembering who he'd left to manage Thunderbird 2's post-flight checks. Alan didn't indicate if he'd noticed his brother's surprise, jumping right into the questions that had been plaguing him, "Is she okay?"
"She'll be fine, Al," he pulled his little brother into the hug he knew the teen needed but wouldn't ask for. There was no fight as the arms encircled his chest. "We're gonna get Gordon back," he answered the unspoken worry. "I assume you were listening?"
A muffled 'yeah' came from his chest before Alan stepped away, stubborn determination taking over the fear, "It's gotta be the Hood."
"We don't know that," no matter how obvious it seemed.
"But assuming it is, we can't let him keep doing this to us," the anger was justified, if a bit disconcerting coming from his baby brother - the implications. There had been plans - or thoughts and short conversations - of what they could do to stop the madman from coming after their family. Scott had his own ideas that Virgil wasn't prepared to assist with, but understood. The GDF had failed them too often to be relied on this time. The engineer simply wasn't ready or willing to hear their commander's words from the youngest brother.
Catching the blonde's shoulders in his grip, Virgil's gaze froze the astronaut, though the anger remained, "We're getting Gordon back. Anything else - anyone else down there doesn't matter."
"But Virg -" Alan growled, breaking their eye contact as his fists clenched."I can't keep - I don't want to lose anyone else."
Another chance to lie and he almost took it, but Alan was too smart for that. He didn't need to hear sugar coated words that could turn sour in an instant. "I know, kiddo. All we can do is keep each other safe."
A sigh, "And when we can't do that?"
We fight, but he didn't say it. He couldn't. Not yet.
"I don't know," he squeezed the teen's shoulders, "but with any luck, we won't have to find out."