Alan was staring down his eldest brother from across the nose of the yellow submarine. Sparks flew from the robotic arms working to repair the hull in order to make her seaworthy once more, unaware of the ones flying between the brothers.
"I have to go with you," Alan felt his grip slipping on the barely contained frustration. He knew what the answer would be even as his words left him. He held up a hand to stop Scott from offering the reasons the youngest should stay home where it was safe - let the big brothers take all the risks, "You need someone to pilot while John keeps Thunderbird 4 in the dark. It can't be Virgil because he needs to go with you to find Gordon. There's no way around this, Scott. I have to go."
"Alan, I know you want to help, but someone also needs to stay here in case something happens," Scott's voice was infuriatingly calm. "Thunderbird 4 can operate on autopilot if the need arises."
Maybe it was the lack of an angry tone from his big brother that was setting off every urge to scream, but their time for action was dwindling. Four was almost good as new minus the extra shielding and equipment that still needed to be attached. If he was going to convince his brother to let him go, it needed to be now.
"And what happens if they start blindly attacking? You're leaving John a sitting duck. One good hit down there and there's no coming back." Blue eyes burned, but he could see the hesitation, the pause that indicated Scott was having to make the difficult decisions. He had him. Even being the youngest, their commander was an open book when it came to his family. The astronaut didn't need anyone to back him up when it came to hitting Scott where it mattered most. "Protecting me is only going to put John at risk." A little gentler, but just as determined, "I can do this - I need to go."
The robotic arms moved away to start on a new section, the flashes dying down for only a moment. Scott was in his own head, the conflict of responsibility as a commander and brother tearing him up. Alan had witnessed it from the sidelines more times than he could count, brothers being sent out on rescues when Scott had surpassed his flight hours. He had caused the stress enough times himself, today being the worst of it.
"Alan -" the commander was being replaced by big brother, too terrified to listen to logic. It was unprofessional and Scott knew that, but there would always be a temptation to try everything he could.
"Guys," and this time, John was the voice of reason, putting emphasis to what Alan was bringing to the table. Both brothers turned to the red-head and caught the pinched expression on the astronaut's face. Before either could ask what was wrong, John continued, "Gordon's awake, but we've got a problem."
"What is it?" Scott led them out of the noise coming from module 4, the conversation from earlier placed on Alan's back burner.
"Virgil and I believe he's shifted," John gestured to the engineer hunched over on a crate, his head in his hands.
"What?" The confusion was evident. "Can you tell if he's escaped?"
"I don't think so. At that depth, he'd be crushed," turquoise eyes turned to Virgil. "I'm having a difficult time connecting."
"Virgil?" The name left Alan's throat with apprehension. He and Gordon might be closer in age, but the engineer was practically bonded to his co-pilot. He had to know more.
"He's angry," came out gruff with concentration. "Physically - it's too difficult to tell, but he seems alright. Just -" a shiver ran across the broad shoulders before he sat upright, his complexion pale. Shaking his head clear of the thought - or feeling, Alan assumed it could be both - dark brown eyes pinned Scott, "Whatever we're gonna do, we should do it fast."
"We will," the authority of their commander was back. "As soon as Thunderbird 4 is repaired, Brains will have her fitted with the emergency extraction tube."
Alan rarely got to see that particular piece of equipment in action, no matter how useful it could be in space. Cutting into the side of a spaceship was a whole lot different than cutting into the hull of an already flooded boat. Even cutting in with his laser tool could cause more harm than good if the situation inside was unknown. What they were about to do - and he was still determined to go - would put a hole into a ship in one of the deepest parts of the ocean. If anything went wrong or the other ship wasn't stable enough for such a breach, people would die.
He wouldn't say he'd never thought about it before - killing someone - but those times had been in the heat of the moment, when they'd almost lost Virgil and John and again when he saw his middle brother without his wings. He'd never been given the opportunity to act on those feelings, but today could change that. Alan wondered if Scott was dealing with the same thoughts, because there was fire in his brother's eyes. In the end, it would be his call.
The brunette left the three of them with the instruction to let him know of any changes while he went back to overseeing the preparations for Thunderbird 4. Alan didn't follow, though he knew he would need to continue convincing Scott of why he was necessary. Instead, he turned back to find John working through codes.
"Need any help?" It was an obvious 'no', but Alan wanted to do something.
Without looking up from his own work, John activated a hologram and sent it to the younger astronaut's watch. One glance and he knew exactly what it meant. Thunderbird 4's control manual - a refresher that would have to be enough in the next few hours.
"I'm going," it was a statement, though there was still a question of if Scott would allow it.
"I know," turquoise eyes sparked with the same defiance Alan felt. "Just make sure you're ready."
Even without the empathic link, Alan's heart pounded with the emotion he could assume his brother was feeling - the expectations. Throughout his life, limited as it was, the stress of living up to his brothers had spurred him to do better and learn faster. Gordon was the one that kept him grounded, helped him build on his own strengths. You don't have to be John or Scott. Just be you.
The voice from long ago set his shoulders and calmed the fear of disappointment, the blonde nodding before finding his own console to get to work. He was going to give Scott one more solid reason why he needed to go.
Because there was no way he could stay.
OoOoOoO
Waking, this time, came without the shocking points of the stun baton. Gordon wouldn't say it was pleasant, however. The hard, metal floor was far from a mattress and left his joints feeling achy and stiff. There was also the face that appeared in the window embedded in the door and the voice it belonged to.
"That's enough sleeping," the Hood grinned as Gordon's glare was pointed in his direction.
"You might need to look up the definition of 'sleeping'," sitting up sent his vision in a swirl from the lightheaded ache brought on by the sedative. As his senses adjusted, Gordon focused back on the villain and felt his own smug smile growing, "Might wanna put some ice on that."
The Hood's expression shifted to annoyance, making the dark red and purple all the more pronounced, "In time. For now, I believe I'm entitled to another demonstration of your abilities."
"Keep believing and maybe you'll turn into the rat you are," he was feeling more emboldened without the restraints from earlier and he took a moment to look around the room he was locked in.
Only, it wasn't a room meant for holding a prisoner. It was an airlock, the thick window showing a dark world outside.
"I propose a deal," the Hood began while Gordon stared at the hatch release. He couldn't tell where they were, but opening the door seemed like a deadly option whether he was in the sea, air, or space. He didn't have to wait long to find out, "You transform and stay that way long enough for my scientists to discover your secrets or I'll be forced to send you out into the crushing depths of the Mariana Trench." Amber eyes swiveled back to glare at the madman, "And if you're about to warn me that I would be losing the one thing I'm after, try to remember you have four brothers. I'm sure young Alan would be more than -"
"Shut up!" Anger overrode Gordon's sensibility, forgetting any shred of a plan that might have been forming.
The Hood simply chuckled, his hand sliding over the controls outside the airlock, "So, shall we begin?" And with a press of a button, a warning alarm sounded through the room - water surging in through valves along the wall.
It hit him like ice, the ocean at this depth void of the sun's warmth and Gordon's mind raced for an answer. His ray form wouldn't be able to survive these temperatures for long, but that meant offering the Hood more than he was willing. How long would the water remain cold within the ship?
The water stole his breath as it swirled over his chest in a rush and he knew the decision had to be made. He would have to risk it and hope for the best. The Hood wasn't an idiot. Their lives would be so much easier if he was. He would figure out his mistake.
Gordon shifted, the ray sliding through the icy water, skidding off the wall of the too small room. He circled slowly as muscles became sluggish and numb. All Gordon could do was latch onto the presence far above, Virgil's spark of warmth and concern flowing through him. He wanted nothing more than to maintain the connection, but as his concentration slipped, the eagle ray collided with the door and bounced back in a clumsy loop.
"Hmm, having a little trouble it seems," the Hood's distorted voice echoed through the water. "You aren't dying on me are you? That would be quite inconvenient."
Gordon made another circuit, smoother this time, but as he neared the window separating himself from the Hood, he slowed to a crawl before sinking towards the floor. His energy was waning and he wanted to stop, but that meant death far sooner than he was willing to accept. The bald figure stood watching, satisfaction evident as his mouth moved soundlessly, communications open to anyone other than Gordon. Scientists - he was being observed.
Figure out it's too damn cold… he passed the door and bounced off the floor, pushing away the urge to lay down. His mind drifted to the island, the sunlight shining through the cerulean water. There'd been a time after spending far too long in his form, circling their secluded home, Gordon had climbed out of the sea and collapsed into the warm sand. It had seeped into trembling muscles and allowed him a moment to relax until he'd nearly fallen asleep. Gentle fingers wrapping around his wrist to check his vitals had brought him back, but he hadn't needed to open his eyes to know it was Virgil. Scott would've been far more direct and rolled him over. Alan would've resorted to poking him until he moved or concern took over. John could tell without disturbing him. No, Virgil wanted that physical contact that just made their link that much more solid. His brother wanted that now, but he would have to settle for the wavering connection between man and sea creature, too limited to be crystal clear.
Gordon continued to circle, pushing himself to move, to stay warm despite the chill. Images of home, of his family and Penelope were playing on repeat and making his heart ache. He wasn't entirely sure how long the Hood forced him to remain in his form, but without warning, the water was gone and the eagle ray collapsed onto the metal panels, giving a weak jerk before Gordon felt himself shift back. He curled in on himself, tremors wracking his body until the air began to burn against his bare skin with the temperature change.
"Your limitations do leave much to be desired," the Hood sounded disappointed, but Gordon couldn't think, much less come up with a snarky return. "No matter. As long as you can stay alive, I should be able to obtain the information I desire. Unless you'd rather continue this in a much more comfortable setting?"
"Screw - you," teeth chattering, Gordon let his head rest on the floor, content that he'd made his point and was able to throw it in the villain's face.
"Shame," a dark chuckle. "I'll give you a moment to reconsider before we continue. Do the smart thing - I'm sure your father would've approved."
It was low, impossibly cruel, but the words spurred a burst of heat to course through his chest. Gordon wished the man would open the door - break the seal that separated them for only a moment and allow the aquanaut the chance to wipe the grin from the Hood's face. He swore he would, one day - end the madman's reign of terror. He could do it. At least, that was how he felt at that moment, staring at his inhumane captor. If anyone deserved death, it was the Hood.
"I'll give you a moment to collect yourself," yellow eyes glowed in the sub's low light. "I do hope you'll have your decision by then."
Gordon was left on his own, fighting against hypothermia with every ounce of energy he had. His decision was made. He would fight, but he needed a better plan. There was no surviving another round as a ray, which meant he needed something new. Something that would throw the Hood's scientists long enough for his brothers to rescue him.
They were coming.
Virgil couldn't tell him in words, but there was a sensation on repeat - anticipation, that feeling they got just before they launched on a rescue. There was a plan - had to be one - otherwise he would be overwhelmed with frustration, anger, fear, everything his brothers had already been through when he first woke up.
All Gordon had to do was hold on a little longer. He could do that for his family. One more form - one more shift wouldn't do anymore harm than he already had.
Just one more.