Virgil had set Two down just long enough to collect a sodden Gordon then he was back in the air again. A squelching noise signalled his younger brother's arrival.

"Don't sit down" Virgil warned as Gordon made for his co-pilots chair.

"Why?" Gordon whined. Virgil spared him a look. Though he'd had his helmet on for the rescue Gordon hair was plastered to his head. The blond locks held in place by the extreme amount of effort Gordon had used to clear the bridge.

"One" Virgil said "you're going to deploy again in two minutes and two if you get the seat wet now it won't be dry for the trip home." He offered Gordon a smile and Gordon nodded. He moved to lean again the back of the seat, his head hanging wearily.

"How about this time I fly the ship and you go into the storm?" he said.

"I really don't think you'll hold her in this" Virgil said seriously.

"I'm as good a pilot as you" Gordon said but there was no heat in it.

"I know" Virgil replied, for once opting not to rile his younger brother up. This wasn't about Virgil not trusting his brother's abilities or even about having to trust him with his 'bird. "I wouldn't want to pilot One in this though, I don't know her well enough."

"I know" Gordon said. One glance showed Virgil he had clearly got the right message. Gordon stretched his hands above his head one after the other, attempting to ease some of the kinks out of his back.

"John says there is one person aboard. You clear them and then I'm going to see if I can move the boat and ease the blockage."

Gordon finished stretching and nodded wearily.

"Right, here I go again."

"I'd have thought it would be your natural environment being out in that" Virgil said, making an attempt for some levity. "You did spend a year underwater, after all."

"At least I was warm and dry when I was under water" Gordon groused.

"Say that again. But slower."

"Shut up."

"Be careful, Gordon" Virgil called over his shoulder.

"Yes, Scott" Gordon replied. He quickly made his way to the cargo bay door. Under his feet he could feel Two descending and fighting the air flow. Usually, Virgil managed to land his giant 'bird seamlessly but this time Gordon got a good hold of the safety handle, just in case.

As soon as he received the all-clear Gordon opened the door and was out into the gale once more.

"I'm clear, Virgil, take her up."

"FAB."

It only took a few minutes to make it to the narrowboat. The vessel would once have been picturesque but now, angled ninety degrees to the river with its prow wedged in the bank, it just looked sad. The green paint was pock marked by debris and it was beginning to list to port as more and more flotsam jammed against it.

Gordon's first thought was that access to the little ship should be easy. Though the bank was slippery he could walk right onto the narrowboat. So why can't they get out?

Sitting down Gordon slithered down the bank coming to a stop as his legs jarred against the boat. He felt two things simultaneously; a warning twinge in his still injured knee and the narrowboat list even further. Easy yes, dangerous, also yes.

"Gordon, you have what looks like a bus incoming!" Virgil's shout came. "It's down river at the moment but I estimate you have maybe seven minutes before it reaches you."

"FAB. I'll get a move on." He quickly scrambled onto the boat and, using the railing, pulled himself round the stern so he could access below decks. He pulled the doors open, fighting the wind and descended the few steps. The boat was flooding, the water already up to his thighs, he felt a shudder run through the small craft as something struck it from the outside.

"Hello!" He called, "I'm with International Rescue, I'm here to get you out." But the boat was so small he couldn't see where anyone could be. Suddenly a hand shot out from under the water and a man heaved himself partially upright. "Sir!" Gordon tried again sloshing through the water towards him. The man twisted round catching sight of Gordon for the first time.

"My leg! It's stuck and I can't get it out!"

Gordon placed a calming hand on the man's arm. He was an older gentleman and clearly one who had lived a life on the water, but that didn't stop the fear showing in his eyes now.

"It's alright" Gordon said. "Let me take a look. Get a good hold on the counter here for me. What's your name?"

"Aaryn."

"Alright Aaryn" Gordon placed the man's hand against the edge of the counter. It can't have been comfortable trying to keep himself out of the water but Aaryn was making a good go of it. "I'm going under now." With that Gordon ducked down under the water's surface, activating the lights on his helmet. Immediately he could see the problem. The narrowboat had built-in seating and a foldaway table. The table had buckled catching Aaryn's leg against the couch. Gordon pulled on it but wasn't surprised when it held fast. After all, if Aaryn could have moved it, he would have by now. Activating his wrist laser Gordon cut it away and pulled Aaryn's leg free.

"Okay, he said standing again. "We're good to go but we need to go now."

"You don't need to tell me twice" Aaryn replied. Gordon helped him to the hatch but they were both thrown to the left as something large hit the side of the boat.

"Virgil, I thought you'd give me some warning if the car hit!" Gordon smashed a hand onto his com and shouted at his brother.

"That wasn't the bus, that was a tree, I think. You have less than two minutes" came Virgil's tight reply. Gordon got Aaryn to his feet then had to suck in a breath as his knee threatened to give out on him. The fracture he'd received just over a month before had been so slight that Virgil had actually had to look to find it on the x-ray. After a complete physical, however, they both decided that Gordon was fine. The bruised ribs had given him more trouble, as had the explanation to his father about how he'd managed to get a black eye and bruised ribs on a stag party. Gordon hadn't told him the truth, of course. The four eldest Tracy's had decided between themselves that it was for the best if their father didn't find out they were still investigating the woman from the mugging. Gordon knew all four of them still held out hope that she would be able to lead them to the people in cages that they'd seen in the building in Johannesburg. They also all knew they had been expressly forbidden from doing so.

Get your head back in the game Gordon! He chastised himself.

It took both of them to battle the door open and Aaryn could be heard exclaiming in shock even over the wind as he reached the deck.

"No time for sightseeing." Gordon pushed him towards the bank. The rain was now moving almost vertically. The pressure from the water causing waves to wash over the side of the narrowboat, bringing smaller bits of debris with them. Both Gordon and Aaryn found themselves dodging bits of tree and road signs until they made it to the prow. Giving Aaryn a push up the sodden bank he sent up a silent thank you to whoever was watching that Aaryn's leg hadn't been hurt, just stuck, otherwise this would have been all but impossible. Once they were up Gordon took a firm hold of Aaryn arm and dragged him away from the river. Once at a safe distance he signalled Virgil. Over the wind it was hard to hear the roar of the VTOL but it was a sound Gordon would be able to pick out anywhere.

"My God!" Aaryn's voice was full of awe as Thunderbird Two swooped down to hover over the stricken narrowboat. Gordon had to admit she did look impressive. The rain cascaded down her outer hull, glowing where it caught the light from the engines. From their perspective on the ground the sheer size of Two as she held fast against the storm was breath taking – not that Gordon would ever admit that to his brother. This time the grasping arm descended and attached itself to the boat, then with a mighty roar she pulled upwards heaving the boat from the river. The damn released sending a new torrent of water down stream and Gordon watched as the afore mentioned bus went down as well. Thunderbird Two placed the narrowboat on the opposite bank and came around to pick up her co-pilot.

Once inside Gordon grabbed a thermal blanket and placed it around Aaryn's shoulders. He smiled gratefully using the edge of the blanket to try and dry his face.

"Everybody okay back there?" Came Virgil's voice through the intercom.

"Yes, we're good" said Gordon, bending down to double check Aaryn's leg.

"Thank you" Aaryn called. "Hell of a craft you have here."

"Don't tell him that, I won't here the end of it." Gordon sighed for dramatic effect.

"I've placed your boat on the westerly bank as far from the river as I could safely get her" Virgil said. "I can't tell if she's salvageable but I've given her the best chance."

"I don't think she will be but thank you all the same." The smile could be heard in Aaryn's voice. "She was my life you know" he said to Gordon. "My late wife and I spent thirty years on that little boat."

Satisfied that Aaryn really had gotten away with that one Gordon stood up and rested a hand on Aaryn's shoulder.

"I'm sure your wife would be glad to see you getting a few more years yet."

"I'm sure she would. Sensible woman, my Heather. She wouldn't have cried over the boat if we'd all gotten away. Besides" he said brightening up "there were some upgrades she never wanted me to do. Now I'll have to wont I?" he said offering a conspiratorial wink.

"That you will" Gordon said laughing.