Virgil was early. He told himself it was so he could scope out the location of the café ahead of time but the truth was he was there more than an hour before their meeting. He had a plan though. The café was in a prime location by Tower Bridge, once he'd found it, he could easily kill the rest of the hour sightseeing – with a quick trip to a couriers.

Café Gardenia was everything a small English café should be. It hosted a few outdoor tables, each glistening with the remnants of last night's rain. Inside the limited space was fully maximised to allow as many tables as possible whilst ensuring some privacy between guests. Hanging baskets decorated the entrance spilling brightly coloured flowers over their sides.

Virgil took it all in but it didn't capture his attention. Jasmine sat at the table in the corner opposite a man a few years her junior. His hair had been dyed fire engine red and, as Virgil watched, she reached out and flipped his hair so that it parted on the other side, the colour changing to a more muted burnished brown as she did so. The young man scowled at her before reaching to reset it. He stopped suddenly and sat back, clearly sulking. It reminded Virgil strongly of Scott and himself when they were younger and Virgil had gone through his phase of trying to look like a 'proper artist.' Scott had not agreed with some of his choices and, being fifteen, Virgil had handled it very maturely – which is to say a lot of sulking and calling his older brother names.

Jasmine had said her brothers had died though…

In the window the young man showed Jasmine something Virgil couldn't see. Whatever it was though made Jasmine throw herself across the table and hug him tightly before planting a kiss on his cheek. For his part the man clung on as though his life depended on it. Virgil ignored the slight pang of jealousy in his chest. After all, he was here to tell her he was leaving.

As planned, he turned away and tried to take in some of the sights of London, but his heart wasn't in it any more. He ended back at the café at 9.45 and told himself he wasn't disappointed that Jasmine's friend was still there.

He pushed open the door and was greeted by a matronly woman who strongly put him in mind of his grandmother.

"Table for one, my lovely?" she asked.

"No, I'm here to meet a friend" he said gesturing to the room to indicate his friend was already there. The woman didn't move to let him through.

"Does she have a name?" the woman asked sweetly.

"Um Jasmine" Virgil said taking a better look at the elderly woman. What he has initially passed off as warm and matronly had transformed into shrewd and calculating.

"Jasmine and Warren haven't seen each other for a very long time" she said. "I'm going to sit you over here" she took a gently but unyielding hold of him arm and put him at a table across the café "and you're going to give them a little more time. That gives you and I a chance to have a chat." She turned and left

"Okay" Virgil said non plussed. Across the café Warren was showing Jasmine something on his phone and talking with one very animated hand. Jasmine had moved round to sit next to him, her eyes glued to the screen as she zoomed in on something. She was sitting practically in his lap.

"Don't stare, it's rude" the waitress returned and placed a large black coffee in front of him before taking the chair opposite and blocking his view.

"Sorry ma'am" he said accepting the coffee. It was the real thing and smelt divine, though he didn't stop to savour it. The waitress smiled at his manners and inclined her head slightly.

"What your name young man?"

"Virgil ma'am."

"And you're over from the States? Or do you live here?"

"No, I'm over for work."

"And what do you do?"

"I'm a consulting engineer." It was an easy half-truth. Each of the brothers had a back story based on their original degrees or areas of work. Virgil fell into the cover story that John had crafted for him with ease.

"And how often are you in London?"

"Fairly regularly, though not as much as I'd like." Where had that come from? Not as much as he'd like? It seemed to please the woman however who nodded and looked at him thoughtfully.

"Wife and kids?"

"No!" he said startled, his response gaining him another thoughtful nod.

"You're not from around here so I don't think you know who I am."

"No ma'am" he wanted to joke - Scott had only once pulled the don't-you-know-who-I-am card and John had never let him live it down – but he knew that, whoever this woman was, she was important. Perhaps to Jasmine, perhaps not, but she had the presence of one-who-knows-things.

"My name is Sandy" she said. "Take a look around my café, what do you see?"

Virgil did, not sure what he was looking for. There was an assortment of people here, each table happily chatting away. He ran his eyes over the entire crowd again taking time to look at the individuals. There were very few children here, he realised. Those that were here, clearly were with tourist families. Everyone else was around Virgil's age, no one was older than Scott, only a few younger than Gordon. He picked someone at random and looked closer and suddenly he understood.

"Now you understand a bit better" Sandy said reading his face. "Everyone in here is down on their luck. Sometimes it's their own fault, sometimes it isn't. You" she said pointedly "do not fit that bill, so I'm going to tell you this one time. You don't mess around with Jasmine. That girl has been through more in her short life than I suspect you or I will ever know about. The last thing she needs is someone well to do, such as yourself, coming along then dropping her like a stone when the novelty wears off. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes ma'am" Virgil said taken aback.

"That girl spends everything she has looking out for others but never looks out for herself, do you know why that is?"

Virgil did. He thought back to what she'd said about when she was a child and her condition had been worse. She hadn't been able to tell what was real and what wasn't. There was only one logical step from there and it explained so much.

"She doesn't think she's real" he said "so she doesn't think she's worth it."

Sandy looked pleased. Virgil had clearly passed some kind of test as the elderly lady's body language immediately softened.

"Well, isn't that something? You do understand. You also know her name. But you don't know who Warren is. It seems Jasmine will always keep secrets."

"How do you know her?" Virgil asked trying to relax himself. There was something about Sandy that made him feel as though he'd been hauled in front of the school principal again and, now in his twenties, he very much wanted to shake that feeling off. He also wondered how she had come to the conclusion that he didn't know who Warren was.

Sandy absentmindedly worried her bottom lip between her teeth as she considered him. If he's been looking at John, Virgil would have fancied that he was doing equations in his head. Of course, there was the strong possibility that Sandy was doing just that.

"Just over a year ago Jasmine dragged Warren in here, dumped him down in a booth and started explaining how menus worked, how the café worked, what my job role was. It was like he'd never been outdoors. I'd never seen either of them before but I know a runaway when I see one and whatever those two were running from, they couldn't run far or fast enough. They kept coming back here though, every couple of days. The money dwindled then would mysteriously pick back up again. It always coincided with one thing though."

"Jasmine had been hurt" Virgil guessed in the silence Sandy left.

"Not always Jasmine" the woman corrected. "I got to talking to them. Jasmine stoically ignored everything but Warren started to open up. They never said directly but they clearly weren't raised in the best of circumstances. They'd say the darndest things and not even realise it. Self-degrading things to point where I realised they saw themselves as little better than the way some people view their pets. The thing that broke my heart the most was that they both felt they deserved it. Warren in particular will still reference himself as a 'thing' or an 'it' at times."

Virgil stared at Sandy, coffee forgotten, waiting with baited breath for her to continue.

"Neither one of them thought they were real people with the same rights as the rest of us. Every time they came in I tried to show them that they were and eventually something stuck with Jasmine. She came to me alone and asked if I could find a job for Warren. Which I did" she shrugged suddenly "not as a cruise ship entertainer, that one caught me a bit from left field but, as long as he's happy I don't mind."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Look at them now" she said. "You'd never guess. Instead of fitting in to society that both learned to fake it and fake it so well that even someone like you, who has clearly spent enough time around Jasmine to work some of this out, didn't really have any idea." She leant forwards, "now you know what you're getting into Virgil. If this is some holiday fling or curiosity to you then you need to leave, now. No one will hold it against you. But you have to go and never come back."

"It's not" Virgil said truthfully. "I can't tell you what it is, I don't think I know myself. But she's not some idle curiosity or vacation fling. I don't know what she is but" he hesitated. He'd nearly told Sandy how much he wanted - needed - to find out everything he could about her. He decided to go for a version of it. "I ran into her months ago and she's been on my mind ever since. Wait, that doesn't sound like I meant it to."

Sandy smiled, a genuine open smile that took the sharpness from her face and returned her to the matronly figure Virgil had thought she was at first sight.

"You'll do" she said. "Come on, I think it's time you joined your friend."

Sandy got up and motioned to Jasmine's table. Virgil walked over and sat himself down opposite the pair, trying to work out if he'd imagined the inflection on the word friend.

"You came" Jasmine beamed. "Warren, this is Virgil, Virgil this is Warren my-"

"Boyfriend" Warren interrupted forcefully levelling his best glare at Virgil. Jasmine swivelled in her seat.

"That's just disturbing" she said flatly. "You're the annoying younger brother I never wanted."

"Thanks, love you too." The man sulked but rallied quickly trying to get his glare back in place.

"What do you want with my sister?"

"Not your girlfriend then?" Virgil said smiling as Jasmine laughed.

"The point still stands" Warren insisted.

"It's a very different point" Jasmine said sagely.

"Hang on" Warren said brushing off the hand Jasmine had placed on his arm. "Is this" he flapped a hand at Virgil "why you've been so cagey about what you've been up to whilst I was away?"

"He has a name, and I told you what it was, try again."

"Fine, have you been getting your freak on with Virgil here and been too ashamed to tell me?"

Jasmine threw her hands up and slumped back in her seat.

"Jesus, why do I try?"

"What?"

"Manners, Warren. Remember those long talks we had about how you were going to grow some?"

"You talked, I pretended to listen."

Virgil could only laugh. At the murderous look he was getting from the pair he explained. "Sorry, you just remind me of when I was younger and living with my brothers."

Warren glanced out the window and his eyes narrowed.

"You expecting shithead to be here?" he asked.

"WARREN!" came Nana Sandy's strident voice from across the café.

"Sorry Nana" he called. "Well?"

"No" Jasmine replied looking alarmed. "He can't see you" she said to Virgil.

"Who?"

"I've got it" Warren said with determination as he rose.

"Warren, don't do anything stupid" Jasmine said her voice full of warning rather than concern.

"It's okay, he'd going to tell me what you're up to and if he doesn't Virgil will" Warren took off down the café before either of them could respond.

"Shit" Jasmine swore as she pushed herself after him. Virgil caught her arm to try and stop her but she spun her arm up and over his and he found himself clutching air.

"Jasmine, sit down" came the quiet but firm voice of Sandy as she intercepted. "Warren's already taken Nicholas outside, there's nothing you can do now." Jasmine was gently herded back into her seat. "Besides, you're much better off here, it's about time you did something for yourself. I'm going to bring you both something to eat, and more coffee for Virgil and you can talk like adults instead of whatever you got up to in the hotel last night" she finished with a smirk.

"Nana!" But the elderly woman had gone.

Virgil watched as Jasmine took a deep breath to regain her composure. He had about a hundred questions vying for attention, one of which was why on earth did everyone seem to think he'd tell them whatever they wanted to know?

"Nana?" he was what he asked instead.

"Yeah" Jasmine drew her gaze back from the window where she had no doubt been looking for signs of her friend/younger brother. "Nana Sandy sort of adopts people, you can tell who her people are by who gets to call her Nana."

Virgil looked over to where Sandy had stopped by a table of teenagers. She was handing out their order but stopped and wacked one boy on the hand as he attempted to steal a piece of toast, a stern telling off and contrite apology followed.

"And you're one of her people?" Virgil asked glad that at least someone was looking out for her.

"It's useful for Warren" she shrugged.

"But not for you?"

"Nana's a bit… I don't know" Jasmine picked at the hem of her sleeve. "I don't really know what she wants from me. It's like she's expecting some lightbulb moment or revelation but I have no idea why."

Virgil thought he had an idea. Having seen Warren settled into a regular job and picking up a life off the street Sandy no doubt wanted the same for Jasmine. Even if she was convinced the two of them were just faking it, faking it from a warm home was better than faking it alone.

"Who was that, just now?" he changed the subject.

"Nick. Your brother met him. He's the one that fixes up some of my matches and also the one who got me involved in the whole thing" she said keeping things deliberately vague. Virgil recognised the name though from the call John had played. Jasmine looked up sharply. "I don't think he has any idea who you work for" she said. "But, Nick is one of those. He has to know everything. If he sees you sitting here with me, he'll want to know who you are. And He'll find out. A smart man, in his position, once he finds out you are Virgil Tracy would sell that information to Salvatore who could then use you to fund his project. Fortunately, Nick is not a smart man. He'd probably try and extort money from you directly. But this is not the time for me to find out I'm wrong."

Virgil digested that. One of the reasons he was here was under the safety net of no one knowing he was Thunderbird Two. It hadn't occurred to him that the same people might have a use for Virgil Tracy. But he bet it would have occurred to Scott. Virgil made a mental note to check in with his eldest brother that evening.

"Warren doesn't like him" he said.

"I don't like him and Warren doesn't like anyone. The problem is that Warren also can't be trusted to deal with things like this. He has a bit of a temper."

Sandy returned with eggs and bacon on toast for both of them and a large black coffee for Virgil.

"Don't give me that look, my lovely" Sandy said to Jasmine. "Virgil will be paying and you are going to let him. It's about time someone was interested in looking after you."

Jasmine stared at Sandy's retreating back.

"Well," she said. "Nana likes you."

"Does she?"

"Yeah" Jasmine nodded. "If she didn't, you'd have been shown the door instead of sitting through the Spanish Inquisition."

"You noticed that huh?"

"You're kind of hard to miss" Jasmine said a light blush colouring her complexion.

"So, tell me about Warren" Virgil said happily taking a sip from his mug. "I assume he's not actually your brother."

Jasmine sat forward.

"I tell you what, I'll tell you about Warren but you have to tell me something about you. You said you had brothers, so I'll tell you about Warren and you can tell me about them."

Virgil hesitated. He'd grown up knowing that his private life needed to be kept secret. The smallest thing could get blown out of all proportion by the press – such as the time seventeen-year-old Scott skipped an exam and somehow an online news outlet turned it into a story about how the eldest Tracy was a drug taking tearaway. The truth was that he'd gone to meet a girl and the 'friend' whom Scott had asked to cover for him had seized the opportunity to make a little money. Tracy Industries had dropped on the stock market as a result and it had nearly cost Scott his place in the air force.

"Or not huh" Jasmine said as the silence drifted. "Then I guess Warren remains a secret too."

"It's not that I don't want to tell you" Virgil tried. "But, with everything that's happening-"

"No, I get it" she interrupted. "I can't give away what I don't know. That's why I never ask you or The Voice of Calm about your jobs. I guess I'm just more interested in you than what you do for a living." She looked shocked for a moment. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"Yes, you should" Virgil resisted the urge to take her hand in reassurance. He took a deep breath. "I have four brothers, two older and two younger. All American is the eldest and, what did you call him" he broke off trying to remember. "Oh, Blondes Have More Fun is my immediate younger."

Jasmine smiled in a self-conscious way.

"Warren and I aren't related. I had two brothers, though I suppose technically we weren't related either, but we grew up together. Warren came along later but he was more like my side project than one of us. For all his many, many faults I was always closer to Warren though."

"Had?" Virgil asked carefully, remembering that on their first meeting she'd mentioned people she'd lost.

"Yeah" her voice faltered, eyes drifting down to avoid his. "They were killed almost two years ago now. There's only me and Warren left."

"I'm sorry." He was. Virgil couldn't imagine what his life would have been like without his brothers around. Each of them made their family life so unique, their personalities complimenting or bouncing off each other. To suddenly find that missing…

Jasmine sniffed and pulled herself back upright.

"It's not something I really want to talk about. Ever" she finished quietly.

"Warren seems like a handful though."

"Yeah. You said that Blondie was your younger brother?" Virgil nodded. "Then I imagine you know a little of what that's like."

She took a long pull at her drink. Water again, Virgil idly noted.

"Warren's alright. He has a heart of gold but he really doesn't understand a lot about people or how things work. I mean it's not a surprise considering-" she stopped suddenly. A flash of fear shot through her eyes as she realised what she was about to say.

"Is he like you?" Virgil asked carefully.

"In what way?"

"Does he have the same…" Virgil hunted for the least offensive word, "condition, you do?"

"What? No" Jasmine looked confused. "Warren just grew up very isolated. He was in the same home as I was for year before I met him. He was just kept away."

The last statement was hollow like she was deliberately trying to be vague about something. He was about to see if he could push the issue when the sound of breaking glass cut through the café.

"I don't care!" a male voice shouted.

"Jacob, this is your last warning!" came Sandy's voice from the other side of the room.

"You know what, you old bint? You can shove it too! All your holier than thou bullshit. You have no idea what it's like for us day to day!" The man rounded on his group of friends. "We're done here."

"Well, you are done here" came Warren's voice as he moved through the tables and took the man by the collar. Virgil couldn't help but notice that Warren was already rumpled and looking a little flushed. Warren didn't wait for Jacob to say anything before dragging him from the small café. Virgil joined the other gawkers in trying to work out what was happening outside as Warren took his charge out of sight. He turned back to Jasmine to ask her but she'd gone. Cursing himself Virgil swung round only to see her leaning on the table containing Jacob's friends.

"You all have a choice" she said, her tone commanding the attention of the teens. "Jacob isn't going to be welcome here for a while. He can earn it back but it won't be quick and it won't be easy. You, each of you individually" she said making sure to catch the gaze of every person seated there, "have to decide if you're going to stay here and let Nana Sandy help you or if you think you're better off out there with him." She left it a moment to make sure they were listening. "Now this isn't us and them. You can have a foot in each camp if that's what you want but it's a bloody hard road. Make a choice."

She returned to Virgil.

"You're looking at me funny."

"Sorry." Something was bugging him but he wasn't sure what.

"Did I mention that I was the eldest of the three?"

"Ah" he said unconsciously relaxing. For just a moment she'd reminded him of Scott trying to keep four rowdy brothers in line. That's what it was.

Warren returned and dumped himself down next to his sister.

Jasmine levelled him a flat look.

"Nick's or Jacob's?" she said sounding wholly unimpressed.

"Don't know, don't care" he responded.

Virgil didn't know what she was talking about until he took in Warren's coat sleeve. It was slightly damp, like someone had run it under a tap, but it had a definite red sheen to it.

She's asking whose blood that is.

The realisation hit him like a hammer and his eyes flicked to her to confirm it. A look passed between the two and Virgil knew he was right. A minute shake of her head told him not to push it but Virgil couldn't leave it, not when Warren might have seriously hurt someone. He opened his mouth to say something but Jasmine overrode him.

"Go find that kid."

"Why?"

"Warren" she said pointedly.

"Why?"

"You know why."

"Fine" Warren sulked and stood with a clatter of furniture. "See you in The Hound at seven" Warren said over his shoulder. "Don't bring him."

Jasmine ignored him and indicated that they too should leave.

As promised Virgil paid for their breakfast and the two of them stepped out into the damp London air. Jasmine moved to walk away from the café but Virgil stopped her.

"Wait. You sent Warren after that kid when he might have hurt him. We need to find them."

She shook her head.

"Warren didn't hurt Jacob. If he had then he'd have refused to go and find him much less try and sort him out." At Virgil's blank look she explained. "Warren will make sure he has someplace to stay and some cash for the evening."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. Warren has a short fuse but he's been there. He only removed Jacob to help out Nana. If he hadn't, she'd have only asked one of us to and that makes her look like the bad guy. This way, we're the problem. It's better for all."

"I don't see how that's better for you."

"It doesn't need to be better for me" she shrugged off his comment. "I'm sorry, I don't know what your plans are but I need to go find Nick. If Warren hurt him too badly then he might decide to take it out on me by foisting me off the mission."

"Would he do that?"

"Nick is shallow and spiteful so yes, he'd do that. My best bet is to head straight for Salvatore and see if I can't dig in before Nick causes a problem."

"Is that safe?"

"It's not like they can hurt me" she joked.

She looked at him fondly, something he wouldn't have suspected she was capable of only a couple of days ago. It made what he had to do next that much harder. He tried to smile in return but knew it came out sadly.

"I have to leave today anyway" he said.

"Oh." She sounded disappointed. He told himself he didn't feel the same way. "Of course. Welfare check is over, eh?"

"Yes" he agreed managing not to add the word 'unfortunately.' "The hotel is paid up for the next four nights. You should use it. And room service too, make sure you get at least one good meal per day."

She looked conflicted. Without thinking he put a hand on her shoulder and turned her towards him.

"Please Jasmine, let me help you while I can."

There was a pause whilst she fought with something internal, then she nodded.

"You have my number" he said. "Call me if you need anything."

"I think that's what Thunderbird Five is for" she pointed out.

"If you need to talk even" he insisted, "about anything. Call me."

"That works both ways" she said. "You can call me too, maybe let me know you've made it back from the next rescue with both shoulders still in place?" She quirked an eyebrow at him and he huffed out a laugh.

"Will do" he said before pulling her into a hug his brain hadn't planned on. She stiffened at the unexpected contact but, in for a penny in for a pound, right? Virgil held on until he felt her arms circle round him and hug back.

Later that day, as he took his seat on the Euro Star back to France, Virgil chose to remember the hug rather than the way she'd left without a word right after.